Knowledge of what is does not open the door directly to what should be.

                      --- Albert Einstein

To foster change, knowledge needs to be used, and this website is here to function as a toolkit for digging into and continuing the work of the St. Paul Public Schools' Cultural Proficiency Professional Development. Not sure exactly what "cultural proficiency" entails? Confused about what might be developed, professionally speaking? Here's the official definition:

Cultural Proficiency

In Saint Paul Public Schools, cultural proficiency is defined as the values, beliefs and behaviors that enable individual employees of the district to interact effectively with students, staff, and families and the broader community, in a culturally diverse, inclusive learning and work environment. The intended outcome of becoming and exemplifying a culturally proficient organization is that the vision, values, policies and practices of SPPS enable effective cross-cultural interactions among and between students, staff, families and the broader community.

Cultural proficiency reaches across all district roles and responsibilities. It reaches inward, into classes and staff lounges and hallways---it reaches outwards, into homes and extended families and communities. 

The goals of the Professional Development are threefold:

1. To provide all staff with the tools they need to be more culturally proficient in the work they do every day.
2. To reach out to all students and their families where they are right now in order to raise achievement for all students, including closing the achievement gap.
3. To create an inclusive, welcoming environment throughout the district so both employees and the larger community feel respected and valued for all they bring to the table.

These tools are yours---our intention is to make them as dynamic as possible, and your input is invaluable. What else would you like to see? What else would be useful for you? Cultural proficiency is a big topic, and it can seem daunting at first. So take a look around, tell us what you think but, most of all, use them!