The top reported proficiency rate is 16% in English language arts. The lowest is 6% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Aspire Academy Elementary
Aspire Academy Elementary is a kindergarten-through-fifth-grade charter school in Shakopee, part of the Aspire Academy Charter School district, which opened in 2021 with a stated focus on science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM. It is a regular public school operating as a charter, which means it is publicly funded but independently run, and families choose to enroll rather than being assigned by attendance zone.
The school is very small for its grade band, with a modest enrollment spread across kindergarten through fifth grade, and it serves a student body that is overwhelmingly Black. Nearly all students come from low-income households, as measured by the share qualifying for free or reduced-price meals. Information on the share of students receiving special education services or classified as English learners was not available in the data.
State testing results, which are the sole academic performance measure available for this school and reflect only a single year, show that proficiency rates in math, reading, and science fell well below state averages. In math, proficiency across tested grades was low, and in reading the pattern was similar, with a small fraction of students meeting the bar. Science results, only available for fifth grade, were also very low. Because this is a single year of data from a new school, no trend is available to assess whether performance is improving or declining. When compared to other districts in Scott County, Aspire Academy Elementary’s overall proficiency index placed it in the lowest quartile among the districts that could be compared.
No graduation rate exists for this school, as it serves only elementary grades, so that measure does not apply. Chronic absenteeism data was also absent from the records.
Shakopee, the city where the school is located, is a rapidly growing southwest suburb of the Twin Cities. It was once a smaller river town but expanded significantly after a highway realignment improved access to the metro area. The population has grown briskly in recent years. The city has a mix of historic downtown attractions, large industrial employers such as Amazon and Emerson, and suburban residential development. Housing values in the area have risen modestly over the past year, and rents have also edged up, though both sit above national benchmarks. The city’s growth has drawn new residential and commercial projects, and a substantial share of households include children, making it a family-oriented place.
A parent considering Aspire Academy Elementary should know that it is a brand-new charter option with a STEM focus in a fast-growing suburb. The school’s test results from its first year of available data are low, and a family may want to ask the school directly about its academic program, how it supports students who are not yet proficient, and what its plans are for improvement. The student body is economically disadvantaged at a very high rate, and the school is nearly entirely composed of Black students, which may be a characteristic some families seek or want to understand better. Because the school is small and new, there is limited track record to judge, so speaking with current families or visiting the school could give a clearer picture of the day-to-day experience. The district brief noted that the charter opened in 2021, so it is still establishing itself. For families weighing options in Shakopee, this school represents a choice beyond the local traditional public schools, but its academic outcomes, as measured by state tests, are a clear area to investigate further.
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