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TAHLEQUAH, OK - Sequoyah High School will lay off eleven staff members due to a funding cut proposed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. In a memo from the BIA’s acting director of Indian Education Programs, the school was told to develop their financial plans for the next fiscal year at only 85% of this year’s budget level.

The cuts hit the school particularly hard, because Sequoyah currently receives just $3410 per weighted student per year, while public schools in Oklahoma receive roughly $5400 per weighted student annually.

Five support staff and six teachers will be affected by the cuts. Sequoyah’s current staffing level is far above that of other schools it’s size. Even with the cuts, the student-teacher ratio at Sequoyah will be superior to similar sized schools in Oklahoma. The staff reductions also reduce administrative and food service staff. All staff decisions were made with a preference toward keeping personnel involved in core curriculum classes and eliminating staffing redundancies.

The staff reductions will go into effect after the current school year. The Cherokee Nation will work with the affected employees to help them find other employment with the Cherokee Nation, or with other entities.

Currently, Sequoyah High School employs 99 staff members and has approximately 250 students.