About

ISD 917 provides special education, career and technical education, and alternative education for students in the southeast metro area of Minnesota. We serve nine member school districts with ISD 917 programs located in multiple sites.

Our district office and a number of our special education, career and technical education, and alternative education programs are located in Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) with whom we partner.

ISD 917 serves students needing low incidence special education services from our member school districts in the southeastern Twin Cities metropolitan area. Students are referred to us by member school districts.  Our programs and services expand on what member districts may be able to offer students in their own schools. Programs provide special education and related service support to students from early childhood through age 21 in a variety of different, specialized settings for students with emotional/behavioral disorders, autism spectrum disorders, developmental and cognitive disabilities, mental health needs, learning disabilities, and for those who are deaf and hard of hearing. Students receive a high-level of support in classrooms with low student-teacher ratios and specialized support teams in facilities with spaces designed for a variety of student needs and student and staff safety features.

ISD 917 also provides students from member districts secondary education programs, including Dakota County Area Learning Schools, which provide alternative learning programming both in-person and online to students in need of a positive, safe, and structured learning environment outside their resident high school, and Dakota County Secondary Technical Center, which provides career and technical education for high school students in 10th, 11th, and 12th grade.