Gov. Mike Dunleavy signed a piece of legislation providing the opportunity for Tribes to voluntarily apply to establish a State-Tribal compact school. The governor is of the belief that the legislation will expand school choice options while improving education outcomes.
Sen. Gary Stevens, sponsor of Senate Bill 34, said:
“This bill is Senate Bill 34, it’s on Tribal Compacting. Compacting is a complex situation, it’s when a federally recognized tribal entity and the state come into a formal agreement to recognize the ability and the right of a tribal entity to operate and oversee their very own K-12 schools. That’s what it’s all about.”
Governor Dunleavy, who has a background in education, said that this is an innovative step to facilitate pilot projects between the State of Alaska and Alaska Native Tribes, adding that it will create a new venue for preparing the children to be strong community leaders.
The legislation will provide Alaska’s Tribes the ability to voluntarily apply to establish a State-Tribal compact school. Additionally, it will expand school choice options while honoring the Indigenous ways of learning. It also aims to improve educational outcomes and graduation rates by fostering State-Tribal partnerships.
Click here for more information on SB 34.
