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The U.S. Department of Education is expected to award $41.3 million in grant funding through the Alaska Native Education Program to 26 Alaska grantees after some delay, according to an announcement from Alaska Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski.

The grant funding was expected on July 1, but has been delayed more than a month. Grantees alerted Murkowski鈥檚 office they had not yet received the funding, prompting Murkowski to press the U.S. Sec. of Education Linda McMahon to release the awarded funding, according to the statement on Aug. 5.

鈥淟ast week, I raised this issue with Secretary McMahon, and I鈥檓 pleased she agreed to expedite the obligation of the funds for the Alaska Native Education Program grants that Congress appropriated earlier this year,鈥� Sen. Murkowski wrote.

The Alaska Native Education Program provides federal funding to 鈥渕eet the unique education needs of Alaska Natives鈥� and to support education programs to benefit Alaska Native people, according to the.

Officials with the U.S. Department of Education鈥檚 grant office for the program did not give a reason for the delay or specify when the funds will be dispensed after a query on Friday.

The grants to Tribes, tribal organizations and school districts with a majority of Alaska Native students to support a variety of initiatives across a three-year grant period.

鈥淕rants provide, for example, culturally relevant curriculum, tutoring and other academic supports, indigenous language revitalization, workforce development opportunities, teacher professional development, postsecondary planning and support, and success, early childhood education, and afterschool programming,鈥� Murkowski said in the statement.

鈥淚 will continue to champion this program and work with the Department to ensure this funding is administered more expeditiously going forward,鈥� she said.

Grantees include several early learning and literacy programs. Millions are slated for Indigenous language, art, science, and medicine聽including $2.1 million for the Baby Raven Reads project by Sealaska Heritage Institute and $1.4 million for tutoring and college readiness programs through the Rural Indigenous Students College Readiness Alliance launched by the Bering Strait and Lower Kuskokwim School Districts, two of Alaska鈥檚 largest, rural districts.

Rosita Kaah谩ni Worl, president of the Sealaska Heritage Institute, a Native non-profit corporation focused on Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures, said her organization was one of the grantees that alerted Murkwoski鈥檚 office to the delay. Sealaska has not received its grant funds yet.

Worl said in an interview Friday that federal funds and support for Alaska Native communities is critical, given Alaska鈥檚 history of suppressing Native education and language.

鈥淪o these programs have helped us overcome the effects of that kind of suppression,鈥� she said. 鈥淥ur data shows definitely that it promotes and enhances Native education, and we show that through all of our evaluations鈥�it鈥檚 led to higher academic performance.鈥�

She said SHI has seen success in early childhood programs like Baby Raven Reads project and initiatives to support students continuing education, which reduces drop out rates. 鈥淲e鈥檙e still behind non-natives, but we鈥檙e gaining ground,鈥� she said.

Worl said the federal support helps Sealaska Heritage Institute provide annual funding for education across Southeast Alaska where state funding has fallen short. SHI provides $1 million each year to the Juneau School District and $2 million annually to the University of Alaska Southeast, as well as funding to support school districts across the region for teacher training, arts and language programs.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a program that has proven benefits,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here, there鈥檚 no doubt about it.鈥�

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alaska Beacon maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Claire Stremple for questions: [email protected].

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