Navigating South Metro Twin Cities School Districts: Building in ISD 194, 196, and 719

Moving to enter a school district is incredibly common, both for families with children and for buyers who simply think they might want to have children in the future. But it’s important to check district boundaries before you buy, because neighborhoods can be divvied up in unexpected ways.

In this blog, we’ll examine the South Metro Twin Cities area where Country Joe Homes does the majority of its work. We’ll explain how the area’s three different school districts are distributed, and what their programs are best known for, so you can more easily choose the right home for your children.

The South Metro School Boundary Catch

Most buyers assume their municipality is the only factor that determines their school district. If you build in Lakeville, your kids will attend Lakeville’s schools…right? Unfortunately, the reality is more complicated. 

City borders and Independent School District (ISD) lines rarely align perfectly, and the Twin Cities South Metro is a great example of this. Here, a single municipality is served by two entirely separate districts, with future homes likely falling into a third district. So, if your goal is to build a home in a given district, it’s critical that you understand what actually divides one from the next.

Deep Dive into the Big Three South Metro Districts

Below is our high-level summary of Lakeville’s three ISDs, including their geographic footprint and program highlights. 

ISD 194 (Lakeville Area Schools)

This district is also known simply as the Lakeville School District. It covers the institutions that most buyers picture when they’re thinking about schools in Lakeville, including:

• Lakeville North High School
• Lakeville South High School
• Century Middle School
• McGuire Middle School
• Kenwood Trail Middle School
• Lake Marion Elementary School
• Oak Hills Elementary School
• Lakeview Elementary School

This district serves the majority of the Lakeville Area. It also covers parts of Burnsville, Elko New Market, Credit River, and Eureka Township. Its schools are generally known for having high academic performance. Recent district goals and facilities projects include:

• Increasing participation rates in kindergarten readiness programs.
• Updating athletic and STEM facilities in middle schools.
• Expanding high school facilities.
• Further improving MCA scores and college entrance exam performance.

ISD 196 (Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan)

This district is one of Minnesota’s largest. It serves portions of northern Lakeville in addition to its core communities of Rosemount, Apple Valley, and Eagan. It’s known for having several unique public magnet schools:

• The School of Environmental Studies, a high school located at the Minnesota Zoo
• Valley Middle School of STEM
• Cedar Park Elementary Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) School
• Echo Park Elementary School of Leadership, Engineering and Technology
• Glacier Hills Elementary School of Arts and Science
• Oak Ridge Elementary School of Leadership, Environmental and Health Science

Other celebrated aspects of this district include its:

• Comprehensive AP/IB programs
• Athletic performance
• Strong arts programs

ISD 719 (Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools)

Currently, the Prior Lake Savage Area School District doesn’t serve a significant number of Lakeville homes. However, there are many roads on the western side of Lakeville around the Murphy-Hanrehan park reserve that are divided between ISD 194 and ISD 719. As more homes are built, parts of these westernmost neighborhoods will be served by ISD 719, despite functionally being a part of the Lakeville area.

Schools in this district include:

• Prior Lake High School
• Twin Oaks Middle School
• Hidden Oaks Middle School
• Hamilton Ridge Elementary
• Redtail Ridge Elementary

ISD 719 is known for incorporating strong environmental education themes in their STEM curriculum, high levels of community support, and their modern educational and athletic facilities.

The "Cross-Over" Suburbs Buyers Need to Watch

Right now, the biggest thing that Lakeville new home buyers need to keep an eye on are the North Lakeville neighborhoods. These neighborhoods may be split between ISD 194 and ISD 196, where moving just one lot over can result in a complete district switch. New homes in Credit River Township on the western edge of Lakeville should also be mindful of where their lot falls, as it may be just inside 196 or just over the border into 719.

Fortunately, it doesn’t take much to check. Simply searching an address in the MInnesota Legislature’s School District Finder tool will show you all the public schools your kids are slated to attend, from kindergarten through 12th grade.

What Buyers Need to Know About Minnesota Open Enrollment

If you’re dead set on a certain lot, but it’s not served by the school district or individual school you’re interested in, then you may still have a path forward. Minnesota offers an open enrollment program “that allows students and parents to have access to schools that are not within their resident district.” However, it’s generally not wise to bank on this program working out for your family. This is because Minnesota’s open enrollment has limited capacity, and high-growth districts like ISD 194 and ISD 196 frequently reach their enrollment caps long before every child interested in open enrollment has been accepted.

Because of this uncertainty, we always advise our homebuyer to build in their first choice school district whenever possible. It’s the only surefire way to prevent headaches and disappointment down the line.

How Country Joe Homes Helps Buyers Verify Before Building

At Country Joe Homes, we work with the GIS maps published by the Minnesota Legislature, tax records, and student transportation boundaries, so we can provide the most accurate school district information possible when you’re picking out your lot. We do this both because we know how important it is to our buyers, and because a shared school experience between neighbors plays a big part in how communities grow and form lifelong bonds. Our dream is for every homeowner to love not just the house they built, but also the neighborhood that surrounds them.

Ready to move into your dream home in your dream school district? Explore our neighborhoods or contact our team today for help finding your perfect site.