The top reported proficiency rate is 13% in English language arts. The lowest is 4% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Rise Academy
Rise Academy, a small school district in Ramsey County serving kindergarten through sixth grade, closed after the 2023-2024 school year. The Minnesota Department of Education marked the organization as no longer serving students, and it is listed as closed as of 2024. This means any family reading this profile today is looking at a historical snapshot of a school that no longer operates, and parents must find alternative schooling for their children.
Before it closed, Rise Academy was a single-school district with an enrollment that had declined substantially over the previous several years, losing a large share of its student body. That decline in numbers signaled instability that affected class sizes, staffing, and the viability of programs. The school was also rebranded from College Preparatory Elementary to Rise Academy effective July 2023, a renaming that families had to adapt to in its final year.
The student body was small overall and predominantly Asian, with smaller shares identifying as Black, Hispanic, two or more races, or white. Data on students receiving free or reduced-price lunch was not available, so poverty levels among the student population are not directly known from the record. Information on special education identification and English learner status was also missing, leaving gaps in understanding the full range of student support needs.
Academic performance on state assessments was very low across all tested subjects and grades. In math, the share of students scoring proficient ranged from none in third grade and fifth grade to a very thin figure in fourth and sixth grades. In reading, proficiency rates were similarly low across grades three through five, with a somewhat higher but still low figure in sixth grade. Science results for fifth grade were also low. When compared to other districts in Ramsey County, Rise Academy fell in the bottom quartile for overall proficiency. A parent considering this school at the time would have wanted to look into this further with the school to understand the instructional context and any targeted support.
On the other hand, the district had a very low rate of chronic absenteeism, placing in the top quartile among Ramsey County districts. That suggests that students who were enrolled attended regularly. Per-pupil spending was in the upper range among county districts, which may reflect the costs of operating a small, standalone school with small class sizes.
Because Rise Academy only served through sixth grade, there was no high school graduation rate. The district also had a second school listed, Rise Academy Online, which was likely a virtual offering for the same grade range, but further details on that program were not available.
In the end, the story of Rise Academy is one of a small, urban-fringe elementary district that struggled with enrollment declines and closed after the 2023-2024 school year. Its academic results were well below county averages, while attendance and spending were relative strengths. For families in Ramsey County looking for elementary options, this school is no longer an option, and the closest comparison may be other small districts or charter schools in the area that serve similar student populations.
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