Enrollment
3,536
Minnesota · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Saint Paul, MN
Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12
Federal NCES profile for Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 18/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 270011703694Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 41
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12 earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Minnesota schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Minnesota.
- #85 of 86
- schools in Saint Paul · Resource Index
- 18
- Resource Index · Lower
- 43.1:1
- large classes for Minnesota
- 45.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12 has class sizes larger than 98% of Minnesota schools. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12 ranks #85 of 86 schools in Saint Paul, MN.
School address
District: Minnesota Transitions Charter Sch · Minnesota
NCES ID 270011703694 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
82.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
43.1:1
vs 15.8:1 Minnesota avg
+173% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
45.4%
vs 42.8% Minnesota avg
+6% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12 compares with Minnesota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12
Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12 is a large charter combined-grade school in Saint Paul, Minnesota, enrolling 3,536 students.
Class loads run heavy: 43.1:1 is larger than about 98% of Minnesota schools and 173% above the 15.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 45.4% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Minnesota, bigger than 99% of state schools at 3,536 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 2,334 Minnesota schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Its student body is led by White (69%) and African American (10%) (diversity index 50/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 505 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.6% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Minnesota Transitions Charter Sch also operates Minnesota Connections Academy K-6 (1,017 students) and Minnesota Virtual Schools (561 students) alongside Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12 compares
Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12 on the metrics families compare, against Minnesota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Minnesota | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 43.1:1 | ▲ 173% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.4% | ▲ 6% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 3,536 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
43.1:1
Leaner classes than 0% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
3,536
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
45.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 6% above the Minnesota average of 42.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
43.1:1
students per teacher
- 173% above state mean
Top 98% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
23.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$12,827
per pupil, district-wide
- below Minnesota avg of $15,270
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors7.0 FTE
Per 505 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 68.6%
African American 9.8%
Hispanic or Latino 9.0%
Two or More 8.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.5%
Asian 1.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 68.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.4, Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12 is more mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
AP courses offered 5
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Minnesota Transitions Charter Sch, which includes Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12.
$12,827
Per student
-16%
vs Minnesota
Avg $15,270
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 0.2%
State 87.3%
Federal 12.4%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Connections Academy K-6 | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Minnesota Virtual Schools | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mts High School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Banaadir Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Banaadir Secondary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,017
- Students per teacher
- 37.7:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 561
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 158
- Students per teacher
- 10.5:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 149
- Students per teacher
- 7.5:1
- Resource Index
- 64/100
- Enrollment
- 125
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Minnesota, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~3,536 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12's federal record.
- Compare Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12 against another school. Compare schools
- Minnesota Transitions Charter Sch's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12
How many students attend Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12?
Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12 has 3,536 students enrolled. It is a public school in Saint Paul, MN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12?
The student-teacher ratio at Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12 is 43.1:1, which is 173% higher than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 175% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12?
45.4% of students at Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12?
The largest demographic group at Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12 is White at 68.6% of enrollment, in Saint Paul, MN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12?
Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12 has a Resource Investment Index of 18/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12 rank among schools in Saint Paul?
By Resource Investment Index, Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12 ranks #85 of 86 schools in Saint Paul, MN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Saint Paul on the city page.
Is Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12 a good school?
Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12 earns 18/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Minnesota schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Minnesota. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Minnesota Transitions Charter Sch?
Besides Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12, Minnesota Transitions Charter Sch also operates Minnesota Connections Academy K-6 (1,017 students), Minnesota Virtual Schools (561 students), and Mts High School (158 students). See the Minnesota Transitions Charter Sch district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.