The top reported proficiency rate is 0% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Mn Academy for the Blind
MN Academy for the Blind is a special education school serving students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. It is part of the Minnesota State Academies, a state-operated special education district, and is located in Faribault, a city of steady growth about an hour south of the Twin Cities along Interstate 35. The school sits on a campus in southeastern Faribault above the Straight River, separate from the downtown core, alongside the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf.
The school is small, with an enrollment that reflects its specialized mission. The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Black, Hispanic, and Asian students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school serves students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, with the largest single grade being twelfth grade. The school is part of the Minnesota State Academies, a state-operated special education district that does not have a local tax levy or referendum authority, and no recent curriculum or policy changes of lasting impact were found in publicly available sources.
State testing data is reported but shows a proficiency rate of zero percent in both math and English language arts for the most recent year, with only a single year of data available. Science testing data from an earlier year was suppressed due to very small student counts. The school's overall proficiency index, which averages proficiency rates across tested subjects and grades, places it in the bottom quartile relative to districts in Rice County. A graduation rate was not available. These results should be understood in the context of the school's mission: it serves students who are blind or visually impaired, many of whom have complex educational needs that may not be well captured by standard state assessments. The small student population means that even a handful of students can determine the reported rate, and the school's academic program is designed around specialized instruction for vision loss rather than general education benchmarks.
The school's enrollment is very small, with students spread across all grades from pre-kindergarten through twelve. The largest concentration is in twelfth grade, which suggests the school retains students through graduation. The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Black, Hispanic, and Asian students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not available, though the school's mission as a special education school for blind students means that all enrolled students have an IEP by definition of their eligibility.
The school is located on a campus in southeastern Faribault, above the Straight River, alongside the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf. Faribault is a city of steady growth with a historic downtown, a strong manufacturing base, and major employers including Faribault Foods, Jennie-O Turkey Store, and the Minnesota Correctional Facility. The city sits at the confluence of the Cannon and Straight Rivers along Interstate 35, about an hour south of Minneapolis-Saint Paul. Housing values in the area are below the state average, and the city has seen steady population growth. The Minnesota State Academies district is a state-operated special education district with no local tax levy or referendum authority, and no recent curriculum or policy changes of lasting impact were found in publicly available sources.
For a family considering this school, the central fact is its specialized mission. MN Academy for the Blind is not a general-purpose school; it is a state-operated residential and day school for students who are blind or visually impaired. The academic program is built around that population, and standard state test results are not a meaningful measure of the school's effectiveness for its students. A parent evaluating this school would want to understand the specific services, orientation and mobility training, braille instruction, assistive technology, and expanded core curriculum that the school provides, as well as the residential and day options available. The school's small size means individualized attention is built into the structure. The Faribault setting offers a small-city environment with a historic downtown, trail access, and proximity to the Twin Cities, and the campus is shared with the state's school for the deaf, creating a broader community of specialized education.
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