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South St. Paul High School

Q: Is South St. Paul High School a good school?

South St. Paul High School ranks 293 rd of 473 Minnesota high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

293^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 473 Minnesota High Schools

Better than 38% of Minnesota high schools

Summary

South St. Paul High School is a public high school serving grades 9–12 with 866 students in South Saint Paul, MN, part of the South St. Paul Public School District. In 2025–26 it ranked 293rd of 473 Minnesota high schools (38th percentile, 2 stars), above the district’s 31st percentile but below the state median. Its rank has fallen from 68th percentile in 2015–16 and recently stabilized in the low-to-mid 30s/40s range. Completion outcomes are stronger: the 2024–25 graduation rate was 93.0% (district 77.5%, state 84.9%) and the dropout rate was 2.6% (district 3.1%, state 4.2%). Test proficiency shows Math at 17.3% in 11th grade, Reading at 38.4% in 10th grade, and Science at 26.6% End of Course; Math trails the state’s 35.3%, Reading is near the state’s 42.5%, and Science is close to the district’s 26.3%.

Compared with nearby schools, the school’s completion results stand out. It has a higher graduation rate and lower dropout rate than Two Rivers High School (89.2% graduation, 5.2% dropout) and Humboldt High School (82.3% graduation), though Two Rivers posts stronger proficiency and a higher 2025–26 rank (68th percentile, 3 stars). Open World Learning Secondary is a high-performing outlier at 97th percentile, 5 stars, with much higher test scores, but it also has a lower free/reduced lunch rate (29.96% vs. 54.27%). It far outperforms local alternative programs such as S St. Paul Community Learning Cntr., Guadalupe Alternative Programs, 917 DCALS North, and Academic Arts High School, which have far lower graduation rates and higher dropout rates. Its student-teacher ratio improved from 24.5 in 2022–23 to 16.8 in 2024–25.

Overall, South St. Paul High School is a mid-sized comprehensive high school with strong completion outcomes and improving staffing ratios. The main challenges are low Math proficiency, a rank below the state median, and persistent gaps for some student groups, including English learners and low-income students. Special Education effectiveness has been volatile. Recent trends are mixed: graduation and dropout reached their best recent values in 2024–25, while Reading and Science scores have fluctuated and Math remains the clearest academic weakness.

866

Students ?

16.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,884

Per pupil spending ?

54.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

700 N 2nd St
South Saint Paul, MN 55075-2062

(651) 457-9408

District: South St. Paul Public School District

Feeder schools for South St. Paul High School:

Elementary:	Kaposia Education Center Elementary
	Lincoln Center Elementary

Racial breakdown:

White:

49.0%

Hispanic:

32.2%

African American:

7.9%

See top rated Minnesota high schools

Compare South St. Paul High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 68th percentile in 2016 → 38th in 2026

Strengths

✓93% graduate in 4 years — above the Minnesota average (85%)

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Minnesota average (28% vs 43% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 30 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school28%

District avg32%

Minnesota avg43%

293^rd of 473

Minnesota public high schools ?

Bottom 38%▼ down 30 pts since 2016

From top 32% (2016) to bottom 38% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Minnesota High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

318^th of 458South St. Paul Public School District 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

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2019	21.8	431 of 533	19.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	23.3	424 of 518	18.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	21.4	435 of 523	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	34.1	370 of 508	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	40.5	331 of 516	35.9%	★★☆☆☆
2014	51.0	257 of 490	47.6%	★★☆☆☆
2013	57.5	202 of 488	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2012	52.6	261 of 469	44.3%	★★☆☆☆
2011	47.5	293 of 478	38.7%	★★☆☆☆
2010	50.4	270 of 454	40.5%	★★☆☆☆
2009	49.4	141 of 230	38.7%	★★☆☆☆
2008	40.0	298 of 409	27.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	46.1	254 of 403	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2006	54.0	225 of 406	44.6%	★★☆☆☆
2005	48.9	260 of 396	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2004	49.1	247 of 387	36.2%	★★☆☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	40.4	293 of 473	38.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	37.0	305 of 450	32.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	45.3	286 of 480	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	41.3	303 of 476	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	46.8	279 of 472	40.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	42.8	277 of 428	35.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	60.2	226 of 492	54.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	64.0	204 of 494	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2017	60.8	221 of 489	54.8%	★★★☆☆
2016	68.5	158 of 489	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2015	76.3	108 of 504	78.6%	★★★★☆
2014	63.9	197 of 483	59.2%	★★★☆☆
2013	62.4	227 of 534	57.5%	★★★☆☆
2012	71.4	163 of 539	69.8%	★★★☆☆
2011	67.3	201 of 545	63.1%	★★★☆☆
2010	56.0	290 of 540	46.3%	★★☆☆☆
2009	67.1	93 of 234	60.3%	★★★☆☆
2008	60.1	234 of 460	49.1%	★★☆☆☆
2007	67.6	174 of 463	62.4%	★★★☆☆
2006	62.1	213 of 450	52.7%	★★★☆☆
2005	66.6	219 of 452	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2004	56.5	286 of 433	33.9%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	44.8	64 of 114	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	21.8	89 of 109	18.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	30.7	69 of 98	29.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	42.0	52 of 102	49.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	35.1	71 of 103	31.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	72.3	23 of 106	78.3%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	21.1	105 of 110	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	29.6	77 of 102	24.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	27.6	76 of 90	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	94.3	1 of 87	98.9%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	37.5	263 of 398	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	29.4	273 of 358	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	32.7	292 of 403	27.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	38.6	266 of 396	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	39.7	268 of 388	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	38.4	240 of 339	29.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	57.9	188 of 401	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	66.0	142 of 395	64.1%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	45.3	67 of 135	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	29.5	89 of 124	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	43.7	79 of 145	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	51.5	58 of 136	57.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	64.2	36 of 135	73.3%	★★★★☆
2021	53.5	39 of 101	61.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	72.0	29 of 132	78.0%	★★★★☆
2018	72.0	24 of 129	81.4%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	30.8	280 of 377	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	26.9	262 of 333	21.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	31.7	281 of 389	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	36.6	271 of 393	31.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	43.3	178 of 312	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	56.1	116 of 270	57.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	61.5	138 of 370	62.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	62.3	143 of 374	61.8%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	32.5	284 of 395	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	33.8	275 of 377	27.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	46.3	237 of 405	41.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	34.3	285 of 398	28.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	41.3	258 of 403	36.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	36.2	247 of 351	29.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	47.2	244 of 411	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	48.3	242 of 398	39.2%	★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	9.0	72 of 75	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	18.2	64 of 72	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	3.7	63 of 64	1.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	1.7	74 of 74	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	23.6	53 of 66	19.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	19.6	52 of 59	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	38.9	135 of 224	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	17.5	170 of 178	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	38.3	149 of 221	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	21.8	183 of 216	15.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	55.2	92 of 214	57.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	21.1	190 of 220	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	29.2	152 of 195	22.1%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Minnesota percentile	Rating
2026	48.2	221 of 394	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	38.5	258 of 376	31.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	54.4	188 of 402	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.0	215 of 398	46.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	53.3	204 of 401	49.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	38.2	255 of 364	29.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	57.4	192 of 412	53.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	64.1	163 of 414	60.6%	★★★☆☆

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)

High school

Hispanic (2026)50th percentile+12 vs school

White (2026)44th percentile+6 vs school

African American (2026)44th percentile+6 vs school

Special Education (2026)40th percentile~ school

Female (2026)34th percentile-4 vs school

Male (2026)28th percentile-10 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)26th percentile-12 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)5th percentile-34 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)4th percentile-34 vs school

By subject vs Minnesota (2025-2026) ?

Reading38%-10 vs state

Science27%~ state avg

Math17%-28 vs state

★

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Schools Near South St. Paul High School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				MCA-IV Reading (2026)					MCA-IV Science (2026)			MCA-III Math (2026)					Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCA-IV Reading 6th Grade	MCA-IV Reading 7th Grade	MCA-IV Reading 8th Grade	MCA-IV Reading 10th Grade	MCA-IV Reading All Grades	MCA-IV Science 8th Grade	MCA-IV Science End of Course	MCA-IV Science All Grades	MCA-III Math 6th Grade	MCA-III Math 7th Grade	MCA-III Math 8th Grade	MCA-III Math 11th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	Total
South St. Paul High School	Public	9-12	700 N 2nd St	South Saint Paul	55075	Dakota County	South St. Paul Public School District	No	No	No	No	(651) 457-9408	866	51	16.8	54.3%	424 (49.0%)	68 (7.9%)	279 (32.2%)	24 (2.8%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	68 (7.9%)	40.4	293^rd of 473 public high schools	38.1%		37	305^th of 450 public high schools	32.2%	12				38.4	38.4		26.6	26.6				17.3	17.3	$11,884
S St. Paul Community Learning Cntr.	Public	7-12	710 - 19th Avenue North	South Saint Paul	55075	Dakota County	South St. Paul Public School District	No	No	No	No	(651) 450-9966	99	7	13.4	84.8%	29 (29.3%)	14 (14.1%)	40 (40.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (16.2%)								(n/a)												0.0	0.0	$15,322
SSP Virtual	Public, Virtual	10-12	710 - 19th Avenue North	South Saint Paul	55075	Dakota County	South St. Paul Public School District	No	No	Yes	No	(651) 450-9966	3	0			2 (66.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (33.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
917 DCALS North	Public	9-12	150 Marie Ave E	West Saint Paul	55118	Dakota County	Intermediate School District 917	No	No	No	No	(651) 423-8259	54	8	6.7	70.4%	10 (18.5%)	12 (22.2%)	27 (50.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (7.4%)								(n/a)
917 DCALS North Extended Day (EDOP)	Public	9-12	150 Marie Ave E	West Saint Paul	55118	Dakota County	Intermediate School District 917	No	No	No	No	(651) 423-8259	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Branch Out Transitional Services	Public	12	150 Marie Ave E	West Saint Paul	55118	Dakota County	West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan	No	No	No	No	(651) 403-7019	29	3	10.9	65.5%	14 (48.3%)	3 (10.3%)	9 (31.0%)	2 (6.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.4%)								(n/a)														$27,474
Academic Arts High School	Public, Charter	9-12	60 Marie Ave E	West Saint Paul	55118	Dakota County	Academic Arts High School	Yes	No	No	No	(651) 457-7427	78	13	5.8	28.2%	36 (46.2%)	14 (17.9%)	15 (19.2%)	1 (1.3%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (14.1%)	5.4	457^th of 473 public high schools	3.4%		19.2	382^nd of 450 public high schools	15.1%	75							3.1	3.1				0.0	0.0	$20,116
Guadalupe Alternative Programs	Public	7-12	381 Robie St E	Saint Paul	55107	Ramsey County	Saint Paul Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(651) 262-5801	83	0		96.4%	4 (4.8%)	34 (41.0%)	28 (33.7%)	11 (13.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (7.2%)								(n/a)														$17,337
Humboldt High School	Public	6-12	30 Baker St E	Saint Paul	55107	Ramsey County	Saint Paul Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(651) 293-8600	955	52	18.3	84.0%	53 (5.5%)	236 (24.7%)	212 (22.2%)	387 (40.5%)	5 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	62 (6.5%)	11.2	430^th of 473 public high schools	9.1%		12.7	406^th of 450 public high schools	9.8%	24	13.8	11.1	6.9	15.5	11.3	0.0	13.8	6.5	7.8	7.5	6.9	4.1	6.4	$17,564
Open World Learning Secondary	Public, Magnet	6-12	640 Humboldt Avenue	Saint Paul	55107	Ramsey County	Saint Paul Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(651) 293-8670	504	24	20.6	30.0%	297 (58.9%)	38 (7.5%)	60 (11.9%)	40 (7.9%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	65 (12.9%)	94.1	14^th of 473 public high schools	97.0%		77.7	92^nd of 450 public high schools	79.6%	78	78.1	52.1	79.5	68.1	69.6	27.1	54.8	40.2	54.2	45.1	61.4	52.7	53.4	$5,237

Frequently Asked Questions about South St. Paul High School

What district is South St. Paul High School in?

South St. Paul Public School District

How many students attend South St. Paul High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 866 students attended South St. Paul High School.

What is the racial makeup of South St. Paul High School?

Students at South St. Paul High School are 49% White, 32% Hispanic, 8% African American, 8% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

Is South St. Paul High School a good school?

South St. Paul High School ranks 293^rd of 473 Minnesota high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What schools feed into South St. Paul High School?

South St. Paul High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Kaposia Education Center Elementary
Elementary : Lincoln Center Elementary

Rate South St. Paul High School!

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Schools in South Saint Paul, MN

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Latest Minnesota data All new data »

2024–25 through 2025–26 MCA-III & MCA-IV test scoresNewSep 30, 2026

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

2024–25 MCA-III test scoresAug 29, 2025

2023–24 dropout rates & graduation ratesMay 8, 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.