The American Indian Education Program's mission is to empower American Indian students and their families to enhance their educational potential through special, unique, and culturally related educational programming. We value the importance of: our children, our families, education, American Indian culture, and heritage.

This organization shall be known as the American Indian Education Parent Advisory Committee (AIEPAC).

US Department of Indian Education - Title VI and MN statute 124D.78

The Indian Education program was created in accordance with the Indian Education Act of 1972. The Act was in recognition of the special educational needs of American Indian students in the United States. The Act provides financial assistance to the Title VI Indian Education program to meet the special educational and culturally related academic needs of American Indian students in public elementary and secondary schools.

Indian Education efforts are designed to support all American Indian students enrolled in the St. Francis Area Schools with:

• An understanding of who they are as American Indians 

• Academic success at all grade levels

• A high school diploma

• Academic and critical thinking skills to succeed at a job or post-secondary education 

• A sense of pride and purpose to be tomorrow's leaders

• Accurate curriculum instruction related to American Indians

• Actively engage American Indian students and families in school and culture

In accordance with federal law, public school districts with 10 or more American Indian students must have an American Indian Parent Advisory Committee. The American Indian Parent Advisory Committee of St. Francis Area Schools serves to ensure that the unique and culturally related needs of American Indian students are being met, and provides input on Indian Education curriculum and programs. The committee ensures that planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of the operational and supplemental programs for American Indian students in St. Francis Area Schools occurs in a consistent and sustained manner.

The composition of the American Indian Education Parent Advisory Committee will be made up of the following constituents: parents/grandparents/guardians/foster parents of American Indian students enrolled in the district, the district Indian Education Program Coordinator, at least one district teacher, staff or administrator, American Indian adult community members and secondary American Indian students.

Election of the Committee Officers: The committee officials shall be established through an annual general election, in April of each school year, among all eligible constituents. Nominees must be present to be elected. All elected committee officers will be up for reelection on an annual basis. In the event of an officer resigning, or unable to fulfill their duties, a special election will be held at the next scheduled meeting.

Committee Officers: Chairperson (must have student currently enrolled in district), Vice Chairperson (must have student currently enrolled in district), Student Representative(s) (must be currently enrolled in district), Secretary.

Duties of Officers: Chairperson shall - Preside over meetings, prepare meeting agendas in coordination with the committee, sign or be representative of the committee in official AIEPAC capacities, and perform other duties as needed.

Vice Chairperson shall - Assume the role of Chairperson in his/her absence, and perform other duties as needed.

Secretary shall - Keep meeting minutes, provide minutes to the committee members in a timely manner, work with Indian Education Coordinator to provide notice of meetings, be custodian of the committee records, and perform other duties as needed.

The AIEPAC shall meet once a month during the school year, as allows or is necessary. The date and time of regular meetings will be decided by a majority vote.

Agenda items can be submitted to the Chairperson up to five (5) days prior to the scheduled meeting. All meetings will be open to the public. American Indian parents are welcome at every meeting and are able to discuss agenda items. The last 15 minutes of every meeting will be used for any issue that arises during the meeting or was not submitted to the agenda.

The bylaws can be amended only at regular meetings by a majority vote of the members of the AIEPAC in attendance. All amendments must carry out the purpose and objectives of the AIEPAC and conform to the rules and regulations of the statute.

These bylaws shall be declared adopted by the American Indian Education Parent Advisory Committee when passed by majority vote of the members of the AIEPAC in attendance.