HGA Secondary

1471 BREWSTER STREET
SAINT PAUL, MN 55108

www.hgacademy.org/

Charter School 442 Students

High School 8th - 12th

School Overview

Higher Ground Secondary Academy (HGSA), located on Marshall Avenue in Saint Paul, is an independent public charter school that serves students in grades 6 through 12. The school is known for its commitment to providing a supportive, college-preparatory environment for students who may have struggled in traditional classroom settings. By maintaining smaller class sizes and a personalized approach to instruction, the academy focuses on meeting the individual academic, social, and emotional needs of its diverse student population.

The mission of Higher Ground is deeply rooted in the philosophy that every student possesses the potential for success when provided with the right mentorship and academic structure. The school places a heavy emphasis on character development and community responsibility alongside rigorous core academics. By fostering strong relationships between teachers and students, HGSA aims to bridge achievement gaps and prepare its graduates not only for post-secondary education but also for long-term success as active, contributing members of their community.

442

Total Students

33.5

Full-Time Teachers

13.2

Student/Teacher Ratio

90.7%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for HGA Secondary
Demographic	Student Count
White	16
Hispanic	1
Black	420
Asian	5

Black
420 (95.0%)
White
16 (3.6%)
Asian
5 (1.1%)
Hispanic
1 (0.2%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	High School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Higher Ground Academy
Phone:	(651)369-7555
Website:	http://www.hgacademy.org/
Grade Range:	8th - 12th
Total Students:	442
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	33.5
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	13.2
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	382
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	19

* 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

Grade 8 93

Grade 9 95

Grade 10 98

Grade 11 81

Grade 12 75