Original Research by School Decision on Superior Academy
Superior Academy is an alternative school serving kindergarten through twelfth grade within the Duluth Public School District in St. Louis County. It is a very small school, and its size and mission place it outside the typical academic metrics that most public schools report.
The school’s enrollment is very small, serving a small number of students across a wide grade span. The student body is predominantly white, with a very small number of American Indian or Alaska Native students. A modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Because the school operates as an alternative setting within the district, its academic program is likely designed for students who need a different structure or support than a conventional school provides.
State testing data for Superior Academy is essentially absent. The only test results available are from a single school year, and those results are suppressed, meaning the state withheld them due to the very small number of students tested. In the subject of math, a single seventh-grade student took the assessment. In English language arts, a small number of seventh- and eighth-grade students were tested as well. No proficiency rates, average scores, or trends can be determined from this data. A graduation rate is not available, which is consistent with the nature of a small alternative school that serves non-traditional students.
Families considering Superior Academy should understand that this is not a school where you will find a typical academic profile. There is no way to evaluate the school based on standardized test performance, and the comparison to other districts in St. Louis County is not applicable for the same reason. The school’s purpose is to serve students who may not be succeeding in a conventional classroom, and the district places them here for that reason.
Duluth, where the school is located, is a mid-sized port city on Lake Superior and the regional center for northeastern Minnesota. It is a mix of older residential neighborhoods climbing steep hills above the lake and a working waterfront that supports shipping, tourism, and healthcare as major industries. The city’s population has been stable for years, and its growth is modest. The school sits on Pecan Avenue in a residential part of the city.
Because Superior Academy is an alternative school, a parent looking into it should contact the school or the Duluth district directly to understand the specific referral process, the academic pathways available, and the support services offered. This is a setting for a particular subset of students, and the available data cannot tell you whether it is a good fit for your child. The parent’s own inquiry with the school will be essential.
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