School Program

Accredited by the MN Department of Education, Heartland Girls’ Ranch School works in cooperation with the SW/WC Service Cooperative and Benson Public Schools to provide education for the residents of HGR. 

Faculty
The Heartland Girls’ Ranch School is an MDE accredited educational setting staffed by both regular and special education certified teachers.

Curriculum
Classes are offered for both junior high and senior high levels. Subjects include the core areas of English, math, science, and social studies, as well as classes to build skills in the areas of job readiness. Strong emphasis is placed on improving basic skills, securing credits needed for graduation and passing the MN GRAD tests. 

Classroom Size
Small classroom sizes are maintained to best meet student needs. Average student to teacher ratio is 8:1.

Behavioral Model
Our behavior modification program is directly tied to the Ranch program. Additionally, the teachers are supported by case managers to deal with areas that are beyond the scope of the academics.

Location
Our location is within the Benson Junior-Senior High School. Our location makes it possible to provide for transitioning to a mainstream setting. Residents earn access to mainstream classes based upon behavior, school progress and need.

School Year
The school year is divided into two semesters and each semester has two quarters. Grades and credits (.25 per passing class each quarter) are given at the end of each quarter. Fees for educational services are billed by the school district to the child’s home school district.