The top reported proficiency rate is 9% in English language arts. The lowest is 0% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Hmong International Elementary
Hmong International Elementary is a regular public school in Minneapolis, part of the Minneapolis Public School District. It serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade and enrolls a student body that is small for an elementary school in a major city. The composition is notably diverse: the largest groups are Asian students and Black students, with smaller shares of Hispanic, white, and multiracial students. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker that the school serves a population with high economic need.
The school’s state testing results, from the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments, are reported for grades three through five in math and English language arts, and for grade five in science. Across all tested grades and subjects, proficiency rates are well below state averages. In math, the proportion of students scoring proficient was in the low single digits for fourth and fifth grade and somewhat higher but still low for third grade. In English language arts, third-grade proficiency was also low, while fourth and fifth grade rates were in the single digits. No fifth-grade students were proficient in science, though nearly all participated in the assessment. The overall proficiency index, which combines all tested subjects and grades, places Hmong International Elementary in the bottom quartile relative to districts across Hennepin County. The data available covers only one school year, so no trend is visible. A parent considering this school would want to look into what academic supports are available and how the school is working to address these performance levels.
The district context matters here. Minneapolis Public Schools has been under significant fiscal pressure. Enrollment has declined district-wide over the past decade, leading to a large budget shortfall. In recent years, the district closed three schools, restructured attendance boundaries and magnet program placements through a Comprehensive District Design, and saw voters reject an operating levy increase while renewing a technology levy. These conditions mean that resources, staffing, and program stability are ongoing concerns for every school in the system, including Hmong International.
Minneapolis itself is a dense, diverse urban center with a strong downtown core, a major university campus, extensive parks and lakes, and a mix of historic and modern development. The housing market in the area around the school reflects a city where home values are below the state median but have been rising. Rents have also increased. Families living in this part of Minneapolis are in a setting with robust public transit, civic and cultural institutions, and a wide range of employment, but also with the challenges that come with an urban public school system facing structural budget deficits.
Hmong International Elementary’s name suggests a cultural or language-focused identity, but the data provided does not detail any specific program offerings, such as dual-language immersion, special education services, or enrichment activities. If the school does offer a Hmong-language or culture-based curriculum, that would be a distinctive draw for some families, but we cannot confirm that from the available information. The school does not have reported data on staffing ratios, chronic absenteeism, or discipline, so a family would need to ask the school directly about class sizes, teacher experience, and school climate.
This is a school that serves a high-need community, with test results that families will want to understand in full context. The peer environment is economically diverse in terms of need, and racially and ethnically diverse. For a family that values a small, culturally connected elementary within a large urban district, and that is prepared to engage actively with the school around academic support, Hmong International could be a fit. For a family prioritizing schools with strong state test scores, the data suggests this is not that school, and a parent may want to investigate further what academic interventions and growth measures are in place.
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