| Saint Paul Public Schools | |
| Motto: | A World of Opportunities |
| Budget: | $1.037 billion (2025) |
| Established: | 1856 |
| Region: | Minnesota |
| Grades: | Pre K-12 |
| Superintendent: | Dr. John Thein (interim) |
| Staff: | 6,000+ |
| Students: | 33,062 (2023-2024) |
| Country: | United States |
Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) is a school district (ISD #625) that operates in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Saint Paul Public Schools is Minnesota's largest school district and serves approximately 33,000 students.[1] The district runs 68 different schools and employs more than 6,000 teachers and staff.[2]
Saint 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, Saint 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.[3]
Saint Paul Public Schools celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2006. Notable graduates of Saint 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.
On February 15, 2024, then-Superintendent Dr. Joe Gothard was named 2024 National Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators.[4]
In 1856, a small group of citizens decided that it was of vital importance to establish a school district in Saint 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 Saint 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 Saint 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.[5]
The district has students from families speaking 115+ different languages, although only five languages are used for most school communication. Those languages are English, Spanish, Hmong, Somali, and Karen. 78% of students are students of color.[6] 70% of the district's students qualify for free or reduced lunch, 19% of students are considered Special Education and 28% of students are ELL (English Language Learners).[7] The school district currently receives $53.8 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]
In 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, Saint Paul had the largest Hmong student population.[12]
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.
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. The school board elections are technically nonpartisan, however most candidates seek and advertise party endorsements.
On May 20, 2024, Dr. John Thein became interim superintendent, succeeding Dr. Joe Gothard who served as superintendent from 2017 to 2024 and superintendent in Madison Metropolitan School District since 2024.[15] The current Board of Education members are:[16]
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