- Enrollment
- 578
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Perham, MN
Prairie Wind Middle
Federal NCES profile for Prairie Wind Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 22/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 272823002535
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 42
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Prairie Wind Middle earns 22/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Minnesota schools.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Perham · Resource Index
- 22
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21:1
- large classes for Minnesota
- 29.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Prairie Wind Middle has class sizes larger than 86% of Minnesota schools. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Wind Middle ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Perham, MN.
School address
District: Perham-Dent Public School District · Minnesota
NCES ID 272823002535 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+14 students YoY
Prairie Wind Middle held near 529 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+14 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 25.7 → 29.4 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+14 students YoY 272823002535 · Perham, MN Elementary · MID · TRAD
526 enr · 21:1 · 29.5% lunch · RII 22
Nearest enrollment peer: Heart of the Lake Elementary (578 students)
Prairie Wind Middle held near 529 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+14 headcount). Teacher FTE added 25.7 → 29.4 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Minnesota schools → · Find another →
Prairie Wind Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Heart of the L
Heart of the Lake Elementary
578 students
- Perham Senior
Perham Senior High
529 students
- This school
Prairie Wind Middle
526 students
- Perham Area Le 38
Perham Area Learning Center
38 students
What this shows Prairie Wind Middle reports 526 students on the CCD universe file.
How Prairie Wind Middle compares
Prairie Wind Middle held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Minnesota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Minnesota | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21:1 | ▲ 33% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 29.5% | ▼ 31% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 526 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
526
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
29.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% 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
21:1
students per teacher
- 33% above state mean
Top 86% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
23.2%
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
$13,316
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 526 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
22
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 80.4%
Hispanic or Latino 10.5%
Two or More 5.1%
African American 1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.7%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: White at 80.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 33.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 33.9, Prairie Wind Middle is less mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
District finance for Perham-Dent Public School District reports $13,316 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Prairie Wind Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heart of the Lake Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Perham Senior High | Similar size | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
| Perham Area Learning Center | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Prairie Wind Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 529
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 10/100
- Enrollment
- 38
- Students per teacher
- 38:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Nationwide elementary 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 (~526 students)
Frequently asked questions about Prairie Wind Middle
How many students attend Prairie Wind Middle?
Prairie Wind Middle has 526 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Perham, MN. CCD year-over-year: 515 (2022-23) → 529 (2023-24), nearly flat (+14).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Prairie Wind Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Prairie Wind Middle is 21:1, which is 33% higher than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 34% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Prairie Wind Middle?
29.5% of students at Prairie Wind Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Prairie Wind Middle?
The largest demographic group at Prairie Wind Middle is White at 80.4% of enrollment, in Perham, MN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Prairie Wind Middle?
Prairie Wind Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 22/100 (lower 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).
How does Prairie Wind Middle rank among public schools in Perham?
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Wind Middle ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Perham, MN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Perham-Dent Public School District?
Besides Prairie Wind Middle, Perham-Dent Public School District also operates Heart of the Lake Elementary (578 students), Perham Senior High (529 students), and Perham Area Learning Center (38 students). See the Perham-Dent Public School District district page for the complete list.