Txuj Ci Hmong Language & Culture U, Saint Paul MN

Original Research by School Decision on Txuj Ci Hmong Language & Culture U

Txuj Ci HMong Language & Culture Upper is a middle school in Saint Paul Public Schools serving grades six through eight. It is a regular public school, not a charter, and its defining characteristic is its focus on Hmong language and culture. The student body is overwhelmingly Hmong, with nearly all students identifying as Asian, reflecting the school’s cultural mission. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

This is a small school, with an enrollment that places it as a tight-knit community for middle grades. Because it serves grades six through eight only, there is no graduation rate to report. The school sits within Saint Paul, Minnesota’s capital and second-largest city, a dense, diverse urban environment with a large Hmong community. The city’s downtown is dominated by state government, with cultural institutions and sports venues nearby. Housing values in the immediate area are moderate relative to the state, though no single picture captures every Saint Paul neighborhood.

State assessment results show a mixed academic picture. In math, proficiency rates across tested grades fall well below the midpoint compared to other schools in Ramsey County. The single year of data available shows proficiency in the lower range for each grade level. Reading performance is somewhat higher than math but still below the county median, with proficiency rates across grades that are modest. Science results are the weakest area, with a very small share of students meeting proficiency in both fifth and eighth grade. The school’s overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint among Ramsey County districts. The data covers only one year, so there is no trend to examine.

The school operates in a district that has recently added new magnet options, including an environmental STEM middle school and a culturally-focused East African elementary magnet. It also renamed one of its middle schools. These are publicly reported changes to the landscape families navigate, but they do not directly affect Txuj Ci.

For a family considering this school, the central consideration is the fit between the child’s needs and the school’s cultural mission. The academic numbers signal that a parent should look into how the school supports students who are not yet meeting state standards, particularly in math and science. The absence of data on special education and English learner populations means a parent would need to ask the school directly about those services. The school’s small size and strong cultural identity are likely assets for a family seeking that focus, but the proficiency results suggest that academic support and outcomes are areas to explore in detail with the school.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 543%

School 43% · District 26% · ▲ 17 pts above district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

Grade 612%

School 12% · District 22% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 720%

School 20% · District 22% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 816%

School 16% · District 20% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 546%

School 46% · District 41% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 636%

School 36% · District 36%

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 729%

School 29% · District 31% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 819%

School 19% · District 33% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Science

Grade 513%

School 13% · District 18% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 89%

School 9% · District 10% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

This schoolSaint Paul Public Schools, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 5Lower-income42%Higher-income64%22 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income32%Higher-income53%21 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income29%Higher-income29%1 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income13%Higher-income46%33 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income36%Higher-income68%32 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income11%Higher-income16%5 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income22%Higher-income14%7 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income13%Higher-income27%15 pp gap