In 1994, PACT Charter School was the eighth charter school to be established in Minnesota. PACT offered a unique model of parents partnering with teachers and students; the model afforded parents an opportunity to be involved in everyday school decisions for their students.

PACT initially opened in the old Anoka Post Office as a K-7 school with 84 students. PACT used hands-on learning through field trips, symposiums, and unit studies; and walked three blocks to a nearby park for gym class.

Unique to PACT is non-school Fridays, which were initially intended for family learning experiences beyond the classroom. Many families still use the non-school Friday as family time or to get together with other PACT families for group social events.

In 1995, after outgrowing its space, PACT expanded to the Karpes Court Racquetball Club on Pierce Street in Anoka across from the Northstar station and Old Milk Factory. K-6 moved in, but grades 7-8 remained in the old Anoka Post Office. 

In 1996, PACT Secondary (grades 7-9) moved from the Anoka Post Office into the Old Milk Factory. A grade was added every year after that until the school reached grade 12. Our first high school graduates were the Class of 2000. 

On September 24, 2003, PACT broke ground on a five-acre site in the Ramsey Town Center development. The doors opened a year later, in September of 2004. Makeshift classrooms were in the gymnasium, and portables were used in the first two months. The 72,000-square foot building was designed to accommodate K-12 students and had a unique feature of a “Cafetorium” that served the dual purposes of a cafeteria and auditorium with a performing arts stage and seating. The rear of the stage opened into the gymnasium, allowing the stage to be used for large functions.

When the school moved from Anoka to Ramsey, enrollment nearly doubled, and almost 2,000 students were on the waiting list. A large waiting list remains -- managed through a lottery system.

In 2019, PACT underwent a building improvement project that included closing in the “Cafetorium” to create a lower-level choir room and a Library Media Center on the second floor. A band room was built near the gym, which opened up space for a second kindergarten classroom so PACT could expand to a full-day kindergarten model. 

PACT offers more than 30 extracurricular activities -- some of which are co-ops with neighboring schools like Legacy Christian Academy, Anoka High School, and Spectrum High School. In 2013, the PACT Dance Team was the first school sport to qualify for a state tournament, and they have returned almost every year since then. In 2020, the boys' soccer team made history by being the first athletic team to earn a conference title.  

The 2022-2023 school year marked PACT’s 29th year serving the community's educational needs! PACT Charter School currently serves 670 students in K–12 and is authorized by Volunteers of America-MN. Before that, Bethel University authorized PACT from 2003-2022, and before then was the Anoka-Hennepin School District. 

PACT Charter School aims to prepare students for college and lifelong learning, promote positive character development, and pursue a community atmosphere of mutual respect.