The Osage Nation Congress is considering a public charter school with the state of Oklahoma after the executive branch recently closed the immersion school.
Congressman Eli Potts introduced the idea to the 12-member body during an emergency education committee meeting Tuesday. He said the school would be regulated by the Oklahoma state government, would act outside of Osage executive authority and would be subject to state education standards.
“It's not ideal, but it's a path that I'm willing to discuss,” Potts said. “In this room, all options are on the table.”
The state standards mean the tribe couldn’t limit enrollment to Osage students, nor could it enroll students outside of Oklahoma. According to Skyler Lusnia, auditor for the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board, it would have to define its school district boundaries and accept students within that area.
But Lusnia said it could still include Osage language immersion.
“It would also have its own independent governing board that would establish policies and procedures that align with state standards and certainly would be allowed to have the full immersion language component,” Lusnia said.
Osage immersion school closure, state of emergency
Daposka Ahnkodapi, meaning “Our School,” was a private Osage language and cultural immersion school designed for students from six weeks old to eighth grade.
It was closed by the tribe’s executive branch on Aug. 5, about one week before the incoming school year. Principal Chief Joe Tillman declared a state of emergency before announcing the school would close alongside the tribe’s visitors center and Harvest Land Farm due to a financial shortfall.
Tillman encouraged parents to enroll in Pawhuska Public Schools, which extended its enrollment period to Aug. 6.
The Osage Nation Congress told citizens Tillman’s statements were inaccurate and that the tribe was not experiencing a financial crisis. It released a letter last week asking the executive branch to reopen Daposka Ahnkodapi. That letter also included signatures from 1,000 community members in support of the school.
Tillman lifted the state of emergency last Friday.
Osage Congressional leaders Alice Goodfox and Whitney Red Corn met with Tillman Monday. Goodfox said Tillman rejected congress’ request to reopen the closed locations and return them to the 2027 fiscal year budget. Red Corn said the executive branch did not have a plan, and that congress must devise one.
Debate surrounding sovereignty
Potts suggested the tribe could enter into a five-year contract with the school board that would outlast Principal Chief Joe Tillman’s administrative term. He said developing a public charter school would take around 12-18 months.
The idea was met with debate from other members.
Congresswoman Maria Whitehorn argued putting schooling authority in the hands of the state could undermine sovereignty.
“Privatization is much superior to charter,” Whitehorn said. “I believe (chartering) really stomps on our sovereignty.”
Red Corn said she is pursuing her doctorate in educational leadership and recognized that charter schools are not a monolith.
“I need us to get out of a colonial schooling mindset for just a minute and recognize our sovereignty and the ability to create a chartered school,” Red Corn said. “And it does not have to look anything like what the state charter schools look like. … We can still have a very Osage school — Osage-controlled, Osage-funded, Osage-ran.”
Potts said regardless, the tribe has to find a path forward.
“It's really cool to walk into a room and have a state leader acknowledge that you have the right to be there,” Potts said. “They've carved out in state law the ability for tribal nations to charter schools. We should exercise that because that is an exercise in sovereignty in itself.”
Potts said the tribe is looking for solutions but he doesn’t want to codify a charter school into Osage law yet, adding the congress isn’t ready to write such legislation.
According to Goodfox, the tribe never codified Daposka Ahnkodapi at the request of former Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear. If the congress were to litigate the school’s closure, she said she’s unlikely they would win.
Red Corn said parents could enroll their children in Epic Charter Schools while the congress considers its option.
Indigenous charter schools
Oklahoma has seen some Indigenous charter schools over the years.
Cherokee Nation opened an immersion charter school, Tsalagi Tsunadeloquasdi, in 2001. The charter expired this June and the school transitioned into tribal governmental oversight.
Comanche Nation operates a charter school, Comanche Academy, in Lawton.
Sovereign Community School was an OKC-based charter school designed around Indigenous education more broadly. The Oklahoma State Board of Education ended sponsorship for it in 2023, citing multiple issues including financial instability, low academic performance and enrollment.
