Academic Program

Teachers at El Colegio are innovative and seek to enact culturally-competent practices, with a foundation in the praxis of Paulo Freire and Barrio pedagogy:

• Create a classroom environment that is culturally competent, engaging and respects the dignity,  maturity and interests of the students.

• Work collaboratively with other teachers to create real world, project based units to explore complex problems  and critical thinking that rest on the core values of El Colegio in innovative two week “Synthesis” sessions.

Collage & Career Pathways

Since 2016, 100% of all El Colegio’s graduating seniors have been accepted into at least one post-secondary institution. In collaboration with UnidosUs and LEAP, we are able to offer classes to 11th and 12th graders with college and career readiness skills. 

The Senior Project gives students the opportunity to tackle issues outside their traditional curriculum serving as a bridge between the high school classroom and the real world. Students critically analyze a social justice issue that impacts their lives to inspire self-discovery and social responsibility.  The three main components of the project consist of a 5-10 page paper, an art piece representative of the topic, and an oral presentation to the community.

El Colegio believes that college should be an option for all students. Staff, parents, and students should explore all possibilities for post-secondary education. Students may wish to participate in the PSEO program, in which a student would attend a post-secondary institution and take college credit while still enrolled as a high school student at El Colegio.

Students who qualify to participate in PSEO must follow related policies of the MN Department of Education, the college or university they are attending, and El Colegio. Click here for detailed information from the MN Department of Education:

Heritage Language

We support our students in recognizing and embracing their own unique histories, cultures, and languages as a means to hone and own their identity as an asset. Dual language education is critical for students’ academic success and personal growth, so first and second language instruction in both a student’s heritage language and an additional language is a key component of our program.

El Colegio is a community hub for various groups and community gatherings, our families participate in. The atmosphere of the building is welcoming, safe, respectful, and inclusive. Students and families from all cultures are respected and nurtured equally. Values around family and community also come to life in our school. We actively encourage family and community to be partners in our students’ learning, as well as to participate in cultural and arts activities in our building.

Students and families of different cultures experience and learn from each other through the school curriculum, cultural celebrations, parent meetings, and other activities. In addition, students go into the community to improve their learning through community service, internships, and the creation of public art. Students demonstrate community engagement and develop related skills through service-learning, participatory action research, school-hosted events, and other community activities.