2025 Minnesota High School Football Thread

[Some guy]

It's the deferred and upcoming maintenance that's breaking their backs.

It will cost a pretty penny to build a new building at a new site, but the accountants are trying to price it out on the 10-20 year scale.


I think they're looking for a bailout

When you make budget cuts it has to be staff
If you delay fixing stuff it isn’t a cost savings, it’s pushing a project to later that will cost the same + inflation

 

[State of Football]

Minnetonka is almost 40% open enrollment at the high school. They have had room and love the compensatory dollars.

 

[GopherGrit]

Well people don’t transfer out of Minnetonka and wayzata

So I guess it depends on if the perception of the school is that it’s great or terrible

I think Minnetonka is the top rated public (not including charter) high school in the state.

The district isn't actually very big. Lot of Minnetonka city proper is covered by Hopkins. Would guess Tonka schools tell all those homes that they have a place in Tonka schools if they want it, but I don't know for sure.

I know Edina tells the neighborhood within Edina proper, but covered by Hopkins district, that they all have a place in Edina schools.

 

[Some guy]

I think Minnetonka is the top rated public (not including charter) high school in the state.

The district isn't actually very big. Lot of Minnetonka city proper is covered by Hopkins. Would guess Tonka schools tell all those homes that they have a place in Tonka schools if they want it, but I don't know for sure.

I know Edina tells the neighborhood within Edina proper, but covered by Hopkins district, that they all have a place in Edina schools.

I’m saying that having 3500 students doesn’t scare people away because they fear not getting a chance

 

[Word]

I think Minnetonka is the top rated public (not including charter) high school in the state.

The district isn't actually very big. Lot of Minnetonka city proper is covered by Hopkins. Would guess Tonka schools tell all those homes that they have a place in Tonka schools if they want it, but I don't know for sure.

I know Edina tells the neighborhood within Edina proper, but covered by Hopkins district, that they all have a place in Edina schools.

From the Strib/Niche.

As the start of the school year approaches, a new ranking has revealed the best high schools in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Niche released its 2025 list of best high schools, ranking the public and private schools in each state.

The organization measured private and public schools differently; while private schools were measured by the colleges that students attended along with student surveys, diversity and a student-teacher ratio, public schools were measured by strength of academics, diversity, student and parent surveys, teachers, facilities, clubs and sports.

Here are the best high schools in Minnesota and Wisconsin, according to Niche:
Top 10 public high schools in Minnesota

1. Wayzata High School
2. Eden Prairie High School
3. Minnetonka Senior High School
4. Edina Senior High School
5. Eastview Senior High School
6. Math and Science Academy
7. Nova Classical Academy Upper School
8. Eagan Senior High School
9. Mounds View High School
10. Eagle Ridge Academy

 

[Some guy]

Minnetonka is almost 40% open enrollment at the high school. They have had room and love the compensatory dollars.

Correct. And being one of the biggest in the state doesn’t slow the open enrollment

 

[GopherGrit]

I’m saying that having 3500 students doesn’t scare people away because they fear not getting a chance

That is a very valid point.

Only counter to that I would say is that people in that district, or who go to that district, know what they have or are signing up for.


People in the Robbinsdale district have two schools now, and the additional opportunities that brings ... so it would be a big change to go down to one.

 

[GopherGrit]

Correct. And being one of the biggest in the state doesn’t slow the open enrollment

Helps that they are probably one of the richest and so probably have some of the best facilities and staff in the state.

One of the best rated in the state.


But fair enough, I hear your point

 

[Some guy]

That is a very valid point.

Only counter to that I would say is that people in that district, or who go to that district, know what they have or are signing up for.


People in the Robbinsdale district have two schools now, and the additional opportunities that brings ... so it would be a big change to go down to one.

Would be interesting to see the unintended consequences


One of the dumbest things about the whole conversation is robinsdale has this massive deficit this year and the plan they’re floating to fix it is to build a new high school that wouldn’t be done for 3-4 years assuming it was passed in a bond this November

So it’s not really even a viable solution to the actual problem

 

[Some guy]

Helps that they are probably one of the richest and so probably have some of the best facilities and staff in the state.

One of the best rated in the state.


But fair enough, I hear your point

I think good vs bad drives open enrollment choices more than school size

But it’s a little chicken vs egg

 

[GopherGrit]

Would be interesting to see the unintended consequences


One of the dumbest things about the whole conversation is robinsdale has this massive deficit this year and the plan they’re floating to fix it is to build a new high school that wouldn’t be done for 3-4 years assuming it was passed in a bond this November

So it’s not really even a viable solution to the actual problem

Think they're trying to force outrage, people contacting state senators, etc. fishing for a bailout.

I don't know the details of how they got a deficit, but someone messed up

 

[MaxyJR1]

The western half where Armstrong is in Plymouth but I am not sure of the exact boundaries. That is where the money is. I wonder if Bloomington will ever go this route.

It will be interesting as schools face major deficits. Consolidation will be discussed in many places.

 

[Some guy]

Think they're trying to force outrage, people contacting state senators, etc. fishing for a bailout.

I don't know the details of how they got a deficit, but someone messed up

From what I heard they accidentally double counted a revenue piece somewhere and didn’t catch it until too late to avoid this structural issue

Shakopee had a similar issue like 5-6 years ago if I recall

 

[Some guy]

It will be interesting as schools face major deficits. Consolidation will be discussed in many places.

There is also declining enrollment a lot of places

Cities where there are fewer kids than 15-20 years ago probably shouldn’t be running the same number of buildings. But making the decision to close an elementary school is unpopular and school boards are elected

 

[disco]

There is also declining enrollment a lot of places

Cities where there are fewer kids than 15-20 years ago probably shouldn’t be running the same number of buildings. But making the decision to close an elementary school is unpopular and school boards are elected

Declining enrollment and not wanting to close buildings is why Tonka is 40% open enrollment. They actively recruit to keep their buildings full in a mature district. That's why they have cool things like an aviation program.

I know a number of people who live in the Hopkins district. Every single one open enrolls into Minnetonka.

 

[disco]

I think Minnetonka is the top rated public (not including charter) high school in the state.

The district isn't actually very big. Lot of Minnetonka city proper is covered by Hopkins. Would guess Tonka schools tell all those homes that they have a place in Tonka schools if they want it, but I don't know for sure.

I know Edina tells the neighborhood within Edina proper, but covered by Hopkins district, that they all have a place in Edina schools.

I live in Minnetonka but in the Wayzata district.

 

[Some guy]

Declining enrollment and not wanting to close buildings is why Tonka is 40% open enrollment. They actively recruit to keep their buildings full in a mature district. That's why they have cool things like an aviation program.

I know a number of people who live in the Hopkins district. Every single one open enrolls into Minnetonka.

Yeah but Minnetonka was never this big prior to open enrollment

I do not know how big the school was prior to open enrollment but it’s not like tonka was 3000 students and then would’ve shrunk before open enrollment. It was always smaller and is now huge because of it.

How big was Minnetonka in 2000?


It may be that was the original intent. But the open enrollment now expands the population. It doesn’t just prevent shrinkage

 

[fatgopher]

Yeah but Minnetonka was never this big prior to open enrollment

I do not know how big the school was prior to open enrollment but it’s not like tonka was 3000 students and then would’ve shrunk before open enrollment. It was always smaller and is now huge because of it.

How big was Minnetonka in 2000?


It may be that was the original intent. But the open enrollment now expands the population. It doesn’t just prevent shrinkage

In that era, I believe Tonka was graduating ~450 per class. Class of 2025 was over 800

 

[MaxyJR1]

The bigger the school, the more $$ from the state and the more offerings the school can provide to students. Every family is different in what they want to get out of school. Some do PSEO and don't even step foot in their school senior year. Some graduate early. Some go one hour and then go to work. Many schools have a magnet program. NW Metro has programs that you can go to with free transportation.

Look at Anoka-Hennepin. They have more going out than coming in. Many factors play into it.

Blaine is top 5 enrollment in state:

Totino Grace is popular
Legacy Christian Academy is in Andover
Spring Lake Park is one HS district and overlaps Blaine (Takes in more than leave)
Centennial overlaps Blaine and is one HS district (Takes in more than leave)

 

[disco]

Yeah but Minnetonka was never this big prior to open enrollment

I do not know how big the school was prior to open enrollment but it’s not like tonka was 3000 students and then would’ve shrunk before open enrollment. It was always smaller and is now huge because of it.

How big was Minnetonka in 2000?


It may be that was the original intent. But the open enrollment now expands the population. It doesn’t just prevent shrinkage

It's crazy how many huge schools there are now in general. When I graduated Forest Lake in the 90's, we were the 12th largest school in the state. Now they're borderline dropping to 5A in football.