Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 15 schools in district

Moorhead ALC

2777 34TH ST S, MOORHEAD, MN 56560Moorhead Area Public Schools →
Federal DataAlternative Education SchoolGrades 05–12Non-Charter
179
Students
Total enrolled
25%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↓ 72% vs nat'l
$21,867
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 52% vs nat'l
11.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 28% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 179 students in grades 05–12 in MOORHEAD, Minnesota.
52% above average funding
District spends $21,867 per pupil, 52% more than the national average of $14,347.
11.0 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is well below the national average — smaller classes of 15.4:1.
About This School

Moorhead ALC is a small high in MOORHEAD, Minnesota, serving grades 05–12 with 179 students. The district invests $21,867 per student — 52% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 11.0:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 76% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. The 25% graduation rate is below the national average of 87%, a data point worth exploring further during a school visit.

Student Body & Demographics at Moorhead ALC

179
Total Students
11.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
76%
Free Lunch
16
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (05–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution76 male · 103 female
42%
58%
Male 42%Female 58%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility76%
National avg 52% · 136 students
Student Composition
39%
23%
19%
10%
9%
White39%
Hispanic / Latino23%
Black19%
Multiracial10%
Native American9%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 272142000462

Academic Outcomes at Moorhead ALC

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
20-29
Below avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
25%
State avg
81%
National avg
87%

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$21,867Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$21,867
State avg
$26,183
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$9,621
Student Support$4,155
Administration$2,624
Operations$3,280
Other$2,187
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $21,867 spent per student, an estimated $9,687 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
65%
19%
State government
64.8%
Local (property tax)
19.3%
Federal programs
15.9%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $21,867/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 11.0:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 25% graduation rate — below the national average of 87%
  • 76% 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
S.G. Reinertsen ElementaryDorothy Dodds Elementary SchoolELLEN HOPKINS ELEMENTARYRobert Asp Elementary
+1 more
↓
Middle
HORIZON MIDDLE SCHOOL
↓
High School
MOORHEAD HIGH SCHOOLMoorhead Online Secondary AcademyMoorhead ALC - BarnesvilleMoorhead ALC: DGF Secondary
+1 more
School Profile
TypeAlternative Education School
LevelHigh
Grades05 – 12
Location—
CountyClay County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictMoorhead Area Public Schools →
Phone: (218)284-2230
NCES ID: 272142000462
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in MOORHEAD 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 Moorhead Area Public Schools
Mid
HORIZON MIDDLE SCHOOL
2,158 students · 05–08
48% FRL
High
MOORHEAD HIGH SCHOOL
1,937 students · 09–12
40% FRL
Elem
S.G. Reinertsen Elementary
692 students · KG–04
43% FRL
Elem
Dorothy Dodds Elementary School
658 students · KG–04
50% FRL
Elem
ELLEN HOPKINS ELEMENTARY
643 students · KG–04
46% FRL
Elem
Robert Asp Elementary
611 students · KG–04
59% FRL
Other
PROBSTFIELD CENTER FOR EDUCATION
215 students · PK–PK
53% FRL
Other
West Central Academy-S
43 students · 04–12
77% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
2777 34TH ST S, MOORHEAD, MN 56560
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.