The top reported proficiency rate is 41% in English language arts. The lowest is 11% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Fit Academy
FIT Academy is a Minnesota public charter school district serving kindergarten through twelfth grade, operating as a single K-12 program across two buildings in the Apple Valley area of Dakota County. Enrollment is small for a district covering that grade span, with roughly similar numbers of students in each elementary grade and a noticeably thinner high school section. The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial Black share and a smaller but material Hispanic share. Data on free or reduced-price meal eligibility, students with disabilities, and English learners were not reported, so a parent would want to ask the school about the socioeconomic and special-education support picture directly.
State assessment results from the recent school year show a mixed pattern across subjects and grade levels. In mathematics, proficiency rates are highest in the early elementary grades, then drop markedly by fifth grade and stay low through middle school. Reading and English language arts follow a similar arc, with the strongest results in fifth grade and a notable decline by eighth grade. Science results, which come from a newly redesigned test, are very low in both fifth and eighth grades. Across all tested subjects and grades combined, the district’s overall proficiency index sits below the midpoint among Dakota County’s districts. A parent looking at these numbers will see a pattern of early promise that fades in the upper grades, and may want to investigate how the school supports middle and high school students who are behind grade level.
The district’s chronic absenteeism rate lands right at the county median, meaning about one in five students misses a substantial number of school days; this is an area many families would want to discuss during a visit. Per-pupil spending is in the lower range among Dakota County districts, which is not unusual for a charter with a lean administrative structure, but it is worth asking how the school allocates its budget to instruction and student supports.
FIT Academy has been in a period of significant change. It began as a K-8 school and expanded to a full K-12 program, graduating its first seniors a few years ago. The high school section is still small, with a modest number of students in each grade from nine through twelve, and the school reports that it is near enrollment capacity and is seeking to expand its facility. This growth context means that for families considering the school, seat availability may be a factor, especially for elementary grades. The school’s fitness-intellect-teamwork model is mentioned in its materials, and the name itself signals an emphasis on physical activity integrated with academics, though no detailed program information was available in the data.
The data does not include graduation rate, course offerings, or college and career readiness metrics, likely because the high school program is very new and still small. A family with high school students would want to ask directly about the curriculum, available electives, dual-credit options, and postsecondary planning. The district reports two schools: one for elementary and middle grades, and a separate high school, so the physical separation of older students is already in place.
FIT Academy is a young, growing charter district that has not yet established a long track record of academic outcomes at the secondary level. Its elementary results are uneven, and the middle school numbers raise questions about how well the program sustains student progress. For a family drawn to a small-school environment with a fitness-oriented philosophy, this could be a viable option, but the academic data invites a close look at how the school plans to strengthen achievement in the upper grades. Missing information on student support programs, staff qualifications, and high school pathways means that any decision should be informed by a direct conversation with the school leadership.
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