Tribal Education Departments
What are Tribal Education Departments?
Tribal Education Departments (TEDs) are departments within tribes that are responsible for supporting the education of tribal members, created by the sovereign governments of federally recognized American Indian tribes. TEDs play a vital role in ensuring that tribal students receive culturally relevant and quality education. They also work collaboratively with other educational entities, like the South Dakota Department of Education and the Office of Indian Education, to improve educational outcomes for Indigenous students.
The TEDs
Dr. Cherie Farlee
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe
Cheyenne River Tribal Education Agency Director
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Working in conjunction with the CRST Education Committee to administer and maintain the CRST Tribal Education Code; plan, facilitate a school consortium of Tribally Controlled Schools, BIE Schools, Public Schools and a Private School, CRST Title I, CRST Education Services, CRST Infant/Toddler and CRST Head Start ; maintain CRST Ordinance #82 Tribal Education Code; work with School Boards in providing technical assistance; serve as a liaison between all schools/programs working in conjunction with the Education Committee; develop forums on education as directed by the Tribal Council or Education Committee; supports the preservation of the Lakota Language; works with the Tribal Education Committee and Tribal Council as the governing and oversight bodies of the Tribe’ s education programs and Education Department; gathers, compiles and analyzes data from schools and other education programs and entities for the Annual Tribal Education Report.
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A proud member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Dr. Cherie Farlee brings decades of dedicated service to Native education. Holding a BS in Composite Business Education from Black Hills State University, and both an MA in Secondary Administration and an EdD in Adult & Higher Education Administration from the University of South Dakota, Dr. Farlee has taught at the elementary, secondary, and college levels.
With over 26 years of experience in a cooperative school setting between public schools and federally operated schools, Dr. Farlee has played a vital role in the operation of Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)-funded schools. This includes serving as the Acting Deputy Director of the BIE, the Cheyenne River Education Line Officer for 22 years, and as Acting Education Line Officer at both the Billings and Crow Creek/Lower Brule Education Line Offices.
Dr. Farlee is a founding member of the Commission for Oceti Sakowin Accreditation (COSA), and has served on the South Dakota Indian Advisory Council since 2004. They are also an active member of the North Dakota/South Dakota Tribal Education Directors group and the South Dakota Education Equity Coalition (SDEEC).
Recognized as the National Education Line Officer of the Year in 1998, Dr. Farlee is a certified Secondary Business Instructor, Principal, and Superintendent. They have extensive experience in the planning, design, and construction of two K-12 reservation schools, and have developed and implemented a PRIDE community partnership group focused on student suicide prevention.
In higher education, Dr. Farlee serves as an adjunct instructor at Cheyenne River Community College and supervises graduate-level internships in Education Administration at USD. For the past 10 years, they have served as the Director of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Education Agency.
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As Lower Brule Tribe’s Tribal Education Director and Crow Creek’s Education Consultant, Brian has the privilege of representing the provide technical assistance to the two Tribes, to the Bureau of Indian Education funded schools on the two Reservations, the Tribes’ local Head Starts, Lower Brule Community College, Lower Brule Day Care and any other programs that involve children and/or education occurring on the two Reservations or for Tribal Members who live off of their Reservation. Specifically, I provide support on the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Indian School Equalization Program (ISEP), Native American Student Information System (NASIS), Tribal Infants and Toddlers Program, Every Student Succeeds Act, Johnson O’Malley, Impact Aid, tribal sovereignty and education, and other tasks as
requested by the Council.
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Brian Wagner graduated in 1978 from the St. Johnsville Central High School in St. Johnsville, New York. He earned a Bachelor's Bachelor's of Art degree in Special Education and Physical Education from Northwestern College, Orange City, Iowa. During his own educational career, he had started a Master's degree in special education, computers, and divinity before completing a Master's in Education Administration from Northern State University, Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Since graduating from Northwestern College, he has worked in Indian Education for over forty years. Brian's career included working as an educator at an adjustment training center, a special education teacher at Crow Creek Reservation High School and Lower Brule Day School, an
Education Specialist under the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) as a transition specialist under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, an Education Specialist under the BIE as a Special Education Coordinator Assistant, an Education Specialist under the BIE as a Special
Education Coordinator, a Special Education Director for two different Tribal Programs, the Director of a Tribal Education Cooperative, an employee at Lower Brule Community College as the Director of Student Services to provide support to BIE Funded schools, and in his current
role as Tribal Education Director.
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Dr. Sherry Johnson is the Tribal Education Director for the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate for the past 9 years. She is the administrator over numerous grants and programs. She networks with the tribal and public school districts and all programs dealing with education, facilitates communication and promotes educational excellence for the members of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate. Her past experiences include being a Superintendent at a school district for 15 years and working as a Teacher for 10 years at a tribal school. She earned her Doctorate from the University of South Dakota in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Educational Leadership. Others: Masters in Science Education. Bachelors in Elementary Education. School Improvement Certification from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, along with various certifications and publications. Dr. Johnson is married to Louie and they have 8 children. They make their home in Buffalo Lake near Eden in the Northeast corner of South Dakota.
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As Tribal Education Departments (TEDs) across the Great Plains have grown stronger and more collaborative, Cynthia has been deeply involved in efforts to achieve tribal sovereignty in education. She has worked with the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) to update the Tribe’s Education Code, originally developed through a Kellogg Grant in 1991. The Code has since been expanded to include an Early Childhood section (2012), and fully integrated into the current Code (2019). Other significant contributions include the development of a Consultation Policy, K-12 Cultural Content Standards and Curriculum Guides, Language Guides, the Sicangu Instructional Principles of Learning, and accompanying Training Guides.
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Cynthia earned a Human Services degree from the University of South Dakota through a cohort program at Sinte Gleska University in 1982. She went on to earn a Master of Science degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1986 and later obtained a Master of Arts degree in Educational Administration in 2010.
Her first professional position after college was in Special Education at St. Francis Indian School (SFIS) in 1982. It was there that she began working with students and recognized the urgent need to improve the delivery of education in order to make it more meaningful and relevant to Native students' needs.
In 1984, Cynthia moved to Massachusetts to pursue her graduate studies, intending to return to SFIS. After completing her degree, she remained in the area to begin a Doctorate in Organizational Development. However, she was encouraged by her sister, who had accepted a teaching position at Little Wound School, to return and work as a school counselor. Cynthia worked in various counseling roles for 11 years on the Pine Ridge Reservation before returning to SFIS in 1999. In 2002, she was hired by her tribe to serve as Education Director.
Cynthia has had the opportunity to travel internationally to expand her understanding of education systems. In the summer of 1987, she spent eight weeks in South Africa as a student at UMass, where she witnessed firsthand the injustices of the apartheid-era education system. In 1990, she led an international work camp project in Germany and France, chaperoning six senior students from Little Wound School, where they experienced more equitable educational environments.
Dr. RoseMary Clairmont
Sicangu Lakota
Rosebud Sioux Tribe Assistant TED
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RoseMary Clairmont, Ed.D. (Sicangu Lakota), is the Assistant Director of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Education Department. As a Native education leader, she advances tribal sovereignty in education, drawing on her experience as a teacher and school leader. A member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, she holds a doctorate in Leadership and Innovation in Education and brings deep experience in partnership and relationship building, a strong commitment to equity in education, and a steadfast focus on Native student success.
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Dr. Clairmont is the founder of Braided Wisdom: Voices of Native Women Leaders, a podcast uplifting the voices of Indigenous women in education, and a founding board member of The Liber Institute, a nonprofit committed to equity and culturally responsive leadership. She is also the co-author of a chapter in On Indian Ground, which affirms tribal sovereignty in education for the Rosebud Sioux Tribe.
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Jolene Arrow is the Elementary Principal at Marty Indian School, where she has served since 2018. With a strong commitment to helping children reach their full potential, she brings decades of experience in educational leadership within tribal communities.
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Prior to her current role, Jolene served as Dean of Students at Marty High School, overseeing student enrollment, discipline, and daily activities. She also held the role of Superintendent at Marty Indian School from 2015 to 2016, managing staff, school programs, and overall administration.
Jolene holds a Master of Education degree and a Bachelor’s in Indian Studies and Secondary Education from Dakota Wesleyan University. A proud graduate of Marty Indian School, Jolene remains deeply connected to the community she serves, leading with dedication, cultural awareness, and a passion for empowering future generations.
Kelsey Iron Shield
kelsey.ironshield@standingrock.org
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As Tribal Education Director, I oversee all operations of the Tribal Education Department,
including supervision of programs such as Johnson-O’Malley, Higher Education, Adult
Education, Early Childhood, and K–12. I manage department budgets across tribal, federal, and
state funding streams, and serve as the primary liaison between the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe,
local schools, the BIE, state agencies, and other partners. I ensure compliance with the Standing
Rock Education Code, oversee contracts and grants, and lead strategic planning and evaluation
of educational initiatives. My role also includes advocating for tribal education priorities,
supporting culturally responsive programming, and preparing reports and presentations for Tribal
Council and other stakeholders.
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Dr. Kelsey Iron Shield is an educator, advocate, and lifelong learner deeply committed to
uplifting Indigenous students and communities. She holds a Doctorate in Education from the
University of North Dakota, a Master’s in Special Education from the University of Mary, and a
Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Turtle Mountain College.
Before stepping into her current role as Tribal Education Director for the Standing Rock Sioux
Tribe, Dr. Iron Shield spent eight years teaching at Ojibwa Indian School on the Turtle Mountain
Indian Reservation — where she was raised and where she is a proud enrolled member of the
Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. During her time there, she not only led instruction but also
took on several leadership roles, including chairing the student activities committee, coordinating
the school’s annual writing fair, and leading professional learning communities focused on
culturally responsive education.
In higher education, Dr. Iron Shield serves as adjunct faculty in the Master of Education program
at Turtle Mountain College. Her work centers on Indigenizing assessment and evaluation,
ensuring Indigenous learners see themselves reflected in all aspects of their education. She also
designed and facilitated Gabe-gikikndaasowigamig Ozhiita Abinoojiiyag, a college readiness
program for Indigenous youth in grades 3–8 that blends academic preparation with cultural
identity.
She is a devoted mother of four and recently married — a chapter of life she embraces with the
same dedication and heart as her professional work. These roles remain central to who she is and
keep her grounded in her purpose.
This new chapter as Tribal Education Director is a natural step in her career. She feels incredibly
grateful to be part of a strong and dedicated department, recognizing the solid foundation that’s
already in place. Her hope is to build upon that — to support, contribute, and grow alongside a
team that is clearly committed to serving their people.
With humility and determination, Dr. Iron Shield looks forward to learning from the knowledge
keepers and educators within the Standing Rock community and to serving Indian Country in a
way that is meaningful, respectful, and lasting.
TED Codes
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe: Education Code
Crow Creek Sioux Tribe: Call
Flandreau Sioux Tribe: Call
Lower Brule Sioux Tribe: Call
Oglala Sioux Tribe: Education Code on NARF
Rosebud Sioux Tribe: Education Code
Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate: Bylaws & Education Code
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe: Education Code
Yankton Sioux Tribe: Education Code on NARF