DAKOTA RIDGE SCHOOL

www.district196.org/

109 Students

Other K - 12th

School Overview

Dakota Ridge School, located in Apple Valley, Minnesota, is a specialized educational facility operating under the umbrella of Independent School District 196. Unlike a traditional neighborhood school, Dakota Ridge is designed as a therapeutic and alternative learning environment. It focuses on providing comprehensive academic and behavioral support for students who require a more structured and individualized approach than what is typically available in a general education setting.

The school is dedicated to fostering personal growth, emotional regulation, and academic success through a highly collaborative model. By working closely with families, mental health professionals, and district staff, Dakota Ridge emphasizes the development of social-emotional skills alongside core curriculum requirements. Its mission centers on creating a supportive atmosphere where students can overcome personal challenges and work toward transitioning back into their home schools or successfully completing their educational goals.

109

Total Students

28.4

Full-Time Teachers

3.8

Student/Teacher Ratio

59.6%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for DAKOTA RIDGE SCHOOL
Demographic	Student Count
White	50
Hispanic	11
Black	27
Asian	3
Two or More	16
American Indian	2

White
50 (45.9 %)
Black
27 (24.8 %)
Two or More
16 (14.7 %)
Hispanic
11 (10.1 %)
Asian
3 (2.8 %)
American Indian
2 (1.8 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Other
School Type:	Special Education School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN
Phone:	(952)423-7619
Website:	http://www.district196.org/
Grade Range:	K - 12th
Total Students:	109
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	28.4
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	3.8
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	60
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	5

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 1 4

Grade 2 4

Grade 3 2

Grade 4 5

Grade 5 6

Grade 6 6

Grade 7 8

Grade 8 10

Grade 9 11

Grade 10 16

Grade 11 11