Banaadir Elementary

Charter School 149 Students

Elementary School K - 5th

School Overview

Banaadir South is a public charter school located in the Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is part of the broader Banaadir Academy network, which is specifically designed to provide a culturally responsive and supportive educational environment for students in the Somali-American community. The school focuses on delivering rigorous academic instruction while integrating culturally relevant curriculum to ensure that students remain connected to their heritage while achieving standard educational benchmarks.

The school is known for its commitment to small class sizes and personalized learning, which allows teachers to provide targeted support to students who may be English language learners or who require additional academic assistance. Beyond academics, Banaadir South emphasizes character development and fostering a safe, inclusive community where students feel empowered. By partnering closely with families and the surrounding neighborhood, the school strives to close the achievement gap and prepare its students for success in higher education and beyond.

149

Total Students

17.0

Full-Time Teachers

8.8

Student/Teacher Ratio

97.3%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Banaadir Elementary
Demographic	Student Count
White	2
Hispanic	2
Black	142
Two or More	2
Pacific Islander	1

Black
142 (95.3%)
White
2 (1.3%)
Hispanic
2 (1.3%)
Two or More
2 (1.3%)
Pacific Islander
1 (0.7%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Minnesota Transitions Charter Sch
Phone:	(612)724-4680
Website:	http://mtcs.org
Grade Range:	K - 5th
Total Students:	149
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	17.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	8.8
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	145
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Kindergarten 19

Grade 1 23

Grade 2 20

Grade 3 31

Grade 4 30

Grade 5 26