Original Research by School Decision on Career and Life Transition Program
The Career and Life Transition Program is a special education school within the Mounds View Public School District, serving only twelfth-grade students. Its name signals a focus on preparing students for life after high school, and its status as a special education school means it serves a population with individualized education plans. This is not a comprehensive high school; it is a targeted program for a specific cohort of students in their final year of eligibility.
Enrollment is small, with about that many students for a single grade. A substantial share of students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a community with economic diversity. The student body is majority white, with Black and Hispanic students each present in notable shares, along with a small Asian population and a small number of students who identify as two or more races. Data on the number of students with IEPs or English learner status was not reported, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the specific support structures in place.
Because the Career and Life Transition Program is a special education school serving a single grade, state testing results and a traditional four-year graduation rate are not available. The school sits outside the standard accountability measures used for most K-12 schools. A reader should not interpret the absence of these metrics as a weak signal; it reflects the nature of the program. The comparison with other districts in Ramsey County was not possible on these academic indicators because the school’s data does not fit those categories.
The program is part of the Mounds View Public School District, which covers parts of several communities in the northern Twin Cities metro area. Roseville, where the school is located, is a first-ring suburb bordering both Saint Paul and Minneapolis. It is a built-out community with a mix of residential neighborhoods and major retail centers, including Rosedale Center and Har Mar Mall. The city developed rapidly through the mid-twentieth century and is now largely landlocked, with a population that has seen a modest decline from the 2020 census. The built environment is organized around major arterial roads, with no traditional downtown core. Commercial activity is concentrated along Snelling Avenue and other corridors.
The district recently passed two operating levy questions in November 2024. One renewed an existing levy with no tax increase, while the other added new revenue for social-emotional support, academic support, and maintaining class sizes, with a modest property tax increase on a median-value home. The district also made budget reductions for the 2024-2025 school year, citing inflation and state funding constraints, which included cuts to staffing and professional development. Additionally, the district approved limited nonresident K-5 open enrollment options beginning in 2024-2025, partially reversing a prior policy that had closed all schools to open enrollment due to increasing resident enrollment.
For a family considering the Career and Life Transition Program, the key takeaway is that this is a specialized placement for a twelfth-grade special education cohort. It is not a school that will produce standard academic performance data. The focus is on transition skills and post-high school planning. The small size means individualized attention is likely. A family should consult directly with the Mounds View district and the program staff to understand the curriculum, daily structure, and what outcomes they track. The surrounding Roseville community offers suburban amenities and commercial access, and the district has recent financial changes that may affect resources.
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