The top reported proficiency rate is 0% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Crossroads School
Crossroads School is an alternative school serving kindergarten through twelfth grade, operating under St. Francis Area Schools. It is located in Anoka, a northern Twin Cities suburb and county seat that blends historic downtown character with commuter-town residential neighborhoods. The school's address places it on St. Francis Boulevard on the northwestern edge of Anoka, near the border with the city of St. Francis.
This is a very small school, with an enrollment that is minimal for a kindergarten-through-twelfth-grade program. The student body is spread across grades seven through twelve, with no students enrolled in grades kindergarten through six. The composition is mixed: a little over a third of students are white, a little over a third are Black, and a little over a quarter are American Indian or Alaska Native. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a population with significant economic need. Data on special education identification and English learner status was not available.
State assessment results are reported for grades six, seven, and eight, but the school had no students enrolled in grade six, so testing data there is effectively moot. In the grades where students were tested, proficiency rates in math and reading were below what is typical for the state and for the county. The school's overall proficiency index, which combines all tested subjects and grades, places it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Anoka County. Because the school is an alternative school, these results should be interpreted in that context; alternative programs often serve students who have struggled in traditional settings, and the test scores reflect that population rather than the entire age cohort. Science results for eighth grade were suppressed due to a small number of test-takers.
As a school that spans all grades but serves a very small number of secondary students, Crossroads does not have a publicly reported graduation rate. The school type itself suggests a focus on students who may need a different setting than a conventional comprehensive high school.
The district that operates Crossroads, St. Francis Area Schools, has been under notable fiscal pressure. A 2024 operating levy referendum was defeated by voters, which would have generated revenue for class size reduction, staffing, and academic programs. The district has implemented multiple rounds of budget reductions, cutting staff and co-curricular activities, and has warned that further cuts may be necessary. The district has also expanded Saints Online, a full-time K-12 remote learning program taught by district teachers using the district curriculum.
For a parent or resident considering Crossroads, the school is clearly an alternative placement, likely serving a small number of students for whom a conventional school environment has not been a good fit. Its academic performance numbers are low, but that is typical for a school of this type. The key question is what specific programming and support the school offers, and whether a student's needs match that alternative setting. The available data does not detail the school's curriculum, course access, staffing ratios, or disciplinary approach, so a family would need to contact the school directly to understand the academic pathway, the structure of the day, and the nature of the student community. The broader district context of budget cuts and a defeated referendum means that resources at the district level are constrained, which may affect the alternative program as well as the traditional schools in the system. Anoka itself is a developed suburb with modest population growth, a traditional downtown, and a mix of residential and light industrial employment, but the school's location on St. Francis Boulevard puts it nearer to the less dense edge of the community.
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