Montana settles long-running Indigenous education lawsuit with new accountability measures
A settlement between Montana students, families, tribes and the state Office of Public Instruction aims to resolve a class-action suit over the implementation of the Indian Education for All mandate.
Montana’s Office of Public Instruction has reached a tentative settlement with a coalition of students, families and several tribes to end a class-action lawsuit filed in 2021 over the state’s Indian Education for All (IEFA) program. Plaintiffs argued that many districts failed to spend allocated funds on appropriate Native American curriculum, with court filings showing only about 10% could account for their expenditures.
The proposed deal requires the state to use its accreditation system to verify IEFA implementation, conduct yearly reviews of at least seven schools, and potentially cut funding for districts that do not comply. It also calls for stronger tribal consultation, mandatory reporting of IEFA expenses and public disclosure of schools that fall short. Superintendent Susie Hedalen expressed satisfaction with the outcome and announced a new website and training portal for teachers, while tribal chair Michael Dolson called the settlement “long overdue.” A related settlement with the Montana Board of Public Education was reached in May 2025, focusing on content standards and teacher training.
Why it matters
The deal seeks to ensure Montana schools properly teach Native American history and culture, fulfilling a constitutional requirement.
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