The top reported proficiency rate is 0% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Swmetro Lakeside Academy
SWMetro Lakeside Academy is an alternative school serving students in grades seven through twelve, operated by Southwest Metro Intermediate 288, an intermediate district that provides specialized programs to eleven member school districts across the region. The school is located in Buffalo, the county seat of Wright County, a community that balances small-town character with suburban retail corridors roughly forty miles northwest of Minneapolis. Buffalo sits on Buffalo Lake and Lake Pulaski, has a traditional downtown core, and has been growing steadily. The school’s setting is within that broader Buffalo area, though it is a distinct program run by the intermediate district rather than by the local Buffalo–Hanover–Montrose district.
The enrollment is very small, serving about that many students across the secondary grades, with the largest concentration in the twelfth grade. The student body is majority white, with a substantial share of Hispanic students and smaller numbers of students who are American Indian, Asian, or of two or more races. More than half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that a significant portion of families come from lower-income households. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the records we reviewed.
As an alternative school, SWMetro Lakeside Academy sits outside the typical assessment and accountability framework in an important way. State testing data for math and English language arts is reported, showing zero percent of tested eighth-grade students meeting proficiency standards in the most recent year. Science testing results for eighth grade were suppressed due to a very small number of test takers. When looking at all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile relative to districts in Wright County. A parent should understand that alternative schools often serve students who have struggled in traditional settings, and these attainment numbers reflect that reality rather than a typical academic program. There is no graduation rate data available, which is common for a school of this type and size where small numbers can make such metrics unreliable.
The comparison with other districts in Wright County uses the school’s own data, and the bottom-quartile placement is a straightforward description of where the numbers fall. But readers should weigh that fact against the school’s mission. Alternative schools like this one are designed to re-engage students who have not succeeded elsewhere, and the academic profile is expected to differ from that of a comprehensive middle or high school.
Program offerings were not included in the data we received, so we cannot describe specific courses, career pathways, or extracurricular options. Anyone considering the school should ask directly about what academic credits, career and technical education options, and student supports are available. The district brief turned up no recent changes or developments at Southwest Metro Intermediate 288 that would affect a family’s decision.
The housing market in the Buffalo area shows home values that are in line with broader state trends, and the area has seen steady population growth. For a family looking at SWMetro Lakeside Academy, the most important factor is whether the student needs the structure and support of an alternative setting. This is a small program with a specialized mission, not a comprehensive secondary school. The academic test results are very low, which is not surprising given the population served, but a parent will want to understand exactly what the school offers in terms of credit recovery, student-to-staff ratios, and pathways to a diploma. The available data leaves those questions unanswered, so direct inquiry with the school is essential.
See more original research from School Decision →