Valley Middle School of Stem, Apple Valley MN

Original Research by School Decision on Valley Middle School of Stem

Valley Middle School of STEM serves grades six through eight in Apple Valley, a Twin Cities suburb that grew rapidly from a former farming community into a largely residential city with commercial strips along Cedar Avenue and County Road 42. The school sits within Independent School District 196, Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan, and its name signals a focus on science, technology, engineering, and math, though the curriculum and elective offerings were not detailed in available data. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and it draws from the surrounding neighborhoods of Apple Valley, a city that has seen its population growth slow in recent years and where the school district is the largest employer.

State testing results from the most recent school year are available. In math, proficiency rates across the three grades fall in a range that places the school above the midpoint when compared to other schools in Dakota County districts. Reading proficiency rates are somewhat higher than math in the sixth and seventh grades but dip in eighth grade. Science, which is tested only in eighth grade, shows a noticeably lower proficiency rate, and the state assessment for science underwent both a name and cut-score change that year, so direct comparisons to prior years are not possible. A parent interested in the science program may want to follow up with the school about curriculum and instructional supports.

The student body is diverse and reflects the broader community. About half of students are white, with substantial shares of Black, Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial students. Roughly 45 percent qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that a sizable portion of families have lower household incomes. Enrollment is around the size typical for a middle school serving three grades, with roughly even numbers in each grade. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not reported, so it is unclear what share of students receive special education or language support services.

Apple Valley’s housing market sits in the middle range for the Twin Cities metro. Home values and rents have been rising modestly, and the area remains car-dependent, with commuting options via bus and the Red Line to the Mall of America. The district has recently opened a new elementary school in neighboring Rosemount and launched a full-time virtual school option called 196Online, giving families additional educational choices. An operating referendum passed in recent years provides a significant portion of district funding from local property taxes, a factor that affects both tax bills and school resources.

For a family considering this school, the academic profile shows a middle-of-the-pack performance within Dakota County, with math and reading in the upper half when compared to peer schools, and science trailing behind. The diverse student body and moderate economic mix provide a peer environment typical of a large Twin Cities suburb. The school’s STEM designation suggests an emphasis on those subjects, but specific program offerings, such as course pathways, robotics, or career exploration, were not available to confirm. Parents looking for a neighborhood middle school in a stable, family-oriented suburban community will find a solid option here, though those with particular concerns about science achievement or special education supports may want to ask for more detail.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 633%

School 33% · District 49% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 734%

School 34% · District 50% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 840%

School 40% · District 51% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 646%

School 46% · District 62% · ▼ 15 pts below district

even with state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 742%

School 42% · District 52% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 837%

School 37% · District 51% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▲ 2 pts above state median · even with county median

Science

Grade 815%

School 15% · District 22% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

This schoolROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income31%Higher-income60%29 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income32%Higher-income50%19 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income21%Higher-income51%30 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income18%Higher-income46%27 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income21%Higher-income46%25 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income21%Higher-income56%35 pp gap