Original Research by School Decision on Bloomington Shared Time
Bloomington Shared Time was a special education school in Bloomington, Minnesota, that has since closed. It served a middle school grade band. The school was part of the Bloomington Public School District, which serves the larger suburban community.
Because the school is closed and operated as a specialized setting for students with disabilities, the usual academic performance data, enrollment figures, and demographic breakdowns are not available. State testing results do not appear in the record for this school. The lack of test data is consistent with its nature as a special education school serving a limited grade span, where standard state assessments may not apply or were not reported for this particular site. There is no graduation rate, as the school did not serve the full high school grade range.
The school’s parent district, Bloomington Public Schools, operates fifteen school buildings across the city, with two comprehensive high schools, Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. The district has invested in alternative pathways for families, including a fully online K-12 school, New Code Academy, and the Bloomington Career and College Academy, which allows high school students to earn college credit. A Computer Science Immersion program, run in partnership with the University of Minnesota, integrates computer science across other subjects at the elementary and middle school levels.
Bloomington itself is a large post-war suburb of Minneapolis, shaped by its position as a major employment hub. It houses the Mall of America, the largest enclosed shopping center in the country, and has more jobs per capita than either Minneapolis or Saint Paul. The city is car-oriented, served by multiple freeways and the Metro Blue Line light rail. Nearly a third of the city is parkland, including the Hyland Lake Park Reserve and the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Housing values in the area sit near the national median, with rents slightly more affordable than a mortgage payment given current interest rates. The city has seen a modest population decline since the 2020 census, but the South Loop district around the Mall of America remains a primary area for commercial development.
For a parent considering Bloomington Shared Time, the key facts are that the school no longer operates, and its specialized role meant it did not produce the standard set of public academic metrics. Families seeking a special education placement within the Bloomington district would need to contact the district directly to understand what programming currently exists and how it aligns with their child’s needs. The online K-12 option and career academy offerings are available to any district resident and represent active choices in the district today.
See more original research from School Decision →