The Indigenous Student Identification Project 

The ISI Project is conducting a study to advance Tribal education and data sovereignty by identifying novel and effective practices for both consultation and data sharing between Tribes and K-12 public school districts. We are looking for a total of 10 pairs of Tribes and K-12 public school districts that consult with one another to participate in this study. The project will work collaboratively with participants to interpret results and share findings.

The ISI project is committed to working with Tribes, K-12 public school districts, Tribal education agencies, state education agencies, national organizations, and Tribal institutional review boards in a way that is

• respectful
• relationship-centered,
• responsible
• relevant, and
• reciprocal.

The Project's activities are guided by an IESLN Working Group and a Research Steering Committee composed primarily of Indigenous educators and scholars from many Tribal nations. These groups, as well as any research participants, review all project publications prior to release.

The aim of the Indigenous Student Identification Project is to support accurate and appropriate identification of Indigenous students in ways that are accountable to Tribal nations and respectful of Tribal data sovereignty. This includes:

• Tracking and mapping student counts and estimates in public school districts
• Advocating for better data disaggregation and reporting at the state and national levels
• Identifying promising practices in data sharing and transparency between public school districts and Tribal nations
• Understanding the ways in which Tribal consultation gives Tribes access to data about Indigenous students in public schools
• Creating tools and resources for improving district identification of Indigenous students

All project resources, materials, and tools are publicly shared with Tribes, state education agencies, and other interest holders at the time of publication.