Strengthening Systems of Care and Learning with Native Communities from Birth to Career

Tribal College and University Early Childhood Education Initiatives: Strengthening Systems of Care and Learning with Native Communities from Birth to Career Contents About the American Indian College Fund Letter From the American Indian College Fund President 1 The American Indian College Fund (College Fund) is a national and premier fundrais- ing organization established in 1989 by tribal college and university (TCU) presidents. Executive Summary 2 The mission of the College Fund is to support TCUs in reaching optimal funding levels so that TCUs can increase access to college, and foster student success. Since 2011, Introduction 4 the College Fund increased early learning opportunities and supported the creation of systems of care and learning in seven Native communities, across seven states. Context & Framework 8 American Indian College Fund Tribal College and University Early Childhood Initiatives The Role of TCUs in Addressing Early Childhood Education 10 The American Indian College Fund (College Fund), in collaboration with Tribal Colleges and Universities, engages in early childhood education (ECE) initiatives that draw upon Tribal College and child development knowledge from within Native communities melded with the best University Early Childhood practices identified in the field of early childhood education. Education Initiative 14 TCU ECE Initiative Theory Wakanyeja “Sacred Little Ones” – of Change 16 Tribal College Readiness and Success by Third Grade Initiative Strategic Cycles of Educational Transformation: Systems Development 18 Ké’ Early Childhood Initiative: Five Domains 22 Strengthening Systems of Shared Responsibility among Native Families, Impact of the TCU Early Schools, and Communities Childhood Education Initiative 38 Call to Action: Enacting Possibility 42 Cultivating Lakota Early Childhood Testimonies 45 Learning Opportunities Selected TCU ECE Publications and Presentations 46 Restorative Teachings: Acknowledgements 48 A Tribal college and university collaborative to strengthen systems of care and learning with Native families and children Letter From the American Indian College Fund President and nurture our young ones so they can carry out the dreams of our ancestors to build future productive and prosperous societies. Just as the mission of tribal colleges and universities focuses on indigenous identity and sense of place, so, too, is the focus of early childhood education. Our work proves that this focus reaps benefits— children thrive, families are empowered, and communities are engaged in institutional development and progress. As a lifelong educator, I have often witnessed the frustrations of parents and family members who want nothing more than a loving, welcoming educational experience for their babies, toddlers, and young children. They want the environments that their children are part of to be places where their values and expectations are honored and upheld. Our work with early childhood education, educators, tribal colleges, and partners provides those environments. We are happy about that. There are many exciting strategies shared in this report. As you read this report we hope you will find our sharing to be useful to Greetings, your understanding of the transformative impact of investing in early childhood education and the vital role that tribal college and Family, Culture, Institution and Community – these are the four universities play. We also hope that you will consider how you can pillars that hold up the American Indian College Fund’s Early support this work, through advocacy, outreach, training, marketing, Childhood Education (ECE) initiatives. As you will see in the stories and funding. You can help us expand the reach of what we have and information provided in this report, the College Fund is honored learned, so more children and their families will have amazing to support the knowledge and experiences of our tribal colleges experiences that increase their success and quality of life. and the citizens of the tribes they serve. We support them as they With best regards and heartfelt thanks for your support of Native build on their own family systems and cultural expertise to create education, more dynamic and meaningful institutional experiences to create healthier families and communities. You will see that our work with children and their families is rooted in the strength of those families—the strength that emerges from Cheryl Crazy Bull their shared desire for healthy and happy children. This shared desire President and Chief Executive Officer is the foundation of the commitment exhibited by all of the partners in the College Fund’s ECE initiatives from the children themselves, to teachers and ECE staff, to tribal colleges and universities, to parents and extended family members, to tribal partners, to schools and other local partners, to funders. Elders and cultural experts eagerly joined us because they know that our children are not only the expression of our deepest hope, but they are also our future leaders. We educate 1 Executive Summary In 2011, the American Indian College Fund (College Fund) began The Wakanyeja “Sacred Little Ones” Early Childhood Education (ECE) the work of ensuring all Native children reach their greatest Initiative was a five-year, five million dollar initiative funded by the potential by launching the Wakanyeja “Sacred Little Ones” Tribal W.K. Kellogg Foundation. In addition to Wakanyeja “Sacred Little College School Readiness and Success by Third Grade Initiative, Ones,” the College Fund has, since 2011, implemented three Native placing powerful resources in the hands of tribal college early early childhood initiatives: Ké’ Family Engagement, Cultivating childhood teacher education programs (and faculty), tribal college Lakota Early Learning Opportunities, and Restorative Teachings. The and university (TCU) early learning centers (and partners), teachers, College Fund has leveraged the success of these ECE initiatives, families, and children. awarding funding opportunities in the total amount of $7.25 2 million dollars across seven TCUs: College of Menominee Nation in the community’s language, culture, heritage, traditions, and (Keshena, WI); Iḷisaġvik College (Utqiaġvik, Alaska); Keweenaw modes of communication and inquiry. These initiatives incorporate Bay Ojibwa Community College (Baraga, MI); Northwest Indian purposes and processes that are focused on the achievement of College (Bellingham, WA); Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute both immediate, short-term, demonstrable goals, and long-term, (Albuquerque, NM); Salish Kootenai College (Pablo, MT); and Sitting sustainable, ongoing outcomes. Bull College (Fort Yates, ND). These four initiatives at seven TCUs Two primary systems guide the College Fund programs in early have, to this point, directly impacted 3,975 children, 2,398 families, childhood education, as they grow from projects to an initiative to and 1,185 teachers. And the numbers continue to grow, through a movement across Native communities, informed by a powerful both direct service and the impact that these children, families, and and driving Theory of Change. One system, Strategic Cycles of teachers have on students and communities. Educational Transformation, guides the process through which these This report is a visionary reflective document of the first six years communities engage in transforming early childhood education. of a movement to transform early childhood education in Native The second system, The Five Domains, comprised of five critical communities, starting with TCUs as the incubators of the work and areas in early childhood education, guides the work that these the beacons of change. The story of the College Fund’s work on ECE communities do. is the story of a project, that grew to become an initiative (multiple These projects have been successful because they have built systems projects), that has now become a movement, in which this work of care and learning in their communities, founded on structures that has expanded to draw interest from communities outside of TCUs, are sustainable. They have grown partnerships with local and external including nationally and internationally. The purpose of this report organizations, including Head Start, local schools, foundations, and is to focus on the process, the ways in which building systems professional organizations. They continue to engage parents and and structures in Native communities provides a foundation for families, utilize the knowledge and experience of community elders, successful and sustainable ECE programs. pursue excellence in the five domains starting from their individual This is a unique report on a unique initiative. The work is centered points of entry into the work, develop curriculum and cultural on building systems — fully integrated systems of care and learning activities with parents and families, document their work, learn in Native communities. The American Indian College Fund, in from what they have done, share their work and learnings publicly, collaboration with TCUs, engages in early childhood education collaborate across communities and institutions, and continue to initiatives that draw upon child development knowledge from within improve on their work while overcoming the challenges inherent in Native communities, melded with the best practices identified in the the pursuit of educational transformation. field of early childhood education. The movement is growing. There are always more Native children to The College

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