American Indian Leadership in School Administration

INTRODUCTION

American Indian Leadership in School Administration (AILSA) Fellowship Program at the University of Oklahoma is a federally-funded professional development grant program at the University of Oklahoma designed to increase the number of Native American Indian School administrators in public, tribally-controlled schools, and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) schools. Upon acceptance as an AILSA Fellow, Native American Indian graduate students enroll in courses leading to Master's degree in Educational Administration, Curriculum, and Supervision (EACS) in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (ELPS) of the College of Education. Traditionally,AILSA Fellows advance through the program as a cohort varying from eight to fifteen students. AILSA will support, both academically and financially, these participants during an intensive year-long course of study which will conclude with graduation from the University of Oklahoma.

The University of Oklahoma has established its commitment to AILSA by providing opportunities for Graduate Research and Teaching Assistantships that include tuition waivers for selected individuals and providing administrative oversight by Dr.Grayson Noley (Choctaw), Chair of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies and Program Director of AILSA. Dr.Noley provides historic leadership following his tenure as Director of the American Indian Leadership Program at Penn State University during the late 70's and 80's. One of the pioneering institutions of higher education to serve the American Indian community through leadership development programs.

AILSA will provide a quality educational leadership training program for service to Native American Indian nations as part of its primary program goal. Its objectives are consistent with the goals of the Indian Education Act, the Office of Indian Education, which administers this project, and the needs of American Indian leadership programs are vital to the continued progress of education for these communities. As we extend an invitation to other American Indians to apply for graduate studies at the University of Oklahoma, we acknowledge our indebtedness to the champions of education who have dedicated their lives to the advocacy for and struggle to sustain Native American Indian education in years past.

HISTORY

In the mid-Eighties, the University of Oklahoma sponsored its first educational administration grant through the U.S. Department of Education which was aimed at American Indian students. Project FINE(Foundations in Native Education) became the cornerstone for quality graduate, educational administration degree programs during its brief tenure on the Norman campus. Under the direction of Dr.Jerry Bread, Project FINE provided over thirty(30) Native American Indian individuals with the opportunity to obtain Masters degrees in educational administration. These individuals fulfilled their service as teachers, principals, administrators, tribal administrators, and education specialists.