Education is at its most powerful when it goes beyond instruction and becomes a meaningful part of a child’s life. When learning reflects a student’s culture, experiences, and identity, it builds confidence, sharpens curiosity, and shapes character. Schools that understand this responsibility don’t just prepare students for exams; they prepare them for life, empowering them to grow with purpose and self-awareness.
Noble Academy embodies this philosophy with clarity and conviction. It is a high-performing charter school serving students ages 5 to 14 across Minnesota’s metro communities. The academy delivers a rigorous academic program fully aligned with Minnesota state standards in reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies. This strong foundation is beautifully balanced with daily Hmong heritage language and culture instruction, a responsive classroom approach that nurtures character and community, and state-of-the-art technology that prepares students for the future.
Guided by high expectations and supported through thoughtful assessments and close teacher collaboration, Noble Academy ensures every child receives the attention and encouragement needed to succeed. By honoring where students come from while equipping them with essential skills and confidence, the school helps them develop a strong sense of identity and purpose.
At CIO Bulletin, we had the distinct honor of interviewing Neal Thao, CEO, and Dr. Mai Yia Chang, Superintendent of Noble Academy. They shared powerful insights into how their academy brings the belief that “it takes a village” to life every day. Through the collective efforts of dedicated educators, engaged families, and committed students, the academy fosters an environment where young individuals grow into confident, capable, and culturally grounded leaders, ready to contribute meaningfully to society.
The Genesis of Noble Academy: A Vision Rooted in Purpose and Possibility
The story of Noble Academy begins with a clear sense of purpose, one that goes beyond conventional education and speaks to both aspiration and identity. At its core lies a vision shaped by its founder, aimed at creating opportunities while preserving cultural heritage.
“Our CEO, Mr. Neal Thao, is the founder, and he started this organization because he wanted to provide a world-class education to all students so that they can be anything they want to be in the future while keeping Hmong culture and language alive,” says Dr. Mai Yia Chang.
As Dr. Mai Yia Chang explains, this foundational vision naturally evolved into an environment that welcomes students from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. The diversity seen within Noble Academy is not incidental; it reflects the value the institution places on quality education.
“We attract people from many backgrounds because of the high-quality education that we provide to our students.”
Creating Structure for Success: The Power of a Responsive Classroom
At Noble Academy, structure and clarity are not constraints; they are enablers of growth. The institution’s responsive classroom strategy reflects a deliberate effort to create an environment where expectations are clear, behavior is guided, and every student has the space to learn and thrive.
“The responsive classroom is about ensuring that students follow our protocols so that everyone behaves and completes their assigned tasks effectively. We have systems in place, whether students are walking in the hall or going to the library, that ensure they keep their voices at an appropriate volume. We also use a system where students raise their hands when they want to speak or ask questions. These structures help ensure that everyone follows expectations in the classroom so that students can take turns, listen, and learn together,” explains CEO Neal Thao.
Building on this structured approach, Dr. Chang highlights how the philosophy goes beyond systems and into mindset, one that emphasizes responsibility and clarity at every level.
“Responsive Classroom focuses on building student ownership of responsibilities and being very clear and specific about expectations—because research shows that what you expect is what you get. As CEO Neal Thao alluded to, it creates systems so that no one has to guess what is expected. Everything is modeled, and expectations are explicitly taught and reinforced. As a result, behavior issues are minimal because Responsive Classroom serves as an equalizer. It provides a consistent structure that allows all students to learn at a high level and at a strong pace, simply because they understand exactly what is expected of them.”
Brilliance Rooted in Exceptional Teaching
At Noble Academy, the strength of education lies not only in its students but in the educators who shape their learning journeys. Through structured support systems like professional learning communities and a strong emphasis on relevancy, the institution ensures that both teaching and learning reach their highest potential.
“What professional learning communities do for our staff is create an environment where they can focus on teaching and discipline. Responsive Classroom really sets the stage for students to know exactly what to do, which means staff are not dealing with behaviors that take them away from teaching. This allows them to maximize their teaching time with students, and it also allows students to maximize their learning time. So really, it is a win-win when you have structure and organizational systems that support both learning and teaching,” explains Dr. Chang.
This focus on effective teaching is further strengthened by an intentional approach to making learning relevant and meaningful for every student.
“We ask all of our teachers to focus on ‘relevancy’, making sure that there is a connection to the students in their classrooms. Differentiation and the backgrounds of the students need to be considered in lesson planning to ensure that when we deliver a lesson, students can relate to what is being taught,” she adds.
Preserving Identity Through Education: The Essence of Hmong Culture
At Noble Academy, education is not limited to academics alone; it is deeply intertwined with cultural identity. The institution places a strong emphasis on preserving and celebrating Hmong heritage, ensuring that students remain connected to their roots while preparing for the future.
“The school was founded particularly because our families, the Hmong families—really want their students to continue to know who they are, where they come from, their language, the culture, the food, and values such as respect for others. CEO Neal Thao started this organization close to 20 years ago. The majority of our students are Hmong, and they come to us because they want to continue to learn about who they are. But for those who come to us who are not Hmong, they are here because they love the robust, rigorous academic programs that we have, and they also enjoy learning about Hmong culture. We live in a very diverse world, and you don’t know who you are going to encounter. So it benefits our Hmong students, and it benefits our non-Hmong students as well,” explains Dr. Chang.
A System Built on Equity and Outcomes
At Noble Academy, the commitment to being an equal opportunity provider is not just a statement; it is a philosophy that shapes every layer of the institution, ensuring that both educators and students are supported to succeed.
Dr. Chang states, “Although we are a Hmong-focused school, the majority of our staff are White, and we have a very diverse student body. We have East African, West African, Black students. We have Hispanic students, and we have White students. What this does is create an environment where it doesn’t matter who you are—you are going to succeed, whether you are a staff member or a student.”
She further highlights how this inclusive mindset is reinforced through intentional support and structured development.
“There is mentoring and coaching to support you, no matter how many years of experience you have. People who come to us tell us that one year at Noble is like 20 or 30 years of training combined in other organizations. So we are very purposeful in our training, making sure that we are meeting the needs of our teachers individually as well as a group. That same philosophy extends to our students. We see them as individuals as well as a group. We have very high expectations for all of our students, but individually, we meet their needs so that they can thrive and move in the right direction. Because of this approach, we are able to close the achievement gap very rapidly.”
Future-Ready Learning Beyond the Classroom
In a tech-savvy world, Noble Academy ensures that students are equipped with both technological proficiency and well-rounded development to succeed.
“At Noble Academy, we implement 15 computers in every classroom, and we also have a computer lab with 50 computers. We want to make sure that students have full access to technology, as it is a key component for learning and accessing information. Teachers have smart boards and projectors to support instruction, and we expect them to use technology to illustrate their lesson plans and provide the most current information. The goal is to ensure that students have everything they need to be successful,” explains Mr. Thao.
Building on this, Dr. Chang highlights the academy’s focus on staying competitive in a tech-driven landscape.
“We believe in staying current, and being technology-savvy is a key cornerstone—not only training our staff to use the latest tools, but also ensuring that our students can compete in the 21st century. As CEO Thao mentioned, with classroom computers, document cameras, voice systems, laptops, and iPads, we ensure that no one leaves our organization without knowing how to use technology to enhance learning and compete with others.”
Beyond academics, the academy places equal emphasis on extracurricular engagement.
“We offer a variety of extracurricular activities, including year-round programs and events like Spring Madness, where teachers showcase their talents and students can participate based on their interests. We regularly survey our families and students, and there is strong interest in volleyball and badminton, which we provide. Homework help is also available. As a smaller, one-school district, we focus on offering activities based on actual interest rather than offering them for the sake of it,” adds Dr. Chang.
The Road Ahead
As Noble Academy looks ahead, its vision remains centered on growth, adaptability, and a deep commitment to student needs.
“We are looking at many things for the future. In the past, we considered expanding to different locations, and we are also exploring building a bus company. We are thinking about expanding and upgrading our facilities. There are many things we want to do moving forward,” shares Mr. Thao.
Dr. Chang underscores that every step forward is guided by what best serves the students.
“The future of Noble is very bright. We have very strong teachers who are willing to go above and beyond. In terms of expansion and new initiatives, our decisions are always driven by student needs. Based on student interest, especially in extracurricular activities, we are continuing to strengthen those programs. We are also running out of cafeteria space, so we are looking to expand within the 20 acres of land we have. As we continue to grow, we recognize the need to compete with nearby high schools, so our fields will be developed to better meet those needs. Overall, the future of Noble is extremely bright. We are in a financially sound position to continue meeting the needs of our students based on their interests and how they want to learn.”
Leadership That Leaves a Legacy
For the leadership team at Noble Academy, success is measured not only in academic achievement, but in the lifelong impact created, shaping students into confident individuals with limitless possibilities.
“Success to me is making sure that students are meeting standards, but more importantly, that they are able to become productive citizens once they are out of college. We are laying the foundation—reading, writing, math, and being extremely competitive, so that whatever they want to do in the future, they can. To me, success is having options. Students should be able to be anything they want to be, go anywhere they want to go, and do anything they want to do because we have built that foundation correctly. That is success, when students are not limited, but empowered with choices,” states Dr. Mai Yia Chang.
This vision is reinforced by a culture built on collaboration, high expectations, and shared purpose across the entire institution.
“With strong leadership, systems, great teachers, and supportive organizational staff, anything is possible. Noble is such a place, we have amazing parents, wonderful students, and extraordinary staff. With strong leadership from top to bottom and high expectations, what may seem impossible becomes possible when great minds come together,” she adds.
Bringing the narrative to a close, CEO Neal Thao reflects on the academy’s sustained recognition and unwavering standard of excellence.
“Noble Academy has been recognized as a high-performing charter school in Minnesota for many years, consistently upholding a standard of excellence. This is not simply a milestone we achieved—it is a commitment we continue to strengthen and build upon every single day.”
Noble Academy | Leadership Team
Neal Thao is the Founder and CEO of Noble Academy. An education pioneer, his immigrant student experience shaped his belief in equitable, high-quality education. He founded Excellence in Education, LLC, EMO for Noble Academy, to provide world-class learning tailored to student needs while honoring culture and language. He strongly supports parental choice and encourages students to believe they can achieve anything, with a vision of sending a Noble scholar to the moon.
He holds degrees from the University of Wisconsin–Stout, Hamline University, and Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, along with Principal and Superintendent certifications.
Under his leadership, Noble Academy has grown into a Minnesota high-performing charter school with major expansions including a state-of-the-art campus and Nompeng Academy.
Dr. Mai Yia Chang is the Superintendent of Noble Academy with over 30 years of experience in education, including roles as teacher, principal, and district leader. She holds a Doctorate in Education from Hamline University, along with advanced degrees and multiple K–12 licenses in Superintendency, Principalship, ESL, and Elementary Education.
Known for her integrity and democratic leadership style, she emphasizes collaboration, stakeholder input, and continuous growth. She oversees academic outcomes, district programs, faculty development, and accountability systems.
Her leadership is grounded in resilience, learning from experience, and a commitment to balanced, purpose-driven growth.
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