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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | October 6, 2023 06:02 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Christopher M. Rabb and Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade-El |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Providing Tuition Waivers for Native American Students |
| Native American educational attainment is significantly below that of other groups in the United States. In 2018, the rate of Native American students in two- or four-year post-secondary education was 24 percent, while the average of all Americans was 41 percent. Despite Pennsylvania’s statistically low population of Native Americans, Pennsylvania has a long history with several existing Native American nations across the United States and Canada. In particular, the Haudenosaunee, Nanticoke-Lenni-Lenape, Eastern Shawnee, Tuscarora, Seneca, Cayuga, and Wyandotte nations have well established histories in the state or have assimilated tribes which are originally from the territory of modern Pennsylvania. Some Native American groups have ties to Pennsylvania through the Carlisle Industrial Indian School, which brought Native American children to the school to force them to assimilate into white American society. It is important that we recognize and honor the roots that several Native American nations have to Pennsylvania and make higher education more accessible to members of the nations that once lived on the land that is now Pennsylvania. Accordingly, we are introducing legislation that would provide for free tuition at the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) universities for individuals who are enrolled members of either a tribe that was originally located on the lands that are now Pennsylvania, or a tribe that had members who were enrolled at the Carlisle Industrial Indian School. This legislation would align Pennsylvania with policies that other states have implemented to provide free tuition to Native American students. The unequal educational opportunities and outcomes for Native American students have long been overlooked and, when considering the strong connection several Native American nations have to the land of Pennsylvania, it becomes clear that we must act to change this. Please join us in co-sponsoring this important legislation to acknowledge the significant connection between several Native American nations and Pennsylvania. |
Introduced as HB1812