These Are The Top 5 Charter Elementary Schools In Minnesota: Study

MINNESOTA — If you're a parent trying to figure out what school to send your elementary-age child, one of the options you might come across are charter schools.

The Twin Cities is home to a number of charter schools, including some of the best in the Midwest.

What exactly is a charter school?

A charter school is a public school that is independent and not controlled by any district. However, charter schools do have agreements in place with the state Department of Education.

Charter schools have their own mission and curriculum, which is typically established by a local nonprofit organization.

According to Niche.com, Nova Classical Academy Elementary School is the best charter school in Minnesota.

Nova also has the third best elementary school teachers in the state, and it is the sixth best public elementary school in the entire state, according to Niche rankings.

Nova has about 480 students in grades K-5 and a student-teacher ratio of 21 to 1, Niche states. State test scores find that 83 percent of students are at least proficient in math and 81 percent are at least proficient in reading.

Here are the current statewide test score averages:

Here are the top five charter elementary schools in the state, according to Niche:

1. Nova Classical Academy Elementary School (St. Paul)
2. St. Croix Preparatory Academy Lower School (Stillwater)
3. Yinghua Academy (Minneapolis)
4. Eagle Ridge Academy Lower School (Minnetonka)
5. Cologne Academy & Cologne Academy Online (Cologne)

Read more about the study here.