St. Paul elementary in Rondo neighborhood set to become Afrocentric school this fall

In fall of 2026, a St. Paul elementary school will transform itself with a new learning model. Benjamin E. Mays, which currently runs under the International Baccalaureate — or IB — program, will instead be centered around an Afrocentric program and curriculum. It's been years in the making and it’s historic as Benjamin E. Mays will become one of the only Afrocentric schools in the state. Danielle Hughes, principal of Benjamin E. Mays, and Stacie Stanley, superintendent of St. Paul Public Schools, spoke to Minnesota Now about the program.