Tribal School Choice Engagement Session

Description

Tuesday, July 15, 2025 | 3:30–5 p.m. ET

We are delighted to invite you to participate in the Tribal School Choice Engagement Session on July 15, 2025, from 3:30–5 p.m. ET, to strengthen the Office of Indian Education's (OIE’s) commitment to shaping the future of Tribal School Choice. 

As valued Tribal members of our Native communities, engaged in efforts to provide quality education through school choice to all students, your participation in this engagement session on July 5 will play a vital role in understanding community needs regarding Tribal School Choice. Your voice helps ensure that our Nations, Tribal communities, parents, and teachers are at the center of decisions impacting their children’s education. 

Tribal communities and individual schools each have unique needs, just as every student has their own goals and aspirations. The Tribal School Choice Engagement Session seeks to understand how the OIE can empower those closest to the student, because they are best positioned to support each student’s individual path.

To best prepare for a fruitful and productive discussion, please see the questions we will ask below:  

1. How can education today reflect your communities’ values and knowledge when shaping the future of Tribal School Choice? 
2. What does “education freedom” mean from a Tribal perspective and how can we use it to strengthen our ways of knowing?  
3. What would an education system look like that empowers our communities and students? 
4. What role do you envision that elders and traditional leaders can have in the school system? 
5. How can we ensure that our schools reflect choice that respects our languages, traditions and ways of learning? 
6. What would educational freedom look like in your community today? What subjects, teachings and traditions should be at its core?
7. What are the greatest challenges that families face when deciding where their children should attend school? How can OIE/ED support the removal of these barriers? 
8. Some Native American charter schools have focused on language immersion, land-based learning, storytelling, STEM education, and entrepreneurship; Would this model work in your community and what would you like to see? 
9. In what ways would you like to see your children learn, including experiential learning, classroom-based learning, or a mix of both? What learning styles best support the needs of your community? 
10. How can Tribal-led schools support the whole community, including elders and the students’ families? 
11. How can we create stronger partnerships between our families, teachers, and Tribal governments to strengthen our schools? 
12. In what ways do you see families continuing to shape and support the school community beyond its development?
13. What are some ways you think school choice and educational freedom can strengthen Tribal sovereignty, self-determination and student success?
14. “What steps can we take to make sure educational policies, like school choice, uplift our communities and reflect our commitment to self-determination and Tribal sovereignty?”          

The written comment period for this engagement session is now open and will close on August 15, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Please send your written comments to indian.education@ed.gov. We look forward to your active participation and valuable contributions to this important discussion and event. 

Register Here