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District vows to advance Dakota language work and data tracking in response to AIPC resolution
Summary
The board approved a drafted response to an American Indian Parent Council resolution that pledges collaboration on tutoring capacity, prioritizes Dakota language revitalization through a nearly $500,000 grant, and commits to an aggregate American Indian student data dashboard; the district said the language grant is restricted to curriculum work, not general tutoring.
The board reviewed and voted to approve a district response to a resolution from the American Indian Parent Council (AIPC). The response said the district will plan for potential staffing increases, explore tutoring capacity for American Indian students in partnership with Prairie Island liaisons, prioritize Dakota language revitalization across grade levels and use a targeted language grant to support curriculum development.
An administrator told the board the district has received a language revitalization grant intended to develop Dakota lessons that will reach multiple grade levels and that funds are time-limited; a board member said the grant is "just shy of $500,000" and must be spent within the grant timeline. Board discussion clarified the grant is specifically for language instruction and cannot be used for general tutoring or community education, though targeted services funding can pay for some after-school academic supports.
The district also committed to working with Prairie Island education leaders and the American Indian Education Program director to create an aggregate data dashboard for American Indian student indicators; the administrator emphasized this would be aggregate, not individual, data.
Board members asked whether the AIPC leadership had been consulted; administrators said they had engaged with Prairie Island staff and would continue coordination as the work unfolds.
