Business
SPS Commerce Donates $300,000 to Sponsor Learning Pod to Address Minnesota’s Racial Achievement Gap
North Star Network Mobile Learning Labs provide at-risk Minnesota students with internet access, supplemental learning, meals and connected technology
About this update from Sps Commerce, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"North Star Network Mobile Learning Labs provide at-risk Minnesota students with internet access, supplemental learning, meals and connected technology\nMINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SPS Commerce, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPSC) today announced its latest initiative to address systemic racism in Minnesota. The Minneapolis-based company and its leadership donated $300,000 to fully fund a North Star Network Mobile Learning Lab to support low-income Minneapolis and St. Paul distance learners, primarily students of color. The African American Community Response Team (AACRT) created the North Star Network to create and deliver learning pods for students in need across the Twin Cities. Each lab provides Chromebooks, internet access, tutors, quiet areas, free meals, outdoor activities, enrichment experiences and mental health support.\n “Minnesota has the largest achievement gap by race in the nation. This is unacceptable and SPS is stepping up to address it,” said Archie Black, President and CEO of SPS Commerce. “We are partnering with local organizations, including the African American Community Response Team and the YMCA, to provide low-income communities with the resources students need to succeed. Our leadership team recently came together to sponsor a learning pod, an initiative that supports at-risk distance learners in Minneapolis.” The Learning Labs address two issues. First, Minnesota’s graduation rates for Black and Hispanic students are the worst among all 50 states. Second, according to recent Pew Research Center analysis, 35 percent of low-income families with school-aged children don’t have internet access, and this number is much greater among African American and Hispanic families. North Star’s Labs are placed in local neighborhoods near to students who are at the greatest risk of learning loss from distance learning. “SPS Commerce and other local companies are coming together to address racial inequality,” said Louis King, President and CEO of Summit Academy OIC. “Their donations are providing the additional resources our students of color need to pursue their educational goals. The lab sponsored by SPS will impact the lives of more than 50 students, providing them with the access and tools they need to be successful academically, physically and mentally during the pandemic and beyond. We are delighted that our co...