Original Research by School Decision on Early Education Program & Services
Early Education Program & Services is a special education school in Burnsville, part of the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage school district. The school serves only prekindergarten, which means state testing data and graduation rates do not apply here. The enrollment is moderate for a program of this type, and a substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
The student body is diverse. The largest groups are Black students and white students, each making up about a third of the enrollment, followed by Hispanic students at roughly a quarter. Asian, multiracial, and American Indian or Alaska Native students each account for smaller shares. The school's purpose as a special education program means many of its students likely require individualized support at an early age, though detailed data on specific disability categories or English learner status was not provided. A parent considering this school would want to speak directly with staff about how the program serves children with different needs, what therapies or interventions are available, and how the school coordinates with families.
Burnsville itself is a sizable suburban community south of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, built largely around residential neighborhoods, retail corridors, and the regional Burnsville Center mall. The city grew rapidly after Interstate 35 was built and is now considered fully developed, with recent energy going into redevelopment projects like the "Heart of the City" district, which includes the Ames Performing Arts Center and urban-style housing. Walkability is limited to that downtown area; the rest of the city is car-dependent, and most residents commute to jobs in the Twin Cities. The largest employer locally is the school district itself, followed by Fairview Ridges Hospital and a mix of manufacturing, distribution, and retail businesses. Parks and green space are abundant, including the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge along the river.
The parent district, Burnsville-Eagan-Savage Schools, has made notable changes in recent years. It created the ONE91 Virtual Academy, a permanent K-12 online option, for families who want a fully remote school setting. It also closed an elementary school and reduced its number of elementary buildings from ten to eight, citing funding constraints. That closure shifted attendance boundaries, so families in Savage who would have sent their child to the closed school should confirm which elementary building serves their address. For a family considering Early Education Program & Services, these district-level shifts are less directly relevant, but they signal that the district is actively reshaping its program offerings and school footprint in response to enrollment and budget pressures.
Because the school serves only prekindergarten, the metrics that usually define a school's academic profile, such as proficiency rates, attendance rates, and graduation rates, are not available and do not apply. The neighbor comparison, which places the school among other entities in Dakota County, found no data to compare for these same reasons. A parent evaluating this program should focus on the specific early childhood special education services provided, the staff-to-student ratio, the types of therapy integrated into the school day, and how the program prepares children to transition into kindergarten. No state test results or academic ratings exist for this setting, so the school is best assessed through direct visits, conversations with staff, and feedback from other families who have used the program.
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