OCETI SAKOWIN COMMUNITY-BASED SCHOOLS BILL
An Act to provide for the creation and funding of Oceti Sakowin Community-Based Schools

This proposed bill will afford the opportunity for South Dakota to create and fund schools grounded in the thought and philosophy of the Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires of the Great Sioux Nation) Essential Understandings at the core of everything these schools do. The goal of the bill is to sustainably address the long standing achievement gap that exists between Indigenous youth and their counterparts, it provides viable educational opportunities and an outcomes.The amazing aspect about community-based schools is that they work in direct collaboration with ALL stakeholders (students, parents, community members, and school staff) as part of a school design team. This design team is tasked to create a school based on the identified needs and shared priorities of the school design team, while also being responsible for the same state standards and accountability measures as public schools.

Oceti Sakowin Community Based Schools...
*Are public schools that are not compulsory, meaning parents and students CHOOSE to attend these schools based on a shared value in the school's mission and vision.
*Are inclusive, meaning ANY student/family who chooses to attend a school grounded in the thought and philosophy of the Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings may attend. Students need not be Native American to attend.
*Do not take money away from public school districts; public school dollars follow students. Public school funding is sent to the public school that a student attends. If a student chooses to leave one traditional public school for another traditional public school, funding goes to the new school, which is now responsible for educating that student. The same is true if a student chooses to leave a community-based school to attend a traditional public school. Community-based schools don’t affect districts financially any more than district student transfers do. There’s no question that resources are strained in American public schools. But we have to make sure resources are directed to effective schools that will challenge all of our students and prepare them for the future. Community-Based schools allow public resources to stay in the public school system and help ensure that taxpayer dollars are well spent by requiring schools to perform well or close. (National Alliance for Public Charter Schools)
*Are characteristically small in nature, especially during their start-up years. In fact, community-based schools generally begin with 1 grade level and gradually increase each school year to add another grade level until the school reaches it's desired grade-level range.
*In accordance with the SD state constitution, must be approved by the Board of Education of the Public School District in which a proposed school desires to be established.