Why education and self-sufficiency are linked
Tribal governments often describe education as one of their most important long-term investments. Schools prepare young people for work and leadership, and they can also carry language and cultural knowledge forward. For Apache nations, the idea of self-sufficiency means more than income. It includes the ability of a nation to run its own programs, staff its own offices and make its own decisions, which depends on having trained community members to do so. This article offers general background. Each nation has its own priorities and programs, and current details should be checked on its official website.
How control over schools changed
For much of the twentieth century, Apache children attended schools run by the federal government, churches or local public districts, with little tribal say in the curriculum or staffing. A series of federal laws changed the options.
- The Indian Education Act of 1972 created federal funding for programs addressing the educational needs of Native students.
- The Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975 allowed tribes to contract to run programs previously administered by the federal government, including some education functions.
- The Tribally Controlled Community College Assistance Act of 1978 supported tribal colleges.
- The Tribally Controlled Schools Act of 1988 later provided a framework for grants to tribally operated elementary and secondary schools.
These laws did not fix funding gaps, and tribes still depend heavily on federal and state decisions. What they did was create legal space for tribes to take on roles that had previously been closed to them. The general shift is often described as Native-controlled schooling, and the Indian Self-Determination Act is the best known part of it.
Tribally controlled schools
A tribally controlled school is typically one operated by a tribe or a tribal board under a grant or contract, often serving students on or near a reservation. Such schools may be able to set their own calendar, hire staff with community knowledge and build local culture and language into the school day. Others are public schools governed by locally elected boards, where tribal members may serve and where tribes can still shape priorities. Many Apache students attend public schools of this kind, and some attend schools funded through the Bureau of Indian Education.
Neither model guarantees good results. Small schools face the challenges of staffing, building maintenance and funding that affect rural schools elsewhere, and tribally run schools must still meet state or federal requirements. Debate within communities about which model works best is normal and ongoing.
Tribal colleges and higher education
Tribal colleges and universities are institutions chartered by tribes, which combine standard college programs with attention to Native languages, history and community needs. The first, now called Diné College, was founded by the Navajo Nation in 1968, and many others followed in the decades after. They are a distinct institution from tribally controlled K-12 schools.
For Apache students, higher education often involves a mix of routes, because there are not tribal colleges in every Apache community. Students may attend a tribal college run by another nation, a nearby community college, a state university or a federal institution serving Native students. Some Apache nations support students through scholarship or higher-education offices that help with applications, tuition and counseling, and some work with colleges on programs held on or near the reservation. Because this support changes, readers should consult each nation’s education department for current options.
Connecting education to self-sufficiency
Governments and communities often describe several ways in which education supports self-sufficiency.
- Professional skills. Teachers, nurses, engineers, lawyers, natural resource managers and administrators trained in or from the community can fill roles that might otherwise be filled by outsiders. This includes work in health care, which draws on Apache health professionals.
- Governance. Running a tribal government, court or enterprise takes expertise in finance, law and management. Nations that build their own staff are generally better able to use the authority they hold.
- Economic development. Education supports small businesses, tribal enterprises and employment, though outcomes depend on many other things, including location and resources. It would be misleading to present schooling as a guarantee of economic strength.
- Cultural roles. Language teachers, museum staff, archivists and cultural resource specialists are positions where cultural knowledge and formal training meet.
Education and cultural continuity
Support for higher education can serve cultural goals too. Students who study linguistics, education or history may later work on language programs, curriculum or archives for their nations. Elders and fluent speakers often work with schools and colleges, and some programs offer certificates for teaching Native languages. The work overlaps with language classes, covered separately, and with broader efforts toward Apache cultural preservation.
Cautions and open questions
Education alone cannot resolve problems of funding, housing, health or employment, and families and communities face very different circumstances across Apache nations. Some students leave for school or work and return, some leave permanently, and communities hold different views about the right balance between opportunity elsewhere and commitment to home. These are matters for Apache people to weigh, and an outside article cannot settle them.
Finding current information
For programs, enrollment, scholarships and college partnerships, please consult the official websites and education departments of the White Mountain Apache Tribe, the San Carlos Apache Tribe, the Mescalero Apache Tribe, the Jicarilla Apache Nation, the Fort Sill Apache Tribe, the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma and other Apache nations. This site is independent and offers no legal, financial or admissions advice.