The top reported proficiency rate is 26% in English language arts. The lowest is 8% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Andersen Middle
Andersen Middle sits within the Minneapolis Public School District, serving grades six through eight from a location in the city’s south side. The school enrolls a mid-sized middle-school population, with the largest group of students concentrated in sixth grade. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, followed by a substantial White enrollment and a smaller share of Black students; American Indian, Asian, and multiracial students each make up a modest portion of the total. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on the share of students with an individualized education program or who are English learners was not available for this school year, which a parent may want to confirm with the district.
Andersen Middle is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet. The school’s academic results on the state’s Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments in the most recent testing year were low across subjects. In math, proficiency rates were in the low twenties across grades six, seven, and eight. In English language arts, proficiency rates were broadly similar, landing in the mid-twenties in sixth grade and slightly lower in seventh and eighth. In eighth-grade science, the proficiency rate was lower still. When compared to other schools across the county’s districts, Andersen Middle’s combined proficiency across tested subjects and grades placed it below the midpoint of that set. The school has only a single year of assessment data in the available record, making trend analysis not possible at this time. Because Andersen is a middle school, no graduation rate is reported.
The locale is Minneapolis, a major urban center and the state’s most populous city. It is a dense, mixed-use environment with a downtown skyline, a historic riverfront, and residential neighborhoods spread around numerous lakes. The city’s public park system is linked by the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway, and the Mississippi riverfront runs through the city. Major cultural institutions include the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Walker Art Center, and the Guthrie Theater. The University of Minnesota’s main campus sits just east of downtown. The broader metro economy is anchored by headquarters companies such as Target Corporation and General Mills, along with the university and the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Public transit includes buses and light rail operated by Metro Transit. The city’s population has been roughly stable, with a slight decline since the 2020 Census. The Minneapolis housing market generally reflects typical urban patterns, with home values near the state benchmark and rents rising modestly.
The Minneapolis Public School District has been under considerable financial pressure in recent years. Enrollment has declined from a higher peak in the prior decade to a lower count more recently. The district faced a projected budget deficit that drove difficult decisions. The school board voted to close three schools at the end of the 2022-23 school year, and the district’s Comprehensive District Design, approved in 2020 and phased in through 2023-2024, restructured school pathways, attendance boundaries, and magnet program placements. This plan has changed which elementary schools feed into which middle and high schools, altering school assignment options for families citywide. A technology capital levy was renewed by voters in 2022, providing ongoing funding for technology infrastructure. However, a proposed operating levy increase in 2020 was rejected by voters, adding to the district’s ongoing budget challenges. These financial and structural pressures mean that families in the Andersen Middle attendance area should expect continued district-level conversations about school configuration, program offerings, and resource allocation.
For a family evaluating Andersen Middle, the school offers a middle-school experience in a large urban district with a diverse student body and a high rate of economic need. The state assessment results are an area where a parent would likely want to look into the school’s academic supports and intervention strategies, as proficiency rates are low across all tested subjects. The broader district context involves significant recent change and ongoing budget strain, which may affect everything from class sizes to program availability. The surrounding city provides a dense urban environment with substantial cultural, recreational, and transit resources.
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