The panel members’ hope is the innovation sites could develop more effective ways for American Indian children to learn and graduate high school.
The panel also called for an “Indian Education For All” plan involving native languages and history that would be used throughout South Dakota schools.
Another recommendation is supporting recruitment and retention of high-quality teachers.
A fourth recommendation, made after some panel members had left, asks for creation of an Indian education commission representing the nine tribal governments.
Rep. Sean Bordeaux, D-Mission, said the proposed commission would gather annually to grade state government’s performance in educating Native American students.
Gov. Dennis Daugaard on Feb. 2 created the Native American student achievement advisory council by executive order.
The final report will be delivered to him and the Legislature by Dec. 1.
The Bush Foundation provided assistance to the state Department of Education for the panel’s series of five meetings held in Pierre, Rapid City, Mission, Flandreau and Pierre again.
Mato Standing High, the state’s Indian education director, said Tuesday a South Dakota Indian studies textbook would be helpful in achieving the Indian Education For All plan.
He expressed confidence the innovation sites can succeed because there are public schools in South Dakota where different approaches are working for the general student populations.
Panel member David Archambault Sr. of Fort Yates, N.D., said three schools that receive the innovation grants could be successful and spur three more. The Standing Rock Sioux Reservation based at Fort Yates covers parts of both Dakotas.
“Then you hope for a snowball effect,” Archambault said. “We could show America the way to go. In South Dakota, we could show the way to go.”
