As Katie Anastas reports from Juneau
The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska is one of five tribes to receive a state-tribal education compacting grant.
Education compact agreements allow tribes to develop their own K-12 curriculum, independent of existing public school districts.
Supporters say tribal schools could help improve educational outcomes for Alaska Native students by providing culturally relevant, place-based lessons.
Last year, Gov. Mike Dunleavy signed a bill to begin the process of creating state-tribal compact schools. Tlingit and Haida President Chalyee Éesh [CHA-hyah EESH] Richard Peterson spoke in support of the bill to the Senate Education Committee last year.
PETERSON: “The state of Alaska supports local control in many ways, including in education. Tribal compacting is the epitome of local control.”
The grant to Tlingit and Haida will fund someone to serve as a liaison to the state Board of Education. The tribes will work with the board to develop their own schools and work on legislation that could make them more widespread.
Tlingit and Haida runs Head Start for kids aged 3 to 5 throughout Southeast Alaska and offers cultural learning opportunities for public school students of all ages.
The other grant recipients include the Ketchikan Indian Community, King Island Native Community, Knik [ke-NICK] Tribe and Inupiat [ih-NOO-pyat] Community of the Arctic Slope.
