Achieve Language Academy

This school has a close, caring atmosphere between student and teachers. I was a student there from 1999 to 2008 and i wouldn't change it for anything! Small classes are stress free, and the opportunities for leadership are endless if your child chooses to take them. As your child gets older being a leader in the school is stressed and students get many opportunities to interact with their younger schoolmates. All the teachers are wonderful and really know their students. The administrators are good and do try with the students, but often are only dealing with behavioral cases so they tend misjudge the group as a whole. They offre amazing field trips that you won't find elsewhere (often provided by an amazing social studies teacher of 7th and 8th grades, whom I consider to have been a wonderful mentor). They will greatly enhance the worldliness of your maturing child.
--Submitted by a student

The administration is disorganized and unprofessional. The test scores are very disheartening ... all scores are below national average ... clearly this school needs to be overhauled from top to bottom.
--Submitted by a parent

As a parent, I have been very dissatisfied with the curriculum. I feel that my child is falling behind. Textbooks are not used in this school except for math in the older grades. Be sure to check out the test scores before sending your own child here. The school has potential, but needs better leadership.
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter has been in school here for 6 years and it's the best school in St. Paul, I have 2 other childern that went to other schools and Achive is by far the best and they care about the students!
--Submitted by a parent

My children attended Achieve Language Academy and in that time they not only fell behind academically from where they were when they started, the behavior problems in the classroom caused undo stress and anxiety amongst them. The message was clearly sent to families and teachers that disagreements with administration were not tolerated and you were labeled a trouble maker. Achieve may have a nice building, but on the inside the teachers are unhappy and you can feel the tension when walking into the building. I think this is also obvious in the teacher turnover. I believe this school could be a wonderful place for children, if the values and the mission were reinstated, staff turnover was kept to a minimum, and critisim and opnions were truely considered and valued.
--Submitted by a parent

Sransfer from other schools and frankly, we have a pretty good track record with them. As for our principal, she continues to meet the goals set for her by the school board. It s is odd that an uninvolved principal could build and maintain one of the healthiest fund balances among charter schools in Minnesota, keep class sizes at 24 or below, build a full enrollment with waiting lists and overhaul and rebuild the school building from the ground up. School Board Chairperson, Ed Rimkus.
--Submitted by Ed Rimkus, a teacher

what's great about this charter school is that there is an opportunity for parents to ensure that great staff stays at this school - join the school board! this school has experienced more than its fare share of growing pains. the staff cares a great deal about the kids and their families - but the smallness of the school brings about an inordinate amount of office politics by which a number of good staff members (and programs) have been lost. grade level classrooms have been left intact - but take a close look at the other academic subjects (art, P.E., music) if they are still being offered.
--Submitted by a teacher

This school has serious management issues. Many quality staff have quit as a result. When my child attended there, there wasn't any standard curriculum or classroom material such as text books. School has potential if it improves management. As it is, I felt my child deserved better.
--Submitted by a parent

This is a wonderful school. The smaller size makes for a more neighborhood feel. They have had some growing pains, due to a split campus for two years, but now that they are on one campus and the construction is finished, I believe that the faculty and staff will be back to the great parent/school communication that we've appreciated since my daughter started there 5 years ago. Any parents who are interested in a school that will provide their child a quality education in a culturally rich atmosphere should definitely contact Achieve!
--Submitted by a parent