The top reported proficiency rate is 27% in English language arts. The lowest is 3% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Saint Paul Online Middle School
Saint Paul Online Middle School serves grades six through eight as a regular public school within the Saint Paul Public Schools district, but it delivers instruction entirely online. That format is the defining feature of the school and shapes every part of the experience a family would need to evaluate. It is a small school, and the student body is highly diverse, with a substantial share of Black and Asian students and smaller shares of Hispanic, White, and multiracial students. A very large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic need. Because the school is virtual, the peer environment is not a physical classroom; students interact through digital platforms, and the community is built online.
The state assessment results for math, reading, and science show proficiency rates that are low across all three subjects. In math, only a small portion of students at each grade level met the standards. In reading, the share was somewhat higher but still well below statewide averages. The eighth-grade science results are similarly low. Overall, the school’s academic performance on state tests places it in the bottom quarter relative to districts in Ramsey County. This is a soft spot that a family considering the school should explore directly with the administration. The available data covers only one school year, so there is no trend information to indicate whether these results represent a recent decline or a consistent pattern. Because the school is online, parents should ask about the specific instructional model, how teachers monitor student progress, and what academic interventions are available for students who are not meeting benchmarks.
Notable gaps exist in the data. There is no reported information on the share of students with disabilities or English learners, nor on discipline incidents, chronic absenteeism, or staffing ratios. For a virtual school, attendance and engagement metrics are especially important. A parent should ask the school directly how it tracks participation, what supports are in place for students who struggle with self-directed learning, and how the school serves students with special needs or language barriers.
Saint Paul, where the school is based, is the state capital and a large, diverse city on the Mississippi River. The city has a stable population, a strong park system, and a mix of government, healthcare, and service employment. Housing values in the area are moderate relative to national trends, though costs have been rising. The district that operates the school, Saint Paul Public Schools, has recently added new magnet options elsewhere, including an environmental STEM middle school and a culturally focused elementary magnet, reflecting a broader push for school choice. Saint Paul Online Middle School remains an option within that landscape, but families should weigh its virtual model against the district’s other offerings.
The school does not have a graduation rate because it serves only middle grades. No program offerings or extracurricular details are available in the data. The school’s website and district office are the best sources for information about curriculum, technology requirements, and how the online program compares to the district’s traditional middle schools.
For a family considering a fully online middle school, Saint Paul Online presents a small, economically diverse student body in a virtual environment, but the academic results on state tests are low, and key operational data is missing. A close look at how the school addresses these challenges is warranted.
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