What is Title VI?
Title VI is a Native American/Alaskan Native education program designed to support the following goals:
- Ensure academic success for indigenous students with an emphasis on high school, graduation, and post-secondary placement opportunities
- promote Native American culture and cultural awareness in all Canyons District schools, primarily to Native students and secondarily to all other students
- provide instruction in traditional Native American language to Native students
There are more than 8 distinct tribal nations represented in Utah include the following: Ute, Dine (Navajo), Paiute, Goshute, and Shoshone. As services and programs are designed, Canyons makes every effort to honor and include each of the tribe’s represented by its student body.
What Title VI is NOT:
Title is not a crisis intervention program for Native American students. It is primarily an academic and cultural program. Medical services, therapeutic services, vision services, scholarships, fee waivers, and other related programs are still managed by individual schools, often facilitated by school counselors.
Parent Involvement
According to federal law, the Title VI grant which funds Canyons District Title VI program requires the development of program goals and services to be developed with the input of an Indian parent committee. Canyons District is very grateful to be supported by an active, invested parent committee. Our parent committee approves grant programs and services, attends functions, and offers important feedback on the development of Title VI education.
If you are interested in assisting our Indian Parent Committee, please contact Matthew Emerson by email or phone: matthew.emerson@canyonsdistrict.org, (801) 826-5153.
Academic Support
Title VI provides regular, culturally-responsive mentoring to Native American high school students. Canyons mentors monitor student grades and credit status as well as providing encouragement, communication and advocacy with schools. Our mentors work to ensure Native students in Canyons School District are connected with culturally-relevant field trips and resources as well as the services provided by schools for student success. They also work to ensure that Native students are on track to graduate and planning for post-secondary opportunities. On an individual basis by school request, Title VI mentors also work in middle and elementary schools to provide support and reading intervention where needed.
Our current Outreach Specialist is Kaya LePrey. To contact Kaya, please call or text (801) 289-6163.
Cultural Events & Field Trips
Every school year, Title VI sponsors the following events:
- Native Winter Gathering Dinner and Cultural Present (Storyteller, Tribal Elder, etc.)
- Native Spring Gathering Dinner and Native Family Craft (Dreamcatcher, Medicine Bag, etc.)
- High School Field Trip: Native Youth Leader conference at SLCC
- Middle School Title VI Team (Native Presenters, Native Texts, Native Crafts and Traditions)
- Elementary Field Trip to “This is the Place” Native Village (Native History, Learning Activities, Ways of Knowing)
Native American Heritage Month
It is very important to honor the contributions of indigenous peoples to American history and education, and this is particularly appropriate during November, which is Native American Heritage Month. Given the sensitivity of historical matters involving tribes, please consider the following guidelines recommended by USBE Native leaders:
- Avoid having non-Native students dress in Native regalia or costumes
- Utilize authentic Native sources to interpret/portray Native historical experiences
- Consult with individual tribes on how they wish their people to be represented: https://indian.utah.gov/tribal-nations/
- Consult with your school or district media specialist regarding Native texts, songs, and materials appropriate for your grade level
- Consider contacting the families of Native American students in your school to provide them the opportunity to teacher or present on their culture as it relates to your curriculum
- Each year Canyons School District Title VI provides new Native texts and resources to a different grade level or subject area as we are able to find appropriate materials. Consult with your grade level or department head team leads to find out what recent materials have been provided to your school.
- If you have specific content concerns, please reach out to the Utah Division of Indian Affairs: https://indian.utah.gov/aboutus/
As you plan Native representation, remember that the Utah Education Network (UEN) has a number of great resources available on their website: https://www.uen.org/americanindian/
Identification
Title VI Grant funds are determined by the number of Native students who register as a member of a federally recognized tribe. Therefore, the Title VI Native American program can only exist with due diligence in student identification and patron support.
According to federal law, Native American students self-identify during registration. When a student in Canyons District indicates they are of indigenous descent, their electronic registration provides the option to fill out the federal 506 form, which indicates membership in a federally recognized tribe. In order to be valid, the 506 form must include a tribal identification number or other evidence of membership in a federal recognized tribe as determined by the tribe itself. These 506 forms are kept private and secure, provided only in the event of federal audit. Canyons District is grateful to our Native American patrons for providing the documentation that allows us to provide Native education services to our students.
The ED506 Eligibility form can be accessed here.
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