Alternative school: A school with its own facility run by community agencies that hire its staff. Their mission is to serve at-risk youth. Students attending alternative schools continue to be considered Minneapolis Public Schools students during their enrollment.

Areas A, B, C: Schools are broken into these geographic areas under the leadership of area superintendents.

Attendance areas: The geographic area around a community school for which the district can guarantee space for resident students entering kindergarten only.

Charter school: Independent public schools that are sponsored by a school district, university, the state or a nonprofit organization. Charter schools operate under a contract with the sponsor.

Choice Is Yours: A program that allows for students in Minneapolis to attend schools outside the district.

CLASS: Coordinated Learning for Academic and Social Success, an elementary and middle school program for special education students whose needs extend beyond regular special education instruction.

Community/neighborhood school: An elementary school with an attendance area that draws most of its students from the surrounding community. Community/neighborhood schools reflect the interests of the families in the school.

DCD: Developmental Cognitive Disability

ECFE: Early Childhood Family Education

ECSE: Early Childhood Special Education

ELL: English Language Learners

GEMS: Girls in Engineering, Math and Science

High Five: A program for kids who turn 4 years old by Sept. 1 and who will start kindergarten the following year.

IB/PYP: International Baccalaureate/Primary Years Programme, a prestigious program that trains students to be inquirers, thinkers and communicators.

K: Kindergarten

Magnet: A specialized area of study located at a school, meant to draw students from all over the city, not just an attendance area.

Middle school: Grades 6–8 are considered the middle grades.

Montessori: Based on the theories and practices developed by Maria Montessori, a self-directed, individualized approach.  

Mpls KIDS: A before-school/afterschool, on-site education/daycare program.

OHD: Other Health Disability

Open school: A school that values academic choice in the learning environment. Much of the teaching is thematic with hands-on learning activities. Students also work in cooperative and small-group experiences.

Power of You: A program at the Minneapolis Community and Technical College, 1501 Hennepin Ave., that offers free tuition to incoming college freshman, based on need and availability, for two years.

Pre-K: Prekindergarten

PI: Physically Impaired  

Rec Plus: Activity program coordinated with Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.

SLC: Small Learning Community, a specialized study area that students are grouped in according to interest in high school.

SPEN: Special Programs for Elementary Needs

SPAN: Special Programs for Adolescent Needs (for students with emotional or behavioral disorders)

Spanish dual immersion school: Students master curriculum objectives while learning Spanish or English as a second language.