Middle Schools

Overview

Minneapolis Public Schools currently has a total of 8 Middle Schools across the city. The buildings range in age from 49 to 98 years old, and have a total size of approximately 1,243,855 square feet. 6 schools have their own kitchen, 6 have air conditioning, and 7 schools have a Safe and Welcoming Entrance as defined by Capital Planning, Construction, and Maintenance. According to a Facilities Condition Assessment performed in 2017, 8 middle schools were considered to be in “Fair” or “Good” condition. A new Facilities Condition Assessment is underway at the time of this report and will be completed by the end of calendar year 2025. See Table 1 below for more detail.

Across all middle schools in the district, there is room for approximately 7,666 students based on how the buildings are being used. For information on how design enrollment is calculated, please see the School Transformation website. A link is included at the end of this report. As of 01 October, 2024, Minneapolis Public Schools enrolled approximately 5,048 students in middle schools. Please see Table 2 below for more detail on school design enrollment and school enrollment.

Building Information

School Name	Size	Year Built	SWE*	Air Con	Kitchen	Condition**
Andersen United	232,557 sq ft	1975	YES	YES	YES	Good
Anthony	143,158 sq ft	1957	YES	NO	YES	Good
Anwatin	146,771 sq ft	1959	YES	NO	YES	Fair
Franklin STEAM	125,794 sq ft	1970	NO	YES	YES	Good
Justice Page	156,856 sq ft	1931	YES	YES	NO	Good
Northeast	173,080 sq ft	1956	YES	YES	YES	Good
Olson	114,959 sq ft	1962	YES	YES	NO	Good
Sanford	150,680 sq ft	1926	YES	YES	YES	Good

*SWE refers to whether the building has a Safe and Welcoming Entrance as defined by Capital Planning, Construction, and Maintenance.

**Condition refers to the results of a Facility Condition Assessment performed in 2017. MPS is conducting another assessment with expected completion in 2025.

Table 1. Size, Build Year, Safe and Welcome Entrance, Air Conditioning, Kitchen, and 2017 Condition by building

Enrollment and Utilization Information

School Name	Grades	Design Enrollment	Enrollment	Pct of Design Enrollment	Usage*
Andersen United	8-Jun	1,517	1,065	70%	Efficient
Anthony	8-Jun	931	731	79%	Efficient
Anwatin	8-Jun	760	351	46%	Underutilized
Franklin STEAM	8-Jun	656	259	39%	Underutilized
Justice Page	8-Jun	1,189	1,023	86%	Efficient
Northeast	8-Jun	948	546	58%	Underutilized
Olson	8-Jun	640	333	52%	Underutilized
Sanford	8-Jun	1,025	740	72%	Efficient

*Usage is defined in Table 3 below.

Table 2. Enrollment, capacity, and utilization by school

Usage	Definition
Underutilized	< 70% Enrollment to Design Enrollment
Efficient	70% to 90% Enrollment to Design Enrollment
Highly Efficient	90% to 105% Enrollment to Design Enrollment
Overutilitized	> 105% Enrollment to Design Enrollment

Table 3. Definitions of the utilization categories

Building Use

At the direction of the Board of Education, district staff performed a physical space study of all district schools. This included an October 2024 walkthrough of buildings alongside many different stakeholders - Board directors, principals, teachers, central office staff, custodians, and others. For information on how each building individually is being used, please see the individual school-level reports found on the MPS School Transformation website (link available at the end of this report).

Predictable Spaces

As part of the walkthroughs conducted at each building, data was collected on certain types of “predictable” spaces, or spaces that we want each school to have as part of their programming. These spaces include space for counselors/therapists/mental health support and SEL spaces or calming rooms. Of the 8 middle schools in the district, 5 schools have a dedicated space for a counselor or mental health specialist and 6 schools have a dedicated SEL space or calming room for students.

Other important spaces to note are dedicated art labs and a space for Occupational or Physical Therapy. 7 schools have dedicated spaces for art classes [spaces where the room set up itself designates it as an art space, such as extra sinks, a kiln, or other equipment]. 5 schools have a space dedicated to Occupational or Physical Therapy. See Table 4 below for school-by-school information.

School Name	Counselor	SEL / Calming	Art Lab	OT/PT
Andersen Middle	YES	YES	YES	YES
Anthony Middle	YES	YES	YES	YES
Anwatin Middle	NO	NO	NO	NO
Franklin Middle	NO	YES	YES	YES
Justice Page Middle	YES	YES	YES	YES
Northeast Middle	NO	NO	YES	NO
Olson Middle	YES	YES	YES	NO
Sanford Middle	YES	YES	YES	YES

Table 4. Predictable spaces by school

Guided Discussion

A guided discussion consisting of three questions was held with those who participated in the walkthrough. The major themes are included below, as are more detailed summaries of walkthrough participants’ answers.

Overall Discussion Themes

Middle schools prioritize meeting diverse student needs through intentionally designed spaces
Science labs, art rooms, and swimming pools support unique student programming
Emphasis placed on utilizing space to ensure safety and supervision
Accessibile and inclusive facilities are lacking in some buildings
Some schools lack adequate outdoor space to support student learning and movement

Question 1: In what ways does the physical environment in this building best support learning?

Middle schools in Minneapolis Public Schools offer thoughtfully designed, well-maintained spaces that support a variety of student needs and foster positive learning environments. Many feature abundant natural light, spacious classrooms, and flexible layouts that accommodate small group work, pull-out programs, and specialized interventions. Schools prioritize accessibility and inclusivity, with dedicated areas for special education, therapy, sensory rooms, and language programs.

Outdoor spaces, such as courtyards and nearby parks, enhance learning, physical activity, and sensory experiences. Common areas promote collaboration among staff and students. Several schools also include specialized facilities like science labs, art rooms, gymnasiums, and even swimming pools, supporting both academic and physical education programs. The layout of these buildings is designed to improve safety, with easy access to adult supervision and limited external entry to learning areas.

Question 2: In what way does the physical environment in this building interfere with how we would like learning to happen today and in the future?

Many middle schools in MPS face challenges related to overcrowding, safety, accessibility, and outdated infrastructure. Classrooms, originally designed for smaller student populations, are now cramped and often lack air conditioning, making them uncomfortable during warmer months. Older buildings also struggle with outdated electrical systems, insufficient outlets, and inadequate space for modern educational needs. Safety concerns arise from multiple exit doors that are hard to monitor, blind spots in security coverage, and entrances that have not yet been renovated to be secure and welcoming.

Accessibility issues are a concern, with limited or non-accessible restrooms, playgrounds, and facilities for students with mobility challenges. Some schools lack gender-neutral restrooms and struggle with poor layout designs that hinder supervision and efficient use of space. Overcrowded hallways and classrooms further complicate emergency planning and overall functionality. Some schools lack dedicated spaces for large gatherings, performances, or specialized programs, creating logistical challenges for events. Outdoor spaces are often inadequate, with muddy fields, limited play areas, or safety concerns during drop-off and pick-up. Traffic flow and parking around schools can also pose safety risks.

Question 3: What should the district know or appreciate about the physical environment of this building?

Middle schools in MPS share a focus on fostering positive learning environments through strategic investments in their physical spaces and community partnerships. Many of the schools have received recent renovations and are planning further updates to better support the needs of their students. These improvements often focus on creating more flexible and collaborative spaces, with a particular emphasis on modernizing facilities such as band and choir rooms, and adding or enhancing outdoor spaces for innovative programming. For example, outdoor spaces have been utilized for unique activities, and schools with well- maintained grounds are able to incorporate more physical education and environmental learning opportunities.

In addition to structural improvements, there is a focus on inclusivity and accessibility, with some schools working to add more gender-neutral restrooms. Efforts to make the buildings more accessible have included updates to parking lots, bathrooms, and classroom layouts, though further work is needed in some areas, such as providing more charging stations for devices and creating safer, more secure areas for student activities.

Despite these advancements, some schools face ongoing challenges related to space limitations. Some buildings lack enough rooms to accommodate all students at once or to provide specialized spaces for programs that support student needs. For example, a few schools are looking for more collaborative workspaces and dedicated breakout areas for smaller group learning, as current layouts often lead to hallways being used as makeshift classrooms.

Survey Results

In addition to observing the usage of the buildings, the walkthrough participants were asked fourteen questions at the end of the building walkthrough. There were 70 respondents to the survey across the middle schools. The results of this survey are included in the following plots.

Important: Percentages below are rounded to the nearest whole percent. As such, totals may not add up to exactly 100%.

Question 1: The main entry is welcoming and able to be used by all students and visitors.

Question 2: Generally, the design of the learning spaces in the building supports the way we teach and learn (e.g. classrooms are large enough to fit student desks, small group work space, etc.; there is storage for necessary curriculum, tools, manipulatives; all students can hear when the teacher is talking).

Question 3: The building has enough classrooms to support the number of students enrolled in the program.

Question 4: The school has a space large enough for the entire student body to be together.

Question 5: The school has sufficient pull-out space to support instructional needs.

Question 6: The school has sufficient pull-out space to respond to student behaviors.

Question 7: There are sufficient spaces to meet the needs of the school’s Special Education programming.

Question 8: There are sufficient spaces to meet the mental health needs of students.

Question 9: The cafeteria can accommodate the entire student body in three lunch services.

Question 10: The gyms are large enough to meet the needs of the program.

Question 11: There is enough administrative space to meet the needs of the program.

Question 12: Generally, the design of the learning spaces in the building supports the way we teach and learn (e.g. classrooms are large enough to fit student desks, small group work space, etc.; there is storage for necessary curriculum, tools, manipulatives; all students can hear when the teacher is talking).

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