Urban Indian Policy Roundtable - Rural Dynamics

Roundtable II: Helena
Facilitator: Jolene Bach
Participants: Joyce Silverthorne, Bob Parisien, Casey Barrs, Scott Davis, Christina Davis,
Bonnie Stevens, Micah Jalloh, Harmony Wolfe
In the area of education, participants located four different issues concerning urban Indian students and their
educational attainment. First, the discussion centered on grassroots efforts to move students from secondary
to post-secondary education. The group identified the need for not only the involvement of community
leaders, but also greater initiative on behalf of the parents and kids themselves, emphasizing the element of
self-determination. Second, the group discussed the need to bridge gaps to economic well-being for urban
Indian students through supports such as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Third, the group expressed support for the reform
of compulsory education standards and noted that K-12 completion should be the standard rather than age
demographics. Last, they discussed means for mobilizing organizations and coalitions around such legislation.
Recommendations
1.
2.
Ensure urban Indian students are enrolled in any other support programs for which they may be eligible (e.g.
LIHEAP, SNAP), as a means of bridging any gaps to their academic success.
Desired outcome statewide: Taking advantage of public benefits, urban Indian students will have a greater
opportunity to focus on academic achievement.
Support efforts to reform compulsory education standards, requiring enrolment from age 6 to 17.
Desired outcome statewide: Reduction of truancy, and possible delinquent behavior, among urban Indian
youth. This is coupled with an increase in the rates of educational attainment, which is demonstrated as an
area of need in the demographic data presented in this report.
“Compulsory education creates a culture of family-supported
education. Enrolling in kindergarten and first grade is not a
student choice, it is a family choice.”
Joyce Silverthorne (Salish),
Montana Office of Public Instruction
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