Public schools in Buffalo, MN
18 open public schools with an address in Buffalo, operated by 5 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
18
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
4,692
17 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
13.8:1
Minnesota median 13.6:1
Charter schools
1
1 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Buffalo public schools
The federal directory lists 18 public schools in Buffalo, MN: 4 elementary, 3 middle, 10 high, 1 combined or other. The 17 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 4,692 students, an average of 276 per school. The largest campus is Buffalo Senior High (1,681 students), and the largest elementary school is Northwinds Elementary (419).
Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools operates the most schools here (10), plus 4 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 13.8:1, similar to the statewide school median of 13.6:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 1 charter school, 1 magnet school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 7 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 1 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 1 of 7 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 28% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Buffalo
Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools
Public school district
10 schools in Buffalo · 12 total
Wright Technical Center
Specialized public school district
3 schools in Buffalo
Meeker and Wright Special Education
Specialized public school district
2 schools in Buffalo · 9 total
Southwest Metro Intermediate 288
Specialized public school district
2 schools in Buffalo · 25 total
Terra Nova School
Independent charter agency
1 school in Buffalo
Elementary schools in Buffalo
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery Elementary Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools | KG–05 | 257 | 16.6:1 | |
| Northwinds Elementary Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools | KG–05 | 419 | 14.8:1 | |
| Parkside Elementary Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools | PK–05 | 348 | 12.8:1 | |
| Tatanka Elementary STEM School Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools | KG–05 | 393 | 14.9:1 |
Middle schools in Buffalo
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Community Middle Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools | 06–08 | 1,160 | 21.4:1 | |
| Eastern Wright Program Meeker and Wright Special Education · Special Education School | 05–08 | 8 | 3.9:1 | |
| Wright Technical Center ALC Middle Wright Technical Center · Alternative School | 06–08 | 3 | 3:1 |
High schools in Buffalo
10| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bison Online Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools | 09–12 | — | — | |
| Buffalo Senior High Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools · Magnet | 09–12 | 1,681 | 23.7:1 | |
| Cornerstones Program Meeker and Wright Special Education · Special Education School | 06–12 | 23 | 5.7:1 | |
| Phoenix Learning Center Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools · Alternative School | 09–12 | 36 | 15:1 | |
| Pride Transitions Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools · Special Education School | 12–12 | 0 | — | |
| SW Metro Buffalo-Transitions Southwest Metro Intermediate 288 · Special Education School | 09–12 | 26 | 10.4:1 | |
| SW Metro Lakeside Academy Southwest Metro Intermediate 288 · Alternative School | 07–12 | 23 | 11.6:1 | |
| Terra Nova School Terra Nova School · Charter | 06–12 | 84 | 10.5:1 | |
| Wright Technical Center Wright Technical Center · Career and Technical School | 11–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Wright Technical Center ALC Wright Technical Center · Alternative School | 09–12 | 81 | 15.7:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Buffalo
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Early Child. Sp. Ed Program Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools · Special Education School | PK–PK | 150 | 16.7:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White85.8%
- Hispanic5.2%
- Black3.2%
- Asian1.3%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial4.2%
Enrollment-weighted across 15 Buffalo schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (4,692 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Buffalo
How many public schools are in Buffalo, MN?
The current NCES directory lists 18 open public schools with a location address in Buffalo: 4 elementary, 3 middle, 10 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 4,692 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Buffalo?
Schools with an address in Buffalo belong to 5 education agencies, led by Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools (10 schools), Wright Technical Center (3 schools), Meeker and Wright Special Education (2 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Buffalo?
Buffalo Senior High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Buffalo, with 1,681 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Buffalo?
Yes. 1 of the 18 public schools in Buffalo are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Terra Nova School. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Buffalo schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Buffalo public schools is 13.8:1, similar to the Minnesota school median of 13.6:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Buffalo guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Minnesota cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Minnesota cities