Total enrollment
5,075
+21 (+0%) vs SY 2020-21
Polk County
Minnesota · Public K-12
On the public-school side, Polk County (Minnesota) totals 20 K-12 schools and roughly 5,075 students. Median household income is around $73,107. That works out to 10 elementary, 1 middle, and 8 high schools.
4-year change in Polk County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
19
-1 (-5%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Polk County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Minnesota | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 41.5% | #51 of 80 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 5,075 | #33 of 80 | #1,319 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 19 | #31 of 80 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 14.9:1 | #63 of 80 | #1,739 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 43.3% | #29 of 80 | #1,953 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 42.0% | #28 of 80 | #1,409 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Polk County school rankings
Residents
30,705
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
20
8 districts
Enrollment
5,075
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$73,107
Below Minnesota avg
Free/reduced lunch
43.3%
Above Minnesota avg
Elementary
10
2,501 students
Middle
1
463 students
High
8
2,111 students
Combined / other
1
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
East Grand Forks Public Schools
2,005 students · 8 districts in Polk County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Polk County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
28.0%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
6.3%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.6%
civilian labor
Median age
40
24.5% under 18
Test scores in Polk County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 15 schools ranked. Minnesota state average: 49.9%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- FERTILE-BELTRAMI ELEMENTARY· 61.8%
- MAGELSSEN ELEMENTARY· 59.1%
- CENTRAL MIDDLE· 54.7%
- WIN-E-MAC ELEMENTARY· 53.7%
- FOSSTON SECONDARY· 53.4%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- CLIMAX ELEMENTARY· 16.1%
- CLIMAX SECONDARY· 24.0%
- Fisher Elementary· 35.5%
- EAST GRAND FORKS SENIOR HIGH· 39.7%
- SOUTH POINT ELEMENTARY· 40.0%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAST GRAND FORKS SENIOR HIGH | East Grand Forks | High | 09-12 | 608 | · |
| Crookston Secondary | Crookston | High | 06-12 | 592 | · |
| NEW HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY | East Grand Forks | Elementary | PK-02 | 499 | · |
| Highland Elementary | Crookston | Elementary | KG-05 | 474 | · |
| CENTRAL MIDDLE | East Grand Forks | Middle | 06-08 | 463 | · |
| SOUTH POINT ELEMENTARY | East Grand Forks | Elementary | 03-05 | 435 | · |
| MAGELSSEN ELEMENTARY | Fosston | Elementary | PK-06 | 340 | · |
| FOSSTON SECONDARY | Fosston | High | 07-12 | 256 | · |
| FERTILE-BELTRAMI ELEMENTARY | Fertile | Elementary | PK-06 | 249 | · |
| WIN-E-MAC ELEMENTARY | Erskine | Elementary | PK-06 | 247 | · |
| FERTILE-BELTRAMI SECONDARY | Fertile | High | 07-12 | 246 | · |
| WIN-E-MAC SECONDARY | Erskine | High | 07-12 | 211 | · |
| Fisher Elementary | Fisher | Elementary | PK-06 | 123 | · |
| Fisher Secondary | Fisher | High | 07-12 | 99 | · |
| CLIMAX SECONDARY | Climax | High | 06-12 | 94 | · |
| CLIMAX ELEMENTARY | Climax | Elementary | PK-05 | 65 | · |
| Washington Elementary | Crookston | Elementary | PK-KG | 42 | · |
| Crookston Pre-K Program | Crookston | Elementary | PK-PK | 27 | · |
| Northern Lights Academy | Crookston | High | 06-12 | 5 | · |
| New Paths Alternative Learning Prgm | Crookston | Combined | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Polk County
About Polk County
Across the rural-scale Minnesota county of Polk County of about 30,705 residents, the public-school footprint covers 20 schools and about 5,075 students.
Looking at the broader picture, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $73,107, about 28% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 6%. That income level is 6% below the Minnesota median.
On the level-by-level breakdown, Polk County consists of 10 elementary schools (2,501 students), 1 middle school (463), 8 high schools (2,111), and 1 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Polk County is East Grand Forks Public Schools, which alone enrolls about 2,005 students.
Trend over the past 4 years. Total public-school enrollment in Polk County has held roughly steady since SY 2020-21, moving from about 5,054 students to 5,075. The school count fell from 20 to 19 across the same 4-year window.
On allk12, the community for Polk County discusses school events, board meetings, and seasonal calendars. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data