Andersen Middle is a public middle school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, serving 872 students in grades 6-8. The school faces significant challenges, with a diverse student population, low academic performance, and socioeconomic disadvantages compared to nearby schools.
Andersen Middle has a significantly more diverse student population than nearby schools, with 46.44% Hispanic, 18.81% African American, and 24.2% White students. However, the school consistently underperforms the Minneapolis Public School District and the state of Minnesota in standardized test scores. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 20.02% of Andersen Middle students were proficient or better in MCA-III Math, compared to 34.66% for the district and 45.47% for the state. Similarly, in MCA-III Reading, Andersen Middle had 26.44% proficient or better, while the district and state had 40.06% and 49.85%, respectively. The school's student group rankings are particularly low for Hispanic students (175th out of 186 Minnesota middle schools) and English Language Learner students (145th out of 158), indicating significant achievement gaps.
Andersen Middle's challenges are further compounded by its high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, reaching 71.44% in the 2022-2023 school year. This suggests that the school serves a predominantly low-income student population, which can contribute to the academic challenges observed. In comparison, nearby schools like Justice Page Middle and Sanford Middle demonstrate significantly higher academic performance, with proficiency rates in MCA-III Math and Reading that are 20-30 percentage points higher than Andersen Middle. These schools also serve more socioeconomically advantaged student populations.
Andersen Middle ranks in the bottom 16.3% of Minnesota middle schools.
Minneapolis Public School District
Students at Andersen Middle are 49% Hispanic, 23% White, 17% African American, 5% Two or more races, 4% American Indian, 2% Asian.
In the 2023-24 school year, 1,045 students attended Andersen Middle.