St. Paul School of Northern Lights

Q: Is St. Paul School of Northern Lights a good school?

St. Paul School of Northern Lights ranks 648 th of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

St. Paul School of Northern Lights is a public charter elementary school serving grades K-6 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with a student population of 198. The school is part of the Saint Paul Public Schools district, which is ranked 351 out of 463 districts in Minnesota and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While the school has a higher percentage of white students (71.21%) compared to the state average, it consistently underperforms the state in both math and reading proficiency across all grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's overall math proficiency was 29.63% compared to the state's 45.47%, and its overall reading proficiency was 42.35% compared to the state's 49.85%. Additionally, the school has seen a significant increase in the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, from 16.02% in 2020-2021 to 33.84% in 2022-2023, and the student-teacher ratio has increased from 29.4 to 39.6 during the same period, which is higher than the state average.

Compared to nearby schools, such as Capitol Hill Magnet/Rondo and Nova Classical Academy Lower School, which significantly outperform St. Paul School of Northern Lights in both math and reading proficiency, the school has seen a decline in the performance of its student subgroups, particularly white students and male students. In 2023-2024, the school's white students ranked 679 out of 730 Minnesota elementary schools, with a 0-star rating. These factors, along with the school's declining enrollment and increasing poverty levels, suggest that St. Paul School of Northern Lights may need to implement targeted interventions and support systems to address the learning needs of its diverse student population and improve overall academic performance.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-6

426 Osceola Ave S
Saint Paul, MN 55102-8888

(651) 285-4672

District: St. Paul School of Northern Lights

SchoolDigger Rank:
648^th of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Student/teacher ratio: 39.6

Number of students: 198

Racial breakdown:

White:

71.2%

Two or more races:

14.1%

Hispanic:

8.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 33.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details St. Paul School of Northern Lights ranks worse than 73.6% of elementary schools in Minnesota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 30.55. (See more...)

Student Body

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Teachers

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Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

St. Paul School of Northern Lights:

SchoolDigger ranks St. Paul School of Northern Lights 648^th of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See St. Paul School of Northern Lights in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

St. Paul School of Northern Lights:

SchoolDigger ranks St. Paul School of Northern Lights 351^st of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for St. Paul School of Northern Lights.

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Rank History for St. Paul School of Northern Lights

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Rank History for all students at St. Paul School of Northern Lights

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2021	33.76	639^th	869	26.5%
2022	42.47	565^th	858	34.1%
2023	33.55	611^th	845	27.7%
2024	30.55	648^th	881	26.4%

See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at St. Paul School of Northern Lights

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	37.66	346^th	524	34.0%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Female students at St. Paul School of Northern Lights

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2021	25.26	627^th	783	19.9%
2022	30.40	594^th	799	25.7%
2023	30.80	588^th	787	25.3%
2024	31.47	598^th	809	26.1%

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

Rank History for Male students at St. Paul School of Northern Lights

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2022	46.05	508^th	808	37.1%
2023	35.56	566^th	799	29.2%
2024	40.55	538^th	826	34.9%

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

Rank History for White students at St. Paul School of Northern Lights

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2021	28.35	590^th	710	16.9%
2022	34.58	538^th	725	25.8%
2023	20.83	635^th	712	10.8%
2024	16.35	679^th	730	7.0%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary 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: 3.8)

50%

25%

Reviews:

by a citizen
Wednesday, April 19, 2023

This school is a golden opportunity for everyone who steps within these doors. Close Quote

by a student
Wednesday, April 19, 2023

SPSNL is a wonderful school. I have had the opportunity to explore many of my interests, and I like all the teachers. Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, November 19, 2021

We chooe this school because they believe in inclusion of all students and learning by doing. It's hard to judge with COVID-19 changing things. I think this was a great choice for our family. Close Quote

Enrollment information for St. Paul School of Northern Lights

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2020	71	8	0	9	0	11	99
2021	160	5	3	19	1	18	206
2022	139	10	3	19	1	18	190
2023	141	8	1	17	3	28	198

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 St. Paul School of Northern Lights

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2020	99	1.0	99.0	21.2
2021	206	7.0	29.4	16
2022	190	6.8	27.8	10.5
2023	198	5.0	39.6	33.8

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 St. Paul School of Northern Lights

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2020	99	1.0	99.0	21.2
2021	206	7.0	29.4	16
2022	190	6.8	27.8	10.5
2023	198	5.0	39.6	33.8

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.

Schools Near St. Paul School of Northern Lights

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

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 3rd Grade	MCA-III Math 4th Grade	MCA-III Math 5th Grade	MCA-III Math 6th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	MCA-III Reading 3rd Grade	MCA-III Reading 4th Grade	MCA-III Reading 5th Grade	MCA-III Reading 6th Grade	MCA-III Reading All Grades	MCA-III Science 5th Grade	MCA-III Science All Grades	Total
St. Paul School of Northern Lights	Public, Charter	K-6	426 Osceola Ave S	Saint Paul	55102	Ramsey County	St. Paul School of Northern Lights	Yes	No	No	Yes	(651) 285-4672	198	5	39.6	33.8%	141 (71.2%)	8 (4.0%)	17 (8.6%)	1 (0.5%)	3 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (14.1%)	30.5	648^th of 881 public elementary schools	26.4%		33.6	611^th of 845 public elementary schools	27.7%	37	40.6	40.0	11.1	9.1	29.6	42.4	42.9	55.6	23.1	42.4	27.8	27.8
Saint Paul Online Elementary School	Public, Virtual	K-5	740 York Ave	Saint Paul	55106	Ramsey County	Saint Paul Public Schools	No	No	Yes	No	(651) 767-8100	224	30	7.4	80.8%	23 (10.3%)	67 (29.9%)	31 (13.8%)	79 (35.3%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (9.4%)	7.7	810^th of 881 public elementary schools	8.1%		11.2	750^th of 845 public elementary schools	11.2%	60	8.3	7.1	0.0		4.7	33.3	21.4	23.5		25.6	14.3	14.3
Rise Academy Online	Public, Charter	K-6	355 Randolph Ave	Saint Paul	55102	Ramsey County	Rise Academy	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(651) 605-2360	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Rise Academy	Public, Charter	K-6	355 Randolph Ave	Saint Paul	55102	Ramsey County	Rise Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(651) 605-2360	147	17	8.6	90.5%	3 (2.0%)	20 (13.6%)	1 (0.7%)	120 (81.6%)	3 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4.2	853^rd of 881 public elementary schools	3.2%		7.6	780^th of 845 public elementary schools	7.7%	73	0.0	7.7	0.0	10.0	4.9	5.0	15.4	7.4	23.3	13.6	7.1	7.1	$15,969
Adams Magnet Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	615 Chatsworth St S	Saint Paul	55102	Ramsey County	Saint Paul Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(651) 298-1595	496	31	15.8	43.3%	183 (36.9%)	35 (7.1%)	235 (47.4%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (7.9%)	49.9	493^rd of 881 public elementary schools	44.0%		50.2	481^st of 845 public elementary schools	43.1%	12	53.0	55.4	31.0		46.0	50.0	54.1	52.8		52.3	36.1	36.1	$14,389
Nova Classical Academy Lower School	Public, Charter	K-5	1455 Victoria Way	Saint Paul	55102	Ramsey County	Nova Classical Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(651) 209-6320	483	30	15.8	22.4%	292 (60.5%)	64 (13.3%)	31 (6.4%)	62 (12.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	32 (6.6%)	87.9	64^th of 881 public elementary schools	92.7%		90.5	35^th of 845 public elementary schools	95.9%	29	66.7	84.0	72.8		74.5	59.3	71.6	81.5		70.8	69.1	69.1	$11,508
Global Arts Plus Lower	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-4	1023 Osceola Ave	Saint Paul	55105	Ramsey County	Saint Paul Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(651) 293-6606	396	33	12.0	65.7%	127 (32.1%)	92 (23.2%)	72 (18.2%)	63 (15.9%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)	38 (9.6%)	8.6	804^th of 881 public elementary schools	8.7%		17.2	709^th of 845 public elementary schools	16.1%	95	23.3	21.5			22.4	25.3	13.9			19.5			$15,689
Randolph Heights Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	348 Hamline Ave S	Saint Paul	55105	Ramsey County	Saint Paul Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(651) 293-8780	437	25	17.4	31.1%	301 (68.9%)	54 (12.4%)	24 (5.5%)	17 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (9.4%)	90.7	32^nd of 881 public elementary schools	96.4%		85.6	87^th of 845 public elementary schools	89.7%	55	84.5	70.6	86.3		80.7	67.6	72.1	80.8		73.6	65.8	65.8	$13,333
Jj Hill Montessori	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	998 Selby Ave	Saint Paul	55104	Ramsey County	Saint Paul Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(651) 293-8720	353	29	12.2	44.8%	184 (52.1%)	83 (23.5%)	23 (6.5%)	13 (3.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (13.9%)	23.6	700^th of 881 public elementary schools	20.5%		24.3	660^th of 845 public elementary schools	21.9%	40	34.6	23.1	18.2		25.3	38.5	35.9	37.5		37.4	33.9	33.9	$15,611
Early Education Ben Mays/Rondo	Public	PK-K	560 Concordia Ave	Saint Paul	55103	Ramsey County	Saint Paul Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(651) 325-2691	11	4	2.8	72.7%	5 (45.5%)	3 (27.3%)	1 (9.1%)	2 (18.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)													$16,581

Frequently Asked Questions about St. Paul School of Northern Lights

What district is St. Paul School of Northern Lights in?

St. Paul School of Northern Lights

What is the racial makeup of St. Paul School of Northern Lights?

Students at St. Paul School of Northern Lights are 71% White, 14% Two or more races, 9% Hispanic, 4% African American, 2% American Indian.

How many students attend St. Paul School of Northern Lights?

In the 2022-23 school year, 198 students attended St. Paul School of Northern Lights.

Is St. Paul School of Northern Lights a good school?

St. Paul School of Northern Lights ranks 648^th of 881 Minnesota elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star 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.