Indian Education Program asks SFUSD to amend enrollment forms, expand tutoring and increase outreach
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Summary
The Title VII Indian Education Program and PAC told the board SFUSD should amend enrollment forms to capture tribal affiliation, make the federal 506 form widely available (linked to federal funding), expand tutoring and create a teacher‑on‑special‑assignment. PAC members cited program growth and requested written follow-up from district staff.
Members of the Indian Education Program Parent Advisory Council presented their annual update to the board and asked the San Francisco Unified School District to take several concrete steps to improve services for American Indian and Alaska Native students.
Michelle Anton, speaking for the PAC, described services that include weekly academic tutoring, monthly family nights, annual college tours, a food bank at Sanchez and "drop-in'' hours at a permanent office at Sanchez Elementary School. The presenters said the program served 73 unduplicated students in 2013–14 and provided one‑to‑one support to 34 students; members also said the population has grown from about 107 students in 2010–11 to about 145 most recently.
The PAC asked the district to amend the district enrollment form to capture whether students identify as Native American or Alaska Native and to record tribal affiliation more specifically. They flagged a federal 506 form that must be completed for each eligible Indian student and warned that "100% of this federal funding is dependent on the 506 form." They asked that the form be made available at Educational Placement Center (EPC) offices and directly to principals to improve identification and referral to Title VII services.
Other priorities the PAC raised included expanding tutoring beyond the current two days a week, providing additional administrative support so the program's coordinator can keep the office open more days, and designating a teacher on special assignment to help implement curriculum and cultural‑sensitivity training. A student representative, Ika Little, asked the board to make the PAC's priorities board priorities and to continue the district's support.
Board members asked specific follow‑ups: Commissioner Feuer asked staff to research connections with tribal colleges and to report counts of Native American staff who might support curriculum work; Commissioner Mendoza McDonald suggested distributing 506 forms and involving principals in outreach; Superintendent Carranza said deputy superintendent Lee and Chief Academic Officer Luis Valentino would follow up and provide written updates and consider the requests as part of budgeting and curriculum work.
Why it matters: The PAC's requests involve how the district identifies Native students (which affects eligibility for federal Title VII funds), and they seek program expansion that would change supports available to a small but growing student population in SFUSD.
What’s next: District staff committed to a written follow‑up and to exploring changes to the enrollment process and staffing to support the Title VII program.
