As Dalia Gonzalez led a lesson about syllables to her Spanish-speaking first-graders Thursday afternoon, Angela Delgado moved around the room helping students understand the lesson. She guided students through writing words. She dismissed them for snacktime. Several children approached her for hugs.
Delgado is an educational partner, or paraprofessional, at Academia In Lak’ech, the new name for the St. Paul charter school formerly known as Academia Cesar Chavez. Supporting students with multiple adults in a classroom is key to the school’s educational philosophy.
But in the wake of budget cuts, the school may not have the staff to provide this individualized attention next year. Academias La Paz, the charter district that comprises Academia In Lak’ech and El Colegio High School, was slated to lose nearly $1.6 million in funding for high-poverty districts — a big chunk of the school’s budget, which was about $11 million last year…