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SACRAMENTO – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell today announced 29 grantees will share $4.9 million in American Indian Education Center (AIEC) grants. For the list of grantees, please visit Funding Results: American Indian Education Centers.

"Just like their African American and Hispanic peers in school, American Indian students lag academically behind white and Asian students," said O’Connell. "These grants will assist us in fulfilling our social, economic, and moral obligation to help American Indian students close this achievement gap and learn the fundamental academic skills needed to succeed in today’s demanding economy."

The AIEC program was established in 1974 by Senate Bill 2264 and was reauthorized last year by Senate Bill 1710. The AIECs serve as educational resource centers for American Indian students, their families, and the public schools. The primary focus of the AIECs is on providing direct services to improve their achievement in reading/language arts and mathematics that lead to college or careers. The program is also designed to build American Indian student self-identity through related cultural activities and by providing information on their tribal histories and cultures. The ultimate goal is to create a skilled, educated workforce in the American Indian community and in California.

The state has one of the largest American Indian student populations in the country, with 50,758 identified students in the 2005-06 school year. The implementation of the AIECs has touched the lives of more than 50,000 American Indian families. In 2006-07, more than 5,000 American Indian students received academic services.