Public schools in Duluth, MN
36 open public schools with an address in Duluth, operated by 5 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
36
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
10,874
36 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
13.6:1
Minnesota median 13.6:1
Charter schools
4
1 magnet · 1 virtual
An overview of Duluth public schools
The federal directory lists 36 public schools in Duluth, MN: 15 elementary, 4 middle, 9 high, 8 combined or other. The 36 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 10,874 students, an average of 302 per school. The largest campus is East High School (1,495 students), and the largest elementary school is North Star Academy (572).
Duluth Public School District operates the most schools here (30), and 2 regular districts have at least one Duluth campus, plus 3 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 13.6:1, 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 4 charter schools, 1 magnet school, 1 virtual school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 12 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 3 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 0 of 13 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 39% 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 Duluth
Duluth Public School District
Public school district
30 schools in Duluth
Duluth Public Schools Academy
Independent charter agency
2 schools in Duluth
Proctor Public School District
Public school district
2 schools in Duluth · 7 total
Harbor City International Charter
Independent charter agency
1 school in Duluth
North Shore Community School
Independent charter agency
1 school in Duluth
Elementary schools in Duluth
15| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay View Elementary Proctor Public School District | PK–05 | 529 | 13.3:1 | |
| Congdon Elementary Duluth Public School District | PK–05 | 474 | 16.7:1 | |
| Homecroft Elementary Duluth Public School District | PK–05 | 448 | 17.8:1 | |
| Lakewood Elementary Duluth Public School District | KG–05 | 254 | 16:1 | |
| Laura Macarthur Elementary Duluth Public School District | PK–05 | 277 | 8.4:1 | |
| Lester Park Elementary Duluth Public School District | PK–05 | 510 | 13.3:1 | |
| Lowell Elementary Duluth Public School District | PK–05 | 312 | 11.4:1 | |
| Lowell Elementary Spanish Immersion Duluth Public School District | KG–05 | 329 | 18.5:1 | |
| Myers-Wilkins Elementary Duluth Public School District | PK–05 | 329 | 7.7:1 | |
| North Shore Community School North Shore Community School · Charter | PK–06 | 355 | 13.9:1 | |
| North Star Academy Duluth Public Schools Academy · Charter | PK–08 | 572 | 10.4:1 | |
| Piedmont Elementary Duluth Public School District | PK–05 | 410 | 10.1:1 | |
| Pike Lake Elementary Proctor Public School District | PK–05 | 293 | 16.9:1 | |
| Raleigh Primary/El Academy Duluth Public Schools Academy · Charter | PK–06 | 208 | 12.5:1 | |
| Stowe Elementary Duluth Public School District | PK–05 | 245 | 10:1 |
Middle schools in Duluth
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALC SWS Lincoln Park Duluth Public School District · Alternative School | 06–08 | 65 | 73.9:1 | |
| ALC SWS Ordean East Duluth Public School District · Alternative School | 06–08 | 47 | 23.7:1 | |
| Lincoln Park Middle School Duluth Public School District | 06–08 | 606 | 12.1:1 | |
| Ordean East Middle School Duluth Public School District | 06–08 | 1,037 | 18.4:1 |
High schools in Duluth
9| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Excellence Online Duluth Public School District · Virtual | 06–12 | 54 | 4.4:1 | |
| ALC Independent Study Duluth Public School District · Alternative School | 09–12 | 235 | 40:1 | |
| ALC SWS Denfeld Duluth Public School District · Alternative School | 09–12 | 57 | 38.8:1 | |
| ALC SWS East Duluth Public School District · Alternative School | 09–12 | 74 | 48.7:1 | |
| Denfeld High School Duluth Public School District | 09–12 | 951 | 16:1 | |
| Duluth Area Learning Center Duluth Public School District · Alternative School | 06–12 | 35 | 13.7:1 | |
| East High School Duluth Public School District | 09–12 | 1,495 | 20.3:1 | |
| Harbor City International Charter Harbor City International Charter · Charter | 07–12 | 194 | 13.6:1 | |
| The Bridge Duluth Public School District · Magnet · Special Education School | 12–12 | 25 | — |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Duluth
8| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arrowhead Academy Duluth Public School District · Alternative School | 04–12 | 18 | 3.8:1 | |
| Bethany Crisis Shelter Duluth Public School District · Alternative School | KG–12 | 2 | — | |
| Chester Creek Academy Duluth Public School District · Alternative School | KG–12 | 31 | 4:1 | |
| Early Childhood Special Education Duluth Public School District · Special Education School | PK–PK | 249 | 35.6:1 | |
| Merritt Creek Academy Duluth Public School District · Alternative School | KG–12 | 75 | 6.1:1 | |
| Rockridge Academy Duluth Public School District · Alternative School | KG–12 | 35 | 5.5:1 | |
| Special Ed. N.P. Duluth Public School District · Special Education School | PK–12 | 25 | — | |
| Superior Academy Duluth Public School District · Alternative School | KG–12 | 19 | 9.5:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White77.9%
- Hispanic3.8%
- Black4%
- Asian0.8%
- American Indian / Alaska Native3.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial10.2%
Enrollment-weighted across 36 Duluth schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (10,874 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Duluth
How many public schools are in Duluth, MN?
The current NCES directory lists 36 open public schools with a location address in Duluth: 15 elementary, 4 middle, 9 high, 8 combined or other. Together they reported 10,874 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Duluth?
Schools with an address in Duluth belong to 5 education agencies, led by Duluth Public School District (30 schools), Duluth Public Schools Academy (2 schools), Proctor Public School District (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 Duluth?
East High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Duluth, with 1,495 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Duluth?
Yes. 4 of the 36 public schools in Duluth are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Harbor City International Charter, North Shore Community School, North Star Academy. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Duluth schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Duluth public schools is 13.6:1, 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 Duluth 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