BEMIDJI AREA LEARNING CENTER

60 Students

High School 5th - 12th

School Overview

The Bemidji Area Learning Center (BALC), located on Paul Bunyan Drive NW in Bemidji, Minnesota, functions as an alternative educational facility designed to meet the needs of students who may not thrive in a traditional high school environment. As part of the Bemidji Area Schools district, the center focuses on credit recovery, accelerated learning, and providing a flexible, supportive atmosphere for students who are looking to earn their diploma through personalized pathways.

The program is geared toward helping students overcome academic or personal barriers by offering smaller class sizes and more individualized attention from staff. By prioritizing a self-paced curriculum and a student-centered approach, the BALC aims to ensure that its learners remain engaged and on track for graduation, ultimately preparing them for post-secondary education, vocational training, or the workforce.

Total Students

2.0

Full-Time Teachers

29.4

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for BEMIDJI AREA LEARNING CENTER
Demographic	Student Count
White	38
Hispanic	1
Black	1
Two or More	1
American Indian	16
Pacific Islander	3

White
38 (63.3 %)
American Indian
16 (26.7 %)
Pacific Islander
3 (5.0 %)
Hispanic
1 (1.7 %)
Black
1 (1.7 %)
Two or More
1 (1.7 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	High School
School Type:	Alternative School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	Yes
District:	BEMIDJI PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
Phone:	(218)333-3299
Grade Range:	5th - 12th
Total Students:	60
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	2.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	29.4
NSLP Participation:¹	No
Qualified Free Lunch:	N/A
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	N/A

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 10 3

Grade 11 12

Grade 12 45