WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Education awarded four grants totaling $1.56 million to three North Dakota college and universities to advance Native American educational opportunities, according to Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer, both R-ND.

The funding goes to:

– $400,000 to the University of Mary to support Native American undergraduates pursuing a degree in elementary education with the goal of becoming teachers in schools with a high proportion of Native American students.

– $400,000 to the University of Mary to support 25 master’s-level participants pursuing a graduate degree in K-12 administration or special education-strategist with the goal of obtaining employment in schools with a high proportion of Native American students.

– $400,000 to the University of North Dakota to establish an Indigenous Teacher Education Program within the College of Education and Human Development.

– $364,628 to Turtle Mountain Community College to the Turtle Mountain Training Educators to Advance Culture and Heritage (TEACH) Program.