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GreatSchools Rating

South Senior High School

Public | 9-12 | 1957 students
 

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  • I am a freshman at South and I absolutely adore it. The teachers are...

  • Excellent school, Wonderful teachers and great students. Go Tigers. As a...

  • I love south, It's an amazing school and i'm glad I chose to go to this school.

  • This school has the most diverse population of students and families.

  • strong liberal arts curriculum, passionate teachers and students great...

 

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Community Rating

5 stars

Based on 21 ratings
Community Rating by Year
2013:
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2012:
Based on 1 rating
2011:
Based on 2 ratings
2010:
Based on 1 rating

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17 reviews of this school

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Posted November 22, 2012
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I am a freshman at South and I absolutely adore it. The teachers are phenomenal, the student body is very diverse(something you won't find at many other high schools in the metro) and the community is very welcoming. I play sports, which I have found to be very helpful as a way of meeting other kids, particularly upperclassmen. I also play in band and I am sure that South has the best band program in the state. Our director is amazing, by far the best teacher I have ever had.The kids are talented, hardworking and just love music. I would highly recommend this school!
—Submitted by a student

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Posted July 20, 2011
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Excellent school, Wonderful teachers and great students. Go Tigers. As a parent I would recommend everyone to attend South if it was possible. This school cares about the well being of their students and willing to go above and beyond to help their students learn. South has the opportunity for students to have child care while going to school and thats very important to the young parents who wish to continue their high school education. Great challenging academic programs and lots of sports activities. Its again a great school and I am glad my daughter has the opportunity to continue her education as a senior at South and take what she has learned and continue her education at the college of her choice. ss sh
—Submitted by a parent

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Posted April 7, 2011
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I love south, It's an amazing school and i'm glad I chose to go to this school. Living in north Minneapolis and having an attendance school at Patrick Henry and Edison really does not and will not match South. Having all my siblings go to Henry and father to Edison, South has been the most impressive so far. Thats the reason why I chose to study at south and not at any other schools. Souths environment is amazing, teachers are great, food sucks(though it;s all mpls schools) but near lake street so plenty of outside restaurants, everyone has a place, great for rigorous education, very good in arts, music, theater, awesome sports and just in general an amazing school. It may not look amazing, but no other school can beat it. It's very well rounded, and very diverse.
—Submitted by a student

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Posted October 13, 2010
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This school has the most diverse population of students and families.
—Submitted by a parent

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Posted October 13, 2010
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strong liberal arts curriculum, passionate teachers and students great music and theater

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Posted February 23, 2010
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Really great school. Wonderful world languages program. Amazing music department with excellent orchestra,chior and band program. Much student involvement in theater-currently My Town- many ap and cis classes offered. So much more.
—Submitted by a teacher

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Posted November 5, 2009
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I also wanted to vote for PCAE (Arts High School), but I couldn't find it here. South is an amazing school though, almost like a little city. Very crowded with lots of diversity, yet very safe and organized. I know during the Clinton years the arts were very well funded and there were classes (with Sally French at the time) that involved going to the Walker Art Center, the MIA, etc. I will never forget those classes and the impact they had on my life!
—Submitted by a student

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Posted October 3, 2009
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South has a great music program.

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Posted October 3, 2009
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Both my children are alums of South, and they had amazing experiences there. The school rocks!
—Submitted by a parent

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Posted October 3, 2009
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Diversity at this school. Students appreciate each others differences, recognize similarities, support different learning styles.
—Submitted by a parent

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Posted September 20, 2009
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Great learning environment for large diverse community
—Submitted by a parent

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Posted September 16, 2009
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They have the best music program in the state!
—Submitted by a parent

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Posted September 16, 2009
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South is a successful, diverse, cost-effective, high-demand 'magnet' hybrid of its All Nations, Open and Liberal Arts programs. Families choose South for its climate of tolerance and respect, rigorous academics, dedicated staff, strong co-curriculars and award-winning fine arts programming.
—Submitted by a parent

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Posted January 9, 2009
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i love south. i am a current student and everyone is so welcoming. they are also open to everyone. i feel like i fit in everywhere.
—Submitted by a student

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Posted May 4, 2008
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This school is a welcoming environment where my daughter feels free to be herself and is encouraged by the teachres & staff to excell.
—Submitted by a parent

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Posted October 27, 2007
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I love south. It's a great environment for my children. It's very diverse and amazing.
—Submitted by a parent

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Posted January 16, 2006
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I've had two children attend South High School. One student was an average student; the other was an outstanding student. The average student struggled at South and the outstanding student excelled. The outstanding student is currently a senior in the Liberal Arts program and has taken many AP courses and has had excellent math, science and literature teachers. I'm especially impressed with his lit teacher; he's had the students read Ha Jin, Margaret Atwood, Samuel Beckett and others. Class sizes at South High School (and throughout the district) have risen in recent years as the district has lost students to charter schools. South can be a great place for the academically-gifted, self-motivated student. Not sure about the success of other types of students.
—Submitted by a parent

Write your own review

Community ratings and reviews do not represent the views of GreatSchools nor does GreatSchools check their accuracy or verify the reviewers' identities. Use your discretion when evaluating these reviews.

About these ratings

The Community Rating is the school’s average rating from its community members (e.g., parents, students, and school staff). The highest possible rating is five stars; the lowest is one star.

The test results by subgroup show how the designated group of students is performing in comparison to the general population.
Writing

The state average for Writing was 92% in 2012.

421 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
87%

2011

 
 
83%

2010

 
 
88%

2009

 
 
86%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests

In 2011-2012 Minnesota used Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment-II Graduation-Required Assessments for Diploma (MCA-II/GRAD) to test students in grade 9 in writing, 10 in reading, and 11 in math. The MCA-II/GRAD is a standards-based test, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Minnesota. Students must pass the MCA-II/GRAD in order to graduate from high school. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

See Minnesota's state standards

Source: Minnesota Department of Education

Reading

The state average for Reading was 80% in 2012.

420 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
75%

2011

 
 
74%

2010

 
 
75%

2009

 
 
77%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests

In 2011-2012 Minnesota used Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment-II Graduation-Required Assessments for Diploma (MCA-II/GRAD) to test students in grade 9 in writing, 10 in reading, and 11 in math. The MCA-II/GRAD is a standards-based test, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Minnesota. Students must pass the MCA-II/GRAD in order to graduate from high school. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

See Minnesota's state standards

Source: Minnesota Department of Education

Math

The state average for Math was 58% in 2012.

388 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
50%

2011

 
 
57%

2010

 
 
57%

2009

 
 
62%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests

In 2011-2012 Minnesota used Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment-II Graduation-Required Assessments for Diploma (MCA-II/GRAD) to test students in grade 9 in writing, 10 in reading, and 11 in math. The MCA-II/GRAD is a standards-based test, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Minnesota. Students must pass the MCA-II/GRAD in order to graduate from high school. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

See Minnesota's state standards

Source: Minnesota Department of Education

Writing

All Students87%
Female91%
Male82%
Black75%
Asian/Pacific Islander91%
Hispanic81%
Native American76%
White98%
Economically disadvantaged79%
Economically non-disadvantaged97%
Students with disabilities46%
Students without disabilities93%
English language learners67%
Proficient in English90%
Non-migrant87%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests

In 2011-2012 Minnesota used Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment-II Graduation-Required Assessments for Diploma (MCA-II/GRAD) to test students in grade 9 in writing, 10 in reading, and 11 in math. The MCA-II/GRAD is a standards-based test, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Minnesota. Students must pass the MCA-II/GRAD in order to graduate from high school. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

The different student groups are identified by the Minnesota Department of Education. If there are fewer than 10 students in a particular group in a school, data is not reported for that group.

See Minnesota's state standards

Source: Minnesota Department of Education

Reading

All Students75%
Female78%
Male71%
Black59%
Asian/Pacific Islander75%
Hispanic48%
Native American52%
White92%
Economically disadvantaged55%
Economically non-disadvantaged94%
Students with disabilities29%
Students without disabilities81%
English language learners21%
Proficient in English81%
Non-migrant75%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests

In 2011-2012 Minnesota used Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment-II Graduation-Required Assessments for Diploma (MCA-II/GRAD) to test students in grade 9 in writing, 10 in reading, and 11 in math. The MCA-II/GRAD is a standards-based test, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Minnesota. Students must pass the MCA-II/GRAD in order to graduate from high school. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

The different student groups are identified by the Minnesota Department of Education. If there are fewer than 10 students in a particular group in a school, data is not reported for that group.

See Minnesota's state standards

Source: Minnesota Department of Education

Math

All Students50%
Female49%
Male50%
Black24%
Asian/Pacific Islander59%
Hispanic31%
Native American18%
White70%
Economically disadvantaged25%
Economically non-disadvantaged69%
Students with disabilities11%
Students without disabilities55%
English language learners13%
Proficient in English53%
Non-migrant50%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests

In 2011-2012 Minnesota used Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment-II Graduation-Required Assessments for Diploma (MCA-II/GRAD) to test students in grade 9 in writing, 10 in reading, and 11 in math. The MCA-II/GRAD is a standards-based test, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Minnesota. Students must pass the MCA-II/GRAD in order to graduate from high school. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

The different student groups are identified by the Minnesota Department of Education. If there are fewer than 10 students in a particular group in a school, data is not reported for that group.

See Minnesota's state standards

Source: Minnesota Department of Education

Reading

The state average for Reading was 77% in 2012.

420 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
70%

2011

 
 
70%

2010

 
 
72%

2009

 
 
74%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests

In 2011-2012 Minnesota used the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment-II (MCA-II) to test students in reading in grades 3 through 8 and 10, and math in grade 11. The MCA-II is a standards-based test, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Minnesota. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

See Minnesota's state standards

Source: Minnesota Department of Education

Math

The state average for Math was 43% in 2012.

388 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
37%

2011

 
 
51%

2010

 
 
44%

2009

 
 
47%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests

In 2011-2012 Minnesota used the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment-II (MCA-II) to test students in reading in grades 3 through 8 and 10, and math in grade 11. The MCA-II is a standards-based test, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Minnesota. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

See Minnesota's state standards

Source: Minnesota Department of Education

Science

The state average for Science was 54% in 2011.

418 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
43%

2010

 
 
47%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests

In 2011-2012 Minnesota used the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment-II (MCA-II) to test students in reading in grades 3 through 8 and 10, and math in grade 11. The MCA-II is a standards-based test, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Minnesota. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

See Minnesota's state standards

Source: Minnesota Department of Education

Reading

All Students70%
Female74%
Male66%
Black54%
Asian/Pacific Islander65%
Hispanic41%
Native American48%
White90%
Economically disadvantaged48%
Economically non-disadvantaged92%
Students with disabilities27%
Students without disabilities76%
English language learners17%
Proficient in English77%
Non-migrant70%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests

In 2011-2012 Minnesota used the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment-II (MCA-II) to test students in reading in grades 3 through 8 and 10, and math in grade 11. The MCA-II is a standards-based test, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Minnesota. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

The different student groups are identified by the Minnesota Department of Education. If there are fewer than 10 students in a particular group in a school, data is not reported for that group.

See Minnesota's state standards

Source: Minnesota Department of Education

Math

All Students37%
Female39%
Male35%
Black12%
Asian/Pacific Islander35%
Hispanic19%
Native American18%
White57%
Economically disadvantaged16%
Economically non-disadvantaged54%
Students with disabilities7%
Students without disabilities41%
English language learners9%
Proficient in English40%
Non-migrant37%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests

In 2011-2012 Minnesota used the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment-II (MCA-II) to test students in reading in grades 3 through 8 and 10, and math in grade 11. The MCA-II is a standards-based test, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Minnesota. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

The different student groups are identified by the Minnesota Department of Education. If there are fewer than 10 students in a particular group in a school, data is not reported for that group.

See Minnesota's state standards

Source: Minnesota Department of Education

Science

The state average for Science was 52% in 2012.

78 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
15%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests

In 2011-2012 Minnesota used the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment-III (MCA-III) to test in math in grades 3 through 8, and in science for grades 5 and 8, and once in high school. The MCA-III is a standards-based test, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Minnesota. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

See Minnesota's state standards

Source: Minnesota Department of Education

Science

All Students15%
Female8%
Male19%
Black15%
Asian/Pacific Islandern/a
Hispanic5%
Native Americann/a
White31%
Economically disadvantaged15%
Economically non-disadvantaged20%
Students with disabilities5%
Students without disabilities19%
English language learners0%
Proficient in English24%
Non-migrant16%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests

In 2011-2012 Minnesota used the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment-III (MCA-III) to test in math in grades 3 through 8, and in science for grades 5 and 8, and once in high school. The MCA-III is a standards-based test, which means it measures specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Minnesota. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

The different student groups are identified by the Minnesota Department of Education. If there are fewer than 10 students in a particular group in a school, data is not reported for that group.

See Minnesota's state standards

Source: Minnesota Department of Education

Breaking down the GreatSchools Rating

GreatSchools Ratings are based on the most recent standardized test results for schools. Use the breakdown ratings below to compare types of students at this school. Learn more »

Student ethnicity

Ethnicity This school State average
White 52% 76%
Black 26% 10%
American Indian/Alaska Native 8% 2%
Hispanic 8% 6%
Asian/Pacific Islander 7% 6%
Source: NCES, 2008-2009

Student subgroups

  This school District averageState average
Students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch program 38%N/A33%
Source: NCES, 2008-2009

Student-teacher ratio

  This school District averageState average
Students per FTE teacher 23N/A16
Source: NCES, 2008-2009

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3131 19th Ave South
Minneapolis, MN 55407
Website: Click here
Phone: (612) 668-4300

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