Duluth Public Schools
Duluth Public Schools (Independent School District 709) is a public K-12 school district operating 18 schools in Duluth, Minnesota, serving approximately 8,000 students with comprehensive academic, immersion, CTE, special education, and adult education programs funded through state appropriations and local property taxes.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersDuluth, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Duluth Public Schools does
Duluth Public Schools (legally Independent School District 709, DBA "ISD 709") is a public K-12 school district and state-government entity headquartered at 709 Portia Johnson Drive in Duluth, Minnesota. The district operates 18 schools — including Duluth East High School, Denfeld High School, two middle schools, eleven elementary schools, plus specialty programs such as Academic Excellence Online (AEO) High School, the Area Learning Center, and Duluth Adult Education — serving an enrolled student population of approximately 8,000-plus across the Duluth metropolitan area. Its core product is comprehensive public K-12 education, including dual-language immersion tracks (Misaabekong Ojibwe Immersion and Nueva Visión Spanish Immersion), Career and Technical Education, special education, mental health and therapeutic services, and adult education offerings delivered through Duluth Adult Education.
The district's underlying technology stack is built on commercial EdTech platforms rather than proprietary systems: Canvas LMS serves as the district-wide learning management system, Infinite Campus functions as the Student Information System for enrollment, grades, attendance, and reporting, Skyward supports student and finance operations, SeeSaw provides early-childhood digital portfolios, Frontline Education covers HR, Freshdesk handles staff ticketing, Parent Square manages family communications and reunification notifications, and the Ed-Fi data standard supports state reporting. The district website itself runs on Finalsite. Distribution is purely geographic and direct: students residing within district attendance boundaries are served through district-run schools, with no retail, e-commerce, or tuition-based revenue layer.
Revenue is not commercial in the conventional sense; the district is funded primarily through the state of Minnesota's Basic Revenue Allowance and local property taxes, with supplemental federal program funding. The annual operating budget is approximately $155 million, managed by the Business Services department under Executive Director Simone Zunich. The district is currently addressing an approximately $4.2 million budget gap for the 2026-2027 school year. Pricing is not applicable for standard K-12 enrollment, though extracurricular activities and athletic programs may carry participation fees. Governance is provided by an elected School Board responsible for the superintendent, policy, and budget oversight.
Duluth Public Schools firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Duluth Public Schools
- Legal name
- Duluth Public Schools
- Website
- https://isd709.org
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Duluth Public Schools (Independent School District 709) is a public K-12 school district operating 18 schools in Duluth, Minnesota, serving approximately 8,000 students with comprehensive academic, immersion, CTE, special education, and adult education programs funded through state appropriations and local property taxes.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Duluth Public Schools industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-12 Public Education
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)
- 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), Specialized Programs & Classrooms (Autism, Emotional/Behavioral, Intellectual/Developmental, Multi-Disability) (EDAJAKAH), Special Education Online / Virtual Schools & Remote Programs (EDAKAAAL)
Keywords
Where Duluth Public Schools is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Duluth
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Duluth Public Schools business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Duluth Public Schools product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Duluth Public Schools (Independent School District 709) operates as a public K-12 school district providing comprehensive education to students residing in Duluth, Minnesota. The district delivers instruction through 18 schools (elementary, middle, high schools, and specialty programs) supported by learning management systems (Canvas LMS), student information systems (Infinite Campus), and a range of supplemental programs including dual-language immersion, career and technical education, special education, adult education, before/after school care, transportation, nutrition, and community education services.
Product overview
Duluth Public Schools operates as a unified school district providing comprehensive K-12 education through multiple schools, learning management systems, and specialized programs. The district's core educational infrastructure centers on Canvas LMS and Infinite Campus SIS as primary technology platforms for teaching, learning, and student information management. Beyond traditional schooling, the district offers diverse programs including dual-language immersion (Spanish and Ojibwe), Career and Technical Education, alternative learning options (Area Learning Center, Academic Excellence Online), and Early Childhood services. Community Education extends the district's reach through before/after school care (KEY Zone), health services, transportation, child nutrition, and recreational programs. The district serves approximately 8,000+ students across 19 schools including two high schools (Duluth East, Denfeld), four middle schools, eleven elementary schools, and specialized programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Academic Excellence Online (AEO) High School
Quantifiable outcome
- 7.85% increase in Denfeld High School graduation rates
Companies that use Duluth Public Schools
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Duluth Public Schools technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration10 records
Feature1 record
Duluth Public Schools partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Grandma's MarathonminorSponsor of Unity In Our Community back-to-school event. Partnership supports community engagement and the free 1-mile Fun Run event.
- Neighborhood Youth ServicesminorSponsor of Unity In Our Community event, supporting community engagement and youth programming.
- Duluth Community School CollaborativecoreCommunity-wide partnership organization. Anthony Bonds serves as a board member, fostering collaborative educational initiatives between schools and community organizations.
- City of Duluth Workforce DevelopmentminorWorkforce development collaboration. Anthony Bonds serves as board member supporting youth employment and career development initiatives.
- YMCA Community Advisory BoardminorCommunity advisory partnership supporting youth development programs and services. Anthony Bonds serves as board member.
- LISC Duluth (Local Initiatives Support Corporation)minorCommunity development organization. Anthony Bonds serves as board member focusing on neighborhood and educational development.
- Duluth Police DepartmentcoreContract partnership for School Resource Officers at high schools and middle schools. Officers include Jayson Dardis (East HS), Chris Simons (Denfeld HS), Kelly Hanna (Ordean East MS), and Tim Chaney (Lincoln Park MS). Officers train in Crisis Intervention Team, Fair and Impartial Policing, Implicit Bias, De-escalation, and NASRO.
- Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior ChippewacoreTribal nation partnership through regular tribal consultations to support Native students, strengthen family and community engagement, and ensure educational opportunities reflect Indigenous perspectives and priorities.
- Be SMART for KidsminorGun safety initiative partnership with Duluth Police Department providing free gun locks at the Public Safety Building. District promotes firearm safety awareness to protect students.
- I Love U Guys FoundationcoreLicensed Standard Response Protocol and Standard Reunification Method for emergency procedures district-wide. Provides standardized safety response protocols including HOLD, SECURE, LOCKDOWN, EVACUATE, and SHELTER actions.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Duluth Public Schools competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Boston Public Schools: Mid-size urban public school district with similar equity-focused programming, diverse student population, bilingual education offerings, and traditional district governance model.
- Anoka-Hennepin School District: One of Minnesota's largest suburban public school districts with comparable K-12 programming structure, state funding model, and multi-school operational complexity.
- St. Paul Public Schools: Another major Minnesota public school district with similar governance, funding, and programmatic structure. Comparable in scale, student demographics, and bilingual/immersion programming approach.
- Minneapolis Public Schools: Urban Minnesota public school district serving a similar student population with comparable K-12 programming, equity-focused initiatives, and state funding model. Directly comparable in regulatory environment, funding structure, and operational scope.
- Rochester Public Schools (Minnesota): Mid-size Minnesota public school district with similar state funding model, school board governance, and comprehensive K-12 programming including special education and language immersion.
Emerging players
- Connections Academy: Online K-12 public school operator offering tuition-free virtual schooling. Direct competitor to Duluth's Academic Excellence Online program in the virtual K-12 segment.
- K12 Inc (Stride): Online education provider serving K-12 students including through partnerships with public school districts. Comparable in the online/virtual K-12 space where Duluth's AEO program competes for students.
Broad incumbents
- EdisonLearning: Education services provider partnering with public school districts to manage schools and provide online/digital learning. Comparable as a vendor/partner ecosystem for districts like Duluth, particularly relevant given their Academic Excellence Online program.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Duluth Public Schools social profiles
Digital presenceDuluth Public Schools financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Duluth Public Schools leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Duluth Public Schools funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Duluth Public Schools M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Duluth Public Schools
What does Duluth Public Schools do?
Duluth Public Schools (Independent School District 709) operates as a public K-12 school district providing comprehensive education to students residing in Duluth, Minnesota. The district delivers instruction through 18 schools (elementary, middle, high schools, and specialty programs) supported by learning management systems (Canvas LMS), student information systems (Infinite Campus), and a range of supplemental programs including dual-language immersion, career and technical education, special education, adult education, before/after school care, transportation, nutrition, and community education services.
Is Duluth Public Schools a public or private company?
Duluth Public Schools is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Duluth Public Schools founded?
Duluth Public Schools was founded in -1. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Duluth Public Schools based?
Duluth Public Schools is headquartered in Duluth, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Duluth Public Schools's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Boston Public Schools, Anoka-Hennepin School District, St. Paul Public Schools, Minneapolis Public Schools and Rochester Public Schools (Minnesota). Emerging players are Connections Academy and K12 Inc (Stride). EdisonLearning is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Duluth Public Schools have an API?
No public API is recorded for Duluth Public Schools.
What industry is Duluth Public Schools in?
Duluth Public Schools's product category is K-12 Public Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDADABAA, Public School Districts (K–12), with a secondary code of EDAJAAAE, Public K–12 Combined Schools. Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.