The top reported proficiency rate is 46% in English language arts. The lowest is 6% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Universal Academy Charter School
Universal Academy Charter School in Hennepin County, Minnesota, serves students from pre-kindergarten through tenth grade as a single-district charter organization. Because it is a charter school, there is no geographically assigned attendance zone; families choose to enroll. The district-level data here represents the academic performance of its two schools, Universal Academy Elementary and Universal Academy Middle/High.
The school’s enrollment is concentrated in the elementary and early middle grades. The student body is overwhelmingly composed of Black or African American students. Information on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, students with disabilities, and English learners was not available in the data. A parent considering this school may want to ask the school directly about these support populations and the services available.
On state assessments, results show a mixed picture across subjects and grade levels, with some areas of relative strength and others where proficiency rates are very low. In math, the share of students scoring proficient in third grade was the highest among the tested grades, with a meaningful drop by fifth grade and then hovering in the low range through eighth grade. In English language arts, performance was more consistent: roughly half of students in fourth, fifth, and sixth grade tested as proficient, while third and eighth grade results were lower. Science scores, tested in fifth and eighth grade, showed very low proficiency rates. The pattern suggests that students often perform better in earlier grades and that the middle school years present an academic challenge the school is still working to address.
Compared to other districts in Hennepin County, Universal Academy’s overall proficiency index across tested grades and subjects sits above the midpoint of the county’s districts. This is a notable finding given the small size and the specific demographics of the student body. The district’s chronic absenteeism rate is in the top quartile among county districts, meaning the share of students who miss a substantial number of school days, at a level reported as low, is a clear strength.
Per-pupil current spending falls in the lower range among the county’s districts. That figure reflects the school operating on a leaner budget than many of its neighbors, which a family may want to consider when looking at the breadth of programs and enrichment available.
The two schools within the district divide instruction at the middle level. The data shows a sharp drop in enrollment between sixth and seventh grade, from a sizeable cohort to a few students at each grade level through tenth. That is an unusual pattern, and the grades beyond eighth appear very thinly populated. A family with a student approaching seventh grade or high school should have a direct conversation with the school about the course offerings, class sizes, and post-secondary pathways available in the upper grades.
The district brief, based on publicly reported information, turned up no evidence of recent curriculum changes, referendums, property-tax shifts, or other lasting parent-relevant developments. Budget and program updates may be best found on the school’s own website or by contacting the school directly.
Universal Academy Charter School provides a coherent option from pre-kindergarten through early high school for families seeking a school with a majority-Black student body. Its elementary English language arts results and overall proficiency index suggest solid academic work relative to other districts in the county, while the very thin upper grades and low science scores are areas a prospective family will want to explore in detail with the administration.
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