Thanks to Dakota County for their support.
The ISD 197 School Board reviewed enrollment, closed open enrollment for first through fourth grades, and had the first reading of a number of policy updates.
Enrollment Update
Superintendent Peter Olson-Skog gave the board an update on enrollment:
- K-12 enrollment is 5,202, just over the projection of 5,196.
- Total enrollment, which includes Branch Out and pre-kindergarten, is expected to be around 5,400, the highest enrollment in ISD 197 history (last year’s was 5,293).
- Because 2024-2025 enrollment numbers aren’t final yet, Olson-Skog shared the latest student data from 2023-2024 in several areas—53.5% are students of color, 21.2% are in special education, 14.43% are English language learners, 46.6% qualify for free and reduced meals, and more students are open enrolling in the district (1,008) than leaving the district (626).
- The board voted unanimously to close open enrollment for first through fourth grades. The board previously closed open enrollment for ninth and 10th grades. In this case, the closure had more to do with special education capacity and by law the only option is to close open enrollment for the entire grade. This does not affect any current open enrolled students or new students moving into the district.
Other Items on the Agenda
- Policies: The board reviewed a number of policies with regular changes, mostly to align with state statute. Those policies included School Sponsored Publications and Activities, Graduation Requirements, Credit for Learning, and Online Learning Options.
- Board expectations: The board reviewed updates to their School Board Roles, Standards and Expectations document. Board Member Randi Walz raised concerns about committee assignment expectations that encouraged board members to “listen primarily,” expressing frustration about vague guidance. The board discussed different committees and expectations, and the importance of balancing the weight the role of school board member carries with the need to authentically participate in these meetings. The board decided to further refine the expectations and review at an upcoming board development meeting.
Engage
- More: Agendas and minutes for ISD 197 School Board meetings are available online.
- Watch: You can watch the meeting recap from Superintendent Peter Olson-Skog and Board Member Jon Vaupel.
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