- Enrollment
- 1,302
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Mankato, MN
Prairie Winds Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Prairie Winds Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 271878002045
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 11
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Prairie Winds Middle School earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Minnesota median.
- #11 of 14
- public schools in Mankato · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.4:1
- students per teacher
- 40.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Prairie Winds Middle School has class sizes near the Minnesota median. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Winds Middle School ranks #11 of 14 public schools in Mankato, MN.
School address
District: Mankato Public School District · Minnesota
NCES ID 271878002045 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-40 students YoY
Prairie Winds Middle School held near 914 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-40 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 54.8 → 51.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-40 students YoY 271878002045 · Mankato, MN Middle · MID · TRAD
887 enr · 16.4:1 · 40.1% lunch · RII 29
Nearest enrollment peer: Mankato East Senior High (1,302 students)
Prairie Winds Middle School held near 914 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-40 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 54.8 → 51.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Minnesota schools → · Find another →
Prairie Winds Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Mankato East S
Mankato East Senior High
1,302 students
- Mankato West S
Mankato West Senior High
1,232 students
- This school
Prairie Winds Middle School
887 students
- Dakota Meadows
Dakota Meadows Middle School
852 students
- Hoover Element 461
Hoover Elementary
461 students
- Rosa Parks Ele 425
Rosa Parks Elementary
425 students
What this shows Prairie Winds Middle School reports 887 students on the CCD universe file.
How Prairie Winds Middle School compares
Prairie Winds Middle School 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 | 16.4:1 | ▲ 4% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.1% | ▼ 6% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 887 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.4:1
Leaner classes than 35% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
887
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
40.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 6% below the Minnesota average of 42.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.4:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 65% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
47.9%
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
$14,091
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 444 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 60 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 63.4%
African American 18.7%
Hispanic or Latino 8.9%
Two or More 6.1%
Asian 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 63.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.1, Prairie Winds Middle School is more mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Mankato Public School District reports $14,091 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Prairie Winds Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mankato East Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mankato West Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dakota Meadows Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hoover Elementary | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rosa Parks Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Prairie Winds Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,232
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 852
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 461
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 425
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Nationwide middle 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 (~887 students)
Frequently asked questions about Prairie Winds Middle School
How many students attend Prairie Winds Middle School?
Prairie Winds Middle School has 887 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Mankato, MN. CCD year-over-year: 954 (2022-23) → 914 (2023-24), nearly flat (-40).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Prairie Winds Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Prairie Winds Middle School is 16.4:1, which is 4% higher than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 4% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Prairie Winds Middle School?
40.1% of students at Prairie Winds Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Prairie Winds Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Prairie Winds Middle School is White at 63.4% of enrollment, in Mankato, MN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Prairie Winds Middle School?
Prairie Winds Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (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 Winds Middle School rank among public schools in Mankato?
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Winds Middle School ranks #11 of 14 public schools in Mankato, 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 Mankato on the city page.
What other schools are in Mankato Public School District?
Besides Prairie Winds Middle School, Mankato Public School District also operates Mankato East Senior High (1,302 students), Mankato West Senior High (1,232 students), and Dakota Meadows Middle School (852 students). See the Mankato Public School District district page for the complete list.