The top reported proficiency rate is 0% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Middle Level Alternative Program
Middle Level Alternative Program in Brainerd is a school that belongs to the Brainerd Public School District and serves students in grades five through eight. Its school type is alternative school. The student population is small. The school serves a grade band where state assessments are given, and the available test results show a specific and narrow picture. In reading, about half of students met the state proficiency standard in the most recent year, though this figure represents a single year of data with no trend to compare it against. In math, the share of students scoring proficient was low. Science results for the tested grade were suppressed by the state, likely due to the small number of test-takers. A parent considering this school should look into the math and reading support structures with the school directly.
The school’s student body is predominantly white, with a notable share of American Indian or Alaska Native students and a very small number of Hispanic students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school’s small total enrollment means that classroom dynamics and peer groupings may differ considerably from a larger middle school. The school is a conventional public school, not a charter or magnet. Information on special education services, English learner support, and discipline was not available in the source data. A parent with a child who receives special education or English language services would want to ask the district or school about those programs directly.
Brainerd itself is the Crow Wing County seat and sits along the Mississippi River in the central part of the state. The city has roots as a railroad town and later a paper-mill community, and its economy today blends light industry, county government, and tourism tied to the Brainerd Lakes Area. The downtown core has a traditional grid with shops, restaurants, and arts venues, while the school campuses, including this alternative program, are located on their own sites away from that core. The broader Brainerd micropolitan area includes Crow Wing and Cass counties. Population growth in Brainerd has been modest in recent years, and development has included both residential expansion and repurposing of former industrial sites. Housing values in the area sit near the state benchmark. A parent moving to the area would find Brainerd a mid-sized town with a service and tourism-oriented economy and a range of housing options from older homes near downtown to newer construction on the outskirts.
The district itself did not have recent parent-relevant changes confirmed in the available research. A parent might want to ask district officials about any recent program or facility updates directly. In the context of districts within Crow Wing County, the school’s overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile. No graduation rate applies because the school ends at eighth grade. A parent who is choosing between this alternative program and a traditional middle school would benefit from a direct conversation with the school about what academic and behavioral supports it provides and how its curriculum compares to the district’s other middle school options.
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