Original Research by School Decision on Tartan Senior High
Tartan Senior High is a regular public high school serving grades nine through twelve in Oakdale, a suburban city on the eastern edge of the Twin Cities metro. It belongs to the North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale school district. The school is large for a high school and sits within a community that is experiencing notable growth and development, with recent housing projects and a planned bus rapid transit line expected to spur additional business investment.
Oakdale itself is a car-oriented suburb with no traditional downtown. City Hall and Walton Park function as the civic center, and the city’s parks include a nature preserve with walking and biking trails. Housing values in the area have risen and are above the national median, making Oakdale a moderately expensive place to live. The city is consolidating from a township past and continues to expand its footprint, with population projected to increase further over the next period.
The student body at Tartan is diverse. White students make up the largest share, but there are substantial populations of Asian, Hispanic, Black, and multiracial students, along with small numbers of Native American and Pacific Islander students. The school serves a predominantly lower-income population: a substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a marker of economic need. Data on the share of students with disabilities or English learner status is not available in the information reviewed, leaving a gap for parents who want to understand the level of special education or language support.
On state academic assessments, the school has results for a single recent year. Proficiency in English language arts was below the halfway mark, while math proficiency was much lower. With only one year of data, there is no trend to indicate whether performance is improving, declining, or stable. The school also lacks a reported four-year graduation rate, which is a significant omission for a high school; parents may want to ask the school directly for its graduation outcomes.
No information was available on course offerings such as Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, career-technical programs, or dual credit options. Similarly absent are data on discipline rates, chronic absenteeism, staffing ratios, and teacher qualifications. Without these details, the picture of what Tartan provides in terms of academic pathways, student support, and school climate is incomplete.
Relative to other districts in Washington County, Tartan cannot be placed because key metrics — proficiency index, graduation rate, and chronic absenteeism — are missing from the comparison set. This limits the ability to gauge the school’s standing among its neighbors.
For a family evaluating this school, the core picture is a large, diverse high school in a growing suburban setting, serving a lower-income student body. Academic performance on state tests is modest in reading and low in math on the most recent snapshot. The absence of graduation and program data means that critical questions about college readiness, career pathways, and student success after high school remain unanswered. A parent would be well served to visit the school, review its website, and ask directly about graduation rates, postsecondary enrollment, and the range of courses and supports available.
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