Pratt Elementary School

Overview

Pratt Elementary is a Community School built in 1898. Pratt Elementary does not have air conditioning in the building and does have its own kitchen. The building does have a Safe and Welcoming Entrance, as defined by Capital Planning, Construction, and Maintenance. The building is 42,437 square feet in size and has a design enrollment of approximately 249 students.

Between school years 2014 and 2023, Minneapolis Public Schools has invested $2,954,035 in capital expenditures for the building. In 2017, a facilities condition assessment classified the building as being in poor condition. The Operations Division will be conducting another facilities condition assessment in calendar year 2025.

Pratt Elementary had an enrollment of 211 students as of 01 October, 2024, with approximately 73.3% of those students qualifying for Free or Reduced-Price Lunch benefits. Note that families are still submitting Applications for Educational Benefits, so this proportion may change over the course of the school year. Total enrollment is approximately 85% of the building’s designed enrollment, making the current building use efficient [‘efficient’ is defined as enrollment totalling between 70% and 90% of the design enrollment].

Building Use

At direction of the Board of Education, in October 2024 district staff performed a physical space study of all District schools. This included a walkthrough of the buildings that included many different stakeholders – Board directors, principals, teachers, central office staff, custodians, and others. The tables, figures, and plots below are a summary of data collected during the walkthrough of Pratt Elementary.

Classroom Spaces

See Table 1 below for how classrooms and labs are being used in the building.

Plan Use	Actual Use	N Rooms
Classroom	Classroom	10
Classroom	Lab - Art	1
Classroom	Office - Private	1
Classroom	Special Ed Self Contained Room	1
Lab - Art	Lab - Art	1
Lab - Computer	Classroom	1
Lab - Computer	Special Ed Self Contained Room	1

Table 1. Classroom and instructional spaces

Building Layout

The below figure[s] are building floorplans as annotated by building staff.

Figure 1. Floorplan for Pratt Elementary, floorplan pages 1 through 3

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.

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

Pratt Community School offers a supportive and collaborative learning environment. The close-knit community at Pratt is a significant strength, with teachers knowing all students by name and a strong sense of continuity due to long-serving staff. Nearly every classroom benefits from windows, and the availability of breakout spaces, along with unique nooks and crannies, provides opportunities for individualized work and enrichment. The school is equipped with essential facilities, including a gym, art room, and spaces for enrichment programs. The special education suite, located on the second floor, features a classroom, sensory room, and pullout space in one enclosed area, while a second sensory room serves additional students. The building also includes a ramp and elevator for accessibility, as well as outdoor spaces like a playground and amphitheater.

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?

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

Pratt Community School is deeply embedded in its local community, having been a central part of the area for over a century. The school’s location makes it the only educational facility in the community, which strengthens its role as a hub for local engagement. The community actively supports the school, with strong participation from the Parent-Teacher Organization and family site council. Pratt’s parking lot is also used by the community during off-hours, further highlighting the school’s central role in local life. The ongoing support and love for the school are clear, with a high level of family involvement in school activities.

Overall Discussion Themes

Deep community involvement and support
Well-equipped classrooms with windows
Accessible and flexible supportive learning spaces
Multiple sensory rooms
Limited space for expansion

Survey Results

Fourteen questions were asked of walkthrough participants at the end of the walkthrough. There were 4 respondents to the survey at Pratt Elementary. The questions the participants were asked are included in Table 2 below, and the response breakdowns are included in Plot 1 below.

Question	Question Short	Question Text
1	welcoming main entry	The main entry is welcoming and able to be used by all students and visitors.
2	physical space design supports program	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).
3	enough classrooms	The building has enough classrooms to support the number of students enrolled in the program.
4	entire student body can meet together	The school has a space large enough for the entire student body to be together.
5	adequate academic intervention space	The school has sufficient pull-out space to support instructional needs.
6	adequate regulation space	The school has sufficient pull-out space to respond to student behaviors.
7	adequate SPED space	There are sufficient spaces to meet the needs of the school’s Special Education programming.
8	mental health space	There are sufficient spaces to meet the mental health needs of students.
9	adequate lunch room	The cafeteria can accommodate the entire student body in three lunch services.
10	gyms large enough	The gyms are large enough to meet the needs of the program.
11	enough admin space	There is enough administrative space to meet the needs of the program.
12	functional outdoor space	The outdoor environment provides space for both learning and play.
13	adequate restrooms	The restrooms in the building meet the needs of the student body in terms of location, quantity, and inclusion.
14	building feels bright and welcoming	The building feels bright, welcoming, and efficient.

Table 2. Survey questions

Survey Question Results: Pratt Elementary

Plot 1. Survey results for Pratt Elementary

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