Maria Sanford Middle School

Grades:
6-8
Link to enroll
School hours:
Mon-Fri 8:40AM-3:10PM
Before school care:
No
After school care:
No
District:
Minneapolis Public Schools

Minneapolis School Finder Rating

Above Average

About

About Us

Sanford is a community middle school in the Longfellow neighborhood of Minneapolis. They celebrate over 100 years of history, as a part of an ever-changing, lively river community with a magnificent immigrant & multicultural heritage. They have many community partners that help the school develop goals & identify confidence in their students during these middle school years.
Sanford follows the middle school model with a 6-8 program & advisory. As an International Baccalaureate school, their curriculum is concept-, context-, & project-based to build critical thinking & real-world skills.
At Sanford, everyone belongs & together thrives. They strive to create a community of curious, collaborative, & open-minded global citizens.

Languages spoken by school staff

English, Spanish, Ojibwe, Dakota

Extra programming

Sanford offers an after-school program, that allows students to participate in middle school athletics. They can also play up at Roosevelt High School when they are in 7th & 8th grade.

Extracurriculars Offered:

Cultural Extracurriculars, Debate/Speech Clubs, Environmental/Outdoors Clubs, Music, Our students drive our after-school programming offerings: sewing, STEM/STEAM Clubs, Sports, Theater, Visual Arts Clubs, etc., food, futsal, girls flag football

Uniforms

Students who attend Maria Sanford Middle School are not required to wear uniforms.

How to enroll

If interested in enrolling, contact Student Placement Services at (612) 668-1840 or sps.department@mpls.k12.mn.us.

Students at this school

Students, by population (728 total)
  • American Indian or Alaskan Native
    11%
  • Asian
    1%
  • Black or African American
    11%
  • Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
    0%
  • Hispanic
    10%
  • Two or more races
    6%
  • White
    60%
  • English Language Learner
    6%
  • From a Low Income Background
    34%
  • Special Education
    15%

Teachers at this school

Teachers, by population (44 total)
  • American Indian or Alaskan Native
    3%
  • Asian
    0%
  • Black or African American
    3%
  • Hispanic
    0%
  • Two or more races
    3%
  • White
    91%

Average student to teacher ratio

16:1

Academics

High Performing

Academic performance rating

High Performing

Academic programming

Sanford Middle School is an established International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP) school for all students. This looks like strong, internationally minded inquiry lessons & units, as well as students taking design & language classes. Students have the choice of Arabic, Dakota, Ojibwe, & Spanish language classes,  along with band, choir, orchestra, guitar, visual art, & theater art classes.

Academic Programs Offered:

International Baccalaureate (IB)

Special education programming

Sanford Middle School is focused on supporting students who receive special education programming, while ensuring that they have the least restrictive environment for learning & developing. They support students with programming levels 1-3 in all categorical areas.

Curricula

Sanford uses the iReady Math curriculum. Most students participate in Drop Everything & Read during their three times a week ‘What I Need’ time.

English language learner programming

Sanford supports new to English learners with sheltered & co-taught classes.

Proficiency

% of students on grade level
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Math Reading 100% 0%

5 out of 10 students are performing math at grade level

2025 math proficiency - 48%

6 out of 10 students read at grade level

2025 reading proficiency - 57%

Progress

% of students on track
2022 2023 2024 2025 Math Reading 100% 0%

6 out of 10 students are progressing to graduate on grade-level in math

2025 math progress - 64%

6 out of 10 students are progressing to graduate on grade-level in reading

2025 reading progress - 61%

Climate

Above Average

Climate performance rating

Above Average

School values

At Sanford, they strive to create a community of curious, collaborative, & open-minded global citizens.

Recess

Sanford Middle School aims to support student success in many ways. They provide opportunities for student voice & leadership through their Native Group, Youth Voice (YPE), Hawk Team, & a robust after school activity program. Sanford also has a CARE team to support students through middle school, which includes their social workers, counselors, & restorative advocates.

Discipline Policy

Sanford Middle School holds students to high expectations, while loving them through the predictable mistakes that middle schoolers make. They partner with caregivers to ensure that all students learn & feel safe.

Bullying Prevention Policy

Students who have strong relationships with staff & caregivers will communicate when unhealthy situations occur. Additionally, Sanford’s students have an anonymous reporting system available to communicate harm, so that adults can intervene to help repair & restore. They teach through all situations & hold high expectations for safety.

Teacher retention

% of teachers who stayed at the school
88% 80% 69% 85% 95% 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 100% 0%

Attendance

% of students who regularly attend school (at least 90% of time)
68% 56% 67% 73% 2021 2022 2023 2024 100% 0%

Discipline

Number of expulsions or suspensions per every hundred students
Per 100 Students 0 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 13 1 10 13 7

Equity

Average

Equity performance rating

Average

Equity vision

Sanford believes that everyone belongs, and together we thrive.

Proficiency

% students on grade level, by student group
0% 100% City average 24% American Indian or Alaskan Native City average 23% Asian City average 27% Black or African American City average 2% English Language Learner City average 28% From a Low Income Background City average 26% Hispanic City average 46% Two or more races City average 25% Special Education City average 68% White City average 52% All students
0% 100% City average 24% American Indian or Alaskan Native City average 23% Asian City average 27% Black or African American City average 2% English Language Learner City average 28% From a Low Income Background City average 26% Hispanic City average 46% Two or more races City average 25% Special Education City average 68% White City average 52% All students

Progress

% of students progressing to graduate on grade level, by student group
0% 100% City average 43% From a Low Income Background City average 39% Special Education City average 74% White City average 62% All students City average 46% Black or African American City average 30% English Language Learner City average 42% Hispanic City average 35% American Indian or Alaskan Native City average 56% Two or more races
0% 100% City average 43% From a Low Income Background City average 39% Special Education City average 74% White City average 62% All students City average 46% Black or African American City average 30% English Language Learner City average 42% Hispanic City average 35% American Indian or Alaskan Native City average 56% Two or more races

Teacher retention

Teachers who stayed at the school last year by race/ethnicity
0% 100% City average 83% White
0% 100% City average 83% White

Teachers of color

9%

Students of color

39%

Attendance

% of students who regularly attend school (at least 90% of the time)
0% 100% City average 39% American Indian or Alaskan Native City average 50% Black or African American City average 68% English Language Learner City average 53% From a Low Income Background City average 64% Hispanic City average 62% Two or more races City average 52% Special Education City average 84% White City average 73% All students
0% 100% City average 39% American Indian or Alaskan Native City average 50% Black or African American City average 68% English Language Learner City average 53% From a Low Income Background City average 64% Hispanic City average 62% Two or more races City average 52% Special Education City average 84% White City average 73% All students

Discipline

Number of expulsions or suspensions for every hundred students
0% 100% City average 12 American Indian or Alaskan Native City average 2 Asian City average 30 Black or African American City average 4 Hispanic City average 25 Two or more races City average 3 White City average 13 All students
0% 100% City average 12 American Indian or Alaskan Native City average 2 Asian City average 30 Black or African American City average 4 Hispanic City average 25 Two or more races City average 3 White City average 13 All students