The top reported proficiency rate is 0% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on The Journey School Middle
The Journey School Middle is a public charter school in Saint Paul serving only seventh and eighth grades. It is a small school, with an enrollment that reflects its focused grade band. The student body is predominantly Black, with a smaller share of Hispanic students, and very small numbers of white, American Indian, and multiracial students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school is part of the Journey School district, a small charter network that opened in fall of a prior decade and runs a K-8 program built around a blended learning model that integrates technology for individualized instruction.
State testing results are available for this school, and they show that no students met the proficiency standard in either math or reading at either grade level. The school’s performance is in the bottom quartile among all districts in Ramsey County. Science testing data for eighth grade was suppressed due to a small number of test-takers. There is only one year of data available, so there is no trend to assess. A parent will want to look into this further with the school to understand how the blended learning model translates into academic preparation and what supports are in place for students who are not yet meeting grade-level standards.
Saint Paul is Minnesota’s capital city and the core of the eastern half of the Twin Cities metro area. The city has a mix of government employment, residential neighborhoods, and cultural institutions. The state capitol complex, county government, and several professional sports venues are downtown. Saint Paul’s population is notably diverse, and its park system is highly ranked nationally. Housing values and rents in the zip code are below the state average, and home values have dipped slightly in the past year. Rent has risen modestly.
Because the school is a charter school, it is open to families who choose to apply, regardless of where they live in or around Saint Paul. The school’s enrollment is small, with roughly balanced numbers across the two grades. There is no graduation rate because the school does not serve high school grades. Data on chronic absenteeism and discipline was not available. Information on course access, such as advanced coursework or career pathways, was also absent from the record; a parent should ask the school directly what academic options are available beyond the core curriculum.
The school’s identity centers on its blended learning model, which the district describes as integrating technology to personalize instruction. The district is now enrolling for the next school year. For a family considering this school, the central question is whether a small, technology-driven middle school with very low current test scores in a diverse urban charter setting matches their child’s needs. The academic results are a clear area of concern, and the school’s small size may limit the breadth of program offerings compared to a larger middle school. The school’s setting in Saint Paul means access to the city’s cultural and civic resources, and the charter structure means a family that is dissatisfied with their assigned school can choose this one. But the testing data is a gap that requires direct conversation with the school staff.
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