Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 18 schools in district

CENTENNIAL AREA LEARNING CENTER

4881 101ST LN NE, CIRCLE PINES, MN 55014CENTENNIAL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Federal DataAlternative Education SchoolGrades 07–12Non-Charter
61
Students
Total enrolled
50%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↓ 43% vs nat'l
$15,066
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 5% vs nat'l
12.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 21% vs nat'l
51/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 61 students in grades 07–12 in CIRCLE PINES, Minnesota.
Near-average funding
District spends $15,066 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 51th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

CENTENNIAL AREA LEARNING CENTER is a small high in CIRCLE PINES, Minnesota, serving grades 07–12 with 61 students. The district invests $15,066 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 12.2:1 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. The 50% graduation rate is below the national average of 87%, a data point worth exploring further during a school visit.

Student Body & Demographics at CENTENNIAL AREA LEARNING CENTER

61
Total Students
12.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
66%
Free Lunch
5
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (07–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution34 male · 27 female
56%
44%
Male 56%Female 44%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility66%
National avg 52% · 40 students
Student Composition
57%
20%
8%
Asian5%
White57%
Hispanic / Latino20%
Black8%
Multiracial7%
Native American2%
Pacific Islander2%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 270810002753

Academic Outcomes at CENTENNIAL AREA LEARNING CENTER

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
40-59
Below avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
50%
State avg
81%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
51
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 51th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 82th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 55014

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$15,066Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$15,066
State avg
$26,183
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,629
Student Support$2,862
Administration$1,808
Operations$2,260
Other$1,507
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $15,066 spent per student, an estimated $6,674 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
63%
30%
State government
62.9%
Local (property tax)
30.2%
Federal programs
6.9%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 12.2:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 50% graduation rate — below the national average of 87%
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
BLUE HERON ELEMENTARYRICE LAKE ELEMENTARYCENTERVILLE ELEMENTARYCENTENNIAL ELEMENTARY
+3 more
↓
Middle
CENTENNIAL MIDDLECentennial Middle School Online
↓
High School
CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOLPines School - ACSPines School - RJCPines School - NSP
+4 more
School Profile
TypeAlternative Education School
LevelHigh
Grades07 – 12
Location—
CountyAnoka County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictCENTENNIAL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Phone: (763)398-2960
NCES ID: 270810002753
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in CIRCLE PINES seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in CENTENNIAL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
High
CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL
1,982 students · 09–12
● 51 opp24% FRL
Mid
CENTENNIAL MIDDLE
1,529 students · 06–08
● 51 opp26% FRL
Elem
BLUE HERON ELEMENTARY
761 students · KG–05
● 51 opp29% FRL
Elem
RICE LAKE ELEMENTARY
666 students · KG–05
● 51 opp13% FRL
Elem
CENTERVILLE ELEMENTARY
575 students · KG–05
13% FRL
Elem
CENTENNIAL ELEMENTARY
516 students · KG–05
● 51 opp45% FRL
Elem
GOLDEN LAKE ELEMENTARY
416 students · PK–05
● 51 opp42% FRL
Elem
EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER
128 students · PK–KG
● 51 opp34% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
4881 101ST LN NE, CIRCLE PINES, MN 55014
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.