Discover Minneapolis


Minneapolis Schools: Just The Facts

Minneapolis is located in the mid-EasternAfgan, Afrikaans, and Croatian, to Yiddish,
portion of Minnesota. It is the sister-citySwahili, and Sign Language. Most of the
to St. Paul, and sits on the banks of theMinneapolis Schools communications are
Mississippi River. Minneapolis Schools serveprinted in English, Hmong, Spanish and
approximately 36,000 students. 16% of thoseSomali.
students are enrolled in special education
programs, 24% are English Language Learners,Educators, legislators, and parents alike are
and 67% are participants in the state's Freeever mindful of school funding. The $13.8
Reduced Lunch program. Minneapolis Schoolsbillion education bill recently passed by the
employ 226 administrators, 115 principals andstate legislature boosts spending on special
assistant principals, 3,276 teachers, andeducation by about $330 million, the
2,682 other staff members which includeslargest-ever increase. A school district with
educational assistants, clerical and studentlarge numbers of special education students,
support workers, food service workers,like the Minneapolis Schools, is one of the
transportation engineers, janitorialbiggest  winners  under  the  bill.
engineers,  and  tradesmen.
The legislature has typically put most new
The Minneapolis School consists of 99education spending into the per-pupil
different schools: 23 K-5 elementary schools,formula. That's the basic amount that
22 K-8 elementary schools, 7 middle schoolsMinneapolis Schools get for each student. But
(grades 6-8), 7 senior high schools (gradesthis year, the biggest chunk of new education
9-12), 8 special education schools, 8spending goes to schools to educate students
alternative schools, 19 contract alternativewith physical and mental disabilities. The
schools, and 5 charter schools. The entireMinneapolis Schools, where one in six
budget for the 2006-2007 school year wasstudents qualify for special education
$587,371,902, with the majority -services, would get more money than nearly
$376,924,691 - going to the general operatingevery  other  district  in  the  state.
fund.
Federal law requires the district to provide
With the mission: "To ensure that allspecial education services, yet the state and
students learn. We support their growth intofederal governments don't pay the full cost
knowledgeable, skilled and confident citizensof those programs. So the Minneapolis Schools
capable of succeeding in their work, personalhave previously used money from other parts
and family lives into the 21st Century," theof  their  budget  to  cover  those  costs.
Minneapolis Schools use the following
strategic  plan:The special education money in the education
bill will give Minneapolis Schools an
- Reconnect with families and the communityadditional $382 next year for every student,
to  support  student  learningnot just those in special education programs.
Additional spending means additional programs
- Refocus our attention on student learningcan be maintained or implemented; like when
and  academic  achievementthe Minneapolis Schools added Spanish
immersion hoping to attract students and curb
- Recreate a viable school system that isdeclining enrollment. According to figures
responsive to the needs of students,kept by the state Department of Education,
families,  staff,  and  the  communitythe Minneapolis Schools' enrollment increased
by 3 percent from 9,974 to 10,302 between
Of particular interest are the more than 902005 and 2006 -- right after the district
languages spoken in the homes of the studentsbegan offering immersion.
of Minneapolis Schools. They range from



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