The American Indian Student Achievement (AISA) Unit is fully committed to closing the opportunity gap that exists between American Indian students and their peers. AISA works closely with districts to ensure Indigenous cultural values and history are honored and truthfully represented as required by the Montana Constitution (MCA 20-1-501 through 503). The AISA unit recognizes the historical factors that contributed to this opportunity gap and will continue to seek out and remove any policies, procedures, or practices that perpetuate institutional inequity. This includes improvement strategies that are culturally responsive approaches based on holistic connections to tribal knowledge systems and Indigenous paradigms and identity. The American Indian Student Achievement Unit provides supports for programs in K-12 education related to Indian education in Montana which is aligned with applicable policies, procedures, laws, and rules of the State of Montana. Other unit activities and areas of support include culture and native languages supports, school improvement/school reform, whole child supports (including mental/social/emotional health and development), and resource and material development. AISA’s goal is to assist all school agencies within Montana to recognize and value cultural diversity within these systems to erase systemic racism and institutional bias in their work with American Indian students, families, and communities.
Keep scrolling to meet the American Indian Student Achievement (AISA) team and access support and resources.
Connecting Indigenous Paradigms to Pedagogy - Lona Running Wolf Concurrent Session at IEFA Best Practices Conference 2021