In 1957, the Legislature created the Advisory Board on Handicapped, Gifted and Exceptional Children. Governor Orville Freeman appointed Dr. Maynard Reynolds as the Board's chair.
By June 1958, the Board reported that 19 classes in the state were available to students with IQs below 50. Ironically, parents were still encouraged to commit their children to state guardianship.
When asked to summarize the Department of Public Welfare's major achievements from 1955 to 1960, Dr. David Vail, medical director, singled out the volunteer services of over 2,000 individuals.

Governor Orville Freeman: Pushing for Change
He also noted that the number of special education classes available in the state had increased to 32 classes for children with the lowest IQs and 380 classes for those with "educable" diagnoses.
Dr. Vail was a leader in the area of human rights and finding ways to improve conditions in the state institution system.
While community placement options were expanding, the state institution system continued expanding as well.
A state-run facility opened in Brainerd in 1958, the same year the Cambridge hospital expanded. In addition, 45 of Minnesota's 87 counties created Advisory Councils for those labeled "trainable."
Even though the waiting list for state institution residency continued to grow, a quarter of the families with children with developmental disabilities ultimately rejected placing them in institutions. And, for the first time, parents received a small amount of funding under the new "Aid to the Disabled" program.

Dr. David Vail
In his annual report to the Commissioner of the Department of Public Welfare, Dr. Vail described an emerging community philosophy, repeating the ideas expounded by Governor Youngdahl more than a decade earlier:
"All people are equal with equal human rights and dignity and local communities should be providing the services that people need."
He also said that while community care is preferable, it is not adequate on its own. Because all people are individuals, some will not fit into community facilities and additional options needed to be made available.

The state's institutional care system grew to include a new Brainerd facility and an expanded hospital in Cambridge.