Rockridge Academy, Duluth MN - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Rockridge Academy

Rockridge Academy is an alternative school serving kindergarten through twelfth grade in Duluth, Minnesota. It is part of the Duluth Public School District and is not a charter school. The school has a small enrollment, with students spread across most grade levels. The student body is predominantly white, and a very large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, reflecting the economic circumstances many families bring to the school.

As an alternative school, Rockridge Academy is designed for students who may benefit from a setting that differs from a traditional comprehensive school. Alternative schools in Minnesota often serve students who have struggled in conventional environments, whether because of academic gaps, behavioral challenges, or other circumstances that make a smaller, more flexible program appropriate. That context matters for interpreting what the school offers and what its academic results mean.

State testing data for the 2024-25 school year shows very low proficiency rates in math and English language arts. In math, no tested student scored proficient across grades three through eight. In ELA, about one in five students performed at the proficient level across the same grade span. Science results for grades five and eight are suppressed due to very small tested populations, so no conclusion can be drawn there. The school’s overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among districts in St. Louis County. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand how it measures academic progress for students who are not yet at grade level and what supports are in place.

There is no available data on graduation rates. Rockridge Academy serves kindergarten through twelfth grade, but the enrollment data shows no seniors in the reported year, so a four-year cohort may not have been present or the data is simply not reported. Similarly, chronic absenteeism rates, discipline data, staffing ratios, and course offerings are not available in the source material. The district brief turned up no recent parent-relevant changes with lasting impact, so nothing can be said about upcoming shifts.

The school is located in Duluth, a mid-sized port city on Lake Superior that serves as the regional center for northeastern Minnesota. Duluth has a mix of older residential neighborhoods, a working port, and a tourist-oriented waterfront. Its economy relies on healthcare, shipping, tourism, and higher education. The population has been relatively stable in recent years, with modest growth rather than rapid expansion. Housing values in the area are near the statewide benchmark, and the overall cost of living is comparable to many parts of Minnesota. The city’s public transportation includes bus service, and the hilly topography means that walkability varies greatly by neighborhood.

For a family considering Rockridge Academy, the central question is whether the school’s alternative mission matches a student’s needs. The academic proficiency numbers are far below those of most traditional public schools in the county, but alternative schools typically serve a population that has not thrived elsewhere. A parent may want to ask about the school’s approach to instruction, its support for students who are behind, and what non-academic outcomes it prioritizes, such as re-engagement with school, credit recovery, or social-emotional development. The school’s small size could mean more individualized attention, but the data provided does not confirm that with staffing or program information. This is a place that likely exists for a specific purpose, and understanding that purpose is the first step in deciding whether it fits.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

<=20%Cohort of 18 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

649 schools plotted. 88 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grade 30%

School 0% · District 59% · ▼ 59 pts below district

▼ 55 pts below state median · ▼ 56 pts below county median

Grade 40%

School 0% · District 57% · ▼ 57 pts below district

▼ 51 pts below state median · ▼ 56 pts below county median

Grade 50%

School 0% · District 45% · ▼ 45 pts below district

▼ 35 pts below state median · ▼ 26 pts below county median

Grade 60%

School 0% · District 37% · ▼ 37 pts below district

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 28 pts below county median

Grade 70%

School 0% · District 43% · ▼ 43 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Grade 80%

School 0% · District 38% · ▼ 37 pts below district

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 30%

School 0% · District 51% · ▼ 51 pts below district

▼ 42 pts below state median · ▼ 46 pts below county median

Grade 40%

School 0% · District 53% · ▼ 53 pts below district

▼ 41 pts below state median · ▼ 43 pts below county median

Grade 50%

School 0% · District 66% · ▼ 66 pts below district

▼ 54 pts below state median · ▼ 58 pts below county median

Grade 60%

School 0% · District 62% · ▼ 61 pts below district

▼ 46 pts below state median · ▼ 50 pts below county median

Grade 70%

School 0% · District 53% · ▼ 53 pts below district

▼ 36 pts below state median · ▼ 39 pts below county median

Grade 80%

School 0% · District 52% · ▼ 52 pts below district

▼ 36 pts below state median · ▼ 30 pts below county median

This schoolDULUTH PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.