The top reported proficiency rate is 72% in Science. The lowest is 65% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on North Star Academy
North Star Academy is a charter school in Bluffdale serving kindergarten through ninth grade. It is a single-school charter district, meaning the school and the district are the same entity. The school is located in a fast-growing, predominantly residential suburb south of Salt Lake City, an area that has seen substantial population growth and new residential development. The community is car-dependent, with no public transit stop in Bluffdale itself, and the school sits on its own campus in a suburban landscape of separated schools and commercial corridors.
The school enrolls a student body that is predominantly white, with a modest share of Asian students and a smaller share of Hispanic students. A very small share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a notably low rate. The school serves kindergarten through ninth grade, so it does not have a graduation rate to report, and state testing data is available only for the grades it tests.
On state assessments, North Star Academy’s students performed well above the midpoint among districts in Salt Lake County. The school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades placed it in the top quartile relative to other districts in the county. In English language arts, the share of students scoring proficient or above was solid. In math, the proficiency rate was also strong. In science, the rate was similarly high. These results come from the state’s RISE assessments for grades three through eight. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report, and data on chronic absenteeism was not available.
The school’s enrollment is moderate for a K-9 charter, with roughly even class sizes across kindergarten through ninth grade. The student body is predominantly white, with a notable Asian population and a smaller Hispanic population. The share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch is very low. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source material.
North Star Academy is a charter school, so it operates independently of the local school district. The district brief turned up no recent curriculum changes, referendums, or policy shifts with lasting parent impact, which is common for a single-school charter district that may not generate the same volume of public records as a larger district.
Bluffdale itself is a fast-growing suburban city with no traditional downtown. The school sits in a landscape of residential subdivisions and commercial corridors. The area is car-dependent, and daily errands require driving. The city has an extensive trail system and several parks, but no public library branch or public transit stop. Housing values in the zip code are above the national median, and rents are also above the national median, reflecting the area’s desirability and growth pressure.
Because North Star Academy serves only through ninth grade, families will need to plan for high school elsewhere. The school’s academic performance on state tests is strong relative to other districts in Salt Lake County, and the student body has a very low share of students from low-income households. The school’s charter status means it operates with some independence from the local school district, and families choosing it are opting into that governance model. The surrounding community is suburban, car-dependent, and growing quickly, with new housing developments and road projects underway.
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