The Gap We Must Close
Somali students are about 4% of Minnesota's high school students. Most hope to attend college, yet only 15% of Somali students have earned a bachelor's degree and 73% earned no college credential. Nearly all (97%) came from low-income families and about three in four were English learners at some point. The share of students who feel teachers care about them "very much" falls from about 49% in 5th grade to 19–30% in later grades, and Somali youth reach a living wage about three years later than white peers. There are real strengths to build on: close families, a strong work ethic and deep interest in health care and community service careers.
Five Goals
1. Strong language and literacy from the start: Somali heritage-language and bilingual classes, more licensed Somali-speaking teachers and family literacy nights. 2. Every student feels safe and cared for: Somali staff, anti-bias training, prayer space and halal meals, and peer mediation. 3. Mental health support students will actually use: Somali-speaking counselors and partnerships with mosques and imams. 4. Families as full partners: parent academies in Somali, professional interpreters and after-school programs with transportation. 5. Clear pathways to college and careers: a college and career plan for every student by 9th grade, dual credit and health care career ladders.
Proposed 2031 Targets
Raise the share of Somali students earning any college credential from 27% to 40%, and a bachelor's degree from 15% to 30%. Raise students who feel teachers care "very much" to 40%, cut race-based bullying by one-third, bring girls "not at all comfortable" with school counselors below 30%, and shorten the time to a living wage from 9 years to 7. The foundation for all of it: state reports that show Somali students separately by 2028, overseen by a statewide Somali Student Success Council. These targets are proposals for discussion with families, students and educators.
Status: Draft Plan for Community Discussion
Our Strategic Plan: Strengthening Education for Somali American Students in Minnesota, 2027–2031, draws on the 2025 Minnesota Student Survey, a 2026 Minnesota DEED study of Somali youth and two decades of research. It phases in over five years, with a midpoint review in 2029 and a final evaluation in 2031, and brings together the Minnesota Department of Education, school districts, DEED, colleges, health systems, Somali community organizations and mosques. Families, educators and partners who want to help shape the final plan are welcome to contact us.
Contact us to learn about our data initiatives or partnership opportunities.
Telephone: 651-333-9285 (Fax: 651-204-9510)
E-mail: ashire@iftiincdf.org
Address: 450 Syndicate Street North, Suite 275, Saint Paul, MN 55104