The Next Step

The Next Step, a minimally staffed 9-12 campus in NORTH SAINT PAUL, Minnesota, one of the schools within North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale, caters to 84 students, covering grades 11 through 12. By comparison, Minnesota's public schools average about 371 students each, so The Next Step sits 77% below that benchmark.

The Next Step is one of 20 schools operated by North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale, a district that works with 10,754 students overall.

For racial and ethnic makeup, The Next Step records that the largest single group is White at 42%, but no single group is in the majority; the rest comes out to 20% Black, 15% Asian, 14% Hispanic, 7% multiracial. The wider county runs roughly 59% White, putting the school's mix visibly less White than the area baseline.

On the income-and-resources front, The school employs 8 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 10.1:1. The state averages around 16.3:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. About 65% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

In the surrounding community, community-level numbers for Ramsey County indicate median household earnings sit near $81,568, roughly 46% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 8% of residents live below the federal poverty line. The Next Step is one of 302 public schools in Ramsey County (combined enrollment of about 94,437 students).

The closest other public school is North Metro Flex Middle School, roughly 0.2 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

The Next Step operates from an outer-ring location.

Over the past 7-year window. The Next Step's enrollment has decreased 3% since 2018, when it stood at 87 (now 84). Over the same period, the White share fell from 61% to 42%. Class-load math has loosened: from 8.3:1 in 2018 to 10.1:1 in 2025.

Inside the community feed, the feed for The Next Step typically covers pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.