Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 14 schools in district

AUSTIN AREA LEARNING CENTER

301 3RD ST NW, AUSTIN, MN 55912AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Federal DataAlternative Education SchoolGrades 06–12Non-Charter
240
Students
Total enrolled
30%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↓ 65% vs nat'l
$17,197
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 20% vs nat'l
78.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 409% vs nat'l
47/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 240 students in grades 06–12 in AUSTIN, Minnesota.
20% above average funding
District spends $17,197 per pupil, 20% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 47th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

AUSTIN AREA LEARNING CENTER is a mid-sized high in AUSTIN, Minnesota, serving grades 06–12 with 240 students. The district invests $17,197 per student — 20% above the national average of $14,347, with a 78.4:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 73% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. The 30% graduation rate is below the national average of 87%, a data point worth exploring further during a school visit.

Student Body & Demographics at AUSTIN AREA LEARNING CENTER

240
Total Students
78.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
73%
Free Lunch
3
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (06–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution113 male · 127 female
47%
53%
Male 47%Female 53%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility73%
National avg 52% · 176 students
Student Composition
9%
36%
41%
Asian9%
White36%
Hispanic / Latino41%
Black7%
Multiracial2%
Pacific Islander4%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 270345002231

Academic Outcomes at AUSTIN AREA LEARNING CENTER

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
21-39
Below avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
30%
State avg
81%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
47
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 47th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 66th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 55912

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$17,197Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$17,197
State avg
$26,183
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,567
Student Support$3,267
Administration$2,064
Operations$2,580
Other$1,720
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $17,197 spent per student, an estimated $7,618 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
68%
17%
State government
68.0%
Local (property tax)
17.0%
Federal programs
15.0%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $17,197/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 30% graduation rate — below the national average of 87%
  • 78.4:1 student-teacher ratio — larger classes than the national average of 15.4:1
  • 73% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
SOUTHGATE ELEMENTARYBANFIELD ELEMENTARYWOODSON KINDERGARTEN CENTERNEVELN ELEMENTARY
+1 more
↓
Middle
I.J. HOLTON INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLELLIS MIDDLE
↓
High School
AUSTIN SENIOR HIGHAustin Online AcademyAUSTIN AREA LEARNING CNTR. - SUMMER
School Profile
TypeAlternative Education School
LevelHigh
Grades06 – 12
Location—
CountyMower County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictAUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Phone: (507)460-1804
NCES ID: 270345002231
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in AUSTIN seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
High
AUSTIN SENIOR HIGH
1,345 students · 09–12
● 47 opp60% FRL
Mid
I.J. HOLTON INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL
741 students · 05–06
● 47 opp68% FRL
Mid
ELLIS MIDDLE
720 students · 07–08
● 47 opp65% FRL
Elem
SOUTHGATE ELEMENTARY
496 students · 01–04
● 47 opp65% FRL
Elem
BANFIELD ELEMENTARY
461 students · 01–04
● 47 opp66% FRL
Elem
WOODSON KINDERGARTEN CENTER
352 students · PK–KG
● 47 opp71% FRL
Elem
NEVELN ELEMENTARY
339 students · 01–04
● 47 opp74% FRL
Elem
SUMNER ELEMENTARY
325 students · 01–04
● 47 opp89% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
301 3RD ST NW, AUSTIN, MN 55912
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.