Dakota Times

There were 1,250 American Indian students enrolled in Dakota County public schools in the 2023-24 school year, 15.1% more than the previous year, according to the Minnesota Department of Education.

Data showed that Dakota County welcomed 70,596 students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, American Indian students comprised 1.8% of the student body to be the third least represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 107 schools in the county, Two Rivers High School recorded the highest enrollment of American Indian students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 64.

According to the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), Minnesota's fourth graders scored 241 in math, just above the national average of 237. Their reading score of 216 was on par with the U.S. average, but shows a slight decline over recent years. Eighth graders scored 284 in math and 264 in reading, both above the national averages. 

However, despite these results, both grade levels remain below pre-pandemic levels in math and reading.

As of 2024, according to Public School Review, the student-to-teacher ratio in Minnesota's public schools stands at 1:16, slightly worse than the national average of 1:15. This is part of a larger framework within Minnesota's educational system, which is the 10th largest in the United States, accommodating over 869,000 students across 2,709 public schools.

School Name	No. of American Indian Students	% of American Indian Students	Total School Enrollment
Diamondhead Ready to Learn	2	6.5%	31
Burnsville Alternative High School	10	5.7%	176
ABE Diploma Program	3	5.4%	56
Moreland Art/Health Science Magnet	18	4.7%	385
917 DCALS Main	5	4.6%	108
Pilot Knob STEM Magnet School	15	4%	378
Two Rivers High School	64	3.9%	1,648
Vista View Elementary School	13	3.9%	330
917 DCALS North	3	3.9%	77
Falcon Ridge Middle School	33	3.3%	987
Heritage E-STEM Magnet School	25	3.3%	760
Westview Elementary School	16	3.2%	498
Lakeville Pathways Academy (Extension Services)	2	3.2%	62
Inver Grove Heights Middle School	25	3.2%	792
Friendly Hills Middle School	23	3.1%	740
Salem Hills Elementary School	9	2.9%	310
Discovery Charter Elementary School	5	2.9%	175
Christa McAuliffe Elementary School	14	2.9%	489
Joseph Nicollet Middle School	22	2.9%	748
Hastings Alternative Center	1	2.9%	34
Academic Arts High School	3	2.9%	103
Parkview Elementary School	20	2.9%	701
Rahn Elementary School	10	2.8%	363
School of Environmental Studies	11	2.8%	393
Kaposia Education Center Elementary	17	2.7%	636
Simley Senior High School	28	2.7%	1,058
Lincoln Center Elementary	18	2.7%	665
Greenleaf Elementary School	20	2.6%	759
Apple Valley Senior High School	49	2.6%	1,919
Somerset Elementary School	10	2.5%	402
Kennedy Elementary School	11	2.4%	455
Valley Middle School of STEM	25	2.4%	1,060
Hilltop Elementary School	14	2.3%	613
Northview Elementary School	9	2.3%	385
Hastings High School	32	2.3%	1,390
Mendota Elementary School	8	2.2%	372
Oak Ridge Elementary School of Leadership, Environmental and Health Sciences	13	2.2%	590
Edward Neill Elementary School	8	2.2%	357
GOA School of Logic	1	2.1%	47
Echo Park Elementary School of Leadership, Engineering and Technology	16	2.1%	765
Rosemount Area Learning Center	4	2.1%	189
Southview Elementary School	12	2.1%	573
Eagan Senior High School	44	2%	2,202
North Trail Elementary School	12	2%	609
Garlough Environmental Magnet	8	2%	394
Hastings Middle School	22	1.9%	1,178
Oak Hills Elementary School	13	1.9%	680
Diamond Path Elementary School of International Studies	13	1.9%	676
South St. Paul Middle School	11	1.9%	589
Huddleston Elementary School	9	1.8%	496
Burnsville High School	37	1.8%	2,100
Orchard Lake Elementary School	7	1.7%	411
Red Pine Elementary School	12	1.7%	725
Scott Highlands Middle School	20	1.7%	1,207
Sky Oaks Elementary School	8	1.7%	459
Pinewood Community Elementary School	8	1.6%	501
Eastview Senior High School	38	1.6%	2,312
East Lake Elementary School	13	1.6%	829
Rosemount Senior High School	37	1.6%	2,380
South St. Paul High School	14	1.6%	868
Farmington Elementary School	8	1.5%	545
Deerwood Elementary School	8	1.5%	526
Thomas Lake Elementary School	9	1.5%	604
Lakeview Elementary School	8	1.5%	532
Rosemount Middle School	18	1.5%	1,187
Pine Bend Elementary School	8	1.5%	527
Kenwood Trail Middle School	11	1.4%	788
Riverview Elementary School	8	1.4%	585
Woodland Elementary School	9	1.3%	720
Atheneum Elementary School	1	1.3%	80
Black Hawk Middle School	12	1.3%	900
Glacier Hills Elementary School of Arts and Science	9	1.3%	681
Dakota Hills Middle School	15	1.3%	1,181
Rosemount Elementary School	10	1.3%	766
William Byrne Elementary School	7	1.2%	569
Cedar Park Elementary School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math	9	1.2%	725
South St. Paul Community Learning Center	1	1.1%	94
Kennedy Elementary School	7	1.1%	630
Farmington High School	22	1%	2,196
Lake Marion Elementary School	8	1%	790
Shannon Park Elementary School	5	1%	523
Highland Elementary School	6	0.9%	678
Lakeville North High School	16	0.9%	1,866
Levi P. Dodge Middle School	6	0.9%	687
Gideon Pond Elementary School	3	0.9%	352
Pinecrest Elementary School	4	0.9%	439
Meadowview Elementary School	5	0.8%	621
Robert Boeckman Middle School	6	0.7%	867
FIT Academy High School	1	0.7%	153
Eastview Elementary School	5	0.7%	711
Cherry View Elementary School	6	0.7%	885
McGuire Middle School	5	0.6%	861
Prairie Creek Community School	1	0.6%	179
Century Middle School	6	0.6%	959
Lakeville South High School	10	0.5%	1,895
Great Oaks Academy School of Grammar	1	0.3%	385
Akin Road Elementary School	1	0.2%	520
Randolph Elementary School	1	0.2%	461
Randolph Secondary School	1	0.2%	409
Burnsville Senior High Extended Day Program	0	0%	3
STEAM Academy Charter School	0	0%	55
Simley Alternative Program	0	0%	25
STEP Academy 6-12 - Burnsville	0	0%	70
STEP Academy Kg-5th - Burnsville	0	0%	240
Seven Hills Preparatory Academy, Bloomington Elementary	0	0%	542
Gateway STEM Academy Charter School	0	0%	140
FIT Academy	0	0%	249