The myth of the “Model Minority”, which fabricates high level of education attainment and few barriers for achievement of Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), does great harm to the Hmong community. The Hmong community falls more in line with the Latino and African American communities in terms of rates of education achievement.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Hmong Community had the lowest rates of educational attainment out of all AAPI groups, with 61% of Hmong having received high school diplomas, and only 14% having received bachelor’s degrees. Moreover, Hmong parents – many who are first generation refuges – are uneducated about the American school system and lack the understanding of how to be involved in their children’s academic lives.

Without the proper family support, Hmong students face many barriers in the path to earning a high school degree and striving for higher education.