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Willmar Area Learning Center

Q: Is Willmar Area Learning Center a good school?

Willmar Area Learning Center ranks in the bottom 7.0% of Minnesota high schools.

Q: How many students attend Willmar Area Learning Center?

In the 2024-25 school year, 91 students attended Willmar Area Learning Center.

Q: What is the racial makeup of Willmar Area Learning Center?

Students at Willmar Area Learning Center are 66% Hispanic, 18% White, 8% African American, 7% Asian, 2% Two or more races.

Public Grades 9-12

440^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 473 Minnesota High Schools

Better than 7% of Minnesota high schools

Summary

Willmar Area Learning Center is a small public high school serving grades 9–12 with 91 students in Willmar, Minnesota, part of the Willmar Public School District. It ranks 440th of 473 Minnesota schools (7th percentile, 0 stars) in 2025–26, and its recent history is consistently near the bottom, with its best recent year at the 13th percentile in 2022–23. The school has very high economic need: 83.52% of students qualified for free or reduced-price lunch in 2024–25, higher than nearby DREAM Technical Academy (80.56%) and far above Willmar Senior High (57.43%).

WALC’s outcomes are far below district, state, and nearby school averages. Its 2024–25 graduation rate was 51.8%, compared with 88.4% at Willmar Senior High, 70.5% at DREAM, and 93–98% at other nearby comprehensive high schools such as A.C.G.C. Secondary, MACCRAY Secondary, and Kerkhoven Secondary. Its dropout rate was 20.3%, versus 7.5% at Willmar Senior High, 11.7% at DREAM, and 1.6–4.5% at those nearby schools. Test proficiency is also very low: WALC reported 4.3% proficient in math and 0% in science in 2025–26, while reading was suppressed by the state. By contrast, Willmar Senior High reported 30.2% math, 31.3% reading, and 24.8% science, and New London-Spicer Senior reported 57.6% math, 54.7% reading, and 49% science.

One potential strength is staffing: WALC’s student-to-teacher ratio improved from 10 in 2022–23 to 7 in 2024–25, the lowest among nearby schools with reported ratios. Its graduation rate has also improved from 32.3% in 2020–21 to 51.8% in 2024–25, though the district rate was 82.4% and the state rate was 84.9%. The school’s small size can make percentages volatile and may lead to suppressed data. Compared with its closest alternative-school peer, DREAM, WALC has a much lower student-to-teacher ratio (7 vs. 22.7), but lower graduation and higher dropout rates. Overall, WALC serves a high-need population and faces major challenges in proficiency, graduation, and dropout, even as its graduation rate has improved.

Students ?

7.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,392

Per pupil spending ?

83.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

512 8th St SW
Willmar, MN 56201-3197

(320) 214-6500

District: Willmar Public School District

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

65.9%

White:

17.6%

African American:

7.7%

See top rated Minnesota high schools

Compare Willmar Area Learning Center to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 3rd percentile in 2016 → 7th in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 7 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Minnesota average (3% vs 43% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (7th percentile)

!Graduation rate below the Minnesota average (52% vs 85%)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school3%

District avg34%

Minnesota avg43%

440^th of 473

Minnesota public high schools ?

Bottom 7%▲ up 4 pts since 2016

From bottom 3% (2016) to bottom 7% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Minnesota High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 2High Schools in the Willmar Public School District

331^st of 458Willmar Public School District 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)

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2013	3.0	471 of 488	3.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	1.8	462 of 478	3.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	0.6	451 of 454	0.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	8.1	440 of 473	7.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	4.4	448 of 450	0.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	5.7	456 of 480	5.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	12.9	412 of 476	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	5.9	447 of 472	5.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	4.7	405 of 428	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	4.5	477 of 492	3.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	7.8	438 of 494	11.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	5.2	453 of 489	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	3.4	474 of 489	3.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	3.0	495 of 504	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	5.8	443 of 483	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	4.2	501 of 534	6.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	14.1	434 of 539	19.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	5.5	499 of 545	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	14.5	424 of 540	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	5.7	220 of 234	6.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	7.2	438 of 463	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	11.5	390 of 450	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	6.2	423 of 452	6.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2004	7.1	395 of 433	8.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2024	6.6	381 of 403	5.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	14.9	354 of 396	10.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	2.5	386 of 388	0.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	3.7	329 of 339	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	3.0	392 of 401	2.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	3.1	376 of 395	4.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2025	7.4	122 of 124	1.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	11.7	139 of 145	4.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	20.2	116 of 136	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	13.7	125 of 135	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	12.9	98 of 101	3.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	6.5	128 of 132	3.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	12.5	121 of 129	6.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	12.6	350 of 377	7.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	5.9	332 of 333	0.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	8.8	368 of 389	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	22.7	328 of 393	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	9.5	294 of 312	5.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	8.9	256 of 270	5.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	5.5	359 of 370	3.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	12.3	330 of 374	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2025	3.0	377 of 377	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	13.2	360 of 398	9.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	8.1	381 of 403	5.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	3.5	339 of 351	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	2.1	403 of 411	1.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	5.4	374 of 398	6.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

High school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)7th percentile~ school

Female (2024)5th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2025)2nd percentile~ school

Male (2025)<1st percentile~ school

By subject vs Minnesota (2025-2026) ?

Math4%-41 vs state

Science0%-26 vs state

★

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Schools Near Willmar Area Learning Center

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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/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	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 6th Grade	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 6th Grade	MCA-III Math 7th Grade	MCA-III Math 8th Grade	MCA-III Math 11th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	Total
Willmar Area Learning Center	Public	9-12	512 8th St SW	Willmar	56201	Kandiyohi County	Willmar Public School District	No	No	No	No	(320) 214-6500	91	13	7.0	83.5%	16 (17.6%)	7 (7.7%)	60 (65.9%)	6 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.2%)	8.1	440^th of 473 public high schools	7.0%		4.4	448^th of 450 public high schools	0.4%	8							0.0	0.0				4.3	4.3	$14,392
Focus House	Public	12	611 5th St SW	Willmar	56201	Kandiyohi County	Willmar Public School District	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(320) 231-8500	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
DREAM Technical Academy	Public, Charter	7-12	1705 16th Street NE	Willmar	56201	Kandiyohi County	Technical Academies Of Minnesota	Yes	No	No	Yes	(320) 262-5640	72	3	22.7	80.6%	44 (61.1%)	2 (2.8%)	23 (31.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (4.2%)								(n/a)					20.0			0.0					4.8	$18,642
Willmar Senior High	Public	9-12	2701 30th St NE	Willmar	56201	Kandiyohi County	Willmar Public School District	No	No	No	No	(320) 231-8300	1,205	74	16.2	57.4%	480 (39.8%)	152 (12.6%)	495 (41.1%)	43 (3.6%)	4 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (2.6%)	41.4	285^th of 473 public high schools	39.7%		40.7	295^th of 450 public high schools	34.4%	10				31.3	31.3		24.8	24.8				30.2	30.2	$13,256
New London-Spicer Senior	Public	9-12	101 4th Ave SW	New London	56273	Kandiyohi County	New London-Spicer School District	No	No	No	No	(320) 354-2252	448	30	14.7	19.9%	422 (94.2%)	1 (0.2%)	21 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.9%)	88.8	34^th of 473 public high schools	92.8%		73.9	110^th of 450 public high schools	75.6%	76				54.7	54.7		49.0	49.0				57.6	57.6	$11,902
New London Alternative School	Public	9-12	101 4th Ave SW	New London	56273	Kandiyohi County	New London-Spicer School District	No	No	No	No	(320) 354-2252	12	1	10.5	33.3%	10 (83.3%)	1 (8.3%)	1 (8.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)														$17,551
KMS Learning Center	Public	7-12	302 N 15th St	Kerkhoven	56252	Swift County	Region 6 and 8-SW/Wc Service Coop	No	No	No	No	(320) 264-1412	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Kerkhoven Secondary	Public	7-12	302 N 15th St	Kerkhoven	56252	Swift County	Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg	No	No	No	No	(320) 264-1412	382	23	16.8	33.2%	296 (77.5%)	6 (1.6%)	67 (17.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.8%)	9 (2.4%)	47.4	267^th of 473 public high schools	43.6%		41.8	289^th of 450 public high schools	35.8%	22		42.9	29.3	33.3	34.8	7.0	27.8	17.1		47.9	20.7	33.3	33.1	$13,466
A.C.G.C. Secondary	Public	7-12	27250 Minnesota Highway 4	Grove City	56243	Meeker County	A.C.G.C. Public School District	No	No	No	No	(320) 244-4700	390	26	14.8	43.1%	321 (82.3%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (12.8%)	3 (0.8%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.3%)	71.9	121^st of 473 public high schools	74.4%		61.9	188^th of 450 public high schools	58.2%	67		30.0	43.8	44.0	39.1	21.9	47.9	33.0		31.7	39.1	35.3	35.4	$13,606
MACCRAY Secondary	Public	6-12	711 Wolverine Drive	Clara City	56222	Chippewa County	MACCRAY School District	No	No	No	No	(320) 847-2154	402	28	14.4	45.8%	318 (79.1%)	6 (1.5%)	63 (15.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)	11 (2.7%)	58.1	211^th of 473 public high schools	55.4%		33.3	329^th of 450 public high schools	26.9%	118	53.3	50.8	51.6	46.8	50.9	14.1	31.3	21.4	48.3	36.5	46.2	27.9	40.7	$14,451

Frequently Asked Questions about Willmar Area Learning Center

What is the racial makeup of Willmar Area Learning Center?

Students at Willmar Area Learning Center are 66% Hispanic, 18% White, 8% African American, 7% Asian, 2% Two or more races.

Is Willmar Area Learning Center a good school?

Willmar Area Learning Center ranks in the bottom 7.0% of Minnesota high schools.

How many students attend Willmar Area Learning Center?

In the 2024-25 school year, 91 students attended Willmar Area Learning Center.

What district is Willmar Area Learning Center in?

Willmar Public School District

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Latest Minnesota data All new data »

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

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

2024–25 MCA-III test scoresAug 29, 2025

2023–24 dropout rates & graduation ratesMay 8, 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.