Original Research by School Decision on Howard Lake-waverly-winsted Sec.
Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Secondary is a regular public high school serving grades nine through twelve in Wright County, about an exurban distance west of the Twin Cities. It draws students from the three small communities named in its district—Howard Lake, Waverly, and Winsted—each with their own character. Howard Lake, the largest of the three, sits on the south shore of its namesake lake and has a historic downtown core along U.S. Highway 12. The town developed around a railroad station in the late 19th century and retains a compact residential and commercial footprint. The dominant local employer is a cabinetry manufacturer, giving the community a light-industrial base. The city hosts the annual Wright County Fair. Population growth has been slow and steady over recent decades, and the area remains part of the broader exurban fringe of the metro region.
The high school enrolls roughly four hundred students, a size that keeps the school relatively small for a comprehensive high school. The senior class is the smallest of the four grades, while the other three are similarly sized. The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller share of Hispanic students and a modest number of students who identify as two or more races. About one-quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that is moderate for a school in this type of community. Data on special education and English learner populations were not available in the materials reviewed, so a parent may wish to ask the school directly about those supports and programs.
On state assessments for the 2024–25 school year, the school’s results show a clear pattern. In English language arts, just over half of students met the proficiency standard. In mathematics, the proficiency rate was notably lower, with roughly one in six students reaching the bar. Only a single year of assessment data was provided, so it is not possible to describe a trend or direction of change. No graduation rate data were included; since the school serves a full high school grade band, this is a meaningful gap. A family considering this school would want to understand graduation outcomes and postsecondary readiness.
Beyond state test results, the available information does not detail course offerings such as Advanced Placement, dual-credit, or career and technical education pathways. The school’s programs were not described in the data, so the breadth of academic options is not known from this record. Similarly, no staffing, discipline, or attendance data were present.
Home values in the area are roughly in line with the state average, though a bit below it, and slightly below the national benchmark. Monthly mortgage costs for a typical home place the market in a moderately affordable range relative to national income levels. The school building’s location relative to the downtown cores of the three communities was not specified in the materials.
Because the school is missing the key comparison metrics—overall proficiency index, graduation rate, and chronic absenteeism—it could not be positioned relative to other districts in Wright County. That absence means a parent cannot easily gauge how this school stacks up against its neighbors on those standard measures. The district itself appears to have had no major publicly reported changes—such as boundary shifts, referendums, or curriculum overhauls—in the recent period covered by the search.
This is a small high school in a set of tight-knit, slow-growing exurban towns. The academic picture is mixed: ELA performance sits above the midpoint, while math performance is an area a family will likely want to explore further with the school. The missing information on graduation rates, program offerings, and student support services means that a thorough conversation with the school administration would be essential to get a full sense of what this school provides day to day.
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