Mounds View reports higher-than-projected enrollment ahead of 2025–26 school year

Mounds View Public School District reported preliminary enrollment totals on May 27 showing 11,453 K–12 students for the 2025–26 school year, about 370 students above the district projection of 11,083.

Darren Johnson, the district’s executive director of school management, told the board the data snapshot is current as of May 22 and that totals will continue to change through the summer and into the fall. He said the district’s kindergarten centers show higher enrollment than projected: the two kindergarten centers have a combined 918 students, which Johnson said is 94 above the projected 824 (the packet projection read as 724 but district staff later clarified projections and totals remain under regular update).

Johnson reported enrollment by level: 4,222 students in grades 1–5 (41 above projection), 2,613 in middle school (17 above projection) and a combined 3,700 at Irondale and Mounds View high schools (18 above projection). He said all classroom sections currently remain within board-approved class size ranges and that section sizes will continue to be monitored. Johnson also noted the district will accept nonresident students on a space-available basis and maintain waiting lists when capacity is reached.

Superintendent Lennox underscored that spring-to-fall movement in and out of the district makes the October 1 official count different from May snapshots: “If there’s one thing we can guarantee that on October 1, our enrollment will not be 11,453,” he said, explaining the district updates its numbers weekly. The board was told the district anticipates roughly 875 graduates this spring from Irondale and Mounds View high schools and continues outreach to maintain enrollment.

District staff will provide updated enrollment reports over the summer and present the official October 1 count in the fall.