Saint Paul Public Schools
Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) is a school district (ISD #625[1]) that operates in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
| Saint Paul Public Schools | |
|---|---|
 Location of Saint Paul within Minnesota | |
| Location | |
Minnesota
United States | |
| District information | |
| Type | Public |
| Motto | A World of Opportunities |
| Grades | Pre K-12 |
| Established | 1856 |
| Superintendent | Dr. Joseph (Joe) Gothard |
| Budget | $690.583 million (2017-2018) |
| Students and staff | |
| Students | 37,297 (2017-2018) |
| Staff | 5,376 |
| Athletic conference | Saint Paul City Conference |
| Other information | |
| Website | www |
Saint Paul Public Schools is Minnesota's largest school district and serves approximately 33,000 students.[2] The district runs 69 different schools including 37 elementary schools, 16 middle schools, 10 high schools, 2 alternative schools and 4 special education schools. The district employs around 6,500 teachers and staff.[3] The entire school district participates in the University of Minnesota's College in the Schools (CIS) program.[4]
St. Paul Public Schools oversees community education programs for pre-K and adult learners. The Community Education program includes classes and services such as Early Childhood Family Education, GED Diploma, language programs, and various other learning programs for community members of any age.
In 1993, St. Paul became the first city in the U.S. to sponsor and open a charter school, now found in most states across the nation. Saint Paul is currently home to 21 charter schools.[5]
St. Paul Public Schools celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2006. Notable graduates of St. Paul Public Schools include former U.S. Supreme Court justices Harry Blackmun and Warren Burger, civil rights leader Roy Wilkins, creator of the Peanuts cartoon strip Charles M. Schulz, and many others from various professions and among notable achievements.
Demographics
The district has students from families speaking 114 different languages, although only four languages are used for most school communication. Those languages are English, Spanish, Hmong and Somali.[3] 73.91% of students are students of color.[6] 69% of the district's students qualify for free or reduced lunch, 17% of students are considered Special Education and 40% of students are ELL (English Language Learners).[7] The school district currently receives $22 million a year in desegregation funding from the state.[8] However, because of two United States Supreme Court cases,[9] schools are no longer allowed to assign students to schools based on race.[10]
As of 2001, the district had 46,000 students. Around one third of them were Hmong. At the time, about 13,000 of the Hmong students received English as a second language (ESL) services.[11] In 2002, of all of the American school districts, St. Paul had the largest Hmong student population.[12]
Governing body
The governing body of the school district is the seven-member Board of Education.[13] The Board of Education then appoints a Superintendent who is responsible for the general supervision of the school district.[13]
Board of Education is elected during Saint Paul's general municipal elections.[14] Board members are elected every two years in odd-numbered years and serve staggered four-year terms.[14] The school board elections are technically nonpartisan, however most candidates seek and advertise party endorsements.
The current Superintendent is Joe Gothard.[15] The current Board of Education members are:[16]
- Zuki Ellis(Chair)
- Steve Marchese (vice-chair)
- Jeanelle Foster (Clerk)
- Jon Schumacher (Treasurer)
- John Brodrick (Director)
- Mary Vanderwert (Director)
- (Vacant)
Elementary schools (PreK-5)
|
Middle schools (6-8)
- Battle Creek Middle School
- Capitol Hill Gifted and Talented Magnet (1-8)
- Farnsworth Aerospace Magnet
- Hazel Park Preparatory Academy
- Highland Park Middle School
- Humboldt Secondary School
- Global Arts Plus Upper Campus
- Murray Middle School
- Parkway Montessori Community Middle School
- Open World Expeditionary Secondary
- Ramsey Middle School
- Washington Technology Secondary
- Creative Arts Secondary
High schools (9-12)
- Arlington Senior High School (Closed after the 2010-2011 school year now part of Washington Technology Magnet School)
- Central Senior High School
- Como Park Senior High School
- Harding Senior High School
- Highland Park Senior High School
- Humboldt Senior High School
- Johnson Senior High School
- Open World Learning Community (6-12)
- Creative Arts High School (9-12)
- Washington Technology Magnet School (6-12)
History of Saint Paul Public Schools
In 1856, a small group of citizens decided that it was of vital importance to establish a school district the St. Paul. They did this as they believed "good schools would provide good settlers". Nine years previously, Harriet Bishop moved to the at the time small but growing city of St. Paul. She was part of a program led by educational reformer Catharine Beecher that was designed to help educate frontier children. As part of the program, she volunteered to teach the children of St. Paul. Harriet Bishop is credited with starting the first public school in the Saint Paul Public Schools district.
In 1870, two students by the names of Fannie Hayes and A. P. Warren became the first two students to graduate from Saint Paul High School. Nine years later in 1879, Saint Paul High School was renamed to Central High School. Grover Cleveland High School was established in 1897; it was renamed to Johnson Senior High School in 1911. By 1906, the Saint Paul Public Schools district had around 27,940 students attending it. Eight years later in 1914, the Saint Paul city government took control of all educational matters. However, after 36 years of government control and extensive protesting from citizens, the Saint Paul Public Schools Board of Education was reinstated in 1950.
In 1954, the US Supreme Court ruled that public education between minorities and the majority could not be equal if it remained "separated". A decade later in 1964, the Saint Paul Public Schools district addressed the issue of racial injustice and started developing solutions so that students would have equal access to education.
On February 28, 2004, over 6,000 students, parents, and school staff rallied at the Capitol for the government to support more education funding.[17]
Special programs
LEAP - International Academy
In Fall of 1994, Saint Paul Public Schools started the Limited English Achievement Program (LEAP) as a school completely dedicated to English language learners (ELL) aged 16 to 24 years. In 2005, the school's name was changed to "International Academy - LEAP" to reflect a more direct meaning for the school. These are students whose needs often do not match the offerings provided in traditional high school.[18]
References
- Saint Paul Public Schools (2007). "Elementary Schools". Archived from the original on June 10, 2007. Retrieved June 13, 2007.
- Saint Paul Public Schools (2007). "Middle and Junior High Schools". Archived from the original on June 11, 2007. Retrieved June 13, 2007.
- Saint Paul Public Schools (2007). "Senior High Schools". Archived from the original on June 15, 2007. Retrieved June 13, 2007.
- https://www.spps.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=5187&dataid=42826&FileName=2015_0625_01_saintpaul_finstm_district_010816.pdf
- "ABOUT / Homepage". www.spps.org. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
- St Paul Public Schools. "About Us". Archived from the original on June 4, 2007. Retrieved June 8, 2007.
- "College in the Schools - Participating Schools". College of Continuing Education. Archived from the original on February 11, 2006. Retrieved September 28, 2007.
- Minnesota Department of Education (2005). "Charter Schools". Archived from the original on June 1, 2007. Retrieved June 8, 2007.
- "District Enrollment Data" (PDF). Saint Paul Public Schools. October 2, 2006. Retrieved September 28, 2007.
- "Student Characteristics By School Or Program" (PDF). Saint Paul Public Schools. October 2, 2006. Retrieved September 28, 2007.
- Walsh, James (September 18, 2007). "A course in marketing". Star Tribune. pp. B1, B5. Archived from the original on October 27, 2007.
- Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 and Meredith v. Jefferson County Public Schools
- Hopfensperger, Jean (July 9, 2007). "Supreme Court: Schools". Star Tribune. pp. B1.
- Her, Lucy Y. "Ceremony is Hmong welcome to educators - Culture-sharing event aims to aid students, educate parents and elders.." Minneapolis Star Tribune. Saturday March 31, 2001. News 9B. Retrieved on March 12, 2012.
- Chavez, Erika. "Hmong cry for help has been heard A state forum will seek ways to improve student achievement." The Sacramento Bee. Tuesday May 28, 2002. B1. Retrieved on March 12, 2012.
- "Leadership". Saint Paul Public Schools. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2007.
- "The Saint Paul Board of Education". Saint Paul Public Schools. Archived from the original on August 13, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2007.
- "Superintendent's Office / Superintendent Joseph Gothard".
- "BOARD OF EDUCATION / Board of Education Homepage".
- "SPPS History / Home; A Brief History of Saint Paul Public Schools". www.spps.org. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- International Academy-LEAP Archived 2007-08-07 at the Wayback Machine, Saint Paul Public Schools Official website