La Crosse School District considers supporting bill to increase Hmong education

The School District of La Crosse is considering supporting a bill that would increase the amount of Hmong education in state school standards.

Superintendent Randy Nelson said the district is one of the leaders in that effort.

“We have a curriculum in grades 2, 4, 7 and 10,” Nelson said. “I think that curriculum is there, and is solid, because of our community and who we are, as well as the positive impacts that the Hmong people have had in our own history.”

Assembly Bill 34 would direct school boards to have some sort of Hmong education in their districts.

Nelson thinks it can be a positive for the education system overall.

“It makes a lot of sense for this to be supported all across the state,” Nelson said. “Hopefully it can get onto the floor as part of requiring Hmong education across the state of Wisconsin.”

La Crosse has one of the highest concentrations of Hmong in Wisconsin, and the state as a whole has seen that segment of population grow by 46 percent since 2000.