SupportingFamiliesChildren, and Communities Tribe Selected for State-Tribal Education Compact Pilot Program

Tlingit & Haida was recently awarded funding under the StateTribal Education Compacting Demonstration Tribal Partners Grant program. The program was established under Senate Bill (SB) 34, which was sponsored by Senator Gary Stevens and signed into law by Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy in July 2022.

SB 34 tasked the Alaska State Board of Education and Early Development to select and work with up to five tribal partners to develop a legislative report with recommendations relating to state-tribal education compacting and demonstration state-tribal education compact schools.

Discussions on state-tribal education compacting have been ongoing for decades in Alaska, but Alaska’s Education Challenge identified it as a strategic priority.

Under a state-tribal education compact, a tribe would have the local authority to operate and oversee K-12 schools.

President Richard Chalyee Éesh Peterson provided public testimony to the Alaska State Legislature’s Senate Education Committee last year to support Senate Bill (SB) 34 and believes this grant award is a critical first step toward enacting the systemic change needed in Alaska.

“We’re very excited about this funding as we look to expand the Tribe’s educational ownership,” said President Peterson. “Creating the option for state-tribal education compacting recognizes that tribes should have the opportunity to create pathways for education and lead it to ensure a culturally relevant curriculum is part of everyday learning for our tribal youth.”

Tlingit & Haida currently delivers early education services through its Head Start program and Haa Yoo X’atángi Kúdi Lingít language immersion nest.

“These programs are a demonstration of our ability to deliver educational programming that is culturally relevant and place-based,” said President Peterson. “Through state-tribal education compacting, we can strengthen the current education structure.”

The grant awarded to Tlingit & Haida will fund a position to serve as a liaison with the State of Alaska’s Board of Education on the development of state-tribal education compact schools.