New for 2025-26: Afrocentric Program

For the past 5 to 7 years, members of the African American community in St. Paul have been discussing with district administration and the Board of Education the need to develop a program focused on providing an Afrocentric experience to SPPS students. At the July 16, 2024, Board of Education meeting, the Board approved a plan for Benjamin E. Mays to transition its focus from the current International Baccalaureate (IB) program to an Afrocentric program starting in fall 2025. 

This is an exciting opportunity for SPPS and Benjamin E. Mays to provide the children of St. Paul with a program focused on the African American experience, history and culture, and to partner with families to increase the educational outcomes and long-term success of African American students and all students.

Since December 2023, a workgroup of over 20 people have been meeting to discuss the creation of this exciting new program. Members include school district staff, School Board members, principals, and leaders from the St. Paul African American community. This school year (2024-25), current Benjamin E. Mays families and staff are invited to be part of the planning process for the new program.

Benjamin E. Mays was selected as the ideal school for this program because of its high percentage of African American students (69%) and location in the historic Rondo neighborhood.

When the Afrocentric program workgroup started meeting in December 2023, Benjamin E. Mays families and staff were not involved because the location for the program had not been selected. The decision to house the program at Benjamin E. Mays was made in July 2024 when the Board voted to approve the workgroup’s recommendation. The workgroup reconvening Fall 2024. In November, teacher and parent representatives began attending the planning meetings.

Benjamin E. Mays will no longer be an IB World school after the current 2024-25 school year. Current families who wish to continue with the IB program will have the option to enroll their child(ren) in an IB program at another SPPS elementary school; transportation will be provided.

All current Benjamin E. Mays families will have the option to stay at Benjamin E. Mays when the Afrocentric program begins in fall 2025 and will not need to reapply. In addition, any family in St. Paul or outside of St. Paul who is interested in enrolling their PreK-5th grade student(s) at this school is welcome to apply. Students receiving special education services, English Learners, gifted and talented students are all welcome to apply. The SPPS school placement criteria for district magnet schools will be used to determine placement.

Staffing for the new Afrocentric program will follow State of Minnesota licensing standards and SPPS collective bargaining agreements. This may include current Benjamin E. Mays staff, SPPS staff from other schools and qualified applicants from outside of SPPS. Both licensed and non-licensed positions will be filled with highly qualified educators and support staff.

The programming for the Afrocentric program is being purposefully designed to honor and educate students about the African American experience, history and culture, and to increase educational outcomes in all academic areas including reading, writing, math and science. Students will receive high-quality instruction in all subjects and state standards while integrating an Afrocentric perspective into the curriculum. Students are encouraged to participate in Freedom School programming before school.

The Benjamin E. Mays school day will be 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. starting in fall 2025, with Freedom School programming before school starting at 8 a.m. Transportation to and from school will be available for any students residing within the St. Paul city limits and outside the walk zone. There is no transportation available for the before school program. Discovery Club childcare will be available after school.

Please join us at the SPPS School Choice Fair on Saturday, Dec. 14, at the Saint Paul RiverCentre and look for the Benjamin E. Mays Elementary booth. There will be an open house at the school in February (date TBD), as well as community information sessions (dates TBD). Please check benmays.spps.org for the latest updates.