Aurora Waasakone Community of Learn

Located at 3604 Bemidji Avenue North in Bemidji, Minnesota, the Aurora Waasakone Community of Learning operates as an active, independent public charter district dedicated to serving families across elementary and middle school grade levels. Set within a remote town environment in northern Minnesota, this single-school district provides a close-knit, community-focused educational setting for students from Kindergarten through 8th grade. As an operational district that functions as its own local educational agency for federal programs, it offers a distinct academic landscape tailored to meet the educational and cultural needs of its surrounding region.

With a total enrollment of 133 students, the district fosters an intimate learning environment characterized by a rich cultural demographic, including significant representation of American Indian and White students. The district is distinguished by an exceptionally strong staffing structure: a total team of approximately 68 full-time equivalent staff members—comprising nearly 27 full-time teachers, 17 instructional aides, and 25 support staff—delivers an extraordinarily low student-to-educator ratio. This deep investment in instructional and support staff ensures highly personalized attention for every learner, making the district both a nurturing community for local families and a compelling case study for educational researchers examining small-school resource allocation and student support systems.