Original Research by School Decision on The Next Step
The Next Step is a special education school serving students in the final two years of high school, and it operates as part of the North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale district. It is not a charter school. The enrollment consists entirely of one grade level, and the school is small, with a group of seniors. The student body is racially and ethnically diverse, with families of White, Black, Asian, and Hispanic backgrounds represented, and a small number of students identifying as two or more races or American Indian or Alaska Native. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that a substantial share of families have lower incomes. The school’s special education designation means it is designed to serve students with disabilities, and because of that specialized purpose, many of the typical academic performance measures that parents may look for are not available here. No state testing results were reported for this school, no four-year graduation rate was reported, and chronic absenteeism data was missing. This likely reflects the nature of the school as a special education setting, where standard accountability metrics may not apply or may be reported differently. A parent interested in academic outcomes should contact the district directly for information about how students progress.
North Saint Paul, where the school is located, is a fully incorporated city in Ramsey County, distinct from its larger neighbor Saint Paul. It has an older character, with a historic downtown of brick storefronts and landmarks like Neumann's Bar, the oldest continuously operating bar in Minnesota, and the 20-ton North Saint Paul Snowman, a civic symbol. The Gateway State Trail, a multi-use path on a former railway grade, cuts through the city, and Silver Lake and Casey Lake both have large parks. The city is compact, and its housing stock reflects an established community rather than new development. Population growth has been modest, and the city’s housing vacancy rates are low. The school itself is located on 7th Avenue East, and given the city's size, it is within a short distance of the downtown core and other civic facilities.
The district, North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale, serves a broader area that includes North Saint Paul as well as the suburbs of Maplewood and Oakdale. No notable recent changes were found in publicly reported district updates, suggesting stability in leadership, programs, or facilities. The school’s placement inside this district means that it is part of a larger system that also runs traditional elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as other specialized programs.
For a family considering this school, it is important to understand that The Next Step is not a general-education high school. It is a specialized setting for students with disabilities, serving a single grade level at a time. The high share of students from low-income households may indicate additional supports or federal programs, though Title I status was not reported. The absence of a graduation rate or proficiency data does not indicate a deficiency; rather, it reflects that the school operates outside the typical accountability framework. A parent whose child is in special education and who is looking for a program that provides targeted support and a small environment in the final year of high school may want to speak with the district’s special education department to understand the curriculum, transition services, and post-graduation outcomes. For a family seeking a comprehensive high school with a full range of extracurriculars, advanced coursework, and standardized test results, this school would not be the appropriate setting.
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