LIFE Prep

Summary:

LIFE Prep is a public charter elementary school in Saint Paul, Minnesota, serving 174 students from pre-kindergarten to 6th grade. The school has a predominantly African American (59.2%) and Asian (25.29%) student population.

LIFE Prep has consistently ranked in the bottom 10-15% of Minnesota elementary schools based on academic performance, with significantly lower proficiency rates on state assessments compared to the state average across all grade levels. The school's performance is particularly low for certain student subgroups, such as female students, male students, and students with low socioeconomic status, who rank in the bottom 10-20% of Minnesota elementary schools. LIFE Prep has a very high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 71.67% to 91.38%, indicating a high concentration of students from low-income families.

Compared to nearby charter schools like Community of Peace Academy Elementary, HOPE Community Academy Elementary, and STEAM Academy Charter School, as well as traditional public schools like Bruce F Vento Elementary, Daytons Bluff Elementary, and Txuj Ci HMong Language & Culture Lo, LIFE Prep's academic performance is significantly lower, despite having a lower student-teacher ratio. Addressing the socioeconomic and academic challenges at LIFE Prep will likely require a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach to support the school and its students.


Detail:

Public, Charter PK, KG-6

 930 Geranium Ave East
       Saint Paul, MN  55106-8888


(651) 793-6624

District: Life Prep

SchoolDigger Rank:
809th of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $15,084 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  10.5 Help
Number of students:  174

Racial breakdown:

African American:
59.2%
Asian:
25.3%
Hispanic:
7.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  91.4% Help


 See top rated Minnesota elementary schools

 Compare LIFE Prep to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details LIFE Prep ranks worse than 91.8% of elementary schools in Minnesota. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 8.06. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (59.2%), Asian (25.3%), Hispanic (7.5%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 91.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at LIFE Prep is 10.5. (See more...)
Help
Compare LIFE Prep employs 16.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at LIFE Prep is $15,084.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

LIFE Prep:

SchoolDigger ranks LIFE Prep 809th of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See LIFE Prep in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:


Life Prep:

SchoolDigger ranks Life Prep 436th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for LIFE Prep.

What do you think?

Your rating for LIFE Prep?

Rank History for LIFE Prep

Help
Compare

Rank History for all students at LIFE Prep

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 2.56 650th 674 3.6%
2004 1.57 660th 676 2.4%
2005 0.41 679th 685 0.9%
2006 1.36 742nd 756 1.9%
2007 21.70 689th 777 11.3%
2008 16.46 707th 781 9.5%
2010 59.71 384th 803 52.2%
2011 64.45 323rd 814 60.3%
2012 44.84 576th 820 29.8%
2013 17.38 728th 824 11.7%
2014 21.03 705th 826 14.6%
2015 23.68 698th 840 16.9%
2016 19.49 725th 848 14.5%
2017 16.14 740th 853 13.2%
2018 13.03 752nd 847 11.2%
2019 12.17 772nd 870 11.3%
2021 4.22 830th 869 4.5%
2022 5.71 803rd 858 6.4%
2023 4.05 811th 845 4.0%
2024 8.06 809th 881 8.2%
See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at LIFE Prep

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 18.44 451st 515 12.4%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at LIFE Prep

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.16 575th 728 21.0%
2019 28.14 588th 740 20.5%
2022 14.78 610th 663 8.0%
2023 7.42 738th 774 4.7%
2024 12.33 721st 793 9.1%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at LIFE Prep

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.29 664th 774 14.2%
2019 19.16 674th 787 14.4%
2022 3.42 785th 799 1.8%
2023 4.35 759th 787 3.6%
2024 2.22 807th 809 0.2%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at LIFE Prep

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.57 709th 779 9.0%
2019 8.20 736th 798 7.8%
2022 6.17 758th 808 6.2%
2024 2.15 819th 826 0.8%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at LIFE Prep

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.87 86th 134 35.8%
2019 32.80 91st 136 33.1%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at LIFE Prep

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.02 189th 266 28.9%
2019 28.48 214th 283 24.4%
2022 17.16 251st 282 11.0%
2023 11.31 269th 279 3.6%
2024 20.51 263rd 310 15.2%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Minnesota Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

LIFE Prep Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 







Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2.3)
33%

0%

0%

0%

67%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Friday, May 11, 2018

Open Quote If I could choose to not give a star I would do that. Worst choice I've ever made in a school. If you have a child with an IEP do not choose this school. Numerous times I've asked for help from the school for resources- not once was I provided anything. I've never had such a poor relationship with my child's school ever! So heartbreaking. Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Open Quote My daughter, although received high marks in school, was ill prepared for middle school. I highly regret sending her there. Close Quote


by a citizen
Monday, August 29, 2011

Open Quote The staff is warm and cares deeply about their students. The students are taught to respect one another. On the first day of school, they are informed what is expected of them and there will be consequences if they don't follow the rules. As a grandmother, I wished that there were schools like this when our boys were young. Keep up the good work. Close Quote



Enrollment information for LIFE Prep

Help
Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1999 23 25 6 3 4 n/a n/a 0 61
2000 35 44 18 5 5 n/a n/a 0 107
2001 57 32 18 4 5 n/a n/a 0 116
2002 24 48 21 3 5 n/a n/a 0 101
2003 24 48 21 3 5 n/a n/a 0 101
2004 24 32 23 6 2 n/a n/a 0 87
2005 23 31 14 7 4 n/a n/a 0 79
2006 33 39 17 14 5 n/a n/a 0 108
2007 44 91 13 17 4 n/a n/a 0 169
2008 63 113 22 28 2 n/a n/a 0 228
2009 58 119 27 30 3 n/a n/a 0 237
2010 82 117 37 33 2 n/a n/a 0 271
2011 71 140 27 31 2 0 28 0 299
2012 64 124 52 35 2 0 29 0 306
2013 75 135 74 33 2 0 41 0 360
2014 86 161 101 26 6 1 36 0 417
2015 50 118 90 34 4 0 27 0 323
2016 35 120 94 32 3 0 28 0 312
2017 17 140 124 27 3 0 1 0 312
2018 14 134 125 27 5 0 2 0 307
2019 16 149 112 27 4 0 4 0 312
2020 13 140 83 24 4 0 2 0 266
2021 11 127 67 21 4 0 3 0 233
2022 9 107 57 11 2 0 1 0 187
2023 6 103 44 13 3 0 5 0 174

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at LIFE Prep

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1999 61 4.5 13.6 41
2000 107 5.0 21.4 59.8
2001 116 6.7 17.3 69.8
2002 101 8.3 12.2 77.2
2003 101 8.3 12.2 77.2
2004 87 8.3 10.5 75.9
2005 79 9.5 8.3 79.7
2006 108 8.5 12.7 75
2007 169 12.0 14.1 89.9
2008 228 18.1 12.6 88.6
2009 237 21.0 11.3 96.6
2010 271 25.4 10.6 87.5
2011 299 22.8 13.0 87
2012 306 16.3 18.6 86.6
2013 360 27.9 12.8 72.2
2014 417 25.8 16.1 71.5
2015 323 25.0 12.9 76.8
2016 312 24.0 13.0 72.4
2017 312 26.1 11.9 76.9
2018 307 28.1 10.8 87.6
2019 312 28.1 11.0 81.1
2020 266 24.8 10.7 77.8
2021 233 19.0 12.2 71.7
2022 187 22.0 8.5 81.3
2023 174 16.5 10.5 91.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio LIFE Prep

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1999 61 4.5 13.6 41
2000 107 5.0 21.4 59.8
2001 116 6.7 17.3 69.8
2002 101 8.3 12.2 77.2
2003 101 8.3 12.2 77.2
2004 87 8.3 10.5 75.9
2005 79 9.5 8.3 79.7
2006 108 8.5 12.7 75
2007 169 12.0 14.1 89.9
2008 228 18.1 12.6 88.6
2009 237 21.0 11.3 96.6
2010 271 25.4 10.6 87.5
2011 299 22.8 13.0 87
2012 306 16.3 18.6 86.6
2013 360 27.9 12.8 72.2
2014 417 25.8 16.1 71.5
2015 323 25.0 12.9 76.8
2016 312 24.0 13.0 72.4
2017 312 26.1 11.9 76.9
2018 307 28.1 10.8 87.6
2019 312 28.1 11.0 81.1
2020 266 24.8 10.7 77.8
2021 233 19.0 12.2 71.7
2022 187 22.0 8.5 81.3
2023 174 16.5 10.5 91.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for LIFE Prep

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $15,084

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on LIFE Prep

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 772nd of 870 Elementary schoolsRanks 811th of 845 Elementary schools
 7.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (LIFE Prep)21.28
 13.2%
   3rd Grade Math (Life Prep)21.28
 13.2%
   3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)65.659.1
 6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (LIFE Prep)6.120
 13.9%
   3rd Grade Reading (Life Prep)6.120
 13.9%
   3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)54.647.4
 7.2%
4th Grade Math (LIFE Prep)48.79.5
 39.2%
   4th Grade Math (Life Prep)48.79.5
 39.2%
   4th Grade Math (Minnesota)63.957.1
 6.8%
4th Grade Reading (LIFE Prep)20.54.8
 15.8%
   4th Grade Reading (Life Prep)20.54.8
 15.8%
   4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)55.448.4
 7.1%
5th Grade Math (LIFE Prep)39.60
 39.6%
   5th Grade Math (Life Prep)39.60
 39.6%
   5th Grade Math (Minnesota)5244.4
 7.6%
5th Grade Reading (LIFE Prep)39.627.8
 11.8%
   5th Grade Reading (Life Prep)39.627.8
 11.8%
   5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)65.858.7
 7%
5th Grade Science (LIFE Prep)14.95.6
 9.3%
   5th Grade Science (Life Prep)14.95.6
 9.3%
   5th Grade Science (Minnesota)54.948.4
 6.5%
6th Grade Math (LIFE Prep)23.77.1
 16.5%
   6th Grade Math (Life Prep)23.77.1
 16.5%
   6th Grade Math (Minnesota)50.539.7
 10.8%
6th Grade Reading (LIFE Prep)36.813.3
 23.5%
   6th Grade Reading (Life Prep)36.813.3
 23.5%
   6th Grade Reading (Minnesota)62.853.4
 9.4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students312174
 44.2%
African American149103
 30.9%
American Indian43
 25%
Asian11244
 60.7%
Hispanic2713
 51.9%
Pacific Islander00
White166
 62.5%
Two or More Races45
 25%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients81.1%91.4%
 10.3%


Schools Near LIFE Prep









Frequently Asked Questions about LIFE Prep

In the 2022-23 school year, 174 students attended LIFE Prep.

LIFE Prep ranks in the bottom 8.2% of Minnesota elementary schools.

Students at LIFE Prep are 59% African American, 25% Asian, 7% Hispanic, 3% White, 3% Two or more races, 2% American Indian.


Rate LIFE Prep!



Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for LIFE Prep!




SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Minnesota Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





Diagnostics

None retrieved from Database in 262 milliseconds.