"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - Funding, Long-term Management Assistance

"Lost City School Board President Sharon Gifford (center) accepts a check
for Lost City Schools in the amount of $35,000 from Cherokee Nation Education Services Group Leader Dr. Neil Morton (left) and Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chad Smith (right) at the Cherokee Nation Tribal Complex in Tahlequah. The tribe is providing the funds to assist the school with payroll and operating expenses."

TAHLEQUAH, Oklahoma - The Cherokee Nation has given $35,000 to Lost City Schools, which will enable the school to meet payroll next week and operate for another month. The money will give the school district time to propose options to the Cherokee Nation so that the school could stay open through the end of the school year under some form of management or operational agreement with the Nation.

“Our staff has been in daily contact with Lost City, assisting in trying to find a solution,” said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. “Our council members from Cherokee County, Mr. Baker and Ms. Glory-Jordan, have had input and helped us get to this point, as well. If the Lost City School is interested in working on an agreement with us that will allow us to work together, I think there is a great opportunity for both the school and the community to succeed here for a long time to come.”

Lost City Schools would likely not be able to make their payroll next week without the Cherokee Nation’s assistance. Further financial assistance could amount to as much as half their funding deficit for the rest of this fiscal year, and additional funding for future years, but such funding would be outlined under a formal agreement between the Cherokee Nation and Lost City.

“Our participation will be limited unless there is a long-term rebuilding plan for the school that we are involved in,” Smith said. “Any further funding is contingent upon our participation in management of the school. We don’t consider this a gift, we consider it part of a long-term partnership that can grow between Lost City and Cherokee Nation.”

“This partnership helps us all come together as a community,” said Sharon Gifford, President of Lost City School Board. “We have good children and teachers at Lost City. This partnership is really all about the children and their education.”

Under a cooperative agreement, the Cherokee Nation would assist Lost City by paying up to fifty percent of the expenses that the school could not pay with revenue from the state.

“Other organizations have committed to keeping Lost City open, and it is time for them to back up their words with action,” Smith said. “If Lost City agrees to work with us on a management contract, we will take care of up to half of Lost City’s deficit to get through this year---the people who have said they would do the same have to come through with the rest of the funds for this whole thing to work.”

An agreement could only be put in place if the state department of education certifies that Lost City meets basic accreditation requirements and allows the school to remain open. The state would also have to approve any management or operational agreement between the Cherokee Nation and Lost City. The Cherokee Nation Tribal Council would also need to approve future funding of Lost City Schools.

Cherokee Nation has a strong track record operating schools, with waiting lists at Sequoyah Schools and strong programs for early childhood education and a growing language immersion school. Cherokee Nation also has the staff and experience to assist in managing Lost City Schools, if the school board approves an agreement.

“This is a rare case, where a school is in dire need and we have the ability to help,” said Neil Morton, who runs the Cherokee Nation’s education department. “If we aren’t playing a role in managing the school, we aren’t going to be able to participate at this kind of financial level.”