Choosing a school? Youāve got options.
If youāre wondering about school choice in Minnesota, here are two things to remember. First off, youāre not alone; every year, tens of thousands of parents in Minnesota make K-12 school decisions for their children. Secondly, you can do it! Understanding your stateās different school choices can help you find a learning environment where your child is not just āgetting byā at school, but actually thriving and inspired to learn.
In short, you can choose fromĀ traditional public schools,Ā public charter schools,Ā public magnet schools, private schools,Ā online learning,Ā homeschooling, andĀ microschooling and mix-and-match learning.
One factor that families consider when choosing a school is transportation. In Minnesota, transportation is available for students who attend their assigned public school or transfer to a public school outside of their school district, attend a public charter school or private school located within their assigned district boundaries, or have transportation services in their Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Transportation to other types of schools may be available – to learn more visit our transportation guide.
Looking for special education options? You can learn what special education services are available in Minnesota at theĀ Ultimate Guide to Special Education.
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Minnesota Traditional Public Schools
Most Minnesota (78.1%) students attend traditional public schools. Traditional public schools are free to attend. They are open to all students, operated by schoolĀ districts, and funded by federal, state, and local government. Did you know that Minnesota spends an average of $16,117 per public school student each year?
Public schoolĀ open enrollmentĀ refers to whether a parent can choose to send their child to a public school other than their assigned district school. In Minnesota, parents can choose a traditional public school that is outside of their district based on the stateās open enrollment laws, andĀ may be able to choose another school within their district, depending on their local school board. In the 2020-2021 school year, aboutĀ 10%Ā of Minnesota students used open enrollment!
Since no two public schools are exactly the same, open enrollment can valuably extend a familyās educational options and help them find the best match for their child. If you are interested in this choice, note that transfer applications are usuallyĀ due by mid-January for the following fall. In most transfers to schools in a different district, the receiving school districtĀ provides transportationĀ once the student is within the district border, and can reimburse income-eligible students for their travel there.Ā Minnesota districts areĀ not permittedĀ to charge tuition for transfer students.
Find out more about public schools and transfers in your state at theĀ Minnesota Department of EducationĀ or āPublic Schools Without Boundaries: A 50-State Ranking.ā
Minnesota Charter Schools
You can also consider charter schools. In Minnesota there are aboutĀ 181 charter schools serving 65,000 children.Ā Thatās aboutĀ 7.4% of the K-12 studentĀ population. The majority of charter schools are located in the greater Twin Cities metro area, but there are charters across the state.
Like traditional public schools, charter schools are public, free, and usually have no requirements for entry. What distinguishes charter schools is that they have extra freedom to innovate with learning methods and are accountable toĀ authorizing bodiesĀ for results.
Each school has a charter which explains the schoolās purpose and what specific community need it serves. For example, that could be providing a Spanish immersion program or offering a rigorousĀ STEAMĀ curriculum. One of the stateās newest charters,Ā Surad AcademyĀ in the immigrant town of Faribault, is modeled after a highly successful school in Africa. If there are more families seeking admittance to a charter school than there are seats, a lottery system (like drawing random names out of a hat!) is usually used to determine admittance.
For instance, one charter school executive director we talked to told us about theĀ Core Knowledge curriculum that is part of her schoolās charter. āA Core Knowledge school gives kids information through oral telling, through experience, and we add on to their knowledge all the time,ā described Lynn Peterson of Cologne Academy.
Free transportation is available to all students attending Minnesota charter schools within their district. Transportation is provided to those living at least 2 miles away, including out-of-district students. Students with special needs who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and students facing homelessness are eligible to receive transportation assistance.
Learn more about Minnesota charter schools at theĀ MN Association of Charter Schools.
Minnesota Magnet Schools
Magnet schools are free public schools that allow kids to narrow in on a specific learning track, such as engineering or the performing arts. At a magnet school, all the subjects are taught through the lenses of that specific track. So, these might be a good option if thereās one near you with a theme that interests your child.
Minnesota has more than 75 magnet schools throughout the state serving aboutĀ 3.7% of the K-12 student population. For example, some of the districts with magnet schools or programs includeĀ Anoka-Hennepin School District #11,Ā Brooklyn Center Community Schools,Ā Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools,Ā District 196: Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan,Ā Independent School District 197,Ā Minneapolis Public Schools,Ā Northwest Suburban Integration District, andĀ Osseo Area Schools ISD 279.
One example of Minnesotaās magnet school offerings isĀ American Indian Magnet SchoolĀ in St. Paul, which provides learning rooted in American Indian culture and history.Ā Meanwhile,Ā Salk Middle SchoolĀ in Elk River has a pre-engineering STEM focus, and was recentlyĀ recognizedĀ as a National Magnet School of Excellence. Plus, a brand new Minnesota magnet school this year isĀ East African Magnet School, an elementary school focused on East African cultures and languages.
Minnesota Private Schools
You can also choose private school! Minnesota families can choose the unique environment of a private school, which may pass on a religious tradition, use a specificĀ curriculum, or offer a smaller classroom environment.
There are more thanĀ 620Ā private schools across the state of Minnesota servingĀ 8.1% of the K-12 student population. The average tuition for private schools in the state isĀ $8,894Ā for elementary schools andĀ $14,646Ā for high schools.
While private schools do charge tuition, Minnesota parents are eligible forĀ tax deductionsĀ on educational expenses, including private school tuition payments. Minnesota has an additionalĀ K-12 Education CreditĀ program that families under a certain income may be eligible to apply for.
Learn more at theĀ Minnesota Independent School Forum,Ā theĀ Minnesota Catholic Conference, andĀ Private School Review: Minnesota.
Minnesota Online Learning
Whether your child wants to accelerate learning or needs a quieter environment, you may be interested in trying virtual school.Ā Minnesota has more online options than most states! Any student who lives in Minnesota, even if they have permanent residency elsewhere, can attend a full-time online school free of charge.
For instance, students in any grade can do this throughĀ Minnesota Connections Academy (a charter school program and the largest online public school in the state),Ā Minnesota Virtual AcademyĀ (which serves aboutĀ 1,800 studentsĀ across the state),Ā 279Online, IQ Academy of Minnesota, SoWashCo Online,Ā Tonka Online,Ā Eden Prairie Online,Ā Saint Paul Public Schools Online,Ā New Code Academy,Ā One91 Virtual Academy,Ā 5Rivers Online,Ā Edina Virtual Pathway,Ā VIBE Online School, St. Francis Learning Center, Distance Learning Academy, MNSync Online, Metro Online, Lakeville Online Academy, Princeton Online MN, VirtualEDU,Ā Elevate Online, Crosslake Community School, Cambridge-Isanti Schools Online, orĀ Minnesota Public Schools Online. Some of these statewide options are charter schools, while some are district-run schools that accept out-of-district students. For a full list of statewide options serving all grades, see theĀ Department of Educationās website.
Besides online schools serving all grades, there are additional online options for students in specific grades. For example, students in grades K-8 can chooseĀ Cologne Academy Online, a public charter school with a Core Knowledge focus.Ā Another option isĀ Insight School of Minnesota, which specializes in helping struggling students in grades 6-12 catch up and achieve academic success.Ā Keep in mind that, in order for the funding to follow a student who switches to online school, the family must fill out a Statewide Enrollment Options form.
Finally, freeĀ part-time online optionsĀ are available for students enrolled in public schools (including charter schools),Ā andĀ paid part-time optionsĀ are available for nonpublic school students.
To read more about online learning in Minnesota, check out theĀ Digital Learning Collaborativeās state profile.
Minnesota Homeschooling
Homeschooling is another school option; this is a great option if you are looking for a hands-on, highly-customizable approach to your childās education. Homeschooling is the process of parents educating students at home and is permitted in all 50 states. In Minnesota, 2.8% of all K-12 students are homeschooled, an increase of around 18% since the 2022-23 school year.
Homeschooling Requirements:
Notice of your intent to homeschool is required by October 1 or within 15 days of withdrawing. It is required that you formally withdraw from your public school. In the case that you decide to return to public school, the school will place your student based on evaluation of their records. Minnesota also has a citizenship instruction requirement for homeschoolers. Families are required to help their child “acquire knowledge and skills” that are essential for effective citizenship.
The state requires homeschooling families toĀ teach specific subjects (like reading, writing, math, and science) and also requires some level of assessment of students. In some cases, Minnesota homeschoolers may still be eligible to participate in sports or activities at local public schools.
Local homeschool cooperatives (co-ops), such as the HOPE Co-op in Cokato, are great sources of information about the resources available in your area. The Minnesota Association of Christian Home Educators has a list of support groups and co-ops on their website.
Minnesota offers some funding assistance through a tax deduction program to help with costs related to instruction, field trips, and parental time. To learn more about homeschooling, you may also be interested in checking out theĀ Minnesota Homeschoolersā Alliance,Ā Home School Legal Defense Association ā Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of EducationāsĀ HomeschoolingĀ page, andĀ Minnesota Association of Christian Home Educators (MACHE).
Minnesota Microschools and Mix-and-Match Learning
Today, many Minnesota families are mixing and matching school options to come up with new ways to personalize education. Microschools are one of these ways. A microschool refers to students gathering together in a small group ā with adult supervision ā to learn, explore, and socialize. Microschools can take a variety of shapes and legal forms, from homeschoolers coming together at an enrichment center to a private school committed to small classrooms. What microschools share in common is a commitment to small-group learning and close-knit relationships, along with an emphasis on children as individual learners.
Examples of microschools and related resources in your state:
- There are at least eightĀ Wildflower Montessori microschoolsĀ in Minnesota.
- Founded by a teacher,Ā SkolaĀ is a Christian microschool with a flexible schedule, emphasis on the outdoors, and values-based education.
- Awakening Spirit Homeschool CollaborativeĀ seeks to be an individualized, all-inclusive, educational environment for gifted children and their families.
- The Gathering Learning StudioĀ offers learning pods with a focus on small group learning, career exploration, and skill development in a faith-infused environment.
- An example of a Learning Support Group that ran during the pandemic wasĀ Hope Youth Center, which provided full-time distance learners with tech, tutors, snacks, mental health support, and more.
Remember, microschooling is more a mentality than a specific legal distinction in most cases. Often, a family participates in a microschool while legally homeschooling, or being enrolled in a private or online school.
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