Alaska Tribal Consultation Day Sparks Momentum for Deeper School Board & Community Engagement
Dana Mock, President, AASB, Board of Directors
Margo Bellamy, Chair, AASB Tribal Compacting Ad Hoc Committee
The recent Alaska Tribal Consultation Day, hosted by the Association of Alaska School Boards (AASB) during its 2025 Spring Boardsmanship Academy in Anchorage, was a resounding success!! Held in partnership with Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska and the National Indian Education Association (NIEA), the event was designed to help Alaska’s school boards and school districts understand and meet the legal requirements for tribal consulting and to share best practices for engaging in tribal consultation and build strong and sustainable tribal partnerships.
In the summer of 2024, the AASB Board of Directors commissioned an Ad Hoc Committee to explore and make recommendations as to the role and responsibilities of Alaska’s local school boards in supporting Tribal Compacting Schools. An initial action of the AASB Ad Hoc Committee was to meet with the four pilot State Tribal Education Compacts (STEC) to listen, learn and establish a partnership to explore ways that local school boards can support tribal entities to improve educational systems and educational outcomes.
As a result of this new educational partnership, the AASB Ad Hoc Committee on Tribal Compacting learned that Tribal Consultation is required in all schools that have Alaska Native students and that many districts may not be meeting these requirements and may not be using best practices. The committee also learned that many tribes have education experts who are trained in both western and cultural frameworks and can be trainers, share educator pedagogy, and work with AASB as experts.
Participants in the Alaska Tribal Consultation Day left inspired and eager to continue the vital work of strengthening relationships between school boards and tribal partners. It fostered significant dialogue and underscored a collective understanding. While required consultations are happening, there’s a clear need and desire to “do them right” and move beyond a “one and done” approach. Many school districts in attendance acknowledged the need to enhance their consultation protocols and relationships with local tribes to both meet and go beyond the legal framework for consultation. As board president of AASB and as a National School Board Association member, I have to say this was one of the best educational training courses that I have attended. I have plans to bring this back to the National level and share what Alaska is doing. As the American Indian Alaska Native (AIAN) Counsel Chair I plan to utilize the ideas discussed and lessons learned from this conference to revitalize the activities of the American Indian Alaska Native counsel, ensuring that we are supporting our students in every possible way while also educating others about the legal requirements we must follow.
The Superintendent feedback was “extremely complementary,” with both school districts and tribal representatives valuing the dedicated time to discuss requirements and shared goals. However, the day also highlighted that AASB “has a lot more [it] can do as an association to effectively support consultation.” A deep appreciation was expressed for all attendees, whose active engagement led to “good conversations” throughout the day digging into topics around data, communication strategies, policies, and more.
A key takeaway for many attendees was a broadened perspective on who should be involved in these crucial conversations. One board member shared a common sentiment: “I didn’t realize my roles and responsibilities as a board member, and it changed my perspective about who should be involved.” Participants left with a clearer understanding of “what to do, who to include, what to say,” and a reinforced grasp of the distinction between compacting and consultation.
Looking ahead, a significant proposed next step is to transform the learnings from the ‘Alaska Tribal Consultation Day’ into accessible resources. This may take the form of a concise guide or “small book for Boards/Tribes,” or dedicated, expandable resources on the AASB website. The aim is to continually incorporate more voices and insights as districts across Alaska gain further experience. The energy from the event is already translating into action. For instance, Nome Public Schools is reportedly working on a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), resolution, and related policy. The day also sparked numerous ideas for future initiatives, including strong interest in “breaking down what we presented and sharing with everyone what was shared with us.” This could involve presentations within Alaska, at regional events like the Pacific Region NSBA conference, and nationally through NIEA, as well as developing shareable documents.
The resounding sentiment is that this event is just the beginning. The ‘Alaska Tribal Consultation Day’ has laid a strong foundation, and the commitment to building upon this “first opportunity” is palpable. AASB and the AdHoc Group are deeply thankful to everyone who helped plan, present, and participate in this inaugural learning opportunity. The focus now shifts to prioritizing next steps and harnessing the collective enthusiasm to ensure these vital consultations become even more meaningful and effective across the state.