Context & Framework People often ask, “Why tribal colleges?” Well, TCUs are one beneficiary along this continuum. We hope these young ones will find their way into a tribal college to become another leader to replicate a highly positive experience for the young children…. We’re thinking lifelong. — Tarajean Yazzie-Mintz, Vice President, Program Initiatives, American Indian College Fund
The College Fund’s TCU ECE Initiatives are built on several philosophical and strategic principles. Philosophically, the initiatives are guided by a framework focused on five domains of work: Family Engagement, Teacher Quality, Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Skill Development, Strengthening of Pre-K to K-3 Transitions, and Incorporation of Native Culture and Language in Teaching, Learning, and Assessment. Strategically, these initiatives incorporate purposes and processes that are focused on the achievement of both immediate, short-term, demonstrable goals, and long-term, sustainable, ongoing outcomes. These purposes and processes include: uu Creating a collective strategy for educational transformation uu Designing and implementing systems and structures of care and learning
The American Indian College Fund, in collaboration with tribal colleges and universities, engages in early childhood education initiatives that draw upon child development knowledge from within Native communities, melded with the best practices identified in the field of early childhood education. The College Fund and TCUs have been in partnership since 1989, a collaboration initiated and created by the TCUs (TCUs, from within tribal communities, established the College Fund) that has raised funds, implemented programs, and brought resources and knowledge into Native communities, all in the service of empowering tribal communities to address societal, educational, environmental, economic, cultural, and linguistic challenges.
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uu Working from a theory of change that prioritizes strengthening family, teachers, and community engagement uu Focusing on critical and foundational areas such as health and wellness, economic security, and culturally-based education, with the purpose of strengthening birth-to-career pathways that ultimately lead to educated children and racial equity uu Accessing and building partnerships with both local and national individuals and organizations who can assist communities in achieving their goals for early childhood education
