Is Brainerd Senior High a good school?

Brainerd Senior High ranks 116 th of 480 Minnesota high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Brainerd Senior High?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,833 students attended Brainerd Senior High.

What is the racial makeup of Brainerd Senior High?

Students at Brainerd Senior High are 90% White, 4% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic, 1% African American, 1% American Indian.

What schools feed into Brainerd Senior High?

Brainerd Senior High is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Baxter Elementary Elementary : Garfield Elementary Elementary : Harrison Elementary Elementary : Lowell Elementary Elementary : Nisswa Elementary Elementary : Riverside Elementary Middle : Forestview Middle

Brainerd Senior High

Summary:

Brainerd Senior High is a public high school located in Brainerd, Minnesota, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,842 students. This high-performing school consistently ranks among the top in the state, with strong academic achievement, high graduation rates, and growing racial diversity.

Brainerd Senior High's academic performance is exceptional, with proficiency rates in MCA-III assessments for Math, Reading, and Science significantly higher than the state and Brainerd Public School District averages. The school's four-year graduation rate reached 95.8% in 2021-2022, well above the state and district averages, and its dropout rate has steadily declined to just 0.4% in the same year. While the student population is predominantly white, the school has seen a slight increase in racial diversity in recent years.

Compared to nearby schools, such as Independent School District (ISD) 181 Learning Center, Brainerd Senior High significantly outperforms in academic achievement, graduation rates, and overall school rankings. When compared to schools in other districts, like Pequot Lakes Senior High and Crosby-Ironton Secondary, Brainerd Senior High maintains a competitive edge, though the differences are less pronounced. The school's strong performance across various student subgroups, including female, male, Hispanic, and Native American students, is particularly noteworthy.

Detail:

Public 9-12

702 S 5th St
Brainerd, MN 56401-4099

(218) 454-6200

District: Brainerd Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
116^th of 480 Minnesota High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,859

Feeder schools for Brainerd Senior High:

Elementary:	Baxter Elementary
	Garfield Elementary
	Harrison Elementary
	Lowell Elementary
	More...
	Nisswa Elementary
	Riverside Elementary
Middle:	Forestview Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 20.5

Number of students: 1,833

Racial breakdown:

White:

89.9%

Two or more races:

3.9%

Hispanic:

3.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 33%

See top rated Minnesota high schools

Compare Brainerd Senior High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Brainerd Senior High ranks better than 75.8% of high schools in Minnesota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 73.45. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Brainerd Senior High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (89.9%), two or more races (3.9%), Hispanic (3.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 33% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Brainerd Senior High is 20.5. (See more...)

Compare Brainerd Senior High employs 89.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Brainerd Senior High is $11,859.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Brainerd Senior High:

SchoolDigger ranks Brainerd Senior High 116^th of 480 Minnesota public high schools. (See Brainerd Senior High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

Native American students:

White students:

Brainerd Public School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Brainerd Public School District 157^th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Brainerd Senior High?

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Rank History for Brainerd Senior High

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Rank History for all students at Brainerd Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2004	60.88	256^th	433	40.9%
2005	70.01	175^th	452	61.3%
2006	76.73	104^th	450	76.9%
2007	77.62	102^nd	463	78.0%
2008	72.37	150^th	460	67.4%
2009	75.66	59^th	234	74.8%
2010	75.89	92^nd	540	83.0%
2011	80.29	58^th	545	89.4%
2012	76.52	93^rd	539	82.7%
2013	73.78	113^th	534	78.8%
2014	71.60	134^th	483	72.3%
2015	70.43	151^st	504	70.0%
2016	76.08	102^nd	489	79.1%
2017	75.91	109^th	489	77.7%
2018	74.66	125^th	494	74.7%
2019	78.09	94^th	492	80.9%
2021	75.68	81^st	428	81.1%
2022	76.68	96^th	472	79.7%
2023	86.19	47^th	476	90.1%
2024	73.45	116^th	480	75.8%

See the entire list of Minnesota High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Brainerd Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	86.70	5^th	59	91.5%
2022	66.11	22^nd	74	70.3%
2023	21.51	55^th	64	14.1%
2024	50.71	35^th	72	51.4%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Brainerd Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	41.90	124^th	195	36.4%
2019	59.85	74^th	220	66.4%
2021	43.83	97^th	173	43.9%
2022	32.34	162^nd	214	24.3%
2023	47.38	113^th	216	47.7%
2024	47.85	111^th	221	49.8%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Brainerd Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	72.93	78^th	374	79.1%
2019	72.85	91^st	370	75.4%
2021	65.81	78^th	270	71.1%
2022	67.10	88^th	312	71.8%
2023	81.02	50^th	393	87.3%
2024	67.85	105^th	389	73.0%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Brainerd Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	69.38	122^nd	395	69.1%
2019	71.41	104^th	401	74.1%
2021	73.00	71^st	339	79.1%
2022	75.81	67^th	388	82.7%
2023	79.93	59^th	396	85.1%
2024	66.38	124^th	403	69.2%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Brainerd Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	67.58	128^th	398	67.8%
2019	75.77	68^th	411	83.5%
2021	69.02	98^th	351	72.1%
2022	68.71	118^th	403	70.7%
2023	85.31	42^nd	398	89.4%
2024	69.77	114^th	405	71.9%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Brainerd Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	53.20	45^th	106	57.5%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Brainerd Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2022	76.42	21^st	135	84.4%
2023	96.14	6^th	136	95.6%
2024	96.53	4^th	145	97.2%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Brainerd Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	70.98	11^th	42	73.8%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Brainerd Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	62.33	171^st	414	58.7%
2019	68.08	124^th	412	69.9%
2021	66.00	117^th	364	67.9%
2022	65.88	127^th	401	68.3%
2023	78.06	62^nd	398	84.4%
2024	59.20	160^th	402	60.2%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Minnesota Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Brainerd Senior High

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	1335	2	5	3	3	n/a	n/a	1348
1989	1253	4	5	3	4	n/a	n/a	1269
1990	1130	4	13	10	3	n/a	n/a	1160
1991	1146	4	10	6	1	n/a	n/a	1167
1992	1171	5	14	3	3	n/a	n/a	1196
1993	1232	6	12	8	5	n/a	n/a	1263
1994	1253	7	12	4	4	n/a	n/a	1280
1995	1396	5	13	5	7	n/a	n/a	1426
1996	1396	5	13	5	7	n/a	n/a	1426
1997	1416	6	12	7	12	n/a	n/a	1453
1998	1489	9	11	8	15	n/a	n/a	1532
1999	1471	11	12	9	15	n/a	n/a	1518
2000	1524	6	16	12	12	n/a	n/a	1570
2001	1520	9	13	14	14	n/a	n/a	1570
2002	1552	11	13	12	11	n/a	n/a	1599
2003	1552	11	13	12	11	n/a	n/a	1599
2004	1548	11	14	11	11	n/a	n/a	1595
2005	1573	11	16	6	13	n/a	n/a	1619
2006	2168	10	18	14	22	n/a	n/a	2232
2007	2171	21	20	17	27	n/a	n/a	2256
2008	2097	21	19	22	30	n/a	n/a	2189
2009	1990	17	18	8	23	n/a	n/a	2056
2010	1894	14	20	12	32	n/a	n/a	1972
2011	1861	8	17	17	27	0	39	1969
2012	1846	11	15	17	26	1	38	1954
2013	1765	18	21	17	25	1	40	1887
2014	1753	27	19	21	24	1	51	1896
2015	1685	28	19	21	16	1	37	1807
2016	1690	25	16	21	14	0	33	1799
2017	1738	34	18	19	15	0	38	1862
2018	1726	40	19	18	18	0	34	1855
2019	1763	37	21	21	31	1	35	1909
2020	1783	32	23	23	23	3	45	1932
2021	1804	25	19	34	27	2	53	1964
2022	1709	18	14	39	25	1	56	1862
2023	1663	16	14	50	22	0	77	1842
2024	1647	24	13	59	19	0	71	1833

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Brainerd Senior High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1348	83.2	16.2	8.8
1989	1269	83.9	15.1	10.4
1990	1160	80.5	14.4	9.9
1991	1167	78.0	14.9	10.7
1992	1196	67.9	17.6	10.5
1993	1263	70.8	17.8	10.2
1994	1280	67.4	19.0	9.6
1995	1426	34.6	41.2	8.5
1996	1426	34.6	41.2	8.5
1997	1453	73.1	19.9	10.5
1998	1532	n/a	0.0	11.1
1999	1518	83.9	18.1	11
2000	1570	80.0	19.6	16.6
2001	1570	80.8	19.4	15.2
2002	1599	83.2	19.2	21.1
2003	1599	83.2	19.2	21.1
2004	1595	85.6	18.6	21.7
2005	1619	83.8	19.3	23.8
2006	2232	113.1	19.7	27.8
2007	2256	108.0	20.9	32.2
2008	2189	107.2	20.4	30.7
2009	2056	94.7	21.7	31.5
2010	1972	93.2	21.1	35
2011	1969	93.4	21.0	36.1
2012	1954	91.0	21.4	36.9
2013	1887	88.0	21.4	35.9
2014	1896	88.6	21.3	35.4
2015	1807	89.0	20.3	34.1
2016	1799	85.0	21.1	33.6
2017	1862	90.3	20.6	29.9
2018	1855	89.1	20.8	30
2019	1909	89.6	21.3	29.3
2020	1932	90.8	21.2	30.2
2021	1964	90.1	21.7	26.9
2022	1862	89.6	20.7	21.3
2023	1842	86.4	21.3	35.3
2024	1833	89.2	20.5	33

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Brainerd Senior High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1348	83.2	16.2	8.8
1989	1269	83.9	15.1	10.4
1990	1160	80.5	14.4	9.9
1991	1167	78.0	14.9	10.7
1992	1196	67.9	17.6	10.5
1993	1263	70.8	17.8	10.2
1994	1280	67.4	19.0	9.6
1995	1426	34.6	41.2	8.5
1996	1426	34.6	41.2	8.5
1997	1453	73.1	19.9	10.5
1998	1532	n/a	0.0	11.1
1999	1518	83.9	18.1	11
2000	1570	80.0	19.6	16.6
2001	1570	80.8	19.4	15.2
2002	1599	83.2	19.2	21.1
2003	1599	83.2	19.2	21.1
2004	1595	85.6	18.6	21.7
2005	1619	83.8	19.3	23.8
2006	2232	113.1	19.7	27.8
2007	2256	108.0	20.9	32.2
2008	2189	107.2	20.4	30.7
2009	2056	94.7	21.7	31.5
2010	1972	93.2	21.1	35
2011	1969	93.4	21.0	36.1
2012	1954	91.0	21.4	36.9
2013	1887	88.0	21.4	35.9
2014	1896	88.6	21.3	35.4
2015	1807	89.0	20.3	34.1
2016	1799	85.0	21.1	33.6
2017	1862	90.3	20.6	29.9
2018	1855	89.1	20.8	30
2019	1909	89.6	21.3	29.3
2020	1932	90.8	21.2	30.2
2021	1964	90.1	21.7	26.9
2022	1862	89.6	20.7	21.3
2023	1842	86.4	21.3	35.3
2024	1833	89.2	20.5	33

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Brainerd Senior High

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$11,859

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Brainerd Senior High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 94^th of 492 High schools	Ranks 47^th of 476 High schools	9.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade Reading (Brainerd Senior High)	68.5	61.2	7.3%
10th Grade Reading (Brainerd Public School District)	68.2	59.5	8.7%
10th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	60.4	51.7	8.7%
11th Grade Math (Brainerd Senior High)	46.1	47.4	1.3%
11th Grade Math (Brainerd Public School District)	40.5	41.9	1.3%
11th Grade Math (Minnesota)	45	36	9%
End of Course Science (Brainerd Senior High)	66.7	58.5	8.3%
End of Course Science (Brainerd Public School District)	65.6	56.9	8.7%
End of Course Science (Minnesota)	54.4	41.8	12.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1909	1842	3.5%
African American	37	16	56.8%
American Indian	31	22	29%
Asian	21	14	33.3%
Hispanic	21	50	138.1%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	1763	1663	5.7%
Two or More Races	35	77	120%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	29.3%	35.3%	6.1%

Schools Near Brainerd Senior High

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MCA-III Math (2024)				MCA-III Reading (2024)				MCA-III Science (2024)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCA-III Math 7th Grade	MCA-III Math 8th Grade	MCA-III Math 11th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	MCA-III Reading 7th Grade	MCA-III Reading 8th Grade	MCA-III Reading 10th Grade	MCA-III Reading All Grades	MCA-III Science 8th Grade	MCA-III Science End of Course	MCA-III Science All Grades	Total
Brainerd Senior High	Public	9-12	702 S 5th St	Brainerd	56401	Crow Wing County	Brainerd Public School District	No	No	No	No	(218) 454-6200	1,833	89	20.5	33.0%	1,647 (89.9%)	24 (1.3%)	59 (3.2%)	13 (0.7%)	19 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	71 (3.9%)	73.4	116^th of 480 public high schools	75.8%		86.2	47^th of 476 public high schools	90.1%	69			40.6	40.6			60.3	60.3		44.9	44.9	$11,859
Brainerd Online School	Public	9-12	702 S 5th St	Brainerd	56401	Crow Wing County	Brainerd Public School District	No	No	No	No	(218) 454-6273	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Independent School District (Isd) 181 Learning Center	Public	8-12	311 10th Ave NE	Brainerd	56401	Crow Wing County	Brainerd Public School District	No	No	No	No	(218) 454-5400	159	11	14.2	61.0%	137 (86.2%)	1 (0.6%)	7 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (6.3%)	25.3	370^th of 480 public high schools	22.9%		14.7	406^th of 476 public high schools	14.7%	36			5.3	5.3			34.8	34.8		50.0	50.0	$13,935
Pillager Senior High School	Public	9-12	323 E 2nd St S	Pillager	56473	Cass County	Pillager Public School District	No	No	No	No	(218) 746-2117	364	22	16.2	36.5%	339 (93.1%)	4 (1.1%)	10 (2.7%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.5%)	56.3	227^th of 480 public high schools	52.7%		81.6	68^th of 476 public high schools	85.7%	159			29.3	29.3			50.6	50.6		38.2	38.2	$12,067
Central Lakes Adventure School	Public, Charter	7-12	12763 County Rd 1	Pillager	56473	Cass County	Central Lakes Adventure School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(218) 746-3875	40	3	13.2	72.5%	32 (80.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (10.0%)	1 (2.5%)	1 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (5.0%)	11.3	429^th of 480 public high schools	10.6%					(n/a)			0.0	0.0				10.0		18.2	13.3	$16,007
Crosby-Ironton Secondary	Public	7-12	711 Poplar St	Crosby	56441	Crow Wing County	Crosby-Ironton Public School District	No	No	No	No	(218) 545-8802	461	26	17.4	45.6%	423 (91.8%)	2 (0.4%)	10 (2.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (5.2%)	64.4	177^th of 480 public high schools	63.1%		73.7	104^th of 476 public high schools	78.2%	73	38.2	34.3	39.3	37.1	43.3	47.2	49.3	46.7	36.8	42.9	39.9	$13,420
Pequot Lakes Senior High	Public	9-12	30805 Olson St	Pequot Lakes	56472	Crow Wing County	Pequot Lakes Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(218) 568-9210	639	37	17.1	32.6%	609 (95.3%)	11 (1.7%)	10 (1.6%)	2 (0.3%)	6 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	80.5	73^rd of 480 public high schools	84.8%		69.8	128^th of 476 public high schools	73.1%	55			38.7	38.7			62.9	62.9		54.2	54.2	$3,311

Brainerd Senior High

Brainerd Senior High:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Brainerd Public School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Brainerd Senior High

Rank History for all students at Brainerd Senior High

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Brainerd Senior High

Rank History for Special Education students at Brainerd Senior High

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Brainerd Senior High

Rank History for Female students at Brainerd Senior High

Rank History for Male students at Brainerd Senior High

Rank History for African American students at Brainerd Senior High

Rank History for Hispanic students at Brainerd Senior High

Rank History for Native American students at Brainerd Senior High

Rank History for White students at Brainerd Senior High

Enrollment information for Brainerd Senior High

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Brainerd Senior High

Student/Teacher Ratio Brainerd Senior High

Per Pupil Expenditures for Brainerd Senior High

Impact of COVID-19 on Brainerd Senior High

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Brainerd Senior High

Frequently Asked Questions about Brainerd Senior High

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