Saint Paul Public Schools

Infobox School District
name=Saint Paul Public Schools


imagesize =
motto= A World of Opportunities
type= Public
budget=$629.1 million (2007-2008) [cite web | title =Adopted Budget - Summary | publisher =Saint Paul Public Schools|url= http://www.businessoffice.spps.org/sites/6ddf745b-fdfd-452f-8c77-a44af8055848/uploads/ProposedBudget07-08.pdf| accessdate =2007-09-28]
established= 1856
region=Minnesota
grades=K-12
superintendent=Dr. Meria Carstarphen
contact number=
teachers=3,470
staff=3,092
students=42,139
conference=Saint Paul City Conference
map

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mapimage1size = 120px
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mapimage2size = 150px
location= Saint Paul, Minnesota
country= USA
schedule=
information=
website= http://www.spps.org/

Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) is a school district that covers all of the city of Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Saint Paul supports a robust network of publicly-funded primary and secondary schools. Saint Paul Public Schools is the state's second largest school district and serves approximately 42,000 students. The district runs 67 different schools including 48 elementary schools, 8 middle schools, 7 high schools, 3 alternative schools and one special education school. The district also employs over 6,500 teachers and staff.cite web| title= About Us| author= St Paul Public Schools| url= http://www.spps.org/About_Us2.html| accessdate= 2007-06-08] The entire school district also participates in the University of Minnesota's College in the Schools program. [cite web | title =College in the Schools - Participating Schools | publisher =College of Continuing Education| url =http://www.cce.umn.edu/cis/schools.html| accessdate =2007-09-28 ]

The school district also oversees community education programs for pre-K and adult learners, including Early Childhood Family Education, GED Diploma, language programs and various learning opportunities for community members of all ages.

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. [cite web |author= Minnesota Department of Education | title= Charter Schools| url= http://app.education.state.mn.us/Directories/report_c11.jsp| date=2005| accessdate= 2007-06-08]

In 2006, the St. Paul Public Schools celebrated its 150th anniversary. 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.

Diversity

The district is extremely diverse with students from families speaking 70 different languages, although only 4 languages are used for most school communication. Those languages are English, Spanish, Hmong and Somali. 73.91% of students are students of color. [cite web | title =District Enrollment Data | publisher =Saint Paul Public Schools| url =http://datacenter.spps.org/sites/2259653e-ffb3-45ba-8fd6-04a024ecf7a4/uploads/FY07_by_race_district.pdf |date=2006-10-02 | accessdate =2007-09-28 ] 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). [cite web | title =Student Characteristics By School Or Program | publisher =Saint Paul Public Schools | url =http://datacenter.spps.org/sites/2259653e-ffb3-45ba-8fd6-04a024ecf7a4/uploads/FY07_demographics_district.pdf|date=2006-10-02 | accessdate =2007-09-28 ] The school district currently receives $22 million a year in desegregation funding from the state. [Citation | last =Walsh | first =James | title =A course in marketing | newspaper =Star Tribune | pages =B1,B5 | date =2007-09-18 | url = http://www.startribune.com/1592/story/1429213.html ] However because of two United States Supreme Court cases, [Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 and Meredith v. Jefferson County Public Schools] schools are no longer allowed to assign students to schools based on race. [Citation | last =Hopfensperger | first =Jean | title =Supreme Court: Schools| newspaper =Star Tribune | pages =B1 | date =2007-07-09 ]

Governing body

The governing body of the school district is the seven-member Board of Education.cite web | title =Leadership | publisher =Saint Paul Public Schools | url =http://www.spps.org/Leadership.html | accessdate =2007-08-20 ] 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.cite web | title =The Saint Paul Board of Education | publisher =Saint Paul Public Schools | url =http://www.spps.org/Board_of_Education.html | accessdate =2007-08-20 ] 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. The entire school board is endorsed by the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, with the exception of Tom Conlon, who is endorsed by the Republican Party of Minnesota.Cite web|url=http://www.minnpost.com/joekimball/2007/11/08/47/st_pauls_lone_survivor_republican_tom_conlon|title=St. Paul's lone survivor: Republican Tom Conlon|accessdate=2007-11-16|publisher=MinnPost.com|year=2007|author=Joe Kimball] Cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/10224/story/1533252.html|title=Conlon returns to St. Paul school board|accessdate=2007-11-16|publisher=Star Tribune|year=2007-11-06|author=James Walsh]

The current Superintendent is Dr. Meria Carstarphen. The current Board of Education members are:
* Kazoua Kong-Thao (Chair)
* Elona Street-Stewart (Vice-Chair)
* Tom Conlon (Clerk)
* Tom Goldstein (Treasurer)
* John Brodrick (Director)
* Anne Carroll (Director)
* Keith Hardy (Director)

Elementary schools (K-6)

Middle schools (7-8)

*Battle Creek Middle School
*Capitol Hill Gifted and Talented Magnet (1-8)
*Cleveland Junior High School
*Hazel Park Middle Academy
*Highland Park Junior High School
*Humboldt Junior High School
*Monroe Achievement Plus Community School
*Murray Junior High School
*Open School (K-12)
*Ramsey Junior High School
*Washington Technology Middle

High schools (9-12)

*Arlington Senior High 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 School (K-12)

History of Saint Paul Schools

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. [ [http://www.spps.org/International_Academy-LEAP.html International Academy-LEAP] , Saint Paul Public Schools Official website]

References

*cite web | author= Saint Paul Public Schools | title= Elementary Schools | url= http://www.spps.org/Elementary_Schools.html | date= 2007 | accessdate= 2007-06-13
*cite web | author= Saint Paul Public Schools | title= Middle and Junior High Schools | url= http://www.spps.org/Middle_and_Junior_High_Schools.html | date= 2007 | accessdate= 2007-06-13
*cite web | author= Saint Paul Public Schools | title= Senior High Schools | url= http://www.spps.org/high_schools.html | date= 2007 | accessdate= 2007-06-13

External links

* [http://www.spps.org/ Saint Paul Public Schools official website]

ee also

*List of school districts in Minnesota