Director of Indian Education

Director of Indian Education

The Director of Indian Education provides district wide leadership and year-round oversight of programs and services supporting Native American students and families. The Director ensures compliance with federal, state, tribal, and district requirements; coordinates resources across multiple funding sources; and strengthens partnerships with families, tribal communities, and Native American organizations.

Working collaboratively with district and school leaders, the Director supports the alignment of curriculum, instruction, professional learning, and student services with district academic priorities and culturally responsive practices. While compliance is essential, the position is also grounded in the district's moral responsibility to ensure Native American students experience belonging, equitable opportunities, academic success, and meaningful connections to language and culture.

• Provide district wide leadership and oversight of Indian Education programs, services, grants, and initiatives.
• Develop annual goals and implementation plans aligned with district priorities and the needs of Native American students.
• Coordinate services across schools and departments to promote consistency, collaboration, and equitable access.
• Serve as a district resource and advisor regarding Indian Education priorities, requirements, and effective practices.
• Supervise, support, and evaluate assigned staff and contracted service providers.
• Keep district leadership and the Board of Education informed of program progress, needs, and outcomes.

• Collaborate with district leaders, principals, teachers, Native language educators, and tribal partners to align Indian Education programming with district curriculum, New Mexico academic standards, and instructional priorities.
• Support culturally responsive curriculum, instructional resources, and learning experiences that reflect the histories, languages, cultures, perspectives, and contemporary experiences of Native American communities.
• Promote the integration of Native language and culture within academic instruction, interventions, enrichment, and extended-learning opportunities.
• Assist schools in using culturally and linguistically responsive practices to strengthen student engagement, belonging, and academic achievement.
• Coordinate professional learning related to Native American education, tribal sovereignty, culturally responsive instruction, and family engagement.
• Ensure cultural teachings and resources are used respectfully and in accordance with appropriate tribal consultation and protocols.

• Lead the planning, development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of grants supporting Native American students with support from the Associate Superintendent of Federal Programs.
• Coordinate and maximize the impact of Indian Education, Johnson-O'Malley, Impact Aid, HDIISD, Title I, and other applicable funding sources.
• Develop and monitor program budgets in collaboration with district business and federal programs staff.
• Ensure expenditures align with approved applications, grant requirements, student needs, and district priorities.
• Maintain accurate programmatic, fiscal, personnel, inventory, and compliance documentation.
• Prepare and submit required reports and grant deliverables within established timelines.
• Coordinate documentation for monitoring visits, audits, program reviews, consultation, and public-hearing requirements.
• Identify additional funding opportunities to strengthen and sustain effective programs.

• Build and maintain respectful partnerships with Native American families, tribal governments, tribal education departments, chapters, Native American organizations, and community partners.
• Coordinate meaningful tribal consultation in accordance with federal and state requirements.
• Serve as a liaison among the district, tribal leaders, families, and community stakeholders.
• Support the Indian Education Committee and other required advisory groups, including meetings, elections, bylaws, minutes, and opportunities for meaningful participation.
• Create opportunities for students and families to contribute to program planning and evaluation.
• Represent the district at tribal, regional, state, and national Indian Education meetings and events.

• Support opportunities for students to learn Native languages, participate in culturally relevant experiences, and strengthen cultural identity.
• Collaborate with Native language teachers, cultural educators, families, and tribal partners to develop sustainable language and cultural programming.
• Coordinate tutoring, mentoring, attendance supports, cultural activities, family events, college and career readiness, and other student opportunities.
• Identify and address barriers affecting Native American student…