Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12, Saint Paul MN

Original Research by School Decision on Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12

Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12 is a full-time online public charter school serving students in grades seven through twelve. It is operated by Minnesota Transitions Charter School and draws its enrollment from across the state, though its administrative offices are located in Saint Paul. The school offers a completely virtual learning model, which sets it apart from traditional brick-and-mortar schools and makes it a fit for families seeking flexibility outside the conventional classroom schedule.

The student body is large for a single school, with an enrollment that skews heavily toward the upper grades. The twelfth grade is the largest cohort, followed by eleventh, and the numbers taper down through the lower high school and middle school grades. This suggests that many students remain enrolled through graduation. The demographic composition is predominantly white, with a substantial share of students identifying as Black, Hispanic, or two or more races; smaller shares identify as American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. A majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common indicator of household economic need. Data on students receiving special education services or English learner support was not available in the reporting used here.

State assessment results are available for the 2024-25 school year for math, reading, and science. Proficiency rates across tested grades are low relative to state averages. In math, about one in seven seventh graders and one in nine eighth graders scored at the proficient level. In English language arts, roughly three in eight students in both seventh and eighth grade were proficient. Science results for eighth graders show about one in ten at proficiency, though the school noted a change in the science assessment and cut scores that year, making direct comparisons to prior years uncertain. The school’s proficiency index — a combined measure across tested subjects and grades — sits below the midpoint when compared with other districts in Ramsey County. Because this is a statewide online school, county-level comparisons may be of limited relevance; the school’s peer set is not geographically bounded the way a traditional district school’s would be.

No graduation rate data was available in the source material, so a parent interested in high school completion outcomes would need to request that information directly from the school. Similarly, information on advanced coursework, career and technical education pathways, and dual-credit offerings was not included in the data reviewed.

Saint Paul, where the school’s administrative office is located, is Minnesota’s capital and second-largest city. It sits on the Mississippi River and is part of the Twin Cities metro area. The city has a mix of government employment, cultural institutions, and professional sports venues. Its population is diverse and has been relatively stable in recent years. For families considering Minnesota Connections Academy, the housing market in any particular neighborhood is less relevant than the technology setup and home learning environment the student will need, since the school is entirely online.

This is a school that serves a specific need: a fully remote education for middle and high school students. Families considering it should weigh the flexibility of virtual learning against the academic performance data and seek further details on offerings and outcomes that were not captured in the available reporting.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

73.0%Cohort of 522 students · Class of 2021

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

649 schools plotted. 88 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grade 715%

School 15% · District 14% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 811%

School 11% · District 13% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 738%

School 38% · District 34% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

Grade 836%

School 36% · District 33% · ▲ 2 pts above district

even with state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Science

Grade 810%

School 10% · District 10%

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

This schoolMinnesota Transitions Charter Sch, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income42%Higher-income62%20 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income41%Higher-income48%7 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income57%Higher-income74%17 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income47%Higher-income59%12 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income28%Higher-income50%22 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income28%Higher-income45%17 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income50%Higher-income61%11 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income33%Higher-income61%28 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income11%Higher-income37%26 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income14%Higher-income29%15 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income11%Higher-income20%10 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income8%Higher-income15%6 pp gap