Despite reducing overall suspensions by 25 percent over four years, St. Paul Public Schools continues to kick African-American and American Indian students out of school at alarming rates relative to their peers.
In 2010-11, the district set an ambitious goal for racial equity in school discipline: that the student demographic with the most suspensions be excluded from school at no more than twice the rate of the racial group with the fewest suspensions -- Asian-Americans.
The district hasn't come close to its target. Per student last school year, African-Americans were suspended at 19 times the rate of Asian-Americans, and American Indians at 15 times the rate of Asian-Americans.
Any suspension ratios greater than 8-to-1 are considered a "critical" problem on the district's internal report card.