The reported proficiency rate for Science is 0%.
Original Research by School Decision on Venture Academy High School
Venture Academy High School is a small charter school in Minneapolis that serves grades nine through twelve. It operates independently of the Minneapolis public school district and is classified as a regular public charter school. The student body is small and demographically diverse. The largest share of students identifies as Hispanic, a substantial group identifies as Black, and there are also students who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native and students of two or more races; a very small number of students identify as white. Nearly every student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a reflection of the economic circumstances of the families the school serves. Data on the share of students with individualized education programs or English learner status was not reported.
Academically, the school’s state assessment results show very low proficiency rates. In the most recent year for which data was available, proficiency in English language arts was reported at a level far below the median among schools in the county, and proficiency in math was even lower. The school’s overall proficiency index, which averages across tested subjects and grades, places it in the bottom quartile of schools within Hennepin County. Science testing data is more limited; the only science assessment on record comes from a year when the school tested grade eight students, a grade the school does not serve, and no students scored proficient. A parent considering Venture Academy will want to investigate the school’s approach to academic instruction and support directly. No graduation rate was reported, and chronic absenteeism data was also absent; the school does not appear to have publicly reported those figures.
Minneapolis is a major urban center, the state’s most populous city, and a dense, walkable environment with a strong downtown core, a major university campus, and extensive parks and lakes. The school’s address on 27th Avenue SE places it near the University of Minnesota’s main campus, in a part of the city that blends residential and institutional uses. Housing values in the area are roughly at the state median, with a modest year-over-year decline; rents have been rising, consistent with national trends.
The charter authorizer and district parent, Venture Academy, operates this single high school. No significant district-level changes—such as referendums, curriculum overhauls, or boundary shifts—were found in recent public records. The school itself has no listed programs or specialized course access data, so what pathways, electives, or career and technical education offerings exist is not captured in the available information.
For a family weighing this school, the picture is one of a small, high-poverty urban charter with a diverse student body and very low measured academic performance. The absence of a graduation rate and of data on special education and English learner populations leaves significant gaps. The school may fit a family seeking a small setting within the city, but the academic outcomes warrant close inquiry. A visit, conversation with staff, and review of any available school-specific materials on curriculum, student support, and postsecondary planning would be essential to understand what Venture Academy offers beyond the reported test scores.
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