Original Research by School Decision on Stma Online - Secondary
STMA Online - Secondary is a small, regular public school serving grades seven through twelve within the St. Michael-Albertville School District, based in Saint Michael, Minnesota. With an enrollment in the low dozens, it is one of the district's smallest options and is designed for students who need or prefer a fully online learning environment. The student body is predominantly white, with a modest share of Hispanic students and a small number of students from other racial backgrounds. About fifteen percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
Because the school's enrollment is very small, state testing results for the 2021-22 school year were suppressed for both English language arts and science at the eighth-grade level, as the number of test-takers fell below confidentiality thresholds. Participation rates for those assessments were reported at zero percent. A multi-year trend for math shows a reported zero percent proficiency rate for the 2024-25 school year, but that single data point is based on a very small number of students and does not provide a reliable picture of academic performance. No graduation rate data was available, and because the school serves a high school age range but appears to function as an alternative or specialized online program, standard outcome metrics like a cohort-based graduation rate may not apply in the same way they would for a traditional comprehensive high school. A parent considering this school would want to ask the district directly about student outcomes, course completion rates, and the typical postsecondary paths of its graduates.
The school operates as a virtual program under the St. Michael-Albertville district, which is the primary civic institution in a rapidly growing suburb northwest of the Twin Cities. Saint Michael has transformed from farmland into a sprawling residential community, with population growing substantially over recent decades. The city's motto is "A Great Place To Grow," and the housing market reflects that family-oriented suburban profile: home values are above the national median, and rents have increased in the past year. The community is car-dependent, with I-94, US 52, and a state highway as the main routes, and most civic and school facilities are located on separate campuses away from a small historic downtown. The district itself operates seven schools and two alternative academies, and it opened a new high school about a decade and a half ago to accommodate growth, converting the previous building into a middle school.
For a family considering this program, the key factors are about fit rather than comparison to traditional schools. STMA Online - Secondary offers a flexible, off-campus learning option for middle and high school students who may need an alternative schedule, have health concerns, or prefer remote instruction. The trade-off is that with a very small enrollment, the school cannot provide the breadth of extracurricular activities, social interactions, or course variety found at a brick-and-mortar campus. The district's broader academic context—including within its larger schools—is not captured here for this specific program. A parent would need to contact the school or district to understand curriculum offerings, teacher-to-student support, and how the online program prepares students for college or career after graduation. The housing and community context matters for families moving into the area: Saint Michael is a growing, family-oriented suburb with a premium on homeownership, and the online program is one option within a district that otherwise runs traditional schools across multiple sites.
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