VERNDALE SECONDARY

VERNDALE SECONDARY is an intimate senior high in VERNDALE, Minnesota, part of VERNDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. The school enrolls 231 students in grades 7 through 12. That puts it 38% leaner than the typical public school in Minnesota, which averages around 371 students.

VERNDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT runs 2 schools in total, collectively educating 484 students. VERNDALE SECONDARY is one of those campuses.

On the student-mix side, VERNDALE SECONDARY records that the student body is overwhelmingly White (89%). The remainder reads as 5% multiracial, 4% Hispanic. Compared to Wadena County overall, the school's racial mix sits in roughly the same range.

Looking at school resources, The school reports having 19 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 12.0:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 16.3:1, putting VERNDALE SECONDARY tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 47% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, On a poverty-adjusted basis, VERNDALE SECONDARY sits in the bottom 10% statewide. Predicted proficiency from the FRL regression is roughly 39.9%; actual is 23.2%, a gap of -16.8 points.

In the broader community, the surrounding county (Wadena County) reports that median household income runs about $61,467, 20% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 9%. In all, Wadena County runs 17 public schools (combined enrollment of about 3,201 students), of which VERNDALE SECONDARY is one.

VERNDALE ELEMENTARY is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.0 miles from this campus. Within ten miles, there are 8 other public schools, a sparser pattern than typical urban areas. Among the 4 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), VERNDALE SECONDARY ranks 4th on composite proficiency, below the local average of 41.1%.

VERNDALE SECONDARY operates from an outlying location.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at VERNDALE SECONDARY has fell 8%, going from 252 students in 2018 to 231 in 2025. The student-to-teacher ratio fell from 13.1:1 in 2018 to 12.0:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. The community welcomes input from current and former families.