Urban Academy

Summary:

Urban Academy is a public charter elementary school serving grades PK-8 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with a diverse student population that is predominantly Asian (84.27%) and African American (13.48%). Despite its location near several high-performing schools, Urban Academy has consistently been ranked in the bottom quartile of Minnesota elementary schools, receiving a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past several years.

Urban Academy's performance on the MCA-III assessments is significantly lower than the state and district averages, particularly in math and science. In 2023-2024, only 30.17% of Urban Academy students were proficient in math, compared to the state average of 45.47%. The school's performance also varies greatly by student subgroup, with English Language Learner students performing very well but African American, male, and low socioeconomic status students performing poorly. Additionally, Urban Academy has an extremely high percentage of students (over 99%) who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

Interestingly, Urban Academy is located in close proximity to several high-performing elementary schools, such as Randolph Heights Elementary, Horace Mann School, and Jie Ming Mandarin Immersion Academy, all of which have significantly higher test scores and student achievement levels. The nearby schools, while still part of the Saint Paul Public Schools district, have vastly different student demographics and performance outcomes, suggesting that a more targeted and tailored approach may be needed to address the specific needs of Urban Academy's student population.


Detail:

Public, Charter PK, KG-8

 1668 Montreal Ave
       Saint Paul, MN  55116-8888


(651) 215-9419

District: Urban Academy

SchoolDigger Rank:
682nd of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,951 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  14.2 Help
Number of students:  441

Racial breakdown:

Asian:
85.5%
African American:
11.8%
White:
1.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Urban Academy ranks worse than 77.4% of elementary schools in Minnesota. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 25.84. (See more...)
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Compare Details Urban Academy ranks worse than 62% of middle schools in Minnesota. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 40.04. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Asian (85.5%), African American (11.8%), White (1.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Urban Academy is 14.2. (See more...)
Help
Compare Urban Academy employs 31 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Urban Academy is $14,951.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Urban Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Urban Academy 682nd of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See Urban Academy in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:

SchoolDigger ranks Urban Academy 338th of 545 Minnesota public middle schools. (See Urban Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:


Urban Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Urban Academy 334th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Urban Academy.

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Rank History for Urban Academy

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Compare

Rank History for all elementary school students at Urban Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 0.38 752nd 756 0.5%
2007 1.49 768th 777 1.2%
2008 0.13 779th 781 0.3%
2010 0.37 799th 803 0.5%
2011 1.40 799th 814 1.8%
2012 0.99 806th 820 1.7%
2013 3.65 790th 824 4.1%
2014 5.69 772nd 826 6.5%
2015 12.29 752nd 840 10.5%
2016 7.58 783rd 848 7.7%
2017 6.22 796th 853 6.7%
2018 16.40 735th 847 13.2%
2019 11.83 776th 870 10.8%
2021 10.74 761st 869 12.4%
2022 8.57 769th 858 10.4%
2023 19.94 690th 845 18.3%
2024 25.84 682nd 881 22.6%
See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.08 40th 242 83.5%
2019 60.56 57th 239 76.2%
2021 56.29 53rd 175 69.7%
2022 51.27 105th 256 59.0%
2023 68.19 48th 276 82.6%
2024 89.16 12th 303 96.0%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.25 547th 728 24.9%
2019 26.21 605th 740 18.2%
2021 28.70 527th 683 22.8%
2022 24.29 539th 663 18.7%
2023 37.13 526th 774 32.0%
2024 45.80 456th 793 42.5%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Urban Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.86 703rd 774 9.2%
2019 11.89 713th 787 9.4%
2021 12.47 689th 783 12.0%
2022 11.96 709th 799 11.3%
2023 31.58 584th 787 25.8%
2024 34.05 576th 809 28.8%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Urban Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.00 626th 779 19.6%
2019 13.22 704th 798 11.8%
2021 8.83 714th 784 8.9%
2022 6.18 757th 808 6.3%
2023 10.38 723rd 799 9.5%
2024 21.36 678th 826 17.9%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school Asian students at Urban Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.10 104th 134 22.4%
2019 16.89 114th 136 16.2%
2021 20.18 62nd 88 29.5%
2022 21.27 100th 131 23.7%
2023 31.25 83rd 128 35.2%
2024 34.82 95th 154 38.3%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Urban Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.30 131st 266 50.8%
2019 34.44 199th 283 29.7%
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 Urban Academy

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Rank History for all middle school students at Urban Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 12.30 467th 521 10.4%
2022 17.35 443rd 520 14.8%
2023 34.73 364th 529 31.2%
2024 40.04 338th 545 38.0%
See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 55.16 29th 102 71.6%
2022 53.25 38th 130 70.8%
2023 69.53 14th 133 89.5%
2024 80.88 12th 158 92.4%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 29.24 310th 399 22.3%
2022 36.37 266th 404 34.2%
2023 55.72 174th 459 62.1%
2024 62.44 134th 473 71.7%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Urban Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 10.22 411th 443 7.2%
2022 10.28 432nd 467 7.5%
2023 32.00 336th 455 26.2%
2024 38.58 311th 474 34.4%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Urban Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 19.98 370th 437 15.3%
2022 29.34 348th 476 26.9%
2023 33.00 315th 464 32.1%
2024 38.09 302nd 479 37.0%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school Asian students at Urban Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 15.06 75th 87 13.8%
2022 17.94 93rd 110 15.5%
2023 34.98 71st 116 38.8%
2024 36.64 67th 111 39.6%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Asian 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.

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









Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3.5)
0%

50%

50%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a citizen
Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Open Quote Urban Academy is one of the few , if not the only school that actually care about not only the student but the family. Urban Academy knows how important home life plays into the students educational and social growth. They address both issues on a very personal and individual basis. You can feel the love when you walk into the school Close Quote



Enrollment information for Urban Academy

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2004 4 42 11 4 1 n/a n/a 0 62
2005 2 104 29 4 2 n/a n/a 0 141
2006 5 148 37 2 3 n/a n/a 0 195
2007 2 145 60 0 3 n/a n/a 0 210
2008 4 181 66 8 2 n/a n/a 0 261
2009 13 191 63 6 2 n/a n/a 0 275
2010 11 197 54 5 1 n/a n/a 0 268
2011 7 215 33 4 0 0 0 0 259
2012 7 245 44 5 0 0 1 0 302
2013 9 201 48 4 0 0 6 0 268
2014 3 161 92 2 1 0 8 0 267
2015 3 139 136 0 1 0 5 0 284
2016 3 115 156 0 2 0 5 0 281
2017 2 87 207 0 1 0 7 0 304
2018 5 75 243 1 1 0 5 0 330
2019 4 82 268 6 3 0 3 0 366
2020 1 81 312 7 3 0 4 0 408
2021 1 59 364 8 3 0 2 0 437
2022 1 56 415 3 3 0 5 0 483
2023 1 60 375 5 3 0 1 0 445
2024 5 52 377 4 2 0 1 0 441

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 Urban Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2004 62 5.0 12.4 95.2
2005 141 9.0 15.7 90.1
2006 195 11.0 17.7 96.9
2007 210 13.0 16.2 96.2
2008 261 17.0 15.4 98.5
2009 275 21.0 13.1 96.7
2010 268 21.0 12.7 97.8
2011 259 18.0 14.3 97.7
2012 302 19.0 15.8 94.4
2013 268 18.0 14.8 97
2014 267 17.0 15.7 98.9
2015 284 18.0 15.7 97.2
2016 281 19.0 14.7 100
2017 304 19.0 16.0 100
2018 330 22.0 15.0 98.5
2019 366 19.0 19.2 100
2020 408 24.0 17.0 99.5
2021 437 26.0 16.8 99.5
2022 483 23.0 21.0 99.4
2023 445 27.0 16.4 100
2024 441 31.0 14.2 100

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 Urban Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2004 62 5.0 12.4 95.2
2005 141 9.0 15.7 90.1
2006 195 11.0 17.7 96.9
2007 210 13.0 16.2 96.2
2008 261 17.0 15.4 98.5
2009 275 21.0 13.1 96.7
2010 268 21.0 12.7 97.8
2011 259 18.0 14.3 97.7
2012 302 19.0 15.8 94.4
2013 268 18.0 14.8 97
2014 267 17.0 15.7 98.9
2015 284 18.0 15.7 97.2
2016 281 19.0 14.7 100
2017 304 19.0 16.0 100
2018 330 22.0 15.0 98.5
2019 366 19.0 19.2 100
2020 408 24.0 17.0 99.5
2021 437 26.0 16.8 99.5
2022 483 23.0 21.0 99.4
2023 445 27.0 16.4 100
2024 441 31.0 14.2 100

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 Urban Academy

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $14,951

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Urban 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 776th of 870 Elementary schoolsRanks 690th of 845 Elementary schools
 7.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Urban Academy)36.725.7
 11%
   3rd Grade Math (Urban Academy)36.725.7
 11%
   3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)65.659.1
 6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (Urban Academy)26.731.4
 4.8%
   3rd Grade Reading (Urban Academy)26.731.4
 4.8%
   3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)54.647.4
 7.2%
4th Grade Math (Urban Academy)28.322.9
 5.4%
   4th Grade Math (Urban Academy)28.322.9
 5.4%
   4th Grade Math (Minnesota)63.957.1
 6.8%
4th Grade Reading (Urban Academy)26.122.9
 3.2%
   4th Grade Reading (Urban Academy)26.122.9
 3.2%
   4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)55.448.4
 7.1%
5th Grade Math (Urban Academy)22.524.3
 1.8%
   5th Grade Math (Urban Academy)22.524.3
 1.8%
   5th Grade Math (Minnesota)5244.4
 7.6%
5th Grade Reading (Urban Academy)27.546
 18.5%
   5th Grade Reading (Urban Academy)27.546
 18.5%
   5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)65.858.7
 7%
5th Grade Science (Urban Academy)12.518.9
 6.4%
   5th Grade Science (Urban Academy)12.518.9
 6.4%
   5th Grade Science (Minnesota)54.948.4
 6.5%
6th Grade Math (Urban Academy)32.417.2
 15.1%
   6th Grade Math (Urban Academy)32.417.2
 15.1%
   6th Grade Math (Minnesota)50.539.7
 10.8%
6th Grade Reading (Urban Academy)55.948.3
 7.6%
   6th Grade Reading (Urban Academy)55.948.3
 7.6%
   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 Students366445
 21.6%
African American8260
 26.8%
American Indian33
Asian268375
 39.9%
Hispanic65
 16.7%
Pacific Islander00
White41
 75%
Two or More Races31
 66.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%


Schools Near Urban Academy









Frequently Asked Questions about Urban Academy

In the 2023-24 school year, 441 students attended Urban Academy.

Urban Academy ranks in the bottom 22.6% of Minnesota elementary schools.

Students at Urban Academy are 85% Asian, 12% African American, 1% White.


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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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