"Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson must redirect her laserlike focus and ability to make tough decisions and address problems in the Indian Education Program.

Native American students in Seattle make up just 2 percent of the district's 45,000-students, but they have some of the lowest academic outcomes. The Huchoosedah Indian Education program's mentoring, advocacy and cultural services are critical to improving academic outcomes for these students.

But legitimate concern about Native American students has lately been overshadowed by the program's disarray. Last March, this page took the superintendent to task for accounting errors in the Indian Education Program that may require a $300,000 repayment to the federal government.

Auditors discovered the district overstated the program's enrollment by 746 students. Of the program's 1,123 students, enrollment forms showed only 377 met eligibility rules, including membership in a federally recognized tribe.

Then the program's new manager missed a crucial deadline for requesting federal funds. Federal officials correctly responded by putting Seattle's request for Title VII Indian Education Grant funds at the bottom of the stack. Any money left from funding districts that got their requests in on time may provide Seattle with a second chance."

Get the Story:
Seattle's Indian Education Program needs attention (The Seattle Times 6/21)

Earlier Stories:
Seattle Public Schools overpaid employees $335,000, audit says (The Seattle Times 5/27)
Parents demand ouster of Indian education manage (Real Change News 5/12)