Success Academy

The Success Academy network operates three schools in the Saint Cloud and Bloomington areas of Minnesota, including two elementary schools and one middle school. These schools serve a predominantly African American student population from low-income backgrounds, with high rates of free and reduced-price lunch eligibility.

Among the Success Academy schools, Success Academy Bloomington Elementary stands out as the top performer, with the highest math and reading proficiency rates across all grades. In 3rd grade math, 50% of students were proficient or better, significantly outpacing the district and state averages. The school also had the highest 5th grade reading proficiency at 55.56%. In contrast, Success Academy Bloomington Middle had the highest reading proficiency rates among the network's middle school grades, with 42.86% of 7th graders scoring proficient or better in reading.

Despite these pockets of success, the Success Academy schools generally underperform the state averages in math, reading, and science proficiency across all grades. This suggests the need for a deeper examination of the schools' curriculum, teaching practices, and support systems to address the significant academic challenges faced by their predominantly low-income, African American student population. However, the standout performance in certain grade levels and subjects at the Bloomington Elementary school demonstrates the potential for improvement and the opportunity to replicate successful strategies across the network.