Post by Okwes on May 11, 2006 13:03:20 GMT -5
Grant Loss Saddening (edu)
Grant loss saddens some
By Jomay Steen, Journal Staff Writer
RAPID CITY -- For some American Indian parents in the Rapid City School
District, news that the Bush administration had eliminated the $16.4
million Johnson-O'Malley grant program for 2007 came as a surprise.
At a Thursday evening parent meeting, Sharon Bowman of Rapid City said
her grandchildren had used the funds to help buy school supplies and to
participate in music, sports and culture programs at their schools in
Rapid City.
A loss of the program could limit the educational opportunities for her
grandchildren, she said.
"I'm shocked. I have a lot of grandchildren who depend on
Johnson-O'Malley funds," Bowman said.
The House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee on Thursday voted to
restore the Johnson O'Malley Program funds for Fiscal Year 2007 at $16.4
million, the same amount funded for FY2006.
In the past month, Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., said now is not the time to
cut a successful American Indian education program, particularly one
directed at grade school students.
Johnson, Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., and Rep. Stephanie Herseth, D-S.D.,
said they were pleased that funding had been restored in subcommittee
for the program, but noted that the funding program would go through
many hoops before being restored.
Arthur Zimiga, director of Title 7 of the Indian Education Act and of
Indian Education for the Rapid City area schools, said Johnson-O'Malley
pays for Indian students' summer-school classes, provides scholarships
and buys graduating seniors their caps and gowns while attending public
schools in Rapid City. Losing the funding would hurt the education of
students in Indian Country, Zimiga said.
Established in 1936, the program affects about 500,000, or 93 percent,
of Indian students who attend public schools in 23 states. The grant
program has supported schools with a commitment to meet Indian students'
educational needs, including education in Indian culture and history,
remedial instruction and retention programs as well as personal needs
such as books and eyeglasses.
"It will have a tremendous effect upon the Native American children in
Rapid City," Zimiga said about the elimination of the program.
Parents at Thursday's meeting said eliminating the program would hit
many families' budgets hard in the Rapid City Indian community.
Genevieve Bluebird's daughter, Razelle Benally, depended on the grant
program to help pay for her ACT college-admission test and three online
high school courses.
Because Benally, a Central High School graduating senior, carries a high
grade-point average, she also received $25 worth of movie tickets as an
incentive for her academic achievement, Bluebird said.
"It really helped us out," Bluebird said.
Of modest means, Bluebird said that she would not have been able to
afford the $180 price tag of her daughter's online classes or the $43
for her ACT test. She worries that students currently enrolled in the
Rapid City school system won't have the same advantages the funding
provided her daughter.
"It does make a difference," Bluebird said. "We live paycheck to
paycheck. I couldn't have afforded these courses and testing without
it."
Bowman said that her family would do what they could to support her
grandchildren in their various interests in public school and the costs
that go with them.
"We would make it happen, but eliminating these funds just adds to the
financial hardship of these families in our community," she said.
Contact Jomay Steen at 394-8418 or jomay.steen@rapidcityjournal.com.
Grant loss saddens some
By Jomay Steen, Journal Staff Writer
RAPID CITY -- For some American Indian parents in the Rapid City School
District, news that the Bush administration had eliminated the $16.4
million Johnson-O'Malley grant program for 2007 came as a surprise.
At a Thursday evening parent meeting, Sharon Bowman of Rapid City said
her grandchildren had used the funds to help buy school supplies and to
participate in music, sports and culture programs at their schools in
Rapid City.
A loss of the program could limit the educational opportunities for her
grandchildren, she said.
"I'm shocked. I have a lot of grandchildren who depend on
Johnson-O'Malley funds," Bowman said.
The House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee on Thursday voted to
restore the Johnson O'Malley Program funds for Fiscal Year 2007 at $16.4
million, the same amount funded for FY2006.
In the past month, Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., said now is not the time to
cut a successful American Indian education program, particularly one
directed at grade school students.
Johnson, Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., and Rep. Stephanie Herseth, D-S.D.,
said they were pleased that funding had been restored in subcommittee
for the program, but noted that the funding program would go through
many hoops before being restored.
Arthur Zimiga, director of Title 7 of the Indian Education Act and of
Indian Education for the Rapid City area schools, said Johnson-O'Malley
pays for Indian students' summer-school classes, provides scholarships
and buys graduating seniors their caps and gowns while attending public
schools in Rapid City. Losing the funding would hurt the education of
students in Indian Country, Zimiga said.
Established in 1936, the program affects about 500,000, or 93 percent,
of Indian students who attend public schools in 23 states. The grant
program has supported schools with a commitment to meet Indian students'
educational needs, including education in Indian culture and history,
remedial instruction and retention programs as well as personal needs
such as books and eyeglasses.
"It will have a tremendous effect upon the Native American children in
Rapid City," Zimiga said about the elimination of the program.
Parents at Thursday's meeting said eliminating the program would hit
many families' budgets hard in the Rapid City Indian community.
Genevieve Bluebird's daughter, Razelle Benally, depended on the grant
program to help pay for her ACT college-admission test and three online
high school courses.
Because Benally, a Central High School graduating senior, carries a high
grade-point average, she also received $25 worth of movie tickets as an
incentive for her academic achievement, Bluebird said.
"It really helped us out," Bluebird said.
Of modest means, Bluebird said that she would not have been able to
afford the $180 price tag of her daughter's online classes or the $43
for her ACT test. She worries that students currently enrolled in the
Rapid City school system won't have the same advantages the funding
provided her daughter.
"It does make a difference," Bluebird said. "We live paycheck to
paycheck. I couldn't have afforded these courses and testing without
it."
Bowman said that her family would do what they could to support her
grandchildren in their various interests in public school and the costs
that go with them.
"We would make it happen, but eliminating these funds just adds to the
financial hardship of these families in our community," she said.
Contact Jomay Steen at 394-8418 or jomay.steen@rapidcityjournal.com.