Public schools in Wadena, MN
9 open public schools with an address in Wadena, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
9
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
1,178
7 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
9.7:1
Minnesota median 13.6:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Wadena public schools
The federal directory lists 9 public schools in Wadena, MN: 1 elementary, 1 middle, 3 high, 4 combined or other. The 7 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 1,178 students, an average of 168 per school. The largest campus is Wadena-Deer Creek Senior High (470 students), and the largest elementary school is Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary (450).
Freshwater Education District operates the most schools here (6), plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. 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 9.7:1, lower than 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.
Among 3 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 0 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 0 of 3 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 47% 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 Wadena
Elementary schools in Wadena
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wadena-Deer Creek Elementary Wadena-Deer Creek School District | PK–04 | 450 | 11.1:1 |
Middle schools in Wadena
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wadena-Deer Creek 5th and 6th Grade Wadena-Deer Creek School District | 05–06 | 159 | 21.3:1 |
High schools in Wadena
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freshwater Wadena ALC Freshwater Education District · Alternative School | 09–12 | — | — | |
| Wadena-Deer Creek Senior High Wadena-Deer Creek School District | 07–12 | 470 | 19.8:1 | |
| White Pine Academy Freshwater Education District · Special Education School | 05–12 | 11 | 4.4:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Wadena
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Childhood Special Education Freshwater Education District · Special Education School | PK–PK | 64 | 9.7:1 | |
| Elm Tree Academy Freshwater Education District · Special Education School | 02–12 | 9 | 6.3:1 | |
| FED Wadena ALC Middle Level Freshwater Education District · Alternative School | 07–10 | — | — | |
| Leaf River Academy Freshwater Education District · Special Education School | KG–12 | 15 | 3.3:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White85.7%
- Hispanic5.3%
- Black1.5%
- Asian0.2%
- American Indian / Alaska Native1.7%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial5.4%
Enrollment-weighted across 7 Wadena schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (1,178 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Wadena
How many public schools are in Wadena, MN?
The current NCES directory lists 9 open public schools with a location address in Wadena: 1 elementary, 1 middle, 3 high, 4 combined or other. Together they reported 1,178 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Wadena?
Schools with an address in Wadena belong to 2 education agencies, led by Freshwater Education District (6 schools), Wadena-Deer Creek School District (3 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Wadena?
Wadena-Deer Creek Senior High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Wadena, with 470 students in 2024–25 (grades 07–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Wadena?
No school with an address in Wadena is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in Minnesota.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Wadena schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Wadena public schools is 9.7:1, lower than 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 Wadena 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