PIERRE, S.D.
A federal grant is funding an effort to recruit, educate and place more American Indians as administrators in schools that have larger numbers of Indian students.
The Indian Leadership Education and Development program, called I LEAD, is a partnership of the U.S. Department of Education and Montana State University in Bozeman.
“There’s a big need there,” said Keith Moore, Indian education coordinator for the state Education Department. He said that fewer than 1 percent of administrators in South Dakota’s schools are Indian.
“Montana State has developed a model that we think will be effective in getting more American Indian teachers into administrative positions in our state,” Moore said.
Overall, 20 applicants are being accepted into the program.
It’s the first time South Dakota has taken part in the project, which has been under way in Montana.
