Honoring the Miccosukee Indian School for Receiving Flexibility to use Culturally Responsive Standards

Floor Speech

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Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor a historic chapter in Indian education. The Miccosukee tribe is the first tribe to receive flexibility from the Department of Education to use academic standards under the No Child Left Behind Act that reflect the unique culture of its people and needs of its children.

The standards developed for the Miccosukee Indian School integrate the tribe's culture and language while establishing tough academic standards that will promote college and career readiness.

Last Monday, Secretary of Education Arnie Duncan and Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell hosted a ceremony to honor Chairman Colley Billie and Miccosukee Indian School Principal Manuel Varela for this unprecedented achievement.

These new standards will not only help the children of the Miccosukee tribe, but will pave the way for future work with other tribes.

Chairman Billie and I have been in conversations about establishing a 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project at the Miccosukee Indian School. It is our hope to make it a part of the My Brother's Keeper initiative.

Congratulations Chairman Colley Billie and the Miccosukee Indian School. Congratulations to all of the generations of Miccosukee children yet to be born. This school will make a huge impact on your lives.

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