The top reported proficiency rate is 0% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Reach Academy
REACH Academy is a special education school within the Mounds View Public School District, serving grades six through twelve in Shoreview, a second-ring suburb north of Saint Paul. Its status as a special education school is its defining feature. This is not a neighborhood comprehensive school; it is a purpose-built setting for students whose individualized education programs (IEPs) designate this level of support. A family reading this should understand that attendance is driven by a student’s specific needs and a placement decision made by the district’s special education team, not by a general enrollment lottery or a residential boundary.
The school is very small. The student body is composed of about a dozen and a half students across all seven secondary grades, with most grade levels having just a handful of students. Because of the school’s mission and population, the standard academic measures that parents typically look at do not apply here in the usual way. State assessment results for math, reading, and science in the most recent school year reported a zero percent proficiency rate. This is not a soft spot in the same sense it would be at a traditional school; it reflects that the students placed here are, by the nature of their special education designations, working on individual goals that are often not aligned with grade-level standards. The overall proficiency index for the school places it in the bottom quartile relative to districts in Ramsey County, but that comparison is of limited value given the school’s specialized role. A parent considering this placement should look into how the school measures individual student progress on their IEP goals, as that is the more relevant academic accountability for a student here.
About half of the students come from lower-income households, as indicated by the share qualifying for free or reduced-price meals. The student body is majority white, with a notable presence of students who identify as two or more races, and smaller shares identifying as Black, Hispanic, or American Indian. Data on the share of students with IEPs or English learner status was not available, though the school’s designation as a special education school means every student enrolled is placed through the IEP process.
The school is part of the Mounds View Public School District, which recently passed an operating levy renewal and a new levy in late 2024. That new levy adds funding designated for social-emotional support, academic support, and maintaining class sizes, which may be relevant for a school serving a high-needs population. The district also made budget reductions in the same period that included cuts to staffing and professional development. The district opened limited nonresident K-5 open enrollment options for the 2024-2025 school year, but as a secondary special education school, REACH Academy’s admissions process is distinct from that policy.
Shoreview is a car-oriented suburban community with a strong corporate and business presence, including a Land O'Lakes office. The typical home value in the area is well above the national figure, and rents are similarly elevated, reflecting the affluence of the surrounding district. The city has extensive park and trail infrastructure with many lakes, but no traditional downtown and little walkable street life. The growth context is a suburb that boomed through the mid-to-late twentieth century and has since settled into a period of modest population stability.
For a parent whose child is already receiving special education services, or whose child is being evaluated for a placement that may involve a specialized setting, REACH Academy represents a clear alternative to a larger comprehensive middle or high school. The academic metrics will look stark on any public report card, but those numbers are a direct function of the population served. The central practical question is whether the school’s programming, staff expertise, and therapeutic or behavioral supports match the student’s individual IEP goals. The available data does not specify what those programmatic offerings are, so a family would need to ask the school directly about the curriculum, the related services provided, and the school’s approach to transition planning for postsecondary life.
See more original research from School Decision →