The top reported proficiency rate is 20% in Math. The lowest is 5% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Hope Community Academy Elementary
HOPE Community Academy Elementary is a public charter school in Saint Paul serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The school operates as part of the HOPE Community Academy district, a single-charter district with its own governance structure. The school’s location on Payne Avenue places it in the eastern reaches of Saint Paul, a city that is Minnesota’s capital and the eastern anchor of the Twin Cities metro area, with a state government employment base, a diverse population, and a park system that has drawn national recognition.
The student body is large for an elementary school and is distinctive in its composition. The vast majority of students come from low-income households, with a rate that is well above what is typical across Ramsey County. The school serves a student population that is overwhelmingly Asian, primarily of Hmong heritage, reflecting the community around the school—Saint Paul is home to a sizable Hmong population. Given the enrollment and the nearly universal free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility, this is a school serving families with significant economic need. Special population data on English learners and students with disabilities was not reported in the available data, which is a gap a parent may want to explore directly with the school.
Academically, the state assessment results from the 2024-25 school year show that proficiency rates across tested subjects are low. In mathematics, the share of students meeting state standards is below what a typical Ramsey County elementary produces, and in reading, it is similarly low. Science results are even lower. The overall proficiency index for the school, a composite across grades and subjects, places it below the midpoint among districts in Ramsey County. These numbers are concerning on their face, and a parent considering the school should ask what interventions, supports, or curriculum strategies the school uses to address these results. It is worth noting that this is a single year of data, and trend information is not yet available because only one year of this assessment series is present in the record. The state assessment also underwent a change in the science test, which makes direct comparison with prior years unreliable for that subject.
The district itself has seen financial strain. Per-pupil revenue and spending have both declined over the past several school years and are below state medians. That funding reality can shape class size, instructional materials, and the availability of specialists. The district has adopted a strategic vision through mid-2026 that aims to grow enrollment and to place increasing emphasis on Karen language and culture programs alongside the existing Hmong language and culture focus. This signals a deliberate effort to build a more explicit cultural and linguistic curriculum, which may be a draw for families seeking a school that centers immigrant and refugee heritage. The school serves elementary grades only, so there is no graduation rate to report, and the school’s small size within a single charter district means that comparisons to larger traditional public schools should be made with that scale in mind.
Saint Paul, as a setting, offers the resources of a capital city: museums, parks, sports venues, and the transit connectivity of the Green Line light rail. The neighborhood around Payne Avenue is a mix of older residential and commercial streets, with a strong Southeast Asian community presence. Housing values in the area are moderate relative to the state average, and rents are typical for the region. The city’s population has been stable in recent years.
Families considering HOPE Community Academy Elementary should weigh the school’s explicit cultural mission against its academic performance data. The school’s commitment to Hmong and Karen language programming is a clear differentiator in the Saint Paul charter landscape. The low proficiency rates, however, are a significant concern, and a parent would want to understand what steps the school is taking to improve achievement, including how it uses its limited per-pupil funding to support instruction. The absence of data on English learner services and special education means those questions must be asked directly. This is a school that serves a high-need population with a distinct identity, but its academic outcomes are not where many families would hope to see them.
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