The top reported proficiency rate is 0% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Mps Online K-5
MPS Online K-5 is the Minneapolis Public School District’s full-time, fully remote elementary program, serving kindergarten through fifth grade. It is a regular public school, not a charter, and its students live across the city, participating from home. This is not a hybrid or occasional virtual option; families who enroll here are choosing a completely online academic setting for their child in the early grades.
The school is small, with a total enrollment that reflects the niche nature of the program. Its student body is diverse. A majority of students are Black, with a meaningful share identifying as two or more races, followed by smaller groups of White, Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the program serves a population where economic need is common. Data on the share of students with disabilities or English learner status was not reported, which is a gap a parent may want to follow up on with the district.
State testing results are the most distinctive feature of MPS Online K-5, and they present a complicated picture. In math, the school reported a zero percent proficiency rate for every tested grade level. In English language arts, the figure was very low as well. Science results for grade five were suppressed due to a very small testing count, though participation in that assessment was reported as universal. These are the official state outcomes. The school’s overall proficiency index, which averages performance across tested subjects, places it in the bottom quartile compared to all elementary grade bands within Minneapolis Public Schools.
A family weighing these results needs to interpret them in context. MPS Online K-5 is a fully remote program serving an elementary-age population, a setting where state testing conditions and participation may differ significantly from in-person instruction. Parents and advocates familiar with the school may have additional information about how remote instruction, student engagement, or the circumstances of the pandemic-era cohort have shaped these numbers. The data alone cannot tell you why the scores look the way they do. For some families, the very low proficiency rates will be a dealbreaker. For others, the school is a necessary option for a child who needs a virtual setting, and those families will want to ask the school directly about academic support, pacing, and how teachers work with families to close skill gaps.
The school has no graduation rate to report, as it serves only kindergarten through fifth grade. There is no data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing available in the public data provided. The school is part of Minneapolis Public Schools, a district that has been navigating significant change. The district’s Comprehensive District Design restructured attendance boundaries and magnet placements in recent years, and school closure decisions in 2022 eliminated three buildings. A technology levy was renewed by voters in 2022, but a proposed operating levy increase was rejected in 2020, and the district has faced persistent budget deficits tied to declining enrollment and the end of federal COVID relief funds. Families considering this online program should be aware that the parent district is under ongoing financial pressure, which may affect the resources and stability of any school within it.
Minneapolis itself is a major urban hub with a dense downtown, a major university, and an extensive park and lake system. The school’s address is on West Broadway Avenue, a location in the city’s north side, but because the program is online, geography matters less than internet access and the family’s daily schedule. There is no building to commute to. For families who want a classroom-based elementary school with the full Minneapolis Public Schools experience of in-person instruction, extracurriculars, and social development with a cohort of peers, this program is unlikely to fit. For those who need or strongly prefer a remote elementary option, MPS Online K-5 is the district’s available choice. The academic outcomes are the clearest signal available, and they demand a very direct conversation with the school about what instruction looks like day to day and how the school measures growth beyond the state test.
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