Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 15 schools in district

Gene Dillon Elementary School

3795 DIVISION ST W, BEMIDJI, MN 56601BEMIDJI PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 04–05Non-Charter
695
Students
Total enrolled
$15,918
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 11% vs nat'l
14.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
48/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 695 students in grades 04–05 in BEMIDJI, Minnesota.
11% above average funding
District spends $15,918 per pupil, 11% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 48th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Gene Dillon Elementary School is a large elementary in BEMIDJI, Minnesota, serving grades 04–05 with 695 students. The district invests $15,918 per student — 11% above the national average of $14,347, with a 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 51% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Gene Dillon Elementary School

695
Total Students
14.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
51%
Free Lunch
47
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (04–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution365 male · 330 female
53%
47%
Male 53%Female 47%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility51%
National avg 52% · 357 students
Student Composition
68%
25%
Asian1%
White68%
Hispanic / Latino1%
Black1%
Multiracial4%
Native American25%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 270444005094

Academic Outcomes at Gene Dillon Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
48
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 48th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 70th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 56601

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$15,918Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$15,918
State avg
$26,183
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,004
Student Support$3,024
Administration$1,910
Operations$2,388
Other$1,592
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $15,918 spent per student, an estimated $7,052 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
68%
19%
State government
67.6%
Local (property tax)
18.6%
Federal programs
13.8%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 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
LINCOLN ELEMENTARYHORACE MAY ELEMENTARYNORTHERN ELEMENTARYJ.W. SMITH ELEMENTARY
+1 more
↓
Middle
BEMIDJI MIDDLEBEMIDJI MIDDLE ALP
↓
High School
BEMIDJI SENIOR HIGHBEMIDJI SENIOR LUMBERJACK ALCBEMIDJI AREA LEARNING CENTERLakeside Learning Center
+1 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
Grades04 – 05
Location—
CountyBeltrami County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictBEMIDJI PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Phone: (218)333-3100
NCES ID: 270444005094
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in BEMIDJI seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in BEMIDJI PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
High
BEMIDJI SENIOR HIGH
1,432 students · 09–12
● 48 opp39% FRL
Mid
BEMIDJI MIDDLE
1,013 students · 06–08
● 48 opp47% FRL
Elem
LINCOLN ELEMENTARY
328 students · PK–03
● 48 opp50% FRL
Elem
HORACE MAY ELEMENTARY
316 students · PK–03
● 48 opp45% FRL
Elem
NORTHERN ELEMENTARY
308 students · PK–03
● 48 opp35% FRL
Elem
J.W. SMITH ELEMENTARY
237 students · PK–03
● 48 opp87% FRL
Elem
SOLWAY ELEMENTARY
160 students · PK–03
57% FRL
High
BEMIDJI SENIOR LUMBERJACK ALC
133 students · 09–12
● 48 opp68% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
3795 DIVISION ST W, BEMIDJI, MN 56601
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.