In this episode of Work in Progress, I’m joined by Casie Wise, senior program manager for the National Indian Education Association (NIEA), a nonprofit advocating and advancing comprehensive, culture-based educational opportunities for American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians.

Native Americans have the highest unemployment rate of any racial or ethnic minority group in the U.S.,
and lower graduation rates and achievement gaps compared to their white peers. There are many
reasons for this, including long-term and systemic disparities.

The NIEA was founded in 1969 to advocate for Native education at the federal, state, and tribal levels, particularly working to ensure appropriate funding and tribal consultation, develop culturally-relevant education programs, and support the sovereignty of tribes to control their own education systems.

95% of Native students are attending public schools. While some are on reservation land, the majority of students are not attending school in a tribal community. Whether public or tribally-controlled, the school is a critical base in the community.

Despite progress, Native Americans continue to face disparities in educational outcomes and economic mobility compared to their peers.

Casie Wise explains that the NIEA works to address these gaps through policy advocacy, community partnerships, and programs that reconnect students to their cultural heritage and languages. Successful initiatives highlighted include career pathway programs, language immersion, and school-community collaborations.

Overall, the NIEA’s work is critical to empowering Native students, preserving cultural identity, and building sustainable economies in more than 574 federally recognized tribes.

You can listen to the entire podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel.

Episode 359: Casie Wise, senior program director, National Indian Education Association
Host & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNation
Producer: Larry Buhl
Theme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4
Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode here
Work in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here