Achieve Language Academy, Saint Paul MN

Original Research by School Decision on Achieve Language Academy

Achieve Language Academy is a charter school in Saint Paul serving pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. It is its own single-school district, which means it operates independently of the larger Saint Paul Public Schools system. Families choose this school, and the choice is often tied to the language-focused mission implied by its name, though detailed program descriptions were not available in the data reviewed.

The student body is notably diverse and predominantly low-income. A large share of students identify as Hispanic, and a substantial share as Asian, with smaller groups of Black, white, and multiracial students. A very high proportion of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of economic need common in many urban charter schools. Data on English learner and special education enrollment was not available, so a parent should confirm those supports directly with the school.

Academically, state testing results show a pattern that calls for close attention. Proficiency rates in math are low across all tested grades, with only a small fraction of students meeting the state standard at most grade levels. Reading and English language arts scores are somewhat higher but remain below what is typical statewide, with the strongest results appearing in the upper elementary and middle school grades, where roughly a third of students met the bar in some years. Science proficiency rates are also low. The school’s overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint when compared with other districts in Ramsey County. This is not a school that posts strong test scores on aggregate, and a parent considering it would want to understand how the school addresses skill gaps and whether the academic program aligns with their child’s needs.

The school serves only through eighth grade, so there is no high school graduation rate to examine. For families who enroll here, the transition to a high school setting will come at the end of eighth grade, and they would need to plan for that step separately.

The school is located in Saint Paul, a capital city that anchors the east side of the Twin Cities metro area. The city’s dominant employer is state government, and its economy is also shaped by county government, healthcare, and the service sector around professional sports venues. The population is diverse and the housing stock reflects a mix of older urban neighborhoods and newer development. Home values and rents in the area around the school are moderate relative to national benchmarks, though they have been rising. The school’s specific neighborhood on Stillwater Avenue sits east of downtown, in a part of the city with a mix of residential and commercial uses.

A parent evaluating this school should look into the language and academic model, the level of student support for those who are behind grade level, and how the school communicates its approach to families. The data does not provide a clear picture of after-school programs, class size, or staff qualifications, so those are natural follow-up questions. The school’s charter status gives it flexibility in curriculum and staffing, but the academic results suggest that a family should be prepared to supplement or monitor progress closely, especially in math and science.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 322%

School 22% · District 22%

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Grade 433%

School 33% · District 33%

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 56%

School 6% · District 6%

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

Grade 65%

School 5% · District 5%

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Grade 77%

School 7% · District 7%

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

Grade 87%

School 7% · District 7%

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 316%

School 16% · District 16%

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Grade 420%

School 20% · District 20%

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 520%

School 20% · District 20%

▼ 34 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Grade 628%

School 28% · District 28%

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

Grade 737%

School 37% · District 37%

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

Grade 834%

School 34% · District 34%

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

Science

Grade 513%

School 13% · District 13%

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

Grade 80%

School 0% · District 0%

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

This schoolACHIEVE LANGUAGE ACADEMY, 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-income15%Higher-income20%5 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income18%Higher-income36%19 pp gap