SOUTHERN PLAINS EDUCATION COOP.

As a tiny elementary campus in FAIRMONT, Minnesota, SOUTHERN PLAINS EDUCATION COOP. teaches 19 students from grades pre-K through K, overseen by SOUTHERN PLAINS EDUCATION COOP.. That puts it 94% smaller than the typical public school in Minnesota, which averages around 344 students.

Across the 4 schools in SOUTHERN PLAINS EDUCATION COOP. (94 students total), SOUTHERN PLAINS EDUCATION COOP. accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

For racial and ethnic makeup, SOUTHERN PLAINS EDUCATION COOP. lists that White students make up the majority at 58%. Beyond that, the school shows 32% Hispanic, 5% Black, 5% multiracial. The wider county runs roughly 93% White, putting the school's mix visibly less White than the area baseline.

On the income-and-resources front, Staff filings list 3 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 7.1:1 students per teacher. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 13.7:1 average. Roughly 68% of students at SOUTHERN PLAINS EDUCATION COOP. qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. Set against Martin County (around 51%), the school's rate is noticeably above typical.

In the broader community, Martin County reports that median household income runs about $59,507, about 24% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate sits near 9%. SOUTHERN PLAINS EDUCATION COOP. is one of 15 public schools in Martin County (combined enrollment of about 3,110 students).

SOUTHERN PLAINS BRIDGES is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.0 miles from this campus. Within five miles, there are 5 other public schools.

The campus sits in a small-town setting.

Five-year trend. SOUTHERN PLAINS EDUCATION COOP.'s enrollment has fell 59% since 2018, when it stood at 46 (now 19). White enrollment moved from 87% to 58% across the same window. Class-load math has pulled in: from 11.5:1 in 2018 to 7.1:1 in 2025.

On the community side, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. The community welcomes input from current and former families.