Hmong College Prep Academy was envisioned as an institution to meet the potential of each student, including those who fall through the cracks within the traditional school system. As a public charter school, HCPA is fortuitously located in Minnesota, the first state in the country to enact a charter public school law, and it exemplifies the charter model of using innovative practices to meet the needs of the students it serves. Parents, educators and community leaders met in 2000 to conceive of a school that would nurture the academic, emotional and cultural growth of students who were not finding success in the traditional school system. It was based on this vision that the Minnesota Department of Education approved Hmong College Prep Academy as a K-12 public charter school. After two years of extensive planning by the founders and community, HCPA opened its doors to grades 9 and 10 in Minneapolis in 2004. In 2006, HCPA moved to its current location in Saint Paul. And in 2009, HCPA increased enrollment to over 550 students by adding grades 4 through 12. In 2010, HCPA met its goal of being a K-12 institution by adding grades K-3. Since then, HCPA’s building has expanded to accommodate the strong enrollment demand from families, and HCPA currently serves over 2,400 students.

HCPA is proud to have graduated hundreds of students, including many who have returned to campus as teachers, student support specialists, paraprofessionals, and school board members. The district continues to embody a “no excuses” approach to student learning. HCPA teachers and staff know there are no shortcuts to success and collaborate to create a culture of achievement and success.