The Hmong American Peace Academy (HAPA) is a charter school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, under the authority of Milwaukee Public Schools.[1] It includes the HAPA K-8 program, and it has an affiliated high school program.[2]
Chris Her-Xiong, Jeff Nha Yia Yang, Gwaub Thao, Jay Chong Zeb Xiong, and Dr. Douglas Vue were the co-founders of the school in 2004.[2] HAPA was established in 2004 for Hmong-American children[3] and other children with southeast Asian heritage. Initially it enrolled students up to fifth grade, but later extended from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade.[1] [4] Enrollment is about 1000 students, of whom 98 percent speak a language other than English.[3]
An affiliated school, the International Peace Academy, is a charter high school.[4]
The school provides its academic instruction in English, while it has its heritage classes in Hmong.[2]
The school has a Saturday academy for enrichment and extra support, an extended day program, after school tutoring.[2]
As of 2013, 87% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.[2]