Enrollment
14
Minnesota · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Blaine, MN
Willows
Federal NCES profile for Willows, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 270226404404
👥 S:T ratio 72
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Willows earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 90% of Minnesota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Minnesota schools.
- #6 of 12
- public schools in Blaine · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 7:1
- small classes for Minnesota
- 75.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Willows has class sizes smaller than 90% of Minnesota schools. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Willows ranks #6 of 12 public schools in Blaine, MN.
School address
District: Northeast Metro 916 · Minnesota
NCES ID 270226404404 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
2.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
7:1
vs 15.8:1 Minnesota avg
-56% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
75.0%
vs 42.8% Minnesota avg
+75% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Willows compares with Minnesota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Willows
Willows is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Blaine, Minnesota, enrolling 14 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 7:1, Willows is leaner than roughly 90% of Minnesota schools and 56% under the state's 15.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 75.0% of students qualify for free meals, 75% above the Minnesota average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 91% of Minnesota schools, with 14 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,334 scored Minnesota schools.
Against 47 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #22.
Its student body is led by White (50%) and Two or More (21%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
Northeast Metro 916 also operates Metro Heights Academy (198 students) and East View Academy (122 students) alongside Willows.
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 Willows compares
Willows on the metrics families compare, against Minnesota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Minnesota | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 7:1 | ▼ 56% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 75.0% | ▲ 75% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 14 | top 91% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
7:1
Leaner classes than 97% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
14
Bigger than 2% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
75.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 75% above the Minnesota average of 42.8%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
7:1
students per teacher
- 56% below state mean
Top 10% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 90% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 50.0%
Two or More 21.4%
Hispanic or Latino 14.3%
African American 7.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 7.1%
Largest group: White at 50.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.4, Willows is more mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
How Willows Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro Heights Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East View Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Quora Secondary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Karner Blue Education Center | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pankalo Education Center | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Willows's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 198
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 122
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 115
- Students per teacher
- 2.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 101
- Students per teacher
- 3.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 88
- Students per teacher
- 4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar other 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 (~14 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Willows's federal record.
- Compare Willows against another school. Compare schools
- Northeast Metro 916'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 Willows
How many students attend Willows?
Willows has 14 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Blaine, MN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Willows?
The student-teacher ratio at Willows is 7:1, which is 56% lower than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 55% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Willows?
75.0% of students at Willows are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Willows?
The largest demographic group at Willows is White at 50.0% of enrollment, in Blaine, MN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Willows?
Willows has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Willows rank among public schools in Blaine?
By Resource Investment Index, Willows ranks #6 of 12 public schools in Blaine, 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 Blaine on the city page.
Is Willows a good school?
Willows earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 90% 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 Northeast Metro 916?
Besides Willows, Northeast Metro 916 also operates Metro Heights Academy (198 students), East View Academy (122 students), and Quora Secondary School (115 students). See the Northeast Metro 916 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.