This week, we released a new Details from the Dashboard report, which shows that public charter schools are growing on Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) lands across the country. Some key findings from the report include:
Between 2005 and 2010, the number of public charter schools on reservations increased from 19 to 31, accounting for 15 percent of all public schools on reservations.
Public charter schools are on reservations located in Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming.
Most Native American charter schools – 61 percent – are on reservations geographically located in Arizona and California.
The report also looks into how public charter schools are providing options for Native Americans to open and expand their own schools on their own lands given a Congressional moratorium on new educational programs funded by the BIA, and state or tribal agencies that have approved charter school applications. The growth in charter schools and student enrollment on Native American reservations shows that charter schools are increasingly providing Native communities with a viable schooling option to meet their educational needs. Nora Kern is senior manager for research & analysis at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. Learn more: Public Charter Schools on Bureau of Indian Affairs Land [Report] Public Charter Schools on Bureau of Indian Affairs Land [Map] Public Charter Schools Growing on Native American Reservations [Press Release]
