St. Cloud Sun

The largest number of students in Sherburne County districts were white in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Minnesota Department of Education.

Of the 21,347 students attending Sherburne County district schools, 80.8% were white. Black students made up the second largest ethnic group among Sherburne County districts' students (5.4%).

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Sherburne County districts, representing 81.9% of the student body.

Spectrum High School, Big Lake Public School District and Elk River Public School District had the most diverse student body in the county, including white, Black, Hispanic, multiracial, Asian, American Indian, Hawaiian Pacific Islander and Other Indigenous Peoples.

In the 2023-24 school year, the total number of students enrolled in school districts in the county increased 0.4% compared to the previous year.

The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Sherburne County.

According to the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), Minnesota's fourth graders scored 241 in math, just above the national average of 237. Their reading score of 216 was on par with the U.S. average, but shows a slight decline over recent years. Eighth graders scored 284 in math and 264 in reading, both above the national averages. 

However, despite these results, both grade levels remain below pre-pandemic levels in math and reading.

As of 2024, according to Public School Review, the student-to-teacher ratio in Minnesota's public schools stands at 1:16, slightly worse than the national average of 1:15. This is part of a larger framework within Minnesota's educational system, which is the 10th largest in the United States, accommodating over 869,000 students across 2,709 public schools.

District	Most Prevalent Ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Elk River Public School District	White	79.3%	14,352
Big Lake Public School District	White	76.6%	3,157
Becker Public School District	White	91.5%	2,847
Spectrum High School	White	86.2%	892
Three Rivers Montessori School	White	89.9%	99