FY 2025 Awarded Demonstration Grants for Indian Children

Objective: The Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe School, a BIE funded K–12 school serving the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation and surrounding towns in rural northern Wisconsin, demonstration project: The Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe School’s CTE Expansion Project, will expand career and technical education (CTE) as a pathway to student engagement, economic empowerment, and community resilience. This project directly serves Native American students in grades K–12, with a focus on those at risk of educational disengagement due to rural isolation, economic disadvantage, and historical barriers. In partnership with the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, The project’s goals are to: (1) increase student attendance and

graduation rates through hands-on, responsive instruction; (2) enhance career readiness by launching new CTE courses in automotive maintenance, home basics (including plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and welding), and entrepreneurship; and (3) support local workforce development by creating a student-centered service program that address real community needs.  

Population Served: K through Grade 12 Students  

Primary Activities: Primary activities include curriculum development, student instruction, job shadowing, SkillsUSA participation, community-based auto service programming, and evaluation through qualitative and quantitative methods. Tribal and community members will serve as instructors, mentors, and advisors, ensuring alignment with community values and long-term sustainability beyond the grant period.  

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include improved student attendance, higher rates of credit accumulation, increased enrollment in trade-related postsecondary pathways, and a measurable reduction in community reliance on off-reservation technical services. The project will also produce a replicable model for rural and tribal schools, contributing to culturally grounded CTE, policy discussions on education-to-workforce pipelines for Native youth, and practice in curriculum design, mentorship, and school-community partnerships

Objective: The project will improve kindergarten readiness, early intervention, and culturally aligned instruction by establishing a responsive early learning infrastructure led by the Pawnee Nation. The initiative will include the development of kindergarten transition programs, the implementation of early screening systems, and culturally integrated curricula reflecting Pawnee language, stories, and traditional knowledge. Career pathway development is central to the initiative, with Pawnee Nation College leading certification programs for aspiring early childhood educators and TEDNA coordinating technical assistance and workforce strategy. A parallel goal is to empower parents and caregivers through the creation of the Pawnee Family Resource Network, which will support home learning, connect families to services, and promote family leadership in early education.  

Population Served: Pre-K through Grade 12 Students 

Primary Activities: Pawnee Stars Rising will leverage technology to support learning continuity, educator training, and language preservation. Artificial intelligence (AI) tools will be explored to support personalized instruction, provide virtual learning resources, and digitize Pawnee language  materials. These tools will serve to enhance—not replace—traditional learning modalities and  intergenerational teaching, ensuring cultural continuity across early childhood systems.  

Outcomes: Key expected outcomes include a 30 percent increase in kindergarten readiness among  participating children, increased tribal capacity to deliver early learning services, a measurable  increase in the number of Pawnee early learning educators completing certification, and expanded  family involvement in culturally grounded education activities. In addition, this project will serve  as a model for sustainable, tribally governed early education that aligns with the Pawnee Nation’s  477 Plan by integrating workforce, education, and family development priorities into a unified  community strategy.

Objective: Stone Child College (SCC) will demonstrate the effectiveness of good peer mentoring, intensive educational projects, and dual enrollment to improve the educational opportunities and achievement of children on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation. 

Population Served: The project will serve children and youth residing on or near the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation. These youth will be current students at Rocky Boy School and Box Elder School, the two schools serving the reservation youth.  

Primary Activities: The goal of the SCC NYCP is “to increase the capacity of the Chippewa Cree Tribe, Stone Child College, local schools, and local early childhood education providers to improve the educational achievement outcomes of Indian students on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation.” Objectives: Provide comprehensive services to high school students attending local LEAs: Enroll at least 20 students per year in dual enrollment courses; match up 30 mentors with 30 mentees; at least 60 students will attend college visits; at least 30 high school students will participate in hands-on learning activities. Plan and implement 5 Early Childhood educational events pairing high school mentors with pre-school aged children.  

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include improved attendance, increased graduation rate, decreased dropout rate, increased postsecondary enrollment, and increased postsecondary persistence. 

Objective: Turtle Mountain College (eligible Tribal College applicant), Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (federally recognized Tribe), Turtle Mountain Community Schools (Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) School), and two public schools (Dunseith and St. John) will implement a high-quality Native Youth Community Project to directly improve the college and career readiness of participating Indian youth. Turtle Mountain Native Youth Community Project (NYCP) will effectively provide opportunities that will prepare youth with the knowledge and skills to improve their educational achievement and readiness to pursue college and/or careers.    

Population Served: Turtle Mountain NYCP will serve youth in the Turtle Mountain Reservation and encompassing Rolette County in North Dakota, which shares its border with Canada.    

Primary Activities: Research-based strategies and proven program design will provide enhanced opportunities for youth, including after school tutoring, weekend core study academies, hands-on learning throughout the summer with a focus on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) culminating in a Youth Summer Camp with tribal Elders, and field learning experiences with Native role model professionals that integrate local businesses, community partners, leadership and community service.    

Outcomes: Over 900 Turtle Mountain high school students (9th-12th grade) will join in college and career awareness and youth/parent/family activities to explore careers with Native role models and resources for college/career readiness each year. Additionally, 375 (75/year) Turtle Mountain high school students will participate in focused activities to improve their academic scores, ACT scores, college readiness, and become aware of career opportunities and related educational requirements. Native

culture will be integrated throughout all aspects of Turtle Mountain NYCP and be a component of the leadership and community service projects. 

Objective: The River of Knowledge (RoK) Initiative is a district-wide literacy transformation project designed to improve academic outcomes for Alaska Native students in ten of the most remote villages in the Yukon-Koyukuk School District. The project aims to increase K–12 literacy proficiency, raise Alaska Native graduation rates, strengthen family engagement, build educator capacity through Science of Reading (SoR) training, and expand the district’s multi-tiered system of supports (RTI). YKSD will lead implementation of embedded coaching through itinerant reading specialists, deliver professional development in SoR, oversee Tier II/III interventions with progress monitoring, and organize family literacy events such as RoK Nights and distribution of Family Literacy Engagement Kits (FLEKs). Tribal partners and cultural advisors will co-develop culturally aligned literacy materials, co-host family events, and serve on monthly Community School Committees (CSCs) to provide ongoing local guidance. By the end of Year 5, the initiative will increase Alaska Native graduation rates from 52.29% to 66%, raise kindergarten readiness by 5% annually, improve K–3 DIBELS proficiency by 5% annually, increase educator retention and confidence, and reach 80% family-reported confidence in supporting student literacy by Year 3. RoK will serve approximately 342 students, educators, paraprofessionals, and families in the 10 villages that YKSD serves. The initiative will provide evidence-based strategies for improving literacy in remote, tribally governed communities and offer a replicable model for other rural districts integrating cultural relevance with research-based instruction.    

Population Served: K through Grade12 Students in10 of the most remote villages in the Yukon-Koyukuk School District.   

Primary Activities: Through initiatives such as RoK Nights and culturally tailored literacy kits, RoK empowers families to actively engage in and enhance their children’s educational journeys, honoring their unique strengths and cultural heritage. Despite families’ strong desire to be involved, uncertainty, communication barriers, and limited accessible opportunities in YKSD often hinder full participation in their children's learning. The RoK initiative directly addresses these challenges by fostering relational trust, elevating family voices, and delivering community-centered programming such as RoK Nights and culturally relevant literacy kits.  

Outcomes: The River of Knowledge initiative is a district-wide literacy plan for the Yukon-Koyukuk School District (YKSD). It was built to address long-standing academic disparities through a bold, research-based approach. The initiative’s goals are ambitious yet achievable and reflect a comprehensive strategy to improve literacy outcomes, strengthen educator capacity, and build sustainable community-school partnerships supporting Alaska Native students.  

Objective: The proposed project will increase community capacity to support post-secondary enrollment and career preparation. Objectives include improved academics, high school graduation rates and post-secondary enrollment, by expanding internships, work-study placements, access to positive adult mentors; career prep for rural life, in education, resource and infrastructure development support the completion of PLCPs and career assessments; improving teacher understanding of community norms so as to enhance instructional relevance and retention; increasing student participation in CTE; raising AN student enrollment in dual credit and post-secondary programs, These measures will validate evidence-based practices and support program replication. 

Population Served: K through Grade 12 Students 

Primary Activities: Post-secondary school visits; students participating and being mentored in career-goa; settings through student targeted CTE workshops, job shadowing, apprenticeships, and internships; expanded the cooperative Grow Your Own educator/Student-to-Teacher (S2T) program; developing micro-credentialing opportunities; the development of PLCPs for students; and mentoring grounded in the Full-Color Webs of Support ™ framework.    

Outcomes: Evidence-based research guided program design to increase graduation rates and postsecondary enrollment; having clearly defined education/career plans.

Objective: CIRCLE addresses critical gaps in early childhood services and workforce development in rural Alaska by housing programming within existing school facilities and creating a "Grow Your Own" educator pipeline. This replicable model connects elders, youth, and children to strengthen their identity while building educational capacity. The program builds on evidence that responsive education improves outcomes for Indigenous children, local educators show higher retention, and elder involvement enhances knowledge transmission. Through comprehensive evaluation, CIRCLE will document effective strategies for other rural Native communities, addressing workforce challenges while preserving communal knowledge. 

Population Served: The program serves Alaska Native children ages 0-5 and their families in Galena (where 75% of 400+ community members are Louden Tribe members), and Alaska Native high school students at Galena Interior Learning Academy and Sidney Huntington School through an ECE career pathway. 

Primary Activities: This project includes sustaining the Enaa Neenyo Early Childhood Program for children ages 0-5, implement an ECE career track for high school students, integrate elder mentorship for children and career pathway participants, engage families through parent education and activities, implement curriculum incorporating Denaakk'e language and Koyukon Athabascan traditions, and provide post-secondary preparation for career pathway students. 

Outcomes:  The overarching goal of this project is to improve kindergarten readiness for Alaska Native children; 5-8 high school students enrolled annually in the ECE career track with 50% completing certification; increased post-secondary transitions; and development of a local, competent early childhood workforce.

Objective: Pinoleville Pomo Nation Early Learning Program will have increased numbers of native students meeting literacy standard by 10 % through implementing family engaging initiative in early literacy and Northern Pomo language program targeting 38 native students Pinoleville Head Start. Will have increased numbers of students reading at or above grade level by 10% by implementing reading initiative engaging families, targeting 100 prek-3 native students in Calpella and Oak Manor elementary schools and will have increased numbers of students at or above grade level by 10% in math by implementing math initiative engaging families, targeting 100 prek-3 native students in Calpella and Oak Manor elementary schools.

Population Served:  Designed to assist 138 Native American students (Prek-3th grades) and their families in Pinoleville Native American Head Start and Early Head Start, and in Ukiah Unified School District, to prepare them to make sufficient academic growth by the end of grade 3.

Primary Activities: This project uses evidence-based tools including Lexia for reading and IXL for math as key programming components with one-on-one intervention to achieve the objectives.

Outcomes:  The overarching goal of this project is increase Access for Native students to early learning opportunities in Pre-K-3 grades.

Objective: The Milwaukee Public Schools’ First Nations College Access (FNCA) Program project will provide a variety of coordinated, continuous, high-quality supports to improve the educational opportunities and achievement of First Nations students by addressing community-level challenges for 600 students in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from October 2025 to September 2030. The project specifically targets First Nations students enrolled in Milwaukee Public Schools, a population historically underrepresented in higher education and constituting a small percentage (0.4%) of the district's overall student body. The project will bring together institutions of higher education, college access organizations, community-based organizations, career centers, and local businesses to meet the following goals and objectives:

Population Served: 600 Grade 6 through Grade 8 Students  

Primary Activities: Project activities are focused on four key areas: providing tutoring and academic enrichment in core subjects; developing and implementing responsive curriculum; coordinating diverse opportunities for career and college exploration; and fostering meaningful engagement with parents and families to create a strong support system for student success.

Outcomes: 80% of participating students will report increased readiness for college/careers as measured by a pre and post survey from the Expanding the Circle Curriculum. Increase on-time graduation rate of First Nations College Access students from 81% to 85%. First Nations College Access students, grades 6-12, will increase their literacy and mathematical achievement, as measured by state assessments. Increase immediate enrollment of First Nations students in post-secondary educational programs to 50%, as self-reported in senior exit surveys. 

Objective: The Passamaquoddy CSL Initiative, which stands for “cultural, STEM, and language immersion”, is a five-year, community-driven effort that will transform educational outcomes for Native youth by embedding language, cultural education, and place-based STEM learning across early childhood, out-of-school-time (OST), and school-day settings. Anchored in the Tribe’s longstanding vision to revitalize Peskotomuhkati (Passamaquoddy language), this initiative builds directly upon the community’s digital resources, cultural assets, and history of intergenerational learning.

Population Served: K through Grade 12 Students  

Primary Activities: The program will engage students and family members annually, develop 10+ community-designed instructional materials, and embed fluent elders in ceremonial, storytelling, and curriculum co-creation roles. Evaluation will be led by a nationally recognized Indigenous consulting firm using mixed methods to assess fluency growth, cultural knowledge retention, academic engagement, and model replicability. 

Outcomes: Monthly OST immersion workshops integrating Tribal language, STEM, and seasonal cultural practices, daily early childhood “language nest” immersion program at the Sipayik Elementary for toddlers ages 18 months to 5 years. A formal partnership with Sipayik Elementary to deliver additional in-school and afterschool Passamaquoddy instruction, supported by culturally grounded teaching tools including flashcard kits, QR-coded audio posters, and home learning packets. 

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include the preparation of 24 qualified AI/AN teachers and administrators, increased employment and retention rates, and the infusion of AI/AN culture into the education system. The program will contribute to best practices in culturally sustaining professional development and service-based investment models for educator workforce development.

Objective:  Project SOAR UP represents a critical intervention to address the absence the demonstrably high educational needs within Alaska's Prince of Wales Island, a region characterized by extreme remoteness, significant economic disadvantage, and a predominantly Alaskan Native (AN) student population. The project will provide Career and Technical class opportunities to 275 AN students in grades 6-12 across three school districts: Klawock City School District (KCSD), Southeast Island School District (SISD), and Craig City School District (CCSD).  Measurable objectives include credit attainment, increased participation from tribal and industry partners, improved assessment scores, and postsecondary readiness. 

Population Served: 275 Grade 6 through 12 Students  

Primary Activities: The primary goal of PROJECT SOAR UP is to engage Alaska’s most at-risk students, using supportive evidence from the What Works Clearinghouse study on Career Pathways.

Outcomes: Project SOAR UP will implement a structured system of classroom walkthroughs – brief, focused observations designed to collect real-time data on specific teaching strategies and student engagement levels.  Insights gathered from walkthroughs will inform PLC discussions, creating a feedback loop where educators can reflect on their practices, identify trends, and make data-driven instructional decisions.

Objective: The Blue Lake Rancheria Tribal Education Agency's Pathmakers & Modern Youth Internship Academies Program Expansion seeks to understand and enhance the role of peer and near-peer networks in supporting American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) emerging adults' pursuit of education and career goals. The project specifically examines how these relationships contribute to self-initiated networks and subsequently impact education and career outcomes, including progress towards goals, commitment to "paying-it-forward," and collective efficacy for systemic change. The findings will inform program implications regarding the distinct mechanisms by which peer and near-peer connections facilitate goal attainment.  

Population Served: Grade 5 through Grade 8 Students  

Primary Activities: The project's primary activities are designed to enhance literacy and learning skills, including fostering metacognitive awareness to encourage students to reflect on their own reading processes and strategies. It will promote collaborative learning by creating a classroom environment where students share interpretations and support each other's reading development. Additionally, teacher modeling will be emphasized, with teachers actively demonstrating effective reading strategies and providing explicit instruction on approaching challenging texts.   

Outcomes: The program aims to develop a comprehensive set of skills in students, including effective communication (verbal and written), critical thinking (analyzing, evaluating, synthesizing information), and collaboration (working effectively in teams). Other crucial outcomes involve enhancing problem-solving abilities, fostering adaptability to changing circumstances, nurturing creativity in generating original ideas, and developing leadership skills. The program also targets improvements in time management, digital literacy for confident technology navigation, and self-awareness for understanding strengths, managing emotions, and reflecting on personal growth. 

Objective: The Redwood Coast Native Youth Community Project (RC) and the lead applicant, Northern Humboldt Union High School District (NH) focuses on Humboldt County, California. RC seeks to prepare all Indian students for college and career. RC is centered on the goal of ensuring Indian students are prepared for college and careers (and that dropouts are prevented).    

Population Served: American Indian high school students in Humboldt County, California. These students predominantly come from California’s three largest tribes: the Yurok Tribe, Karuk Tribe and Hoopa Valley Tribe. 

Primary Activities: 1. Successfully transition to high school: Ensure students keep on track for graduation by earning at least 50 credits in Gr. 9 and a total of 110 credits by the end of Gr. 10 to ensure continued enrollment in the comprehensive high schools. 2. Become College and Career Ready: Ensure at least 50% of students qualify using the California College & Career Readiness Indicators, and/or earn nine college units, or complete 50 hours of WBL, or complete a CTE pathway. 3. Successfully transition from high school: Ensure students graduate from the comprehensive high schools and success-fully transition to a post high school living wage job, a training program leading to a living wage job, and/or college. 

Outcomes: Enhances students’ self-esteem, helps students develop healthy identity formation, results in students who are more self-directed and politically active, has a positive influence on their tribal communities, and educates Native Youth so they achieve academically at higher rates. 

Objective: The Empowering Iñupiat Students: A Community Education Project focuses on addressing three key needs informed by the Tribal Education Committee’s proclamation declaring an education crisis for the communities this grant serves on the North Slope of Alaska, and the approximately 2000 youth. During the performance period of this grant, we will replicate the program throughout our region and share the project design and instruction process with other Native communities. The partnerships we develop because of this Native Youth Community Project will strengthen our ability to access future funding from our partners as they see the success of the project and the well-rounded youth that are ready for careers and post-secondary training.    

Population Served: Pre-K through Grade 12 Students 

Primary Activities: The regional Tribally Controlled School, Qargi Academy, will provide a comprehensive traditional and wholistic educational approach to our underserved youth through out-of-school programs that center around the 3 areas of: (1) College and career readiness through courses to build core academic skills and life skills, (2) Early learning core academic skills to improve areas such as literacy and math, (3) Culture and life skills to address the declining cultural knowledge and Inupiaq language.

Outcomes:  Students will have a mastery of the core content areas of reading, writing, math, and science that will better prepare them for future courses, careers, and college. Students will have a more well-rounded education that will better prepare them for careers, college, and life-long learning. Youth will build relationships with elders, learn about Inupiaq values, and learn about the Inupiaq culture and language. Partnerships with key regional businesses and organizations will ensure that this NYCP project will be sustainable and have a meaningful impact on the youth this project serves. This organization will support Qargi Academy with funding and/or workforce development opportunities for youth. 

Objective: The Arlee R2R (Roots to Rise) Project is a comprehensive, community-rooted effort to transform student outcomes in the Arlee School District, a rural and culturally rich community on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana, home of the Confederated and Salish and Kootenai Tribes. The project focuses on accelerating early literacy achievement, integrating the Salish language and culture, and strengthening high school college and career readiness. This initiative addresses critical educational disparities through an integrated model focused on early literacy, cultural identity, and postsecondary readiness. The project is in partnership with Nkwusm Salish Language School, Salish Kootenai College, and the CSKT Tribal Education Department and will serve approximately 400 students each year. 

Population Served: K through Grade 12 Students

Primary Activities: The primary activities include 1) Strengthen early learning and foundational literacy for students in preschool through third grade, ensuring every child enters fourth grade reading proficiently and with a strong academic foundation. 2)Foster a sustaining and inclusive educational environment that centers Indigenous knowledge, language, and identity while promoting cross-cultural understanding and belonging for all students. 3)Increase college and career readiness by supporting students from middle school onward with mentorship, academic guidance, responsive instruction, and exposure to a wide range of postsecondary and workforce opportunities. 

Outcomes: The Arlee R2R (Roots to Rise) Project outcomes include  1. Increase K-3 reading proficiency rates to 70% within five years.  2. 100% of K-6 teachers trained in the Science of Reading within two years.  3. 100% of K-12 students receive Salish language instruction integrated into their learning.  4. 50% of the seniors will graduate with either college credit or a workforce credential.  5. Achieve a 5% increase in the high school graduation rate within five years.

Objective: The NYCP grant’s purpose is to support community-driven projects that develop and share innovative services/programs designed to improve the educational opportunities and achievement of AI/AN students by addressing community-level challenges, and the MCN EIO project has been developed to fulfill these purposes. The needs-sensing data captured by achievement data analysis and community input identified evidence-based strategies which will produce positive outcomes for MCN AI/AN students.

Population Served:  Grade 6 through Grade 12 Students 

Primary Activities: MCN ‘Elevate: Innovation and Opportunity (MCN-EIO)’ project will provide the following direct student service strategies: Goal 1: STEM Student Tools for Success Toolkit (e.g., tutoring) to include 320 middle/high school students facing STEM success barriers; Goal 2: Entrepreneurship Programs for 125 K-12 students to build career interest, business knowledge, and financial literacy that will include camps and a culminating project presentation with the support of business community mentors, as well as annual follow up programs; Goal 3: Virtual Reality Career Exploration Traveling Trunks which will include technology, curriculum and educator training to provide 1,500 middle/high school students with an immersive career awareness experience; and, Goal 4: College Readiness Resources to include ACT Test Prep workshops and test fee coverage and college tours with family members to remove barriers and improve college-going opportunities.  

Outcomes: The Muscogee (Creek) Nation (MCN) Native Youth Community Project (NYCP) grant with the goals to 1) Improve student achievement and engagement in STEM by identifying and addressing barriers to success; 2) Empower students with entrepreneurial aspirations by providing opportunities, resources, and guidance to develop business skills; 3) Increase career pathway awareness through immersive Virtual Reality (VR) exploration; 4) Build knowledge and provide resources that strengthen students’ college readiness; and (5) Conduct a project evaluation that results in continuous improvement and that fosters a sustainable and replicable approach to improving AI/AN student opportunities.

Objective: The Yukon RISING Project seeks to improve educational achievement and career readiness for approximately 1,986 students in the Lower Yukon School District (LYSD), where 98% of students identify as Yup’ik Alaska Native. The Yukon RISING Project is grounded in multi-source, community-responsive evidence and will be accomplished through a multi-level partnership with local schools, Tribes, workforce partnerships, and educational partners. The Yukon RISING project addresses persistent barriers to student success in the Lower Yukon School District (LYSD) through a comprehensive, grounded initiative focused on student achievement, career readiness, and cross-system alignment. 

Population Served: 1,978 Pre-K through Grade 12 Students 

Primary Activities: Core activities include the initiation of an Introduction to Driver’s Education, preparatory Healthcare, small engines, woodshop, and culinary & textiles courses at all 10 schools and regional CTE headquarters. The project will formalize partnerships with at least three local businesses or Tribal enterprises annually to host job-shadowing or hands-on learning experiences, reinforcing CTE-aligned instruction with real-world application in areas such as subsistence culinary arts, engine repair, and cultural tourism. 

Outcomes: Outcomes include increased educator capacity, improved curriculum implementation, more students earning industry-recognized credentials, and expanded dual-credit readiness. Collectively, these strategies aim to strengthen graduation rates, increase career preparedness, and foster long-term success for Alaska Native students by connecting cultural identity, education, and workforce pathways.   _________________________________________________________________________

Objective: The Campo Band of Kumeyaay Tribes in a partnership consortium with California Indian Education for All. There are two partnering Tribes, one county office of education, three school districts, and two charter schools in San Diego County that will have access to attend and participate in all EOH NYCP programming that includes: early college pathways courses for American Indian and Alaska Native high school students, Tribal and cultural programs, college, and career readiness events, Native Ways of Knowing professional learning, and Native Ways of Knowing Literacy Institutes. The partnering Tribes and school districts that will have access to attend and participate in Campo Tipai Uuyaaw (To Know the People) Tribal community-responsive programs, events or services that support K-12 college and career pathways of AI/AN students

Population Served: K through Grade 12 Students   

Primary Activities: Increase tribal community partnerships and AI/AN family participation to design community-responsive systems to improve the educational opportunities and achievement of AI/AN students. Build school districts’ capacity to create coherent, culturally responsive place-based teaching and community-responsive systems for college-and-career readiness of AI/AN students. Improve the college-and-career readiness and academic outcomes of AI/AN students. All EOH NYCP annual objectives and outcomes will be met. 

Outcomes: AI/AN students will become college and career-ready through concurrent enrollment American Indian Studies and Native Ways of Knowing Literacy college courses, academic support services.  

Objective: The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, through Project CREATE, will address the deeply connected socio-economic and educational challenges facing Native youth in the Lumbee Tribal Service Area - Cumberland, Hoke, Robeson, and Scotland counties in southeastern North Carolina. Project CREATE aims to equip 6,250 American Indian students with the tools, experiences, and support needed to thrive academically and prepare for future success.   

Population Served: 6,250 American Indian students

Primary Activities: The project focuses on three key objectives: 1) Enhance early childhood education for 1,500 youth through relevant Pre-K STEM initiatives, targeted tutoring, and reading readiness programs  2) Advance college and career readiness for 2,950 youth through structured college and career exploration, internships, job shadowing, tutoring, and a series of college tours, as well as day and residential camps focused on STEM, culture, and academic transitions 3) Strengthening family and tribal engagement for 1,800 youth via community meetings, family STEM events, and Navigation Services to connect families with project services. 

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include gains in reading and math assessment, improved school readiness, 80% post-secondary plan completion, increased STEM interest (pre/post assessments), and higher family engagement via event attendance and Navigation Services.

Objective: The RISE project aims to enhance educational outcomes for students by establishing a Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) lab that will serve as a hub for active learning involving students, parents, and the community. The initiative will also provide comprehensive activities for middle school students focused on post-high school decision-making, including college readiness, rigorous math and science coursework, college visits, individualized college/career academic plans, scholarship assistance, tutoring, mentoring, and college application exercises. Extensive professional development for teachers will support these efforts. Key objectives for RISE include improving student math and science assessment scores, enhancing preschool assessment and readiness scores, increasing parent awareness of college and career opportunities and scholarships, expanding community partnerships annually, and delivering professional development to teachers in active learning and STEAM curriculum. 

Population Served: Pre-K through Grade 8 Students 

Primary Activities: The project's core activities are designed to increase the academic performance of Maryetta students and elevate their educational expectations. It seeks to increase student and family knowledge of postsecondary education options, preparation, and financing. A significant component involves infusing Indigenous culture into math and science courses through the integration of an Indigenous STEAM lab within the district. 

Outcomes: The RISE project anticipates several key outcomes to improve student math and science assessment scores, enhanced preschool assessment and readiness scores and skills, increased parent awareness of college and career opportunities and scholarships for students, the addition of new community partners each year, and comprehensive professional development for teachers in active learning and STEAM curriculum and content. 

Objective: A federally-recognized Tribe, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe will leverage a wealth of existing resources to implement Project Peak 2.0, ensuring youth can access programming aligned to Ute values in their home community, while maximizing the reach of federal dollars and avoiding wasteful duplication of services. UMUT will serve youth from kindergarten through Grade 12 with high-quality learning opportunities. Early childhood education will focus on Ute language workshops and storytelling, weekly tutoring in reading and math, parent engagement, and project-based learning units on Ute values and ecology, strengthening youth connections to the community, and preparing youth to make sufficient academic growth by the completion of Grade 3. Middle and high school students will benefit from academic coaching and tutoring, Ute history workshops, STEM and robotics, mini courses aligned to career pathways (such as technology, healthcare, tribal government, trades), college exploration trips, career awareness workshops through Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (Native American-Serving Nontribal Institution receiving funding from the Bureau of Indian Education) and Fort Lewis College, and paid internships with tribal departments.  

Population Served: K-12  

Primary Activities: At least 30 elementary youth will annually participate in academic tutoring and enrichment activities on UMUT lands. Annually, at least 40 middle and high school youth will participate in academic tutoring, enrichment activities, and mentoring on UMUT lands. Youth will build awareness of local career opportunities. Youth will strengthen cultural identity and leadership skills. Increased community commitment to supporting youth. Increased community capacity to deliver effective instruction for Ute youth in the classroom.   

Outcomes: Project Peak 2.0 will improve academic achievement, strengthen college and career readiness, enhance cultural identity and leadership, and support educator development and Tribal engagement.

Objective: to expand access to college and career pathways for Rural Native students and to prepare them for workforce readiness. The project also aims to equip students with essential workforce and life skills through intensive career and technical education (CTE) pathways.

Population Served: Alaska Native students in the 7th-12th grade

Primary Activities: The primary activities of the project include providing intensive, community-relevant Career and Technical Education (CTE) programming. This programming will be focused on developing life skills, academic proficiency, and career readiness. The project will also include sequential career exploration, short-term training academies, apprenticeships, and college/career institutes.

Outcomes: The "WORKFORCE Alaska: Rural CTE for Workforce Readiness" project, a collaboration between the Yukon-Koyukuk School District (YKSD) and the Nulato Tribal Council, aims to expand college and career pathways for rural Alaska Native students in nine isolated communities. The initiative will provide student-centered, intensive career and technical education (CTE) pathways to give students essential workforce and life skills.

Objective: The project strives to increase community collaboration towards increased post-secondary enrollment and career preparation. Additional Project Objectives: To develop career experiential work placements and Personal Learning Career Plans, increase dual enrollment numbers, increase adult career mentors, increase the number of students interested in education careers, and provide technology based micro-credentialing for students. Implementation of these objectives will provide validation of evidence-based practices and facilitate program replication.

Population Served: High schooled-aged youth in Southeast Island School District and Klawock City School District

Primary Activities: Post-secondary school visits, students participating and being mentored in career settings (job shadowing, apprenticeships, and internship), Grow-Your-Own teachers (S2T) program, and Micro Technology Credentialing.

Outcomes: To develop career experiential work placements and Personal Learning Career Plans, increase dual enrollment numbers, increase adult career mentors, increase the number of students interested in education careers, and provide technology based micro-credentialing for students. Implementation of these objectives will provide validation of evidence-based practices and facilitate program replication.

Objective: Project ELEVATE addresses an urgent and deeply rooted educational need in Alaska’s Prince of Wales Island, a region marked by geographic isolation, limited resources, and systemic academic disparities, particularly among its predominantly Alaska Native (AN) student population. The Klawock City School District (KCSD) in partnership with the Klawock Cooperative Association, where the project will be implemented, serves an approximately 75% AN student body. In an environment where access to enrichment, college and career exploration, and academic mentorship is limited, Project ELEVATE will fill a vital gap by providing high-quality, structured afterschool programming for approximately 50 AN students in grades K–12 at least three days a week for two hours after the regular school day. Measurable objectives include credit attainment, increased participation from tribal partners, improved assessment scores, and postsecondary readiness.   

Population Served: Approximately 50 Pre-K through Grade 12 Students 

Primary Activities: The project will equip students not only with academic support, but with the vision, skills, and motivation necessary to pursue meaningful post-secondary and career pathways—outcomes that are essential to the long-term resilience and success of the Prince of Wales Island community. The primary goal of ELEVATE is to engage Alaska’s most at-risk students, using supportive evidence from the Wallace Foundation on afterschool programs

Outcomes: Students will report increased feelings of safety and belonging in the program setting, measured improvements in self-regulation and emotional management, reduction in behavioral referrals, and increased positive adult-youth engagement.

Objective: Project APEX will equip educators with tools for data-informed instruction, job-embedded professional development, collaborative planning, and ongoing coaching. It also provides academic, social-emotional, and college and career enrichment opportunities to support the whole child, with a focus on underserved populations. SISD serves 194 students in seven remote, economically disadvantaged Title I schools on Prince of Wales, as well as a statewide correspondence school, all of which face significant geographic and logistical barriers. Measurable objectives include credit attainment, increased participation from tribal and industry partners, improved assessment scores, and postsecondary readiness.   

Population Served: 195 Pre-K through Grade 12 Students from SISD’s 8 remote schools 

Primary Activities: Our comprehensive school improvement model is designed to empower teachers through data-driven instruction, targeted professional development, collaborative planning structures, and embedded coaching. By aligning curriculum, instruction, and assessment with student needs, the model fosters continuous growth in instructional practice and promotes shared responsibility for student success. 

Outcomes: Continuous professional growth and cultivates a collective commitment to improving student outcomes. Educational, social-emotional, and college and career enrichment activities for struggling students through research-based strategies that address the whole child and professional development for their teachers to provide research-based strategies to increase the quality of teaching and student achievement, focusing on underserved populations. 

Objective: Educational Service Unit 2 (ESU 2) will lead the Native Youth and Community Connections (NYCC) project to support Native youth in rural Nebraska, specifically in Burt, Cuming, and Thurston counties. In collaboration with the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, Winnebago Tribe Education Department, and rural school districts Bancroft Rosalie, Lyons-Decatur and Oakland-Craig, the project will offer structured programs that help students prepare for life after high school through academic support, skill-building, and career exploration. The project serves Native youth in middle and high school, along with their families and school staff. ESU 2 will provide targeted academic assistance, career-focused opportunities such as job shadowing and mentorships, and skill development to help students pursue training, college, or employment. The project also includes activities that connect students with local traditions and history. 

Population Served: Grade 3 through Grade 8 Students   

Primary Activities: Activities to include 1) Helping students identify and work toward academic and career goals, 2) Coordinating mentorships, internships, and job shadowing with area employers, 3) Providing training and tools for educators, 4) Building systems in schools that continue to support students after graduation, 5) Collaborating with tribal partners on project design and delivery.   

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include improved student preparedness for life after high school, stronger school support systems, and a model that can be used in other rural areas working to support student success. 

Objective: The Del Norte Unified School District (DNUSD) will implement the Del Norte Indian Early Literacy Program to enhance the literacy skills of all Native students by the completion of 3rd grade. This initiative will provide targeted tutoring from two Literacy Leads trained in Science of Reading strategies to approximately 160 American Indian Pre-K to 3rd grade students in Del Norte County, including those from the Yurok Tribe, Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation, Elk Valley Rancheria, and the Pulikla Tribe of Yurok People. Recognizing that all students deserve a pathway to literacy, the program will focus on direct instruction for Pre-K to 3rd grade students and deliver professional development to elementary teachers, increasing their capacity to provide research-based reading instruction. DNUSD proposes a three-part intervention designed to improve 3rd grade American Indian students' reading scores by 50% over five years. 

Population Served: Pre-K through grade 3 students 

Primary Activities: The project's primary activities involve employing Literacy Leads who will directly engage with students, individually and in small groups, to practice reading skills and expand world knowledge.  By honoring Indigenous values and learning traditions, these approaches aim to foster belonging, identity, and academic engagement, which research shows are critical for improving reading and literacy outcomes for Native American learners.  

Outcomes: The overarching outcome is to ensure that all Native youth are explicitly taught to read by the end of Grade 3, preparing them for success in later grades and ultimately for college and careers. The program meets the absolute priority of focusing on community-based strategies and measurable objectives to overcome barriers hindering Native students' academic success and successful transition to post-secondary opportunities. This is achieved through a collaborative design with Tribal, K-12, and community partners, establishing clear goals and measurable objectives. 

Objective: The project’s objectives are to increase college- and career-readiness among AIAN youth by (1) providing services to develop and enhance academic performance, social-emotional learning, leadership skills, connectedness, and/or other educational services that support school success; (2) increasing knowledge and skills for effective post-secondary transitions; and (3) increasing school attendance and graduation rates. This project will increase community collaborations in the Fairbanks North Star Borough to improve educational outcomes among AIAN students.   

Population Served: The project is estimated to serve at least 60 secondary level American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) students in the FNSBSD annually. 

Primary Activities: Key activities include one-one-one academic support; group social-emotional learning activities through traditional talking circles; regular leadership group activities, events, and learning opportunities; an annual summer academic and camp; developing new community collaborations to offer students college and career informational presentations and paid summer internship opportunities; and attendance and graduation support.  

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include improvements in student GPA; social-emotional outcomes; leadership qualities and capabilities; connectedness, knowledge, and/or pride; college and career knowledge and skills; attendance rates; dropout rates, increased high school graduation rates; and increases in community collaborations to improve educational outcomes. 

Objective: Project intended to enhance academic achievement, school readiness, and parent and family engagement for young learners, ensuring successful progression and preparedness for post-secondary education and future career opportunities. The Nutugheduł Project will improve school readiness, academic achievement, and family engagement among AN/AI children and youth through comprehensive, evidence-based supports informed by Dena’ina values by staffing three (3) Tutor Liaisons and a STEAM Instructor at the Tribe’s Head Start and primary charter school and Kenai Peninsula Borough School District (KPBSD) schools. 

Population Served: Alaska Native/ American Indian (AN/AI) Students, pre-K through Grade 8.   

Primary Activities: Ultimately, the success of the Nutugheduł Project will be demonstrated by AN/AI students’ academic success and preparedness for post-secondary education and careers. The Nutugheduł Project will supplement the Tribe’s early learning program byallocating funding for the continuation of the Bejex Book Club, while further enhancing the Tribe’s early learning center and Tułen primary charter school to encompass tutor liaison services and STEAM enrichment through onsite instruction and parent and family collaboration. 

Outcomes: Project outcomes include: 1) Increased participation in the Tribe’s Bejex Book Club to support early literacy development. 2) Delivery of at least 180 hours per year of high-quality science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) education. 3) Family engagement through consistent communication, quarterly family events and two home visits per year. 5) Improved student performance on the Alaska System of Academic Readiness (STAR) standardized student assessments. 

Objective: Communities through Education: The Young Eagle Society (YES) Project” to serve 160 Native high school juniors and seniors from Browning High School and Heart Butte High School and over 2,500 Native youth within these communities. The focus of the program will be to deliver a college and career path for Native high school juniors and seniors and engage Native youth in community and cultural connections.  

Population Served: Grade 6 through Grade 12 Students   

Primary Activities:  The program will (1) recruit juniors and senior students from partnering schools who have an interest in seeking a higher education while they are in school, (2) offer 3-8 BFCC college courses, equal to 9-24 college credits, as dual enrollment courses to participating students, (3) design and implement work-integrated learning (WIL) experiences for participating students, and (4) offer YES-led youth events and activities focused on community and connections with students’ Tribal Nations. 

Outcomes: Project outcomes are the successful enrollment of 160 high school juniors and seniors from partnering schools in BFCC college courses for dual enrollment by 2030; successful completion of 3-8 BFCC college courses, equal to 9-24 college credits, among 160 high school juniors and seniors by 2030; more than 2,500 Native youth will engage in 72 YES-led events and activities that promote community and cultural connections; and a total of 160 high school juniors and seniors will engage in work-integrated learning activities. 

Objective: The Alaska Baby Raven Reads, Counts, and Plays (ABC&P) Project, led by Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) in partnership with the Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes, Juneau School District, and Southeast Alaska Association for the Education of Young Children, aims to enhance young children's oral language, early literacy, and early mathematical/numeracy skills. The project contributes to evidence-based research demonstrating the effectiveness of sequenced dialogic reading with specific question types and prompts. ABC&P will serve Alaska Native children and families by developing curricular resources that support dialogic reading practices and by elevating elders as educators to assist the community in adopting these practices.  

Population Served: 460 Alaska Native pre-school through Grade 4 

Primary Activities: The five-year ABC&P Project's core goal is to increase kindergarten readiness for Juneau's Alaska Native children through collaborative community efforts. This involves engaging 50 families annually through SHI’s Baby Raven Reads (BRR) program and early educators at 16 additional early education programs. These efforts will focus on using evidence-based sequenced dialogic reading, aligning 30 BRR children’s picture books, the BRR online toolkit, the project’s 4-Readings+Play model, and curricular resources. These elements will scaffold children's acquisition of kindergarten-ready skills across BRR's four educational pillars, aligned with the Alaska Early Learning Guidelines, to support sufficient academic growth by the end of Grade 3, as measured by annual pre/post parent and educator assessments, the Play Environment Rating Scale, and Alaska Developmental Profile (ADP) data.    

Outcomes: Expected ABC&P Project outcomes include the training of Juneau’s Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian elders as "Roving Readers" prepared to guide Alaska Native families and caregivers in using dialogic reading practices. The project anticipates the adoption of dialogic reading practices by 50 Alaska Native families annually through SHI’s Baby Raven Reads Program, and its adoption by four more early education programs annually, serving over 200 additional Alaska Native children and families. 

Objective: The proposed grant will improve educational opportunities for preschool and kindergarten students at GCCS and for middle and high school students at GCCS and TOHS by preparing Indian students for college and careers. Creating a Foundation for Success will focus on establishing an effective, high quality, family-based preschool program using evidence-based curricula as well as incorporating the Reading First model in kindergarten to ensure all students are ready to learn and demonstrate sufficient academic growth by the end of grade. 

Population Served: Approximately 425 Kindergarten through Grade 8 Students 

Primary Activities: Creating a Foundation for Success grant proposal will1) will focus on establishing an effective, high quality, family-based preschool program using evidence-based curricula as well as incorporating the Reading First model in kindergarten to ensure all students are ready to learn and demonstrate sufficient academic growth by the end of grade 3. 2) will provide college and career readiness programs for middle and high school students at GCCS and TOHS in partnership with local businesses, tribal entities, and TOCC that are designed to provide Indian youth with the knowledge and skills to make an effective transition from school to high-skill careers. Collectively the proposed grant will improve educational and post-school opportunities for students in the Gila River Indian Community and the Tohono O’odham Nation by addressing well documented gaps in services and prospects.   

Outcomes: The following goals and objectives will 1) Provide a high quality, evidence-based, family-based preschool and kindergarten to all young learners in GRIC, with a focus on school readiness, screening, referrals, book distribution, and kindergarten literacy skills to ensure all students are ready to learn and demonstrate sufficient academic growth by the end of grade 3 which is critical for middle and high school completion; and 2)Provide a college and career readiness programs for middle and high school students in partnership with the two schools and local businesses, tribal entities, and TOCC, with an emphasis on career exploration, leadership development tours, and career awareness through job shadowing, internships, and apprenticeships with local businesses.

Objective: POY is a career exploration and education initiative serving students from remote villages in the Northwest Arctic region, with a primary focus on Alaska Native youth—who comprise approximately 90% of NWABSD’s student population. NWABSD will partner with the NANA Regional Corporation (Indian Organization) to increase access to career and technical education (CTE) opportunities for students in grades 5–12, with direct services to 1,135 students overall and a concentrated focus on 836 students in grades 7–12. POY’s overarching goal is to enhance student awareness, skills, and readiness for career pathways by providing access to diverse career resources, mentorship and hands-on learning opportunities, and structured guidance and education aligned with real-world job requirements These efforts aim to ensure that students are equipped to make informed decisions about their future careers and to “grow our own” workforce for local and regional employment needs

Population Served: Grade 5 through Grade 12 Students

Primary Activities: To enhance student awareness, skills, and readiness for career pathways by providing access to diverse career resources, mentorship and hands-on learning opportunities, and structured guidance and education aligned with real-world job requirements.

Outcomes: Overall, CTE in middle and high schools offers a pathway for students to develop academic, technical, and career-readiness skills while improving graduation rates and economic outcomes. Expanding CTE access can help bridge workforce gaps and provide students with a more personalized and engaging educational experience.  

Objective:  The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde proposes a culturally grounded Native Youth Community Project (NYCP) to improve academic outcomes, school readiness, and long-term college and career readiness for K–3 Tribal students. Building on existing education infrastructure, the project integrates evidence-based strategies with Indigenous knowledge systems. Key components include embedded curriculum units, grade-level expansion, a Chinuk Wawa language immersion program, tutoring, assessment, early screening and referral services, and year-round enrichment. A third-party online platform will track student progress through annual formative, mid-year, and summative assessments. Community and Elder engagement will guide implementation and foster intergenerational learning.  

Population Served: K through Grade 3 Students 

Primary Activities: This Native Youth Community Project is focuses on the defined local geographic area of the Confederated tribes of Grand Ronde; emphasizes skills development leading to college and career readiness; is evidence-based, focusing on addressing the greatest barriers to the readiness of youth; is focused on addressing barriers with a community-based strategy and measurable objectives The project centers on improving educational opportunities and achievement through community-based initiatives. 

Outcomes:  The expected short-term outcomes include improved student engagement, earlier identification of academic and developmental needs, increased identity, and school connection, and enhanced instructional alignment with Tribal values. In the long term, the project aims to increase academic performance in literacy and math, improve school readiness and graduation rates, strengthen college, and career pathways, and build sustained Tribal capacity for educational governance.

Objective: The Tribal Education Departments National Assembly (TEDNA) proposes the TEDNA AI²: Native Youth Community Partnership to significantly increase college and career readiness, graduation rates, and lifelong success for Native students across Caddo, Canadian, Custer, and Dewey Counties in Oklahoma. As an eligible Indian organization under 34 CFR 263.20, TEDNA leads this coordinated initiative in formal partnership with the Kiowa Tribe and the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes. Consortium educational partners include Anadarko Public Schools, Carnegie Public Schools, Clinton Public School District, Seiling Public School District, El Reno Public School District, and Riverside Indian School (BIE). Redlands Community College serves as the higher education partner, offering responsive education and workforce training opportunities. Support also comes from the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) and local businesses, which provide structured, workforce-based learning opportunities.   

Population Served: Grade 8 through Grade 12 Students    

Primary Activities: Targeting defined geographic regions and addressing critical barriers that restrict college and career readiness for Native students. Comprehensive assessments conducted in partnership with tribal education departments and local schools, the initiative delivers an evidence-informed strategy for improving educational outcomes.   

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include measurable improvements in early-grade academic proficiency, an 85% on-time graduation rate for secondary participants, and a postsecondary enrollment rate of at least 60% following graduation. The evaluation will employ rigorous methodologies to ensure accountability and continuous improvement.

Objective: Cook Inlet Tribal Council, Inc. (CITC), in partnership with the Anchorage School District (ASD), proposes Foundations 2.0, a community-driven project to help Native children and youth become college-and career-ready by improving educational opportunities and achievement of Indian children and youth in Anchorage, Alaska. Foundations 2.0 is a Native Youth Community Project focused on the Municipality of Anchorage, centered on the goal of ensuring that Indian students are prepared for college and careers, informed by evidence regarding 1) barriers to college readiness, 2) local opportunities, and 3) local policies, programs, practices, service providers, and funding sources. It develops and supports opportunities to increase parent involvement in their children’s’ education using community-based strategies and measurable objectives and is designed to be implemented as a partnership between CITC, the tribal education agency serving residents of Anchorage, and the ASD, the LEA serving the Municipality of Anchorage.  

Population Served: K through Grade 3 Students 

Primary Activities: Key activities and outputs are recruit, train and support 6 Parent Educators annually; provide 2,560 hours of at school support over 60 months per parent educator; provide a total of 28 outreach events and 240 project-based learning activities over 60 months.

Outcomes: Expected relevant outcomes are 1) an increase in the quantity and quality of school involvement among parents receiving program services; 2) an increase in the number and percent of Alaska Native/American Indian students in participating classrooms who demonstrate sufficient academic growth; and 3) an increase in the number and percent of Alaska Native/American Indian students in participating classrooms who demonstrate growth in self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, & social management. 

Objective: The Lower Yukon School District (LYSD) proposes the T3 Chugach-Yukon FUTURES Initiative, a five-year project aimed at preparing Alaska Native high school students for college and careers. This will be achieved through high-quality, responsive STEM education and workforce development. The initiative targets 125 students from remote, predominantly Alaska Native villages in the Lower Yukon and Prince William Sound regions, addressing systemic barriers such as low academic performance, limited career exposure, and geographic isolation.   

Population Served: 125 Grade 9 through Grade 12 Students    

Primary Activities: The initiative will establish a T3 Hub at KCA to deliver annual two-week STEM Summer Intensives. It will also install six makerspaces across LYSD and CSD to support ongoing STEM engagement, and provide advanced STEM pathways for students demonstrating continued interest and growth. These activities will be supported by trained T3 Coaches, undergraduate mentors, culturally grounded curricula, and intensive evaluation using Unrulr, a student portfolio platform. These efforts are designed to promote a strong STEM identity, improve educational attainment, and connect students to high-demand career pathways through culturally grounded, place-based programming.

Outcomes:  Measurable outcomes include increased high school graduation rates, strengthened STEM identities, and expanded interest in STEM careers. Collectively, the T3 Chugach-Yukon FUTURES Initiative addresses longstanding opportunity gaps through a community-driven, evidence-informed model that prepares Native youth to lead in the STEM workforce of tomorrow. 

Objective: Red Earth: Strong Roots, Bright Futures is a five-year initiative to improve early literacy outcomes and postsecondary readiness for American Indian students. Informed by Tribal leadership and local context, the project will build a sustainable, community grounded system of educator support, family partnership, and youth development. In 2023, only 36% of Haliwa-Saponi 3rd graders were proficient in reading, compared to 47% statewide. 

Population Served: Approximately 300 Haliwa-Saponi students (PreK–12), 90 educators, and 100+ families across northeastern North Carolina, including 2 public school districts, one Tribal charter school, and three early childhood programs.

Primary Activities: Key activities to include 1) Establishing the Red Earth Circle of Wisdom to guide project planning and educator engagement. 2)Launching the Red Earth Literacy Teaching Fellowship to provide PD and coaching for PreK–3 educators. 3)Co-developing tribally informed instructional materials and immersive educator learning experiences. 4)Engaging families through a Family Literacy Learning Academy and intergenerational storytelling events.5) Supporting postsecondary transitions through cross-age mentoring, youth-led inquiry, and the Relatives in Residence Native mentorship program.

 Outcomes: Expected Outcomes to include 1) Haliwa-Saponi students achieve sustained literacy growth that meets or exceeds state benchmarks, significantly reducing historical achievement gaps. 2) Schools offer culturally sustaining learning environments that honor American Indian identities and integrate tribal culture into academic instruction and college and career readiness pathways, resulting in increased student engagement and long-term academic success. 3)The Haliwa-Saponi Tribe Community is meaningfully engaged in the education of their youth. 

Objective: The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana seeks funding from the U.S. Department of Education's Indian Education Demonstration Grants for Indian Children and Youth Program to increase access to effective educational services and programs for tribal youth. This initiative aims to improve educational outcomes, addressing the current lack of a robust, culturally appropriate educational support system that prevents scholastic achievement commensurate with non-tribal students among Tunica-Biloxi youth.  

Population Served: K through Grade 12 Students 

Primary Activities: The project's primary activities are focused on a defined local geographic area and centered on the goal of ensuring Indian students are prepared for college and careers. The approach is evidence-informed, targeting specific barriers or opportunities with community-based strategies and measurable objectives. It is designed and implemented through a partnership of various entities, and led by an eligible entity demonstrating the capacity to improve relevant outcomes. 

Outcomes: Under this program, tribal students will gain access to several key services, including in-person and online tutoring, home school support resources, education counseling/mentorship, and ACT/SAT test preparation. They will also benefit from supplemental learning centers (after-school programming and summer academic enrichment), Tunica-Biloxi Language Classes, Tunica-Biloxi Cultural Workshops, and Special Education Services and Supports for tribal students with disabilities. 

Objective: The purpose of the Learning Maps-MCC project is to increase mathematics achievement of high-needs Alaska Native students in grades 4-8 in western Alaska, taught by teachers who participate in PD to increase their PCK for teaching culturally relevant mathematics curriculum enhanced with neighborhood learning maps aligned to Alaska math standards, mathematical practices standards, and curriculum-embedded formative assessment.   

Population Served: 4,400 or more students in grades 4-8 and 180 teachers in the Calista region of western Alaska. 

Primary Activities: The LM –MCC project will begin with six Math in a Cultural Context curriculum modules and address shortcomings that have caused the curriculum to fall into disuse. The LM – MCC team will identify the Alaska mathematics standards within the and create a learning map for each module based on cognitive research about development of knowledge, skills, and understanding related to each standard. The supplemental materials to be created also include alignment with the Standards for Mathematical Practice and development of curriculum-based formative assessments. Regular meetings with Elders and other knowledge bearers will ensure the supplemental materials are inclusive of Native ways of knowing. Teachers will receive professional development and increase their confidence and use teaching the MCC curriculum. The project will demonstrate the impact of enhanced MCC curriculum on math achievement using a mixed-methods design evaluation of the project. 

Outcomes: Anticipated impact outcomes include: 1) Increased interest in use of MCC modules with high-needs student populations; 2) LEAs accurately place MCC as a supplemental resource in their math scope and sequence; 3) Increase in teachers using MCC as a supplemental math resource 3) Increase in mathematics achievement for high need students; and 4) Increase in community confidence that the mathematics curriculum is relevant for students.

Objective: The Umonhon Nation Public School (UNPS), serving all Native students PreK–12, aims to tackle a regional literacy crisis by significantly increasing the reading proficiency of American Indian third graders by 50% over five years. This initiative, rooted in evidence-based practices and Indigenous cultural knowledge, will equip educators with effective early literacy instruction tools, enrich instruction with culturally responsive materials and pedagogy, and provide individualized literacy support to students. 

Population Served: Pre-K through Grade 12 Students 

Primary Activities: Project activities will include providing comprehensive professional support for primary teachers using the Simple View of Reading framework, fostering classroom implementation of Indigenous-authored literature and NWoK resources, and deploying trained literacy support staff to deliver targeted interventions. The initiative will be further strengthened by community partnerships with Native authors, literacy specialists, educators, and other relevant programs.

Outcomes: Expected outcomes encompass measurable improvement in third grade reading scores, enhanced teacher capacity, increased culturally relevant content in classrooms, and stronger student engagement rooted in identity and belonging. The project also aims to contribute to broader research, policy, and practice by offering a replicable model that effectively aligns the Science of Reading with Indigenous worldviews, demonstrating how literacy development and cultural preservation can collaboratively elevate student achievement. An independent third-party evaluator will continuously monitor fidelity and outcomes. 

Objective: The Yurok Tribe’s Native Youth Community Project focuses on preschool and primary grade students in Humboldt County, California. It seeks to ensure all Native youth are explicitly taught to read by the end of Grade 3 to ensure they succeed in the later grades are and in time prepared for college and careers.  

Population Served: Preschool to 3rd grade American Indian students in Humboldt County, California.    

Primary Activities: Teacher/staff training: Evidence based training for preschool & primary teachers and staff in how to teach young learners to read grounded in the Simple View of Reading. Professional development for 100 teachers in the Native Ways of Knowing evidence-based and culturally appropriate books and instructional materials for teachers and staff. Individual and small group reading and literacy support for students who need additional supports by project literacy support teachers and staff. 

Outcomes: 1) Project, Title VI, school and district staff and Tribal staff align resources. 2) 100+ students receive ongoing, appropriate tutoring. 3) Schools and project team identify additional supports for students based upon student need.4) Teachers begin to implement what they learn in NWoK events 5) Teachers begin use of American Indian history and culture infused curriculum learned in projectPD. 6) Ongoing Family Literacy Nights. 6) Expanded summer activities planned and conducted.

Objective: The Warwick Native Youth Community Project (NYCP) aims to increase academic growth by Grade 3 for students at Warwick Public Schools (WPS), a small, rural, high-need district on the Spirit Lake Reservation in North Dakota that serves approximately 90 elementary students annually. Through a consortium including the Spirit Lake Tribe, WPS, Devils Lake Public Schools, and the Northeast Education Services Cooperative

Population Served: Approximately 90 Pk-3rd grade students   

Primary Activities: A structured school readiness process, developmental screening using the Brigance tool to guide early support, LETRS professional development for Grade K–3 educators to strengthen literacy instruction, and implementation of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to drive student-centered teaching and learning, and distribution of Just Right Reader literacy packs to promote family engagement in reading and early literacy development. 

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include: 75% of families will engage in school transition activities annually; 85% of students will receive timely, responsive support following screening; 80% of educators will implement evidence-based literacy practices; 80% of educators will implement learning-focused instruction; and 75% of families will engage annually with teachers on at-home literacy pack use. The partners aim to build a cohesive, sustainable, and replicable system of early learning support for Native youth by aligning community-school partnerships, strengthening educator development, enhancing home-based literacy tools, and improving long-term academic outcomes.  

Objective: The Round Valley Initiative for Indian Students (RV) and the lead applicant, Round Valley Unified School District focuses on Native student’s located in Round Valley near the isolated town of Covelo, CA. RV is addressing both early childhood education and secondary student success leading to college and career readiness. 

Population Served: American Indian preschool, elementary and high school students in Mendocino County, California   

Primary Activities: The project will implement evidence-based training for preschool and primary teachers and staff on teaching young learners to read, grounded in the Simple View of Reading. Professional development will also be provided for 20 teachers in Native Ways of Knowing literacy and culturally appropriate instructional materials. Individual and small group reading and literacy support will be offered to students needing additional help by project literacy support staff. To ensure students stay on track for graduation, the program will aim for students to earn at least 50 credits in Grade 9 and a total of 110 credits by the end of Grade 10. For college and career readiness, the project will ensure at least 50% of students qualify using the California College & Career Readiness Indicators, earn nine college units, complete 50 hours of Work-Based Learning (WBL), or complete a Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathway, thereby ensuring successful transition to post-high school living wage jobs, training programs, and/or college.

Outcomes: By 2030, the project aims to increase Grade 3 California state test scores for Native students from 11.76% to 50% meeting or exceeding standards. It will also train 100% of eligible teachers and staff in Native Ways of Knowing literacy and instructional protocols by 2030. The program will provide books and reading materials by Native Authors to students, families, and schools. Tribal and grant-funded literacy staff will provide one-on-one or small group reading and literacy tutoring to at least 100 preschool to Grade 3 students annually. By 2030, the project targets an increase in the American Indian high school graduation rate to 95% and an increase in the college and career ready American Indian student rate to 50%. 

Objective: The three interconnected goals for this project is to Increase academic achievement among early childhood and elementary students, build a strong and sustainable of professional learning among instructional staff, and expand student exposure to science, technology, engineering, art, and math learning across grade levels. 

Population Served:  Indian students enrolled at Little Wound School from early childhood education through high school, residing on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.  

Primary Activities: Primary activities for this project include delivering high-quality professional development to instructional staff, with a focus on early childhood education, responsive practices, and integration of science, technology, engineering, art, and math across the curriculum. Classrooms from early childhood through high school will be equipped with new academic resources to support hands-on, inquiry-based learning. The project will also expand after-school enrichment opportunities, including clubs and activities that extend academic learning beyond the regular school day. Additionally, the project will strengthen family engagement by providing training, home-based learning resources, and grounded support activities to connect families with their children’s academic growth. 

Outcomes: We expect to achieve measurable improvements in early academic achievement, increased participation of instructional staff in high-quality professional development, and expanded student engagement across science, technology, engineering, art, and math disciplines. By strengthening foundational skills during early childhood and elementary years, we aim to close academic gaps before they widen. By building a strong professional learning culture, we will improve the quality of instruction across grade levels and create leadership capacity within the school. By integrating responsive practices and expanding academic enrichment opportunities, we will promote student engagement, resilience, and long-term college and career readiness.

Objective: The Cheyenne & Arapaho (C&A) Tribes Native Youth Community Project (NYCP) grant titled Increasing Literacy and College and Career Readiness Opportunities to Support Success for Native Students goal is to strengthen Native student achievement by providing evidence-based out-of-school time and college/career readiness opportunities, empowering Native parent involvement and educational choice, and building tribal capacity to develop and support charter school academic infrastructure. 

Population Served:  K through Grade 3 Students   

Primary Activities: Improve children’s literacy skills by providing an evidence-based and culturally/linguistically relevant Summer Bridges Literacy Camps for 200 PreK-5 children per year; create a college/career readiness/internship program for 20 Native students each year interested in teaching that increases their understanding of the profession and provides real-world experience to increase the supply of Native educators; provide family engagement strategies to increase parents’ capacity to support their children’s literacy and empowers them to make educational choices to support their children’s success; and promote sustainability by providing professional development to prepare tribal staff to serve as authorizers and establish a Native charter school academic infrastructure. 

Outcomes: Will provide an evidenced-based and culturally relevant early childhood Summer Bridges Literacy Camp to improve kindergarten readiness and reading skills in early childhood, and provide college and career readiness opportunities for high school youth interested in a career in teaching with the hope that they ultimately pursue teaching and increase Native representation in the teaching force. 

Objective: The YK Delta CCR Program will adopt a comprehensive 360-degree approach to providing hands-on CCR learning opportunities for junior high and high school students, equipping them with the skills needed to be college and career-ready. Each year, support, resource strategies, and viable action plans will be developed in collaboration with stakeholders, including local education agencies (LEAs), postsecondary education partners, regional corporations, tribal councils, parents, community members, elders, and students. CCR activities will be available at each student’s respective school site, as well as intensive (3-30 days) CCR Sessions and “Taste of College” camps provided by KTAE. The result will be a seamless postsecondary and job readiness transition plan for students in the YK Delta region. 

Population Served:  635 Pre-K through Grade 12 Students 

Primary Activities: Activities include 1)Develop and implement a teacher-mentor program to enhance rural educators’ ability to support students in developing College & Career Readiness skills. 2) Design a framework for sustained community collaborations to promote College & Career Readiness skills in YK Delta students. 3) Provide access to Alaska EXCEL’s Foundational Sessions, Mini-Bridging Camps, and Summer XL Camp. 4) Increase CCR indicators and performance among YK Delta students in the Kashunamiut and Iditarod Area school districts. 

Outcomes: The YK Delta College & Career Readiness program will expose all 228 secondary students in the project area to multiple career options and engage them with different schooling experiences - from high-performing honors students to those at risk for drop-out because they have not had the right opportunities to become engaged. The goal is to ensure the Alaska Native students from Kashunamiut and Iditarod school districts have the opportunity to graduate from high school with the skills, knowledge, experience, and community support to successfully transition from high school to postsecondary training and/or employment. It fills a geographical need by providing resources, infrastructure, and learning opportunities not available in each community.

Objective: The Pathways Forward project will establish a centralized Youth Hub in Juneau that delivers year-round, culturally grounded academic, career, wellness, and family engagement programming. Core goals include increasing academic achievement, reducing chronic absenteeism, expanding college and career exposure, strengthening cultural identity and intergenerational relationships and building Tribal staff capacity. Program components include daily Academic Power Hour, dual credit Career and Technical Education intensives, and College 101 retreats, cultural wellness activities, Youth Council, and seasonal family engagement events.   

Population Served:  100-125 Grades 6-12

Primary Activities: Daily Academic Power Hour, Credit recovery support, and tutoring. College 101 workshops, FAFSA support, essay writing, job shadows, Indigenous department tours, and CTE intensives. Youth Council development, program planning roles, and Compass Gatherings. Monthly family dinners, Little Wayfinders workshops, literacy, and movie nights. NYO, Roots & Wings sessions, Youth & Elder Days, language workshops, and suicide prevention programming. Training in suicide prevention, trauma-informed care, mandatory reporting, and participation in NIEA/IEL/NJOM conferences; annual youth-focused training with mental health partners. 

Outcomes: Increased academic achievement and attendance- Stronger identity and peer connection- Youth complete college/career plans- Improved confidence in FAFSA, essays, and applications- Increased graduation and postsecondary enrollment, Indigenous youth workforce development, Stronger family-school-neighborhood connections. Build a sustainable, replicable Youth Hub model. 

Objective: The Coeur d'Alene Tribe aims to improve educational outcomes for Coeur d'Alene students by implementing the "Braiding Relationships to Improve Coeur d'Alene Student Success" project. This initiative focuses on enhancing academic achievement, cultural identity, and community engagement through a comprehensive, culturally responsive education program.

Population Served:  K-12 students from the Coeur d'Alene Tribe

Primary Activities: The project will include developing and implementing culturally relevant curricula, providing professional development for educators, and fostering strong partnerships between schools, families, and the community. Key activities involve integrating Coeur d'Alene language and culture into the classroom, supporting student wellness and mental health, and creating opportunities for experiential learning and community involvement. 

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include improved academic performance, increased cultural awareness and pride among students, enhanced teacher capacity to deliver culturally responsive instruction, and stronger community ties. The project aims to create a sustainable model for culturally integrated education that can be replicated in other tribal communities.

Objective: Project ACHIEVE aims to strengthen teaching effectiveness, improve student outcomes, and address systemic educational inequities in the Sitka School District. The initiative focuses on aligning curriculum, assessment, and instruction with the academic, social-emotional, and cultural needs of students, particularly those who are underserved.

Population Served:  K-12 students in the Sitka School District, including economically disadvantaged and Alaska Native students.

Primary Activities: The project will include providing 48 hours/year of structured professional learning for teachers, offering in-person support from instructional coaches and curriculum specialists, integrating culturally responsive pedagogy, and implementing trauma-informed practices. Additionally, the project will focus on college and career readiness through individualized support, goal-setting, and future planning for students.

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include improved academic performance, increased cultural awareness and pride among students, enhanced teacher capacity to deliver culturally responsive instruction, and stronger community ties. The project aims to create a sustainable model for culturally integrated education that can be replicated in other tribal communities.

Objective: The project aims to provide comprehensive support for K-12 students in the San Juan School District, focusing on social-emotional well-being, college and career readiness, and cultural integration. The initiative seeks to address systemic barriers and improve educational outcomes for Native American students.

Population Served: K-12 students in the San Juan School District, particularly those from the Navajo Nation and Ute Mountain Ute Tribe.

Primary Activities: The project includes the implementation of school-based mental health services, college preparation programs, work-based learning opportunities, and culturally supportive programs such as Peacemaking and UNITY leadership. Specific activities include providing mental health support through partnerships with the University of Utah, Utah Navajo Health Services, and San Juan Counseling; offering college preparation services, including ACT boot camps, FAFSA nights, and individualized support from College and Career Coaches; facilitating work-based learning experiences in collaboration with local businesses and organizations; and integrating cultural programs like Peacemaking and UNITY leadership to promote cultural pride and community engagement.

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include improved mental health and resilience among students, increased college and career readiness, higher graduation rates, and stronger cultural identity and community ties. The project aims to create a sustainable model for integrating mental health, academic support, and cultural education that can be replicated in other tribal communities.

Objective: The project aims to address the critical need for locally trained Alaska Native educators in rural Alaska by creating a culturally grounded, alternative pathway to certification. The initiative seeks to improve educational outcomes by integrating traditional knowledge, language, and cultural values into the training of educators.

Population Served: The program targets Alaska Native communities within the Arctic Slope, Northwest Arctic, and Southwest regions of Alaska, focusing on early childhood education.

Primary Activities: The project includes two Department of Labor-registered apprenticeship tracks: Tribal Educator I Paraprofessional Apprenticeship and Tribal Educator II Early Childhood Education Teacher Apprenticeship. The program employs a hybrid training model combining university coursework, traditional knowledge, and village-based on-the-job learning (OJL). In partnership with the University of Alaska Anchorage, participants will earn college credits while engaging in hands-on learning tailored to meet state standards and indigenous educational practices. Specific activities include providing culturally relevant instruction, fostering community leadership in education, and promoting cultural pride and community engagement.

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include the development of a sustainable workforce of Alaska Native educators, improved educational outcomes for children in the region, and stronger cultural identity and community ties. The program aims to create a replicable model for integrating cultural education and professional training in other tribal communities.

Objective: The project aims to prepare Navajo students for college and careers through a continuum of rigorous curricula, career exploration, skill building, and community partnerships. The initiative seeks to improve educational outcomes by integrating traditional knowledge, language, and cultural values into the training of educators.

Population Served: The program targets Navajo students at Navajo Preparatory School, focusing on high school education.

Primary Activities: The project includes the implementation of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program and Middle Years Program, career exploration activities, social-emotional learning (SEL) support, and community-based programming. Specific activities include providing culturally relevant instruction, fostering community leadership in education, and promoting cultural pride and community engagement. The program employs a hybrid training model combining university coursework, traditional knowledge, and village-based on-the-job learning (OJL). In partnership with local colleges and universities, participants will earn college credits while engaging in hands-on learning tailored to meet state standards and indigenous educational practices.

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include the development of a sustainable workforce of Navajo educators, improved educational outcomes for students, and stronger cultural identity and community ties. The program aims to create a replicable model for integrating cultural education and professional training in other tribal communities.

Objective: The project aims to expand and enhance the tutoring program piloted at Hooper Bay Charter School to accelerate academic growth, improve student engagement, and support long-term educational success for Alaska Native students. The initiative seeks to improve educational outcomes by integrating traditional knowledge, language, and cultural values into the tutoring sessions. 

Population Served: The program targets Alaska Native students in grades 4-9 at Hooper Bay Charter School and Hooper Bay School. 

Primary Activities: The project includes high-impact tutoring sessions during school hours, with a 2:1 student-tutor ratio. Each student will receive 2.5 hours of tutoring weekly. Tutors will provide weekly data on attendance and engagement, and monthly reports on academic progress. The program employs a hybrid training model combining traditional knowledge and modern educational practices. Specific activities include providing culturally relevant instruction, fostering community leadership in education, and promoting cultural pride and community engagement. 

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include gains in academic achievement in reading and math, increased student engagement, improved school attendance, higher high school graduation rates, and stronger student-tutor relationships. The program aims to create a replicable model for integrating cultural education and professional training in other tribal communities.

Objective: The INSPIRE Project aims to support Native American students from newborn to grade 12 in Kingfisher, Oklahoma, by addressing academic, social, and cultural barriers. The project focuses on early literacy, culturally relevant instructional practices, and career readiness to ensure students are prepared for high-skill careers and higher education.

Population Served: The program targets Native American students in Kingfisher Public Schools, including newborns to 3-year-olds at Little Stingers Daycare and Preschool, and students in grades PreK-12.

Primary Activities: The project includes professional development for educators on culturally responsive teaching, implementation of place-based and project-based learning, and creation of literacy-rich environments. Additional activities include academic tutoring, mentoring, substance abuse prevention programs, and social-emotional learning initiatives. The project also emphasizes family engagement through Academic Parent Teacher Team conferences and family literacy events.

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include improved academic growth in literacy, math, science, and Native history and culture knowledge by the end of grade 3, increased college enrollment and completion rates, higher enrollment in advanced high school courses, and a stronger sense of connection to the school community among Native students and families.

Objective: The Aleut Community of St. Paul Island Tribal Government aims to empower the youth of St. Paul Island with the academic, financial, and career skills needed to build an economically resilient future. This initiative focuses on place-based transcultural education, career exploration, and youth-led innovation to foster economic resilience and community well-being.

Population Served: K-12 students on St. Paul Island and St. George Island

Primary Activities: The project will offer a high-quality, place-based transcultural high school economics course, equip students with postsecondary readiness and financial literacy skills through dual enrollment with Iḷisaġvik College, invest in career exploration, workforce development, and youth-led innovation, host Career and Ambitions Fairs, provide individualized case management, and implement a K-12 incentive and engagement system to improve school climate and academic motivation.

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include improved academic performance, increased postsecondary readiness, enhanced career skills, and stronger community engagement. The project aims to create a replicable model for integrating economic education with cultural knowledge, contributing to broader research, policy, and practice in education and economic development.

Objective: The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma aims to empower Native American youth by enhancing STEM education with a specific focus on aerospace and aviation. The ELEVATE project seeks to create an environment where students are motivated and supported to pursue higher education and careers in STEM fields, particularly in aviation.

Population Served: K-12 students within the Choctaw Nation Reservation

Primary Activities: The project will implement a comprehensive STEM curriculum with an emphasis on aerospace and aviation, establish partnerships with NASA, local educational agencies, higher education institutions, and industry experts, provide mentorship from aviation professionals, host STEM Drone Awareness Days, organize field trips to NASA and other aviation-related sites, and conduct annual Aerospace Youth Summits. The project will also offer professional development for teachers, create advisory groups, and provide aviation learning materials and STEM kits.

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include increased interest and participation in STEM and aviation careers, improved academic performance, enhanced career readiness, and stronger community engagement. The project aims to develop a replicable model for integrating aviation education into STEM curricula, contributing to broader research, policy, and practice in education and workforce development.

Objective: The Lake and Peninsula School District, in partnership with regional organizations, aims to prepare Alaska Native youth for high-skill careers through the Rising Workforce project. This initiative focuses on creating career pathways, providing career guidance, and offering real-world workforce experiences to ensure students are ready for postsecondary education and employment.

Population Served: K-12 students within the Lake and Peninsula School District and partner districts

Primary Activities: The project will establish a Leadership Team to identify high-demand career pathways, hire and train Career Guides using the rootEd model, provide one-on-one career counseling, host FAFSA completion events, and facilitate internships and pre-apprenticeships with local businesses and organizations. The project will also support students' transitions to postsecondary education or employment through partnerships with the Bristol Bay Native Corporation and other regional entities.

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include increased student engagement and success in high school, improved postsecondary readiness, and a stronger connection between education and career opportunities. The project aims to build a sustainable local workforce pipeline in high-demand careers, contributing to the economic and social well-being of the Southwest Alaska region.

Objective: The Douglas Indian Association's project, "Your Future Is As Bright As the Stars: Kutxhayanaha Yaxh Kawdigan I Kusteeyi," aims to enhance career readiness, cultural identity, and educational engagement among Alaska Native youth in the Juneau and Douglas areas. The initiative focuses on three primary goals: increasing career readiness and life preparedness, strengthening cultural and language identity, and improving school engagement and educational outcomes.

Population Served: The project serves K-12 students within the Douglas Indian Association's region, with a specific focus on high school students and preschoolers. The target population includes students from the Áak’w and T’aakhú Khwáan territories.

Primary Activities: The project will implement annual Youth Careers Camps, paid internships, Language Summits, cultural learning events, and remote career readiness workshops. Activities will integrate cultural learning and Elder mentorship while supporting academic engagement, postsecondary preparation, and Tribal collaboration across local educational institutions.

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include improved career skills, increased FAFSA/scholarship submissions, strengthened Indigenous language learning, better school attendance and engagement, reduced absenteeism, and more youth reporting cultural connection and school relevance. The project aims to build a sustainable local workforce pipeline in high-demand careers, contributing to the economic and social well-being of the Juneau and Douglas regions.

Objective: The Chugachmiut project, Gwangkumcicestun Cutmen (The Way We Go Forward), aims to enhance career readiness, cultural identity, and educational engagement among Alaska Native youth in the Chugach region. This initiative focuses on three primary goals: increasing career readiness and life preparedness, strengthening cultural and language identity, and improving school engagement and educational outcomes.

Population Served: K-12 students within the Chugachmiut region, including the Native Village of Port Graham, Native Village of Nanwalek, Qutekcak Native Tribe, Valdez Native Tribe, Native Village of Chenega, Native Village of Tatitlek, and the Native Village of Eyak.

Primary Activities: The project will implement annual Youth Careers Camps, paid internships, Language Summits, cultural learning events, and remote career readiness workshops. Activities will integrate cultural learning and Elder mentorship while supporting academic engagement, postsecondary preparation, and Tribal collaboration across four school districts serving high-need youth in the Chugachmiut community.

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include improved career skills, increased FAFSA/scholarship submissions, strengthened Indigenous language learning, better school attendance and engagement, reduced absenteeism, and more youth reporting cultural connection and school relevance. The project aims to build a sustainable local workforce pipeline in high-demand careers, contributing to the economic and social well-being of the Chugach region.

Objective: The Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation's project, "Newe Pathways: A Culture-Based Approach to College and Career Readiness," aims to support high school retention, graduation, and postsecondary enrollment among tribal youth. The initiative focuses on three primary goals: supporting high school retention and graduation, increasing enrollment in postsecondary education, and enhancing knowledge of Shoshone culture

Population Served: The project serves high school students from the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation, a federally recognized tribe headquartered in Ogden, Utah. The target population includes 51 tribal youth in grades 9-12.

Primary Activities: The project will implement monthly College, Career, and Culture (CCC) workshops, quarterly educational and cultural field trips, and summer youth culture camps. Activities will integrate cultural education with academic and career readiness, providing hands-on learning experiences in traditional Shoshone skills and modern career opportunities.

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include improved high school retention and graduation rates, increased postsecondary enrollment, enhanced cultural knowledge and identity, and strengthened community engagement. The project aims to create a supportive educational environment that fosters academic success and cultural pride among Shoshone youth.

Objective: The American Indian Resource Center's project, "Partner for Academic & Career Enrichment (PACE)," aims to support academic growth, school readiness, and career preparation among Native youth in Cherokee County. The initiative focuses on three primary goals: increasing academic growth and school readiness for early learners, enhancing career preparation for older students, and fostering successful transitions from school to high-skill careers.

Population Served: The project serves PreK-12th grade students in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, with a significant focus on Native youth from the Cherokee Nation. The target population includes students from five local education agencies (LEAs) and additional partner schools.

Primary Activities: The project will implement early learning educational opportunities, career preparation activities, and community engagement initiatives. Activities include Psychomotor Domain of Learning for early childhood education, career inventories, job shadowing, mentorship programs, leadership institutes, and virtual learning experiences. The project will also provide academic enrichment, financial literacy education, and support for college and career readiness.

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include improved school readiness and academic performance, increased completion of career inventories, enhanced career skills and knowledge, and stronger community collaboration. The project aims to create a supportive educational environment that prepares Native youth for academic success and high-skill careers.

Objective: The Oklahoma State Department of Education's Native Youth Community Project aims to improve educational outcomes for Native American students in grades K-12 across four public school districts. The project focuses on increasing high school graduation rates, improving college enrollment and persistence, expanding enrollment in concurrent and Advanced Placement (AP) coursework, and increasing scholarship funding awarded to Native students.

Population Served: The project serves over 1,600 Native American students annually in Lawton, Mustang, Ponca City, and Stillwater Public Schools. The target population includes students from the Comanche Nation, Kiowa Tribe, and Otoe-Missouria Tribe.

Primary Activities: The project will implement a range of college and career readiness activities, including AP coursework, STEM course rigor, college campus visits, individualized academic planning, scholarship and FAFSA completion support, tutoring, and mentoring programs. Additional programming includes a summer Native Student Institute, an annual Statewide Native Student Leadership Summit, and structured college and career exploration opportunities. The project will also prioritize access to early learning opportunities through kindergarten and pre-kindergarten programs, family-based preschool programs, and early intervention services.

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include enhanced academic achievement and college readiness, increased access to early learning programs, and strengthened cultural identity and engagement through Native language and cultural programs. The project aims to create a supportive and culturally responsive educational environment that empowers Native American students to achieve their full potential.

Objective: The American Indian Science and Engineering Society's STEM Opportunities Advancing Readiness (SOAR) project aims to enhance school readiness and college readiness for Native American students in grades PreK-12 in Robeson County, North Carolina. The project focuses on improving STEM education through hands-on learning, research opportunities, and career exploration, particularly for students from the Lumbee Tribe, Coharie, and Haliwa-Saponi.

Population Served: The project serves 2,500 Native American students annually in the Public Schools of Robeson County. The target population includes students from the Lumbee Tribe, Coharie, and Haliwa-Saponi.

Primary Activities: The project will implement two tracks of STEM education. Track One supports PreK-Grade 4 students with hands-on STEM clubs integrated with early literacy and numeracy, featuring 20 traditionally centered lessons. Track Two engages Grades 5-12 students in original STEM research and participation in the National American Indian Science and Engineering Fair (NAISEF). Additional activities include Family STEM Nights, professional development for educators, and community partnerships to support curriculum development and student engagement.

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include improved STEM skills among early learners, increased student participation in STEM research and fairs, expanded career exposure, and strengthened cultural identity through community-relevant STEM education. The project aims to create a supportive and culturally responsive educational environment that empowers Native American students to achieve their full potential.

Objective: The Ciutmuarluni (Striving Forward) project aims to foster Yuuyaraq values and teachings to develop intrinsic motivation in students to graduate from high school, prepare them for post-high school pathways, and develop a career readiness curriculum for Calista Region schools. The project focuses on building self-esteem, cultural resilience, and perseverance among Alaska Native students.

Population Served: The project serves 125 rural Alaska Native students annually from 14 schools in the Calista Region, including students from the Yup'ik, Cup'ik, and Athabascan tribes.

Primary Activities: The project will implement a series of immersive experiences for students in grades 11 and 12, including cultural grounding, career readiness training, and urban living experiences. Students will participate in two immersion sessions in Anchorage, focusing on Yuuyaraq teachings, career exploration, and postsecondary preparation. The project will also develop a K-12 career readiness curriculum, to be introduced in the later years of the project.

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include increased high school graduation rates, improved understanding of postsecondary opportunities, enhanced cultural identity and resilience, and the development of a career readiness curriculum for use in Calista Region schools. The project aims to equip students with the skills and confidence needed to pursue higher education and careers, ultimately benefiting their communities.

Objective: The Building Generations project aims to improve college and career readiness, cultural identity, and environmental literacy among tribal youth. The project focuses on engaging youth in hands-on environmental restoration, cultural revitalization activities, intergenerational mentorship, and career-readiness training

Population Served: The project serves 40-60 Native youth annually, ages 11-18, from the Enterprise Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California.

Primary Activities: The project will implement a series of workshops, internships, field trips, and digital storytelling projects. Activities include traditional plant use, language learning, elder mentorship, career readiness training, and environmental monitoring. Youth will gain workforce experience in natural resources, public speaking skills through storytelling, and community pride through intergenerational learning.

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include improved educational outcomes, strengthened cultural identity, increased environmental stewardship, and enhanced college and career readiness. The project aims to create a supportive and culturally responsive educational environment that empowers Native American youth to achieve their full potential.

Objective: The Growing Healthcare and STEM Workforce in Alaska project aims to increase Alaska Native and American Indian students' involvement in STEM careers and post-secondary education through participation in a STEM learning environment. The project focuses on launching industry-aligned pathways, expanding student access and engagement, and strengthening work-based learning opportunities.

Population Served: The project serves 120 Alaska Native and American Indian students annually from 7th to 12th grade in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, Alaska.

Primary Activities: The project will implement a series of dual-enrollment and early technician pathway programs in fitness, healthcare, and technology. Activities include stackable credential programs, structured internships, and apprenticeships with local industry partners. Students will engage in hands-on STEM classes, healthcare training, and work-based learning experiences.

Outcomes: Expected outcomes include increased interest in STEM classes and careers, improved educational outcomes, and enhanced workforce readiness. The project aims to equip students with the skills and credentials needed for successful careers in healthcare and STEM fields, ultimately contributing to a more diverse and skilled workforce in Alaska.