Bemidji Public School District

502 Minnesota Ave Nw
Bemidji, MN 56601-5668
(District boundaries shown in map)
7/
10
Top 50%

Top Rankings

Bemidji Public School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Minnesota for:

Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 6 public preschools serving 1,406 students in Bemidji Public School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 4/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public pre schools in Minnesota.
Public Preschools in Bemidji Public School District have an average math proficiency score of 56% (versus the Minnesota public pre school average of 47%), and reading proficiency score of 38% (versus the 48% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 36% of the student body (majority American Indian), which is less than the Minnesota public preschool average of 43% (majority Hispanic and Black).

Overview

This School District
This State (MN)
# Schools
15 Schools
780 Schools
# Students
4,722 Students
236,278 Students
# Teachers
321 Teachers
17,639 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
15:1
15:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Bemidji Public School District, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 515 school districts in Minnesota (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 79% has increased from 76% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (MN)
#204 out of 525 school districts
(Top 50%)
46%
46%
49%
51%
40%
41%
79%
84%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.48
0.64
% American Indian
25%
2%
% Asian
1%
7%
% Hispanic
2%
14%
% Black
1%
13%
% White
68%
57%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
3%
7%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $17,686 in this school district is less than the state median of $17,742. The school district revenue/student has grown by 17% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $16,565 is less than the state median of $18,463. The school district spending/student has grown by 9% over four school years.
This School District
This State (MN)
Total Revenue
$84 MM
$15,547 MM
Spending
$78 MM
$16,179 MM
Revenue / Student
$17,686
$17,742
Spending / Student
$16,565
$18,463

Best Bemidji Public School District Public Preschools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Solway Elementary School
(Math: 50-59% | Reading: 40-59%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
159 Lomen Ave Ne
Bemidji, MN 56601
(218) 467-3232
Gr: PK-3 | 148 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 16%
Rank: #22.
Lincoln Elementary School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 40-44%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
1617 5th St Ne
Bemidji, MN 56601
(218) 333-3250
Gr: PK-3 | 320 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 35%
Rank: #33.
Northern Elementary School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
8711 Irvine Ave Nw
Bemidji, MN 56601
(218) 333-3260
Gr: PK-3 | 282 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 23%
Rank: #44.
Horace May Elementary School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
4415 Washington Ave Sw
Bemidji, MN 56601
(218) 333-3240
Gr: PK-3 | 300 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 24%
Rank: #55.
J.w. Smith Elementary School
(Math: 30-39% | Reading: 30-39%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
1712 America Ave
Bemidji, MN 56601
(218) 333-3290
Gr: PK-3 | 238 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 77%
Rank: n/an/a
Paul Bunyan Center
3300 Gillett Dr Nw
Bemidji, MN 56601
(218) 333-3100
Gr: PK | 118 students Student-teacher ratio: 7:1 Minority enrollment: 45%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 15 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 4,722 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 15:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 32%
  • : 79% (Top 50% in MN)
  • : Top 50%
  • : 46% (Top 50%)
  • : 49% (Top 50%)
  • : 40% (Top 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), MN Dept. of Education

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