Life Prep

The LIFE Prep school is the sole elementary public charter school serving grades PK-6 in the Life Prep district located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. With a total enrollment of 148 students, LIFE Prep has consistently ranked in the bottom 20% of Minnesota elementary schools over the past three school years, with a statewide ranking between 792 and 811 out of approximately 872 elementary schools.

LIFE Prep's academic performance is a significant concern, as the school's proficiency rates on the MCA-III Math and Reading assessments are substantially lower than the state averages across all grade levels. For instance, in the 2024-2025 school year, the school's overall Math proficiency rate was 7.69% compared to the state average of 45.21%, and its overall Reading proficiency rate was 22.39% compared to the state average of 49.59%. The school's performance is particularly concerning in 6th grade, where the proficiency rates in both Math (0%) and Reading (0%) are significantly below the state averages.

Despite the school's low student-to-teacher ratio of 13.4 to 1, which is generally considered a positive indicator for student support and engagement, LIFE Prep's academic outcomes have not translated into strong student achievement. This suggests that factors beyond just the student-teacher ratio, such as curriculum, instructional practices, and school leadership, may be contributing to the school's underperformance. Additionally, the high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (84.46% in the 2023-2024 school year) indicates that LIFE Prep serves a socioeconomically disadvantaged population, which may further contribute to the academic challenges the school is facing.