Discover how top-down, policy-into-practice educational mandates have adversely affected Indigenous communities in the United States' midwestern core. The author scrutinizes how leaders and intermediaries in Nebraska, involved at various tiers of policy development and reform, conceptualized and implemented school accountability policy in Indian…

After serving more than 20 years as president of Aaniiih Nakoda College (ANC) in Montana, President Carole Falcon-Chandler leaves behind a long list of accomplishments, a legacy of compassionate and visionary leadership. This article examines President Falcon-Chandler's life and contributions to the college and that of her successor, Dr. Sean…

Within weeks of school building closings in spring 2020, it became clear to many educators that the fear and isolation experienced by students and educators would force changes to schooling in ways that will reverberate for a long time to come. Many educators were particularly concerned about students and communities of color that were already…

Many of us have multiple stories that would be appropriate to tell given the theme of this Special Issue. I am compelled to tell a story about my work with teachers, teacher leaders, and other allies on the Navajo Nation. The Diné Institute for Navajo Nation Educators (DINÉ) was started by teacher leaders who envisioned a collaborative…

For over thirty years, a political and social battle over bilingual education raged in the U.S. and in and around the Crow Indian Reservation of Montana. This book, a period piece rich in political, historical, and local western context, is the story of language, education, inequality and power clashes between the dominant society and the Indian…

Hopa Mountain is a nonprofit organization committed to developing citizen leaders in rural and tribal communities in the Northern Rockies. The mission of Hopa Mountain is rooted in the principle that the local people have within themselves the strength and wisdom to bring about community change. This mission was inspired by the broader philosophy…

Since the first tribal college was established in the late 1960s, tribal colleges and universities have offered technical-learning opportunities to students in isolated communities around the country. From the onset, many of these colleges focused on providing practical skills and vocational job training, and frequently targeted nontraditional,…

Twenty-first century classrooms are filled with increasingly diverse student populations. Effective teacher preparation programs must include explicit course work in culturally responsive pedagogies and field experiences that place educators in new sociocultural contexts. Field experiences in cross-cultural, place-based settings have the potential…

In the wild river region of northeastern Wisconsin, the Menominee people conserved a portion of their ancient homelands now known as the Menominee Indian Reservation. The Menominee are nationally known for their majestic forests. The Wolf River flows southward for more than 200 miles from its headwaters in Pine Lake to Lake Poygan near the city of…

Tribal colleges are often performing little miracles in their communities. Most tribal colleges operate without benefit of local and state taxes. Yet, they bring in new money from other sources that stimulate the local economy. Students gain knowledge and skills that can transform their communities and local economies. Tribal colleges not only…

From its inception in 1988, the "Tribal College Journal" (TCJ) has been a family affair. Paul Boyer, the buoyant founder of the TCJ who published, produced, and edited the magazine until 1995, says the magazine sprouted not from an idealistic plan but from a combination of his own youthful enthusiasm; the support and guidance of his late father,…

Eunice Woodhull Stabler. Eunice Stabler, or Thataweson , meaning "Pale Woman of the Bird Clan," was born in 1885 on the Omaha Reservation in northeastern Nebraska. During a period of continued transitions and federal assimilation efforts directed at the Omaha people--and Indigenous people throughout the United States--Stabler remained…

The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) funds schools located on 63 reservations in 23 states across the nation. Of the 183 schools, 59 are Bureau operated and 124 are tribally controlled. One-hundred and sixteen schools provide instructional programs, 55 provide instructional as well as boarding services and 12 peripheral dormitories provide only…

Vulnerable children in Michigan face intersecting disparities, with race, class and geographic location often combining to limit access to health, education and economic security. Addressing this reality requires reliable and comprehensive data that can guide thoughtful action within communities and among institutions alike. To this end, the W. K.…

In the 1960s an increasing number of Native Americans began to express the need for an Indian college or university. Three major developments of the decade inspired them. The first was the rise of Indian activism in the 1960s. The second major development was the package of socioeconomic reforms of the Great Society, inaugurated by President…