As Natives have assumed increasing authority and responsibility for tribal and federally funded and administered schools, a more balanced and enlightened view is emerging. Notable among these events is the recognition of the critical need to shift emphasis to the untapped heritage of more recently recognized and acknowledged Native American philosophies of child rearing. Prominent among those who studied firsthand the practices of North America's tribal peoples are Erik Erikson (1993) and Abraham Maslow (1998). Erikson's eight stages of man or life cycle theory and Maslow's hierarchy of needs are required reading in child development courses around the world. Both men attributed much of the development of their works to extensive personal exposure to tribal experiences, Erikson with the Lakota and Maslow with the Blackfeet and Yurok. Yet the applicability of this knowledge has been incredibly difficult to transfer to schools. There is critical need for a model addressing the ecology of a school setting and/or community. Only a comprehensive, coherent, integrated, culturally based, and accountable plan can improve system outcomes. The Circle of Courage[R] provides such a foundation. Native-based in its development and universal in its applicability, this model identifies strategies and methods for meeting needs to assure that all children and youth may thrive. State, federal, and tribal laws also require the inclusion of culture within the curriculum. The culture that has sustained indigenous people since time immemorial is the essential ingredient for good, democratic schools serving Native American and First Nations students in North America.