Community School of Excellence

What Community School of Excellence does

Community School of Excellence (CSE) is a public charter school serving students from PreK through 12th grade at 270 Larpenteur Ave. W. in St. Paul, Minnesota. Founded in 2007 and operated as an independent nonprofit under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 124E, CSE is the only charter school in the state focused on Hmong language and culture, offering Hmong and Chinese language acquisition alongside a standard college-preparatory academic program. Specialized offerings include a 1:1 laptop program for middle school students, three computer labs, Smartboards, a Media Center using the Follett Destiny library system, an Infinite Campus student/parent information system, special education services, English language learner support, and a dance team. Non-academic supports include free breakfast and lunch (with Hmong meals served four times per week), city-wide bus transportation, and a Global Connections international travel program operating in partnership with Hmong American Partnership.

The school generates no tuition revenue and is funded through Minnesota state per-pupil allocations, federal Title I and related education grants, USDA-subsidized meal programs, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program funding from the Minnesota Department of Education, and 21st Century Community Learning Center grant funding. Its primary customer segment is Hmong families in St. Paul and surrounding metro communities seeking culturally relevant K-12 education; secondary segments include English language learners and students with special needs. Enrollment is managed through a lottery system via Infinite Campus, with daily tours and city-wide bus service extending geographic reach. Since July 1, 2016, CSE has been authorized by the Minnesota Guild of Charter Schools (previously authorized by Concordia University). CSE also operates a wholly-owned nonprofit building corporation (CSE Building Company) that manages school facilities. The school relies on community-led go-to-market — word-of-mouth, social media (Facebook, YouTube), and community events such as the Hmong New Year celebration — rather than traditional marketing, and 3,000+ community members attend the annual Hmong New Year event.

Name

Community School of Excellence

Legal name

Community School of Excellence

Website

https://csemn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Community School of Excellence is a nonprofit PreK-12 public charter school in St. Paul, Minnesota, providing Hmong language and culture education to Hmong families in the metro area, funded by state per-pupil allocations and federal grants with no tuition charged.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Primary and Secondary Education (Charter School)

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter Indigenous/Culturally Focused & Community-Based Schools (EDAJACAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Charter Language Immersion & Bilingual Schools (EDAJACAI)

Keywords

• Charter school education
• K-12 public education
• Language immersion programs
• Special education services
• After-school programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. State Per-Pupil Funding: Public charter school receives state funding based on student enrollment numbers (per-pupil formula).
2. Federal Grants: Receives federal funding including Title I services, 21st Century Community Learning Center grants, and other federal education programs.
3. Food Service Program: Federally subsidized meal program providing free breakfast and lunch to all students through USDA programs.
4. 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant: Grant funding from Minnesota Department of Education for after-school academic enrichment programs in partnership with Hmong American Partnership.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Community School of Excellence is a public charter school delivering tuition-free PreK-12 education in St. Paul, Minnesota, with a specialized Hmong language and culture curriculum. Its offerings combine core academics with language immersion in Hmong and Chinese, special education, after-school enrichment, food service, transportation, athletics, and international learning through its Global Connections program.

Product overview

Community School of Excellence (CSE) is a PreK-12th grade charter school in St. Paul, Minnesota, specializing in Hmong Language and Culture education. The school operates as a unified educational platform offering core academic programs across elementary, middle, and high school divisions, supplemented by specialized programs including Hmong and Chinese language acquisition, a 1:1 laptop program for middle school students, three computer labs, and Smartboards in all classrooms. The school's product portfolio includes the Infinite Campus Parent Portal for family engagement, the 21st Century Community Learning Center after-school program, Global Connections international travel program, comprehensive Food Service and Transportation services, and robust Assessment Programs including state-mandated and school-based testing. The institution provides Special Education services, English Language support, Title I services, and extracurricular activities including athletics, dance team, and student council. CSE emphasizes technology integration with a 1:1 laptop program for middle school, computer labs, and classroom computer stations, while maintaining cultural focus through Hmong and Chinese language programs and international learning experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community School of Excellence PreK-12 Educational Program Comprehensive tuition-free charter school education from PreK through 12th grade combining rigorous academics with Hmong language and culture immersion, college preparation, and wraparound support services for students and families.
• Hmong Language and Culture Program Language acquisition program in Hmong with integrated lessons on Hmong culture and cultural celebrations such as Hmong New Year.
• Chinese Language Program Mandarin Chinese language acquisition program with lessons on Chinese culture offered as part of the school's language offerings.
• Special Education Services Comprehensive special education services for all eligible students, including Total Special Education System (TSES) plan, individualized education programs, and related services.
• 21st Century Community Learning Center Program After-school academic enrichment program operated in partnership with Hmong American Partnership, providing academic support, enrichment activities, and literacy services for students and families.
• Global Connections Program International learning program connecting students with Hmong communities worldwide through travel opportunities to Laos, Thailand, China, and Vietnam.
• Food Service Program Comprehensive food service including free breakfast (before 9:00 AM) and free lunch for all students, featuring nutritious meals with traditional Hmong cuisine four times per week.
• Transportation Services City-wide transportation service with bus pickup within two blocks of students' homes throughout St. Paul and surrounding communities, contracted through Hmong American Partnership Transportation Services.
• Assessment Programs Comprehensive assessment system including statewide MCA, WIDA ACCESS, and NAEP testing, alongside school-based Fastbridge (K-8), Star (9-12), and Capti ReadBasix assessments.
• Athletics and Activities Sports programs including soccer, flag football, badminton, and other seasonal athletics, along with Student Council leadership opportunities.
• Dance Team Competitive dance team program that has performed at various venues including stages, parades, stadiums, and media appearances.
• Media Center/Library School library with weekly scheduled media center time, library clerk support for grade-level book selection, and checkout services managed via the Follett Destiny library system.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% participation in parent-teacher conferences
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Minnesota Guild of Charter SchoolscoreOthers · 1 July 2016Current authorizer of Community School of Excellence since July 1, 2016. The Guild is a dedicated charter school authorizer that promotes innovative, research-based schools with teacher expertise. Provides oversight, compliance review, and strategic guidance to CSE.
• Hmong American PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner21st Century Community Learning Center Program partnership providing academic enrichment during non-school hours. Also provides transportation services through Hmong American Partnership Transportation Services. The partnership leverages shared cultural understanding to deliver comprehensive support services to students and families.
• Minnesota Department of EducationcoreOthersReceives Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) funds to implement snack program for PreK-8th grade students. Operates under state charter school regulations and receives state per-pupil funding through MDE.
• Infinite CampuscoreTechnology or IntegrationStudent information system platform used for parent portal access, meal tracking, and student records management. Parents access grades, attendance, schedules, and health information through this platform.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Yinghua Academy: Minneapolis, MN public charter school offering K-8 Chinese language immersion. Comparable as a Twin Cities language-and-culture immersion charter operating under the same state per-pupil funding system and serving multicultural metro families.
• Aurora Charter School: Minneapolis, MN public charter school with a mission to serve a diverse, multicultural student body through personalized learning. Comparable Twin Cities charter operating under identical state funding and authorizer oversight regimes.
• Hmong College Prep Academy: Saint Paul, MN Hmong-focused public charter school serving K-12 with a college-preparatory emphasis. The most directly comparable peer — same metro, same cultural/ethnic focus, same charter and per-pupil funding model, and substantially overlapping Hmong family demographics with CSE.
• Bdote Learning Center: Minneapolis, MN public charter school with an indigenous-language (Dakota and Ojibwe) and culturally grounded mission for K-8 learners. Closest analog to CSE's community-of-culture charter model, with structurally identical funding, governance, and instructional philosophy but serving a different cultural community.
• Lakes International Language Academy (LILA): Forest Lake, MN public charter school providing K-12 language immersion (Spanish, Mandarin, and others). Comparable as a Minnesota language-immersion charter school operating under the same statewide per-pupil funding and accountability framework.
• Harvest Preparatory School: Minneapolis, MN charter school serving a substantial Hmong student population with K-6 offerings and an extended-day enrichment model. Comparable Twin Cities charter with overlapping Hmong demographics and a similar wraparound-services philosophy.
• Global Academy: Minneapolis, MN public charter school with an international, multilingual curriculum serving K-8. Comparable as a Twin Cities charter emphasizing global/cultural education and language acquisition, drawing from the same immigrant-rich metro population.

Broad incumbents

• Native American Community Academy (NACA): Albuquerque, NM public charter school serving Native American students with a culturally grounded, language-revitalization-focused curriculum spanning elementary through high school. Closest national-level analog to CSE's model of leveraging a charter school as a vehicle for cultural-community education, operating at larger scale and a broader grade span.
• Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS): Large urban district serving the same Twin Cities metro and overlapping with much of CSE's feeder demographic. Provides the traditional public school alternative against which CSE families are choosing, and operates under the same state per-pupil funding formula plus compensatory weights.

Others

• Minnesota Guild of Charter Schools (Authorizer peer view): Statewide charter authorizer overseeing CSE and a portfolio of other innovative Minnesota charter schools. Included as an ecosystem participant — not a competitor — whose portfolio performance and standards framework directly shape CSE's license-to-operate and comparability set.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CSE170/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/communityschoolofexcellence

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Community School of Excellence