Original Research by School Decision on Alc Independent Study
ALC Independent Study serves a small number of students in grades nine through twelve as an alternative school within the Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools district in Scott County. The school’s enrollment is very small, with its entire student body in grade twelve. About half the students are white, roughly a third are Black, and one student is American Indian or Alaska Native. Data on free or reduced-price meal eligibility, students with disabilities, and English learners were not available in the source materials, so a parent may want to ask the school about the support structures in place for those populations.
State testing data for this school was not available. That gap is common for alternative schools, where students may follow non-traditional academic pathways or assessment schedules, and a parent should not read a missing result as a weak one. No graduation rate was reported, a point to raise with the school directly, since the grade span runs through twelfth grade. No information on disciplinary incidents, course access, or staffing was provided. Without such detail, it is difficult to judge the breadth of the curriculum or the day-to-day environment from this data alone.
Prior Lake is an exurban suburb southwest of Minneapolis, situated in one of the fastest-growing counties in Minnesota. It is home to the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and Mystic Lake Casino, a major employer. The city has a small-town feel with a lakeside downtown of boutiques, a bakery, a brewery, and restaurants, while the school campuses, including the main high school, are spread across the district rather than in the downtown core. Housing values in the area are above the state and national benchmarks, and rents also run higher than typical. Monthly mortgage costs outpace rents by a notable margin, reflecting a market where owning a home is substantially more expensive than renting. The district itself saw a November 2023 referendum in which voters approved an operating levy increase to fund class size management, mental health support, and social-emotional learning, but rejected a bond that would have funded security upgrades, classroom additions, and a new elementary school. That split outcome means the district has new resources for programming and support services, but it will not address facility capacity or growth-related needs.
For a family considering this school, the most important factor is that ALC Independent Study is a small, alternative setting. It does not produce the same kind of academic metrics that a traditional comprehensive high school would. A parent looking into this school would need to talk directly with staff to understand the instructional model, how students earn credits toward a diploma, and what support services are available for students who have struggled in a conventional school environment. The lack of testing data, graduation rate, and program information makes it difficult to compare this school to others on academic performance alone. What is clear is that this is a specialized program for a small group of students, and its fit will depend entirely on the student’s individual circumstances and needs.
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