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Twin Cities Academy

Public, Charter Grades 6-12
403rd
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 473 Minnesota High Schools
Better than 15% of Minnesota high schools
Summary

Twin Cities Academy is a 547-student school serving grades 6–12 at 690 Birmingham on Saint Paul's East Side, and it operates as its own single-school district (Twin Cities Academy). It currently ranks 403rd of 473 Minnesota schools (15th percentile, 1 star), down from 259th of 489 (47th percentile, 2 stars) in 2015-16, and it has sat near the 11th–17th percentile for three straight years.

Test scores are at or near the bottom of the local peer group and still falling. In 2025-26, 7.3% of students met math standards (state: 44.9%), 21.3% reading (48.6%), and 9.2% science (25.5%) — the lowest math and science results among nearby reporting schools, including Harding Senior High and STEP Academy Charter School. Reading has declined four reporting cycles in a row, from roughly 34% to 21%. Eighth grade is a specific pressure point, with 1.4% science and 5.6% math proficiency, and because the school spans grades 6–12 those middle-school results pull down every "All Grades" figure. Worth noting: the school has one of the lowest student-teacher ratios around (13.2:1) and serves a lower-poverty population than Johnson Senior High, Sejong Academy Upper School, HOPE Community Academy High School, and STEP, so intake and staffing alone do not explain the results.

Completion is the school's clear strength: a 90.5% graduation rate, above the state's 84.9%, and zero dropouts for two consecutive years — better than Harding and Johnson. English learners are a real bright spot, at the 75th percentile with 4 stars statewide in 2025-26, and special education results jumped sharply as well. Female students, though, have sat at the 8th percentile for three years running. In short: students finish, but proficiency lags.

547
Students ?
13.2
Student/teacher ratio ?
$14,125
Per pupil spending ?
62.3%
Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?
All students in Minnesota receive free school meals.
 690 Birmingham
       Saint Paul, MN  55106-8888

(651) 205-4797

District: Twin Cities Academy

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
32.4%
African American:
28.7%
Asian:
18.1%
more
 See top rated Minnesota high schools

 Compare Twin Cities Academy to nearby high schools!
At a glance
▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 47th percentile in 2016 → 15th in 2026
Strengths
✓90% graduate in 4 years — above the Minnesota average (85%)
Worth a look
!Test scores below the Minnesota average (13% vs 43% meeting standards)
!In the lower quartile statewide (15th percentile)
!Ranking has slipped — down 32 percentile points since 2016
Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?
This school13%
District avg13%
Minnesota avg43%
Middle school
506th of 546
Minnesota public middle schools ?
Bottom 7%▼ down 64 pts since 2017
From top 29% (2017) to bottom 7% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Minnesota Middle Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
High school
403rd of 473
Minnesota public high schools ?
Bottom 15%▼ down 32 pts since 2016
From bottom 47% (2016) to bottom 15% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Minnesota High Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
421st of 458Twin Cities Academy among Minnesota districts
Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)
Middle school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
20268.9506 of 5467.3%☆☆☆☆☆
202518.8437 of 51915.8%★☆☆☆☆
202420.1454 of 54516.7%★☆☆☆☆
202318.3445 of 52915.9%★☆☆☆☆
202225.3396 of 52023.8%★☆☆☆☆
202144.3286 of 52145.1%★★☆☆☆
201944.1328 of 53338.5%★★☆☆☆
201855.5251 of 51851.5%★★★☆☆
201768.1150 of 52371.3%★★★★☆

African American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202625.9141 of 18523.8%★☆☆☆☆
202533.5118 of 16930.2%★★☆☆☆
202431.7123 of 17931.3%★★☆☆☆
202320.3139 of 16415.2%★☆☆☆☆
202241.592 of 16243.2%★★☆☆☆
202132.2104 of 14126.2%★☆☆☆☆
201940.283 of 14843.9%★★☆☆☆
201845.972 of 13747.4%★★☆☆☆

Asian

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202615.597 of 11213.4%★☆☆☆☆
202514.593 of 10612.3%★☆☆☆☆
202426.478 of 11129.7%★★☆☆☆
20236.7116 of 1160.0%☆☆☆☆☆
202214.9101 of 1108.2%☆☆☆☆☆
201940.271 of 11236.6%★★☆☆☆
201848.256 of 10848.1%★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202622.9166 of 1702.4%☆☆☆☆☆
202527.2133 of 15313.1%★☆☆☆☆
202430.0135 of 15814.6%★☆☆☆☆
202251.141 of 13068.5%★★★☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
20265.4456 of 4672.4%☆☆☆☆☆
202515.6396 of 45012.0%★☆☆☆☆
202419.4401 of 47415.4%★☆☆☆☆
202320.5386 of 45515.2%★☆☆☆☆
202224.5370 of 46720.8%★☆☆☆☆
202145.4238 of 44346.3%★★☆☆☆
201934.4329 of 43925.1%★☆☆☆☆
201843.8275 of 43636.9%★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
20266.9195 of 1950.0%☆☆☆☆☆
202522.3143 of 17518.3%★☆☆☆☆
202423.8160 of 18614.0%★☆☆☆☆
202315.3171 of 1783.9%☆☆☆☆☆
202224.2162 of 18813.8%★☆☆☆☆
201935.3109 of 17136.3%★★☆☆☆
201854.662 of 16362.0%★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
20269.8444 of 4583.1%☆☆☆☆☆
202514.3399 of 4327.6%☆☆☆☆☆
202420.2410 of 47313.3%★☆☆☆☆
202316.0415 of 4599.6%☆☆☆☆☆
202228.3315 of 40422.0%★☆☆☆☆
202139.9248 of 39937.8%★★☆☆☆
201930.3314 of 41524.3%★☆☆☆☆
201830.2311 of 40122.4%★☆☆☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202611.6443 of 4838.3%☆☆☆☆☆
202518.3388 of 45214.2%★☆☆☆☆
202417.0412 of 47914.0%★☆☆☆☆
202313.5418 of 4649.9%★☆☆☆☆
202223.5380 of 47620.2%★☆☆☆☆
202139.3271 of 43738.0%★★☆☆☆
201947.5257 of 45443.4%★★☆☆☆
201861.0168 of 43861.6%★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
201929.295 of 12020.8%★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202615.1285 of 2963.7%☆☆☆☆☆
202525.6220 of 26517.0%★☆☆☆☆
202441.5174 of 30743.3%★★☆☆☆
202364.875 of 29874.8%★★★★☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202461.8140 of 44068.2%★★★☆☆
202355.6184 of 43657.8%★★★☆☆
202239.1270 of 43838.4%★★☆☆☆
202187.623 of 42294.5%★★★★★
201968.6107 of 42875.0%★★★★☆
201868.7110 of 42874.3%★★★★☆
High school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202617.9403 of 47314.8%★☆☆☆☆
202513.3401 of 45010.9%★☆☆☆☆
202418.2400 of 48016.7%★☆☆☆☆
202341.5302 of 47636.6%★★☆☆☆
202224.3372 of 47221.2%★☆☆☆☆
202133.0325 of 42824.1%★☆☆☆☆
201931.1366 of 49225.6%★☆☆☆☆
201832.8367 of 49425.7%★☆☆☆☆
201749.1300 of 48938.7%★★☆☆☆
201654.7259 of 48947.0%★★☆☆☆
201582.062 of 50487.7%★★★★☆
201485.843 of 48391.1%★★★★★
201371.2137 of 53474.3%★★★★☆
201277.185 of 53984.2%★★★★☆
201178.572 of 54586.8%★★★★☆
201082.336 of 54093.3%★★★★★

African American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202630.282 of 11428.1%★☆☆☆☆
202515.089 of 956.3%☆☆☆☆☆
202428.179 of 10927.5%★☆☆☆☆
202345.652 of 9846.9%★★☆☆☆
202228.375 of 10226.5%★☆☆☆☆
201922.883 of 10319.4%★☆☆☆☆
201834.473 of 10631.1%★★☆☆☆

Asian

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202415.171 of 789.0%★☆☆☆☆
202343.338 of 7146.5%★★☆☆☆
20222.268 of 680.0%☆☆☆☆☆
201929.457 of 7826.9%★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202659.028 of 11074.5%★★★★☆
202541.646 of 9451.1%★★★☆☆
202445.245 of 10255.9%★★★☆☆
202366.716 of 9082.2%★★★★☆
202249.336 of 8758.6%★★★☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202610.3366 of 3988.0%☆☆☆☆☆
202511.9329 of 3588.1%☆☆☆☆☆
202411.1370 of 4038.2%☆☆☆☆☆
202322.9329 of 39616.9%★☆☆☆☆
20228.3367 of 3885.4%☆☆☆☆☆
201918.5347 of 40113.5%★☆☆☆☆
201817.8344 of 39512.9%★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202622.0114 of 13515.6%★☆☆☆☆
202513.8116 of 1246.5%☆☆☆☆☆
202421.8126 of 14513.1%★☆☆☆☆
202335.892 of 13632.4%★★☆☆☆
202219.8118 of 13512.6%★☆☆☆☆
201920.5113 of 13214.4%★☆☆☆☆
201849.858 of 12955.0%★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202620.6321 of 37714.9%★☆☆☆☆
202514.4306 of 3338.1%☆☆☆☆☆
202419.2342 of 38912.1%★☆☆☆☆
202340.3245 of 39337.7%★★☆☆☆
202215.7280 of 31210.3%★☆☆☆☆
201930.2273 of 37026.2%★☆☆☆☆
201833.1271 of 37427.5%★☆☆☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202619.9336 of 39514.9%★☆☆☆☆
20258.7359 of 3774.8%☆☆☆☆☆
202419.0352 of 40513.1%★☆☆☆☆
202349.5210 of 39847.2%★★☆☆☆
202237.1278 of 40331.0%★★☆☆☆
201931.5316 of 41123.1%★☆☆☆☆
201833.4306 of 39823.1%★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202641.0128 of 22442.9%★★☆☆☆
202515.3171 of 1783.9%☆☆☆☆☆
202410.6209 of 2215.4%☆☆☆☆☆
202339.4141 of 21634.7%★★☆☆☆
201964.958 of 22073.6%★★★★☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankMinnesota percentileRating
202522.0323 of 37614.1%★☆☆☆☆
202442.9249 of 40238.1%★★☆☆☆
202376.769 of 39882.7%★★★★☆
202273.180 of 40180.0%★★★★☆
201960.5178 of 41256.8%★★★☆☆
201860.9178 of 41457.0%★★★☆☆
How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)
Middle school
White (2024)68th percentile+51 vs school
African American (2026)24th percentile+16 vs school
Multi-racial (2019)21st percentile-18 vs school
Asian (2026)13th percentile+6 vs school
Male (2026)8th percentile~ school
Special Education (2026)4th percentile-4 vs school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)3rd percentile-4 vs school
Female (2026)2nd percentile-5 vs school
English Language Learner (2026)2nd percentile-5 vs school
Hispanic (2026)<1st percentile-7 vs school
High school
English Language Learner (2026)75th percentile+60 vs school
Special Education (2026)43rd percentile+28 vs school
African American (2026)28th percentile+13 vs school
Hispanic (2026)16th percentile~ school
Male (2026)15th percentile~ school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)15th percentile~ school
White (2025)14th percentile+3 vs school
Asian (2024)9th percentile-8 vs school
Female (2026)8th percentile-7 vs school
By subject vs Minnesota (2025-2026) ?
Reading21%-27 vs state
Science9%-16 vs state
Math7%-38 vs state

5.0
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What people are saying
by a parent
Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Open Quote We took our son out of public school because he was struggling to pass. We found one of the highest ranked middle schools in MN, Twin Cities Academy, and drove him into St. Paul each day from Lake Elmo. It was well worth it. He is now in his second year in college and says that college is easier than Twin Cities Academy. What we loved about the school is their willingness to go the extra mile for struggling kids like ours - extra math classes, extra writing classes, whatever kids needed. Unlike our public school experience, this school would not let kids fall through the cracks. As a parent, I know that I have often questioned some of my parenting decisions, but this is one I have never regretted. Close Quote





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Frequently Asked Questions about Twin Cities Academy

Twin Cities Academy ranks in the bottom 14.8% of Minnesota high schools.

In the 2024-25 school year, 547 students attended Twin Cities Academy.

Students at Twin Cities Academy are 32% Hispanic, 29% African American, 18% Asian, 15% White, 6% Two or more races.

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Latest Minnesota data All new data »
2019–20 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)NewOct 19, 2026
2024–25 through 2025–26 MCA-III & MCA-IV test scoresSep 30, 2026
2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026
2024–25 MCA-III test scoresAug 29, 2025


SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Minnesota Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.

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