08/06/2026
I believe this can also be attributed to the strength of our Early Childhood Programs.
Oklahoma’s Native American students are leading the nation in a major academic measure.
A University of Oklahoma report, The Fall to 48th: Documenting Oklahoma’s Educational Decline, found that Native American students in Oklahoma achieved the highest reading, mathematics, and combined academic performance among students in 14 states with Native American populations large enough to compare through the National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as the Nation’s Report Card.
In 2024, Oklahoma’s Native American students ranked No. 1 among their peers in those comparable states. The report also noted that they have ranked at or near the top for more than 30 years.
Researchers and education leaders pointed to several possible factors, including strong participation in Title VI and Johnson-O’Malley programs, accurate student identification, and long-standing cooperation among Tribal Nations, public schools, educators, families, and communities.
Johnson-O’Malley funding supports supplemental education programs such as school supplies, tutoring, dropout prevention, and cultural and language enrichment. Title VI programs also help support Native students in public schools. Oklahoma serves more Native American students through these programs than any other state.
The findings also raise an important data issue. Native students have often been undercounted in education systems, especially when students are multiracial or when reporting categories do not fully reflect Tribal citizenship or affiliation. Oklahoma has been noted for outreach efforts aimed at making sure eligible students are properly counted and connected with available support.
The report cautions that future progress could face challenges as the number of eligible Native American students grows while some federal program funding has remained relatively unchanged. That creates pressure on programs that many schools and Tribal education departments use to support students.
Sources: University of Oklahoma, The Fall to 48th: Documenting Oklahoma’s Educational Decline; National Assessment of Educational Progress 2024 results; Oklahoma State Department of Education Office of American Indian Education; Oklahoma Watch.
What do you think has contributed most to the success of Native American students in Oklahoma?
