- Enrollment
- 222
- Students per teacher
- 24.7:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lester Prairie, MN
Lester Prairie Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Lester Prairie Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 270264000048
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 72
📋 Attendance 28
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lester Prairie Elementary earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Minnesota median.
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.5:1
- students per teacher
- 22.2%
- free-lunch eligible
- 213
- students enrolled
Lester Prairie Elementary has class sizes near the Minnesota median. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Lester Prairie Public School Dist. · Minnesota
NCES ID 270264000048 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-31 students YoY
Lester Prairie Elementary shrank from 248 students in 2022-23 to 217 in 2023-24 (-12.5%).
Teacher FTE held 17.7 → 17.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-31 students YoY 270264000048 · Lester Prairie, MN Other · SMALL · TRAD
213 enr · 12.5:1 · 22.2% lunch · RII 45
Nearest enrollment peer: Lester Prairie Secondary (222 students)
Lester Prairie Elementary shrank from 248 students in 2022-23 to 217 in 2023-24 (-12.5%). Teacher FTE held 17.7 → 17.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Minnesota schools → · Find another →
How Lester Prairie Elementary compares
Lester Prairie Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Minnesota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Minnesota | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.5:1 | ▼ 21% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.2% | ▼ 48% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 213 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.5:1
Leaner classes than 71% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
213
Bigger than 21% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
22.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 48% below the Minnesota average of 42.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
12.5:1
students per teacher
- 21% below state mean
Top 33% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 67% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
28.6%
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
$12,162
per pupil, district-wide
- below Minnesota avg of $15,919
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 142 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 70.0%
Hispanic or Latino 25.8%
Two or More 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
African American 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: White at 70.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.3, Lester Prairie Elementary is about as mixed as the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
District finance for Lester Prairie Public School Dist. reports $12,162 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Lester Prairie Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lester Prairie Secondary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lester Prairie Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~213 students)
Frequently asked questions about Lester Prairie Elementary
How many students attend Lester Prairie Elementary?
Lester Prairie Elementary has 213 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lester Prairie, MN. CCD year-over-year: 248 (2022-23) → 217 (2023-24), down 31.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lester Prairie Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Lester Prairie Elementary is 12.5:1, which is 21% lower than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 20% 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 Lester Prairie Elementary?
22.2% of students at Lester Prairie Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lester Prairie Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Lester Prairie Elementary is White at 70.0% of enrollment, in Lester Prairie, MN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lester Prairie Elementary?
Lester Prairie Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Lester Prairie Public School Dist.?
Besides Lester Prairie Elementary, Lester Prairie Public School Dist. also operates Lester Prairie Secondary (222 students). See the Lester Prairie Public School Dist. district page for the complete list.