Westonka Public Schools

What Westonka Public Schools does

Westonka Public Schools (ISD 277) is a Minnesota public school district (government state entity, not a private corporation) serving more than 2,400 students in grades K-12 across five schools in Minnetrista and Mound, Hennepin County: Hilltop Primary, Shirley Hills Primary, Westonka Middle School, Westonka High School, and the Westonka Early Learning Center. The district operates as a unified educational services platform anchored by specialized programming including GATES gifted education, English Learner services, Special Education across all 13 IDEA disability categories, and the Transition Plus program for students ages 18-21. Extracurricular surface includes 33 varsity sports, award-winning performing arts, and the Tonkabots FIRST Robotics team that has made consecutive World Championship appearances.

The underlying technology stack is commodity K-12 edtech rather than proprietary: Schoology for learning management, Skyward as the student information system, Google Workspace for Education, Clever for SSO, ParentSquare for family communication, and NWEA MAP / FASTBridge / WIDA ACCESS for assessment. The district's main proprietary academic frameworks are the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) intervention model and a Science of Reading-based literacy program grounded in Scarborough's Reading Rope. No in-house AI/ML capability or proprietary data products are disclosed.

Westonka's business model is funded primarily through Minnesota state education aid (per-pupil formulas and categorical aids) and local property taxes, with the district claiming the lowest total school property taxes in Hennepin County. There is no tuition for in-district K-12 students. Ancillary fee-based revenue is generated through Community Education programs (preschool, Adventure Club, Youth Spanish, aquatics, recreation, facility rentals) and the Westonka 277 Foundation fundraising. The district executed a $93.4 million building bond in November 2023 to fund safety/security upgrades, deferred maintenance, and a complete redesign of Westonka High School. Distribution is geographic (residential enrollment within statutory boundaries plus open enrollment recruitment), and governance rests with a seven-member elected School Board, with Superintendent Kevin Borg as the chief executive.

Name

Westonka Public Schools

Legal name

Westonka Public Schools ISD 277

Website

https://westonka.k12.mn.us

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Westonka Public Schools (ISD 277) is a Minnesota public school district serving 2,400+ K-12 students across five schools in Minnetrista and Mound, funded by state aid and local property taxes, with a $93.4M bond-funded facilities modernization underway.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE), Public Virtual & Blended Learning Programs (District-Run) (EDAJAAAI)

Keywords

• K-12 public education
• Community education services
• Special education programs
• Early childhood learning
• Gifted and talented education

Headquarters

HQ city

Minnesota City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. State Education Funding: Primary revenue from Minnesota state education funding formulas based on student enrollment, per-pupil units, and categorical aids.
2. Local Property Taxes: Significant portion of district revenue from local school property taxes. Westonka claims the lowest total school property taxes in Hennepin County.
3. Bond Referendum: In November 2023, residents approved a $93.4 million building bond investment for school facilities including safety/security upgrades, deferred maintenance, and high school redesign.
4. Community Education Programs: Fee-based programs including early learning, preschool, adventure club, youth sports, aquatics, and continuing education classes for community members of all ages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Westonka Public Schools (ISD 277) is a Minnesota public K-12 school district that provides comprehensive education to over 2,400 students across five schools (Hilltop Primary, Shirley Hills Primary, Westonka Middle, Westonka High, and Early Learning Center), supplemented by GATES gifted education, English Learners services, Special Education, Transition Plus for ages 18-21, and Community Education programs serving learners from birth through senior citizens. K-12 education is tuition-free for district residents and funded by state aid and local property taxes, while Community Education programs are fee-based.

Product overview

Westonka Public Schools (ISD 277) is a public school district serving over 2,400 students in grades K-12 plus community education programs. The district operates as a unified platform of educational services comprising five schools: Hilltop Primary School and Shirley Hills Primary School (both National Blue Ribbon K-4 schools), Westonka Middle School (grades 5-7), and Westonka High School (grades 8-12). Supporting the core schools are specialized programs including Westonka Early Learning (birth to age 4), Transition Plus (ages 18-21 special education), and Westonka Community Education (birth to senior citizens). The district offers specialized programming streams including GATES gifted education, English Learners services, and Special Education across all 13 disability categories. Extracurricular offerings include 33 varsity sports, performing arts, and the award-winning Tonkabots robotics team. The district is undergoing a $93.4 million facilities improvement through the 2023 bond referendum.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hilltop Primary School National Blue Ribbon primary school serving students in grades K-4 located at 5700 Game Farm Road E, Minnetrista, MN. Features GATES gifted education programming and is recognized as a PBIS Sustaining Exemplar School for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports.
• Shirley Hills Primary School National Blue Ribbon primary school serving students in grades K-4 located at 2450 Wilshire Blvd, Mound, MN. Features GATES gifted education programming and is recognized as a PBIS Sustaining Exemplar School for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports.
• Westonka Middle School Middle school serving students in grades 5-7 located at 1881 Commerce Blvd, Mound, MN. Offers advanced course options including Advanced Language Arts, Accelerated Mathematics, Advanced STEM, and Future Problem Solving programs. Ranked #8 best middle school nationally by U.S. News & World Report.
• Westonka High School High school serving students in grades 8-12 located at 5905 Sunnyfield Rd E, Minnetrista, MN. Offers AP courses, honors courses, dual enrollment Spanish courses, a five-year engineering program, and extensive extracurricular activities including the award-winning Tonkabots robotics team. Recognized with Silver Distinction on the 2025 AP School Honor Roll. Achieved 97.7% graduation rate in 2025 with ACT composite average of 22.4.
• Westonka Early Learning Early childhood education program serving children from birth to age 4 at three locations, including Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE), preschool, and Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) services. Located at 5702 Game Farm Road E, Minnetrista, MN.
• Transition Plus Secondary special education program for students with disabilities ages 18-21, located within Westonka High School. Provides functional curriculum focused on independence, vocational skills, community living, functional academics, and work experience.
• Westonka Community Education Community education and services program serving learners of all ages from birth to senior citizens. Includes Adventure Club before/after school care, aquatics programs, recreation activities, and facility rentals. Fee-based with financial assistance available.
• Gifted and Talented Education Services (GATES) Gifted and talented programming serving approximately 7-10% of students in grades K-12. Includes differentiated learning, independent studies, grade acceleration, extracurricular activities, and small group instruction.
• English Learners (EL) Program Language Instruction Educational Program (LIEP) helping English learners develop academic English in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Services are tailored to each student's WIDA ACCESS 2.0 proficiency level.
• Special Education Comprehensive special education program serving students with disabilities from birth through age 21. Covers all 13 disability categories including autism, developmental delays, emotional/behavioral disorders, and specific learning disabilities. Services include IEP development, related services (OT, PT, speech), and transition planning.
• Westonka Youth Spanish Program Before and after school Spanish language instruction for children in grades K-7, provided through Community Education. Native speaker instructors use immersion-style teaching with thematic, project-based learning.
• Post-Secondary Planning College and career counseling program beginning in grade 7, helping students prepare for postsecondary education. Includes Pre-ACT testing, ACT preparation, college visits, and career exploration. 81% of Class of 2026 graduates continue formal education (66% 4-year, 15% 2-year/technical).
• FIRST Robotics Competition (Tonkabots) High school robotics team (Tonkabots) participating in the FIRST Robotics Competition. Has earned two consecutive trips to the World Championship. Open to students in grades 8-12 at Westonka High School.
• Westonka Activity Center (WAC) Recreation and activity center offering fitness facilities, programs, and community events. Located at 5903 Sunnyfield Road E, Minnetrista, MN.
• Westonka Performing Arts Center (PAC) Performing arts venue hosting school productions, concerts, and community performances. Includes school musical productions such as Mama Mia!

Quantifiable outcome

• 97.7% graduation rate (2025)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Orono Police DepartmentcoreOthersSchool Resource Officer (SRO) partnership providing dedicated police presence at Westonka schools. Orono PD serves as one of two police departments providing SRO coverage for the district.
• Minnetrista Police DepartmentcoreOthersSchool Resource Officer (SRO) partnership providing dedicated police presence at Westonka schools. Minnetrista PD serves as one of two police departments providing SRO coverage for the district.
• PACER CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPACER Center provides resources, information, and support for families of children with disabilities. Westonka Transition Plus program references PACER as a key resource partner for parent education and transition planning.
• Help Me GrowcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative effort among Westonka Public Schools, Minnesota Department of Human Services, and Department of Public Health to address needs of young children with disabilities and their families in education, health, and social services.
• Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestonka fourth graders attend week-long residential outdoor education program at Wolf Ridge ELC. Students participate in environmental learning, team-building activities, and outdoor adventures.
• Westonka 277 FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit foundation dedicated to supporting and enhancing educational opportunities at Westonka Public Schools through fundraising, grants, and community partnerships.
• Lake Minnetonka Communications Commission (LMCC-TV)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLMCC broadcasts and rebroadcasts Westonka School Board meetings on Channel 20, providing community access to district governance proceedings.
• BestPrepminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransition Plus students attended BestPrep Educational Forum at Minneapolis Convention Center, providing real-world learning experiences and career exposure.
• League of Women Voters of Lake Minnetonka Plymouth AreaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHosted candidate forum for school board elections, providing voter education on district leadership candidates.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Blake School: Prominent Minneapolis-area private K-12 school that competes for the same affluent Lake Minnetonka / western suburb families considering open enrollment at Westonka. Relevant as an adjacent educational alternative rather than a direct operational peer.

Direct peers

• Minnetonka Public Schools (ISD 276): Adjacent high-performing suburban Minneapolis public school district of similar size and demographic profile. Most directly comparable peer given geographic proximity, similar academic reputation, and parallel open-enrollment dynamics.
• Edina Public Schools (ISD 273): Affluent suburban Minneapolis district consistently ranked at top of MN academic rankings. Directly comparable on small-school feel, high property tax base, and competition for open enrollment students.
• Wayzata Public Schools (ISD 284): Affluent suburban Minneapolis district consistently ranked among top MN districts. Directly comparable on student outcomes, community engagement model, and competition for open enrollment students in the western Minneapolis suburbs.
• Eden Prairie Schools (ISD 272): Larger but comparably high-performing suburban Minneapolis district with similar demographics and strong college-readiness outcomes. Competes with Westonka for open enrollment students in the southwest metro.
• Orono Public Schools (ISD 278): Geographically adjacent district sharing the Lake Minnetonka service area and a direct partner with Westonka via SRO policing. Similar size, demographics, and high-performing suburban profile.

Regional players

• St. Louis Park Public Schools (ISD 283): Suburban Minneapolis district with similar size and demographics to Westonka. Comparable operating model and shares the western Minneapolis open-enrollment market.
• Eastern Carver County Schools (ISD 112): Suburban Minneapolis district serving Chaska, Chanhassen and Carver. Comparable suburban profile and moderate overlap with Westonka's open enrollment catchment, though typically not a top-tier academic competitor.
• Hopkins Public Schools (ISD 270): Suburban Minneapolis district located west of Minneapolis. Comparable in operating model and suburban demographics, though typically ranked below Westonka on academic outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• Lakeville Area Schools (ISD 194): Larger southern Minneapolis suburb district. Not a direct geographic competitor, but comparable as a large MN suburban public district serving similar demographic populations and competing for the same regional talent pool.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thewestonkaedge
• YouTubeyoutube.com/WestonkaEdge
• Facebookfacebook.com/thewestonkaedge
• Instagraminstagram.com/thewestonkaedge
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/9350858

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles26 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Westonka Public Schools