Biography

Dr. Astein Osei is a husband, father, educator, and fierce advocate for equity. Astein Osei and his wife Tia have been married for 13 years and they have two children, Brayden (11 years old) and Brycen (7 years old).

Astein began his career in education as a Health and Physical Education Teacher at Cretin-Derham Hall (CDH) High School in St. Paul. Following his time at CDH, Astein took an administrative position in the Osseo Area School district. During his tenure in the Osseo Area School district, Astein served in several different leadership roles: Assistant Principal (Park Center Senior High and Maple Grove Senior High), Division of Leadership, Teaching and Learning Principal on Special Assignment, Director of Educational Equity, and Assistant Superintendent. Astein also spent time in the St. Paul Public School district as the Principal of Johnson Aerospace and Engineering High School. Most recently, Astein served as the superintendent of St. Louis Park Public Schools for 6+ years.

Having the opportunity to serve in multiple sites and district-level leadership positions helped him develop a system-level perspective and better understand the strategic nature in which school districts must operate to successfully implement strategic plan strategies. Astein Osei is a firm believer in the power of public education and understands that to create an anti-racist democracy we must have effective public schools that produce citizens who are change agents.

During his time as superintendent, he led the District in successfully passing a $100.9 million bond referendum and renewal of the operating levy in 2017 and a $136 million bond referendum in 2021. During the 2018-19 school year, he helped to facilitate a successful start-end time change process, which resulted in the School Board approving the change in start-end times for the 2020-21 school year. Additionally, under his leadership, the school district moved to a K-8 talent development model for all students and began to implement a strategic plan for racial equity transformation in 2020.

Astein Osei has provided leadership at both the state and local levels. He has served as a member of the Association of Metropolitan School Districts (AMSD) legislative committee, a Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) board member, a Minnesota State High League board member, a Wallin Education Partners board member, and he has served on the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office Community Advisory Board. In 2023, the Minnesota Association of School Administrators recognized Astein as the Region 9 Administrator of Excellence.

Additionally, he has provided leadership throughout the St. Louis Park community as a member of the Children First Executive Committee, St. Louis Park Noon Rotary, St. Louis Park Human Rights Commission, St. Louis Park Crime Prevention Board, Perspectives Board of Directors, and Keep Every Youth Safe (KEYS) Initiative.

Astein Osei strives to create culturally relevant and racially equitable educational settings where students are academically proficient and develop the ability to speak out, stand up to, and interrupt systems that are not humanizing of all people in this country.

• Children First Executive Committee member (2017-2023)
• St. Louis Park Crime Prevention Board member (2017-2023)
• Perspectives Board of Directors (2019-2023)
• Wallin Education Partners Trustee (2020-2023)
• Minnesota State High School League Board (2022-2023)
• Minnesota Association of School Administrators Board (2020-2023)
• Hennepin County Community Advisory Board (2021-2022)
• Rise Early Board Member (2019-2023)