U.S. Board of Education working with Rapid City schools to help Native American students

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights announced their findings in an ongoing discrimination investigation against Native American students.

The investigation found Native American and white students were being treated differently at both the referral and sanctioning stages of the district’s discipline processes. This was especially concerning in the areas of discipline, attendance, truancy, and advanced placement classes.

The investigation in question began 14 years ago. Rapid City Area Schools Superintendent Nicole Swigart says that the district was never found out of compliance with the OCR. She also claims that efforts to make changes in the best interest of the students are always happening, including implementing new programs targeted toward Native American youth.

“We’ve already been doing this work as a district and we will continue to do this work as a district to be doing what’s best for all of our students. This just kinda brings attention, in a positive way, like ‘Hey, Rapid City Area Schools is doing these great things for kids.’,” said Swigart.

According to the OCR, to resolve the investigation Rapid City schools have committed to:

• Employing a discipline equity supervisor with expertise in nondiscriminatory discipline practices to help the district implement the corrective action plan and the agreement.
• Employing an advanced learning coordinator with expertise in addressing the underrepresentation of Native American students in advanced learning programs and courses to help the district implement the corrective action plan and the agreement.
• Establishing a standing committee, consisting largely of Native American community members, to inform implementation of the plans.

Swigart said this year’s graduation class had the highest number of Native American students since she began working in the district. She went on to say high attendance rates at other events, such as the feathering ceremony, are opportunities to show other districts the successes Rapid City schools have.

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