Susan Finkel-Hoffman, Ed.D. is the interim director of outreach for the Department of Special and Early Childhood Education at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, and a coordinator for the Northern Arapaho Teacher Education Program. In this memior Finkel-Hoffman, recalls the journey of a group of teacher education students which began almost 10…

This paper describes a decolonial perspective on material agency in the context of STEM education and application. Using the framework of generative STEM, we engaged in case studies with African, African American, South American, and Native American educational communities. This research shows that understanding material agency based on Indigenous…

Sinte Gleska University (SGU) grew from humble beginnings and a lofty vision to an institution that offers a full range of post-secondary programs for its students. The founders of SGU envisioned a higher education institution that allowed tribal students to complete their entire college education within the boundaries of their tribal nation. They…

Governance at tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) affirms the connection between the sovereignty of tribal nations and regional accreditation standards. Shared governance, where faculty, administrators, and trustees all contribute to oversight and decision-making, is a central component at TCUs and has unique implications for tribal…

This article describes how positioning an organization to be seen as trusted and expert on an issue requires careful relationship-building, patience, and an abundance of time. Such an effort often requires help, and so American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) and Washington Partners are working together to further AIHEC's goals.…

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the concept of "Historical Trauma" (HT) as described by Brave Heart (2000), using attachment theory as a basis for analysis. In particular, the concept of boarding school experiences such as the Carlisle schools and continued foster care for tribal children are areas of interest that can be…

During the 1840s and 1850s, members of the Creek Nation rejected schools as a colonial tool and instead experimented with various forms of education to fit their own local and national needs. Diverse individuals and communities articulated educational visions for their nation in conversation with fellow citizens, national leaders, and U.S.…

In light of national efforts to increase the number of students who graduate with college and career ready skill sets in the United States, attention has been focused on improving the outcomes of all students. While this focus has brought additional attention to improvements in pedagogy and learning environments, it has also highlighted the…

In 2017, Washington's schools served 69,490 public school students that identified as American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN). The Office of Native Education (ONE), established in the 1960s, assists AI/AN students to achieve basic education goals and meet state standards while supporting cultural identity. This report addresses the accomplishments…

The federal government provides elementary and secondary education and educational assistance to Indian children, either directly through federally funded schools or indirectly through educational assistance to public schools. The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) in the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) oversees the federally funded BIE system…

For educators to more fully comprehend the issues surrounding the current state of affairs regarding tribal consultation and sovereignty in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) education, it is necessary to provide a socio-historical context. This brief provides information on the evolution of Native education, from its precolonial roots to…

The Indigenous voice may be muted or lost at complex and controversial cultural heritage sites, but barriers to interpreting these sites can be bridged through collaboration and co-creation. This process necessitates a long-term investment by both the sites and stakeholders. Lessons learned from this experience can serve as a framework for…

In this article, the author states "our experience with education is a prime example in proving we are experts at problem-solving and are the originators of the extreme makeover." Educational institutions were introduced to the Native people in an outrageous manner--often as a mask for assimilating American Indians, routinely resulting…

The Investigating Quality (IQ) Project was conceptualized as a multiple systems approach to transforming early childhood education, care, and development (ECE/ECD) in British Columbia, Canada. Those systems extended from provincial government to local programs, from innovative policies to new approaches to practice. Fortunately, the tenure of the…

In the fall of 2019, Nebraska Indian Community College [NICC] became the first tribal college to participate in a new data service of the National Student Clearinghouse called the Postsecondary Data Partnership (PDP). A small college with high aspirations for its students, NICC was in the process of building data capacity and adopting data-driven…