Abstract
The Cheyenne and Arapaho Department of Education (CADOE) functions as a tribal education department (TED) in western rural Oklahoma, situated within a tribal government that has a total membership of 13,212, 3,160 of whom are ages 3–18 years. CADOE has supported and advocated for equal opportunity and access for Cheyenne and Arapaho families and students since its inception. The purpose of this article is to utilize the Liberating Sovereign Potential framework to illustrate how CADOE continues to employ tenets from the model to liberate their sovereign potential, often serving students and families in rural contexts. While significant literature addresses Indigenous education, a gap still exists when considering the unique perspectives of TEDs and how they serve their rural tribal communities. Our goal is not only to improve educational outcomes for Cheyenne and Arapaho families and students, but also to assert our sovereign rights in educational systems. Here we outline various programs and efforts we have undertaken as we work to liberate our sovereign potential as Cheyenne and Arapaho people.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Whitlow, C. F.
(2024).
From Theory to Practice: How the Cheyenne and Arapaho Department of Education (Re)Centered Indian Education in Western Rural Oklahoma.
The Rural Educator, 45(1), 33-43.
https://doi.org/10.55533/2643-9662.1459
