Summary:
Nova Classical Academy is a two-school district in Saint Paul, Minnesota, serving 1,041 students across an elementary school for grades K–5 and an upper school for grades 6–12. The district itself ranks 8 of 458 in Minnesota, at the 98th percentile with 5 stars. Both the Nova Classical Academy Upper School (556 students, grades 6–12) and the Nova Classical Academy Lower School (485 students, grades K–5) earned 5 stars in every listed year. There is no separate middle school; grades 6–8 are part of the Upper School.
The Upper School is the stronger standout. It ranked 4 of 473 schools in 2025–2026, 2 of 450 in 2024–2025, and 2 of 480 in 2023–2024, all at 5 stars. Its graduation rate is 92.9% and dropout rate is 0.0%, compared to the state’s 84.9% and 4.2%. The Lower School is also a 5-star school, ranking 86 of 869 in 2025–2026, 79 of 872 in 2024–2025, and 64 of 881 in 2023–2024. While the Lower School’s math is excellent, its reading and science results trail the district averages, whereas the Upper School is strong across all subjects.
In 2025–2026, both schools shine in math: Upper 71.7% and Lower 72.0%, far above the state’s 44.9%. Reading shows a gap: Upper 75.0% versus Lower 67.8%. Science is the most volatile subject, with Lower falling from 54.32% to 36.3% and Upper from 54.72% to 50.7%. Grade-level peaks include 8th grade reading (82.1%) and math (78.2%), and 5th grade reading (77.8%). The Upper School’s science splits between 8th grade (38.5%) and End of Course (64.3%). Free/reduced lunch is 20.86% at the Upper School and 23.51% at the Lower School; student/teacher ratios are 15.2 and 13.8, respectively. The Lower School’s percentile slipped from 93rd to 90th, but the district remains elite.
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