Forest Lake schools open applications for board vacancy; interviews set Dec. 4
Forest Lake ISD 831 opened applications to fill Luke Hagglund’s vacant school board seat, with submissions due by 4 p.m. Nov. 20 and a process that included statutory eligibility rules, the formation of two or three subcommittees to advance finalists and the option to draw an additional finalist from 2024 school board runners (starting with Laura Ndirangu); interviews were set for Dec. 4 and a tentative appointment timeline included a 30‑day waiting period before a Jan. 3 appointment and a ceremonial oath Jan. 8. After interviewing 11 candidates on Dec. 4, the board deadlocked and did not make an appointment, leaving the seat unfilled while next steps are determined.
📌 Key Facts
- The board initially dropped a plan to immediately replace the resigning member and left the seat unfilled while reassessing next steps; a special meeting was scheduled to address the vacancy.
- ISD 831 opened applications to fill Luke Hagglund’s seat, with submissions due by 4 p.m. Nov. 20 and statutory eligibility requirements (U.S. citizenship, age 21+, district residency, not holding another elected office, income limits for district employees, and no qualifying sexual‑misconduct registration).
- The board planned a candidate-selection process that would form two or three subcommittees to advance one candidate each to interviews, plus an additional finalist drawn from 2024 school board runners in a set order beginning with Laura Ndirangu.
- The board set interviews for Dec. 4 with the goal of selecting a candidate; the intended post-selection timeline included orientation Dec. 5–Jan. 5, a 30‑day waiting period, a formal appointment on Jan. 3 and a ceremonial oath on Jan. 8.
- Eleven candidates applied to fill the Forest Lake school board vacancy.
- After interviewing candidates on Dec. 4, the board deadlocked and did not appoint anyone; the vacancy remained unfilled and the board must determine next steps.
📊 Relevant Data
In Forest Lake Area High School, the student body is 80.4% White, 7.0% Asian, 4.7% Hispanic, 4.4% multi-racial, 3.2% African American, and 0.3% American Indian as of the 2023-2024 school year.
Forest Lake Area High School — SchoolDigger
In Forest Lake Area High School, the average standard score on MCA-III tests in 2025 is 69.66 for Hispanic students, 42.52 for White students, 41.43 for Asian students, 41.40 for African American students, and 39.67 for multi-racial students.
Forest Lake Area High School — SchoolDigger
The Forest Lake Area School Board deadlocked in a 3-3 vote on selecting a candidate to fill the vacancy during the December 4, 2025 meeting.
Forest Lake school board deadlocks on filling vacancy, holding up other business — Pioneer Press
Minnesota law requires that a school board vacancy be filled by appointment at a regular or special meeting after providing public notice, and a resigning member cannot vote on their replacement before the resignation takes effect.
Forest Lake school board drops plan for quick vacancy replacement — Pioneer Press
📰 Sources (6)
- After interviewing candidates on Dec. 4, the Forest Lake school board deadlocked and did not make an appointment to fill the vacant seat.
- The vacancy remains unfilled following the tie vote, with the board to determine next steps.
- The applicant field for the Forest Lake school board vacancy totals eleven candidates.
- ISD 831 is accepting applications to fill Luke Hagglund’s seat; applications due by 4 p.m. Nov. 20.
- Board will form two or three subcommittees to advance one candidate each for interviews; an additional finalist will be drawn from 2024 school board runners in a set order (starting with Laura Ndirangu).
- Interview date set for Dec. 4 with a goal to select a candidate; 30-day waiting period precedes final appointment on Jan. 3; ceremonial oath planned for Jan. 8.
- Orientation for the appointee is scheduled Dec. 5–Jan. 5.
- Statutory eligibility requirements listed (citizenship, age 21+, residency, no other elected office, income cap from district employment, no qualifying sexual‑misconduct registration).
- The Forest Lake School Board has scheduled a special meeting specifically to address the board vacancy.
- The meeting indicates the district is moving forward with next steps after pausing an immediate appointment.
- The Forest Lake school board has dropped its plan to immediately replace the resigning member.
- The seat will remain unfilled for now while the board reassesses next steps.