In 2018, the Saint Paul Public Schools’ (SPPS) Board has authorized a referendum asking Saint Paul voters to approve increased funding to schools in the form of an Operating Levy. While Asian Americans believe that adequate support to schools is important to produce better educational outcomes for all students, many have also voiced their concern about a history of exclusion and inequity in SPPS.
CAAL supported students, parents, and the community to push to address long standing inequities that affect Asian families in Saint Paul. CAAL worked with young people, their families, and the community to ask for concrete actions to address the concerns of Saint Paul’s diverse Asian Minnesotan student body, particularly for Hmong, Karen and other Southeast Asian students.
Priority Issues
As efforts to engage voters about the referendum continues, our parents, students and leaders remain hesitant to support the referendum unless SPPS’s Board and the Superintendent make explicit policy and budgetary commitments and provides concrete steps to address the following priorities:
- Hire and Retain Culturally Responsive Staff,
- Invest in Heritage Language Development,
- Embed Ethnic Studies into Core Curriculum,
- Incorporate Culturally Responsive Social and Emotional Learning,
- College and Career Readiness.
Read the full statement and priorities here.
Please contact Michelle Chang to learn more about our Education issues.