Southwest Metro Intermediate 288

Headquartered at 4601 Dean Lakes Blvd in Shakopee, Minnesota, Southwest Metro Intermediate 288 is an actively operating public educational district serving families across the large suburban landscape of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington metropolitan area. Functioning as a specialized cooperative district dedicated to special education and career and technical learning rather than a traditional charter or neighborhood system, it oversees 26 operational schools and program centers across the region. The district offers tailored educational programming spanning from Kindergarten through 12th grade, providing flexible pathways and specialized learning environments designed to meet diverse academic, behavioral, and vocational development needs.

With a focused student body of approximately 560 learners—featuring a prominent enrollment in high school grades preparing for adulthood and post-secondary transitions—Southwest Metro Intermediate 288 delivers an exceptional level of individualized care and educational support. The district’s operational capacity is underscored by its substantial human resources, employing more than 250 full-time equivalent teachers, 76 instructional aides, and nearly 278 specialized support personnel, bringing total staffing to over 600 full-time equivalent professionals. This extraordinarily high ratio of educators and support staff to students ensures low-density learning environments, comprehensive wrap-around services, and dedicated guidance for every student navigating their primary and secondary educational journeys.