Students in Eastern Carver County Schools are seen, heard, valued, trusted, and respected for who they are and who they want to become. Highly trained licensed educators and dedicated support staff ensure students thrive within active, student-centered learning environments. High academic standards, a commitment to equity and excellence, and tailored levels of support help each learner realize their personal best.
High Graduation Rates
Graduation rates in Eastern Carver County Schools run around 10 percent higher than the Minnesota state rate each year.
The ECCS 7-year graduation rate was 97.1 percent for the second time in three years in 2023 -- eight percent greater than the Minnesota state rate.
ECCS ranked in the top eight percent in MCA Math scores among all grades in 2024. Since 2021, ECCS has had a 17 percent increase in math scores, exceeding neighboring and competitive-sized districts.
Academic Growth
While there is always room to improve, the work of our educators and support staff at the classroom level is showing impressive year-over-year growth.
Spanish ImmersionThe first class of graduates from the Spanish Immersion program graduated in 2024. Fifty-one students earned the bilingual seal which earns students college credit for their language proficiency.
Students are our purpose - so we make sure as we support their learning we are also helping them develop important skills to serve them in life and giving them the chance to engage with each other, their leaders, and the community.
Opportunities for students and families at all levels like ECFE courses, a full continuum of specialized services, family literacy programming, unified classes in middle and high school, and business partnerships supporting and employing our young adults with special needs enrich the ECCS experience.
Eastern Carver County Schools places high value on making all students and staff feel safe, welcome, and included. Events like Senior Decision Day, Kindergarten Preview, Clover Ridge Bell Ringing, and VIP Graduation along with the everyday practices and routines have built a culture of inclusion and belonging in ECCS.
Some people might consider a district spanning multiple communities a challenge - at ECCS, it’s one of our greatest strengths. Our communities support us in a multitude of ways, and the partnerships we have built have made meaningful differences in the lives of our students. Whether it’s making sure our students and staff are safe, families are adequately resourced, or students have on the job learning opportunities, the district and our communities have leaned into each other to find ways to ensure our learners have what they need to succeed.
Carver County Partnerships
Summer produce markets
School Safety Panel
Carver County Public Health - Health Equity and Community Engagement Committee
Monday Food Markets
Parent and Community Partners
112 Foundation
The District 112 Foundation exists to enrich the lives of students in Eastern Carver County Schools by empowering staff and engaging our community.
Their main focus areas are on teacher grants to support academic innovation and excellence in our classrooms and schools; the Invest in Kids program supports a wide variety of student educational needs and experiences not met elsewhere, focusing on the direct benefit of the student; and the Excellence in Education (Teacher & Support Staff Person of the Year) Award program celebrates innovative teachers.
PTO
Parent Teacher Organizations (PTO) at schools in our district are 100% run by volunteers who work to raise money to support, strengthen and enhance the education of their children. PTOs create, manage, plan, and execute a variety of fundraising opportunities including: family events, local business partnerships, and merchandise retail sales.
Getting involved in PTO is a great way to engage further with your child's learning community. There are many opportunities and we welcome all commitment levels.
Service Clubs
Our local Rotary and Lions clubs support our schools through thousands of dollars of annual scholarships, mentorships programs, our annual new educator breakfast and more.
Community Leaders
We are proud of the close partnerships we have developed with our city and county leaders. We come together quarterly to problem solve, brainstorm, and celebrate our collaboration and identify ways we can keep our communities strong and help our learners succeed.
Our partnerships with local businesses and careful planning in our course catalog has paved the way for high school students to have multiple avenues to explore future career paths.
College Readiness
The majority of ECCS graduates utilize the opportunity to earn college credits while still in high school through Advanced Placement and PSEO courses.
Work ExperienceMore than 50 local businesses supported our STAR students with on-the-job work experience to help them learn independence and job skills.
We continuously invest in our facilities, this year major projects were underway at Chaska Middle School East and West. Our long-term maintenance and facilities plan guides the priorities for improvements in each of our schools.
Management of our resources - both fiscal and physical - is incredibly important. We take our stewardship of taxpayer dollars seriously. The work of our Finance Department has been recognized for several years in a row with clean audits, high bond ratings, and awards for the strength of our budgeting.
School districts across the state, including ours, are navigating a difficult financial future. ECCS is in the midst of a multi-year cost containment process which includes $5 million in budget cuts for the 2025-26 school year. While these challenges stem from a convergence of factors—including funding not keeping pace with inflation, new unfunded mandates, and rising operational costs—we remain steadfast in our mission. This is a multi-year journey to align our resources responsibly with our values, and we are committed to doing so with as much care as possible and always, always, keeping our students at the center.
