STEP Academy

SAINT PAUL, Minnesota — 3 schools

703
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$15,837
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Other
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

STEP Academy operates 3 public schools serving 703 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Minnesota. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 elementary, 1 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 751 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Ramsey County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,837 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 0.3% local, 76.9% state, and 22.9% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. The district's equity score — 53/100, ranked #185 of 417 in Minnesota against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

and 18.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 99.1% African American, 0.4% White, 0.1% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.

Step Academy Charter School accounts for 48.7% of all STEP Academy student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means STEP Academy-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: other. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

STEP Academy school enrollment varies 2.1× across entities

STEP Academy school enrollment ranges from 171 students (lowest) to 366 students (highest), a spread of 195 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio — most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

STEP Academy has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 65.8% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

STEP Academy chronic absenteeism rate is 18.8% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within STEP Academy is typically wider than the STEP Academy-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

22.9%
Federal
76.9%
State
0.3%
Local

Funding Equity

53
Equity Score
185 / 417
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Ramsey County county, where this district is located.

$1,242
Studio/mo
$1,405
1 BR/mo
$1,709
2 BR/mo
$2,262
3 BR/mo
$2,531
4 BR/mo

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in STEP Academy.

African American 99.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

18.8%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in STEP Academy

School Enrollment
Step Academy Charter School
Charter
366
Step Academy Elementary
Charter
214
Step Academy Kg-5th - Burnsville
Charter
171

Nearby Districts in Minnesota

Top districts in the same state — compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Anoka-Hennepin School District
38,590 students · 52 schools · $16,817/pupil
Compare vs STEP Academy →
Saint Paul Public Schools
32,316 students · 99 schools · $24,161/pupil
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ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN
29,221 students · 41 schools · $16,310/pupil
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Minneapolis Public School District
29,205 students · 97 schools · $26,112/pupil
Compare vs STEP Academy →
OSSEO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
20,737 students · 33 schools · $18,446/pupil
Compare vs STEP Academy →

Compare STEP Academy

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Anoka-Hennepin School District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in STEP Academy?

STEP Academy has 3 schools, including 1 other, 2 elementary. Total enrollment is 703 students.

How much does STEP Academy spend per student?

STEP Academy spends $15,837 per student. The district has an equity score of 53/100, ranking #185 in Minnesota.

What is the average rent near STEP Academy?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Ramsey County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of STEP Academy?

STEP Academy students are 99.1% African American, 0.4% White, 0.1% Hispanic or Latino, 0.1% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for STEP Academy?

STEP Academy has an equity score of 53/100, ranking #185 out of 417 districts in Minnesota. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

Coverage

50 states + DC

Full national footprint

Update cadence

Quarterly

Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

Source agency

Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
Industry baseline

Composite score weighing source authority, update freshness, and methodological transparency. 1.0 = full federal-source coverage with documented methodology and recent update.