[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9034]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE MICCOSUKEE INDIAN SCHOOL FOR RECEIVING FLEXIBILITY TO USE 
                    CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE STANDARDS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. FREDERICA S. WILSON

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 9, 2015

  Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor a historic 
chapter in Indian education. The Miccosukee tribe is the first tribe to 
receive flexibility from the Department of Education to use academic 
standards under the No Child Left Behind Act that reflect the unique 
culture of its people and needs of its children.
  The standards developed for the Miccosukee Indian School integrate 
the tribe's culture and language while establishing tough academic 
standards that will promote college and career readiness.
  Last Monday, Secretary of Education Arnie Duncan and Secretary of the 
Interior Sally Jewell hosted a ceremony to honor Chairman Colley Billie 
and Miccosukee Indian School Principal Manuel Varela for this 
unprecedented achievement.
  These new standards will not only help the children of the Miccosukee 
tribe, but will pave the way for future work with other tribes.
  Chairman Billie and I have been in conversations about establishing a 
5000 Role Models of Excellence Project at the Miccosukee Indian School. 
It is our hope to make it a part of the My Brother's Keeper initiative.
  Congratulations Chairman Colley Billie and the Miccosukee Indian 
School. Congratulations to all of the generations of Miccosukee 
children yet to be born. This school will make a huge impact on your 
lives.

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