Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) has a new leader effective May 10, and for many it feels like a homecoming. On December 19, the SPPS Board unanimously selected Dr. Stacie Stanley as superintendent, citing her deep ties to the city, her courageous leadership style, and a clear vision for change.
Dr. Stanley brings more than two decades of experience in public education, but more than that, she brings heart. From classrooms to central offices in Minnesota and Ohio, she’s spent her career uplifting students, challenging systems, and building pathways for kids who often go unheard.
Her journey hasn’t been about climbing ranks, but rather about making space for others to rise. And as superintendent and her philosophy of “paying it forward,” she says she will make sure our local youth will always have the resources to do just that — rise.
“Our mission is to inspire students to think creatively and pursue their dreams and change the world,” said Stanley. “I’m from St. Paul. I went to Saint Paul Public Schools K–12. They believed in me. They made sure I received a good education.”
Board Chair Halla Henderson emphasized that Stanley’s intimate connection to the community made her stand out. “An opportunity to have someone who came through our school system felt like such a wonderful gift to highlight and to bring up,” she said. “We need someone who understands our city and is ready to show up and be an on-the-ground leader with us.”
Henderson added, “It was equally important to see how she understood the future direction and the work ahead to really continue on some wonderful investments in Saint Paul, but also to think about and ask critical questions about where we could be, where we could do better.”
What resonated most with Henderson was Stanley’s authenticity and courage. “She referred to herself a couple of times as a courageous leader, and I think that really comes through,” she said. “You could see the different ways in which she interacted with everyone in the space — students, educators, principals — with a level of intentionality that we were really looking for.”
Stanley, whose mother was raised on Rondo Avenue, describes herself as a product of Rondo’s lasting spirit. “Even though I was born after Rondo was taken away, I always felt like I grew up in Rondo,” she said. “It lives in your soul.”
In regards to the superintendent selection process, Stanley described the selection as an intensive, all-day process involving interviews with parents, community members, staff, and business partners. “There were multiple interviews and then I toured schools. Just walking through, they’re able to get a feel for how I’m going to interact within this community,” she said.
According to Henderson, the board deliberated with intention. “Dr. Stanley was not just the person who had the votes, but the person that we could see ourselves deeply working with and rallying around.”
Stanley made it clear she intends to be visible and engaged. “I believe in present leadership, connecting with family groups, student groups, and being out in our schools,” she said. “People need to know that you care about and value their work. When they know that, that impacts morale.”
As part of her approach, she plans to launch a Superintendent-Student Leadership Team this fall and continue community outreach with groups and relationships with media such as KMOJ.
First big test
If Dr. Stanley’s leadership will be tested anywhere first, it’s the budget. SPPS is staring down a $107.7 million shortfall, caused in part by the expiration of federal pandemic relief funds and longstanding structural deficits. For 2024–25, the district has approved a $1 billion budget, but that includes a steep $114.6 million drop in general fund spending compared to the previous year.
“We have been underfunded in education for many, many years,” Stanley said. “If funding had kept up with inflation, we’d be getting nearly $50 million more a year than we are now.”
Despite budget stress, she remains hopeful with morale at the top of mind. “We have to keep our eye on the prize and let our folks know that we’re going to take care of them. When a system goes through major reductions, it’s going to impact morale. We have to let our folks know that we care for them, that we value them, even through all of this.”
But for Stanley, she isn’t entering crisis mode — she’s steering toward recovery. Her eyes are on two key performance pillars: graduation and literacy. “Our graduation rates are back to pre-pandemic levels and every student group showed significant increases,” she said. “Literacy is the currency of public education in the United States.”
Stanley knows and recognizes what her appointment means for young people, especially those that come from underrepresented communities. When she visited her former elementary and middle school recently, a Black girl sat up straight, wide-eyed, and asked, “Wait, you’re in charge of the whole thing? You’re the boss of the whole thing?”
Stanley recalled smiling and responding, “Yeah. That’s a big responsibility.” The young girl immediately turned to her classmates, full of pride and awe, saying, “Look, y’all, she’s the boss.”
“That has been the experience that I’ve had, honestly,” Stanley said. “Representation matters. When scholars can see someone that looks like them, that’s melanated like them, and in my case that’s also a female — that’s a really big difference.”
She added that growing up, she didn’t even know who the superintendent was. Now, she wants every child to know who leads their district, and to see what’s possible.
As for the future, Stanley will spend her first 100 days listening and learning. “I listen, listen, listen and learn. Then I analyze it and synthesize it to come out with our strengths, our weaknesses, our opportunities and our threats,” she said. “Then I present that to the board along with my goals for moving forward.”
Known for her strong advocacy of equity, literacy, and student-centered leadership, Stanley has built a career around reforming academic outcomes and strengthening school-community relationships.
Whether she was leading literacy reform or walking school hallways alongside students, Stanley built a legacy rooted in care, courage and community as she sets her eyes on a bold future: “Four or five years from now, Saint Paul Public Schools is going to be seen as one of the premier urban districts in the Upper Midwest.”
