Westonka APAC reports unanimous concurrence; district will receive statutory APAC funding

The board heard an update from the American Indian Parent Advisory Committee (APAC) and was asked to accept the committee’s unanimous vote of concurrence with district efforts.

The APAC presenter (Speaker 5) explained that Minnesota statute requires districts with 10 or more American Indian students to form an APAC. The presenter reported the district’s APAC enrollment at 34 students, which the record says qualifies the committee for state APAC funding; the presentation listed the minimum funding formula as $40,000 plus $500 for each student above 20, and the presentation stated the district’s APAC budget at $46,500 for the year.

The presenter described how funding is used for part-time liaisons (naming Leslie Chase as the elementary liaison and Alia Holleran as the secondary liaison), cultural programming, partnerships with outside organizations that serve American Indian students, scholarship and college-planning nights, and regional coordination with nearby districts. The presenter said the committee’s vote of concurrence was unanimous; the record shows an agenda item to formally approve that concurrence and a process to submit the document to the state.

Speaker 5 thanked families and staff involved in APAC activities and noted the committee’s emphasis on cultural awareness, family engagement and ceremonial activities for graduating students. The presentation also described regional APAC collaboration and outreach efforts now under development.

The board acknowledged the report and was asked to approve the committee’s formal concurrence as an action item later in the meeting.