Enrollment
355
Minnesota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Brainerd, MN
Lowell Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Lowell Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 59/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 270609000256
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 66
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lowell Elementary earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Minnesota median.
- #1 of 5
- elementary schools in Brainerd · Resource Index
- 59
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.8:1
- students per teacher
- 33.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Lowell Elementary has class sizes near the Minnesota median. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lowell Elementary ranks #1 of 5 elementary schools in Brainerd, MN.
School address
District: Brainerd Public School District · Minnesota
NCES ID 270609000256 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.8:1
vs 15.8:1 Minnesota avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.3%
vs 42.8% Minnesota avg
-22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lowell Elementary compares with Minnesota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lowell Elementary
Lowell Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Brainerd, Minnesota, enrolling 355 students.
At 14.8:1, 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 below the state's typical profile, with 33.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 355 students, its enrollment sits close to the Minnesota median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 91% of the 2,334 Minnesota schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 423 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Minnesota schools statewide, it ranks #23, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (89% of enrollment) (diversity index 21/100).
13.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Brainerd Public School District also operates Brainerd Senior High (1,805 students) and Forestview Middle (1,626 students) alongside Lowell Elementary.
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 Lowell Elementary compares
Lowell Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Minnesota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Minnesota | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.8:1 | ▼ 6% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.3% | ▼ 22% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 355 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.8:1
Leaner classes than 49% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
355
Bigger than 40% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 22% 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
14.8:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 52% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
13.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
White 88.5%
Two or More 6.5%
Hispanic or Latino 3.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
African American 0.3%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 88.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 21.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 21.1, Lowell Elementary is less mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Brainerd Public School District, which includes Lowell Elementary.
$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 Lowell Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brainerd Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Forestview Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Baxter Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Riverside Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Garfield Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lowell Elementary'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
- 250
- Students per teacher
- 9.6:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar elementary 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 (~355 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lowell Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Lowell Elementary 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 Lowell Elementary
How many students attend Lowell Elementary?
Lowell Elementary has 355 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Brainerd, MN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lowell Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Lowell Elementary is 14.8:1, which is 6% lower than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 6% 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 Lowell Elementary?
33.3% of students at Lowell Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lowell Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Lowell Elementary is White at 88.5% of enrollment, in Brainerd, MN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lowell Elementary?
Lowell Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 59/100 (higher 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 Lowell Elementary rank among elementary schools in Brainerd?
By Resource Investment Index, Lowell Elementary ranks #1 of 5 elementary 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 elementary schools in Brainerd on the city page.
Is Lowell Elementary a good school?
Lowell Elementary earns 59/100 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 Lowell Elementary, 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.