Enrollment
956
Minnesota · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Cottage Grove, MN
Oltman Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Oltman Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 273381001542
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 4
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Oltman Middle School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Minnesota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Minnesota schools.
- #9 of 13
- public schools in Cottage Grove · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 38.2:1
- large classes for Minnesota
- 27.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Oltman Middle School has class sizes larger than 97% of Minnesota schools. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Oltman Middle School ranks #9 of 13 public schools in Cottage Grove, MN.
School address
District: South Washington County Schools · Minnesota
NCES ID 273381001542 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
38.2:1
vs 15.8:1 Minnesota avg
+142% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
27.9%
vs 42.8% Minnesota avg
-35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Oltman Middle School compares with Minnesota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Oltman Middle School
Oltman Middle School is a large middle school in Cottage Grove, Minnesota, enrolling 956 students.
Class loads run heavy: 38.2:1 is larger than about 97% of Minnesota schools and 142% 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 27.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Minnesota, bigger than 94% of state schools at 956 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,334 scored Minnesota schools.
Against 259 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #164.
Its student body is led by White (57%) and Asian (14%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 63/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 478 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
17.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
South Washington County Schools also operates East Ridge High School (2,072 students) and Park High School (1,992 students) alongside Oltman Middle 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 Oltman Middle School compares
Oltman Middle 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 | 38.2:1 | ▲ 142% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.9% | ▼ 35% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 956 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
38.2:1
Leaner classes than 1% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
956
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
27.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% 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
38.2:1
students per teacher
- 142% above state mean
Top 97% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
17.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,382
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 478 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 85 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.9 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 56.7%
Asian 14.3%
Hispanic or Latino 9.9%
African American 9.8%
Two or More 8.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 56.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.1, Oltman Middle School is more mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for South Washington County Schools, which includes Oltman Middle School.
$13,382
Per student
-12%
vs Minnesota
Avg $15,270
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 34.1%
State 59.0%
Federal 6.9%
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 Oltman Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Ridge High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Park High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Woodbury High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lake Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Woodbury Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Oltman Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,072
- Students per teacher
- 44.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,992
- Students per teacher
- 36.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,943
- Students per teacher
- 43.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,165
- Students per teacher
- 53:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,160
- Students per teacher
- 38.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar middle 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 (~956 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~38.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Oltman Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Oltman Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- South Washington County Schools'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 Oltman Middle School
How many students attend Oltman Middle School?
Oltman Middle School has 956 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Cottage Grove, MN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Oltman Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Oltman Middle School is 38.2:1, which is 142% higher than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 143% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Oltman Middle School?
27.9% of students at Oltman Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Oltman Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Oltman Middle School is White at 56.7% of enrollment, in Cottage Grove, MN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Oltman Middle School?
Oltman Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical 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 Oltman Middle School rank among public schools in Cottage Grove?
By Resource Investment Index, Oltman Middle School ranks #9 of 13 public schools in Cottage Grove, MN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Cottage Grove on the city page.
Is Oltman Middle School a good school?
Oltman Middle School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Minnesota schools. 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 South Washington County Schools?
Besides Oltman Middle School, South Washington County Schools also operates East Ridge High School (2,072 students), Park High School (1,992 students), and Woodbury High School (1,943 students). See the South Washington County Schools 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.