National Fund receives $10M to boost literacy and reading outcomes in Native schools

The National Fund for Excellence in American Indian Education has received a $10 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education to strengthen literacy outcomes in Native American-serving schools. The funding, supplemented by roughly $1 million in philanthropic and private-sector matching support, will fund a five-year research initiative across 60 Bureau of Indian Education schools in Arizona and New Mexico. The program will deliver science-of-reading instruction, high-impact tutoring, teacher training, and Native-specific literacy materials designed to support tribal languages and cultures. Expected outcomes include training more than 150 teachers, building lasting tutoring infrastructure, and helping thousands of students become proficient readers by fourth grade while generating evidence to inform future Native education strategies nationwide.