The top reported proficiency rate is 0% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on 917 Deaf/hard of Hearing
917 Deaf/Hard of Hearing is a special education school in South St. Paul serving students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. It is part of Intermediate School District 917, an intermediate district that provides specialized services to nine member school districts in the metro area. This is not a neighborhood school; families enroll through their home district as part of an Individualized Education Program (IEP), and the school is designed specifically for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
The school is small, with a total enrollment that matches a single classroom in many mainstream schools. The student body is diverse: White students make up a share below half, with significant representation from Black, Hispanic, and Asian students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a marker of economic need. Given the school's mission and the nature of the population it serves, the family economic profile here likely reflects the broader community rather than a particular skew.
State testing data is available but requires careful reading. In math and English language arts, the proficiency rate for all students combined was reported at zero percent across tested grades. In science, results were suppressed due to a very small number of test takers. These figures are not comparable to those of a typical public school. The students who attend this school are receiving instruction tailored to their specific needs, and the state's standardized assessments are given in a general education format that does not capture the full picture of academic growth for students with significant hearing loss. A parent looking at these numbers should understand that they reflect the population served rather than the quality of instruction, and should discuss progress measures directly with the school.
The school's overall proficiency index, when compared with other districts in Dakota County, lands in the bottom quartile. This comparison is not especially meaningful for a special education school that operates outside the typical district framework, but it is the benchmark available.
The district itself, Intermediate School District 917, is an intermediate unit that does not run neighborhood schools. It provides special education, career and technical education, and alternative learning programs across the region. The district brief did not surface any recent parent-relevant changes or initiatives.
South St. Paul is a predominantly residential community with a strong blue-collar identity and a diverse population, including a significant Hispanic and Eastern- and Southern-European immigrant heritage. The city was historically defined by the Saint Paul Union Stockyards, which closed and left a large redevelopment area along the Mississippi River. Today, the city is working through a comprehensive plan focused on infill housing, mixed-use development, and riverfront redevelopment. Housing values in the area are modest relative to the state median, and the city's housing stock is older with low vacancy rates. The school's building is located in the civic core of the city, not on an isolated campus, and the community offers parks, a library, and a historical museum within close reach.
For a family considering this school, the key question is whether their child's IEP team has identified 917 Deaf/Hard of Hearing as the appropriate placement. The academic profile on state tests is not a useful barometer of school quality here; what matters is the specialized instruction, communication access, and peer environment for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. The school covers the full K-12 span, which eliminates the need for a transition to another program at a certain grade. The setting is a small, tight-knit community within a mid-sized suburban city that offers more amenities and transit access than a rural setting but lower costs than the core of the Twin Cities.
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