Taos Pueblo Chairman Veron Luhan and Taos Municipal Schools officials used the Nov. 5 board meeting at Taos Pueblo to describe ongoing partnership work on housing, economic development, cultural recognition and school coordination, and to brief the board on Native student outcomes and Tiwa language instruction.

Luhan described tribal housing and workforce needs and asked for continued collaboration between the Pueblo and the district on calendar alignment so students can attend cultural dates. District staff described adjustments already in place to mark extended cultural absences as excused and said they're working with families, tribal liaisons and the Public Education Department to formalize guidance.

Indian education staff reported that the district's Native American student subgroups made gains in reading, math and science on recent state assessments, with the district's Native students scoring above the state averages in those subjects. Graduation and attendance metrics prompted more caution: the four‑year cohort rate for a recent year was lower than prior years and is under review, while five‑ and six‑year cohort rates rose. Staff said additional students who were not chronically absent last year now attend enough to recover thousands of instructional hours.

The district outlined funding streams that support Native programs, including Title I/II/III, bilingual and Indian Education formula grants, a recently increased Indian education grant award, and Impact Aid. Staff described new and continuing investments: an added liaison at Taos Middle School to support secondary students, tutors, monthly IEC community nights, biliteracy seal recipients and plans for more cultural sensitivity training for staff.

Tiwa language instructor Trisha Lujan reported Tiwa course enrollment across the district (elementary, middle and high school) and described two senior students who earned a biliteracy seal this year; staff said five high‑school seniors are applying for the seal this cycle. Instructors requested continued scheduling coordination, field trips and community‑based activities to reinforce language learning and cultural identity.

Why it matters: Native students constitute an important subgroup in the district. Staff and Tribal leaders described measurable gains in some assessment areas and outlined ongoing system gaps — notably chronic absenteeism and four‑year graduation tracking — that the district says it will continue to address through liaisons, targeted tutoring, family engagement and culturally grounded curriculum and professional development.