Dakota Times

The largest number of students in Dakota County districts were white in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Minnesota Department of Education.

Of the 75,211 students attending Dakota County district schools, 56.6% were white. Hispanic students made up the second largest ethnic group among Dakota County districts' students (15%).

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Dakota County districts, representing 57.7% of the student body.

Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District had the most balanced racial distribution among county districts, with 29.3% white students, 28.3% Black, 26.5% Hispanic, 7% multiracial, 6.5% Asian, 2.2% American Indian, 0.2% Hawaiian Pacific Islander and 0.1% Other Indigenous Peoples students.

In the 2023-24 school year, the total number of students enrolled in school districts in the county dropped 0.3% compared to the previous year.

The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Dakota County.

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.

District	Most Prevalent Ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan	White	56.2%	29,115
Lakeville Area Schools	White	69.1%	12,021
Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District	White	29.3%	7,594
Farmington Public School District	White	70.1%	6,630
West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan	White	46.5%	5,293
Hastings Public School District	White	80.8%	4,095
Inver Grove Heights Schools	White	42.6%	3,510
South St. Paul Public School District	White	45.3%	2,917
Seven Hills Preparatory Academy	White	40.7%	1,141
Randolph Public School District	White	94.6%	870
Intermediate School District 917	White	46.6%	539
Great Oaks Academy Charter School	White	88.9%	432
FIT Academy	White	61.4%	402
Prairie Creek Community School	White	87.2%	179
Discovery Charter School	White	49.7%	175
Gateway STEM Academy	Black	100%	140
Academic Arts High School	White	46.6%	103
STEAM Academy Charter School	Black	92.7%	55