Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 14 schools in district

OWATONNA ALC 9-12

338 MAIN ST. E, OWATONNA, MN 55060OWATONNA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Federal DataAlternative Education SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
98
Students
Total enrolled
25%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↓ 72% vs nat'l
$24,438
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 70% vs nat'l
12.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 20% vs nat'l
54/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 98 students in grades 09–12 in OWATONNA, Minnesota.
70% above average funding
District spends $24,438 per pupil, 70% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 54th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

OWATONNA ALC 9-12 is a small high in OWATONNA, Minnesota, serving grades 09–12 with 98 students. The district invests $24,438 per student — 70% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 12.3:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 78% 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 OWATONNA ALC 9-12

98
Total Students
12.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
78%
Free Lunch
8
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution38 male · 60 female
39%
61%
Male 39%Female 61%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility78%
National avg 52% · 76 students
Student Composition
40%
40%
11%
White40%
Hispanic / Latino40%
Black11%
Multiracial7%
Native American2%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 272805002846

Academic Outcomes at OWATONNA ALC 9-12

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
20-29
Below avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
25%
State avg
81%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
54
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 54th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 91th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 55060

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$24,438Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$24,438
State avg
$26,183
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$10,753
Student Support$4,643
Administration$2,933
Operations$3,666
Other$2,444
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $24,438 spent per student, an estimated $10,826 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
66%
24%
State government
65.5%
Local (property tax)
24.1%
Federal programs
10.4%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $24,438/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 12.3:1 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%
  • 78% 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
LINCOLN ELEMENTARYWILSON ELEMENTARYMCKINLEY ELEMENTARYWASHINGTON ELEMENTARY
+1 more
↓
Middle
Owatonna Middle SchoolOwatonna Online 6-8Owatonna Summer School 6-8
↓
High School
OWATONNA SENIOR HIGHOwatonna Online 9-12Owatonna Night SchoolOWATONNA SUMMER SCHOOL 9-12
School Profile
TypeAlternative Education School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountySteele County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictOWATONNA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT →
Phone: (507)444-8001
NCES ID: 272805002846
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in OWATONNA 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 OWATONNA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
High
OWATONNA SENIOR HIGH
1,475 students · 09–12
● 54 opp39% FRL
Mid
Owatonna Middle School
999 students · 06–08
● 54 opp49% FRL
Elem
LINCOLN ELEMENTARY
593 students · KG–06
● 54 opp37% FRL
Elem
WILSON ELEMENTARY
537 students · PK–05
● 54 opp75% FRL
Elem
MCKINLEY ELEMENTARY
525 students · KG–05
● 54 opp50% FRL
Elem
WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY
487 students · KG–05
● 54 opp48% FRL
Other
OWATONNA ECSE
104 students · PK–PK
● 54 opp63% FRL
High
Owatonna Online 9-12
43 students · 09–12
● 54 opp44% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
338 MAIN ST. E, OWATONNA, MN 55060
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.