Independent School District 196 is a K-12 public school district located in the south suburban Twin Cities, near both Minneapolis and St. Paul in Minnesota.
Also known as the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District, District 196 serves approximately 28,300 students in grades Early Childhood-12 and is Minnesota's fourth largest school district. The 110-square-mile (280 km2) district boundary includes all or part of seven cities - Rosemount, Apple Valley, Eagan, Burnsville, Coates, Inver Grove Heights and Lakeville - and rural Empire and Vermillion townships.
District 196 has 19 elementary schools (grades k-5), six middle schools including Scott Highlands Middle School (grades 6-8), and four high schools (grades 9-12), the School of Environmental Studies optional high school (grades 11-12), the Area Learning Center alternative high school (grades 9-12) and Dakota Ridge special education school (grades k-12). and (transition plus) post secondary for students with special needs) (School attendance boundary maps and address search)
The district has been honored with six National Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence awards and numerous state and nationally recognized programs in academics, the arts and athletics.
District 196 is consistently recognized among the nation's top school districts
All five District 196 high schools compete in the South Suburban Conference of the Minnesota State High School League.