FAQ
What time does school start?
Classes start at 8:00 am and end at 3:00 pm.
Is your school a public school?
Yes! AFSA is a public school, there is no tuition. We are Charter School District #4074 and can be found on the Minnesota Department of Education website: AFSA High School
Who can go to school at AFSA?
Any school aged student who lives in Minnesota may attend or transfer to AFSA while they are in grades PreK-12.
Will my credits transfer from my old school?
Yes! All credits for public school classes and accredited private school classes will transfer to AFSA. Homeschool credits are accepted also.
What is the lunch program like?
All lunches are cooked at AFSA. Each day there is a hot lunch main item (Chicken Pot Pie or Meatloaf) vegetable, pasta or bread, milk and a full salad bar.
Does your school have an athletics program?
Yes! We currently have the following sports available: Girls Volleyball, Boys Basketball, Softball and Baseball.
Click here for more information about our athletics program.
How big is your school?
We currently have about 245 students at the high school (7th-12th grade) and 150 students at the elementary (PreK-6th grade) building. You'll be happy to know that we also have an 18:1 student to teacher ratio. This helps us maintain class sizes at a maximum of 26.
Will going to the Academy for Sciences & Agriculture prepare me for college?
Attending AFSA will open your eyes to a whole new world of opportunities outside of AFSA. If you put in the work, AFSA can help you find a postsecondary program that is right for you. We offer several classes at AFSA that you are able to receive college credit for through the University of Minnesota College in the Schools program. Our students have graduated and attended Big 10 Universities, Ivy League Schools, and even the Naval Academy!
How many credits do you require for graduation?
The AFSA Honors diploma recognizes students for completing a more rigorous program. AFSA requires 28.5 credits to graduate.
We require students to take
- 4.5 credits of language arts
- 4 credits of social studies
- 4 credits of science
- 4 credits of math
- 4 credits of agriscience
- 2 credits world language
- 1 credit of art
- .5 credits physical education
- .5 credits health
- 4 credits electives
What is a charter school?
Charter schools are K-12 public schools that provide choice for parents and students within the public school system. Charter schools are operated independently from the school district in which they are located. They are incorporated as a 501(c )(3) nonprofit organization or as teacher cooperatives.
Charter schools are open to all who apply, except if the school is over-subscribed, in which case a lottery will be held for all applicant who submitted an application by the deadline. Once a student is enrolled, siblings are given preference in admission.
Teachers who have appropriate state licensure staff charter schools. They are accountable for academic and non-academic outcomes. Each school is reviewed every three years by the sponsor (authorizer) to determine whether the charter will be renewed.
Minnesota was the first state to pass charter school legislation. In the fall of 2023, there were 181 charter schools in Minnesota, with over 69,766 PreK-12 students.
How are charter schools funded?
Charter schools are funded primarily by state general education revenue with start-up funding in the first three years provided by the federal government. Located in leased facilities, charter schools are funded in large measure by lease aid, a state program that provides per-pupil funding to compensate for the fact that charter school cannot own property, levy taxes, or issue bonds.
Why teach agriculture in a metro area?
The agricultural industry is Minnesota’s second largest employer, accounting for 25% of all jobs. Even in metro areas, agri-science professionals account for 13% of all jobs. The Twin Cities Metro area is the home of several large agricultural employers: Cargill, CHS, Land O'Lakes, General Mills, Bailey Nurseries and others. Agricultural education provides students with hands-on experiences, particularly in math and science, to allow students to apply these lessons to real life.
Are you teaching students to be farmers?
No. In fact in the United States, less than 2% of our population is directly involved with production agriculture. However, nearly 25% of Americans have jobs today because of the Agricultural Industry. At AFSA, we help students learn about the really cool opportunities available to them. There are many jobs involving technology, science, math, engineering, and the environment that AFSA students get to learn about!