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Schools›Minnesota›MELROSE
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·WEST CENTRAL EDUCATION DISTRICT·NCES 279145502388

WEST CENTRAL AREA LEARNING CENTER

9 2ND ST SW, MELROSE, MN 56352 · (320) 256-7836 · Stearns County
GRADES 06–12HIGH42-RURALALTERNATIVE EDUCATION SCHOOL21 STUDENTS
Enrollment
21
High
DISTRICT 16 · STATE 371
Student : Teacher
5.3:1
4 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 7.6:1 · STATE 16.3:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
38%
8 students
DISTRICT 30% · STATE 48%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other high schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade
Grade 9
3
Grade 10
2
Grade 11
10
Grade 12
6
Student demographics
White
1467%
DISTRICT 70% · STATE 60%
Hispanic
629%
DISTRICT 23% · STATE 12%
Two+
15%
DISTRICT 7% · STATE 7%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Male
1257%
Female
943%

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BeatsExpectations

Not computed for this school
BeatsExpectations is not computed for specialized-population schools (schools for the deaf or blind, therapeutic and behavioral-health placements, juvenile-justice and alternative-education settings, and similar). State ELA/Math proficiency rates are not a comparable metric for these populations, so a demographically-adjusted residual against general-enrollment peers would be misleading. About the methodology →

7-year change

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Enrollment
21
-3 (-12%) vs 2017
Student : Teacher
5.3:1
was 8.0:1
% White
67%
was 71%
% Hispanic
29%
was 25%
% Black
0%
was 0%
% Asian
0%
was 0%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data

About WEST CENTRAL AREA LEARNING CENTER

WEST CENTRAL AREA LEARNING CENTER, a very small four-year high school in MELROSE, Minnesota, part of WEST CENTRAL EDUCATION DISTRICT, serves 21 students, covering grades 6 through 12. By comparison, Minnesota's public schools average about 371 students each, so WEST CENTRAL AREA LEARNING CENTER sits 94% smaller than that benchmark.

WEST CENTRAL AREA LEARNING CENTER is one of 4 schools operated by WEST CENTRAL EDUCATION DISTRICT, a district that teaches 91 students overall.

Looking at the student body, WEST CENTRAL AREA LEARNING CENTER shows that 67% of the student body identifies as White; the rest comes out to 29% Hispanic, 5% multiracial. By comparison, Stearns County as a whole is about 82% White, so the school skews meaningfully less White than its surroundings.

On the resource side, The school reports having 4 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 5.3:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 16.3:1 average. Around 38% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal.

In the surrounding community, Stearns County reports that median household earnings sit near $77,066, roughly 29% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 8%. Across Stearns County's 74 public schools (combined enrollment of about 24,160 students), WEST CENTRAL AREA LEARNING CENTER is one campus in the mix.

BEACON PROGRAM W CENTRAL ED. DIST. is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.0 miles from this campus. 5 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

WEST CENTRAL AREA LEARNING CENTER operates from a low-density location.

Over the past 7-year window. Over the past 7-year window, the student count ticked down 12%: 24 students in 2018 compared to 21 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share edged down from 71% to 67%. The student-to-teacher ratio narrowed from 8.0:1 in 2018 to 5.3:1 today.

Inside the community feed, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around fundraisers, lost-and-found posts, and report-card season. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.

Stearns County at a glance

View full county profile
Population
160,865
Census ACS
Median income
$77,066
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
29%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
8%
Below federal line
Schools in county
74
24,160 students

Quick facts

School name
WEST CENTRAL AREA LEARNING CENTER
District
WEST CENTRAL EDUCATION DISTRICT
Address
9 2ND ST SW, MELROSE, MN 56352
Phone
(320) 256-7836
County
Stearns County
Level
High
Grade range
06–12
Total enrollment
21
Teachers (FTE)
4
Student–teacher ratio
5.3:1
Free/Reduced lunch
8 (38%)
Locale
42-Rural: Distant
NCES ID
279145502388
Charter school
No
Virtual school
No

Related schools

Other schools in WEST CENTRAL EDUCATION DISTRICT
Other schools in MELROSE
Nearby schools

Frequently asked questions

About WEST CENTRAL AREA LEARNING CENTER
How large is WEST CENTRAL AREA LEARNING CENTER?
WEST CENTRAL AREA LEARNING CENTER enrolls approximately 21 students in grades 06-12.
What grades does WEST CENTRAL AREA LEARNING CENTER serve?
WEST CENTRAL AREA LEARNING CENTER serves grades 06-12.
How many teachers does WEST CENTRAL AREA LEARNING CENTER have?
WEST CENTRAL AREA LEARNING CENTER employs 4 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 5.3:1.
How diverse is WEST CENTRAL AREA LEARNING CENTER?
WEST CENTRAL AREA LEARNING CENTER reports a student body of 67% White, 29% Hispanic, 5% Two or more.
Who oversees WEST CENTRAL AREA LEARNING CENTER?
WEST CENTRAL AREA LEARNING CENTER is overseen by WEST CENTRAL EDUCATION DISTRICT in Stearns County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.
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