Tahlequah, Oklahoma: Difference between revisions

The Cherokee language immersion school in Tahlequah, Oklahoma educates students from pre-school through eighth grade.<ref>{{Cite news| last = Chavez, Will| title = Immersion students win trophies at language fair| work = Cherokeephoenix.org| accessdate = April 8, 2013| date = April 5, 2012| url = http://www.cherokeephoenix.org/Article/Index/6142}}</ref> Because Oklahoma's official language is English, Cherokee immersion students are hindered when taking state-mandated tests because they have little competence in English.<ref name=immersion>{{cite web |url=http://www.youthonrace.org/cherokee-immersion-school-strives-to-save-tribal-language |title=Cherokee Immersion School Strives to Save Tribal Language |publisher=Youth on Race |accessdate=June 5, 2014 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140703212619/http://www.youthonrace.org/cherokee-immersion-school-strives-to-save-tribal-language |archivedate=July 3, 2014 |df= }}</ref> The Department of Education of Oklahoma said that in 2012 state tests: 11% of the school’s sixth-graders showed proficiency in math, and 25% showed proficiency in reading; 31% of the seventh-graders showed proficiency in math, and 87% showed proficiency in reading; 50% of the eighth-graders showed proficiency in math, and 78% showed proficiency in reading.<ref name=immersion/> The Oklahoma Department of Education listed the charter school as a Targeted Intervention school, meaning the school was identified as a low-performing school but has not been identified as a Priority School.<ref name=immersion/> Ultimately, the school made a C, or a 2.33 grade point average on the state’s A-F report card system.<ref name=immersion/> The report card shows the school getting an F in mathematics achievement and mathematics growth, a C in social studies achievement, a D in reading achievement, and an A in reading growth and student attendance.<ref name=immersion/> “The C we made is tremendous,” said school principal Holly Davis, “[t]here is no English instruction in our school’s younger grades, and we gave them this test in English.”<ref name=immersion/> She said she had anticipated the low grade because it was the school’s first year as a state-funded [[charter school]], and many students had difficulty with English.<ref name=immersion/> Eighth graders who graduate from the Tahlequah immersion school are fluent speakers of the language, and they usually go on to attend [[Sequoyah High School (Tahlequah, Oklahoma)|Sequoyah High School]] where classes are taught in both English and Cherokee.

[[Northeastern State University]] is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of Oklahoma as well as one of the oldest institutions of higher learning west of the [[Mississippi River]].<ref>{{cite web | publisher=NSU| accessdate=2008-02-20 | url=http://www.nsuok.edu/GettingStarted/OurCampuses.aspx| title=General Information| deadurl=yes| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090828040356/http://www.nsuok.edu/GettingStarted/OurCampuses.aspx| archivedate=2009-08-28| df=}}</ref> Tahlequah is home to the capital of the [[Cherokee]] Nation of [[Oklahoma]] and about 25 percent of the students at NSU identify themselves as American Indian.<ref Name="EOHC-NSU">Agnew, Brad. ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''. "Northeastern State University."[http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/N/NO014.html]</ref> The university has many courses focused on Native American linguistics, and offers [[Cherokee language]] Education as a major.<ref>{{cite web|author=' + auElement.html() + ' |url=http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2014/10/02/nsu-cherokee-nation-partner-train-and-hire-language-instructors-157146 |title=NSU, Cherokee Nation Partner to Train and Hire Language Instructors - ICTMN.com |publisher=Indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com |date= |accessdate=2015-07-17}}</ref> Cherokee can be studied as a [[second language]], and some classes are taught in Cherokee for [[first language]] speakers as well.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ethnologue.com/language/chr|title=Cherokee|work=Ethnologue}}</ref>