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.
Starla Spotted Horse
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Tribe Affiliation
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Name
Tribe Affiliation
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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.
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