Anoka-Hennepin School District 11
Anoka-Hennepin School District 11 is a public school district in Minnesota, north of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. It serves 13 communities, including all of Anoka, Champlin and Coon Rapids, and parts of Andover, Blaine, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Dayton, Fridley, Ham Lake, Nowthen, Oak Grove and Ramsey. The district covers the southern part of Anoka County and the northeast part of Hennepin County. It was formed in 1920 and grew in 1952 when many small rural districts joined together. Today, it operates 34 schools and is Minnesota’s largest district, with about 36,430 students in 2024-25. It offers classes from prekindergarten through 12th grade, and also runs Adult Basic Education for adults working on diplomas or GEDs.
The district is run by an elected school board. Cory McIntyre became superintendent on July 1, 2023.
From 2009 to 2011, nine Anoka-Hennepin students died by suicide, and state health officials labeled the area a suicide contagion area. The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education opened a federal investigation into harassment of LGBTQ students and gender discrimination. The district faced criticism for a 2009 Sexual Orientation Curriculum Policy that told teachers to stay neutral about sexual orientation in class. Critics argued this limited discussion of LGBTQ issues. In 2012, the district repealed that policy and replaced it with a "Respectful Learning Environment" policy. The new policy says the district should not take sides on these issues, teachers should present topics in an age-appropriate, factual, and balanced way, and all students should be treated with dignity.
The district runs five specialized programs for high school students. These are public charter, private, or parochial schools located inside the district but not officially affiliated with it.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 08:09 (CET).