Original Research by School Decision on Mpls H.s. Alternative Program
MPLS H.S. Alternative Program is a public alternative school serving grades 11 and 12 in Minneapolis, part of the Minneapolis Public School District. It sits within a large urban district that has been navigating declining enrollment, budget deficits, and school closures. The program is classified as an alternative school, which typically means it serves students who need a non-traditional setting to complete high school—often those who are credit deficient, have struggled in a conventional high school, or need flexible scheduling. Because alternative programs often operate with smaller, more targeted populations, the publicly reported data for this school is extremely thin.
State testing results are not available here, and no proficiency data, graduation rate, or chronic absenteeism metrics are reported. That is not unusual for an alternative school of this type; students in alternative programs frequently do not take the same statewide assessments, and graduation rates may be calculated differently or suppressed due to small numbers. The enrollment data shows zero for total and for both grades 11 and 12, and all race-ethnicity counts are zero. This likely means the data is suppressed for privacy or the program was not operating a traditional cohort during the reporting period, rather than that the school has no students. A parent interested in this program would need to contact the school directly to understand its current enrollment, student profile, and graduation outcomes.
The program is located at 1250 West Broadway Avenue, in the Near North neighborhood of Minneapolis. The surrounding city is a dense urban center with a strong park system, major employers like Target and the University of Minnesota, and extensive public transit. Housing in the area, based on the zip-level data, shows home values that are below the state median and below the national median, with rents that have risen in the past year. The affordability picture suggests that a family could find housing here at a cost lower than many other parts of the metro, though the broader Minneapolis Public School District has faced budget strain that may affect programs and staffing.
The district itself has been undergoing significant restructuring. In 2020, voters rejected an operating levy increase, and the district has since closed three schools. A Comprehensive District Design was approved in 2020 and phased in, changing attendance boundaries and magnet school placements. For the 2024-25 school year, the district faced a substantial budget deficit, leading to potential staff reductions and program cuts. These district-level pressures could affect an alternative program indirectly, through resource allocation or support services.
For a family considering MPLS H.S. Alternative Program, the key takeaway is that this is a non-traditional high school option for juniors and seniors, likely designed for students who need a smaller, more flexible environment to finish their diploma. The public data does not provide details on the program's curriculum, graduation rates, or student demographics, so a direct inquiry with the program is essential. The school's alternative status means it may not be measured by the same metrics as a comprehensive high school, and that is by design. Families should ask about the program's credit recovery options, support for at-risk students, post-graduation plans, and how it connects to the rest of the Minneapolis district offerings. The setting is urban with access to city resources, but the district's financial challenges are a backdrop that could affect any school within it.
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