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Needs Improvement

#1888 of 1,992 schools in MN

Olson Middle

Middle School · Minneapolis Public School District · Minneapolis, MN

A Minneapolis Public School District middle school where students score 10 points below what's typical for similar communities.

1607 51ST AVE N, Minneapolis, MN 55430

  • Math 5% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 20% proficient (2022)
  • 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.1Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-1.74 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendDeclining
Academics2.7Needs Improvement35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency5% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency20% (2022 EdFacts)
Overall Proficiency13% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)23% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected-10.3 pts
Adjusted Percentile9th
Resources & Environment3.8Needs Improvement25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.4:1
District spending per student$21,839
Chronic Absenteeism90.3%

Students at Olson Middle score 12% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 23%).

How we calculate scores →

2022 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MN average.

Math Proficiency5%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency20%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 12 points since 2019, to 13% in 2022, across a 14-year record (2009–2022).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
34%
ELA
45%
2010
Math
23%
ELA
46%
2011
Math
25%
ELA
50%
2012
Math
25%
ELA
26%
2013
Math
20%
ELA
24%
2014
Math
23%
ELA
28%
2015
Math
15%
ELA
28%
2016
Math
17%
ELA
28%
2017
Math
16%
ELA
29%
2018
Math
18%
ELA
31%
2019
Math
18%
ELA
31%
2020*
Math
8%
ELA
17%
2021*
Math
8%
ELA
17%
2022
Math
5%
ELA
20%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 18% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 30% (multi-year average, 2009-2022)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from MN state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

82.5%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Olson Middle sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Minneapolis map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 32Car-Dependent
  • Transit 40Some Transit
  • Bike 63Bikeable
  • City Safety: High6,330/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Minneapolis), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$77,385

Median home value

$243,800

Median rent

$1,370/mo

College educated

28.8%

Homeownership

67.6%

Poverty rate

12.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 55430; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Kipp North Star AcademyCharter · enrollment unverified3.55–80.3 mi122Compare →
Brooklyn Center Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.86–81.9 mi346Compare →
Prodeo Columbia Heights MiddleCharter · enrollment unverified7.85–81.9 mi275Compare →
Columbia AcademyEnrollment path unverified4.66–82.6 mi715Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Minneapolis Public School District

Schools in district
98
Rank in district
#74 of 78
District spending per student
$21,839NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
15.4%Census SAIPE · 2024

Olson Middle is listed in Minneapolis Public School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Olson Middle

Olson Middle is a public middle school in Minneapolis, MN, part of Minneapolis Public School District, serving approximately 308 students in grades 6th-8th with a 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.9 out of 10 and ranks #1,888 of 1,992 schools in MN. State assessment records show 18% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 30% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Olson Middle

What grades does Olson Middle serve?

Olson Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Olson Middle?

Olson Middle has an enrollment of approximately 308 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Olson Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Olson Middle is 11.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Olson Middle rank in MN?

Olson Middle ranks #1,888 of 1,992 schools in MN.

What is Olson Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Olson Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.9 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Olson Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Olson Middle has 18% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 30% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Olson Middle a charter school?

No, Olson Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Olson Middle a Title I school?

No, Olson Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Olson Middle?

82.5% of students at Olson Middle qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
308
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
27
Type
regular
Setting
Large City
County
Hennepin County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
90.3%
Area population (ZIP 55430)
22,569
Area average commute
24.8 min
Area median age
34.2
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 55430; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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