Original Research by School Decision on Special Ed.
St. Louis Park Public Schools runs Special Ed., a school that serves students in grades seven through twelve and is classified as a special education school. This is not a typical comprehensive middle or high school. Its enrollment is very small, and the entire student body is concentrated in a single grade. The school is part of the St. Louis Park Public School District, a first-ring suburban district west of Minneapolis.
St. Louis Park itself is a dense, established suburb with a mix of residential neighborhoods, commercial corridors, and light-industrial areas. The city does not have a single traditional downtown; instead, civic and commercial life is distributed across nodes such as the West End district and areas along Highway 7 and Louisiana Avenue. The community is notable for its sizable Jewish population and a large Russian-speaking community. The city has an extensive trail system, many parks, and is experiencing significant transit-oriented redevelopment anchored by the upcoming Southwest light rail line. Major multi-family residential projects and infrastructure updates, such as new roundabout corridors, are reshaping parts of the city.
For this school, standard academic performance measures are largely unavailable. State assessment data from the most recent available school year shows that results for reading and science were suppressed for the grade tested, with only a single student tested in each subject. Because of the nature of the school, the data does not permit a meaningful evaluation of proficiency rates. No graduation rate is reported, likely because the school serves a specialized population for whom a standard four-year cohort graduation rate may not apply. The school does not serve all students in a typical grade-level progression, so these gaps reflect its special-purpose role rather than an absence of effort.
The student population is small and racially diverse. A majority of students are Black, with White students making up the next largest group, followed by smaller numbers of students who are two or more races, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Hispanic. More than half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a proxy for economic need. Data on students with Individualized Education Programs and English learners was not reported, though given the school's designation as a special education school, it is reasonable to assume that a significant share of students receive special education services.
Housing in the St. Louis Park area is priced above the national median, and rents are substantial, reflecting the community's proximity to Minneapolis and its desirability as a mature suburb. The monthly cost of renting a home is higher than the estimated monthly mortgage payment on a median-priced home, which is an unusual dynamic that suggests renting here carries a premium relative to buying. The national unemployment rate is low, and median household income nationally has been rising modestly in recent years, though these are broad economic indicators rather than local specifics.
A parent considering this school should understand that it is not a neighborhood school in the conventional sense. It is a specialized setting for students who require special education services, and the district places students here based on their individualized needs. The very small enrollment, concentrated in a single grade band, suggests a highly tailored environment. Because standard academic benchmarks are suppressed or absent, a family would need to work directly with the district and the school's staff to understand the specific academic programming, postsecondary transition supports, and daily experience for students. The district itself operates a full range of other schools, and this school functions as one part of that broader continuum of services.
See more original research from School Decision →