ISD 728

What ISD 728 does

ISD 728, formally Independent School District 728 (operating as Elk River Area ISD 728), is a public K-12 school district organized as a political subdivision of the State of Minnesota and governed by an elected School Board under Superintendent Andrew Almos. The district serves more than 13,000 neighborhood K-12 students (with the Class of 2025 graduating 950 students at an 89% graduation rate, more than four percentage points above the state average) and reaches 50,000+ total learners through its Community Education programs. ISD 728 is Minnesota's 8th largest and second-fastest growing school district, operating 22 buildings across 20 schools (10 elementary, 6 middle, 4 high) in 9 communities and 5 townships (Elk River, Rogers, Otsego, Zimmerman, Albertville, St. Michael, Dayton, Ramsey, Nowthen) 35 miles northwest of Minneapolis, plus Online728 for full-time virtual learners.

Core programming is delivered through a layered academic, CTE, and support portfolio rather than a commercial product: AVID college readiness for grades 8-12; STEM magnet schools (Salk Middle, Rogers Elementary); an Arts Magnet program; CTEs aligned to local labor-market pathways coordinated by CTE Coordinator Amy Lord; EdVenture Club K-5 childcare; Community Education (Early Childhood ECFE, adult basic education, facility rentals) at the Handke Center; Setting IV specialized programming; and 6.5-hour full-day kindergarten. The district's digital infrastructure — branded Digital Learning 728 — runs on 1:1 Chromebooks for every student, the Schoology LMS, Seesaw for younger grades, RapidIdentity SSO, the Skyward Student Information System and Campus Parent Portal, the Nutrislice food-service platform, and the Stopfinder bus-tracking app.

The revenue model is government-structured: K-12 public education carries no tuition and is funded primarily through recurring Minnesota per-pupil state aid and local property taxes, supplemented by federal Title I, Title III, and IDEA grants, voter-approved bond referenda (most recently $223M in 2019; a $170-385M package on the November 3, 2026 ballot), and fee-based Community Education programs such as EdVenture Club childcare and adult courses. Customer acquisition is geographic — students enroll by residential address within district boundaries, with open enrollment and Online728 expanding the addressable footprint — and the district maintains a staff base of 970+ licensed and 1,400 non-licensed employees plus a Cabinet of five and 35 building administrators.

Name

ISD 728

Legal name

Independent School District 728

Website

https://isd728.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1888

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

ISD 728 is Minnesota's 8th largest public school district, serving 14,500+ K-12 students across 20 schools (10 elementary, 6 middle, 4 high) and 50,000+ lifelong learners through Community Education in 9 communities northwest of Minneapolis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

District Student Services Administration (Special Ed, Counseling, Health) (EDADABAJ), Specialized Programs & Classrooms (Autism, Emotional/Behavioral, Intellectual/Developmental, Multi-Disability) (EDAJAKAH), IEP/504 Planning, Case Management & Compliance (EDAJAKAB), Virtual Special Education & Related Services (IEP Delivery Online) (EDAJADAG)

Keywords

• K-12 public education
• Career technical education
• Community education programs
• Early childhood education
• Special education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Elk River

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Property Tax Revenue: Primary funding source from local property taxes supporting school district operations, capital projects, and debt service
2. State Education Funding: Per-pupil state aid and categorical funding from Minnesota Department of Education
3. Bond Referendum Funding: Voter-approved bond measures for capital construction projects, such as the 2019 referendum ($223 million total) and proposed 2026 referendum for new school construction
4. Federal Programs: Title I, Title III, IDEA, and other federal education grants for specific programs
5. Community Education Fees: Fee-based programs including childcare (EdVenture Club), early childhood education, adult education, and facility rentals

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ISD 728 is a public K-12 school district that delivers comprehensive kindergarten-through-grade-12 education across 20 schools and community-based programs (childcare, adult education, early childhood family education, online learning, and specialized services such as CTE, AVID, STEM magnet, Arts magnet, Special Education, and food/transportation services) to more than 14,500 students and over 50,000 lifelong learners in communities northwest of Minneapolis. All programming is integrated under a single district operating under an elected School Board and led by the Superintendent, funded primarily through local property taxes and state education aid.

Product overview

ISD 728 (Elk River Area Independent School District) is Minnesota's eighth-largest school district serving over 13,000 students across 20 schools (10 elementary, 6 middle, 4 high schools) in communities northwest of Minneapolis. The district operates a unified platform of educational programs and services rather than a commercial SaaS product. Key offerings include Career & Technical Education (CTE) coordinating internships and career pathways, Digital Learning 728 providing 1:1 Chromebooks and LMS platforms (Schoology, Seesaw, RapidIdentity), AVID college readiness programs, EdVenture Club childcare, Community Education lifelong learning, Online728 virtual courses, STEM magnet schools, Arts Magnet Program, MN Reading & Math Corps tutoring, and Special Services including Setting IV specialized programming. Supporting services include Food Service (via Nutrislice), Transportation (via Stopfinder App), Parent Portal (Skyward/Campus), and Early Childhood ECFE. The district also manages facilities projects including a proposed 2026 referendum for new school construction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Career & Technical Education (CTE) Career and technical education programs preparing students for college or career life after graduation; coordinates career exploration events, job shadowing, guest speakers, internships, and aligns career pathways with regional labor market demand in partnership with local businesses and higher education institutions.
• Digital Learning 728 District-wide digital learning initiative providing every student with a district-issued Chromebook (1:1), integrated with Schoology LMS, Seesaw portfolios, RapidIdentity single sign-on, and digital wellness resources for students, teachers, and parents.
• AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) College readiness program for grades 8-12 focused on organizational skills, study habits, and preparation for higher education.
• EdVenture Club Before- and after-school childcare and enrichment program for grades K-5 offering flexible full-time and part-time care options for families.
• Community Education Comprehensive community education department serving learners from pre-schooler through senior citizen, including early childhood programs, adult basic education, GED preparation, youth enrichment, and facility rentals at the Handke Family Center.
• Online728 Full-time online schooling program providing virtual learning options for district students.
• STEM Schools (Salk Middle Pre-Engineering Magnet and Rogers Elementary S.T.E.M. Magnet) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics focused elementary and middle magnet schools offering specialized STEM curriculum.
• MN Reading & Math Corps Evidence-based literacy and math tutoring program providing trained AmeriCorps tutors for children age 3 through grade 8, delivered through Minnesota Reading Corps and Minnesota Math Corps.
• Food Service School nutrition program providing breakfast and lunch services, dietary accommodations including gluten-free options, and meal account management through the Nutrislice platform.
• Transportation Services Student bus transportation with route information, bus safety programs, and parent tracking via the Stopfinder App.
• Special Services Special education programs, Section 504 accommodations, and health services providing a continuum of services for students with special needs.
• Setting IV Programming Specialized educational programming for students requiring separate site placement with highly specialized services, plus 18-22 year-old transition programming.
• Parent Portal (Campus Portal) Online portal for parents to access student grades, schedules, attendance, health immunizations, household updates, and online report viewing.
• Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) Early Childhood Family Education program providing parent-educator resources and early-learning opportunities for families with young children, delivered through the Handke Center.
• College Credit Opportunities Programs allowing students to earn college credits while in high school, including Advanced Placement and College in the Schools concurrent enrollment partnerships with higher education institutions.
• 6.5 Hour Every Day Kindergarten Full-day kindergarten program providing 6.5 hours of daily educational programming for early childhood learners.
• Arts Magnet Program Comprehensive arts education combining arts with academics across the K-12 curriculum.

Quantifiable outcome

• 89% graduation rate, exceeding state average by 4+ percentage points
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Local Employers (Various)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with local businesses for career exploration activities, job shadowing, internships, advisory committee participation, equipment donations, and classroom speakers. Focus on keeping curriculum relevant and supporting local workforce development.
• Higher Education InstitutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege in the Schools program providing concurrent enrollment opportunities allowing students to earn college credit. Partnership for career pathway alignment with labor market needs.
• Wings FinancialminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with ISD 728 for the annual 'Bite of Reality' financial literacy event at Elk River High School, introducing freshmen to real-world costs of living including housing, jobs, daycare, and healthcare expenses.
• Minnesota Reading Corps and Minnesota Math CorpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState program providing trained literacy and math tutors for children age 3 through grade 3, with internal coaches coordinating services within ISD 728 schools. Tutors receive extensive training and ongoing support.
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (National Civics Bee)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership hosting the first-ever Minnesota Civics Bee as part of the National Civics Bee initiative, with ISD 728 students advancing to regional competition.
• Habitat for HumanityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction class partnership allowing students hands-on building experience through Habitat for Humanity projects.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Edina Public Schools (ISD 273): High-performing suburban Twin Cities district known for top academic outcomes, robust community education programming, and successful capital referenda — the kind of district ISD 728 benchmarks itself against on graduation rates and state assessment rankings.
• St. Michael-Albertville Schools (ISD 885): Immediately adjacent district to ISD 728 in the northwest Twin Cities corridor; comparable suburban growth profile, athletics programs, and 1:1 device initiatives. Direct competitor for open enrollment and feeder-pattern families.
• Osseo Area Schools (ISD 279): Suburban Minneapolis-St. Paul metro school district serving a comparable suburban demographic with similar magnet, AVID, CTE, and digital learning programs. Operates in the same regional labor market and competes for open-enrollment students.
• Minnetonka Public Schools (ISD 276): High-performing suburban Twin Cities district known for strong academic outcomes, magnet programming, and integrated digital learning — directly comparable on academic-quality positioning that ISD 728 aspires to.

Broad incumbents

• Bloomington Public Schools (ISD 271): Large inner-ring suburban Twin Cities district operating similar K-12 programming with comparable community education and digital learning initiatives. Useful comparison point for academic outcomes and operational scale.
• Anoka-Hennepin School District: Largest school district in Minnesota and direct geographic neighbor to ISD 728; serves a similar suburban population northwest of Minneapolis with comparable K-12 academic, athletics, and community education programming. Most relevant scale benchmark in the state.
• Rochester Public Schools (ISD 535): One of Minnesota's largest districts, serving a mid-sized city with a similar mix of magnet, CTE, and community education programming. Useful benchmark for scale and academic programming depth.

Others

• Schoology (PowerSchool): Vendor of the Learning Management System ISD 728 has standardized on district-wide. Adjacent ecosystem participant whose product roadmap directly affects ISD 728's digital learning capabilities.

Regional players

• Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools (ISD 877): Suburban/rural district west of Minneapolis with similar enrollment size, community education offerings, and referendum-driven capital planning. Comparable demographic and funding-base dynamics.

Emerging players

• Prairie Seeds Academy (and similar MN charter networks): Minnesota charter school competitor for open-enrollment students in the Twin Cities metro. Represents the alternative-schooling choice that ISD 728's Online728 and magnet programs are designed to counter.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/ISD728
• Facebookfacebook.com/ISD728
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/isd728
• Instagraminstagram.com/isd728

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 ISD 728