Original Research by School Decision on Options
Options is a closed alternative school that was part of the Mounds View Public School District in Roseville, Minnesota. It served a single middle school grade band, which is typical for a specialized program within a larger district. As an alternative school, its purpose was likely to serve students who needed a different learning environment from the traditional middle school setting, though the specific mission or pedagogical approach was not available in the data we reviewed.
The school’s academic performance data is almost entirely suppressed. In the most recent testing year for which data exists, the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments produced proficiency results for math, reading, and science that were withheld from public reporting because the number of students tested was very small. This is standard practice when a school has fewer than a certain number of test-takers, and it is common for alternative programs that serve a narrow grade band with low enrollment. The participation rates across tested grade levels varied, with some below full participation, but the small counts make any interpretation unreliable. No multi-year trend data was available, and no graduation rate appears because the school did not serve the high school grade range.
The school’s enrollment and student demographics were also missing from the data. We do not know how many students were enrolled, their racial or ethnic backgrounds, or how many qualified for free or reduced-price meals. Similarly, information on special education, English learner status, discipline, staffing, and course access was absent. The school’s civil rights data was not available. This is not unusual for a school that has since closed, as records may not have been carried forward in the state’s data system.
Options was located in Roseville, a first-ring Twin Cities suburb that borders both Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Roseville is known for its major retail hubs, including Rosedale Center and Har Mar Mall, and has a high concentration of restaurants per capita. It is a largely built-out postwar suburb with a mix of residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors along Snelling Avenue and other major roads. The city lacks a traditional downtown; civic and school functions are spread across separate campuses. Major employers in Roseville include the Minnesota Department of Education, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Old Dutch Foods, and Fantasy Flight Games. The Roseville Public Library is the busiest in the state. Housing values and rents in the area are near the national average, and the local economy has been stable, with unemployment in the low single digits.
The Mounds View Public School District, which operated Options, has seen recent changes that may affect families. In November 2024, voters approved two operating levy questions. The first renewed an existing levy with no tax increase. The second added new revenue for social-emotional support, academic support, and maintaining class sizes, which raised property taxes for a median-value home by a modest amount per year. The district also made budget reductions for the 2024-2025 school year, citing inflation and inadequate state funding, which included cuts to staffing, professional development, and operations. Additionally, the school board approved limited nonresident K-5 open enrollment slots for 2024-2025, partially reversing a prior policy that had closed all schools to open enrollment due to rising resident enrollment.
The most important fact for any parent or resident reading this is that Options is no longer operating. The school’s lifecycle status is listed as closed. This means that any past programming, test results, or student composition are historical information only. For families in the Mounds View district, the alternative programs that were available at Options may have been redistributed to other schools, or the district may have ended the program entirely. The data we have does not indicate what replaced it. A parent interested in alternative education options within the district would need to contact the Mounds View Public School District directly to learn about current offerings.
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