Grow Our Own Project

Through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Indian Education, Pala Band of Mission Indians is able to award American Indians/Alaska Natives with the opportunity to earn a California preliminary K-12 teaching credential or a California principal certification. Six teacher candidates will be selected; six principal candidates will be selected.

The project covers tuition at California State University San Marcos (100%), fees, and materials and provides a $500/month stipend for full time students. Additionally, the program provides a year of induction support upon completion of training and job placement.

American Indians/Alaska Natives selected to participate can earn a K-12 teaching credentials or principal certification.

Yes. In exchange for the tuition and support, participants must be employed at a 1:1 ratio for each month in the program in a school serving American Indian/Alaska Native students. If a participant receives support for twelve months, the participant is obligated to work for twelve months. If the participant fails to meet the service agreement, the total amount of funds is converted to a loan that must be repaid to the Department of Education. Therefore, it is imperative that participants are committed to educating American Indian/Alaska Native children.

Participants must be admitted to California State University San Marcos in pursuit
of a preliminary teaching credential or principal certification, must agree to the month-to-month service commitment, and must be able to document that they meet any one of the following requirements of the U.S

Department of Education’s definition of “Indian.”

1. Be a member of an Indian tribe or band, as membership is defined by the Indian tribe or band, including any tribe or band terminated since 1940, and any tribe or band recognized by the State in which the tribe or band resides.
2. Be a descendant of a parent or grandparent who meets the requirements described in item 1.
3. Be considered by the Secretary of the Interior to be an Indian for any purpose.
4. Be an Eskimo, Aleut or other Alaska Native.
5. Be a member of an organized Indian group that received a grant under the Indian Education Act of 1988 as it was in effect on October 19, 1994.

There are six competitive spaces for the teacher credential and six competitive spaces for principal certification.

• November 2017-March 2018: Apply to CSUSM’s preliminary K-12 teaching credential or certification program
• January 2018: Applications to the Grow Our Own program will be accepted for the project by the Advisory Board.
• Enrollment at CSUSM can begin upon acceptance to the university’s program.
• Upon completion of credentials, participants will receive induction support for one year.

The application process involves applying for admission to the certification or credential program at California State University San Marcos AND filing an application for admission to the “Grow Our Own” program as a participant at Pala Band of Mission Indians. This application process requires a short statement of intent to work in Indian County, transcripts that show you have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, and documentation that you have passed the California Basic Education Skills Test (CBEST). Participants will need to certify that they meet the definition of Indian provided by the US Department of Education for the purposes of this program.

If you have questions about the program or are interested in applying, please contact:

Linda Sue Warner, Ph.D.
Project Director
615-545-1262
lwarner@palatribe.com

Doretta Musick
Learning Center Director–Advisory Board Member
760-742-1997
dmusick@palatribe.com

Joely Proudfit, Ph.D.
Director, California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center—
Advisory Board Member
760-750-3535
jproudfi@csusm.edu

Patricia Stall, Ph.D.
Professor, School of Education, CSUSM—Advisory Board Member
760-750-4407
pstall@csusm.edu

John Tippeconnic, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus—Advisory Board Member
760-750-3535
jwtipp3@gmail.com

Pala Band of Mission Indians “Grow Our Own” Professional Development Project

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (December 1, 2017) –The Pala Band of Mission Indians in Southern California joins education programs in ten states funded by the U.S. Department of Education selected to provide training programs to recruit and graduate American Indian teachers and administrators.

“This project aligns with tribal initiatives supporting youth. By training our own educators using native ways of knowing, the curriculum is more relevant and more likely to be successful,” observed Chairman Smith. “The data shows that the ratio of American Indian/Alaska Native students to American Indian teachers and administrators reflects a strong need in Southern California,” added project director Linda Warner. “The “Grow Our Own” project represents an exceptional commitment on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education and the Pala Band of Mission Indians to serve tribes in the region.”

The Pala Band of Mission Indians is partnering with the California State University San Marcos through the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center. Dr. Joely Proudfit, Director of the Center noted, “The California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center welcomes the opportunity to link teacher and administrator certification with our work to create pathways for our students. The “Grow Our Own” Project is unique because it represents a true commitment to tribal sovereignty. The Pala Band of Mission Indians’ leadership has been a strong supporter of our initiatives and we are pleased to join in this project.”

Applications for the project will be available online from the Pala Band of Mission Indians at www.palatribe.com or through the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center. The project supports certification for teachers and administrators. For more information on how to apply, please contact: Linda Warner at lwarner@palatribe.com.

About Pala Band of Mission Indians

The Pala Band of Mission Indians is a federally recognized tribe whose reservation is located along the Palomar Mountain range approximately 30 miles northeast of San Diego. The majority of the over 900 tribal members live on the 12,000-acre reservation, established for Cupeño and Luiseño Indians, who consider themselves to be one proud people – Pala. www.palatribe.com

About California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center

The California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center fosters collaborative research and community service relationships between the faculty, staff, and students of CSU San Marcos and members of local Tribal communities, for the purpose of developing and conducting research projects that support the maintenance of sovereignty and culture within those communities. www.csusm.edu/cicsc