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.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 .23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 .45 46 Roseville Human Rights Commission Meeting Minutes - April 11, 2007 Page 2 of7 Ms. Eager reviewed demographic information from an annual report (dated October 2006), showing the increasing diversity in current enrollment at the High School level to that of Early Childhood and Kindergarten enrollment. Ms. Eager and Dr. Thein reviewed demographics and comparisons of the district compared to that of the St. Paul School District, showing that RAS was second only to the St. Paul District in students of color and growing trends in Latino and Hmong cultures. Further demographics among communities represented in the district as well as grade levels and building to building were noted. Dr. Thein noted that at Brimhall School, a large percentage of Hmong students were evident and a total of 57 different languages were represented in that one school; with English as Second Language (ESL) classes continuing to grow and currently serving 17.5% of the total enrollment speaking languages other than English. Throughout the evening, discussion focused around equitable and respectful educational experiences for students, families, and staff members regardless of race, gender, ability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, home or first language, religious, national origin or age. Dr. Thein summarized the district's philosophy and mission in keeping class sizes as low as possible; spending comparisons with other districts and allocation of those resources for students and providing "community-wide" education for all age levels from birth up, emphasizing senior citizens, transition centers, adult basic education, special needs students, Fairview Alternative High School, and other alternativess for Middle School students (i.e., Crossroads and Connections) to assist students in making the adjustment to High School and ensuring their success. Discussion included non-English speaking adult opportunities; open enrollment advantages, impacts and challenges; noted that the younger the age group the larger diversity was represented in the demographics; open enrollment considerations and impacts for students of color; Special Needs students offered the same rights and responsibilities as any student, based on space available and additional costs realized by the district for specialized needs and the need for the district to be prudent and make sure space was available and the appropriate program was available and that it was cost-effective. Additional discussion included Individual Education Plans for special needs students; high mobility rates experienced by school districts, impact on the district's stability, and impact on students as they "float" from one school district to another; noted that the district is serving more students now than in 1986; post-secondary options for students during their High School years and funding considerations; and lessons the City could learn from the district regarding dealing with diversity issues. Dr. Thein reviewed the district's goals over the next several years (R.E.A.L) related to resources, equity, achievement ("keeping the main thing the main thing"); and staffleadership to serve as an example for students.