Roy Brown, director of Native American education and programs for Fremont County School District #25, gave trustees a detailed briefing on Nov. 24 about the department’s grant-funded work and near-term risks to that funding.

Brown said the department’s portfolio includes Title VI Indian Education grants, a Fremont 38 high school transition program funded through an inter-district settlement, the Johnson O'Malley (JOM) program, and Impact Aid. "This year's budget, we received $218,088," Brown told the board, describing Title VI as a grant that depends on the number of eligible students who complete the required 506 form.

The presentation laid out how the consolidated federal grants (Title I, II and IV), Perkins CTE funds and other grants support district staffing and programs. Brown said Title I supports elementary-level services including preschool and Title I paras; Title II largely supports instructional coaches; and Title IV funds academic enrichment, campus safety positions and after-school and summer-school programming.

Brown reported current counts used for funding: about 680 self-identified Native American students (down roughly 30 from last year), 608 students counted for Title VI funding (must have a completed 506 form on file), a JOM count of 464 students (eligibility requires tribal verification), and 132 students counted for Impact Aid because they reside on Indian lands. Brown attributed part of the decline in the self-identified count to roughly 25 students who enrolled elsewhere before the school year began, including some who attended out-of-state boarding schools.

Stakeholder priorities shaped how Title VI funds are used, Brown said. "The highest priority for our stakeholders was to increase knowledge of cultural identity and awareness," he said, and the district is shifting to emphasize a Native American cultural programming coordinator role under Title VI rather than only a student advocate.

Brown also described local programming supported by the grants: academic coaches and paraprofessionals in the Fremont 38 transition program, an Arapaho language teacher, family nights, cultural demonstrations, classroom storytelling, and supports for graduation traditions such as a drum group at the high school commencement.

He announced upcoming events tied to the programs: a family night at the Riverton High Commons on Dec. 11, a consolidated grant information/input night on March 28, and the district’s rendezvous powwow on May 15, 2026, with world champion hoop dancer Jasmine Bell, Riverside Singers and emcee Luke Bell.

Brown warned the board that federal oversight is in flux: he said some responsibilities for program monitoring are being transferred (he described Title VI oversight moving toward the Department of the Interior while Title I, II, IV, Impact Aid and McKinney-Vento oversight may be reallocated under interagency arrangements). He added that Title II and Title IV funding for school year 2026–27 remains uncertain and that losing those grants could require the district to identify alternate funding or reduce up to the positions supported by those grants.

Trustees asked clarifying questions about the enrollment decline and program mechanics; Brown cited voluntary student transfers and verification requirements for federally recognized tribal enrollment as contributors to the numbers.

The board did not take formal action on the presentation. Brown said district staff will continue to monitor federal and state grant developments and report back to the board if the oversight or funding situation changes.