Minnesota North Star Academy

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a charter school?

A charter school is an independent public school, started and operated by teachers, parents or community members, and does not charge tuition.

Who can go to Minnesota North Star Academy?

Students who are primarily deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing and in 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grade can attend North Star. Hearing students such as Children of Deaf Adults (CODAs) who use American Sign Language are welcome to attend North Star as well.

What is bilingual education?

Bilingual education is learning about general information through the use of two languages. They are equally valued, used, taught, and learnt.

What is your curriculum’s focus?

North Star has a challenging interdisciplinary curriculum that incorporates Minnesota’s Academic Standards with an emphasis on service learning. Service learning, which is also known as community service, empowers deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing students with the knowledge that they can make valuable contributions to the community. In addition, bilingual education is a core value of North Star and leads to higher literacy levels.

Will there be extracurricular activities?

With sufficient student interest, sport teams will be formed (such as basketball, volleyball and track) along with after school groups such as yearbook staff, drama club, skateboarding, and debate club. Opportunities to develop leadership skills will be also available through Jr. NAD and student council.

What makes your school different from other schools?

Minnesota North Star Academy requires staff to be fluent in two languages and to be licensed by the State of Minnesota in their area of specialty. Also, North Star offers an opportunity for students to maintain close family ties while attending school with his/her peers who also use American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate. Students have full access to communication and instruction in ASL from both teachers and staff.

How was Minnesota North Star Academy’s name chosen?

When the preliminary proposal to the Center for School Change was accepted, the school needed a name. Shortly before meeting with the Center for School Change review committee, two Metro Deaf School teachers led a discussion about potential names for the school with a group of middle school students. They came up with several names, and "North Star School" got top vote. After some investigating, the existence of another North Star School was discovered, so the name was changed to "Minnesota North Star Academy".

What transportation solutions will be provided?

With the special education director's involvement and prior approval, any student from the Twin Cities metro area will receive bus transportation services provided by the student's home district. If the student is enrolling unilaterally (making the decision alone), the student is to provide his/her own transportation, using these options: a parent driving the student, student driving him/herself, carpooling with others, or taking the city bus. North Star's location has plenty of parking spaces and is right on the bus line.

Are speech services available?

Yes! North Star offers spoken speech services, as appropriate for each student's IEP.

Will interpreters be used in this school?

All North Star teachers are fluent in ASL, so interpreters will not be used for regular instruction, but they will be provided for IEP meetings, non-signing guest speakers, parent conferences (as desired), field trips, and extracurricular activities as needed.

How is the school funded?

North Star receives funding from Center for School Change, which in turn receives grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The school is funded by Federal Public Charter School Program Grants over a three year timeline. In addition, donations from Communication Services for the Deaf (CSD), Target Corporation, and various individuals have supported the school.

What are St. Paul Star Schools?

North Star is a St. Paul Star School,, meaning it is part of a network of excellent small charter high schools that improve graduation rates, academic achievement and enthusiasm for learning. With seed funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, each star school was developed with a unique mission and vision that addresses the needs of previously under-served populations of students.