SWMetro Alternative Learning Center

Summary:

SWMetro Alternative Learning Center is a public high school located in Chaska, Minnesota, serving grades 8-12 with a total enrollment of 88 students and is part of the Southwest Metro Intermediate 288 district. Despite its small size, the school has consistently struggled, ranking in the bottom quartile of Minnesota high schools with a 2 out of 5 star rating from SchoolDigger.

Compared to nearby schools like Shakopee High School and Chaska High School, SWMetro Alternative Learning Center has significantly lower graduation rates (53.4% vs. 94.4% and 95.8%), higher dropout rates (11.6% vs. 1.4% and 0.5%), and much weaker academic performance on state assessments, with 0% of 11th-grade students proficient in math compared to 36.78% and 42.68% at the other schools. The school also serves a higher proportion of students from low-income families, with 59.09% eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.

Despite these challenges, SWMetro Alternative Learning Center does offer a more personalized learning environment, with a very low student-teacher ratio ranging from 3.8 to 4.3. The school also serves a more racially diverse student population compared to nearby schools. However, the school's performance has declined over the past few years, and it ranks in the bottom 10% of Minnesota high schools, highlighting the need for targeted interventions and support to improve educational outcomes for this unique student population.

Detail:

Public 9-12

401 East 4th St
Chaska, MN 55318-8888

(952) 567-8100

District: Southwest Metro Intermediate 288

Student/teacher ratio: 4.1

Number of students: 90

Racial breakdown:

White:

56.7%

Hispanic:

28.9%

African American:

6.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 42.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details SWMetro Alternative Learning Center is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 49.87. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at SWMetro Alternative Learning Center 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 SWMetro Alternative Learning Center has the largest high school student body size in the Southwest Metro Intermediate 288 School District. Racial makeup is: White (56.7%), Hispanic (28.9%), African American (6.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 42.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at SWMetro Alternative Learning Center is 4.1, which is the 3^rd best among 0 high schools in the Southwest Metro Intermediate 288 School District. (See more...)

Compare SWMetro Alternative Learning Center employs 21.5 full-time teachers.

Schooldigger Rankings:

SWMetro Alternative Learning Center was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Average Rating:

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Rank History for SWMetro Alternative Learning Center

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Rank History for all students at SWMetro Alternative Learning Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2019	9.94	426^th	492	13.4%
2021	3.44	417^th	428	2.6%
2022	8.99	431^st	472	8.7%
2023	49.87	254^th	476	46.6%

See the entire list of Minnesota High School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at SWMetro Alternative Learning Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	3.81	388^th	401	3.2%

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

Rank History for Male students at SWMetro Alternative Learning Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	15.05	366^th	411	10.9%

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

Rank History for White students at SWMetro Alternative Learning Center

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	16.22	368^th	414	11.1%
2019	6.62	380^th	412	7.8%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for White 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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)

100%

Reviews:

by a student
Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Great teachers here, very personable, amazing counselors who made an effort to make everyone feel welcome. The student body however had a ton of drama and immature behavior, which made classes kind of distracting if you were just trying to get your diploma done with, but hey, that's why most of us went here instead. Close Quote

Enrollment information for SWMetro Alternative Learning Center

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2017	42	7	2	14	0	1	66
2018	45	7	3	19	0	0	74
2019	57	8	1	18	0	2	86
2020	65	8	4	25	2	2	106
2021	56	9	2	19	1	0	87
2022	40	6	0	13	1	1	61
2023	46	7	1	24	6	4	88
2024	51	6	0	26	5	2	90

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 SWMetro Alternative Learning Center

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	66	18.2	3.6	65.2
2018	74	17.2	4.2	27
2019	86	19.9	4.3	48.8
2020	106	24.7	4.2	22.6
2021	87	22.1	3.9	23
2022	61	15.8	3.8	24.6
2023	88	20.1	4.3	59.1
2024	90	21.5	4.1	42.2

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 SWMetro Alternative Learning Center

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	66	18.2	3.6	65.2
2018	74	17.2	4.2	27
2019	86	19.9	4.3	48.8
2020	106	24.7	4.2	22.6
2021	87	22.1	3.9	23
2022	61	15.8	3.8	24.6
2023	88	20.1	4.3	59.1
2024	90	21.5	4.1	42.2

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.

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on SWMetro Alternative Learning Center

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 426^th of 492 High schools	Ranks 254^th of 476 High schools	33.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade Reading (SWMetro Alternative Learning Center)	23.8	57.1	33.3%
10th Grade Reading (Southwest Metro Intermediate 288)	23.5	52.6	29.1%
10th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	60.4	51.7	8.7%
11th Grade Math (SWMetro Alternative Learning Center)	6.5	0	6.5%
11th Grade Math (Southwest Metro Intermediate 288)	6.5	4.4	2.2%
11th Grade Math (Minnesota)	45	36	9%
End of Course Science (SWMetro Alternative Learning Center)	21.7	50	28.3%
End of Course Science (Southwest Metro Intermediate 288)	19.2	42.1	22.9%
End of Course Science (Minnesota)	54.4	41.8	12.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	86	88	2.3%
African American	8	7	12.5%
American Indian	0	6
Asian	1	1
Hispanic	18	24	33.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	57	46	19.3%
Two or More Races	2	4	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	48.8%	59.1%	10.3%

Schools Near SWMetro Alternative Learning Center

School	Students/Teachers	Ranking (2024)	Ranking (2023)	MCA-III Math (2024)	MCA-III Reading (2024)	MCA-III Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
SWMetro Independent Study	Public	9-12	401 E 4th St	Chaska	55318	Carver County	Southwest Metro Intermediate 288	No	No	No	No	(952) 567-8100	6	0			2 (33.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (33.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (33.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)							(n/a)
SWMetro Seat Based	Public	7-12	401 E 4th St	Chaska	55318	Carver County	Southwest Metro Intermediate 288	No	No	No	No	(952) 567-8100	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()							(n/a)
SWMetro Alternative Learning Center	Public	9-12	401 East 4th St	Chaska	55318	Carver County	Southwest Metro Intermediate 288	No	No	No	No	(952) 567-8100	90	22	4.1	42.2%	51 (56.7%)	6 (6.7%)	26 (28.9%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.2%)							(n/a)			25.0	25.0
SWMetro CCJ	Public	6-12	606 East 4th Street	Chaska	55318	Carver County	Southwest Metro Intermediate 288	No	No	No	No	(952) 567-8100	3	1	3.4		2 (66.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (33.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)							(n/a)
Sabers Online High School	Public	9-12	1200 Shakopee Town Sq	Shakopee	55379	Scott County	Shakopee Public School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(952) 496-5000	0	3	13.2		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()							(n/a)
Tokata Learning Center	Public	9-12	1110 Shakopee Town Square	Shakopee	55379	Scott County	Shakopee Public School District	No	No	No	No	(952) 496-5982	88	7	12.9	70.5%	29 (33.0%)	16 (18.2%)	28 (31.8%)	4 (4.5%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (11.4%)							(n/a)			14.3	14.3			$16,741
Tokata Alternative Learning Center Independent Study	Public	9-12	1110 Shakopee Town Square	Shakopee	55379	Scott County	Shakopee Public School District	No	No	No	No	(952) 496-5982	15	0	22.8	80.0%	3 (20.0%)	2 (13.3%)	7 (46.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (20.0%)							(n/a)
Chaska High School	Public	9-12	545 Pioneer Trail	Chaska	55318	Carver County	Eastern Carver County Public School	No	No	No	No	(952) 556-7100	1,538	72	21.4	23.9%	1,083 (70.4%)	104 (6.8%)	180 (11.7%)	76 (4.9%)	5 (0.3%)	2 (0.1%)	88 (5.7%)	81.2	68^th of 480 public high schools	85.8%	74.7	99^th of 476 public high schools	79.2%	31	44.8	44.8	62.1	62.1	49.2	49.2	$12,929
Mn Correctional Facility-Shakopee	Public	9-12	1010 W 6th Ave	Shakopee	55379	Scott County	Minnesota Department Of Corrections	No	No	No	No	(952) 496-4481	2	0			0 (0.0%)	2 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)							(n/a)
Shakopee High School	Public	9-12	100 17th Ave W	Shakopee	55379	Scott County	Shakopee Public School District	No	No	No	No	(952) 496-5152	2,813	157	17.9	36.1%	1,398 (49.7%)	414 (14.7%)	459 (16.3%)	327 (11.6%)	30 (1.1%)	2 (0.1%)	183 (6.5%)	73.9	113^th of 480 public high schools	76.5%	68.6	137^th of 476 public high schools	71.2%	24	40.0	40.0	56.3	56.3	48.8	48.8	$11,390

Frequently Asked Questions about SWMetro Alternative Learning Center

How many students attend SWMetro Alternative Learning Center?

In the 2023-24 school year, 90 students attended SWMetro Alternative Learning Center.

What is the racial makeup of SWMetro Alternative Learning Center?

Students at SWMetro Alternative Learning Center are 57% White, 29% Hispanic, 7% African American, 6% American Indian, 2% Two or more races.

What district is SWMetro Alternative Learning Center in?

Southwest Metro Intermediate 288

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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 11th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	MCA-III Reading 10th Grade	MCA-III Reading All Grades	MCA-III Science End of Course	MCA-III Science All Grades	Total
SWMetro Independent Study	Public	9-12	401 E 4th St	Chaska	55318	Carver County	Southwest Metro Intermediate 288	No	No	No	No	(952) 567-8100	6	0			2 (33.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (33.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (33.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
SWMetro Seat Based	Public	7-12	401 E 4th St	Chaska	55318	Carver County	Southwest Metro Intermediate 288	No	No	No	No	(952) 567-8100	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
SWMetro Alternative Learning Center	Public	9-12	401 East 4th St	Chaska	55318	Carver County	Southwest Metro Intermediate 288	No	No	No	No	(952) 567-8100	90	22	4.1	42.2%	51 (56.7%)	6 (6.7%)	26 (28.9%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.2%)								(n/a)			25.0	25.0
SWMetro CCJ	Public	6-12	606 East 4th Street	Chaska	55318	Carver County	Southwest Metro Intermediate 288	No	No	No	No	(952) 567-8100	3	1	3.4		2 (66.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (33.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Sabers Online High School	Public	9-12	1200 Shakopee Town Sq	Shakopee	55379	Scott County	Shakopee Public School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(952) 496-5000	0	3	13.2		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Tokata Learning Center	Public	9-12	1110 Shakopee Town Square	Shakopee	55379	Scott County	Shakopee Public School District	No	No	No	No	(952) 496-5982	88	7	12.9	70.5%	29 (33.0%)	16 (18.2%)	28 (31.8%)	4 (4.5%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (11.4%)								(n/a)			14.3	14.3			$16,741
Tokata Alternative Learning Center Independent Study	Public	9-12	1110 Shakopee Town Square	Shakopee	55379	Scott County	Shakopee Public School District	No	No	No	No	(952) 496-5982	15	0	22.8	80.0%	3 (20.0%)	2 (13.3%)	7 (46.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (20.0%)								(n/a)
Chaska High School	Public	9-12	545 Pioneer Trail	Chaska	55318	Carver County	Eastern Carver County Public School	No	No	No	No	(952) 556-7100	1,538	72	21.4	23.9%	1,083 (70.4%)	104 (6.8%)	180 (11.7%)	76 (4.9%)	5 (0.3%)	2 (0.1%)	88 (5.7%)	81.2	68^th of 480 public high schools	85.8%		74.7	99^th of 476 public high schools	79.2%	31	44.8	44.8	62.1	62.1	49.2	49.2	$12,929
Mn Correctional Facility-Shakopee	Public	9-12	1010 W 6th Ave	Shakopee	55379	Scott County	Minnesota Department Of Corrections	No	No	No	No	(952) 496-4481	2	0			0 (0.0%)	2 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Shakopee High School	Public	9-12	100 17th Ave W	Shakopee	55379	Scott County	Shakopee Public School District	No	No	No	No	(952) 496-5152	2,813	157	17.9	36.1%	1,398 (49.7%)	414 (14.7%)	459 (16.3%)	327 (11.6%)	30 (1.1%)	2 (0.1%)	183 (6.5%)	73.9	113^th of 480 public high schools	76.5%		68.6	137^th of 476 public high schools	71.2%	24	40.0	40.0	56.3	56.3	48.8	48.8	$11,390