Chad Hunter
Cherokee Phoenix
TULSA – An annual tradition, the Cherokee Nation handed out checks to school districts across the reservation using funds from tribal car tag sales.
The money, totaling $7.6 million, was distributed to 107 schools at an appreciation-themed event March 25 at the Cherokee Nation’s Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa. Funding is used at each school’s discretion.
“It’s great that we can provide this opportunity to help our schools,” CN Education Services Executive Director Mark Vance told the assembled educators. “We admire what you do. We appreciate what you do, and we love helping where we can. We have wonderful partnerships with our schools.”
Peavine Public Schools shared in more than $580,000 with other Adair County districts.
“We received a few grants from Cherokee Nation this year, and last year we used a lot on athletics,” Superintendent Amanda Long said. “So, we’re really hoping to put this more towards academics and some of the new things that we’re looking to move forward with for next year.”
A smaller district, Peavine has grown from 77 students to 118 since last year, Long said. Approximately 60 percent of the students are Cherokees.
“Coming from a year of smaller attendance and trying to grow, this extra income really helps to fill those gaps for our educational needs and our extracurricular needs,” Long said.
The Cherokee Nation allocates 38 percent of its annual car tag revenue directly to education thanks to a compact with the state that was recently renewed for another 10 years. Compact negotiations took place over the course of months.
“There was no guarantee we were going to get a compact last year,” CN Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. told educators. “It would have spelled the end of a framework that has delivered unrestricted dollars to public schools so that you can decide what the priorities are. But as it happened, we achieved a compact. I want to tell you; I don’t think we could have got it done without your help.”
As a result of the compact, the Cherokee Nation has distributed $99.7 million to public schools within the reservation and contiguous counties since 2002.
The Cherokee Nation operates its own tag agency, issuing its own titles and registrations to tribal citizens living both in the reservation and at-large in Oklahoma as part of the tag compact agreement. Another 20 percent is allocated for roads and bridges and a percentage to law enforcement.
Money allocated to school districts each year is based on the number of enrolled Cherokee Nation citizens. Tribal leaders point out that funding benefits all students in each school district. In past years, school districts have used the funds to cover teacher salaries, upgrade facilities, support operations, expand technology and bolster school programs.
The following are funding totals by county:
- Adair, $581,472
- Cherokee, $1,026,519
- Craig, $177,085
- Delaware, $538,367
- Mayes, $552,587
- Muskogee, $757,002
- Nowata, $95,097
- Ottawa, $125,093
- Osage, $6,887
- Rogers, $743,893
- Sequoyah, $664,126
- Tulsa, $1,757,525
- Wagoner, $294,179
- Washington, $273,294
