Top Rankings
Detroit Lakes Public School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Minnesota for:
Category
Attribute
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 20%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 7 public high schools serving 932 students in Detroit Lakes Public School District. This district's average high testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 10% of public high schools in Minnesota.
Public High Schools in Detroit Lakes Public School District have an average math proficiency score of 49% (versus the Minnesota public high school average of 36%), and reading proficiency score of 63% (versus the 51% statewide average).
Public High School in Detroit Lakes Public School District have a Graduation Rate of 82%, which is less than the Minnesota average of 83%.
The school with highest graduation rate is Detroit Lakes Senior High School, with 85-89% graduation rate. Read more about public school graduation rate statistics in Minnesota or national school graduation rate statistics.
Minority enrollment is 25% of the student body (majority American Indian), which is less than the Minnesota public high school average of 37% (majority Hispanic and Black).
Overview
This School District
This State (MN)
# Schools
12 Schools
1,177 Schools
# Students
2,797 Students
310,035 Students
# Teachers
189 Teachers
18,776 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
14:1
14:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Detroit Lakes Public School District, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 522 school districts in Minnesota (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 79% has decreased from 85% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#179 out of 527 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
45%
45%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
54%
51%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
50%
41%
Graduation Rate
79%
84%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.43
0.57
% American Indian
17%
2%
% Asian
1%
7%
% Hispanic
3%
11%
% Black
2%
11%
% White
73%
63%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
4%
6%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $16,686 in this school district is less than the state median of $17,854. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $23,911 is higher than the state median of $18,580. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$47 MM
$15,547 MM
Spending
$67 MM
$16,179 MM
Revenue / Student
$16,686
$17,854
Spending / Student
$23,911
$18,580
Best Detroit Lakes Public School District Public High Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Detroit Lakes Senior High School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 64%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
1301 Roosevelt Ave
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
(218) 847-4491
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
(218) 847-4491
Grades: 9-12
| 851 students
Rank: #22.
Detroit Lakes Area Learning Center
Alternative School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: <50%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
900 Highway 34 E
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
(218) 844-5687
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
(218) 844-5687
Grades: 9-12
| 56 students
Rank: #33.
Detroit Lakes Alternative Program
Alternative School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: ≤20% )
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
900 Highway 34 E
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
(218) 844-5687
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
(218) 844-5687
Grades: 9-12
| n/a students
Rank: n/an/a
Afterschool Program
Alternative School
702 Lake Ave
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
(218) 844-5687
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
(218) 844-5687
Grades: 9-12
| n/a students
Rank: n/an/a
702 Lake Avenue
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
(218) 844-4761
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
(218) 844-4761
Grades: 9-12
| 14 students
Rank: n/an/a
High School Extended Year Program
Alternative School
702 Lake Ave
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
(218) 844-5687
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
(218) 844-5687
Grades: 9-12
| n/a students
Rank: n/an/a
Laker Transitions
Special Education School
1104 West River Road
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
(218) 844-4760
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
(218) 844-4760
Grades: 12
| 11 students
Recent Articles
Parents’ Guide to Special Education
Special education law is not easy to decipher, with several regulations that govern special education services for disabled students. In this article, learn about the core components of the laws, rights, and individual education plans that can help create the best public school environment for your child.
Surveillance Cameras: Violation of Rights or Improved Security?
A school district in Virginia has given the green light to schools that want to install surveillance cameras in common areas like cafeterias and hallways. We’ll look at whether this is a violation of student privacy or the best way to keep order in schools.
Teachers in 19 States Allowed to Physically Punish Students
As of 2014, nineteen states still allow corporal punishment – spanking and paddling the most common choices – in their public schools. However, some argue that not only are these punishments physically harmful, they also are disproportionately administered to students of color. As a result, House democrats have taken up the issue in a new bill that would ban all forms of corporal punishment nationwide.
