The Navajo Nation Department of Diné Education will host a Federal Funding Update convening on Thursday, October 30, at the DODE Auditorium in Window Rock from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Leadership from the National Indian Education Association, the American Indian Higher Education Consortium and our Navajo Nation Washington Office will be presenting in person.
This meeting will bring national and local Native education leaders and advocates to discuss the impacts of the ongoing federal government shutdown and budget negotiations regarding education funding for tribally controlled schools, tribal colleges, public schools, and other federally funded programs, including the implications and the need to organize a plan of action.
“We will learn about the federal budget outlook, including proposals from the President, Senate, and House of Representatives, as well as the impact of the ongoing government shutdown on education programs such as Head Start, Johnson O’Malley, Impact Aid, scholarships, and Title funds,” said Navajo Education Superintendent, Claudia Edgewater. “Related impacts on social, economic, health, and energy programs that support Native communities will also be discussed.”
Featured Speakers
- Crystalyne Curley, Speaker, 25th Navajo Nation Council
- Richelle Montoya, Vice President of the Navajo Nation
- Claudia Edgewater, Superintendent, Department of Diné Education
- Jason Dropnik, Executive Director, National Indian Education Association
- Waquin Preston, Tribal & State Policy Director, NIEA
- Dr. Elmer Guy, President, Navajo Technical University
- Dr. Ferlin Clark, Department of Diné Education
- Moriah O’Brien, Vice President of Congressional & Federal Relations, American Indian Higher Education Consortium
- Vince Redhouse, Executive Director, Navajo Nation Washington Office
Part of the convening is to discuss strategies for collective advocacy to protect school funding and to coordinate advocacy at the congressional level, including the White House.
Local educators, administrators, and stakeholders are invited and encouraged to attend in person to learn directly from leaders and to share how the federal actions are affecting their schools and programs.
Participants are also invited to complete a Federal Funding Impact Survey to help DODE and partner organizations identify specific impacts that federal actions and the current government shutdown is impacting education for Native schools and children and to develop a collective position statement.