The top reported proficiency rate is 11% in English language arts. The lowest is 0% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Steam Academy Charter School
STEAM Academy Charter School is a tuition-free public charter school in Inver Grove Heights, a suburban city southeast of Saint Paul in Dakota County. It opened in fall 2021, making it a relatively new option for local families. The school serves kindergarten through sixth grade, though the district brief indicates that for the 2025-2026 school year it will expand to include seventh grade. Because it is an elementary-only school, there is no graduation rate to report.
The student body is small. Nearly all students are Black, with a small share identifying as Asian; no white, Hispanic, Native American, or multiracial students are enrolled in the reported data. The school’s economic profile stands out: a very high proportion of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a level that typically qualifies a school for universal free meal programs. The school provides free breakfast and lunch to all students, a stated benefit that aligns with that economic reality. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not available in the source records, so a reader interested in those populations would want to ask the school directly.
State assessment results for the 2024-2025 school year are available for grades three through six in math and English language arts, and for grade five in science. Across all tested subjects and grades, the overall proficiency rate was low. In math, no students in grades three, four, or five reached the proficient level; in grade six, fewer than one in five met the bar. In English language arts, third and fourth graders also had no proficient scores, while grade five showed a small share proficient and grade six a somewhat larger share. Science results for grade five reported no proficient scores. The school’s proficiency index, which averages reported rates across tested subjects and grades, placed it in the bottom quartile when compared to other districts in Dakota County. This is a clear area of concern, and a parent may want to inquire about the school’s academic interventions and instructional approach.
The school’s charter status means it operates independently from the local school district while being publicly funded. It advertises a STEAM-focused multidisciplinary curriculum, small class sizes, personalized learning plans, a Chromebook for every student, and free transportation. It also offers Arabic language classes by family choice. These features may appeal to families seeking an intimate educational environment with a specific thematic focus and wraparound supports. The expansion to seventh grade signals an intention to grow, but given the small overall enrollment, class sizes remain very small.
Inver Grove Heights itself is a car-oriented suburban community with a population density that reflects a low-density pattern rather than a walkable urban core. Major highways connect the city to Saint Paul, and the city hosts several significant employers including an agricultural cooperative headquarters, a large greenhouse operation, and the Pine Bend Refinery. The city has no traditional downtown; schools and civic buildings are dispersed across the area. Housing values and rents in the area are close to the state median, but the school’s high share of economically disadvantaged students suggests that many families live in the area’s more affordable housing.
This school is a young charter that serves a predominantly low-income student body with very low state test proficiency. Its strengths lie in its small size, free meals and technology, and a stated focus on personalized and project-based learning. Families considering STEAM Academy should weigh its programmatic offerings against the academic performance data and should seek current information on intervention strategies and special education services, since key indicators were missing from the available records.
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