New K-8 School Attendance Area Adjustments Approved for the 2026-27 School Year 

For over a decade, the district assigned new housing developments to schools one neighborhood at a time without changing the existing school attendance areas. Over time, this created a “patchwork” of attendance areas.

The last major change to attendance area boundaries happened for the 2024–25 school year when Highview Elementary opened. At that time, the district shared multiple draft maps and gathered family input. Solutions were brought to the school board for consideration and the final solution was chosen with the understanding that more changes would be needed within a few years because growth was continuing. In fact, the growth happened even faster than expected.

Last year, the school board delayed larger changes to attendance areas by adjusting boundaries only for new housing developments. This helped in the short term, but larger changes are now necessary for the 2026-27 school year.

Growth in specific neighborhoods is creating challenges for some of our elementary schools. As a whole, our elementary schools are about 76.6% full. Projections indicate that this number will remain relatively stable over the next 10 years.

But, individual buildings range from 58.7% to 105.6% full. This means some schools have plenty of space while others are overcrowded.  

Based on current projections, changing elementary school attendance areas can fix this imbalance with limited need for changes in the future.

Growth in specific neighborhoods is creating challenges for some of our middle schools. Overall, our middle schools are 86.7% full and growing. 

Some are already close to or over ideal capacity and range from 80.2% to 93.7%. 

Growth is happening mostly in specific neighborhoods, so middle school attendance areas need to be adjusted to prevent overcrowding at specific schools beginning next year. 

Additionally, projections indicate significant middle school enrollment growth over the next 10 years. The school board is currently considering options for a long-term solution to increase middle school space.

In Lakeville Area Schools, a school works best when it’s at about 75-80% full. Once a school passes 85% of its capacity: 

• Spaces can no longer be used the way they were designed. 
• Class sizes rise.
• Space, resources and scheduling are restricted, which limits the district’s ability to provide high quality teaching and learning aligned to best practices. 
• Overcrowded common spaces, like hallways and cafeterias, pose safety concerns and reduce students’ time for lunch, bathroom breaks, and passing between classes. 

Keeping schools around 75-80% full allows them to operate as intended and leaves room for new families moving into our district.

Because some residential areas of Lakeville and its surrounding communities are growing fast and others are not, the district has created occupancy targets and is aiming for the following:

• Schools serving areas of the district with growth: Start at approximately 70% full (occupancy) so they have room to grow.
• Schools serving areas of the district that are not growing: Start at approximately 80% full (occupancy) to make best use of space.

The district’s goal is to match each school’s size to the growth expected in neighborhoods in order to lessen the need for future changes to attendance areas.

This fall (2025), an interdisciplinary work group of principals and district staff reviewed options and provided the school board with carefully considered solutions based on their school expertise. Their main goal is to balance enrollment across schools. 

They are also working to:

• Maintain racial and socio-economic diversity and balance among the schools
• Keep attendance areas connected and logical
• Keep neighborhoods together when possible
• Consider the needs of special education students 
• Minimize moving students to the greatest extent possible

In addition to adjusting the attendance areas, the interdisciplinary work group is also considering:

• A two-step adjustment process for middle school students, with initial adjustments to alleviate immediate space challenges, and additional adjustments pending any changes to middle school facilities
• Changes to intra-district and open enrollment practices 
• Opportunities for 5th and 8th grade students to remain at their schools 
• Impacts to staffing based on moving students 
• Supports needed for students and families once a decision has been made

‘Multiple Movers’ are resident students who were moved to one school for the 2024-2025 school year and are being moved again to another school at the same level (elementary or middle) that is different from where they attended in the 2023-2024 school year (Example: EVE in 23/24 > HVE in 24/25 > CVE in 26/27)

• Does not include residences, families or students moved in adjustments prior to 2024-2025 (the most recent of which was fall of the 2014-2015 school year)
• Does not include students who are being moved back to the school they originally attended (Eg: EVE in 23/24 > HVE in 24/25 > EVE in 26/27)

Multiple Movers will be added as a priority in the Intra-District Enrollment Process.

To ensure that every student has an environment conducive to teaching and learning best practices, boundary adjustments are necessary to address significant overcrowding at several locations while utilizing available space at others.

While the district utilized a phased enrollment strategy (moving only newly enrolling students) as a mitigation strategy for the 2025-26 school year, it did not and will not provide enough relief and overall enrollment balance among the schools. 

Safety zones are considered and our transportation providers were consulted in the adjustment process.

Free transportation is provided to: 

• Elementary students who live 0.8 miles or more away from their school
• Middle school students who live 2 miles or more away from their school 
• Students in an identified safety zone (which will be reviewed upon approval of updated attendance areas) 

The district has proposed that:

• Students receiving specialized services through a resource program–that includes Setting 1, 2 and 3–will be subject to area changes.
  • Special Education will offer all affected families an IEP meeting to review services, address any needs related to the boundary change, and ensure a coordinated transition to the new school.
• Students receiving specialized services through a center-based program (i.e., MAPD, A+, ACES, DCD) will remain at their current site.
• If your student has a 504 plan and is impacted by the boundary changes, you may request a review meeting with your school to discuss how your student's accommodations will be implemented in the new setting. The 504 plan follows your child, and the receiving school is required to provide the accommodations outlined in the plan. This meeting is also an opportunity to discuss any transition supports your student may need. If you have concerns, please contact the school’s 504 Plan Manager.

The district has proposed that:

• Approved Intra-District students allowed choice to remain in the currently enrolled school or move to newly assigned school
• Intra-District applications remain open for all schools that are below the following occupancy thresholds
  • High Growth Schools (CVE, HVE, LME, CMS): 70% occupancy in the school and in the grade level within the school (as long as additional staffing is not required)
  • Low Growth Schools: 80% occupancy in the school and in the grade level within the school (as long as additional staffing is not required)

Review the district's current Intra-District Transfer process.

The district has proposed that:

• Open enrolled students allowed to remain in the currently enrolled school (MN Statute)
• Limit, by resolution, the enrollment of nonresident pupils per statute
• Open Enrollment applications remain open for all schools that are below the following occupancy thresholds: 
  • High Growth Schools (CVE, HVE, LME, CMS): 70% occupancy in the school and in the requested grade level within the school (as long as additional staffing is not required)
  • Low Growth Schools: 80% occupancy in the school and in the requested grade level within the school (as long as additional staffing is not required)

Review the district's current Open Enrollment process.

We know changes to school attendance areas are stressful and disruptive to our students and their families. We’re committed to making this process as clear as possible by: 

• Communicating openly throughout the process
• Making recommendations to avoid another district-wide change in the near future
• Annually reviewing enrollment at each school so that only small adjustments are required. This is what is required to accommodate the growth projected in the district 

The district will continue to share updates as recommendations are brought to the school board and decisions are made by the school board. The details of how and when changes will be implemented are still being worked on, and we will keep families and the community informed every step of the way. 

Continue to visit this webpage (isd194.org/attendance-adjustments) for updates. We will add additional information as it becomes available. 

For over a decade, the district assigned new housing developments to schools one neighborhood at a time without changing the existing school attendance areas. Over time, this created a “patchwork” of attendance areas.

The last major change to attendance area boundaries happened for the 2024–25 school year when Highview Elementary opened. At that time, the district shared multiple draft maps and gathered family input. Solutions were brought to the school board for consideration and the final solution was chosen with the understanding that more changes would be needed within a few years because growth was continuing. In fact, the growth happened even faster than expected.

Last year, the school board delayed larger changes to attendance areas by adjusting boundaries only for new housing developments. This helped in the short term, but larger changes are now necessary for the 2026-27 school year.

District leaders and staff convened to review updated data, historic data, and future projections. Future projections are based on assessments from internal staff and two external demographers, information we have from city planners about approved housing developments, and review of historic projections compared to actual results.

While updates to the proposal have been made based on feedback from the School Board and the community, these recommendations are being made as part of an ongoing effort to address unbalanced enrollment. Smaller mitigating measures have already been taken and now more comprehensive changes are needed.

• Feedback can be shared directly with the school board by emailing schoolboard@isd194.org. 
• Register for Public Comment to voice feedback to the school board during the portion of the agenda titled 'Public Comment' - watch the website for meeting date changes. Individuals wishing to engage in Public Comment must register in advance by noon on the Monday before the scheduled board meeting. Learn more about Public Comment rules/expectations and register here.

Lakeville Area Schools is committed to supporting students and families through attendance area changes in the following ways.

• Ongoing Communications: Families moving schools will be communicated with by the district and their new school with important transition details. School staff will continue personalized outreach to transitioning families throughout the school year to share student successes, school highlights, etc.
• Meet Your New School Events & Tours: Each elementary and middle school will host “Meet Your New School” events this spring, parent information sessions, and school tours.
• Family Collaboration: School leaders are dedicated to collaborating with families to understand the needs of their students and help them maintain and build connections with peers and staff. A parent/caregiver guide will be shared with families with tips on supporting students during school transitions.
• Special Education Supports: Affected special education families will be offered an IEP meeting to review services, address any needs related to the school change, and ensure a coordinated transition to the new school. Case managers will connect directly with families. Students receiving similar services will be placed in the same classrooms when possible. 
• Building Connections: All schools have programs and practices in place to ensure every student has connections with a caring adult and their peers. At the elementary level, this happens primarily through a student’s homeroom. At the middle school level, this happens primarily through advisory and a ‘First Friends’ program.  
• Counseling Supports: School counselors will be available to provide individualized or small group support to any students finding the transition difficult. 
• Additional Resources: Families will be able to access the district website for additional information, FAQs, etc., all available in multiple languages.