Step Academy Charter School

Summary:

Step Academy Charter School is a public charter high school located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, serving grades 6-12 with a total enrollment of 394 students. The school has a unique racial makeup, with 98.48% of its students being African American in the 2022-2023 school year.

Step Academy's academic performance, as measured by MCA-III test scores, is generally lower than the state and nearby school averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 3.92% of 11th-grade students were proficient or better in Math, compared to the state average of 34.99%. However, the school has shown improvement in its graduation rates, reaching 100% in the 2021-2022 school year. Despite this, its dropout rates, while decreasing, are still higher than the state average. Step Academy also has a relatively high student-teacher ratio and a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among its student population.

When compared to the nearby schools, such as Johnson Senior High, Community School of Excellence High, and City Academy, Step Academy generally performs worse academically. However, it serves a more economically disadvantaged and racially homogeneous student population, which may contribute to these differences. Addressing the challenges faced by Step Academy will likely require a multi-faceted approach, including targeted interventions, additional resources, and a focus on improving teaching and learning.


Detail:

Public, Charter 6-12

 835 5th St E.
       Saint Paul, MN  55106-8888


(651) 289-6120

District: STEP Academy

SchoolDigger Rank:
245th of 480 Minnesota High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,333 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  19.9 Help
Number of students:  394

Racial breakdown:

African American:
98.5%
White:
0.8%
Two or more races:
0.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  74.1% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Step Academy Charter School ranks worse than 69.2% of middle schools in Minnesota. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 33. (See more...)
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Compare Details Step Academy Charter School ranks worse than 51% of high schools in Minnesota. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 52.73. (See more...)
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The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Step Academy Charter School freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (98.5%), White (0.8%), two or more races (0.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 74.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Step Academy Charter School is 19.9. (See more...)
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Compare Step Academy Charter School employs 19.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Step Academy Charter School is $17,333.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Step Academy Charter School:

SchoolDigger ranks Step Academy Charter School 377th of 545 Minnesota public middle schools. (See Step Academy Charter School 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:
African American students:

SchoolDigger ranks Step Academy Charter School 245th of 480 Minnesota public high schools. (See Step Academy Charter School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


STEP Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks STEP Academy 340th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Step Academy Charter School?

Rank History for Step Academy Charter School

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Compare

Rank History for all middle school students at Step Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2014 27.32 391st 490 20.2%
2015 22.92 422nd 516 18.2%
2016 42.12 322nd 508 36.6%
2017 41.61 331st 523 36.7%
2018 45.47 324th 518 37.5%
2019 32.87 380th 533 28.7%
2021 26.79 400th 521 23.2%
2022 38.04 336th 520 35.4%
2023 39.20 331st 529 37.4%
2024 33.00 377th 545 30.8%
See the entire list of Minnesota High School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at Step Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 97.11 2nd 109 98.2%
2019 85.76 5th 120 95.8%
2021 66.66 12th 102 88.2%
2022 71.32 11th 130 91.5%
2023 68.47 16th 133 88.0%
2024 89.81 4th 158 97.5%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Step Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.20 65th 401 83.8%
2019 59.78 146th 415 64.8%
2021 49.31 192nd 399 51.9%
2022 59.01 135th 404 66.6%
2024 49.48 227th 473 52.0%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Step Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.62 326th 436 25.2%
2019 31.33 338th 439 23.0%
2021 35.70 301st 443 32.1%
2022 36.65 320th 467 31.5%
2023 40.79 285th 455 37.4%
2024 26.26 375th 474 20.9%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Step Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.24 215th 438 50.9%
2019 31.28 337th 454 25.8%
2021 14.98 391st 437 10.5%
2022 33.97 329th 476 30.9%
2023 32.46 317th 464 31.7%
2024 36.50 314th 479 34.4%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Step Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 85.49 12th 137 91.2%
2019 69.39 39th 148 73.6%
2021 58.05 50th 141 64.5%
2022 67.44 35th 162 78.4%
2023 68.54 38th 164 76.8%
2024 63.01 46th 179 74.3%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for African American Students!

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

Rank History for Step Academy Charter School

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Compare

Rank History for all high school students at Step Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2014 44.83 314th 483 35.0%
2015 30.56 371st 504 26.4%
2016 36.50 348th 489 28.8%
2017 38.43 344th 489 29.7%
2018 48.29 303rd 494 38.7%
2019 57.10 257th 492 47.8%
2021 29.80 338th 428 21.0%
2022 26.89 363rd 472 23.1%
2023 12.29 415th 476 12.8%
2024 52.73 245th 480 49.0%
See the entire list of Minnesota High School Rankings!

Rank History for high school English Language Learner students at Step Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 92.79 5th 78 93.6%
2019 54.36 27th 85 68.2%
2021 69.43 7th 47 85.1%
2022 38.12 53rd 87 39.1%
2023 72.47 12th 90 86.7%
2024 81.58 8th 102 92.2%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Step Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.96 110th 374 70.6%
2019 76.23 70th 370 81.1%
2021 55.32 119th 270 55.9%
2022 35.15 209th 312 33.0%
2024 64.35 120th 389 69.2%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for high school Female students at Step Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.93 267th 395 32.4%
2019 43.56 259th 401 35.4%
2021 37.06 248th 339 26.8%
2022 24.03 321st 388 17.3%
2023 16.61 347th 396 12.4%
2024 58.97 172nd 403 57.3%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for high school Male students at Step Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.90 289th 398 27.4%
2019 57.54 188th 411 54.3%
2021 18.61 309th 351 12.0%
2022 22.01 341st 403 15.4%
2023 6.67 378th 398 5.0%
2024 32.88 290th 405 28.4%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for high school African American students at Step Academy Charter School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 85.95 12th 106 88.7%
2019 89.48 9th 103 91.3%
2021 63.84 21st 68 69.1%
2022 53.94 41st 102 59.8%
2023 31.73 67th 98 31.6%
2024 70.37 26th 109 76.1%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota High 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.

Step Academy Charter School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 









Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Friday, June 13, 2014

Open Quote excellent for Magnet students. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Step Academy Charter School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2012 11 191 3 0 0 0 3 0 208
2013 1 149 2 0 0 0 0 0 152
2014 0 168 2 0 0 0 0 0 170
2015 1 260 2 0 0 0 1 0 264
2016 1 229 2 0 0 0 0 0 232
2017 2 276 0 0 0 0 0 0 278
2018 1 248 0 0 0 0 0 0 249
2019 2 322 0 0 0 0 0 0 324
2020 3 372 0 0 0 0 0 0 375
2021 4 380 0 0 0 0 0 0 384
2022 4 366 0 0 0 0 0 0 370
2023 3 388 0 1 0 0 2 0 394

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 Step Academy Charter School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2012 208 12.0 17.3 97.1
2013 152 11.2 13.4 97.4
2014 170 15.8 10.7 98.2
2015 264 17.0 15.5 97.3
2016 232 18.0 12.8 89.2
2017 278 18.0 15.3 97.8
2018 249 28.1 8.8 98.4
2019 324 25.5 12.6 99.4
2020 375 15.1 24.7 62.7
2021 384 18.5 20.7 59.6
2022 370 22.2 16.6 57.3
2023 394 19.7 19.9 74.1

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 Step Academy Charter School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2012 208 12.0 17.3 97.1
2013 152 11.2 13.4 97.4
2014 170 15.8 10.7 98.2
2015 264 17.0 15.5 97.3
2016 232 18.0 12.8 89.2
2017 278 18.0 15.3 97.8
2018 249 28.1 8.8 98.4
2019 324 25.5 12.6 99.4
2020 375 15.1 24.7 62.7
2021 384 18.5 20.7 59.6
2022 370 22.2 16.6 57.3
2023 394 19.7 19.9 74.1

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 Step Academy Charter School

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $17,333

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Step Academy Charter School

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 380th of 533 Middle schoolsRanks 331st of 529 Middle schools
 8.7%
Ranks 257th of 492 High schoolsRanks 415th of 476 High schools
 34.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Math (Step Academy Charter School)11.98.2
 3.7%
   6th Grade Math (STEP Academy)11.98.2
 3.7%
   6th Grade Math (Minnesota)50.539.7
 10.8%
6th Grade Reading (Step Academy Charter School)40.549
 8.5%
   6th Grade Reading (STEP Academy)40.549
 8.5%
   6th Grade Reading (Minnesota)62.853.4
 9.4%
7th Grade Math (Step Academy Charter School)41.911.5
 30.3%
   7th Grade Math (STEP Academy)41.911.5
 30.3%
   7th Grade Math (Minnesota)52.139.7
 12.4%
7th Grade Reading (Step Academy Charter School)51.232.7
 18.5%
   7th Grade Reading (STEP Academy)51.232.7
 18.5%
   7th Grade Reading (Minnesota)57.545.2
 12.3%
8th Grade Math (Step Academy Charter School)40.434.7
 5.7%
   8th Grade Math (STEP Academy)40.434.7
 5.7%
   8th Grade Math (Minnesota)55.240.3
 14.9%
8th Grade Reading (Step Academy Charter School)46.851
 4.2%
   8th Grade Reading (STEP Academy)46.851
 4.2%
   8th Grade Reading (Minnesota)57.744.8
 12.9%
8th Grade Science (Step Academy Charter School)36.222.5
 13.7%
   8th Grade Science (STEP Academy)36.222.5
 13.7%
   8th Grade Science (Minnesota)4327.6
 15.4%
10th Grade Reading (Step Academy Charter School)69.127.5
 41.5%
   10th Grade Reading (STEP Academy)69.127.5
 41.5%
   10th Grade Reading (Minnesota)60.451.7
 8.7%
11th Grade Math (Step Academy Charter School)28.90
 28.9%
   11th Grade Math (STEP Academy)28.90
 28.9%
   11th Grade Math (Minnesota)4536
 9%
End of Course Science (Step Academy Charter School)47.514.5
 33%
   End of Course Science (STEP Academy)47.514.5
 33%
   End of Course Science (Minnesota)54.441.8
 12.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students324394
 21.6%
African American322388
 20.5%
American Indian00
Asian00
Hispanic01
Pacific Islander00
White23
 50%
Two or More Races02
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients99.4%74.1%
 25.3%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Step Academy Charter School

Students at Step Academy Charter School are 98% African American.

In the 2022-23 school year, 394 students attended Step Academy Charter School.

Step Academy Charter School ranks 245th of 480 Minnesota high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.


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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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