Bill > HB1479

This bill establishes a state matching grant program designed to support American Indian and Alaska Native students in Washington state's educational system. The bill aims to complement the federal Indian education formula grant by providing additional state funding to school districts and state-tribal education compact schools that received federal funding in the prior school year. To receive the grant, eligible schools must submit a strategic plan detailing specific goals, measures, and outcomes for supporting American Indian and Alaska Native students, and must engage in tribal and parental consultation. The grant funds can be used to support various objectives, including increasing cultural identity awareness, promoting family engagement, improving academic achievement, enhancing school attendance, and increasing student and staff engagement. The legislation recognizes the historical challenges faced by American Indian and Alaska Native students, such as misidentification and cultural erasure, and seeks to address these inequities by providing resources that honor tribal heritage, language, and traditions. The bill requires the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to provide technical assistance for federal grant applications and to submit an annual report to the legislature detailing grant recipients, uses, activities, and outcomes, with the ultimate goal of supporting the educational success and cultural preservation of American Indian and Alaska Native students.