Ute Mountain Ute Tribe forging a path forward for education in Southwest Colorado

Charter school brings new opportunities for students in Towaoc

More than 500 Ute Mountain Ute students are bused each morning to schools in the Montezuma-Cortez School District. But the tribe is creating a charter school on the reservation, where Utes from across the district may be immersed in culture-based learning.

When COVID-19 forced classes online across the U.S., the gap between education access in urban and rural areas became evident – many rural students struggled to access the internet to complete assignments. For Ute Mountain Utes, COVID-19’s impact on education and travel showed how important it was for the tribe to build a school in their community for their community.

But last month, the Colorado legislature cut $621 million in education spending after COVID-19 lowered tax revenue. If less money flows from the state to Montezuma-Cortez schools and surrounding districts, it could mean less funding for the new school – called the Kwiyagat (“Bear”) Community Academy – even though the school is entitled to Title XI and Title I funds from the federal government as a tribal entity.

Read the full article on The Journal at: https://www.the-journal.com/articles/ute-mountain-ute-tribe-forging-a-path-forward-for-education-in-southwest-colorado/