Rochester Stem Academy

Summary:

Rochester Stem Academy is a public charter high school located in Rochester, Minnesota, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 116 students. The school has a unique student racial makeup, with 100% of its students being African American, in stark contrast to the racial diversity seen in nearby schools within the Rochester Public School District.

Rochester Stem Academy's academic performance, as measured by standardized test scores, is significantly lower than the state and district averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 22.22% of 10th-grade students were proficient or better in MCA-III Reading, compared to the state average of 52.22%. Similarly, the school's math proficiency rates are 0% for 11th-grade and all grades, compared to the state averages of 34.99% and 45.47%, respectively. The school's four-year graduation rate has fluctuated, ranging from 58.6% in 2020-2021 to 96.6% in 2019-2020, and its dropout rate has varied from 0% in 2021-2022 to 17.2% in 2020-2021, generally higher than the nearby Mayo Senior High.

Rochester Stem Academy serves a student population with a high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 87.93% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in the 2022-2023 school year, significantly higher than the 31.2% rate at Mayo Senior High. This unique demographic composition and the school's persistent academic challenges raise questions about the school's practices, resources, and support systems in providing a high-quality education to its students.

Detail:

Public, Charter 9-12

415 16th St SW
Rochester, MN 55902-2125

(507) 281-2381

District: Rochester Stem Academy

SchoolDigger Rank:
387^th of 480 Minnesota High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,956

Student/teacher ratio: 18.0

Number of students: 116

Racial breakdown:

African American:

100.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 87.9%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Rochester Stem Academy ranks worse than 80.6% of high schools in Minnesota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 21.54. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Rochester Stem Academy who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (100%). (See more...)

Compare Details 87.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Rochester Stem Academy is 18. (See more...)

Compare Rochester Stem Academy employs 6.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Rochester Stem Academy is $15,956.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Rochester Stem Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Rochester Stem Academy 387^th of 480 Minnesota public high schools. (See Rochester Stem Academy in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Male students:

African American students:

Rochester Stem Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Rochester Stem Academy 381^st of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Rochester Stem Academy

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Rank History for all students at Rochester Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2014	5.12	448^th	483	7.2%
2015	4.43	478^th	504	5.2%
2016	6.40	433^rd	489	11.5%
2017	10.76	415^th	489	15.1%
2018	6.37	448^th	494	9.3%
2019	36.62	345^th	492	29.9%
2021	13.82	382^nd	428	10.7%
2022	18.11	391^st	472	17.2%
2023	13.00	411^th	476	13.7%
2024	21.54	387^th	480	19.4%

See the entire list of Minnesota High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Rochester Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	32.47	54^th	78	30.8%
2019	19.81	78^th	85	8.2%
2021	76.65	6^th	47	87.2%
2022	86.07	3^rd	87	96.6%
2023	59.19	19^th	90	78.9%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Rochester Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	9.86	337^th	374	9.9%
2019	49.80	197^th	370	46.8%
2021	24.03	225^th	270	16.7%
2022	36.76	200^th	312	35.9%
2023	26.74	311^th	393	20.9%
2024	34.56	271^st	389	30.3%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Rochester Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	3.06	377^th	395	4.6%
2019	28.55	314^th	401	21.7%
2022	8.65	365^th	388	5.9%
2023	5.39	375^th	396	5.3%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Rochester Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	4.23	383^rd	398	3.8%
2019	26.70	334^th	411	18.7%
2021	10.33	329^th	351	6.3%
2022	21.26	342^nd	403	15.1%
2023	17.84	348^th	398	12.6%
2024	28.28	310^th	405	23.5%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Rochester Stem Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	23.09	81^st	106	23.6%
2019	67.94	27^th	103	73.8%
2021	32.96	48^th	68	29.4%
2022	45.86	50^th	102	51.0%
2023	28.84	71^st	98	27.6%
2024	45.80	57^th	109	47.7%

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.

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Rochester Stem Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Two or More Races	Total
2012	3	58	0	2	0	63
2013	14	43	0	1	1	59
2014	11	63	0	1	1	76
2015	7	73	0	0	0	80
2016	0	92	0	0	0	92
2017	0	106	0	0	0	106
2018	0	112	1	0	0	113
2019	1	140	0	0	0	141
2020	2	126	0	0	0	128
2021	1	122	0	1	0	124
2022	0	129	0	0	0	129
2023	0	116	0	0	0	116

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 Rochester Stem Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	63	7.9	7.9	93.7
2013	59	6.0	9.7	94.9
2014	76	7.0	10.8	96.1
2015	80	5.0	16.0	95
2016	92	7.0	13.1	91.3
2017	106	7.0	15.1	94.3
2018	113	7.0	16.1	96.5
2019	141	10.9	12.8	100
2020	128	8.0	16.0	100
2021	124	8.4	14.7	98.4
2022	129	7.4	17.4	96.1
2023	116	6.4	18.0	87.9

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 Rochester Stem Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	63	7.9	7.9	93.7
2013	59	6.0	9.7	94.9
2014	76	7.0	10.8	96.1
2015	80	5.0	16.0	95
2016	92	7.0	13.1	91.3
2017	106	7.0	15.1	94.3
2018	113	7.0	16.1	96.5
2019	141	10.9	12.8	100
2020	128	8.0	16.0	100
2021	124	8.4	14.7	98.4
2022	129	7.4	17.4	96.1
2023	116	6.4	18.0	87.9

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 Rochester Stem Academy

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$15,956

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Rochester Stem 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 345^th of 492 High schools	Ranks 411^th of 476 High schools	16.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade Reading (Rochester Stem Academy)	54.8	31.3	23.6%
10th Grade Reading (Rochester Stem Academy)	54.8	31.3	23.6%
10th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	60.4	51.7	8.7%
11th Grade Math (Rochester Stem Academy)	16.1	0	16.1%
11th Grade Math (Rochester Stem Academy)	16.1	0	16.1%
11th Grade Math (Minnesota)	45	36	9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	141	116	17.7%
African American	140	116	17.1%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	0	0
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	1	0	100%
Two or More Races	0	0
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	87.9%	12.1%

Schools Near Rochester Stem Academy

School	Students/Teachers	Ranking (2024)	Ranking (2023)	MCA-III Math (2024)	MCA-III Reading (2024)	MCA-III Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Rochester Stem Academy	Public, Charter	9-12	415 16th St SW	Rochester	55902	Olmsted County	Rochester Stem Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(507) 281-2381	116	6	18.0	87.9%	0 (0.0%)	116 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21.5	387^th of 480 public high schools	19.4%	13	411^th of 476 public high schools	13.7%	24		0.0	0.0		22.2	22.2		28.6	28.6	$15,956
RSTEM Online	Public, Virtual, Charter	9-12	415 16th St SW	Rochester	55902	Olmsted County	Rochester Stem Academy	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(612) 408-7241	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()							(n/a)
Rochester Academy-Idp Living(RAIL)	Public	11-12	1200 Broadway Ave S	Rochester	55904	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-5650	62	10	6.4	62.9%	37 (59.7%)	10 (16.1%)	11 (17.7%)	2 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.2%)							(n/a)										$22,359
Care & Treatment at ESC	Public	5-12	334 16th St SE	Rochester	55904	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-4541	4	1	4.0		3 (75.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (25.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)							(n/a)										$15,298
Project Search Mayo Clinic	Public	12	615 7th Street SW	Rochester	55902	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 512-0608	8	1	8.0		7 (87.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (12.5%)							(n/a)										$4,107
Mayo Senior High	Public	8-12	1420 11th Ave SE	Rochester	55904	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-5500	1,862	41	45.3	31.2%	1,132 (60.8%)	178 (9.6%)	282 (15.1%)	137 (7.4%)	9 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	123 (6.6%)	78.2	86^th of 480 public high schools	82.1%				(n/a)		41.9	41.9		61.8	61.8		47.7	47.7	$12,352
Rochester Beacon Academy	Public, Charter	6-12	974 Skyline Dr SW	Rochester	55902	Olmsted County	Rochester Beacon Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(507) 258-5351	85	10	8.8	50.6%	67 (78.8%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (7.1%)	4 (4.7%)	1 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (8.2%)	13.4	421^st of 480 public high schools	12.3%				(n/a)	9.1	0.0	2.7	16.7	30.4	28.6	20.0		15.8	$20,456
Credit Recovery	Public	9-12	37 Wood Lake Dr SE	Rochester	55904	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-3999	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()							(n/a)										$9,582
Rochester Alternative Learning Center Recovery Program	Public	9-12	37 Wood Lake Dr SE	Rochester	55904	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-3999	5	2	2.9		5 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)							(n/a)										$38,027
Alternative Learning Center Summer Credit Recovery	Public	6-12	37 Wood Lake Dr SE	Rochester	55904	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-3999	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()							(n/a)										$9,604

Frequently Asked Questions about Rochester Stem Academy

How many students attend Rochester Stem Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 116 students attended Rochester Stem Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Rochester Stem Academy?

Students at Rochester Stem Academy are 100% African American.

What district is Rochester Stem Academy in?

Rochester Stem Academy

Is Rochester Stem Academy a good school?

Rochester Stem Academy ranks in the bottom 19.4% of Minnesota high schools.

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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.

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MCA-III Math (2024)			MCA-III Reading (2024)			MCA-III Science (2024)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCA-III Math 8th Grade	MCA-III Math 11th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	MCA-III Reading 8th Grade	MCA-III Reading 10th Grade	MCA-III Reading All Grades	MCA-III Science 8th Grade	MCA-III Science End of Course	MCA-III Science All Grades	Total
Rochester Stem Academy	Public, Charter	9-12	415 16th St SW	Rochester	55902	Olmsted County	Rochester Stem Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(507) 281-2381	116	6	18.0	87.9%	0 (0.0%)	116 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21.5	387^th of 480 public high schools	19.4%		13	411^th of 476 public high schools	13.7%	24		0.0	0.0		22.2	22.2		28.6	28.6	$15,956
RSTEM Online	Public, Virtual, Charter	9-12	415 16th St SW	Rochester	55902	Olmsted County	Rochester Stem Academy	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(612) 408-7241	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Rochester Academy-Idp Living(RAIL)	Public	11-12	1200 Broadway Ave S	Rochester	55904	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-5650	62	10	6.4	62.9%	37 (59.7%)	10 (16.1%)	11 (17.7%)	2 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.2%)								(n/a)										$22,359
Care & Treatment at ESC	Public	5-12	334 16th St SE	Rochester	55904	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-4541	4	1	4.0		3 (75.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (25.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)										$15,298
Project Search Mayo Clinic	Public	12	615 7th Street SW	Rochester	55902	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 512-0608	8	1	8.0		7 (87.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (12.5%)								(n/a)										$4,107
Mayo Senior High	Public	8-12	1420 11th Ave SE	Rochester	55904	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-5500	1,862	41	45.3	31.2%	1,132 (60.8%)	178 (9.6%)	282 (15.1%)	137 (7.4%)	9 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	123 (6.6%)	78.2	86^th of 480 public high schools	82.1%					(n/a)		41.9	41.9		61.8	61.8		47.7	47.7	$12,352
Rochester Beacon Academy	Public, Charter	6-12	974 Skyline Dr SW	Rochester	55902	Olmsted County	Rochester Beacon Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(507) 258-5351	85	10	8.8	50.6%	67 (78.8%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (7.1%)	4 (4.7%)	1 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (8.2%)	13.4	421^st of 480 public high schools	12.3%					(n/a)	9.1	0.0	2.7	16.7	30.4	28.6	20.0		15.8	$20,456
Credit Recovery	Public	9-12	37 Wood Lake Dr SE	Rochester	55904	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-3999	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)										$9,582
Rochester Alternative Learning Center Recovery Program	Public	9-12	37 Wood Lake Dr SE	Rochester	55904	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-3999	5	2	2.9		5 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)										$38,027
Alternative Learning Center Summer Credit Recovery	Public	6-12	37 Wood Lake Dr SE	Rochester	55904	Olmsted County	Rochester Public School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 328-3999	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)										$9,604