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Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Sec.

Q: Is Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Sec. a good school?

Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Sec. ranks 286 th of 473 Minnesota high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

286^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 473 Minnesota High Schools

Better than 40% of Minnesota high schools

Summary

Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Sec. is a public high school in Howard Lake, Minnesota, serving grades 9–12 with 411 students as part of the Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted district. In 2025–2026 it ranked 286th out of 473 Minnesota high schools (40th percentile, 2 stars), while its district ranked 269th out of 458 (41st percentile, 2 stars). Its clearest strength is completion: in 2024–2025, the graduation rate was 95.0%, above the district's 93.2% and well above the state's 84.9%, and the dropout rate was 0.9%, far below the state's 4.2%.

For parents weighing academics, test results are more mixed. In 2025–2026, proficiency was 26.9% in math, 29.4% in reading and 29.5% in science, compared with statewide rates of 44.9% in math, 48.6% in reading and 25.5% in science — below the state in math and reading, but above it in science. Nearby schools show a wide range: Dassel-Cokato Senior High posted 62.2% in math, 54.5% in reading and 48.3% in science (92nd percentile, 5 stars), and Watertown Mayer High posted 36.4%, 53.3% and 38.8%. Lester Prairie Secondary was lower in reading (27.6%) and science (15.6%) but higher in math (34.6%). The school's overall rank has also shifted a lot, from the 80th percentile in 2022–2023 down to the 40th percentile in 2025–2026.

The school's comparative results for some student groups are a bright spot: special education students ranked 54th of 224 schools (76th percentile, 4 stars), and low-income students ranked 148th of 377 (61st percentile, 3 stars). About 24.33% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, similar to nearby comprehensive high schools, and the student-teacher ratio is 18.6. A few data notes: some test labels changed between years (2025–2026 reading and science use MCA-IV, while earlier years are listed as MCA-III), so year-over-year comparisons should be read with caution, and suppressed values at nearby alternative programs such as Dassel-Cokato Alternative Center mean the data is unknown, not zero.

411

Students ?

18.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,195

Per pupil spending ?

24.3%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

All students in Minnesota receive free school meals.

8700 County Road 6 SW
Howard Lake, MN 55349-5427

(320) 543-4600

District: Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted

Feeder schools for Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Sec.:

Elementary:	Humphrey Elementary
	Winsted Elementary
Middle:	Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Middle

Racial breakdown:

White:

87.6%

Hispanic:

6.1%

Two or more races:

3.2%

See top rated Minnesota high schools

Compare Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Sec. to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 66th percentile in 2016 → 40th in 2026

Strengths

✓95% graduate in 4 years — above the Minnesota average (85%)

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Minnesota average (29% vs 43% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 26 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school29%

District avg35%

Minnesota avg43%

286^th of 473

Minnesota public high schools ?

Bottom 40%▼ down 26 pts since 2016

From top 34% (2016) to bottom 40% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Minnesota High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

269^th of 458Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted among Minnesota districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	41.4	286 of 473	39.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	50.9	250 of 450	44.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	57.8	219 of 480	54.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	75.9	94 of 476	80.3%	★★★★☆
2022	47.8	273 of 472	42.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	32.7	327 of 428	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	64.5	191 of 492	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	71.3	148 of 494	70.0%	★★★★☆
2017	43.8	328 of 489	32.9%	★★☆☆☆
2016	67.6	167 of 489	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2015	69.4	156 of 504	69.0%	★★★☆☆
2014	74.7	103 of 483	78.7%	★★★★☆
2013	69.3	162 of 534	69.7%	★★★★☆
2012	71.7	160 of 539	70.3%	★★★★☆
2011	72.2	140 of 545	74.3%	★★★★☆
2010	74.3	116 of 540	78.5%	★★★★☆
2008	73.6	143 of 460	68.9%	★★★☆☆
2007	81.5	79 of 463	82.9%	★★★★☆
2006	77.0	99 of 450	78.0%	★★★★☆
2005	56.8	298 of 452	34.1%	★★☆☆☆
2004	64.2	227 of 433	47.6%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	36.6	268 of 398	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	44.8	221 of 358	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	38.5	269 of 403	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	73.7	88 of 396	77.8%	★★★★☆
2022	28.4	301 of 388	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	28.6	274 of 339	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	56.2	196 of 401	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	75.4	79 of 395	80.0%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	56.5	148 of 377	60.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	49.2	171 of 333	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	73.6	79 of 389	79.7%	★★★★☆
2023	88.0	26 of 393	93.4%	★★★★★
2022	76.8	50 of 312	84.0%	★★★★☆
2021	68.6	65 of 270	75.9%	★★★★☆
2019	53.4	178 of 370	51.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	65.7	122 of 374	67.4%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	36.5	265 of 395	32.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	45.8	222 of 377	41.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	62.7	143 of 405	64.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	71.1	95 of 398	76.1%	★★★★☆
2022	53.7	197 of 403	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	26.2	293 of 351	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	58.2	185 of 411	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	54.2	212 of 398	46.7%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	66.7	54 of 224	75.9%	★★★★☆
2025	67.5	44 of 178	75.3%	★★★★☆
2022	23.7	183 of 214	14.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	51.7	101 of 220	54.1%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	26.1	313 of 394	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	38.0	262 of 376	30.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.0	260 of 402	35.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	60.3	148 of 398	62.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	29.2	321 of 401	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	18.0	331 of 364	9.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	51.2	228 of 412	44.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	57.6	196 of 414	52.7%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Special Education (2026)76th percentile+36 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)61st percentile+21 vs school

Male (2026)33rd percentile-7 vs school

Female (2026)33rd percentile-7 vs school

White (2026)21st percentile-19 vs school

By subject vs Minnesota (2025-2026) ?

Science30%+4 vs state

Reading29%-19 vs state

Math27%-18 vs state

★

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Schools Near Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Sec.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				MCA-IV Reading (2026)				MCA-IV Science (2026)			MCA-III Math (2026)				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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCA-IV Reading 7th Grade	MCA-IV Reading 8th Grade	MCA-IV Reading 10th Grade	MCA-IV Reading All Grades	MCA-IV Science 8th Grade	MCA-IV Science End of Course	MCA-IV Science All Grades	MCA-III Math 7th Grade	MCA-III Math 8th Grade	MCA-III Math 11th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	Total
Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Sec.	Public	9-12	8700 County Road 6 SW	Howard Lake	55349	Wright County	Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted	No	No	No	No	(320) 543-4600	411	22	18.6	24.3%	360 (87.6%)	7 (1.7%)	25 (6.1%)	4 (1.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.2%)	41.4	286^th of 473 public high schools	39.5%		50.9	250^th of 450 public high schools	44.4%	36			29.4	29.4		29.5	29.5			26.9	26.9	$15,195
Hlww Alternative Learning Program	Public	9-12	8700 County Road 6 SW	Howard Lake	55349	Wright County	Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted	No	No	No	No	(320) 543-4600	24	2	13.0	29.2%	17 (70.8%)	1 (4.2%)	3 (12.5%)	1 (4.2%)	1 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (4.2%)								(n/a)										10.0	10.0	$10,813
ALP Credit Recovery	Public	9-12	8700 County Road 6 SW	Howard Lake	55349	Wright County	Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted	No	No	No	No	(320) 543-4600	0			—	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)												$3,072
Step Td Program	Public	11-12	720 9th Ave	Howard Lake	55349	Wright County	Meeker And Wright Special Education	No	No	No	No	(320) 543-1122	18	3	5.7	27.8%	15 (83.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (11.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (5.6%)								(n/a)
Village Ranch Alternative Program	Public	5-12	13637 60th St. SW	Cokato	55321	Wright County	Meeker And Wright Special Education	No	No	No	No	(320) 286-2922	33	6	5.4	90.9%	23 (69.7%)	1 (3.0%)	7 (21.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (6.1%)								(n/a)			18.2	25.0							23.1
Dassel-Cokato Alternative Center	Public	9-12	200 Century Ave	Cokato	55321	Wright County	Dassel-Cokato Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(320) 286-4100	78	2	34.9	38.5%	68 (87.2%)	2 (2.6%)	7 (9.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)												$10,432
Dassel-Cokato Senior High	Public	9-12	4852 Reardon Ave SW Ste 1600	Cokato	55321	Wright County	Dassel-Cokato Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(320) 286-4100	601	34	17.5	21.5%	548 (91.2%)	3 (0.5%)	25 (4.2%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.7%)	88.2	39^th of 473 public high schools	91.8%		71.1	132^nd of 450 public high schools	70.7%	93			54.5	54.5		48.3	48.3			62.2	62.2	$12,510
DC Online High School	Public	9-12	4852 Reardon Ave SW	Cokato	55321	Wright County	Dassel-Cokato Public Schools	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(320) 286-4100	0			—	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Lester Prairie Secondary	Public	7-12	131 Hickory St N	Lester Prairie	55354	McLeod County	Lester Prairie Public School District	No	No	No	No	(320) 395-2521	222	13	17.4	27.5%	171 (77.0%)	2 (0.9%)	42 (18.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.7%)	38.2	299^th of 473 public high schools	36.8%		71.7	127^th of 450 public high schools	71.8%	172	34.1	31.0	17.1	27.6	6.9	22.9	15.6	41.5	20.7	37.8	34.6	$11,799
Watertown Mayer High	Public	9-12	1001 Highway 25 NW	Watertown	55388	Carver County	Watertown-Mayer Public School District	No	No	No	No	(952) 955-0600	516	27	19.1	22.5%	471 (91.3%)	5 (1.0%)	16 (3.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (4.5%)	74.2	109^th of 473 public high schools	77.0%		63.4	175^th of 450 public high schools	61.1%	66			53.3	53.3		38.8	38.8			36.4	36.4	$12,427

Frequently Asked Questions about Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Sec.

Is Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Sec. a good school?

Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Sec. ranks 286^th of 473 Minnesota high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Sec.?

In the 2024-25 school year, 411 students attended Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Sec..

What is the racial makeup of Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Sec.?

Students at Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Sec. are 88% White, 6% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 2% African American.

What district is Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Sec. in?

Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted

What schools feed into Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Sec.?

Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Sec. is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Humphrey Elementary
Elementary : Winsted Elementary
Middle : Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Middle

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Latest Minnesota data All new data »

2019–20 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)NewOct 19, 2026

2024–25 through 2025–26 MCA-III & MCA-IV test scoresSep 30, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

2024–25 MCA-III test scoresAug 29, 2025

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.