Olson Middle, Minneapolis MN - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Olson Middle

Olson Middle is a regular public school in Minneapolis, serving grades six through eight. It is part of the Minneapolis Public School District, which has faced significant upheaval in recent years: school closures, a comprehensive redesign of attendance boundaries and magnet placements, a rejected operating levy, a renewed technology levy, and a persistent budget deficit driven by declining enrollment and the expiration of federal COVID-19 relief funds. All of this forms the backdrop for the school a family would be considering.

The student body is diverse. A majority of students are Black, with substantial numbers of Hispanic, Asian, and White students, and smaller shares of American Indian and multiracial students. A large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which places Olson in a high-poverty context. The school is small for a middle school, and data on special education and English learner populations was not available.

State assessment results for the most recent school year show very low proficiency rates across all tested subjects and grades. In mathematics, proficiency rates were in the single digits at each grade level. In English language arts, rates were similarly low, though slightly higher than math. In science at grade eight, the proficiency rate was also in the single digits. Compared to districts across Hennepin County, Olson’s overall proficiency index lands in the bottom quartile, meaning the school’s average performance across subjects and grades is among the lowest in the county. Only one year of trend data was available, so it is not possible to see whether performance has been improving or declining.

Because this is a middle school, there is no graduation rate or college-going data to report. Information on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing, and course access was also not reported. The data does not include any record of specific academic programs, magnet themes, or career pathways at Olson, so a parent would want to ask the school directly about what is offered beyond the core curriculum.

The school is located in Minneapolis, a major urban center with a dense, gridded street layout, a strong downtown presence, a major university campus, an extensive park system with many lakes, and a robust public transit network. The city is home to corporate headquarters, cultural institutions, and professional sports teams. Housing in the broader city is moderate relative to the metro area’s costs, though the specific neighborhood around Olson may differ; the school sits on 51st Avenue North, in a residential section of the city. The Minneapolis district’s ongoing financial pressures and restructuring may affect school-level resources, programming, and stability from year to year.

Olson Middle serves a high-need student population in a large urban district under financial strain. Its state test scores are well below the county average, and a parent considering the school would want to inquire about academic supports, intervention programs, and the school’s efforts to raise achievement. The peer environment is diverse and predominantly low-income. The school’s small size may be a positive for some families seeking a more intimate setting. Without further information on special programs or school climate, the decision to enroll would depend on what a family learns from visiting and talking with staff.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 65%

School 5% · District 33% · ▼ 28 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Grade 76%

School 6% · District 30% · ▼ 24 pts below district

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Grade 87%

School 7% · District 32% · ▼ 25 pts below district

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 69%

School 9% · District 42% · ▼ 33 pts below district

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

Grade 716%

School 16% · District 36% · ▼ 20 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Grade 817%

School 17% · District 37% · ▼ 20 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Science

Grade 85%

School 5% · District 14% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

This schoolMinneapolis 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income10%Higher-income5%6 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income10%Higher-income46%36 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income19%Higher-income10%9 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income5%Higher-income5%0 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income6%Higher-income8%2 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income9%Higher-income0%9 pp gap