Enrollment
864
Minnesota · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Rochester, MN
Willow Creek Middle
Federal NCES profile for Willow Creek Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 273180001019
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Willow Creek Middle earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Minnesota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Minnesota schools.
- #3 of 6
- middle schools in Rochester · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 43.2:1
- large classes for Minnesota
- 38.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Willow Creek Middle has class sizes larger than 98% of Minnesota schools. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Willow Creek Middle ranks #3 of 6 middle schools in Rochester, MN.
School address
District: Rochester Public School District · Minnesota
NCES ID 273180001019 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
43.2:1
vs 15.8:1 Minnesota avg
+173% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.8%
vs 42.8% Minnesota avg
-9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Willow Creek Middle compares with Minnesota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Willow Creek Middle
Willow Creek Middle is a large middle school in Rochester, Minnesota, enrolling 864 students.
Class loads run heavy: 43.2:1 is larger than about 98% of Minnesota schools and 173% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 38.8% lands close to the Minnesota typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Minnesota, bigger than 92% of state schools at 864 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 91% of the 2,334 Minnesota schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 218 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Minnesota schools statewide, it ranks #188, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (56%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 63/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 65.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 206 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 864 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Rochester Public School District also operates Mayo Senior High (1,787 students) and Century Senior High (1,608 students) alongside Willow Creek Middle.
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 Willow Creek Middle compares
Willow Creek Middle on the metrics families compare, against Minnesota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Minnesota | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 43.2:1 | ▲ 173% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.8% | ▼ 9% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 864 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
43.2:1
Leaner classes than 0% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
864
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 9% 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
43.2:1
students per teacher
- 173% above state mean
Top 98% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
65.7%
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
$14,165
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
41
in-school suspensions + 165 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 23.8 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 56.0%
Hispanic or Latino 19.8%
African American 9.7%
Two or More 7.3%
Asian 6.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 56.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.8, Willow Creek Middle is more mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Rochester Public School District, which includes Willow Creek Middle.
$14,165
Per student
-7%
vs Minnesota
Avg $15,270
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.9%
State 63.1%
Federal 10.0%
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 Willow Creek Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mayo Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Century Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| John Marshall Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dakota Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| John Adams Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Willow Creek Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,787
- Students per teacher
- 43.6:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,608
- Students per teacher
- 42.3:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,549
- Students per teacher
- 43:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 921
- Students per teacher
- 36.8:1
- Resource Index
- 0/100
- Enrollment
- 867
- Students per teacher
- 45.6:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
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 (~864 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Willow Creek Middle's federal record.
- Compare Willow Creek Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Rochester 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 Willow Creek Middle
How many students attend Willow Creek Middle?
Willow Creek Middle has 864 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Rochester, MN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Willow Creek Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Willow Creek Middle is 43.2:1, which is 173% higher than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 175% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Willow Creek Middle?
38.8% of students at Willow Creek Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Willow Creek Middle?
The largest demographic group at Willow Creek Middle is White at 56.0% of enrollment, in Rochester, MN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Willow Creek Middle?
Willow Creek Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (lower 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 Willow Creek Middle rank among middle schools in Rochester?
By Resource Investment Index, Willow Creek Middle ranks #3 of 6 middle schools in Rochester, MN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Rochester on the city page.
Is Willow Creek Middle a good school?
Willow Creek Middle earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% 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 Rochester Public School District?
Besides Willow Creek Middle, Rochester Public School District also operates Mayo Senior High (1,787 students), Century Senior High (1,608 students), and John Marshall Senior High (1,549 students). See the Rochester 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.