The top reported proficiency rate is 0% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Cosmos Montessori
Cosmos Montessori occupies a single modest space at 310 East 38th Street in Minneapolis, and reading its profile requires recognizing that this is a school in its early stages of growth. It serves a narrow grade band, preschool through third grade, with a small enrollment that is typical of a start-up or intentionally intimate program. A parent considering this school should understand what the data shows, what it does not yet show, and what kind of experience the school is designed to offer.
The school is a public charter operating within a Montessori model, affiliated with the Minnesota Wildflower Montessori School district. Its total enrollment, by the numbers, is very small relative to a typical elementary campus. That small size shapes nearly everything about it: class configurations, peer interaction, individual attention, and the school’s overall flexibility. The student body is predominantly White, with a notable share of Hispanic students and an even smaller share of Black students, and about a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Civil rights data such as disability or English learner status was not available in the state reporting, so a parent who needs that information would want to ask the school directly.
State testing data is sparse here, and the reason is structural. Minnesota administers its MCA assessments beginning in grade three. Cosmos Montessori served third grade in the most recent testing year, and the reported proficiency rates for both math and reading in that grade were at floor level. Because the school serves only a single tested grade and the cohort is very small, the results carry limited statistical weight and do not necessarily indicate the program’s trajectory. A parent should treat these figures as belonging to a particular group of students in a particular year, not as a statement about the school’s teaching model. The broader academic trend data for the school covers only one year, so there is no multi-year picture to assess growth or change.
The comparison with other districts in Hennepin County positions Cosmos Montessori in the bottom quartile for overall proficiency. That placement is best understood in context. The comparison draws on all tested grades and subjects across far larger schools and districts serving older students. For a school that tested only a handful of third graders, the comparison tells you less about program quality and more about the challenge of comparing across very different sizes and grade ranges.
The school environment section returned no data on discipline, attendance, staffing ratios, or course access. That is not unusual for a small early-grades school, but it means a parent will need to gather those specifics by visiting or contacting the school directly.
On the housing and community side, Cosmos Montessori sits in the Kingfield neighborhood of Minneapolis, a city with a strong urban core, a major research university, a well-known park system, lakes, and a mix of commercial and residential streets. The area’s typical home values and rents fall around the national midpoint, and the local market has been stable. A family choosing this school will likely be committing to an urban setting with the daily logistics of city driving or public transit.
The district brief adds one forward-looking piece. Cosmos Montessori is expanding its grade span to serve children through fifth grade, aiming to offer a continuous Montessori elementary pathway. That expansion suggests the school intends to grow and retain families who want a longer arc in the same program.
Who this school fits. A family seeking a very small, intimate Montessori charter program for a child from preschool through early elementary who values a consistent pedagogical approach and is comfortable with a setting where class sizes are tiny, the peer group is small, and the academic track record is still being established. A parent should be prepared to ask detailed questions about curriculum beyond the primary years, teacher qualifications, and the expansion plan, since none of those are detailed in the public data. Some readers may want to visit to get a feel for the community culture and see how the school’s small scale affects daily life.
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