Best Academy

Summary:

Best Academy is a public charter elementary school serving 617 students in grades K-8 in the North Minneapolis area. The school has a predominantly African American student body, with over 95% of students identifying as such in the 2022-2023 school year, and has consistently ranked in the bottom quartile of Minnesota elementary schools, receiving a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past several years.

Best Academy's academic performance, as measured by MCA-III proficiency rates, is consistently well below the state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2023-2024, only 20.86% of Best Academy students were proficient in Math compared to the state average of 45.47%, and the school's Reading proficiency rate of 35.29% lags the state average of 49.85%. The school's performance on key student subgroups is also concerning, with its Special Education students ranking in the bottom 5% of Minnesota elementary schools. Additionally, Best Academy has extremely high rates of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 84.98% to 95.62% over the past 3 school years, significantly higher than the nearby schools like SET Academy Elementary, Twin Cities International Schools, and Hall Academy Elementary.

The persistent low performance and stark racial disparities at Best Academy raise questions about equity and access to high-quality educational opportunities for students of color in the Minneapolis area. The school's struggles to effectively serve its specialized student populations, such as those with learning disabilities, as well as the significant socioeconomic challenges facing the North Minneapolis community, likely contribute to the academic struggles observed at Best Academy. These findings suggest a need for targeted interventions and support to address the complex educational and socioeconomic factors impacting the school and its students.


Detail:

Public, Charter K-8

 1300 Olson Memorial Hwy
       Minneapolis, MN  55411-8888


(612) 381-9743

District: Best Academy

SchoolDigger Rank:
742nd of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $18,702 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  14.9 Help
Number of students:  617

Racial breakdown:

African American:
95.5%
Two or more races:
2.9%
Hispanic:
1.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  95.6% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Best Academy ranks worse than 84.2% of elementary schools in Minnesota. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 17.46. (See more...)
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Compare Details Best Academy ranks worse than 71.6% of middle schools in Minnesota. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 32.19. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (95.5%), two or more races (2.9%), Hispanic (1.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 95.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Best Academy is 14.9. (See more...)
Help
Compare Best Academy employs 41.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Best Academy is $18,702.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Best Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Best Academy 742nd of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See Best Academy in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:

SchoolDigger ranks Best Academy 390th of 545 Minnesota public middle schools. (See Best Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Best Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Best Academy 397th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Best Academy

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Compare

Rank History for all elementary school students at Best Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2010 24.21 691st 803 13.9%
2011 36.99 634th 814 22.1%
2012 65.08 318th 820 61.2%
2013 27.60 667th 824 19.1%
2014 31.11 647th 826 21.7%
2015 10.49 760th 840 9.5%
2016 17.73 734th 848 13.4%
2017 13.61 755th 853 11.5%
2018 7.29 781st 847 7.8%
2019 12.17 771st 870 11.4%
2021 15.50 734th 869 15.5%
2022 11.79 754th 858 12.1%
2023 19.29 693rd 845 18.0%
2024 17.46 742nd 881 15.8%
See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school English Language Learner students at Best Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 68.05 46th 242 81.0%
2019 76.97 21st 239 91.2%
2021 75.78 16th 175 90.9%
2022 67.84 44th 256 82.8%
2023 68.98 46th 276 83.3%
2024 74.69 40th 303 86.8%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for elementary school Special Education students at Best Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 5.75 453rd 463 2.2%
2019 14.86 473rd 515 8.2%
2024 7.15 560th 572 2.1%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Best Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.24 641st 728 12.0%
2019 28.70 582nd 740 21.4%
2021 36.89 470th 683 31.2%
2022 26.36 524th 663 21.0%
2023 33.87 549th 774 29.1%
2024 31.38 587th 793 26.0%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Best Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 8.27 713th 774 7.9%
2019 11.62 716th 787 9.0%
2021 11.62 694th 783 11.4%
2022 14.08 691st 799 13.5%
2023 17.39 663rd 787 15.8%
2024 13.84 706th 809 12.7%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Best Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 6.70 726th 779 6.8%
2019 14.64 697th 798 12.7%
2021 20.02 652nd 784 16.8%
2022 11.75 720th 808 10.9%
2023 22.11 651st 799 18.5%
2024 20.01 685th 826 17.1%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Best Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.96 181st 266 32.0%
2019 45.88 160th 283 43.5%
2021 49.31 105th 227 53.7%
2022 39.87 173rd 282 38.7%
2023 50.38 127th 279 54.5%
2024 40.88 177th 310 42.9%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for African American Students!

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

Rank History for Best Academy

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Compare

Rank History for all middle school students at Best Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2010 34.62 357th 454 21.4%
2011 54.75 233rd 478 51.3%
2012 55.84 241st 469 48.6%
2013 41.04 326th 488 33.2%
2014 23.97 405th 490 17.3%
2015 19.22 433rd 516 16.1%
2017 15.47 456th 523 12.8%
2018 8.88 466th 518 10.0%
2019 6.80 496th 533 6.9%
2021 16.62 443rd 521 15.0%
2022 24.24 407th 520 21.7%
2023 24.67 413th 529 21.9%
2024 32.19 390th 545 28.4%
See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at Best Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 56.80 27th 109 75.2%
2019 61.06 25th 120 79.2%
2021 54.13 30th 102 70.6%
2022 58.94 26th 130 80.0%
2023 55.67 29th 133 78.2%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Best Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 62.27 85th 307 72.3%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Best Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.84 347th 401 13.5%
2019 13.41 381st 415 8.2%
2021 34.86 283rd 399 29.1%
2022 39.68 252nd 404 37.6%
2023 42.74 261st 459 43.1%
2024 48.25 233rd 473 50.7%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Best Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 5.39 417th 436 4.4%
2019 2.16 437th 439 0.5%
2021 11.34 406th 443 8.4%
2022 26.68 358th 467 23.3%
2023 31.49 340th 455 25.3%
2024 33.56 332nd 474 30.0%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Best Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.52 392nd 438 10.5%
2019 13.32 402nd 454 11.5%
2021 20.76 364th 437 16.7%
2022 23.41 381st 476 20.0%
2023 18.11 387th 464 16.6%
2024 27.83 369th 479 23.0%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Best Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.98 93rd 137 32.1%
2019 29.64 106th 148 28.4%
2021 44.72 79th 141 44.0%
2022 51.11 73rd 162 54.9%
2023 53.15 69th 164 57.9%
2024 60.24 53rd 179 70.4%
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.

Best Academy Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 









Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Best Academy

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2009 0 265 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 265
2010 0 419 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 419
2011 0 467 0 1 0 0 2 0 470
2012 1 521 0 2 1 0 1 0 526
2013 3 489 0 1 1 0 3 0 497
2014 1 491 0 2 0 0 3 0 497
2015 0 653 0 2 0 0 3 0 658
2016 0 287 0 0 0 0 0 0 287
2017 0 340 0 0 0 0 0 0 340
2018 2 563 0 2 0 0 9 0 576
2019 0 742 0 0 0 0 14 0 756
2020 1 711 0 3 0 0 16 0 731
2021 3 698 0 4 0 0 10 0 715
2022 1 657 0 5 0 0 16 0 679
2023 1 589 0 9 0 0 18 0 617

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 Best Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2009 265 10.0 26.5 82.3
2010 419 29.0 14.4 69.2
2011 470 27.0 17.4 89.4
2012 526 29.0 18.1 93.3
2013 497 23.0 21.6 92.4
2014 497 33.5 14.8 89.9
2015 658 28.0 23.5 92.7
2016 287 22.0 13.0 93.7
2017 340 23.4 14.4 88.2
2018 576 27.0 21.3 90.5
2019 756 39.0 19.3 88.2
2020 731 37.5 19.4 90.4
2021 715 47.0 15.1 88.5
2022 679 42.0 16.1 85
2023 617 41.2 14.9 95.6

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 Best Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2009 265 10.0 26.5 82.3
2010 419 29.0 14.4 69.2
2011 470 27.0 17.4 89.4
2012 526 29.0 18.1 93.3
2013 497 23.0 21.6 92.4
2014 497 33.5 14.8 89.9
2015 658 28.0 23.5 92.7
2016 287 22.0 13.0 93.7
2017 340 23.4 14.4 88.2
2018 576 27.0 21.3 90.5
2019 756 39.0 19.3 88.2
2020 731 37.5 19.4 90.4
2021 715 47.0 15.1 88.5
2022 679 42.0 16.1 85
2023 617 41.2 14.9 95.6

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 Best Academy

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $18,702

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Best Academy

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 771st of 870 Elementary schoolsRanks 693rd of 845 Elementary schools
 6.6%
Ranks 496th of 533 Middle schoolsRanks 413th of 529 Middle schools
 15%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Best Academy)56.243.6
 12.6%
   3rd Grade Math (Best Academy)56.243.6
 12.6%
   3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)65.659.1
 6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (Best Academy)35.133.9
 1.3%
   3rd Grade Reading (Best Academy)35.133.9
 1.3%
   3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)54.647.4
 7.2%
4th Grade Math (Best Academy)38.225
 13.2%
   4th Grade Math (Best Academy)38.225
 13.2%
   4th Grade Math (Minnesota)63.957.1
 6.8%
4th Grade Reading (Best Academy)23.717.7
 6%
   4th Grade Reading (Best Academy)23.717.7
 6%
   4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)55.448.4
 7.1%
5th Grade Math (Best Academy)13.76.9
 6.8%
   5th Grade Math (Best Academy)13.76.9
 6.8%
   5th Grade Math (Minnesota)5244.4
 7.6%
5th Grade Reading (Best Academy)3742.4
 5.4%
   5th Grade Reading (Best Academy)3742.4
 5.4%
   5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)65.858.7
 7%
5th Grade Science (Best Academy)20.612.1
 8.5%
   5th Grade Science (Best Academy)20.612.1
 8.5%
   5th Grade Science (Minnesota)54.948.4
 6.5%
6th Grade Math (Best Academy)12.314.5
 2.2%
   6th Grade Math (Best Academy)12.314.5
 2.2%
   6th Grade Math (Minnesota)50.539.7
 10.8%
6th Grade Reading (Best Academy)40.348.4
 8.1%
   6th Grade Reading (Best Academy)40.348.4
 8.1%
   6th Grade Reading (Minnesota)62.853.4
 9.4%
7th Grade Math (Best Academy)1320.8
 7.7%
   7th Grade Math (Best Academy)1320.8
 7.7%
   7th Grade Math (Minnesota)52.139.7
 12.4%
7th Grade Reading (Best Academy)28.434
 5.6%
   7th Grade Reading (Best Academy)28.434
 5.6%
   7th Grade Reading (Minnesota)57.545.2
 12.3%
8th Grade Math (Best Academy)1718.3
 1.4%
   8th Grade Math (Best Academy)1718.3
 1.4%
   8th Grade Math (Minnesota)55.240.3
 14.9%
8th Grade Reading (Best Academy)29.326.7
 2.6%
   8th Grade Reading (Best Academy)29.326.7
 2.6%
   8th Grade Reading (Minnesota)57.744.8
 12.9%
8th Grade Science (Best Academy)3.65
 1.4%
   8th Grade Science (Best Academy)3.65
 1.4%
   8th Grade Science (Minnesota)4327.6
 15.4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students756617
 18.4%
African American742589
 20.6%
American Indian00
Asian00
Hispanic09
Pacific Islander00
White01
Two or More Races1418
 28.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients88.2%95.6%
 7.4%


Schools Near Best Academy









Frequently Asked Questions about Best Academy

Students at Best Academy are 95% African American, 3% Two or more races, 1% Hispanic.

Best Academy ranks in the bottom 15.8% of Minnesota elementary schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 617 students attended Best Academy.


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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.





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