SPRING PRAIRIE ELEMENTARY

SPRING PRAIRIE ELEMENTARY is a primary school of minimally staffed scale in HAWLEY, Minnesota, operated by HAWLEY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, hosting 26 students in grades K through 6. Compared to the state average of about 344 students per school, that is 92% leaner than typical.

HAWLEY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT comprises 3 schools with combined enrollment of 1,058 students; SPRING PRAIRIE ELEMENTARY is among them.

Demographically, SPRING PRAIRIE ELEMENTARY logs that nearly all students (100%) are White. By comparison, Clay County as a whole is about 85% White, so the school skews considerably more White than its surroundings.

Looking at the economic backdrop, The school lists 3 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 8.7:1. The state averages around 13.7:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Around 88% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. That share is higher than Clay County's rate of about 40%.

Across the wider county, Clay County reports that median household earnings sit near $81,172, roughly 39% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 6% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Clay County's 32 public schools (combined enrollment of about 11,470 students), SPRING PRAIRIE ELEMENTARY is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is HAWLEY ELEMENTARY, roughly 7.1 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a ten-mile radius, suggesting a relatively low-density school footprint.

The school occupies a countryside site.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count edged up 100%: 13 students in 2018 compared to 26 in 2025. Class-load math has widened: from 6.4:1 in 2018 to 8.7:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, the feed for SPRING PRAIRIE ELEMENTARY typically covers classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Members of the school community can share what they know.