Walters public school

Johnson O'Malley

Indian Education (Title VI)

For information about Johnson O'Malley & Native American Club contact: Susan Johnson, 580-875-3257, swjohnson@waltersps.org

Mission Statement: The primary goal of the Walters Public School's Indian Education (Title VI) and Johnson O’Malley is to provide supplemental programs designed to meet the specialized and unique educational needs of eligible native students.

The Johnson-O’Malley Act started its journey when W. Hiram Johnson and Thomas P. O’Malley sponsored a bill in the House and Senate, which when passed on April 16, 1934, became known as the Johnson-O’Malley Act. While the Johnson-O’Malley Act was identified primarily with education, the Act itself designated the use of the funding for such purposes as education, medical attention, agricultural assistance and social welfare, including relief of distress. The expenditure of some funds for the welfare and agricultural extension programs were justified under the Johnson-O’Malley authority of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, but the funding continued to be emphasized in the area of education.

Until August 12, 1958, the Johnson-O’Malley Program was a basic Federal Aid program specifically designed to assist public school districts to educate Native American children from reservations and Native American owned, tax-exempt land areas. In 1958, Public Law 81-874, administered through the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, was amended to include assistance for education of Native American children. This broader based program met most of the basic financial needs of eligible school districts. Subsequently, the Johnson-O’Malley Program became a supplemental aid program geared to offset the financial deficit of extraordinary and exceptional Native American education needs.

The Johnson-O’Malley funds were made available to states based on separate plans negotiated between the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the respective states of tribal corporations for the purpose of supplemental federal assistance for education of Native American children in public schools. The states or tribal corporations administered these funds to local school districts.

In 1975, the passage of Public Law 93-638, The Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, made it easier for tribal entities to contract for the program. Any state, school district, tribal organization, or Indian Corporation were eligible to apply for a contract. However, the regulations governing Johnson-O’Malley programs were written to insure the maximum participation of Native American parents in the development of programs for eligible students. The most significant change since 1975 has been the definition of an eligible student. Public Law 99-228 allowed a student to be eligible if they were an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe, regardless of blood degree. Then, on December 31, 2018, President Trump signed into law Senate Bill 943, the Johnson-O’Malley Supplemental Indian Education Program Modernization Act. The Act, now referred to as Public Law 115-404, will seek to obtain a complete update of the student count for eligible Native American students while increasing participation around the country from schools and tribes. It initiates conversations with the Department of the Interior and BIE regarding the modernization of rules and regulations for Johnson-O’Malley Programs. As well as reinforce the recognition of tribal sovereignty and the respect of federal treaty rights.

The purpose of the program is to provide financial assistance to rural districts to assist them in meeting their state's definition of adequate yearly progress (AYP). Applicants do not compete but rather are entitled to funds if they meet basic eligibility requirements. Eligibility is restricted by statute. 

Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023 WHS Native American students went to Comanche Nation Career Day September 20, 2023, at The Great Plains Coliseum, hosted by Comanche Nation Higher Education and Comanche Nation Student Services. Students gathered information from various colleges including Cameron, ECU, OBU and OSU, and workforce entities such as the FBI, Indian Health Services, Goodyear and The Bureau of Indian Affiars. Even though the day was cut short to do electricity loss, Walters students Miley Moore and Danyle Gee came home with great door prizes! Miley won a microwave and Danyle won a mini fridge, great items as these ladies prepare for their future! A special THANK YOU to Comanche Nation for the invitation. 

August 15, 2023:  A special THANK YOU to the Comanche Nation CARES Foundation, for the large donation of school supplies this week. Pictured are Comanche Tribal citizens and WHS students (L-R): Kyleigh Davidson, Sebastian Wahnee, Cameron Allen, Jessie Ototivo and Miley Moore.

Thank you again to Comanche Nation for your generous donation.

11-16-2022 A Special Thank You to the Comanche Nation Youth Dancers and Teresa Lopez, with our own (first picture, l-r) Kyleigh Davidson 8th grade, Garrett Calfy 6th grade, Chrissie Lonelodge 3rd grade, Alexa Martinez 6th grade and Kayala Funmaker 6th grade for sharing their dances, history of their dances, and about the dance regalia with us today.  










November 16, 2022: Thank you to Fawn Tsatoke - President of the Kiowa Chapter of Missing  and Murdered Indigenous Women and liaison to the OSBI for sharing her knowledge to our WHS Native American Studies and Forensics Science classes on Wednesday.  Ms. Tsatoke explained the process she and her chapter go through when someone is reported missing. 


Wednesday, Aug 23, 2023 the first meeting of the new school year will be held in the "New Conference Room" at Noon. Report to the room to sign in and pick up a flyer with some of the Annual events.

We will be hosting a guest from the Comanche Nation Youth program, Dena Landers, TEDNA Specialist.

If interested, but unable to attend the meeting, please email me back so you can continue to get the emails.

September events include the Comanche Nation Career Day and the Comanche Nation Fair.

Lunch will be provided -- If you plan on attending- please email me back or text message me at 580-512-2219 -- That way I will have enough food.

WHS NATIVE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS- PLEASE CHECK YOUR SCHOOL EMAIL!!