Indian educators cite struggles in California

Tuesday, January 22, 2008  

Educators in southern California say it's getting harder to ensure Indian students get a proper education.

There are always funding cuts. The Rincon Indian Education Center on the Rincon Reservation has seen its budget drop to $170,000 from a high of $450,000.

"We've done the best we can with the little funds we have," Teleeya Standing Water tells The Voice of San Diego.

Schools off the reservation aren't doing any better. The San Diego public school district received about $86,000 in federal funds to help Indian students.

Educators also say some students don't want to finish school because they know they will receive a per capita payment from their tribe's casino. How do I convince a child that turns 18, and all of a sudden they're making $120,000 a year? How do I keep that kid in school for another six months? said Michelle Parada, a co-developer at the All Tribes American Indian Charter School at Rincon.

Get the Story:
With Reservations in Flux, American Indian Education Sees Mixed Results (The Voice of San Diego 1/22)