Best Special Needs Schools in Faribault, Minnesota (2026)

Cannon Valley Special Education Cooperative runs three specialized day programs in one building at 200 Western Avenue NW in Faribault for students from kindergarten through age 22. The cooperative is a partnership of the Faribault, Medford, Northfield, and Owatonna public school districts, built for students who need more structure, support, and modification than a traditional school setting can provide. Our SUN Program serves students on the autism spectrum with complex needs. The Alexander Learning Academy, or ALEX, serves students with emotional and behavioral disorders. STEP, our Secondary Transition Education Program, works with young adults ages 18 to 22 on their goals for living as independently as possible. Students are referred to our programs through the IEP process in their resident district, when the IEP team decides one of our programs is the least restrictive environment. The resident district provides transportation to and from our site, and our building houses nursing services for students. We follow the member districts' calendars for weather closings and late starts.

• Public special education cooperative day programs (K to age 22)
• Autism
• Emotional/behavioral support
• Transition support