Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools, also known as District 196, shut down all schools on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, after officials said they were acting out of an “abundance of caution” in response to online threats aimed at multiple campuses. Staff were told to stay home while law enforcement investigates, leaving families scrambling for backup plans for the second day in a row after a districtwide snow day on Monday.
In a message sent to families and employees, District 196 said several schools had received threatening messages and that administrators were working with police to determine whether there was any immediate danger, according to the Pioneer Press. The district also urged people not to repost or amplify unverified social media content while investigators track where the messages came from.
Which campuses were affected
The shutdown covered Apple Valley, Eagan, Eastview and Rosemount high schools, along with the School of Environmental Studies and the Area Learning Center, as reported by the Star Tribune. Students who had already made it to school on Tuesday did not stay long; they were released and put back on buses to be taken home, the paper reported.
Police response
Apple Valley police said they were notified Monday night about the threats and that detectives are now working with neighboring agencies to investigate the online posts and find out who is behind them, according to CBS Minnesota. District leaders also canceled all evening activities and athletic events while officers completed initial safety checks at the schools.
The decision to close came on the heels of Monday’s snow day on March 16, which, as the Pioneer Press noted, added an extra layer of chaos for south metro families juggling childcare, transportation and work schedules. District officials reminded parents and students to lean on official district messages instead of the rumor mill on social media while the investigation continues.
Legal note
Online threats have shut down Dakota County schools before. In December 2025, a 16-year-old was arrested after threatening posts led to multiple south metro high schools closing for the day, with prosecutors filing charges related to threats of violence, according to FOX 9. Investigators in that earlier case executed a search warrant and reported that no weapons were found.
For now, District 196 officials and local police are asking community members to stay alert, pass along any suspicious messages to law enforcement and wait for verified updates. The district has said it will share more information with families and staff once investigators clear campuses or decide on next steps, according to local reporting.
