The top reported proficiency rate is 33% in English language arts. The lowest is 9% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Step Academy
STEP Academy is a kindergarten-through-twelfth-grade district in Ramsey County, Minnesota, serving a student body that is almost entirely Black. The enrollment is small for a K-12 district, and the schools within it include a charter school and elementary and secondary campuses in both Saint Paul and Burnsville. The district operates as a set of charter schools under a single authorizer, meaning families choose it rather than being assigned by residence. Because the data does not include a specific city for the district office and no locale brief was available, a parent considering STEP Academy should look into the specific campus locations and transportation options, as the schools may be in different communities.
State testing results are available for grades three through eight in math, English language arts, and science. Across those grades, the share of students meeting state proficiency benchmarks was below the midpoint among Ramsey County’s districts when averaged across subjects. In math, proficiency rates in any single grade did not reach a quarter of tested students, and in several middle grades the rate was notably lower. In English language arts, the pattern varied more: in fifth and eighth grades roughly two in five students scored proficient, while in third and seventh grades the figure was about one in five. Science results, available for grades five and eight, showed very few students meeting the bar, though the state changed the science assessment and cut scores that year, making direct comparison with prior years unreliable. Participation rates on all state tests were very high, which adds confidence that the results reflect nearly all enrolled students.
Chronic absenteeism, a measure of how often students miss substantial amounts of school, was somewhat better than the middle of the pack among Ramsey County districts, though still at a level that many families would want to understand further. The district spent less per pupil than most of its county peers, a fact that could affect class sizes, support services, or facility quality, though the available data does not describe staffing levels or course offerings.
No high school testing data or graduation rate appear in the record, so a parent evaluating the upper grades will need to ask the district directly about high school outcomes, college and career readiness, and postsecondary placements. Similarly, the data does not report the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, receive special education services, or are English learners, all of which are important context for understanding the student body and the supports a school provides. The district’s student demographic profile is overwhelmingly Black, which for many families is a meaningful characteristic of the peer environment, but without additional information on economic or linguistic diversity it is hard to gauge the full range of student experiences.
A parent researching STEP Academy should expect a small, choice-based district where standardized test scores on average trail those of many neighboring districts. The strength of the district may lie in its focused mission as a charter network and in the particular programs it offers, but the data provided does not include any program details, so that remains something to investigate directly with the schools. The chronic absenteeism picture is more encouraging than the county median, though still at a level that warrants conversation with the school about attendance supports. Overall, STEP Academy offers a distinct setting within Ramsey County: a predominantly Black, low-spending charter district whose academic results on state tests are below the county average across grades and subjects. Families considering it will want to visit, ask about high school outcomes, and understand the specific campuses before deciding.
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