Tacoma’s Indian Education Going Strong with Tribe’s support

Tacoma Public School's Indian Education Program has always been something of a bare-bones intuition. Long operated by one full-time employee on a shoe-string budget, the Puyallup Tribe's five-year, $500,000 grant has made quite an impact on the program that fosters academic and social support to Native American students in all Tacoma schools.

Since the Tribe announced the $500,000 grant ($100,000 a year for five years) back in 2008, Indian Education Coordinator David Syth says the program has been able to stretch further, making an even greater impact in the lives of local Native American students.

Support from the Puyallup Tribe has allowed Indian Education to hire three part-time para-education professionals, host a monthly advisory and culture night, offer fee assistance for various educational costs, tutoring for grades k-12, college presentations and tours, and a special…