Parents and work group press Saint Paul Board for stable site for Tzu Chi Hmong programs

Parent leaders and members of a district facilities work group pressed the Saint Paul Board of Education on Dec. 2 to act on an interim facilities plan they say is necessary to preserve and grow Hmong language and culture programs.

At the Committee of the Board meeting, Zane Her, presenting on behalf of the Suki facilities work group, reviewed a multi‑year process that began with family requests for Hmong cultural options two decades ago and accelerated after program closures and mergers. The work group said it had evaluated three interim options — keeping programs split across three sites; bringing pre‑K back to the lower campus and moving fifth grade to the upper campus; and relocating Hmong studies to a vacant district building called Prosperity — and ultimately recommended the Prosperity option (A1) as the least disruptive way to strengthen and expand the Hmong studies curriculum.

The recommendation came against a backdrop of community frustration over enrollment relocations in 2023. Several families told board members they received last‑minute notices moving pre‑K students to the East Hub and then being placed into Hmong dual‑language classes without prior input. Sai Thao, a parent and work‑group member, said the shifts left some children and families feeling isolated and undermined trust in the district’s process.

Superintendent Stanley and district staff answered board questions about how the district evaluated feasibility and timelines. Chief Turner and Director Wallace said a pre‑K through 12 design was not operationally feasible under district design standards and that available district real estate was limited; Prosperity was identified as the only physically vacant district building at the time options were considered.

Parents emphasized that the earlier understanding — a temporary, five‑year interim — had shifted to a longer ten‑year projection, a change they called “devastating” for educators and families who had planned around the shorter schedule. “That 10‑year timeline shift devastated our educators, our principal, and most deeply our parents who had trusted the process,” Sai Thao said in the presentation.

Work‑group members said the intent of the current recommendation is to provide capacity for growth, specialists and curriculum development for both the Hmong dual‑language immersion and Hmong studies strands. They described the sacrifice made when fifth graders were moved up to the middle school to make space for pre‑K at the lower campus — a trade they said reduced curriculum supports available to those fifth graders.

Board members asked for additional data and clarity: when the 5‑year assumption was presented, how feasibility studies were conducted, and what enrollment numbers drove the proposals. Chief Turner supplied historical enrollment counts for Jackson at the time of closure (319 K–5 students across merged programs) and reiterated constraints on land and square footage for a true Pre‑K–12 facility under district standards.

Parents pressed the board to avoid “another stopgap” and said the board’s Dec. 16 vote on interim options will be consequential for families deciding whether to remain in district programs. Parent Pao Vang said, “Whatever you guys decide next week or in two weeks, it will affect me very, very much.”

What’s next: the board will consider the work group’s options at the Dec. 16 Board of Education meeting. Parents and staff requested more transparent, ongoing communication during implementation and, where possible, campus visits so board members can see conditions first‑hand.

Reported speakers: Director Vu; Superintendent Stanley; Chief Turner; Director Wallace; Zane Her (work‑group parent); Sai Thao (work‑group parent); Pao Vang (parent).

Ending: The board did not take a final vote on the Chi Chi facilities options at the Dec. 2 meeting; the matter is scheduled for board consideration at the regular Dec. 16 meeting.