ABOUT THE PROJECT
The Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood is an effort to ensure all children succeed in school by engaging residents to develop cradle-to-career support. The Promise Neighborhood encompasses a 250-block area in the Summit-University and Frogtown neighborhoods in Saint Paul.
Watch a short video about the project
Project overview (pdf) 

UPDATES

Community Meeting held September 22
Presented the vision for the future and work being done now.
Watch video of presentations

Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood welcomes new director
Angelique Kedem joins effort

	Some 200 community members gathered on May 5 to hear assessment results and give feedback on the draft plan of action recommendations.

SAINT PAUL PROMISE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING YEAR:
AUGUST 2010 - SEPTEMBER 2011
Funded by the planning grant and local support, a one-year planning process has included:

Community Advisory Group input – Adult and youth Promise Neighborhood residents provided initial input to help determine indicators for success and to ensure a meaningful community assessment.
Community assessment – Nearly 700 residents participated in a needs assessment.
Community assessment overview
Community assessment executive summary
Community assessment data book
Supplement to community assessment data book 
Residents: major social, demographic, and economic characteristics
Plan of Action development – Six Solution Action Groups made up of community members, service providers worked together to develop solutions based on evidence-based practices.
Solution Action Groups final recommendations
Evidence-based practices:
Early childhood
Elementary school
Middle school
High school 
Post-secondary
Community building
May 5 Community meeting
A Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood community meeting held May 5 brought together some 200 people to learn key findings from a community assessment, hear recommendations for actions developed by the six Solution Action Groups, and share their ideas and reactions. 
Summary of Responses
Data system development – As part of the grant, a comprehensive, longitudinal data management system is under development. 

BACKGROUND
Saint Paul is one of 21 communities across the nation selected to receive a Promise Neighborhood planning grant from the Department of Education. Nearly one-third of the residents are younger than 18. Fifty-six percent of households have incomes below $35,000; eighty-nine percent of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. The Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood will serve all youth in the neighborhood, with a primary focus on two of the elementary schools, Jackson and Maxfield.

The Promise Neighborhood effort was inspired by the Harlem Children’s Zone in New York City – a community-based, interlocking, network of services for children from birth through college – which has received national acclaim for its success in closing the achievement gap.

PARTNERS
The effort is managed by Wilder Foundation in collaboration with:
City of Saint Paul
Frogtown Neighborhood Association
Ramsey County
Saint Paul Public Schools
Saint Paul Public Schools Foundation
Summit University Planning Council
YWCA Saint Paul

RECENT MEDIA:
So all children can succeed (Insight News)
Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood (Hmong Times)
St. Paul residents suggest ideas to improve poor neighborhoods (MPR News) Survey reveals barriers to school success in one of St. Paul's poorest areas (MinnPost)
Fox 9 interviews Saint Paul Councilmember Melvin Carter

RELATED LINKS:
U.S Department of Eduation: Promise Neighborhoods
Harlem's Children Zone