What Big Lake Schools does

Big Lake Schools is an Independent School District 727-equivalent public K-12 district headquartered at 701 Minnesota Ave E in Big Lake, Minnesota, serving approximately 3,107 students across five schools: Liberty Elementary (E-2), Independence Elementary STEM (3-5), Big Lake Middle School (6-8), Big Lake High School (9-12), and Big Lake Online (K-12). The district, established in 1919 and governed by an elected six-member school board, supplements its core academic portfolio with Little Learners Preschool, Community Education programming (Kids Club and Hive Time childcare, adult basic education, enrichment), the Hornet Fitness Center, and a Targeted Services intervention program. Curriculum is built around Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards and includes the district's signature 3Es Career Pathways model (Exposure, Exploration, Experience) with a REAL apprenticeship layer and Project Lead the Way STEM coursework embedded from middle school onward; Independence Elementary STEM holds a statewide and national Certified STEM School designation. Instructional technology is procured rather than built, relying on Infinite Campus for the student information system and parent portal, Seesaw and Otus as learning management systems, PLTW for STEM curriculum, Finalsite for the district website, BusWhere for transportation tracking, and Raptor for visitor management.

The district is funded primarily through Minnesota state education aid formulas, federal grants including Title I, and voter-approved local property tax levies, with no tuition charged to district-resident families. Secondary revenue is generated through fee-based Community Education programs, before- and after-school childcare, facility rentals, and the Hornet Fitness Center membership program. The operating budget is not publicly disclosed in the source material, but headcount of approximately 479 staff and 3,107 students implies a mid-sized district operating in the tens of millions of dollars annually. Distribution is exclusively direct-to-consumer via district-resident enrollment managed through the district enrollment office, with geographic scope limited to Big Lake and surrounding Sherburne County.

Operationally, Big Lake Schools is in an active but steady-state posture. Leadership is anchored by Superintendent Tim Truebenbach and Assistant Superintendent Minda Anderson, supported by functional directors for technology, business services, and buildings and grounds. The most material recent strategic actions are the adoption of a 2022-2027 strategic plan organized around student support, staff support, and family and community engagement, the execution of 2021 bond-funded capital improvements, the 2026 transition of the Big Lake High School principal from retiring Bob Dockendorf to incoming Shallyn Tordeur, and ongoing mediated contract negotiations with the Big Lake Education Association. The district is governed by an elected board led by Chair Tonya Reasoner and is accountable to a community of approximately 12,885 residents northwest of the Twin Cities.

Name

Big Lake Schools

Legal name

Big Lake Schools

Website

https://biglakeschools.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Big Lake Schools is a public K-12 district in Big Lake, Minnesota, serving approximately 3,107 students across five schools plus online and preschool programs, funded through state aid, federal grants, and local property tax levies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), 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 Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB), Public High Schools (EDAJAAAD), Specialized Programs & Classrooms (Autism, Emotional/Behavioral, Intellectual/Developmental, Multi-Disability) (EDAJAKAH)

Keywords

• Public school district
• K-12 education services
• STEM curriculum programs
• Early childhood education
• Community education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Big Lake

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. State and Federal Education Funding: Public school district funded primarily through Minnesota state education funding formulas and federal education grants and programs including Title I.
2. Local Property Tax Levies: District receives local levy revenue approved by voters and the school board through truth-in-taxation process.
3. Community Education Programs: Revenue from community education offerings including childcare (Kids Club, Hive Time), early childhood programs, adult education, and enrichment/recreation opportunities for all ages.
4. Facility Rentals: District rents school facilities to community members and organizations for events and activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Big Lake Schools is a public K-12 school district operating five schools (Liberty Elementary, Independence Elementary STEM, Big Lake Middle School, Big Lake High School, and Big Lake Online) serving approximately 3,107 students in Big Lake, Minnesota. The district delivers comprehensive K-12 academic instruction, STEM education through PLTW curriculum, career and college readiness via the 3Es model, special education services, English learner support, early childhood education through Little Learners Preschool, and community education programs including childcare (Kids Club, Hive Time), enrichment, and adult education.

Product overview

Big Lake Schools is a public school district serving approximately 3,107 students in northwest Minnesota. The district operates five schools: Liberty Elementary (E-2), Independence Elementary STEM (3-5), Big Lake Middle School (6-8), Big Lake High School (9-12), and Big Lake Online (K-12). The district's product portfolio includes early childhood education through Little Learners Preschool, community education programs (Kids Club/Hive Time childcare, adult education, enrichment/recreation), and specialized programming including STEM education integrated across all grade levels, the Career Pathways 3Es program for college/career readiness, Targeted Services intervention programs, and alternative education through Wright Technical Center. The district also maintains community facilities including the Hornet Fitness Center. Curriculum delivery utilizes educational platforms including Infinite Campus for student information management, Otus and Seesaw for learning management, and PLTW (Project Lead the Way) for STEM curriculum at secondary levels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 3E's Model: Career and college readiness model at Big Lake High School focusing on Exposure, Exploration, and Experience to help students discover career pathways.
• The Hornet Way
• PBIS

Products and services

• Liberty Elementary

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple Hornet track and field athletes qualified for state competition (2026)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wright Technical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWright Technical Center (WTC) in Buffalo is an Area Learning Center serving Big Lake students and students from eight area school districts. WTC provides year-round comprehensive educational services to help students make up lost credits or prepare for graduation tests. Middle school programs help transition students back to traditional settings; high school programs offer independent study in English, math, science, social studies, health/PE, art, and on-the-job training.
• Sherburne and Northern Wright Special Education CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBig Lake Schools offers special education programming through the Sherburne and Northern Wright Special Education Cooperative. Together with this cooperative of numerous area school districts, the district ensures a free and appropriate public education for eligible students with disabilities who need specialized instruction.
• Vision TransportationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIn partnership with Vision Transportation, all buses that transport Big Lake students are equipped with both stop-arm cameras and internal camera systems for student safety.
• Project Lead the Way (PLTW)coreTechnology or IntegrationPLTW is the industry's leading provider of STEM curricula. Big Lake Schools uses PLTW courses across middle school and high school, including Introduction to Engineering Design, Principles of Engineering, Computer Science Principles, and Engineering Design and Development at the high school level.
• Chartwells (Compass Group)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChartwells, a division of Compass Group, provides food service staffing and operations at Big Lake Schools. Job openings for food service positions are listed on the Chartwells careers website.
• Local Community OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBig Lake Schools maintains strong partnerships with local organizations throughout the community. These partnerships provide real-world context behind learning and support the well-rounded education of students. The district emphasizes community collaboration as a key differentiator.
• Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBig Lake Schools operates under Minnesota Department of Education guidelines, including compliance with READ Act literacy requirements, Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness (CACR) planning, and statewide assessment programs (MCAs).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Elk River Area School District: Adjacent Minnesota district of similar scale (~3,500+ students) operating a multi-school K-12 public system with comparable STEM and career pathways investments. The most directly comparable peer by size, geography (northwest Twin Cities), and program mix.
• Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools: Wright County neighbor operating a slightly larger K-12 public system. Comparable in governance structure, funding mix, and community-based positioning, and is also the home district for Wright Technical Center, which is a partner of Big Lake.
• Cambridge-Isanti Schools: Larger neighboring district where Superintendent Truebenbach previously served as Learning Director. Comparable K-12 public model serving a similar northwestern Twin Cities exurb community.
• Becker Public Schools: Nearby Minnesota public school district of comparable enrollment scale (~2,800 students) and rural-suburban profile. Operates the same K-12 public school model with similar state aid/property tax funding dynamics.
• Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Public Schools: Smaller Minnesota public district serving a community of similar size to Big Lake. Comparable in community-based K-12 service model and reliance on state aid and local levies.
• St. Michael-Albertville Schools: Larger but nearby Wright County district with strong STEM and career-pathway reputation. Useful as an aspirational peer given Big Lake's PLTW and 3Es investment direction.
• Monticello School District: Nearby Minnesota public school district serving a similarly sized community with K-12 programming. Shares the same regional labor market, state funding formulas, and competitive enrollment dynamics as Big Lake.
• Princeton Public Schools: Sherburne/Mille Lacs county-area district with similar enrollment size and community-school governance. Directly comparable on funding sources, demographic profile, and STEM/career programming.

Broad incumbents

• Connections Academy: Major national K-12 online learning operator with a public-school partnership model. Relevant as a broader incumbent competing for the same online K-12 families that Big Lake Online targets.
• Stride (formerly K12 Inc): National online K-12 provider and the dominant scaled incumbent in the virtual schooling category that Big Lake Online competes in. Comparable as a benchmark for online K-12 delivery model and scale, though structured as a for-profit managed provider rather than a public district.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCAUqxvGKBZizyFeo7JG57Dg
• Facebookfacebook.com/biglakeschools

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries6 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 Big Lake Schools