The top reported proficiency rate is 58% in Math. The lowest is 19% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Pact Charter Elementary
PACT Charter Elementary is a regular public charter school in Ramsey, Minnesota, serving kindergarten through fifth grade. It is one campus of a multi-building charter organization that also operates a secondary school and is launching an online campus for older students. Because it is a charter school, it operates under its own authorizer and is not part of the larger Anoka-Hennepin or Elk River public school districts that also serve the city.
The student body is roughly the size one would expect for an elementary school in a growing suburb, and the demographic composition is predominantly white, with a smaller but notable share of Black students and a modest number of students identifying as two or more races. About a third of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a measure that is within a typical suburban range.
Ramsey itself is a steadily growing city northwest of Minneapolis, mixing residential neighborhoods with a manufacturing and commercial base. Its development has been deliberate, with a central downtown area called The COR adding commercial space, housing, an amphitheater, and a waterfront park. Housing in the area covers a range from downtown apartments and townhomes to single-family homes on larger lots, and home values have been climbing. The city is car-oriented, though a commuter rail station provides a transit option to downtown Minneapolis. The setting is suburban, with over 80 miles of trails and several parks threading through the built environment.
On state assessments, PACT Charter Elementary’s performance is mixed. In math, third-grade students posted proficiency well above state averages, fourth-grade proficiency was solidly above the midpoint, and fifth-grade results dropped to a level that was below the statewide average. In reading, results were tighter across the grades: third-grade proficiency was somewhat below the state average, fourth and fifth grades were near or just above it. Science is tested only in fifth grade, and here the proficiency rate was quite low, well below the state average. Parents should note that the state changed the science assessment in the tested year, making direct comparison to prior years unreliable, but the result itself is a soft spot in the school’s academic profile that a parent may want to look into further with the school.
Taken together, the school’s overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades places it in the top quartile relative to other districts in Anoka County. That performance is driven primarily by strong early-elementary math results, while the later grades and science are markedly weaker. The enrollment pattern, with grades three through five each having the same number of students and kindergarten being slightly larger, suggests that the school is stable in size rather than growing or shrinking within its elementary grades.
The district, PACT Charter School, is launching an online campus for grades seven through ten in fall 2026, which will give families an additional educational pathway within the same charter organization. For a parent considering the elementary campus, this signals that the organization is expanding its options, but it does not directly affect the elementary program.
The school’s charter status means that enrollment is open to families across district boundaries, subject to space and lottery if oversubscribed. The lack of data on discipline, staffing, attendance, and special education or English learner populations means a parent would need to consult the school directly for that information. No graduation rate is reported because the school does not serve high school grades. For a family weighing this school, the picture is one of an elementary program with bright spots in early math and a more uneven record in reading and late-elementary subjects, set in a growing suburban community with a deliberate development plan and a range of housing options.
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