True Revolution of Elders, Ancestors, Treaties and Youth,
Total Immersion Education School
TREATY TIES
Strategic Plan Framework
Author’s Note: While This Strategic Plan Framework is
relatively mature, it is not complete. Furthermore, as other
healthy organizations do, we plan to republish this plan with
revisions on a quarterly basis.
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Outline
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Themes of Total Immersion Education (Slide 3)
The Lakotah TREATY TIES Vision (Slide 4)
Understanding the Current Status of the Lakotah Pine Ridge Reservation (5-15)
Roadmap To Achieve the Lakotah Vision (16)
Results of Total Immersion Education
Timeline of Maori Immersion Education Program
Timeline of other Indigenous Peoples Immersion Education Programs
Applying Lessons Learned: How the Lakotah Program is Different
Total Immersion Program Operational Concept Framework
Risks and Mitigation Strategies
Momentum Building
Budgetary Items
Next Steps
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Total Immersion Education Themes
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Academic, Linguistic, and Cultural Education Program for ages 3 to 18
Embraces and teaches traditional Indigenous culture and language
Teaches how to prosper and partner with non-Indigenous cultures and languages
Enables students to be fluently bilingual, which improves analytical and world view
skills
Restores sense of community, spirit, and sense of pride to Indigenous people, which
has numerous proven socioeconomic benefits to State, Federal, and Reservation
entities
Students meet and exceed national standardized academic test scores
Similar models have been used in Ireland, Spain, Hawaii, and most successfully in
New Zealand
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Vision
It is our vision that a Total Immersion Education Program for the Lakotah will teach our
youth to embrace our near extinct language and the old ways of our ancestors, which
will instill a sense of pride and renewed sense of determination to be successful. The
TREATY TIES Program will also teach them how to translate those traditional skills that
have helped us persevere through so many periods of hardships over the centuries
into skills which foster stronger individuals, a stronger sense of community, a
partnership with non-Indigenous people to continue to strengthen our local economy,
and an embracement of modern ways, without giving up sovereignty or tradition.
Furthermore, it is our vision that as the community strengthens from the positive
results of the Total Immersion Education Program that the negative healthcare and
socioeconomic statistics that plague the Lakotah community will begin to be reversed.
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Current State of Pine Ridge Reservation
Education Issues
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School grades 1st – 12th, drop-out rate is over 70%.
52.6% of high school students perform 2.6 grades below the national average
According to a Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) report, the Pine Ridge Reservation schools are in
the bottom 10% of school funding by U.S. Department of Education and the Bureau of Indian
Affairs.
Teacher turnover is 800% that of the U.S. national average
Student attendance is problematic, as the culture currently promotes the students helping
provide care for the remainder of the family. This means that if a mother has to pick up
government assistance check, or complete paperwork, that the older children stay home to
provide care for the younger, or help take care of elderly, etc.
The Oglala Lakotah College, which enrolled approximately 1500 students this year, confirmed
that the students have a high probability of completing their degrees, based on past
performance, provided they complete them within the reservation education system;
however, the college also confirmed that if the students choose to further their education off
the reservation, there is a 90% failure rate
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Current Status of Pine Ridge
Employment
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Recent reports vary but many point out that the median income on the Pine Ridge
Reservation is approximately $2,600 to $3,500 per year.
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The unemployment rate on Pine Ridge is said to be approximately 83-85% and can be
higher during the winter months when travel is difficult or often impossible.
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According to 2006 resources, about 97% of the population lives below Federal poverty
levels.
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There is little industry, technology, or commercial infrastructure on the Reservation to
provide employment.
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Rapid City, South Dakota is the nearest town of size (population approximately 57,700) for
those who can travel to find work. It is located 120 miles from the Reservation. The
nearest large city to Pine Ridge is Denver, Colorado located some 350 miles away.
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Current Status of Pine Ridge Reservation
Life Expectancy and Health Conditions
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Some figures state that the life expectancy on the Reservation is 43.9 years old for men and 52 for
women. These statistics are far from the 77.5 years of age life expectancy average found in the United
States as a whole. According to current United Nations and USDA Rural Development documents, the
Lakota have the lowest life expectancy of any group in America. And the lowest life expectancy of any
group in the world when AIDS statistics are extrapolated. When AIDS statistics are included, only 8
countries, all in Africa, have lower life expectancies.
Teenage suicide rate on the Pine Ridge Reservation is 150% higher than the U.S. national average for this
age group.
The infant mortality rate is the highest on this continent and is about 300% higher than the U.S. national
average.
More than 90% of the Reservation's families battle addiction and disease. Alcoholism, diabetes, heart
disease, cancer, and malnutrition are pervasive.
The rate of diabetes on the Reservation is reported to be 800% higher than the U.S. national average.
Recent reports indicate that almost 50% of the adults on the Reservation over the age of 40 have
diabetes.
As a result of the high rate of diabetes on the Reservation, diabetic-related blindness, heart attacks, high
blood pressure, amputations, and kidney failure are common.
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Current Status of Pine Ridge Reservation
Health Care
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The tuberculosis rate on the Pine Ridge Reservation is approximately 800% higher than the U.S.
national average.
Cervical cancer is 500% higher than the U.S. national average.
It is reported that at least 60% of the homes on the Pine Ridge Reservation are infested with Black
Mold, Stachybotrys. This infestation causes an often-fatal condition with infants, children, elderly,
those with damaged immune systems, and those with lung and pulmonary conditions at the
highest risk. Exposure to this mold can cause hemorrhaging of the lungs and brain, as well as
cancer.
A Federal Commodity Food Program is active but supplies mostly inappropriate foods (high in
carbohydrate and/or sugar) for the largely diabetic population of the Reservation.
A small non-profit Food Co-op is in operation on the Reservation but is available only for those
with funds to participate.
Many Reservation residents live without health care due to vast travel distances involved in
accessing that care. Additional factors include under-funded, under-staffed medical facilities and
outdated or non-existent medical equipment.
Preventive healthcare programs are rare.
The IHS is understaffed and ill-equipped and can’t possibly address the needs of Indian
communities. Nowhere is this more apparent than on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
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Current Status of Pine Ridge Reservation
Transportation
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There is little public transportation available on the Reservation, which is woefully
underfunded and inadequate.
Only a minority of Reservation residents own an operable automobile.
Predominant form of travel for all ages on the Reservation is walking or
hitchhiking.
There is one very small airport on the Reservation servicing both the Pine Ridge
Reservation and Shannon County. It's longest, paved runway extends 4,969
feet. There are no commercial flights available. The majority of flights using the
airport are Federal, State, or County Government-related.
The nearest commercial airport and/or commercial bus line is located in Rapid City,
South Dakota (approximately 120 miles away).
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Current Status of Pine Ridge Reservation
Housing Conditions
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The small BIA/Tribal Housing Authority homes on the Pine Ridge Reservation are
overcrowded and scarce, resulting in many homeless families who often use tents or cars for
shelter. Many families live in old cabins or dilapidated mobile homes and trailers.
According to a 2003 report from South Dakota State University, the majority of the current
Tribal Housing Authority homes were built from 1970-1979. The report brings to light that a
great percentage of that original construction by the BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) was
“shoddy and substandard.” The report also states that 26% of the housing units on the
Reservation are mobile homes, often purchased or obtained (through donations) as used,
low-value units with negative-value equity.
Even though there is a large homeless population on the Reservation, most families never
turn away a relative no matter how distant the blood relation. Consequently, many homes
often have large numbers of people living in them.
In a recent case study, the Tribal Council estimated a need for at least 4,000 new homes in
order to combat the homeless situation.
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Current Status of Pine Ridge Reservation
Housing Conditions
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There is an estimated average of 17 people living in each family home (a home which may
only have two to three rooms). Some larger homes, built for 6 to 8 people, have up to 30
people living in them.
Over-all, 59% of the Reservation homes are substandard.
Over 33% of the Reservation homes lack basic water and sewage systems as well as
electricity.
Many residents must carry (often contaminated) water from the local rivers daily for their
personal needs.
Some Reservation families are forced to sleep on dirt floors.
Without basic insulation or central heating in their homes, many residents on the Pine Ridge
Reservation use their ovens to heat their homes.
Many Reservation homes lack adequate insulation. Even more homes lack central heating.
Periodically, Reservation residents are found dead from hypothermia (freezing).
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Current Status of Pine Ridge Reservation
Housing Conditions
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It is reported that at least 60% of the homes on the Pine Ridge Reservation have infestation
of the potentially-fatal Black Mold, Stachybotrys. There is no insurance or government
program to assist families in replacing their homes.
39% of the homes on the Pine Ridge Reservation have no electricity.
The most common form of heating fuel is propane. Wood-burning is the second most
common form of heating a home although wood supplies are often expensive or difficult to
obtain.
Many Reservation homes lack basic furniture and appliances such as beds, refrigerators, and
stoves.
60% of Reservation families have no land-line telephone. The Tribe has recently issued basic
cell phones to the residents. However, these cell phones (commonly called commodity
phones) do not operate off the Reservation at all and are often inoperable in the rural areas
on the Reservation or during storms or wind.
Computers and internet connections are very rare.
Federal and tribal heat assistance programs (such as LLEAP) are limited by their funding. In
the winter of 2005-2006, the average one-time only payment to a family was said to be
approximately $250-$300 to cover the entire winter. For many, that amount did not even fill
their propane heating tanks one time.
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Current Status of Pine Ridge Reservation
Alcoholism
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Alcoholism affects nine out of ten families on the Reservation.
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The death rate from alcohol-related problems on the Reservation is 300% higher
than the remaining US population.
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The Oglala Lakota Nation has prohibited the sale and possession of alcohol on the
Pine Ridge Reservation since the early 1970's. However, the town of Whiteclay,
Nebraska (which sits 400 yards off the Reservation border in a contested "buffer"
zone) has approximately 14 residents and four liquor stores which sell over 4.1
million cans of beer each year resulting in a $3million annual trade. Unlike other
Nebraska communities, Whiteclay exists only to sell liquor and make money. It has
no schools, no churches, no civic organizations, no parks, no benches, no public
bathrooms, no fire service and no law enforcement. Tribal officials have
repeatedly pleaded with the State of Nebraska to close these liquor stores or
enforce the State laws regulating liquor stores but have been consistently refused.
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Current Status of Pine Ridge Reservation
Water and Aquifer Contamination
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Many wells and much of the water and land on the Reservation is contaminated
with pesticides, uranium, arsenic, and other poisons from farming, mining, open
dumps, and commercial and governmental mining operations outside the
Reservation. A further source of contamination is buried ordnance and hazardous
materials from closed U.S. military bombing ranges on the Reservation.
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Scientific studies show that the High Plains/Oglala Aquifer which begins
underneath the Pine Ridge Reservation is predicted to run dry in less than 30 years
due to commercial interest use and dry-land farming in numerous states south of
the Reservation. This critical North American underground water resource is not
renewable at anything near the present consumption rate. The recent years of
drought have simply accelerated the problem.
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Scientific studies show that much of the High Plains/Oglala Aquifer has been
contaminated with farming pesticides and commercial, factory, mining, and
industrial contaminants in the States of South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas,
Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
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Current Status of Pine Ridge Reservation
Oral Health and Hygiene
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Less than 50% of population has access to water fluoridation
Lowest oral hygiene scores with lowest frequency of daily tooth brushing &
flossing
Highest tobacco use ~ 62% of adult population
Children: 60% have active, untreated tooth decay – less than 50% have seen a
dentist
Ages 35 – 44: 50% have moderate to severe periodontal disease
World highest incidence of ECC (Early Childhood Caries/Cavites) ~ 80%
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Immersion Education Roadmap
Current State of
Lakotah Tribe
Startup & Transition
(0-1 Year)
School Operating with
Maximum Attendance
Students Begin to
Graduate and Apply
Skills to Tribe
(2 - 5 Years)
(6 -12 Years)
 Feeling of Acceptance of
current situation
 Massive graft and
Corruption in Tribal
Government
 Feeling of Oppression
 Loss of Traditional
Spiritual ways, Cultural
ways, and Language
 Loss of sense of
community
 Negative Healthcare
statistics
 Negative housing
statistics
 Negative Political
Environment
 General economic Issues
 Alcohol and Drug
Addiction Issues
 Rampant Spouse and
Child Abuse Issues
 Sanitation & Waste
Management
Infrastructure Issues
 Public Transportation
Issues
 Grocery/Food
Accessibility Issues
 Individual and Tribal
Poverty Issues
 Vision communicated and
bought-in to by, locals, tribal
government, state, and
federal government
 Support gained from local
individuals and groups,
national educators and
professors, congressional
representatives, international
indigenous leaders, local
indigenous leaders, state
and federal administrators
 Private Funding Secured for
Startup
 Private funding secured for
long-term operations
 School staff (cooks,
teachers, facilities staff, bus
drivers, administration, etc.)
secured
 Management team identified
 Initial Teachers and backups Identified
 Facilities established
 First set of 20 students
identified
 School transportation and
maintenance secured
 Academic standards and
objectives set
 Initial set of curriculum
completed
 Total Immersion Education
Begins
Vision Partially
Realized
 Second, third, and fourth
sets of 20 students
enrolled in original school
 Students’ families
become involved
 Initial reporting provided
to state and federal
government on progress
 Parents and Community
involved in education
 Fulfilling west African
wisdom of village to raise
a child
 People start to care, the
pride comes back
 Academic Standards
tested and results
presented to Feds
 Shifts in governance due
to parent involvement
 Community develops
greater sense of
responsibility
 After 5 years, of proof of
concept, second set of
schools are opened
 Non-Indigenous Children
begin to enroll
 Other initial schools mature
through start-up challenges
 Local interest groups
similar to (but a unique
Indigenous version) 4H,
FFA, Optimist Club, Key
Club, Girl Scouts, Boy
Scouts, etc. are born
 Healthier diets, which put a
demand on grocery and
convenience stores
 Cleaner environment and
sanitation infrastructure
matures
 Less alcoholism, less
abuse of all types, due to
community involvement
and integration
 Overall negative stats
begin to diminish
 By 10 years, is a proven
success with positive
trends , both academically
and socially, beginning to
be measured
 Students will be further
ahead scholastically ;
within the top 15% within
first 10-15 years of
program operations
Continuous
Improvement
(12 – 20 Years)
Vision Fully
Realized
 Cycle of Oppression Broken
 100% of Pine Ridge Fluent in
Lakotah Language
 Sense of community restored
 New “self sufficiency” model
fully implemented
 Health Statistics Better than
US National Averages
 Housing Statistics Better than
US National Averages
 Self-sufficiency with lower
dependence on federal
assistance than other parts of
country
 Local Economy better than US
national averages
 Drug Addiction Issues better
than US national averages
 Spouse and Child Abuse
Issues better than US national
averages
 Sanitation & Waste
Management Infrastructure
Issues resolved
 Public Transportation Issues
resolved
 Grocery/Food Accessibility
Issues resolved
 Individual and Tribal Poverty
Issues resolved
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Specific Proven Benefits of Total Immersion Education Programs
• Students gain proficiency in two languages, resulting in increased analytical skills
• Scotland – Students in Gaelic Indigenous Immersion Education Programs score at
same levels as Scottish children in non-Immersion programs
• Ireland – Students in Irish Indigenous Immersion Education Programs score at much
higher level on Irish-written tests and same level at English-written standardized
tests, when compared with group of English-only students in Ireland, matched on
socioeconomic status and IQ.
• Welsh Immersion Education students scored higher in creative areas on
standardized tests, than did their English-only counterparts (and scored same levels
in other areas)
• Navajo bilingual students from grades 2nd – 6th, did better on standardized tests in
arithmetic and reading, than did Navajo students at comparable schools who
received English-only education
• The model results in the Indigenous People of each country that have embraced it,
taking responsibility for the consequences of their own decisions
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Specific Proven Benefits of Total Immersion Education Programs
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31% Fewer childhood misbehavior/disciplinary issues in school
Parent involvement was statistically high in the Immersion Education Programs
Children in Total Immersion Education were reported to be reading two years above
their chronological reading age, and well above their monolingual peers
Absenteeism decreased significantly in Total Immersion Education programs compared
to standard indigenous schools
Teachers and students noted an increased rise in student’s self confidence
Teachers and students noted an increased rise in support and partnership that students
offered one another
School counselors found a striking increase in the number of children in high school
inquiring about and pursuing higher education
The federal oversight committee for the Maori Total Immersion Education program
reports positive rapport and good relationships between students and teachers, high
student motivation to achieve, and good attendance patterns, and that students
achieved English reading standards at least appropriate to their age
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- Maori enrollment in University grew from 416 to 2634
- Maori university students majoring in Maori Education
grew from 87 to 572
1998 - First students graduated 12th grade that started in 1985
Maori Immersion
Education Model Timeline
Early 1980’s
First Maori
Immersion preschools were
established
1985
First Maori Total
Immersion
Grade School
(1st – 12th)
established with
students
1988 - Governmental Educational Review Office
Established, with first review occurring in 1990
1988
1994
1998
1993 - Immersion Education Program Strategic Plan Developed
1993 - Maori Community Immersion Education Integration Model
Implemented (providing positive results for family members of students) –
Similar to U.S. Parent Teacher Association but much stronger/more tightly
integrated
1994 - New Zealand Government recognized 28 grade
schools (1st-12th) as Maori Total Immersion Schools
1994 - Over 13,000 children enrolled in 819 Maori Immersion pre-schools
(13,000 of approximately 72,000 Maori preschool age children)
1995 – Over 2,500 students enrolled in grade school (1st – 12th) Maori
Immersion Education Programs (2,500 of approximately 175,000 grade
school age Maori children)
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Other Indigenous Immersion
Education Programs Timeline
1975
Welsh Indigenous
People’s Immersion
Education Program
Receives
Government
Funding
1976
Spain’s Indigenous
People’s Immersion
Education Program
in the Basque
Region Receives
Government
Funding
1984
Hawaii began its
first pre-school age
indigenous peoples
immersion
education program
Recent Years
- Ireland’s Indigenous People’s
Immersion Education Program
continues to grow with over
185 students in their pre-school
immersion program
- Though a sound vision and
plan exists, the North American
Indigenous Total Immersion
Education Program remains in
infancy due to funding issues
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Applying Lessons Learned from Other Total Immersion
Education Models
• Significant increase in learning theory that involves hands on application
• Significant increase in curriculum that provides opportunity to exercise
“what if” scenarios
• Learning in council circle-oriented facilities (large Tipis)
• Leveraging green energy (wind, biodiesel, solar, etc.)
• Development of a program strategic and business plan, much earlier in the
program
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Major Milestones for Implementation of the Lakotah Total
Immersion Education Model
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Finalization of strategic plan
Finalization of operations model
Securing start-up and long-term funding
Securing services of start-up staff
Completing build-out of facility
Purchasing buses, snow plow, tractor
Completing curriculum framework
Communications Plan is initiated
Securing services of operations staff
Opening of School for 2010/2011 school year with first
two waves of 20
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10 Year Growth Model
Year
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Teachers
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6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
Students
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
220
Grades
Added
3&4 K
Yrs
old
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
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TREATY TIES Start-up Activities Timeline
Sample Start-up Activities
- Facility Build-out complete
- Green energy build-out complete
- Initial staffing on-boarding for curriculum development
- Planning phase transitions to annual planning cycle
- Operational fund raising initiatives complete
- Local communications plan executed
- Etc.
8/15/09
- Strategic Planning
and Concept of
Operations Completed
-Initial Start-up
Funding Secured
12/30/09
-Remaining Start-up Funding
Secured
-Some long-term operations
funding secured
-Initial staff hired for
curriculum development
-Momentum building
communications are in the full
phase of execution
3/30/09
-Final staff on-board
to begin final stages of
start-up and prepare
for transition to steady
operations
- Final phase of
facilities build out
starts
6/30/10
- Start-up
activities
complete
- Operational
Funding
Secured
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Activities to be Managed for Start-up
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Development of Operations Model
Curriculum Development
Instructor’s and Administration’s Education on Total Immersion Education
Hiring of Staff
Development and Execution of Communications Plan
Purchasing of Busses, Tractor, Snow Plow
School Build-out/Construction
Green Energy Build-out/Construction (Wind, Solar, Well)
Securing Long-term Operations Funding via Grant Writing
Meetings with Representatives, Senators, and Grant Provider Foundations
Budget Management
Status Reporting to Stakeholders on Planned verses Actual Schedule and Budget
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TREATY TIES 2 Year Timeline
Sample Start-up Activities
- Facility Build-out complete
- Green energy build-out complete
- Initial staffing on-boarding for curriculum development
- Planning phase transitions to annual planning cycle
- Operational fund raising initiatives complete
- Local communications plan executed
- Etc.
8/15/09
6/30/10
8/1/10
Start-up
Funding
Secured
- Start-up
activities
complete
- Operational
Funding
Secured
Faculty and
Staff in place
to support
first three
waves of 20
students
First Year of School
- Day to day operations – Students
Motivated about Learning
- 1st Standardized test administered
- Budgetary and progress reporting
provided to DOED, state and
congressional bodies
- Etc.
8/20/10
School opens
with first three
waves of 20
(3, 4, & 5 year
olds)
8/20/11
Students
promoted to
next levels and
Next wave of
20 begins
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Communications and Momentum Building Highlights
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Local One-on-Ones at Pine Ridge
Local Tribal Open Meetings at Pine Ridge (formal and informal)
One-on-Ones with Lakotah Leaders outside of Pine Ridge
Meetings with multiple Lakotah Leaders, mixing in Pine Ridge Leadership
One-on-Ones with other Indigenous Peoples Leadership within U.S.
Meetings with multiple Indigenous Peoples Leaders within U.S.
Meetings with international Leaders
One-on-ones with local U.S. Representatives and Senators
One-on-ones with governor’s office from SD and other states where large
Reservations exist
Meetings with Foundations to request funding
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Communications Schedule (to be completed with dates)
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Complete Vision:
Complete Plan:
Schedule Local Meetings by:
Conduct Local Meetings by:
Schedule Sioux Nation Meetings by:
Conduct Sioux Nation Meetings by:
Schedule U.S. Indigenous Peoples Meetings:
Conduct Indigenous Peoples Meetings by:
Schedule International Meetings by:
Conduct International Meetings by:
Schedule meetings with South Dakota Representatives/Senators/Governor’s Office by:
Conduct meetings with South Dakota Representatives/Senators/Governor’s Office by:
Schedule meetings with foundations by:
Conduct meetings with foundations by:
Add lines that account for writing individual members of local, state, and federal
government to gain momentum
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Primary Budgetary Considerations
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Start-up
Long-term Operations
Staff
Curriculum Production
School Facilities
Utilities (green – wind/well)
Communications and Outreach
Annual Growth
Transportation (Bus)
Snow Plow
Official School Car
Tractor
Maintenance facilities (barn and shed)
Number of children
Travel expenses
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High-level 10 Year Budget (7/1/09 – 6/30/10)
TREATY TIES 10 Year Budget
Major Budget Items
Costs
Salaries
$10,220,247.00
Vehicles
$829,000.00
Facilities
$2,365,000.00
Communications and
Marketing
$2,725,000.00
Technical Infrastructure
$411,500.00
Training and Travel Expenses
$688,000.00
10 Year Total
$17,238,747.00
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High-level Start-up Budget
Budget Area
Year 2009
Salaries
$591,615
Vehicles
$488,000
Facilities
$1,075,000
Communications and
Marketing
Technical Infrastructure
Training and Travel Expenses
Start-up Total
$292,000
$86,700
$116,000
$2,649,315
Annual Totals
Budget Management Principals
• Voluntary Quarterly Financial Reporting to Grant Providers
• Voluntary Monthly Reporting to 3rd Party Financial Oversight
Board
• Voluntary Weekly Status Reporting to Interested Stakeholders
– Major Accomplishments
– Actual Budget Expenditures compared to Planned
– Actual Achieved Objectives compared to Planned
– Risks and Issues
• Meet and exceed national standardized tests
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Risks Associated with Delayed Funding
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Risk #1: Limited or partial funding may result in a false start; meaning that we
may get enough momentum to start some version of the program, however, we
may not sustain that momentum which could have a negative impact on
children's early childhood education years. Mitigation: Develop budgets/plans for
required funds and seek and gain funds that will support diligent start-up and
long-term operations.
Risk #2: If adequate funding is not secured in a timely manner, the momentum
that has been built locally, and the interest that the parents have demonstrated,
may begin to waiver. Mitigation: Same as #1
Risk #3: If adequate funding is not secured in a timely manner, vendors that have
committed to assist with discounted facilities build out, curriculum creation,
discounted green utilities, and other support functions may reassign resources,
causing additional expenses for the program. Mitigation: Same as #1
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Risks Associated with Program Operations, Post-funding
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Once funding is secured, the program will face other Operational Risks :
– Risk #4: Total Immersion students may not initially score on par with or
higher than other non-Immersion students on national standardized tests.
Mitigation: A.) Know the areas we are weak in, prior to the administration of
the national standardized test and already have corrective action plans
underway to correct the deficiencies. B.) Ensure the corrective action plans
address minimizing the chance of reoccurrence of deficiency within specific
areas. C.) Analyze the deficiencies and understand why they occurred,
ensuring the corrective action plans address the root cause, not just the
symptom
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Risks Associated with Program Operations, Post-funding
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Once funding is secured, the program will face other Operational Risks :
– Risk #5: Initially, the Total Immersion Education Program may experience
some of the same issues that the non-Immersion programs face with
indigenous children (as outlined previously in this presentation), such as
attendance issues, or family involvement issues. Mitigation: Unlike other
education programs, a key tenet of the Total Immersion Education Program,
is that Program Leadership is personally involved, on a door to door basis
with the community. The Program Leadership Team will have revised
Communications Plans in place, to execute, should attendance initially
waiver. Based on results of other Total Immersion Education models, we do
not believe this will be an issue, once the concept is embraced by the
community.
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Risks Associated with Program Operations, Post-funding
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Risk #6: Weather can be extreme on the reservation. In the winter, many roads on the
Pine Ridge Reservation become impassable for days at a time, due to unpredictable
snow removal (due to limited Reservation resources), which could impact individual
students’ attendance, or overall school operations. Mitigation: A.) The school will
leverage its tractor/snow plow to ensure roads that lead directly to the school are
passable, unless an unusually extreme situation presents itself. B.) To the extent
possible, the school will leverage its tractor / snow plow to enable access to the
individual teachers’ and student’s homes who may live off the primary maintained
road. C.) Given that extreme weather is one thing we can count on,
curriculum/homework will be sent home with students in advance of approaching
weather systems. D.) As the school matures, based on other implementations of the
model, the community will begin to assist with ensuring students have access to and
from school E.) Back-up generators will provide School power, in the event of power
failure due to damage related to weather
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Next Steps (INTERNAL)
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Continue to iteratively revise strategic plan
Continue to refine budget
Design outline for Operations Concept and begin to populate
Continue to expand network and build momentum
Develop List of Potential Funding Resources and begin to develop
grant applications/proposals
• Develop detailed implementation plan
• Complete detailed schedule items
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References / Acknowledgements
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American Indian Movement
Discovery.com
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
FEMA
National Institutes of Health Publication
Official documents from American Indian Relief Council
Official U.S. Census Data
Official Oglala Sioux Tribal Documents
Rapid City Journal
Reports from Habitat for Humanity
Reports Issued from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources
United Nations Human Rights Commission
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Environmental Management
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Women of All Red Nations (WARN)
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