Enrollment
245
Minnesota · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Forest Lake, MN
North Lakes Academy Upper School
Federal NCES profile for North Lakes Academy Upper School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 270017704291Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 11
📚 AP courses 30
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 77
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
North Lakes Academy Upper School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of Minnesota schools.
- #2 of 3
- high schools in Forest Lake · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22.3:1
- large classes for Minnesota
- 24.5%
- free-lunch eligible
North Lakes Academy Upper School has class sizes larger than 89% of Minnesota schools. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, North Lakes Academy Upper School ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Forest Lake, MN.
School address
District: North Lakes Academy · Minnesota
NCES ID 270017704291 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
11.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.3:1
vs 15.8:1 Minnesota avg
+41% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
24.5%
vs 42.8% Minnesota avg
-43% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How North Lakes Academy Upper School compares with Minnesota and U.S. medians
What stands out at North Lakes Academy Upper School
North Lakes Academy Upper School is a mid-sized charter high school in Forest Lake, Minnesota, enrolling 245 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.3:1 is larger than about 89% of Minnesota schools and 41% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 24.5% of students eligible for free meals.
With 245 students, its enrollment sits close to the Minnesota median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,334 scored Minnesota schools.
Against 247 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #130.
Its student body is predominantly White (82% of enrollment) (diversity index 32/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 6 Advanced Placement courses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 9.4% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding North Lakes Academy spends $11,953 per pupil, 22% below the Minnesota average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
North Lakes Academy also operates North Lakes Academy Elementary (220 students) and North Lakes Academy Middle School (157 students) alongside North Lakes Academy Upper 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 North Lakes Academy Upper School compares
North Lakes Academy Upper 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 | 22.3:1 | ▲ 41% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.5% | ▼ 43% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 245 | top 52% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.3:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
245
Bigger than 25% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
24.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 43% 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
22.3:1
students per teacher
- 41% above state mean
Top 89% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
9.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$11,953
per pupil, district-wide
- below Minnesota avg of $15,270
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that 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 + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.5 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 81.6%
Hispanic or Latino 8.6%
Two or More 4.9%
Asian 2.9%
African American 2.0%
Largest group: White at 81.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 32.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 32.3, North Lakes Academy Upper School is less mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
AP courses offered 6
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for North Lakes Academy, which includes North Lakes Academy Upper School.
$11,953
Per student
-22%
vs Minnesota
Avg $15,270
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 2.5%
State 84.5%
Federal 13.0%
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 North Lakes Academy Upper School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Lakes Academy Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Lakes Academy Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to North Lakes Academy Upper School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 220
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 157
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar high 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 (~245 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on North Lakes Academy Upper School's federal record.
- Compare North Lakes Academy Upper School against another school. Compare schools
- North Lakes Academy'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 North Lakes Academy Upper School
How many students attend North Lakes Academy Upper School?
North Lakes Academy Upper School has 245 students enrolled. It is a high school in Forest Lake, MN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at North Lakes Academy Upper School?
The student-teacher ratio at North Lakes Academy Upper School is 22.3:1, which is 41% higher than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 42% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at North Lakes Academy Upper School?
24.5% of students at North Lakes Academy Upper School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of North Lakes Academy Upper School?
The largest demographic group at North Lakes Academy Upper School is White at 81.6% of enrollment, in Forest Lake, MN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for North Lakes Academy Upper School?
North Lakes Academy Upper School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does North Lakes Academy Upper School rank among high schools in Forest Lake?
By Resource Investment Index, North Lakes Academy Upper School ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Forest Lake, MN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Forest Lake on the city page.
Is North Lakes Academy Upper School a good school?
North Lakes Academy Upper School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of 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 North Lakes Academy?
Besides North Lakes Academy Upper School, North Lakes Academy also operates North Lakes Academy Elementary (220 students) and North Lakes Academy Middle School (157 students). See the North Lakes Academy 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.