Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Minnesota District to Open New Special Education Facility

  • By Matt Jones
  • 07/25/22

The Zumbro Education District in Byron, Minn., recently completed construction on a new special education facility for the district. According to a news release, the $16.47-million, 61,031-square-foot space will serve as a combined learning center for three separate program types for at-risk K–12 students. These programs include the Area Learning Center, the ZeD Special Education Setting IV Program, and Transition 2 Success for students’ post-high-school needs.

The district partnered with construction management firm Kraus-Anderson and design firm Wendel Architects. The space will include amenities for staff housing; a two-station gym; a playground and prep kitchen; and advanced learning environments featuring labs for art, science and FACS.

Zumbro Education District Special Education Center
Image courtesy of Shore to Shore Communications, Inc.

A 2021 local news article announcing the project also reports that the new space will be the Zumbro Education District’s first home of its own. ZED works students from a wide variety of nearby school districts and offers services that the districts themselves may not be equipped for. The district works with students who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have visual impairments, as well as offers services like occupational therapy, behavioral management and special education.

“This has been a labor of love for many people for two and a half years,” said ZED Executive Director Patrick Gordon in 2021. “We’re going to have state-of-the-art learning environments for the students who probably have the most challenges … this is just a win for our students who have the highest needs.”

The news release also reports that construction firm Kraus-Anderson is participating in dozens of major K–12 construction projects as part of a “Summer Sprint,” which aims to complete as much construction and maintenance as possible while students are on summer break.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • From Approval to Opening: Inside Travis Unified School District’s Fast Tracked Campus Expansion

    The Travis Unified School District (TUSD) in northern California includes several elementary and high schools serving over 5,400 students. In 2024, the TUSD Board approved the addition of sixth grade to the Golden West Middle School campus for the 2025–26 school year, setting in motion an accelerated effort to bring new facilities online in less than a year.

  • Johns Hopkins Starts Construction on New Residence Hall, Dining Facility

    The Homewood Campus of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., recently began construction on a new residence hall and dining facility, according to university news. The work involves demolishing the existing Alumni Memorial Residence Hall I, which was built in 1923, to make room for the new facility.

  • AAADM Announces Building Safety Month Initiatives

    The American Association of Automatic Door Manufacturers (AAADM) recently announced its support of Building Safety Month as declared by the International Code Council (ICC), according to a news release.

  • Zurn Elkay Releases 2025 Sustainability Report

    Zurn Elkay Water Solutions recently announced the release of its annual sustainability report, according to a news release. The 2025 report discusses the organization’s efforts to maintain good environmental stewardship and the solutions provided in helping customers meet sustainability goals.