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Best Public Schools in Wadena County, MN

Coming soon: We're expecting this year's test scores from the Minnesota Department of Education any day now — new rankings will be posted the moment they're released!

Coming soon: This year's test scores are expected from the Minnesota Department of Education any day now — new rankings will follow the moment they're released!

At a glance

Schools

3,937

Students

Districts

Top rankedStaples-Motley Senior High178^th of 450 Minnesota high schools

▲

Biggest riser

Verndale Elementary up 65 spots statewide this year

◉

Smallest classes

Sebeka Elementary 9.9 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

3★

2★

1★

19 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)

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School Rank
% Free/Reduced Lunch Recipients
% African American Students
% American Indian Students
% Asian Students
% Hispanic Students
% Pacific Islander Students
% White Students

Staples-Motley Senior High

PublicGrades 9-12

Staples-Motley School District·Staples

309 students·16.3:1 student/teacher·38% free/reduced lunch

Better than 60% statewide

178^th

of 450

▼ 10

Compare

Sebeka Secondary

PublicGrades 7-12

Sebeka Public School District·Sebeka

233 students·13.6:1 student/teacher·49% free/reduced lunch

Better than 58% statewide

189^th

of 450

▲ 55

Compare

Sebeka Elementary

PublicGrades PK, KG-6

Sebeka Public School District·Sebeka

218 students·9.9:1 student/teacher·62% free/reduced lunch

Better than 56% statewide

378^th

of 872

▼ 72

Compare

Wadena-Deer Creek Senior High

PublicGrades 7-12

Wadena-Deer Creek School District·Wadena

470 students·19.7:1 student/teacher·40% free/reduced lunch

Better than 53% statewide

211^th

of 450

▼ 60

Compare

Staples-Motley Middle School

PublicGrades 5-8

Staples-Motley School District·Staples

284 students·14.6:1 student/teacher·52% free/reduced lunch

Better than 51% statewide

254^th

of 519

▲ 37

Compare

Menahga Elementary

PublicGrades PK, KG-6

Menahga Public School District·Menahga

537 students·14.9:1 student/teacher·55% free/reduced lunch

Better than 44% statewide

484^th

of 872

▲ 27

Compare

Verndale Elementary

PublicGrades PK, KG-6

Verndale Public School District·Verndale

253 students·11.8:1 student/teacher·42% free/reduced lunch

Better than 42% statewide

501^st

of 872

▲ 65

Compare

Menahga High School

PublicGrades 7-12

Menahga Public School District·Menahga

450 students·17:1 student/teacher·47% free/reduced lunch

Better than 38% statewide

276^th

of 450

▼ 37

Compare

Verndale Secondary

PublicGrades 7-12

Verndale Public School District·Verndale

231 students·11.9:1 student/teacher·47% free/reduced lunch

Better than 34% statewide

296^th

of 450

▼ 20

Compare

Staples-Motley Elementary

PublicGrades PK, KG-4

Staples-Motley School District·Staples

308 students·13.1:1 student/teacher·56% free/reduced lunch

Better than 30% statewide

609^th

of 872

▼ 50

Compare

Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary

PublicGrades PK, KG-4

Wadena-Deer Creek School District·Wadena

450 students·11.1:1 student/teacher·52% free/reduced lunch

Better than 27% statewide

634^th

of 872

▲ 16

Compare

Elm Tree Academy

PublicAlternativeGrades 2-12

Freshwater Education District·Wadena

9 students·6.2:1 student/teacher·67% free/reduced lunch

Not ranked

Compare

F.E.D. Aitkin Credit Recovery

PublicGrades 9-12

Freshwater Education District·Aitkin

0 students

Not ranked

Compare

F.E.D. Browerville Credit Recovery

PublicGrades 9-12

Freshwater Education District·Browerville

0 students

Not ranked

Compare

F.E.D. Pequot Lakes Credit Recovery

PublicGrades 9-12

Freshwater Education District·Pequot Lakes

0 students

Not ranked

Compare

F.E.D. Pierz Credit Recovery

PublicGrades 9-12

Freshwater Education District·Pierz

0 students

Not ranked

Compare

F.E.D. Pillager Credit Recovery

PublicGrades 9-12

Freshwater Education District·Pillager

0 students

Not ranked

Compare

F.E.D. Royalton Credit Recovery

PublicGrades 9-12

Freshwater Education District·Royalton

0 students

Not ranked

Compare

F.E.D. Underwood Credit Recovery

PublicGrades 9-12

Freshwater Education District·Underwood

0 students

Not ranked

Compare

FED Bertha-Hewitt Credit Recovery

PublicGrades 9-12

Freshwater Education District·Bertha

0 students

Not ranked

Compare

FED Norman County East Credit Rec

PublicGrades 9-12

Freshwater Education District·Twin Valley

0 students

Not ranked

Compare

FED Staples-Motley Credit Recovery

PublicGrades 9-12

Freshwater Education District·Staples

0 students

Not ranked

Compare

Freshwater Long Prairie Alternative Learning Center

PublicGrades 7-12

Freshwater Education District·Long Prairie

0 students

Not ranked

Compare

Freshwater Menahga Alternative Learning Center

PublicGrades 7-12

Freshwater Education District·Menahga

0 students

Not ranked

Compare

Freshwater Pillager Alternative Learning Center

PublicGrades 7-12

Freshwater Education District·Pillager

0 students

Not ranked

Compare

Freshwater Staples Alternative Learning Center

PublicGrades 7-12

Freshwater Education District·Staples

0 students

Not ranked

Compare

Freshwater Wadena Alternative Learning Center

PublicGrades 9-12

Freshwater Education District·Wadena

0 students

Not ranked

Compare

Leaf River Academy

PublicAlternativeGrades K-12

Freshwater Education District·Wadena

15 students·3.3:1 student/teacher·73% free/reduced lunch

Not ranked

Compare

Wadena-Deer Creek 5th And 6th Grade

PublicGrades 5-6

Wadena-Deer Creek School District·Wadena

159 students·21.3:1 student/teacher·41% free/reduced lunch

Not ranked

Compare

White Pine Academy

PublicGrades 5-12

Freshwater Education District·Wadena

11 students·4.3:1 student/teacher·73% free/reduced lunch

Not ranked

Compare

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Ranking:

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Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				MCA-III Math (2025)								MCA-III Reading (2025)								Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCA-III Math 3rd Grade	MCA-III Math 4th Grade	MCA-III Math 5th Grade	MCA-III Math 6th Grade	MCA-III Math 7th Grade	MCA-III Math 8th Grade	MCA-III Math 11th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	MCA-III Reading 3rd Grade	MCA-III Reading 4th Grade	MCA-III Reading 5th Grade	MCA-III Reading 6th Grade	MCA-III Reading 7th Grade	MCA-III Reading 8th Grade	MCA-III Reading 10th Grade	MCA-III Reading All Grades	Total
White Pine Academy	Public	5-12	2222 Industrial Drive	Wadena	56482	Wadena County	Freshwater Education District	No	No	No	No	(218) 631-3505	11	3	4.3	72.7%	10 (90.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (9.1%)								(n/a)
Leaf River Academy	Public, Alternative	K-12	2222 Industrial Drive	Wadena	56482	Wadena County	Freshwater Education District	No	No	No	No	(218) 631-3505	15	4	3.3	73.3%	13 (86.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (6.7%)								(n/a)								13.3								21.4
Elm Tree Academy	Public, Alternative	2-12	2222 Industrial Drive	Wadena	56482	Wadena County	Freshwater Education District	No	No	No	No	(218) 631-3505	9	1	6.2	66.7%	9 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Freshwater Menahga Alternative Learning Center	Public	7-12	216 Aspen Ave SE	Menahga	56482	Wadena County	Freshwater Education District	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(218) 631-3505	0																		(n/a)
Freshwater Staples Alternative Learning Center	Public	7-12	1830 Airport Rd	Staples	56482	Wadena County	Freshwater Education District	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(218) 631-3505	0																		(n/a)
Freshwater Wadena Alternative Learning Center	Public	9-12	624 Jefferson St N	Wadena	56482	Wadena County	Freshwater Education District	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(218) 631-3505	0																		(n/a)
Freshwater Long Prairie Alternative Learning Center	Public	7-12	308 1st St S	Long Prairie	56482	Wadena County	Freshwater Education District	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(218) 631-3505	0																		(n/a)
Freshwater Pillager Alternative Learning Center	Public	7-12	323 E 2nd St	Pillager	56482	Wadena County	Freshwater Education District	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(218) 631-3505	0																		(n/a)
F.E.D. Browerville Credit Recovery	Public	9-12	620 Park Ave N	Browerville	56482	Wadena County	Freshwater Education District	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(218) 631-3505	0																		(n/a)
FED Staples-Motley Credit Recovery	Public	9-12	401 Centennial Dr	Staples	56479	Wadena County	Freshwater Education District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(218) 631-3505	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
FED Bertha-Hewitt Credit Recovery	Public	9-12	310 Central Ave S	Bertha	56482	Wadena County	Freshwater Education District	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(218) 631-3505	0																		(n/a)
F.E.D. Aitkin Credit Recovery	Public	9-12	306 2nd St NW	Aitkin	56482	Wadena County	Freshwater Education District	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(218) 631-3505	0																		(n/a)
F.E.D. Pillager Credit Recovery	Public	9-12	323 E 2nd St	Pillager	56482	Wadena County	Freshwater Education District	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(218) 631-3505	0																		(n/a)
F.E.D. Pequot Lakes Credit Recovery	Public	9-12	30805 Olson St	Pequot Lakes	56482	Wadena County	Freshwater Education District	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(218) 631-3505	0																		(n/a)
F.E.D. Pierz Credit Recovery	Public	9-12	112 Kamnic St	Pierz	56482	Wadena County	Freshwater Education District	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(218) 631-3505	0																		(n/a)
F.E.D. Underwood Credit Recovery	Public	9-12	100 Southern Ave E	Underwood	56482	Wadena County	Freshwater Education District	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(218) 631-3505	0																		(n/a)
FED Norman County East Credit Rec	Public	9-12	408 Main Ave W	Twin Valley	56482	Wadena County	Freshwater Education District	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(218) 631-3505	0																		(n/a)
F.E.D. Royalton Credit Recovery	Public	9-12	120 S Hawthorn St	Royalton	56482	Wadena County	Freshwater Education District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(218) 631-3505	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	215 Colfax Ave SW	Wadena	56482	Wadena County	Wadena-Deer Creek School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 632-2400	450	40	11.1	52.2%	387 (86.0%)	9 (2.0%)	21 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (5.1%)	31.1	634^th of 872 public elementary schools	27.3%		30.4	650^th of 881 public elementary schools	26.2%	16	52.3	40.3						46.6	33.7	27.6						30.9	$12,842
Wadena-Deer Creek Senior High	Public	7-12	600 Colfax Ave SW	Wadena	56482	Wadena County	Wadena-Deer Creek School District	No	No	No	No	(218) 632-2300	470	24	19.7	39.6%	408 (86.8%)	6 (1.3%)	21 (4.5%)	2 (0.4%)	6 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.7%)	58.6	211^th of 450 public high schools	53.1%		68.4	151^st of 480 public high schools	68.5%	60					26.7	42.2	28.6	31.8					28.0	34.9	52.3	37.1	$12,843
Wadena-Deer Creek 5th And 6th Grade	Public	5-6	600 Colfax Ave SW	Wadena	56482	Wadena County	Wadena-Deer Creek School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 632-2400	159	7	21.3	40.9%	136 (85.5%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (5.0%)	1 (0.6%)	3 (1.9%)	1 (0.6%)	10 (6.3%)								(n/a)			34.1	46.0				39.6			44.7	64.9				54.1	$6,925
Menahga High School	Public	7-12	216 Aspen Ave SE	Menahga	56464	Wadena County	Menahga Public School District	No	No	No	No	(651) 334-3732	450	26	17.0	47.1%	417 (92.7%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (3.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.9%)	45.5	276^th of 450 public high schools	38.7%		53.6	239^th of 480 public high schools	50.2%	37					29.4	36.7	4.8	25.9					41.7	45.2	52.6	46.7	$12,133
Menahga Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	216 Aspen Ave SE	Menahga	56464	Wadena County	Menahga Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 564-4141	537	36	14.9	54.7%	515 (95.9%)	2 (0.4%)	5 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.4%)	48.9	484^th of 872 public elementary schools	44.5%		48.2	511^th of 881 public elementary schools	42.0%	27	55.6	40.4	37.5	48.7				46.2	47.7	39.1	55.1	39.0				45.8	$10,865
Sebeka Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	200 1st St NW	Sebeka	56477	Wadena County	Sebeka Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 837-5101	218	22	9.9	61.9%	205 (94.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.1%)	59.4	378^th of 872 public elementary schools	56.7%		65.6	306^th of 881 public elementary schools	65.3%	72	75.9	87.5	22.2	32.0				54.1	51.7	62.5	40.0	54.2				51.7	$12,778
Sebeka Secondary	Public	7-12	200 1st St NW	Sebeka	56477	Wadena County	Sebeka Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 837-5101	233	17	13.6	48.9%	213 (91.4%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.9%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (6.4%)	61.6	189^th of 450 public high schools	58.0%		52.7	244^th of 480 public high schools	49.2%	55					43.2	32.1	32.4	36.4					46.0	25.0	51.5	41.8	$12,234
Staples-Motley Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	1025 4th St NE	Staples	56479	Wadena County	Staples-Motley School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 894-5400	308	24	13.1	55.8%	282 (91.6%)	4 (1.3%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.9%)	33.8	609^th of 872 public elementary schools	30.2%		42.8	559^th of 881 public elementary schools	36.5%	50	48.9	44.3						46.3	34.0	34.4						34.3	$12,285
Staples-Motley Senior High	Public	9-12	401 Centennial Dr	Staples	56479	Wadena County	Staples-Motley School District	No	No	No	No	(218) 894-2431	309	19	16.3	38.2%	275 (89.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (5.5%)	63.1	178^th of 450 public high schools	60.4%		66.4	168^th of 480 public high schools	65.0%	10							33.3	33.3							52.0	52.0	$13,669
Staples-Motley Middle School	Public	5-8	401 Centennial Dr	Staples	56479	Wadena County	Staples-Motley School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 894-5400	284	19	14.6	51.8%	256 (90.1%)	1 (0.4%)	6 (2.1%)	3 (1.1%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (5.6%)	50.3	254^th of 519 public middle schools	51.1%		46.9	291^st of 545 public middle schools	46.6%	37			32.1	29.2	34.8	55.4		38.3			50.0	36.9	38.0	43.2		41.5	$11,957
Verndale Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	411 SW Brown St	Verndale	56481	Wadena County	Verndale Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 445-5184	253	21	11.8	41.5%	239 (94.5%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.6%)	2 (0.8%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.0%)	47.4	501^st of 872 public elementary schools	42.5%		42.2	566^th of 881 public elementary schools	35.8%	65	56.8	57.6	31.6	12.5				40.8	38.6	57.6	50.0	53.1				49.0	$10,713
Verndale Secondary	Public	7-12	411 SW Brown St	Verndale	56481	Wadena County	Verndale Public School District	No	No	No	No	(218) 445-5184	231	19	11.9	46.8%	206 (89.2%)	1 (0.4%)	9 (3.9%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.2%)	40.6	296^th of 450 public high schools	34.2%		47	276^th of 480 public high schools	42.5%	20					17.7	7.7	38.9	17.6					38.2	15.4	34.2	28.8	$10,617

SchoolDigger rankings lists for Minnesota:

Elementary Schools Middle Schools High Schools Districts Cities

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Minnesota Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.

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