photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Lawrence school board members met on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at the Lawrence school district offices, 110 McDonald Drive.

The Lawrence school district’s Native American Student Services soon expects to serve more students than ever before, and Lawrence school board members say they’re interested in developing a land acknowledgement to recognize Indigenous tribes that have called Kansas home.

At its meeting Tuesday, the school board heard a report from NASS about the tutoring, cultural programs and other support it provides to hundreds of students in the district. The meeting was on Tuesday instead of the usual Monday because of Indigenous Peoples Day.

NASS Coordinator David Farve said that the program is expecting to grow by 150 students by the end of the year. He said that change was due in large part to changes on the federal level that will make more students eligible for NASS’ programs.

NASS uses federal government funding from Title VI and the Johnson O’Malley Act to address the distinct cultural, language and educational needs of American Indian and Alaska Native students. In order to be eligible, students have to be “verified” through the Johnson O’Malley Act — 376 students in the district are currently “verified,” according to agenda materials provided to the board.

But the rules have recently changed, Farve told the board.

“For the first time, Johnson O’Malley has lowered its requirements (for students) to be recognized,” he said.

Farve said that although more than 800 people in the district self-identify as American Indian and Alaska Native, there are many who don’t qualify because they don’t follow the traditional descendancy requirements. But under the new requirements, students are automatically eligible if they have a parent or guardian, alive or deceased, who was a federally recognized tribal member.

School board president Kelly Jones expressed her support for additional staffing for NASS next year, in line with the district’s goals to enhance opportunities for Indigenous students.

During public comments, Steve Cadue, former chairman of the Kickapoo Nation of Kansas and father of board member Carole Cadue-Blackwood, said the board and other locally elected bodies should demonstrate their respect for Indigenous peoples by issuing a land acknowledgement for Lawrence and Douglas County. The board members expressed support for developing a land acknowledgement proclamation.

In a written statement passed out at the board meeting, Larry Fry, who along with Cadue has served on the district’s Indigenous Knowledge and Curriculum Committee, said how we make our future greater is understanding how we got here.

“Many schools, businesses and churches across the nation are helping reveal tragedies and joys, helping deal with past mistakes that make the future brighter, that is the healing we all want and need,” Fry said in his written statement. “Land acknowledgement is one step in that healing.”

According to the agenda packet for the board’s meeting, NASS serves American Indian and Alaska Native students representing over 73 different tribal affiliations.

In other business, school board members:

• Appointed board member GR Gordon-Ross to be the board’s voting delegate for the 2024 Kansas Association of School Boards annual business meeting and board member Anne Costello as the alternate. This year’s convention will be held Nov. 15-17 at the Wichita Convention Center.

• Adopted an updated board policy on nepotism. The updated policy states that “the superintendent shall make reasonable efforts to determine whether a candidate for employment is related to or resides with a board member or district administrator.” Costello abstained from voting on the policy due to a conflict of interest, which the school board has not disclosed.