Empowering Tribal Sovereignty: How the New Education Compact Bill Transforms Public Education for Indigenous Communities

The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Tribes of Alaska is making strides to enhance education for Native students. One of their exciting projects is the development of an educational campus in Juneau. This campus will focus on culturally relevant and place-based learning.

Many Alaska Native tribes across the state are also working hard to improve education outcomes. The state is collaborating with these tribes to create an education compacting program. This program would allow tribes to operate their own public schools by forming agreements with the state.

Governor Mike Dunleavy’s administration is pushing forward with a proposal for a pilot program that will let some tribes run their own schools. Recently, the House Rules Committee introduced House Bill 59, which seeks to kickstart this initiative.

Mischa Jackson, an education liaison for the Tlingit and Haida Tribe, is excited about the potential of this program. “Compacting gives tribes a chance to influence how schools are managed,” she stated during her recent testimony to the Alaska House Tribal Affairs Committee.

The Tlingit and Haida Tribe, along with a few others, has been working with the state’s Department of Education to explore how education compacts could function. Their goals include closing the achievement gap between Native and non-Native students. Recent testing data shows a concerning disparity in proficiency levels in subjects like math and language arts, particularly among Alaska Native students compared to their peers.

Jackson expressed enthusiasm about the long-term benefits this program could bring. “We are eager to make an impact,” she said, highlighting the strong support from Indigenous educators in Southeast Alaska.

Many Alaska Native tribes currently face challenges in securing federal funding for their educational needs. Through compacting, they would gain more control over educational decisions that affect their communities. Jackson believes that under this new framework, tribes could align education with their cultural values and community needs.

According to Joel Isaak, a consultant with the Department of Education, this program would grant tribes significant oversight of their schools. They could hire teachers, create curricula, and establish their own governing bodies, much like school boards, while still adhering to state requirements. This flexibility would allow tribes to integrate their culture and language into the educational experience.

Tribes participating in this compact program would also receive state funding, calculated similarly to other educational districts in Alaska. To support this initiative, the bill includes necessary start-up funds, with an estimated cost of around $17.5 million for the first year to help establish the pilot schools.

Isaak believes compacting could transform Alaska’s education system, bringing diverse perspectives and solutions into the fold. “It’s about sharing the responsibility for education,” he said. “This collaboration can lead to powerful change.”

Currently, only Washington has implemented an education compact system, which was passed in 2013, while New Mexico is also considering a similar measure. Meanwhile, Jackson remains focused on her tribe’s plans to build their education campus in Juneau, confidently stating that this project will proceed regardless of the bill’s outcome. “We will continue to seek funding and move forward with our educational initiatives,” she affirmed.

If the legislation is approved, the Department of Education will begin negotiating the specifics needed to launch these tribally compacted schools. The House Tribal Affairs Committee is set to hold a hearing on this important bill soon.

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Alaska Department of Education and Early Development,Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska,Joel Isaak,Mischa Jackson,Tlingit and Haida,tribal compacting