Enrollment
166
Minnesota · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Brainerd, MN
Isd 181 Learning Center
Federal NCES profile for Isd 181 Learning Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 270609001874
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 67
📋 Attendance 76
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Isd 181 Learning Center earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Minnesota median.
- #1 of 3
- schools in Brainerd · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.1:1
- students per teacher
- 55.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Isd 181 Learning Center has class sizes near the Minnesota median. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Isd 181 Learning Center ranks #1 of 3 schools in Brainerd, MN.
School address
District: Brainerd Public School District · Minnesota
NCES ID 270609001874 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
11.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.1:1
vs 15.8:1 Minnesota avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
55.4%
vs 42.8% Minnesota avg
+29% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Isd 181 Learning Center compares with Minnesota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Isd 181 Learning Center
Isd 181 Learning Center is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Brainerd, Minnesota, enrolling 166 students.
At 15.1:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Minnesota median, within a few percentage points of the 15.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 55.4% of students eligible for free meals.
With 166 students, its enrollment sits close to the Minnesota median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,334 scored Minnesota schools.
Against 141 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #16.
Its student body is predominantly White (84% of enrollment) (diversity index 28/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 166 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance holds up well here: only 9.6% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Brainerd Public School District also operates Brainerd Senior High (1,805 students) and Forestview Middle (1,626 students) alongside Isd 181 Learning Center.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Isd 181 Learning Center compares
Isd 181 Learning Center on the metrics families compare, against Minnesota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Minnesota | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.1:1 | ▼ 4% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 55.4% | ▲ 29% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 166 | top 60% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.1:1
Leaner classes than 46% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
166
Bigger than 16% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
55.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 29% above the Minnesota average of 42.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.1:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 55% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
9.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$14,387
per pupil, district-wide
- below Minnesota avg of $15,270
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 166 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 84.3%
Hispanic or Latino 6.0%
Two or More 5.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 3.6%
African American 0.6%
Largest group: White at 84.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 28.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 28.2, Isd 181 Learning Center is less mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Brainerd Public School District, which includes Isd 181 Learning Center.
$14,387
Per student
-6%
vs Minnesota
Avg $15,270
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.0%
State 59.2%
Federal 11.8%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Isd 181 Learning Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brainerd Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Forestview Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Baxter Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Riverside Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lowell Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Isd 181 Learning Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,805
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 1,626
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 506
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 407
- Students per teacher
- 9.7:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 355
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Minnesota, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~166 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Isd 181 Learning Center's federal record.
- Compare Isd 181 Learning Center against another school. Compare schools
- Brainerd Public School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Isd 181 Learning Center
How many students attend Isd 181 Learning Center?
Isd 181 Learning Center has 166 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Brainerd, MN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Isd 181 Learning Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Isd 181 Learning Center is 15.1:1, which is 4% lower than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Isd 181 Learning Center?
55.4% of students at Isd 181 Learning Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Isd 181 Learning Center?
The largest demographic group at Isd 181 Learning Center is White at 84.3% of enrollment, in Brainerd, MN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Isd 181 Learning Center?
Isd 181 Learning Center has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Isd 181 Learning Center rank among schools in Brainerd?
By Resource Investment Index, Isd 181 Learning Center ranks #1 of 3 schools in Brainerd, MN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Brainerd on the city page.
Is Isd 181 Learning Center a good school?
Isd 181 Learning Center earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Minnesota median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Brainerd Public School District?
Besides Isd 181 Learning Center, Brainerd Public School District also operates Brainerd Senior High (1,805 students), Forestview Middle (1,626 students), and Baxter Elementary (506 students). See the Brainerd Public School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.