The top reported proficiency rate is 24% in English language arts. The lowest is 7% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Life Prep
LIFE Prep is a charter school in Saint Paul serving prekindergarten through sixth grade. As a charter school, it operates independently of the Saint Paul Public Schools district but is publicly funded and open to any student in the area. It is located in the eastern part of the city, in a neighborhood that reflects the broader Saint Paul community.
The student body is small for its grade band and highly diverse. A substantial majority of students identify as Black, with a large Asian population also enrolled, along with smaller shares of students who are Hispanic, White, two or more races, or American Indian. A very high share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a predominantly low-income population. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available; a parent may want to ask the school directly about these supports.
Academically, state testing results from the most recent year show that proficiency rates in math and reading are well below typical levels for Ramsey County. In math, the share of students meeting state standards was below a quarter in third grade and sharply lower in fourth and fifth grades, with no students reaching the proficiency bar in sixth grade. In reading, the picture is a bit stronger: roughly two in five third graders and fifth graders met the standard, but fourth grade and sixth grade rates were much lower. In science, the only tested grade, the proficiency rate was also low. Overall, when combining all tested subjects and grades, LIFE Prep’s performance falls in the bottom quartile when compared with other districts in Ramsey County—a category that includes both district and charter schools. Because the school only serves grades PK through 6, there is no graduation rate to report.
The school’s setting is Saint Paul, Minnesota’s capital and second-largest city, which anchors the eastern half of the Twin Cities metro area. The city is known for its government institutions, a diverse population shaped in part by a large Hmong community, and a park system that has ranked high nationally. Housing in the area is typical for a Midwestern capital city, with home values and rental costs tracking close to national averages. Saint Paul offers public transit connections, including light rail to Minneapolis, and a mix of residential neighborhoods and downtown civic life.
The district itself—LIFE Prep—is a single-school charter district. A search for recent changes that would matter to parents turned up little beyond publicly reported historical information: the school was renamed from Concordia Creative Learning Academy at some point in the past. No recent policy shifts, building projects, or program additions were found in publicly available records.
For a family considering LIFE Prep, the key consideration is academic. The school’s test results are far below state averages and among the weakest in the county. The charter structure means parents have chosen this school rather than being assigned to it, so they likely value something about the school beyond test scores—perhaps its small size, its cultural community, or a particular educational approach—but the available data does not detail programs or instructional philosophy. The school does not serve middle or high school grades, so families will need to plan for a transition after sixth grade. A parent should consider visiting, asking about curriculum, student support, and how the school works to raise achievement, especially given the low proficiency outcomes.
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