The reported proficiency rate for English language arts is 0%.
Original Research by School Decision on Center School
Center School sits inside Minneapolis as an alternative school within the Minneapolis Public School District, serving students in grades seven through twelve. Its enrollment is very small, and the student body is overwhelmingly composed of American Indian or Alaska Native students, with a significant share also identifying as Hispanic. A vast majority of families qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of high economic need. The school’s designation as an alternative school signals that it is designed for students who may not thrive in a traditional academic setting, often because of prior disengagement, credit recovery needs, or other circumstances that call for a different approach to instruction and support.
Because of its specialized mission and small size, the academic performance data for Center School is limited and must be read with that context in mind. On the state assessments in English language arts and mathematics for the most recent testing year, the proficiency rate was reported at zero percent for all students tested. In science, the results for eighth graders were suppressed because the number of tested students was extremely small, and the participation rate was very low. When the school is compared with other districts in Hennepin County on overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades, it falls in the bottom quartile. No graduation rate is available in the data we examined, and chronic absenteeism data is also absent. The absence of these metrics is not unusual for an alternative school of this size, but a parent considering Center School may want to ask the school directly about its graduation pathway and attendance patterns.
The school’s demographic profile is distinctive. More than three-quarters of the students are American Indian or Alaska Native, making Center School a rare environment where that community is strongly represented. About one-fifth of students are Hispanic, and the remainder are two or more races. This composition reflects the school’s role within Minneapolis as a site serving a population that is often underserved elsewhere. The economic context is one of concentrated poverty; the share of students eligible for federal meal programs is extremely high.
Minneapolis itself is a major urban center, the most populous city in Minnesota and a dense hub of corporate headquarters, arts institutions, the University of Minnesota’s main campus, and professional sports. The city has a strong grid with a walkable downtown and a park system linked by the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway, along with Metro Transit bus and light-rail service. The broader school district has been under considerable strain in recent years. Enrollment has declined substantially, and the district has faced persistent budget deficits that have led to school closures, program cuts, and a restructuring of attendance boundaries and magnet school placements through its Comprehensive District Design, phased in starting in 2021. Voters rejected an operating levy increase in 2020 but renewed a technology capital levy in 2022. The district’s financial challenges are ongoing and affect the stability and resources available at all its schools, including Center School.
Center School is not a conventional pathway. It is a small alternative program that serves a population with very high economic need, and its academic proficiency numbers are the lowest among Hennepin County districts. For a family exploring it, the central question is whether the school’s environment and services match a student who needs an alternative setting. The data we have does not describe what specific programs or supports the school offers, nor does it show outcomes like graduation or postsecondary transition. A parent should visit, talk to staff, and ask directly about the school’s approach, credit recovery options, counseling, and what pathways students take after leaving. This is a school that exists to serve a specific purpose for a specific group of students, and its value cannot be read from test scores alone, though those scores do reflect the acute academic challenges the school is working with.
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