Enrollment
623
Minnesota · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Willmar, MN
Lakeland Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Lakeland Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 274272005083
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 22
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lakeland Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Minnesota median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Minnesota schools.
- #4 of 9
- schools in Willmar · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.8:1
- students per teacher
- 67.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Lakeland Elementary School has class sizes near the Minnesota median. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lakeland Elementary School ranks #4 of 9 schools in Willmar, MN.
School address
District: Willmar Public School District · Minnesota
NCES ID 274272005083 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
45.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 15.8:1 Minnesota avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
67.1%
vs 42.8% Minnesota avg
+57% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lakeland Elementary School compares with Minnesota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lakeland Elementary School
Lakeland Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Willmar, Minnesota, enrolling 623 students.
At 13.8:1, 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 67.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 623 puts it in the larger third of Minnesota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,334 scored Minnesota schools.
Against 136 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #22.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (53%) and White (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 63/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Willmar Public School District also operates Willmar Senior High (1,205 students) and Willmar Middle School (842 students) alongside Lakeland Elementary School.
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 Lakeland Elementary School compares
Lakeland Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Minnesota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Minnesota | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.8:1 | ▼ 13% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.1% | ▲ 57% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 623 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.8:1
Leaner classes than 59% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
623
Bigger than 75% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
67.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 57% 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
13.8:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 44% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 56% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
31.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$14,812
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 52.8%
White 27.6%
African American 12.0%
Asian 3.7%
Two or More 3.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 52.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.8, Lakeland Elementary School is more mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Willmar Public School District, which includes Lakeland Elementary School.
$14,812
Per student
-3%
vs Minnesota
Avg $15,270
-11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 15.4%
State 72.1%
Federal 12.4%
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 Lakeland Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willmar Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Willmar Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Kennedy Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Willmar Area Learning Center | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lakeland Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,205
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 842
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 672
- Students per teacher
- 11.2:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 580
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 91
- Students per teacher
- 9.1:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
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 (~623 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lakeland Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Lakeland Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Willmar 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 Lakeland Elementary School
How many students attend Lakeland Elementary School?
Lakeland Elementary School has 623 students enrolled. It is a public school in Willmar, MN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lakeland Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Lakeland Elementary School is 13.8:1, which is 13% lower than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 12% 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 Lakeland Elementary School?
67.1% of students at Lakeland Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lakeland Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Lakeland Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 52.8% of enrollment, in Willmar, MN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lakeland Elementary School?
Lakeland Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Lakeland Elementary School rank among schools in Willmar?
By Resource Investment Index, Lakeland Elementary School ranks #4 of 9 schools in Willmar, MN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Willmar on the city page.
Is Lakeland Elementary School a good school?
Lakeland Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Minnesota median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Minnesota schools. 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 Willmar Public School District?
Besides Lakeland Elementary School, Willmar Public School District also operates Willmar Senior High (1,205 students), Willmar Middle School (842 students), and Kennedy Elementary (672 students). See the Willmar 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.