Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 14 schools in district

BANFIELD ELEMENTARY

301 17TH ST SW, AUSTIN, MN 55912AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 01–04Non-Charter
461
Students
Total enrolled
$17,197
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 20% vs nat'l
12.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 17% vs nat'l
47/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 461 students in grades 01–04 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

BANFIELD ELEMENTARY is a mid-sized elementary in AUSTIN, Minnesota, serving grades 01–04 with 461 students. The district invests $17,197 per student — 20% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 66% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at BANFIELD ELEMENTARY

461
Total Students
12.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
66%
Free Lunch
36
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (01–04) are served by this school
Gender Distribution233 male · 228 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility66%
National avg 52% · 303 students
Student Composition
10%
54%
19%
10%
Asian10%
White54%
Hispanic / Latino19%
Black10%
Multiracial5%
Pacific Islander3%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 270345000149

Academic Outcomes at BANFIELD ELEMENTARY

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
  • 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
SOUTHGATE ELEMENTARYWOODSON KINDERGARTEN CENTERNEVELN ELEMENTARYSUMNER ELEMENTARY
↓
Middle
I.J. HOLTON INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLELLIS MIDDLE
↓
High School
AUSTIN SENIOR HIGHAUSTIN AREA LEARNING CENTERAustin Online AcademyAUSTIN AREA LEARNING CNTR. - SUMMER
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
Grades01 – 04
Location—
CountyMower County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictAUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Phone: (507)460-1200
NCES ID: 270345000149
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in AUSTIN seeking a public elementary 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
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
High
AUSTIN AREA LEARNING CENTER
240 students · 06–12
● 47 opp73% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
301 17TH ST SW, 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.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
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.