Schools & District Info

For most homes in Prior Lake, the public school district is Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools (PLSAS / ISD 719). Like many south-metro areas, the edges can overlap with nearby districts depending on the exact address, so it’s worth confirming early if schools are part of your decision.

Both of my kids went through these schools – one’s at the high school now, the other at Hidden Oaks. The district has grown a lot since I was a kid. I remember walking through Twin Oaks when it was the high school and thinking it was the biggest building in the world. Now it’s a crowded middle school. This page is a practical overview of how to think about schools in Prior Lake – not a substitute for official enrollment information, but a starting point from someone who’s been through it.

The district by the numbers

PLSAS (ISD 719) serves about 8,788 students across 13 schools with 497 full-time teachers. Niche rates the district A- overall, ranking it #1 in Scott County and #26 in Minnesota. Teachers get an A+ rating from Niche. Public School Review puts the district at #41 of 520 districts statewide, which is the top 10%.

The graduation rate runs 95-97%. District-wide math proficiency is 59% (vs 46% state average) and reading proficiency is 62% (vs 51% state average). Those numbers put PLSAS well above the state on both measures.

The district runs Minnesota’s only K-12 E-STEM (Environmental Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) program. That’s not just a label on a brochure – it’s an integrated program that runs through every grade level. Every school has outdoor classrooms. Recycling and composting programs are standard. Environmental education is woven into curriculum from preschool through 12th grade. PLSAS was one of the first U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Sustainability Districts in the nation back in 2013, and multiple individual schools have earned Green Ribbon status on their own.

A note on ratings: why GreatSchools and Niche disagree

If you’re researching Prior Lake High School online, you’ll notice something confusing. Niche gives it an A-. GreatSchools gives it a 9 out of 10. But for some individual schools, the gap goes the other direction.

Here’s why: GreatSchools uses an equity-weighted methodology that factors in achievement gaps between student subgroups. A school can have strong overall test scores and graduation rates but still get a lower GreatSchools rating if there’s a gap between its highest and lowest performing groups. Niche weighs overall performance, teacher quality, extracurriculars, and parent reviews more heavily.

Neither is wrong – they’re measuring different things. I’d encourage you to look at multiple sources and visit the school rather than relying on any single rating.

Always verify school boundaries

School attendance areas can shift from one year to the next. Instead of relying on a map screenshot, a real estate listing, or what the neighbor said, use the district’s official address lookup tool:

Find Your School (PLSAS boundary lookup) →

  • Check the correct school year if multiple boundary sets are available.
  • If you’re enrolling or open enrolling, confirm details directly with the district.
  • If you’re comparing a few different homes, run each address through the lookup and save the results.

When in doubt, treat anything on a third-party map as informational only and verify with the district.

2026-27 boundary changes: what home buyers need to know

The district is consolidating schools for 2026-27, and it’s going to affect where some kids go to school. Here’s the short version:

  • WestWood Elementary is closing as a neighborhood school.
  • La ola del lago (the Spanish immersion program currently at Grainwood) is relocating to the WestWood building.
  • New attendance boundaries are being drawn across the district.

If you’re buying a home right now and schools matter, this is important. The school your address feeds into today may not be the same one it feeds into next year. Use the boundary lookup tool above and check the 2026-27 boundaries specifically. If you’re looking at homes in the WestWood area, ask about which school those addresses will shift to.

On top of the boundary changes, the district’s November 2025 operating levy failed 55.6% to 44.4%. That means some programs and positions are being cut. I cover the details in the budget pressures section below. The schools are still strong, but the financial landscape is tighter than it was a year ago.

I’m happy to help sort this out for specific addresses. It’s one of those things that comes up constantly in my real estate work right now.

School-by-school profiles

Here’s what you need to know about each school in the district. I’ve included ratings from multiple sources, test score data, and the programs that make each school different. Ratings and scores are snapshots and can shift year to year, but they give you a starting point.

Jeffers Pond Elementary (K-5)

506 students. 17:1 student-teacher ratio. This is the highest-performing school in the entire district by test scores – 74% math proficiency, 76% reading proficiency. SchoolDigger gives it 5 stars and ranks it #35 of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. It’s the only school in ISD 719 to earn that 5-star rating. Public School Review ranks it #52 of 1,860 Minnesota schools, which is the top 3%. Niche gives it an A. GreatSchools: 7/10. U.S. News ranks it #74 among Minnesota elementary schools.

The school runs the full E-STEM curriculum with outdoor classrooms and edible gardens. It’s also earned its own U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School designation.

Both of my kids went K-5 here.

La ola del lago at Grainwood – Spanish Immersion (K-5)

471 students. 17:1 student-teacher ratio. This is the district’s full-day Spanish immersion magnet school. All core instruction is delivered in Spanish. Niche gives it an A. GreatSchools: 7/10. Public School Review ranks it in the top 5% statewide. U.S. News: #70 among Minnesota elementary schools.

Test scores are strong – 72% math, 77% reading. That reading number is the highest in the entire district, which is notable for a program where students are learning content in a second language.

The program was founded in 2014, originally housed at Edgewood School before moving to the former Grainwood building in 2020. It partners with the Amity International program, hosting interns from Spanish-speaking countries, and runs a Language Ambassadors Program that places young adults from Latin American countries with local host families. Families have relocated into the district specifically for this program.

La ola del lago is relocating to the WestWood building for 2026-27.

WestWood Elementary (K-5)

492 students. 16:1 student-teacher ratio. WestWood carries the highest GreatSchools rating of any elementary in the district at 8/10. Niche gives it an A. Public School Review: #88 of 1,860 Minnesota schools, top 5%. U.S. News: #156 in Minnesota. Math proficiency: 64%, reading: 72%.

WestWood is currently home to the SAGE Academy, the district’s gifted and talented program for 3rd-grade students drawn from across the district.

Important: WestWood is closing as a neighborhood school after 2025-26. The building becomes the new La ola del lago site. SAGE Academy faces possible elimination (roughly $400K annual cost) following the November 2025 levy failure. If you’re buying near WestWood, check where your address will be reassigned.

Glendale Elementary (K-5)

534 students. 15:1 student-teacher ratio, the lowest among district elementary schools. Niche: A-. GreatSchools: 7/10. Public School Review ranks it #131 of 1,773 Minnesota schools, top 10%. U.S. News: #99 in Minnesota. SchoolDigger gives it 4 stars and ranks it #102 of 881 Minnesota elementaries. Math: 68%, reading: 68%.

Glendale serves as a district-wide special education program site at the elementary level and also houses a K-5 component of the ATLAS alternative learning program. It’s another individual Green Ribbon School. Located in Savage.

Redtail Ridge Elementary (K-5)

560 students. 16:1 student-teacher ratio. Niche: A-. GreatSchools: 6/10. Public School Review: #253 of 1,773 Minnesota schools, top 20%. U.S. News: #388 in Minnesota. Math: 62%, reading: 62%.

Redtail Ridge is another district-wide special education program site, alongside Glendale. It’s earned its own Green Ribbon School designation and has a strong environmental education identity. Located in Savage.

Hamilton Ridge Elementary (K-5)

596 students, the largest elementary in the district. 17:1 student-teacher ratio. Niche: A-. GreatSchools: 5/10. Public School Review: top 20% in Minnesota. U.S. News: #377 in Minnesota. Math: 63%, reading: 59%.

Hamilton Ridge is the newest elementary school in the district, opened following the 2017 bond referendum. The building features unique learning stairs in the center of the school used as flexible learning space. It’s an ATLAS program site (K-5 component). Still building its academic track record as the newest school. Located in Savage.

Five Hawks Elementary (K-5)

477 students. 16:1 student-teacher ratio. Niche: B+, the only elementary in the district not in the A range. GreatSchools: 7/10. Public School Review: #411 of 1,860 Minnesota schools, top 30%. U.S. News: #331 in Minnesota. SchoolDigger gives it 4 stars, ranking it better than 77% of state elementaries.

Math proficiency is solid at 67%, above the district average. Reading comes in at 56%, the lowest among district elementaries. Five Hawks runs the full E-STEM program with outdoor classrooms and edible gardens and is another individual Green Ribbon School.

Hidden Oaks Middle School (6-8)

Approximately 1,000 students. 19:1 student-teacher ratio. Niche: A-, ranked #33 among public middle schools in Minnesota and #2 in Scott County. GreatSchools: 7/10. Math: 56%, reading: 57%.

Hidden Oaks offers Project Lead the Way engineering and robotics electives, a Spanish immersion continuation track for La ola del lago graduates, a gifted and talented program, world languages (Spanish and French), band, choir, and the full MSHSL athletics lineup. Students get 1:1 iPads starting in 6th grade. The annual 8th-grade Washington D.C. trip is a longstanding tradition.

Hidden Oaks operates as a partner school with Twin Oaks, which sits directly across the street. My youngest is here now.

Twin Oaks Middle School (6-8)

Approximately 1,000 students. Roughly 23:1 student-teacher ratio. Niche: A-. GreatSchools does not rate Twin Oaks separately because NCES data merges both middle schools. Public School Review lists it as “Closed 2023” due to the same data quirk, but Twin Oaks is fully operational with active 2025-26 programming. Math: 56%, reading: 57% (combined figures with Hidden Oaks).

Twin Oaks mirrors Hidden Oaks’ program offerings as its partner school – Project Lead the Way, Spanish immersion continuation, gifted and talented, band, choir, robotics, world languages. It’s also the home site for the ATLAS program at the middle school level.

The building has a swimming pool used for PE, swim lessons, and sporting events. The pool faces $1M+ in refurbishment costs and potential closure following the failed 2025 operating levy.

I remember walking through Twin Oaks when it was the high school and thinking it was the biggest building in the world. Now it’s a crowded middle school. The building has been through a lot of lives.

Prior Lake High School (9-12)

2,854 students. 21:1 student-teacher ratio with 135 full-time teachers. This is a big school. Niche: A-, ranked #34 among public high schools in Minnesota. GreatSchools: 9/10. U.S. News ranks it #78 in Minnesota and #4,744 nationally. Public School Review: top 30% in Minnesota.

Graduation rate is 97%. Average ACT: 27. Average SAT: 1,310. 85% of the Class of 2024 planned to attend a two-year or four-year college. Math proficiency is 46% (equal to the state average), reading is 62% (well above the 51% state average).

The academic menu is deep. 14 Advanced Placement courses with a 49% participation rate and 77% pass rate. Pre-AP courses. College in the Schools (CIS) concurrent enrollment. PSEO. Project Lead the Way engineering. A Fab Lab (fabrication/maker space). MNCAPS (Minnesota Center for Advanced Professional Studies) for juniors and seniors. E-STEM integration across all departments. 1:1 iPads.

Newsweek named it one of America’s best high schools (#197 nationally, 2016). Money Inc. ranked it #15 in Minnesota (2025). The band program carries a national reputation. Mock trial competes at the state level.

The $46.8 million referendum in 2017 funded a major expansion, adding a fourth wing to the building. The school competes in the South Suburban Conference. Mascot: Lakers.

Alternative and specialized programs

Bridges Area Learning Center (9-12)

75-93 students. 9:1 student-teacher ratio. Bridges is the district’s alternative high school for students who thrive in non-traditional learning environments. Personalized instruction, flexible scheduling, small class sizes, and seven flexible learning studios.

Students graduate with a full Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools diploma. The STRIVE Mentorship Program, a partnership with the Prior Lake Rotary Club, pairs students with adult mentors and awards $500-$750 attendance scholarships for post-secondary education. The school moved into a purpose-built facility in fall 2019 after years in leased space.

Student and parent reviews on Niche are notably positive. The low GreatSchools rating (2/10) and proficiency scores reflect the unique challenges of serving at-risk students, not academic quality.

Edgewood School – Early Learning Center (Pre-K / ECFE)

129-199 students. 6-8:1 student-teacher ratio. Edgewood is the hub for ISD 719’s early learning ecosystem.

Programs include ECFE (Early Childhood Family Education) with parent-child classes from birth to age 5, Circle of Friends Preschool with a 4-star Parent Aware rating (the highest possible in Minnesota) offering half-day and extended-day options for ages 3-5 with E-STEM curriculum, a Nature-Based Pre-Kindergarten program that uses the outdoors as the primary classroom, and Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) and screenings starting at age 3. Kids’ Company before/after-school care is available from 6:30 AM to 6:00 PM.

Laker Online (Grades 6-12, Virtual)

The district’s virtual/online learning program for students who benefit from remote learning. Laker Online faces potential elimination (roughly $400K annual cost) following the November 2025 failed operating levy.

District-wide programs

Several programs operate within existing buildings but serve students across the entire district:

ATLAS (Achieve to Learn Academic Success) is a K-12 alternative learning program spread across Hamilton Ridge and Glendale (K-5), Twin Oaks (6-8), and PLHS (9-12). Smaller class sizes, tailored instruction, and PBIS behavioral supports.

SAGE Academy is the gifted and talented program for 3rd-grade students district-wide, currently housed at WestWood. It faces possible elimination due to budget constraints following the levy failure.

MNCAPS (Minnesota Center for Advanced Professional Studies) provides real-world professional experiences for juniors and seniors. The coordinator position was eliminated in 2024-25 budget cuts and the program is being restructured.

How the schools compare at a glance

School Grades Enrollment Niche GS Math % Read % S:T
Jeffers Pond K-5 506 A 7 74 76 17:1
La ola del lago K-5 471 A 7 72 77 17:1
WestWood K-5 492 A 8 64 72 16:1
Glendale K-5 534 A- 7 68 68 15:1
Five Hawks K-5 477 B+ 7 67 56 16:1
Hamilton Ridge K-5 596 A- 5 63 59 17:1
Redtail Ridge K-5 560 A- 6 62 62 16:1
Hidden Oaks MS 6-8 ~1,000 A- 7 56 57 19:1
Twin Oaks MS 6-8 ~1,000 A- NR 56 57 23:1
Prior Lake HS 9-12 2,854 A- 9 46 62 21:1
Bridges ALC 9-12 ~89 – 2 ~10 NR 9:1

GS = GreatSchools (/10). NR = Not Rated. Edgewood (Pre-K) and Laker Online not included as they do not have state testing.

Budget pressures: the failed 2025 levy and what it means

The November 2025 operating levy failed 55.6% to 44.4%. The district is now working through what to cut. Here’s what’s on the table:

  • 12+ eliminated teaching positions
  • Potential closure of Laker Online (~$400K annual cost) and SAGE Academy (~$400K)
  • Possible shuttering of Twin Oaks’ pool ($1M+ in needed refurbishment)
  • Reductions to field trips, transportation, and other programs
  • The MNCAPS coordinator position was already eliminated in 2024-25 budget cuts

If you’re buying here now, this is the landscape. The schools are still strong – the ratings, test scores, and graduation rates haven’t changed. But the district is making tough financial decisions, and some programs families have relied on may not look the same a year from now. Worth knowing before you make assumptions based on the current setup.

Open enrollment

Families can apply for open enrollment into PLSAS from other districts, and PLSAS students can apply to attend neighboring districts. The process runs through the state’s open enrollment system. Availability depends on space and capacity, and deadlines matter. Check the district website for current open enrollment information and deadlines.

A quick note for home searches

  • District boundaries are address-specific – two homes on the same street can sometimes differ.
  • School assignments can be updated by the district, especially when enrollment changes.
  • If a listing mentions a school, treat it as a starting point and verify using the official lookup tool.
  • The 2026-27 boundary redraw makes this more important than usual right now.

Keep exploring

Thinking about making the move? I’ve been here 40 years and selling homes here for 22. Happy to answer questions, no strings attached: mark@priorlakeevents.com

Keep exploring

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