Total enrollment
3,433
-434 (-11%) vs SY 2020-21
10 schools in Brainerd
Minnesota · Public K-12
Public-school families in Brainerd pick from 10 schools serving the city's roughly 3,433 K-12 students (5 elementary, 1 middle, and 3 high).
4-year change in Brainerd
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
9
-1 (-10%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Residents
14,468
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Students
3,433
public K-12 · NCES
Schools
10
public K-12
| Name | Level | Grades | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brainerd Online School | High | 09-12 | 0 |
| BRAINERD SENIOR HIGH | High | 09-12 | 1,805 |
| Discovery Woods | Elementary | PK-06 | 101 |
| GARFIELD ELEMENTARY | Elementary | PK-04 | 250 |
| HARRISON ELEMENTARY | Elementary | PK-04 | 230 |
| ISD 181 LEARNING CENTER | High | 08-12 | 166 |
| LINCOLN EDUCATION CENTER | Combined | 03-12 | 105 |
| LOWELL ELEMENTARY | Elementary | KG-04 | 355 |
| MIDDLE LEVEL ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM | Middle | 05-08 | 14 |
| RIVERSIDE ELEMENTARY | Elementary | PK-04 | 407 |
About Brainerd
Public education in Brainerd, Minnesota runs across 10 schools that serves roughly 3,433 students. By footprint, Brainerd sits in the average-sized bracket.
In terms of grade levels, the city spans 5 elementary, 1 middle, 3 high, and 1 other.
Looking at the last 4 years. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment shrank 11%: 3,867 students in SY 2020-21 versus 3,433 in SY 2024-25. Brainerd now counts 9 public schools, down from 10 in SY 2020-21.
On this page, the community for Brainerd discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.