choctaw nation ofoklahoma - bia ar.2015 to 2016... · choctaw nation ofoklahoma ... the...
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Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Workforce Innovation amp Opportunity Act Gary Batton
ChiefPO Box 1210 bull Durant OK 74702-1210 (580) 924-2923 Jack Austin Jr
Assistant Chief
September 12 2016
Ida Doyle Workforce Development Specialist Bureau of Indian Affairs 200 N W 4th Street 4049
Oklahoma City OK 73102
To Whom It May Concern
Enclosed is the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma PL 102-477 Annual Reports PY 15 Enclosed you will find
the statistical narrative financial status reports (SF 425) and the financial certifications (12a-12f)
The narrative contains information from WIOA Supplemental Youth Higher Ed and JPT programs
Our 477 program does not include TANF therefore the 12g report has not been included
If you have any questions please call me at 580-924-8280 ext 2209
Sincerely
-(~~SJ Patty Mink Director
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
PO Box 1210
Durant OK 74702
~1 Printed on 1 00 recycled paper
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
July 1 2015 - June 30 2016
Patty Mink Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
4 Childs Home
bs CreationEconomic Develo
OMB Control No 1076-0135 (Version 2) Expiration Date 02282018
Public Law 102-477 Statistical Re ort I Nation Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma PL 102-477 Report Period
PO Box 1210 From 712015 To 6302016 Durant OK 74702
I Participants Served Adults Youth Cash Assistance Recipients
A Total Participants 731 839 B Total Terminees 708 617 C Total Current Participants 22223
II Terminee Outcomes Adult Youth Cash Assistance Recipients A Total with Employment Objective 108 128
1 Entered Unsubsidized Employment 72 47 91 119
3 Employment Objective Not Achieved 0 4 Average Adult Earnings Gain
B Total with EducationalTrainin Obmiddot ective 1 DegreeCertificate
498a Attempted 631 b Attained 31 27
42 Other Education Outcomes 4 3 Education Objective Not Achieved 0 0
C Misc Obective Achieved 129135 0D Other (Non-Positive) 0
III Terminee Characteristics Adult Youth Cash Assistance Reci ients A Female 426 296
282 321fale ducation Level 1 Dropout 15 5 2 Student 79
183 High SchoolDiplomaGED 53 5154 Post High School 639
2 0D Veteran
Adult Youth Cash Assistance Reci ients IV Partici ant Activities 450175A Employment
648 530B EducationTraining 125 8C Misc ObjectiveSupportive Services
4789D OtherService Referral
Families
B Children Receiving Child Care
3 Ages 6 through 12 4 Ages 13 and older
C Care Received- T e of Provider 1 Center Based 2 Family Child Care Home 3 Group Home
ment Businesses Assisted 614
Sign) Phone Number Date 580-924-8280 Ext2209 8112016
V Child Care and Develo ment Activities A Families Receiving Child Care
1
OMB Control No 1076-0135 Expiration Date 02282018
US Department of the Interior
~ Annual Financi~l~~t~ort (Version 2)~~~--~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~---~~~--~~~~~~~~~~--1 Tribe(fribal Organization 2 Other Identifying Number Assigned by DOI
Choctaw Nation ofOklahoma 73-0717979 OSGT907
9 Certification This is to certify that the information reported on all parts of this form is accurate and true to the best of my knowledge and belief and that the tribe has complied with all directly applicable statutory requirerrents and with those directly applicable regulatory requirements which have not been waived
a ~ff~aal~C1bull ggsmiddot middotDNcn=SonyaKDiggso=ChoctawNationofDklahoma gtou=Sen1or Accounting Manager Government
~HsdiggsChoctawnationcom c=US Date 20160912105227-0500
c Date Report Submitted
Sonya Diggs Senior Accounting Manager Grants
b Type Name and Title
9122016
d Questions regarding this report - Contact (Sonya Diggs Senior Accounting Manager Grants 580-924-8280 X235 l sdiggschoctawnationcom)
3 Mailing Address (Provide complete mailing address)
PO Box 1210 Durant OK 74702
4 Submission (Mark One)
X Original 0 6 Annual Report Period
From 07 I 01 I 13 To 06 I 30 I 16 (MonthDayN ear) (MonthDayN ear)
8 Transactions
a Total Funds Available
b Cash Assistance Expenditures
c Child Care Services Expenditures
d Education Employment Training and Supportive Services Expenditures
i TANF Purposes 3 and 4 (non-add)
ii Other TANF Assistance (non-add)
e Program Operations Expenditures
i Child Care Quality Improvement (non-add)
f AdministrationIndirect Cost Expenditures
g Total Federal Expenditures (Sum oflines b through f)
h Total Unexpended Funds
5 Final Report for Plan Period
Q Yes ~No
7 Plan Period Covered by this Report
From 07 01 15 To 06 I 30 (MonthDayNear) (MonthDayNear)
Column I Previously Reported
Column II This Annual Report
Period
Column III Cumulativerrotal
$ 253385500 $ 133053682 $ 386439182
$ $ $
$ $ $
$ 246497298 $ 77960634 $ 324457932
$ $ $
$ $ $
$ $ $
$ $ $
$ 11105646 $ 11533907 $ 22639553
$ 347097485$ 257602944 $ 89494541
$ (4217444) $ 43559141 $ 39341697
c
16
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
FY 2013-15 Annual Financial Report Item 12 Supplement amp Assurances
Period 711115-6302016
12a None of the funds in the approved budget which originated in the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) were used in violation of the Acts prohibition on the use of funds for economic development activities unless the tribe has approved economic development activities pursuant to Pub L 106-568 Section 1103
12b None of the funds in the approved budget which originated in the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) were used in violation of the Acts restrictions of assisting employer relocations
12c No program income was earned on 477 or Higher Education funds during this reporting period
12d There was no amount of refunds or rebates received
12e The total amount of administrative funds expended during this period was $11533907 _Total funds expended totaled $44845789
12f The total amount of Higher Education funds expended during this period was $446487 52
12g DHHS-TANF Report Not Applicable
Digitally signed by Sonya K Diggs DN cn=Sonya K Diggs o=Choctaw Nation ofK D middot g g dOklahom_ a ou=Se~ior ~ccounting Mana~er
])_ ~~ment email=sd1ggSchoctawnat1oncomSonya 7 Date 2016_0808 105442 -0500
Signature DirectorFinancial Officer Date
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES
Patty Mink Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
2
ADULT EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
PROGRAM NARRATIVE
Growing with pride hope and success is the motto for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Selfshy
sufficiency has always been the primary goal of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Therefore
economic development and educating our people are very important to the Choctaw Nation
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training services assist and deliver services throughout the 10
12 counties The counties that make up Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma located in the
southeastern part of the state of Oklahoma are Atoka Bryan Choctaw Coal Haskell Hughes
Latimer Leflore McCurtain Pittsburg and Pushmataha According to the Choctaw Nation CDIB
and Tribal Membership Department there are 180573 enrolled members worldwide
The Choctaw Nation field offices serve as a one stop for the Native American people All of the
Choctaw Nation service departments have applications at each field office The Choctaw Nation
of Oklahoma has 16 field offices located throughout the Choctaw Nation service area The
Choctaw Nation complex is located in Durant OK
Oklahoma is mostly rural and no major cities are located in southeastern Oklahoma The Choctaw
Nation is one of the largest employers of our area We employ over 10000 people nationwide
and are in the process of creating many more jobs for the people in our state
Millions of dollars are given to provide scholarships employment and training and career
development programs to assist with expenses and educational needs for our people to become
self-sufficient Many incentive programs are provided for students to encourage academic
success and perfect attendance Sport activity camps are offered to develop additional athletic
skills and sportsmanship
The Choctaw Nation Employment and Training program collaborates with other service
departments such as Higher Education GED Program Career Development Program Vocational
Rehabilitation vocational development program state college and universities technology
centers state workforce programs and many others Through collaboration and referrals
between all programs more opportunities are accessible to our participants with training and
knowledge for future employment
3
WORKFORCE INNOVATION amp OPPORTUNITY ACT
(WIOA)
EMPLOYMENT amp TRAINING SERVICES
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training services include but are not limited to Work
Experience On-the-Job Training Classroom Training Occupational Training Supportive Services
Career Counseling Job Readiness Training and JobReferralDirect Placement
Placement may be made in public non-profit private or tribal enterprise sectors as deemed
appropriate by the program case manager The duration of these services will vary based upon
the participants individual need job skills and work history
WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM
The Work Experience (WE) program primarily partners with non-profit and tribal enterprises The
majority of the participants begin at minimum wage due to lack of job skills We assisted 16
different businesses Most job placements were at schools city halls Choctaw Nation travel
plazas casinos public libraries and with county commissioners We had a total of 40 active
participants 34 have terminated from the work experience program Many participants
continued to work found other employment opportunities or returned to school
ON-THE-JOB TRAINING
The On-the-Job Training (OJT) program is a great program for those who may not be ready to go
to college or a specialized training They are hands-on people that want to learn a skill and work
We use public non-profit private or tribal enterprises when placing participants The Choctaw
Nation PL 102-477 services placed a total of 21 participants on the OJT program 17 of the
participants have terminated There was a variety of jobs where participants were placed
Participants were placed with 13 different worksites with varying skill requirements farms We
really appreciate all the local employers for giving our participants an opportunity to prove
themselves and make our program a success
4
CLASSROOM TRAINING
The Classroom Training (CRT) program collaborates very closely with Career Development
Higher Education and Vocational Development programs A total of 110 students were assisted
in the Classroom Training Program 62 have terminated from the program and 45 received a
certificatedegree The program assisted a total of 27 different training facilities
CollegesUniversities technology schools and private training institutes such as truck driving
and welding The Classroom Training participant received a stipend for attending classes The
participant is required to be enrolled as a full time student and maintain a 20 GPA Short term
training is offered on a reimbursement program upon completion of the class Verification of
certificate must be received along with proof of payment before reimbursements are made We
also partner with Career Development to assist the training cost The majority of our participants
are also able to receive resources from Higher Education or Career Development
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training program offers supportive services to participants who
have special needs or barriers for retaining their job The majority of the supportive services
provided this year were for proper clothing footwear certification testing transportation and
books and tuition for short term training Each request is considered on an individual basis and
is not limited to the above examples These services are provided through linkages and
coordination of services provided by other agencies If no resource can be utilized to meet the
participants needs the case manager will make the request for supportive service We assisted
49 participants with supportive service The participants requested supportive service for job
related activities fulfill clothing requirements for specialized training or equipment associated
with training or work activities
UNSUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT
44 of the WIA applicants were able to find employment without utilizing funding available to
them These 44 applicants came in for services but found unsubsidized employment Several
needed supportive services for uniforms tools or training for the job After searching the
internet for jobs and getting prepared for interviews these participants were successful in their
job search
5
VETERANS
Priority of service for veterans are based on the Jobs for Veterans Act (PL 107-288)(38 USC 4215)
to provide veterans (and eligible spouses) who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for all
employment and training programs funded by the US Department of Labor in accordance with
the provisions of TEGL 5-03 (91603) 100 of the applicants who applied for Employment and
Training services were placed
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has a very active Veteran Program The Tribal Veteran Program
offers their dedication and commitment in helping veterans secure the services they have earned
and assure that veterans receive benefits and services on par with other veterans and are treated
with respect and dignity by VA service providers
The Choctaw Nation has a long and proud tradition of supporting those who defend our country
The Veterans office serves Choctaw veterans by assisting with eligibility and entitlements of
veterans and their dependents
The WIOA program works closely with the Veterans Program to assure that all applicants who
apply for Employment and Training services are placed
The Choctaw Nation is honored to be a partner with the Military Warrior Support Foundation
and the US Wounded Veterans Airlift Command Annual events include a Veterans Day
celebration and luncheon This is one more way the Choctaw Nation is able to give back to our
veterans who served so that we can have our freedom
JOB PARTNERSHIP AND TRAINING (JPT)
The Choctaw Nation continues in researching core customer relations software for all programs
We are looking forward to developing a new data base that will be more convenient and
compatible to programs who have similar needs and outcomes All the programs included in the
477 program use the same software to track participant data Our database is called Tribal
Assistance Manager (TAM) The Higher Education Program and the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act program have continued to meet with our current software development firm
to make enhancements to the database to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our
current software application We are excited that the WIOA and HEP applications are available
online There was a cost associated with this project but the investment for the
upgradesenhancements will streamline the reporting process making the cost minimal
The WIOA department continues to partner with Choctaw Nation Human Resources Career
Tech Housing Authority Health Programs and Tribal Entities to sponsor Job Fair activities in the
10 Yi counties of the Choctaw Nation
6
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has partnered with Southeastern Oklahoma State University to
create Choctaw University This training is teaching how to become better leaders and how
leadership will affect the Choctaw Nations future
The Learning and Development Department offers standardized training for all associates ofthe
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma They also offer special projects and customized trainings to meet
departmental needs Choctaw University is a vehicle for professional skill leadership growth
and development for associates to complete higher education
Also the WIOA staff are participating in the Grant Management Certificate Program that
Choctaw Nation has so graciously offered to the financial staff and grant programs This training
has taught our staff about managing federal dollars effectively to understanding Federal grants
regulations and reporting performance The track Grants Management Certificate Program
Recipient Track helps organizations that receive Federal funds to use those funds to perform
programmatic work
I would like to thank Jeff Barwick AOTR for taking time from our program review to offer a short
Case Management training for my staff I have a fairly new staff and they have never attended a
full blown Case Management classes like was offered several years ago through the PL 102-477
National Case Management Training I attended and received my certification for Level One and
also the Directors Training I must say both trainings was awesome I would like to see the
training offered again so my new staff could receive their certificates
I am very proud to say the 477 staff are eager to takes advantage of any trainings offered that
will enhance their ability to perform and build their confidence to run the program successfully
CONCERNS
The biggest concern is the lack of funding for Choctaw Nation and other tribal entities Many
employers utilize the program to obtain qualified employees who they may not be able to hire
due to their current budget constraints Communities also suffer when there is no funding for
job placement Participants who are unable to work are unable to keep the local economy
thriving They do not possess the means to make purchases needed for basic survival Cost of
living is going higher and higher but federal funding for Native American programs continues to
decline Native Americans are among the nations poorest people and live in poverty stricken
area Surplus spending is definitely not an option for them Without the proper funding we
cannot help supplement a salary while they are being trained to do a specific job Therefore not
only do we help the participant but we also help the employer and the community
7
SUMMARY
All applicants who request service are asked to do a job search and prepare a resume If they
need help with interviewing or learning how to dress for success we have a video library the
participants may utilize We strive to meet the request of the participant Often times our
participants are not ready to enter a higher education program Most of the employers in
southeast Oklahoma only pay a little above minimum wage This is not self-sufficient Training
and job skills are key for participants to receive a higher income and become self-sufficient Many
participants learn without the proper education jobs are more difficult to obtain
More short term training programs are needed to service the participants with an immediate
employment situation A lot of our people cannot wait one or two years to be trained in a job
skill They need to work now so they can support their family They do not like to travel very far
or be away from their families Therefore more short term job training programs are needed
in our area
Over all the PL 102-477 Employment and Training program felt our participants received the
enhancement they needed to obtain a job Todays economy has placed the burden of
unemployment on more people These individuals need jobs to support them and their families
Unfortunately jobs with compensation to fit their needs are difficult to find
The Choctaw Nation is one of the major contributors for economic development in our state The
communities and state have seen many doors and opportunities opened because of the
generosity of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
CHOCTAW bullbullbull growing with pride hope and success
8
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH SERVICES
Patty Mink Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
9
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH TRIBAL YOUTH
YOUTH NARRATIVE
The Supplemental Youth program is one of the most important programs in our PL 102-477 plan
Native Americans from all federally recognized tribes who live in the Choctaw Nation service area
and meet the federal guidelines are eligible for the program
Through the generosity of the Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr
and the Tribal Council our youth program serves all Choctaw members and Native American
youth who complete their application meet eligibility guidelines and meet the application
deadline All participants meeting these guidelines and qualifications will be placed at a worksite
We have numerous youth apply for the supplemental program The Choctaw Nation of
Oklahoma provide additional funding to service these individuals through our Tribal Youth
program Supplemental Youth and Tribal Youth programs are similar The only exceptions are
Tribal Youth must be of Choctaw descent and there are no income guidelines
We did not visit the schools this year because our application was on line The on-line application
went well but I dont feel like all students realized the applications was on-line Next year plans
are being made to visit each school again and maybe meet in the computer lab so the participants
will have a chance to fill out the applications in our presence The schools are very interested in
our program and welcome the visit The schools acknowledge the benefit of the program and its
effects on students and the communities
JOB READINESS TRAININGORIENTATION
Native American youth were provided orientationjob readiness training prior to beginning work
All participants are eligible for 200 hours of Work Experience The Work Experience training
program is a five week period with an employing agency of either a private (for profit) or nonshy
profit business
10
PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS
Partnership of Summer School Education (POSSE)
Partnership of Summer School Education was created under the visionary leadership of Joy
Culbreath to increase literacy and address dropout rates throughout the Choctaw Nation The
program was designed to help local school districts remediate children in grades K-2
During the summer of 2015 the Choctaw Nation partnered with nine school districts to provide
a six week summer school for 350 students in kindergarten through third grader who were in
need of intervention in reading and math The Nation provided books supplies an afternoon
snack and salary for instructors The school district provided a facility utilities transportation
breakfast and lunch for students Students that qualify for the summer school program attend
free of charge
Students that attended the 2015 summer school demonstrated significant improvement in
reading and math According to academic research third grade reading performance directly
correlates to secondary school success Students who are not reading at grade level by the end
of 3rd grade are four times more likely to drop out of school
In the summer of 2016 the POSSE program expanded to 23 sites throughout the 10-12 counties
offering a hands on instructional approach to improve reading and math performance for 2100
students in 51 schools Next summer the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will continue its
expansion and offer summer learning opportunities to qualifying students from all 85 school
districts within its boundary
The POSSE program will continue to grow over the next years allowing more youth participants
to assist in the education growth and development of our future
It Starts Now - gth Grade Career Discovery Day
Choctaw Nation partnered with the Southern Workforce Board Southern Youth Council and
Southeastern Oklahoma State University to sponsor the second Career Discovery Day
A taskforce was organized to oversee the entire program consisted of representatives from area
school districts technology center businesses economic development agencies chamber of
commerce universities workforce board and tribal entities
The event was held at Southeastern Oklahoma State University on January 7 2016
629 - 8th grade students from 11 schools attended 9 Bryan County schools and 2 others
11
Students were given electronic surveys to select 5 career choices After completing survey
students attended sessions from their top three career choices
At the opening session the students received information about the different education options
budgeting and soft skills that would be needed to get and keep future jobs
There were 25 speakers who discussed their career the educational pathways salaries etc to
the students who had selected that career
Students were given pizza and cookies for lunch A motivational speaker closed the event with
the message of how important it is to stay in school and make good choices
I would like to thank the over 50 volunteers that assisted with logistics that day local school
systems for allowing their students to participant in the Career Discovery Days the local
businesses and employers who shared their career goals and the Choctaw Nation Southern
Workforce Board and SOSU for hosting this successful event
WORK EXPERIENCE
The WIOA served a total of 1298 youth from July 1 2015 - June 30 2016 on the Federal
Supplemental and Tribal Programs 293 participants was served with federal dollars Many
participants get hired by their employers for a few weeks after the program end We are blessed
to have the Tribal funding to help supplement our youth program
The majority of our youth returned to school Summer youth participants who participate in the
program are placed on leave of absence status at the end of the program Reactivation of the
participants reduces error and time needed to place the vast amount of participants The
majority of participants return to the work on the program each year The next spring returning
participants will update their application and proceed with another great year
The policies were changed for the 2016 Youth Work Program A decision was made to provide
this employment opportunity to students between the ages of 16 - 21 New applicants are
required to be 16 years of age by the first day of work Child Labor Laws in Oklahoma are quite
stringent making it quite difficult for students who are 14 - 15 to participate in traditional work
activities PY 2016 assisted 862 participants
There were 560 businesses that helped make our youth program a success The businesses
opened their doors and provided job training for each of our participants The Choctaw Nation
Youth program was designed to introduce workers into the workforce and assist with the
development of behaviors and attributes needed to become a successful employee Employers
are seeking individual with good communication skills honesty work ethic professionalism
positive attitude and self-motivation Whit the new age requirement change the employers are
12
more comfortable in treating our participants as they would any of the other employees that
works for them without worrying about the Child Labor Laws
All kids are at risk and we need more programs to help them get ready for the future workforce
and the real world
SUMMARY
One of my greatest concerns is funding We have a large number of participants that qualify for
the federal program In fact Choctaw Nation has been designated a Promise Zone and therefore
90 of our youth lives in the designated promise zone We do not have enough federal funding
to provide services to all Our federal youth funding covers approximately 200 of our youth who
worked on the program The Choctaw Nation Tribal Program provides the remaining funding to
pay the students
The Choctaw Nation encourages and offers numerous education programs for our people to stay
in school and get their education Therefore the Choctaw Nation offers their youth work
experience program during the summer months
The PL 102-477 program is blessed to have a caring administration Chief Batton Assistant Chief
Jack Austin Jr and the Choctaw Tribal Council are wonderful They truly care for our youth and
our communities This program has an impact on the youth their families and gives back to the
communities Our local businesses are very cooperative in helpingtraining our youth They give
them the opportunity to become a part of the workforce Without the supplemental funding the
tribe gives our program we would not be able to help the young people or the businesses We
must invest time money and help our young people
All of our participants received an exit sheet at the end of the program from their worksite
supervisor and many participants received a letter of recommendation from their supervisor
I have enclosed a few letters of support from employers letters of recommendation and several
participants wrote a statement about what the program has done for them
I hope you enjoy the success stories and worksite photos
13
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Allison Britton Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
14
---- I I II__
Higher Education Program
The Higher Education Program is a scholarship and grant program for Choctaw students
working toward a degree while attending an accredited college or university Full time and part
time students may receive educational assistance During the 2015-2016 school year the
Higher Education Program issued 9255 grant or scholarship awards to colleges and universities
throughout the United States The Choctaw Nation Higher Education Program has changed the
application process and students must apply online each semester for award consideration
This year Higher Education had 1356 students indicate they would be graduating 219 have
been verified and graduation verification is an ongoing process This is a problem each year as
most students do not send documentation for us to report accurate numbers despite the
attempts from our office to obtain the information This past year the Higher Education
Program attempted to contact students via email via telephone and through the Choctaw
Nation Higher Education Facebook page The result is similar to previous years where the
Higher Education Program would call students individually to determine their status
Scholarship Program
The Scholarship Program is awarded based on the students academics rather than financial
need A student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 25 to be considered
for the scholarship Depending on where the grade point is above the 25 will decide how
much the student will receive per semester up to the $100000 per semester maximum The
majority of the students applying for assistance will receive a scholarship This year the Higher
Education Program issued 8179 scholarships to students across the United States
Grant Program
The Grant Program is a need-based program awarded on the students classification in an
accredited college or university They must maintain a minimum grade point average of 20 per
semester The Grant Program has a maximum award of $80000 per semester for senior
classification This year the Higher Education Program issued 1079 grant awards to students
across the United States
Concurrent Enrollment
The Concurrent Enrollment Program is helping Choctaw high school students get a head start
on credits needed for their general education courses by assisting with a book allowance
Choctaw high school students throughout the United States may apply to receive $20000
toward books for one class or $40000 if enrolled in two or more classes Having college credits
upon graduation of high school will give those students an incentive to continue after high
school toward that college degree This year 345 awards were issued to high school students
through the Higher Education Concurrent Enrollment Program
Technology Allowance (formerly named Laptop Program)
The Choctaw Nation offers a one-time technology allowance to Choctaw tribal members
throughout the United States who are currently attending an accredited college or university
Students must be a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma however there are no blood
quantum requirements Qualified applicants will receive a Visa card to purchase necessary
technology for their education The card can only be used at specific retailers that sell
technology and college or university bookstores
Choctaw College Connect
Higher Education was involved in the second annual Choctaw Nations college fair It was
specifically designed for Choctaw Tribal Members and over 65 colleges universities and
institutions attended Over two hundred students plus their adult guest are treated to
informative breakout sessions and are able to visit with two year four year and Ivy League
institutions all under one roof Choctaw Nation programs were invited to share the benefits
provided by the Choctaw Nation programming Tribal educational organizations as well as
representatives from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are also invited to share
information with the Choctaw youth who attend
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
July 1 2015 - June 30 2016
Patty Mink Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
4 Childs Home
bs CreationEconomic Develo
OMB Control No 1076-0135 (Version 2) Expiration Date 02282018
Public Law 102-477 Statistical Re ort I Nation Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma PL 102-477 Report Period
PO Box 1210 From 712015 To 6302016 Durant OK 74702
I Participants Served Adults Youth Cash Assistance Recipients
A Total Participants 731 839 B Total Terminees 708 617 C Total Current Participants 22223
II Terminee Outcomes Adult Youth Cash Assistance Recipients A Total with Employment Objective 108 128
1 Entered Unsubsidized Employment 72 47 91 119
3 Employment Objective Not Achieved 0 4 Average Adult Earnings Gain
B Total with EducationalTrainin Obmiddot ective 1 DegreeCertificate
498a Attempted 631 b Attained 31 27
42 Other Education Outcomes 4 3 Education Objective Not Achieved 0 0
C Misc Obective Achieved 129135 0D Other (Non-Positive) 0
III Terminee Characteristics Adult Youth Cash Assistance Reci ients A Female 426 296
282 321fale ducation Level 1 Dropout 15 5 2 Student 79
183 High SchoolDiplomaGED 53 5154 Post High School 639
2 0D Veteran
Adult Youth Cash Assistance Reci ients IV Partici ant Activities 450175A Employment
648 530B EducationTraining 125 8C Misc ObjectiveSupportive Services
4789D OtherService Referral
Families
B Children Receiving Child Care
3 Ages 6 through 12 4 Ages 13 and older
C Care Received- T e of Provider 1 Center Based 2 Family Child Care Home 3 Group Home
ment Businesses Assisted 614
Sign) Phone Number Date 580-924-8280 Ext2209 8112016
V Child Care and Develo ment Activities A Families Receiving Child Care
1
OMB Control No 1076-0135 Expiration Date 02282018
US Department of the Interior
~ Annual Financi~l~~t~ort (Version 2)~~~--~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~---~~~--~~~~~~~~~~--1 Tribe(fribal Organization 2 Other Identifying Number Assigned by DOI
Choctaw Nation ofOklahoma 73-0717979 OSGT907
9 Certification This is to certify that the information reported on all parts of this form is accurate and true to the best of my knowledge and belief and that the tribe has complied with all directly applicable statutory requirerrents and with those directly applicable regulatory requirements which have not been waived
a ~ff~aal~C1bull ggsmiddot middotDNcn=SonyaKDiggso=ChoctawNationofDklahoma gtou=Sen1or Accounting Manager Government
~HsdiggsChoctawnationcom c=US Date 20160912105227-0500
c Date Report Submitted
Sonya Diggs Senior Accounting Manager Grants
b Type Name and Title
9122016
d Questions regarding this report - Contact (Sonya Diggs Senior Accounting Manager Grants 580-924-8280 X235 l sdiggschoctawnationcom)
3 Mailing Address (Provide complete mailing address)
PO Box 1210 Durant OK 74702
4 Submission (Mark One)
X Original 0 6 Annual Report Period
From 07 I 01 I 13 To 06 I 30 I 16 (MonthDayN ear) (MonthDayN ear)
8 Transactions
a Total Funds Available
b Cash Assistance Expenditures
c Child Care Services Expenditures
d Education Employment Training and Supportive Services Expenditures
i TANF Purposes 3 and 4 (non-add)
ii Other TANF Assistance (non-add)
e Program Operations Expenditures
i Child Care Quality Improvement (non-add)
f AdministrationIndirect Cost Expenditures
g Total Federal Expenditures (Sum oflines b through f)
h Total Unexpended Funds
5 Final Report for Plan Period
Q Yes ~No
7 Plan Period Covered by this Report
From 07 01 15 To 06 I 30 (MonthDayNear) (MonthDayNear)
Column I Previously Reported
Column II This Annual Report
Period
Column III Cumulativerrotal
$ 253385500 $ 133053682 $ 386439182
$ $ $
$ $ $
$ 246497298 $ 77960634 $ 324457932
$ $ $
$ $ $
$ $ $
$ $ $
$ 11105646 $ 11533907 $ 22639553
$ 347097485$ 257602944 $ 89494541
$ (4217444) $ 43559141 $ 39341697
c
16
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
FY 2013-15 Annual Financial Report Item 12 Supplement amp Assurances
Period 711115-6302016
12a None of the funds in the approved budget which originated in the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) were used in violation of the Acts prohibition on the use of funds for economic development activities unless the tribe has approved economic development activities pursuant to Pub L 106-568 Section 1103
12b None of the funds in the approved budget which originated in the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) were used in violation of the Acts restrictions of assisting employer relocations
12c No program income was earned on 477 or Higher Education funds during this reporting period
12d There was no amount of refunds or rebates received
12e The total amount of administrative funds expended during this period was $11533907 _Total funds expended totaled $44845789
12f The total amount of Higher Education funds expended during this period was $446487 52
12g DHHS-TANF Report Not Applicable
Digitally signed by Sonya K Diggs DN cn=Sonya K Diggs o=Choctaw Nation ofK D middot g g dOklahom_ a ou=Se~ior ~ccounting Mana~er
])_ ~~ment email=sd1ggSchoctawnat1oncomSonya 7 Date 2016_0808 105442 -0500
Signature DirectorFinancial Officer Date
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES
Patty Mink Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
2
ADULT EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
PROGRAM NARRATIVE
Growing with pride hope and success is the motto for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Selfshy
sufficiency has always been the primary goal of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Therefore
economic development and educating our people are very important to the Choctaw Nation
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training services assist and deliver services throughout the 10
12 counties The counties that make up Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma located in the
southeastern part of the state of Oklahoma are Atoka Bryan Choctaw Coal Haskell Hughes
Latimer Leflore McCurtain Pittsburg and Pushmataha According to the Choctaw Nation CDIB
and Tribal Membership Department there are 180573 enrolled members worldwide
The Choctaw Nation field offices serve as a one stop for the Native American people All of the
Choctaw Nation service departments have applications at each field office The Choctaw Nation
of Oklahoma has 16 field offices located throughout the Choctaw Nation service area The
Choctaw Nation complex is located in Durant OK
Oklahoma is mostly rural and no major cities are located in southeastern Oklahoma The Choctaw
Nation is one of the largest employers of our area We employ over 10000 people nationwide
and are in the process of creating many more jobs for the people in our state
Millions of dollars are given to provide scholarships employment and training and career
development programs to assist with expenses and educational needs for our people to become
self-sufficient Many incentive programs are provided for students to encourage academic
success and perfect attendance Sport activity camps are offered to develop additional athletic
skills and sportsmanship
The Choctaw Nation Employment and Training program collaborates with other service
departments such as Higher Education GED Program Career Development Program Vocational
Rehabilitation vocational development program state college and universities technology
centers state workforce programs and many others Through collaboration and referrals
between all programs more opportunities are accessible to our participants with training and
knowledge for future employment
3
WORKFORCE INNOVATION amp OPPORTUNITY ACT
(WIOA)
EMPLOYMENT amp TRAINING SERVICES
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training services include but are not limited to Work
Experience On-the-Job Training Classroom Training Occupational Training Supportive Services
Career Counseling Job Readiness Training and JobReferralDirect Placement
Placement may be made in public non-profit private or tribal enterprise sectors as deemed
appropriate by the program case manager The duration of these services will vary based upon
the participants individual need job skills and work history
WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM
The Work Experience (WE) program primarily partners with non-profit and tribal enterprises The
majority of the participants begin at minimum wage due to lack of job skills We assisted 16
different businesses Most job placements were at schools city halls Choctaw Nation travel
plazas casinos public libraries and with county commissioners We had a total of 40 active
participants 34 have terminated from the work experience program Many participants
continued to work found other employment opportunities or returned to school
ON-THE-JOB TRAINING
The On-the-Job Training (OJT) program is a great program for those who may not be ready to go
to college or a specialized training They are hands-on people that want to learn a skill and work
We use public non-profit private or tribal enterprises when placing participants The Choctaw
Nation PL 102-477 services placed a total of 21 participants on the OJT program 17 of the
participants have terminated There was a variety of jobs where participants were placed
Participants were placed with 13 different worksites with varying skill requirements farms We
really appreciate all the local employers for giving our participants an opportunity to prove
themselves and make our program a success
4
CLASSROOM TRAINING
The Classroom Training (CRT) program collaborates very closely with Career Development
Higher Education and Vocational Development programs A total of 110 students were assisted
in the Classroom Training Program 62 have terminated from the program and 45 received a
certificatedegree The program assisted a total of 27 different training facilities
CollegesUniversities technology schools and private training institutes such as truck driving
and welding The Classroom Training participant received a stipend for attending classes The
participant is required to be enrolled as a full time student and maintain a 20 GPA Short term
training is offered on a reimbursement program upon completion of the class Verification of
certificate must be received along with proof of payment before reimbursements are made We
also partner with Career Development to assist the training cost The majority of our participants
are also able to receive resources from Higher Education or Career Development
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training program offers supportive services to participants who
have special needs or barriers for retaining their job The majority of the supportive services
provided this year were for proper clothing footwear certification testing transportation and
books and tuition for short term training Each request is considered on an individual basis and
is not limited to the above examples These services are provided through linkages and
coordination of services provided by other agencies If no resource can be utilized to meet the
participants needs the case manager will make the request for supportive service We assisted
49 participants with supportive service The participants requested supportive service for job
related activities fulfill clothing requirements for specialized training or equipment associated
with training or work activities
UNSUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT
44 of the WIA applicants were able to find employment without utilizing funding available to
them These 44 applicants came in for services but found unsubsidized employment Several
needed supportive services for uniforms tools or training for the job After searching the
internet for jobs and getting prepared for interviews these participants were successful in their
job search
5
VETERANS
Priority of service for veterans are based on the Jobs for Veterans Act (PL 107-288)(38 USC 4215)
to provide veterans (and eligible spouses) who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for all
employment and training programs funded by the US Department of Labor in accordance with
the provisions of TEGL 5-03 (91603) 100 of the applicants who applied for Employment and
Training services were placed
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has a very active Veteran Program The Tribal Veteran Program
offers their dedication and commitment in helping veterans secure the services they have earned
and assure that veterans receive benefits and services on par with other veterans and are treated
with respect and dignity by VA service providers
The Choctaw Nation has a long and proud tradition of supporting those who defend our country
The Veterans office serves Choctaw veterans by assisting with eligibility and entitlements of
veterans and their dependents
The WIOA program works closely with the Veterans Program to assure that all applicants who
apply for Employment and Training services are placed
The Choctaw Nation is honored to be a partner with the Military Warrior Support Foundation
and the US Wounded Veterans Airlift Command Annual events include a Veterans Day
celebration and luncheon This is one more way the Choctaw Nation is able to give back to our
veterans who served so that we can have our freedom
JOB PARTNERSHIP AND TRAINING (JPT)
The Choctaw Nation continues in researching core customer relations software for all programs
We are looking forward to developing a new data base that will be more convenient and
compatible to programs who have similar needs and outcomes All the programs included in the
477 program use the same software to track participant data Our database is called Tribal
Assistance Manager (TAM) The Higher Education Program and the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act program have continued to meet with our current software development firm
to make enhancements to the database to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our
current software application We are excited that the WIOA and HEP applications are available
online There was a cost associated with this project but the investment for the
upgradesenhancements will streamline the reporting process making the cost minimal
The WIOA department continues to partner with Choctaw Nation Human Resources Career
Tech Housing Authority Health Programs and Tribal Entities to sponsor Job Fair activities in the
10 Yi counties of the Choctaw Nation
6
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has partnered with Southeastern Oklahoma State University to
create Choctaw University This training is teaching how to become better leaders and how
leadership will affect the Choctaw Nations future
The Learning and Development Department offers standardized training for all associates ofthe
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma They also offer special projects and customized trainings to meet
departmental needs Choctaw University is a vehicle for professional skill leadership growth
and development for associates to complete higher education
Also the WIOA staff are participating in the Grant Management Certificate Program that
Choctaw Nation has so graciously offered to the financial staff and grant programs This training
has taught our staff about managing federal dollars effectively to understanding Federal grants
regulations and reporting performance The track Grants Management Certificate Program
Recipient Track helps organizations that receive Federal funds to use those funds to perform
programmatic work
I would like to thank Jeff Barwick AOTR for taking time from our program review to offer a short
Case Management training for my staff I have a fairly new staff and they have never attended a
full blown Case Management classes like was offered several years ago through the PL 102-477
National Case Management Training I attended and received my certification for Level One and
also the Directors Training I must say both trainings was awesome I would like to see the
training offered again so my new staff could receive their certificates
I am very proud to say the 477 staff are eager to takes advantage of any trainings offered that
will enhance their ability to perform and build their confidence to run the program successfully
CONCERNS
The biggest concern is the lack of funding for Choctaw Nation and other tribal entities Many
employers utilize the program to obtain qualified employees who they may not be able to hire
due to their current budget constraints Communities also suffer when there is no funding for
job placement Participants who are unable to work are unable to keep the local economy
thriving They do not possess the means to make purchases needed for basic survival Cost of
living is going higher and higher but federal funding for Native American programs continues to
decline Native Americans are among the nations poorest people and live in poverty stricken
area Surplus spending is definitely not an option for them Without the proper funding we
cannot help supplement a salary while they are being trained to do a specific job Therefore not
only do we help the participant but we also help the employer and the community
7
SUMMARY
All applicants who request service are asked to do a job search and prepare a resume If they
need help with interviewing or learning how to dress for success we have a video library the
participants may utilize We strive to meet the request of the participant Often times our
participants are not ready to enter a higher education program Most of the employers in
southeast Oklahoma only pay a little above minimum wage This is not self-sufficient Training
and job skills are key for participants to receive a higher income and become self-sufficient Many
participants learn without the proper education jobs are more difficult to obtain
More short term training programs are needed to service the participants with an immediate
employment situation A lot of our people cannot wait one or two years to be trained in a job
skill They need to work now so they can support their family They do not like to travel very far
or be away from their families Therefore more short term job training programs are needed
in our area
Over all the PL 102-477 Employment and Training program felt our participants received the
enhancement they needed to obtain a job Todays economy has placed the burden of
unemployment on more people These individuals need jobs to support them and their families
Unfortunately jobs with compensation to fit their needs are difficult to find
The Choctaw Nation is one of the major contributors for economic development in our state The
communities and state have seen many doors and opportunities opened because of the
generosity of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
CHOCTAW bullbullbull growing with pride hope and success
8
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH SERVICES
Patty Mink Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
9
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH TRIBAL YOUTH
YOUTH NARRATIVE
The Supplemental Youth program is one of the most important programs in our PL 102-477 plan
Native Americans from all federally recognized tribes who live in the Choctaw Nation service area
and meet the federal guidelines are eligible for the program
Through the generosity of the Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr
and the Tribal Council our youth program serves all Choctaw members and Native American
youth who complete their application meet eligibility guidelines and meet the application
deadline All participants meeting these guidelines and qualifications will be placed at a worksite
We have numerous youth apply for the supplemental program The Choctaw Nation of
Oklahoma provide additional funding to service these individuals through our Tribal Youth
program Supplemental Youth and Tribal Youth programs are similar The only exceptions are
Tribal Youth must be of Choctaw descent and there are no income guidelines
We did not visit the schools this year because our application was on line The on-line application
went well but I dont feel like all students realized the applications was on-line Next year plans
are being made to visit each school again and maybe meet in the computer lab so the participants
will have a chance to fill out the applications in our presence The schools are very interested in
our program and welcome the visit The schools acknowledge the benefit of the program and its
effects on students and the communities
JOB READINESS TRAININGORIENTATION
Native American youth were provided orientationjob readiness training prior to beginning work
All participants are eligible for 200 hours of Work Experience The Work Experience training
program is a five week period with an employing agency of either a private (for profit) or nonshy
profit business
10
PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS
Partnership of Summer School Education (POSSE)
Partnership of Summer School Education was created under the visionary leadership of Joy
Culbreath to increase literacy and address dropout rates throughout the Choctaw Nation The
program was designed to help local school districts remediate children in grades K-2
During the summer of 2015 the Choctaw Nation partnered with nine school districts to provide
a six week summer school for 350 students in kindergarten through third grader who were in
need of intervention in reading and math The Nation provided books supplies an afternoon
snack and salary for instructors The school district provided a facility utilities transportation
breakfast and lunch for students Students that qualify for the summer school program attend
free of charge
Students that attended the 2015 summer school demonstrated significant improvement in
reading and math According to academic research third grade reading performance directly
correlates to secondary school success Students who are not reading at grade level by the end
of 3rd grade are four times more likely to drop out of school
In the summer of 2016 the POSSE program expanded to 23 sites throughout the 10-12 counties
offering a hands on instructional approach to improve reading and math performance for 2100
students in 51 schools Next summer the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will continue its
expansion and offer summer learning opportunities to qualifying students from all 85 school
districts within its boundary
The POSSE program will continue to grow over the next years allowing more youth participants
to assist in the education growth and development of our future
It Starts Now - gth Grade Career Discovery Day
Choctaw Nation partnered with the Southern Workforce Board Southern Youth Council and
Southeastern Oklahoma State University to sponsor the second Career Discovery Day
A taskforce was organized to oversee the entire program consisted of representatives from area
school districts technology center businesses economic development agencies chamber of
commerce universities workforce board and tribal entities
The event was held at Southeastern Oklahoma State University on January 7 2016
629 - 8th grade students from 11 schools attended 9 Bryan County schools and 2 others
11
Students were given electronic surveys to select 5 career choices After completing survey
students attended sessions from their top three career choices
At the opening session the students received information about the different education options
budgeting and soft skills that would be needed to get and keep future jobs
There were 25 speakers who discussed their career the educational pathways salaries etc to
the students who had selected that career
Students were given pizza and cookies for lunch A motivational speaker closed the event with
the message of how important it is to stay in school and make good choices
I would like to thank the over 50 volunteers that assisted with logistics that day local school
systems for allowing their students to participant in the Career Discovery Days the local
businesses and employers who shared their career goals and the Choctaw Nation Southern
Workforce Board and SOSU for hosting this successful event
WORK EXPERIENCE
The WIOA served a total of 1298 youth from July 1 2015 - June 30 2016 on the Federal
Supplemental and Tribal Programs 293 participants was served with federal dollars Many
participants get hired by their employers for a few weeks after the program end We are blessed
to have the Tribal funding to help supplement our youth program
The majority of our youth returned to school Summer youth participants who participate in the
program are placed on leave of absence status at the end of the program Reactivation of the
participants reduces error and time needed to place the vast amount of participants The
majority of participants return to the work on the program each year The next spring returning
participants will update their application and proceed with another great year
The policies were changed for the 2016 Youth Work Program A decision was made to provide
this employment opportunity to students between the ages of 16 - 21 New applicants are
required to be 16 years of age by the first day of work Child Labor Laws in Oklahoma are quite
stringent making it quite difficult for students who are 14 - 15 to participate in traditional work
activities PY 2016 assisted 862 participants
There were 560 businesses that helped make our youth program a success The businesses
opened their doors and provided job training for each of our participants The Choctaw Nation
Youth program was designed to introduce workers into the workforce and assist with the
development of behaviors and attributes needed to become a successful employee Employers
are seeking individual with good communication skills honesty work ethic professionalism
positive attitude and self-motivation Whit the new age requirement change the employers are
12
more comfortable in treating our participants as they would any of the other employees that
works for them without worrying about the Child Labor Laws
All kids are at risk and we need more programs to help them get ready for the future workforce
and the real world
SUMMARY
One of my greatest concerns is funding We have a large number of participants that qualify for
the federal program In fact Choctaw Nation has been designated a Promise Zone and therefore
90 of our youth lives in the designated promise zone We do not have enough federal funding
to provide services to all Our federal youth funding covers approximately 200 of our youth who
worked on the program The Choctaw Nation Tribal Program provides the remaining funding to
pay the students
The Choctaw Nation encourages and offers numerous education programs for our people to stay
in school and get their education Therefore the Choctaw Nation offers their youth work
experience program during the summer months
The PL 102-477 program is blessed to have a caring administration Chief Batton Assistant Chief
Jack Austin Jr and the Choctaw Tribal Council are wonderful They truly care for our youth and
our communities This program has an impact on the youth their families and gives back to the
communities Our local businesses are very cooperative in helpingtraining our youth They give
them the opportunity to become a part of the workforce Without the supplemental funding the
tribe gives our program we would not be able to help the young people or the businesses We
must invest time money and help our young people
All of our participants received an exit sheet at the end of the program from their worksite
supervisor and many participants received a letter of recommendation from their supervisor
I have enclosed a few letters of support from employers letters of recommendation and several
participants wrote a statement about what the program has done for them
I hope you enjoy the success stories and worksite photos
13
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Allison Britton Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
14
---- I I II__
Higher Education Program
The Higher Education Program is a scholarship and grant program for Choctaw students
working toward a degree while attending an accredited college or university Full time and part
time students may receive educational assistance During the 2015-2016 school year the
Higher Education Program issued 9255 grant or scholarship awards to colleges and universities
throughout the United States The Choctaw Nation Higher Education Program has changed the
application process and students must apply online each semester for award consideration
This year Higher Education had 1356 students indicate they would be graduating 219 have
been verified and graduation verification is an ongoing process This is a problem each year as
most students do not send documentation for us to report accurate numbers despite the
attempts from our office to obtain the information This past year the Higher Education
Program attempted to contact students via email via telephone and through the Choctaw
Nation Higher Education Facebook page The result is similar to previous years where the
Higher Education Program would call students individually to determine their status
Scholarship Program
The Scholarship Program is awarded based on the students academics rather than financial
need A student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 25 to be considered
for the scholarship Depending on where the grade point is above the 25 will decide how
much the student will receive per semester up to the $100000 per semester maximum The
majority of the students applying for assistance will receive a scholarship This year the Higher
Education Program issued 8179 scholarships to students across the United States
Grant Program
The Grant Program is a need-based program awarded on the students classification in an
accredited college or university They must maintain a minimum grade point average of 20 per
semester The Grant Program has a maximum award of $80000 per semester for senior
classification This year the Higher Education Program issued 1079 grant awards to students
across the United States
Concurrent Enrollment
The Concurrent Enrollment Program is helping Choctaw high school students get a head start
on credits needed for their general education courses by assisting with a book allowance
Choctaw high school students throughout the United States may apply to receive $20000
toward books for one class or $40000 if enrolled in two or more classes Having college credits
upon graduation of high school will give those students an incentive to continue after high
school toward that college degree This year 345 awards were issued to high school students
through the Higher Education Concurrent Enrollment Program
Technology Allowance (formerly named Laptop Program)
The Choctaw Nation offers a one-time technology allowance to Choctaw tribal members
throughout the United States who are currently attending an accredited college or university
Students must be a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma however there are no blood
quantum requirements Qualified applicants will receive a Visa card to purchase necessary
technology for their education The card can only be used at specific retailers that sell
technology and college or university bookstores
Choctaw College Connect
Higher Education was involved in the second annual Choctaw Nations college fair It was
specifically designed for Choctaw Tribal Members and over 65 colleges universities and
institutions attended Over two hundred students plus their adult guest are treated to
informative breakout sessions and are able to visit with two year four year and Ivy League
institutions all under one roof Choctaw Nation programs were invited to share the benefits
provided by the Choctaw Nation programming Tribal educational organizations as well as
representatives from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are also invited to share
information with the Choctaw youth who attend
4 Childs Home
bs CreationEconomic Develo
OMB Control No 1076-0135 (Version 2) Expiration Date 02282018
Public Law 102-477 Statistical Re ort I Nation Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma PL 102-477 Report Period
PO Box 1210 From 712015 To 6302016 Durant OK 74702
I Participants Served Adults Youth Cash Assistance Recipients
A Total Participants 731 839 B Total Terminees 708 617 C Total Current Participants 22223
II Terminee Outcomes Adult Youth Cash Assistance Recipients A Total with Employment Objective 108 128
1 Entered Unsubsidized Employment 72 47 91 119
3 Employment Objective Not Achieved 0 4 Average Adult Earnings Gain
B Total with EducationalTrainin Obmiddot ective 1 DegreeCertificate
498a Attempted 631 b Attained 31 27
42 Other Education Outcomes 4 3 Education Objective Not Achieved 0 0
C Misc Obective Achieved 129135 0D Other (Non-Positive) 0
III Terminee Characteristics Adult Youth Cash Assistance Reci ients A Female 426 296
282 321fale ducation Level 1 Dropout 15 5 2 Student 79
183 High SchoolDiplomaGED 53 5154 Post High School 639
2 0D Veteran
Adult Youth Cash Assistance Reci ients IV Partici ant Activities 450175A Employment
648 530B EducationTraining 125 8C Misc ObjectiveSupportive Services
4789D OtherService Referral
Families
B Children Receiving Child Care
3 Ages 6 through 12 4 Ages 13 and older
C Care Received- T e of Provider 1 Center Based 2 Family Child Care Home 3 Group Home
ment Businesses Assisted 614
Sign) Phone Number Date 580-924-8280 Ext2209 8112016
V Child Care and Develo ment Activities A Families Receiving Child Care
1
OMB Control No 1076-0135 Expiration Date 02282018
US Department of the Interior
~ Annual Financi~l~~t~ort (Version 2)~~~--~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~---~~~--~~~~~~~~~~--1 Tribe(fribal Organization 2 Other Identifying Number Assigned by DOI
Choctaw Nation ofOklahoma 73-0717979 OSGT907
9 Certification This is to certify that the information reported on all parts of this form is accurate and true to the best of my knowledge and belief and that the tribe has complied with all directly applicable statutory requirerrents and with those directly applicable regulatory requirements which have not been waived
a ~ff~aal~C1bull ggsmiddot middotDNcn=SonyaKDiggso=ChoctawNationofDklahoma gtou=Sen1or Accounting Manager Government
~HsdiggsChoctawnationcom c=US Date 20160912105227-0500
c Date Report Submitted
Sonya Diggs Senior Accounting Manager Grants
b Type Name and Title
9122016
d Questions regarding this report - Contact (Sonya Diggs Senior Accounting Manager Grants 580-924-8280 X235 l sdiggschoctawnationcom)
3 Mailing Address (Provide complete mailing address)
PO Box 1210 Durant OK 74702
4 Submission (Mark One)
X Original 0 6 Annual Report Period
From 07 I 01 I 13 To 06 I 30 I 16 (MonthDayN ear) (MonthDayN ear)
8 Transactions
a Total Funds Available
b Cash Assistance Expenditures
c Child Care Services Expenditures
d Education Employment Training and Supportive Services Expenditures
i TANF Purposes 3 and 4 (non-add)
ii Other TANF Assistance (non-add)
e Program Operations Expenditures
i Child Care Quality Improvement (non-add)
f AdministrationIndirect Cost Expenditures
g Total Federal Expenditures (Sum oflines b through f)
h Total Unexpended Funds
5 Final Report for Plan Period
Q Yes ~No
7 Plan Period Covered by this Report
From 07 01 15 To 06 I 30 (MonthDayNear) (MonthDayNear)
Column I Previously Reported
Column II This Annual Report
Period
Column III Cumulativerrotal
$ 253385500 $ 133053682 $ 386439182
$ $ $
$ $ $
$ 246497298 $ 77960634 $ 324457932
$ $ $
$ $ $
$ $ $
$ $ $
$ 11105646 $ 11533907 $ 22639553
$ 347097485$ 257602944 $ 89494541
$ (4217444) $ 43559141 $ 39341697
c
16
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
FY 2013-15 Annual Financial Report Item 12 Supplement amp Assurances
Period 711115-6302016
12a None of the funds in the approved budget which originated in the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) were used in violation of the Acts prohibition on the use of funds for economic development activities unless the tribe has approved economic development activities pursuant to Pub L 106-568 Section 1103
12b None of the funds in the approved budget which originated in the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) were used in violation of the Acts restrictions of assisting employer relocations
12c No program income was earned on 477 or Higher Education funds during this reporting period
12d There was no amount of refunds or rebates received
12e The total amount of administrative funds expended during this period was $11533907 _Total funds expended totaled $44845789
12f The total amount of Higher Education funds expended during this period was $446487 52
12g DHHS-TANF Report Not Applicable
Digitally signed by Sonya K Diggs DN cn=Sonya K Diggs o=Choctaw Nation ofK D middot g g dOklahom_ a ou=Se~ior ~ccounting Mana~er
])_ ~~ment email=sd1ggSchoctawnat1oncomSonya 7 Date 2016_0808 105442 -0500
Signature DirectorFinancial Officer Date
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES
Patty Mink Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
2
ADULT EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
PROGRAM NARRATIVE
Growing with pride hope and success is the motto for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Selfshy
sufficiency has always been the primary goal of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Therefore
economic development and educating our people are very important to the Choctaw Nation
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training services assist and deliver services throughout the 10
12 counties The counties that make up Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma located in the
southeastern part of the state of Oklahoma are Atoka Bryan Choctaw Coal Haskell Hughes
Latimer Leflore McCurtain Pittsburg and Pushmataha According to the Choctaw Nation CDIB
and Tribal Membership Department there are 180573 enrolled members worldwide
The Choctaw Nation field offices serve as a one stop for the Native American people All of the
Choctaw Nation service departments have applications at each field office The Choctaw Nation
of Oklahoma has 16 field offices located throughout the Choctaw Nation service area The
Choctaw Nation complex is located in Durant OK
Oklahoma is mostly rural and no major cities are located in southeastern Oklahoma The Choctaw
Nation is one of the largest employers of our area We employ over 10000 people nationwide
and are in the process of creating many more jobs for the people in our state
Millions of dollars are given to provide scholarships employment and training and career
development programs to assist with expenses and educational needs for our people to become
self-sufficient Many incentive programs are provided for students to encourage academic
success and perfect attendance Sport activity camps are offered to develop additional athletic
skills and sportsmanship
The Choctaw Nation Employment and Training program collaborates with other service
departments such as Higher Education GED Program Career Development Program Vocational
Rehabilitation vocational development program state college and universities technology
centers state workforce programs and many others Through collaboration and referrals
between all programs more opportunities are accessible to our participants with training and
knowledge for future employment
3
WORKFORCE INNOVATION amp OPPORTUNITY ACT
(WIOA)
EMPLOYMENT amp TRAINING SERVICES
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training services include but are not limited to Work
Experience On-the-Job Training Classroom Training Occupational Training Supportive Services
Career Counseling Job Readiness Training and JobReferralDirect Placement
Placement may be made in public non-profit private or tribal enterprise sectors as deemed
appropriate by the program case manager The duration of these services will vary based upon
the participants individual need job skills and work history
WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM
The Work Experience (WE) program primarily partners with non-profit and tribal enterprises The
majority of the participants begin at minimum wage due to lack of job skills We assisted 16
different businesses Most job placements were at schools city halls Choctaw Nation travel
plazas casinos public libraries and with county commissioners We had a total of 40 active
participants 34 have terminated from the work experience program Many participants
continued to work found other employment opportunities or returned to school
ON-THE-JOB TRAINING
The On-the-Job Training (OJT) program is a great program for those who may not be ready to go
to college or a specialized training They are hands-on people that want to learn a skill and work
We use public non-profit private or tribal enterprises when placing participants The Choctaw
Nation PL 102-477 services placed a total of 21 participants on the OJT program 17 of the
participants have terminated There was a variety of jobs where participants were placed
Participants were placed with 13 different worksites with varying skill requirements farms We
really appreciate all the local employers for giving our participants an opportunity to prove
themselves and make our program a success
4
CLASSROOM TRAINING
The Classroom Training (CRT) program collaborates very closely with Career Development
Higher Education and Vocational Development programs A total of 110 students were assisted
in the Classroom Training Program 62 have terminated from the program and 45 received a
certificatedegree The program assisted a total of 27 different training facilities
CollegesUniversities technology schools and private training institutes such as truck driving
and welding The Classroom Training participant received a stipend for attending classes The
participant is required to be enrolled as a full time student and maintain a 20 GPA Short term
training is offered on a reimbursement program upon completion of the class Verification of
certificate must be received along with proof of payment before reimbursements are made We
also partner with Career Development to assist the training cost The majority of our participants
are also able to receive resources from Higher Education or Career Development
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training program offers supportive services to participants who
have special needs or barriers for retaining their job The majority of the supportive services
provided this year were for proper clothing footwear certification testing transportation and
books and tuition for short term training Each request is considered on an individual basis and
is not limited to the above examples These services are provided through linkages and
coordination of services provided by other agencies If no resource can be utilized to meet the
participants needs the case manager will make the request for supportive service We assisted
49 participants with supportive service The participants requested supportive service for job
related activities fulfill clothing requirements for specialized training or equipment associated
with training or work activities
UNSUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT
44 of the WIA applicants were able to find employment without utilizing funding available to
them These 44 applicants came in for services but found unsubsidized employment Several
needed supportive services for uniforms tools or training for the job After searching the
internet for jobs and getting prepared for interviews these participants were successful in their
job search
5
VETERANS
Priority of service for veterans are based on the Jobs for Veterans Act (PL 107-288)(38 USC 4215)
to provide veterans (and eligible spouses) who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for all
employment and training programs funded by the US Department of Labor in accordance with
the provisions of TEGL 5-03 (91603) 100 of the applicants who applied for Employment and
Training services were placed
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has a very active Veteran Program The Tribal Veteran Program
offers their dedication and commitment in helping veterans secure the services they have earned
and assure that veterans receive benefits and services on par with other veterans and are treated
with respect and dignity by VA service providers
The Choctaw Nation has a long and proud tradition of supporting those who defend our country
The Veterans office serves Choctaw veterans by assisting with eligibility and entitlements of
veterans and their dependents
The WIOA program works closely with the Veterans Program to assure that all applicants who
apply for Employment and Training services are placed
The Choctaw Nation is honored to be a partner with the Military Warrior Support Foundation
and the US Wounded Veterans Airlift Command Annual events include a Veterans Day
celebration and luncheon This is one more way the Choctaw Nation is able to give back to our
veterans who served so that we can have our freedom
JOB PARTNERSHIP AND TRAINING (JPT)
The Choctaw Nation continues in researching core customer relations software for all programs
We are looking forward to developing a new data base that will be more convenient and
compatible to programs who have similar needs and outcomes All the programs included in the
477 program use the same software to track participant data Our database is called Tribal
Assistance Manager (TAM) The Higher Education Program and the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act program have continued to meet with our current software development firm
to make enhancements to the database to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our
current software application We are excited that the WIOA and HEP applications are available
online There was a cost associated with this project but the investment for the
upgradesenhancements will streamline the reporting process making the cost minimal
The WIOA department continues to partner with Choctaw Nation Human Resources Career
Tech Housing Authority Health Programs and Tribal Entities to sponsor Job Fair activities in the
10 Yi counties of the Choctaw Nation
6
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has partnered with Southeastern Oklahoma State University to
create Choctaw University This training is teaching how to become better leaders and how
leadership will affect the Choctaw Nations future
The Learning and Development Department offers standardized training for all associates ofthe
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma They also offer special projects and customized trainings to meet
departmental needs Choctaw University is a vehicle for professional skill leadership growth
and development for associates to complete higher education
Also the WIOA staff are participating in the Grant Management Certificate Program that
Choctaw Nation has so graciously offered to the financial staff and grant programs This training
has taught our staff about managing federal dollars effectively to understanding Federal grants
regulations and reporting performance The track Grants Management Certificate Program
Recipient Track helps organizations that receive Federal funds to use those funds to perform
programmatic work
I would like to thank Jeff Barwick AOTR for taking time from our program review to offer a short
Case Management training for my staff I have a fairly new staff and they have never attended a
full blown Case Management classes like was offered several years ago through the PL 102-477
National Case Management Training I attended and received my certification for Level One and
also the Directors Training I must say both trainings was awesome I would like to see the
training offered again so my new staff could receive their certificates
I am very proud to say the 477 staff are eager to takes advantage of any trainings offered that
will enhance their ability to perform and build their confidence to run the program successfully
CONCERNS
The biggest concern is the lack of funding for Choctaw Nation and other tribal entities Many
employers utilize the program to obtain qualified employees who they may not be able to hire
due to their current budget constraints Communities also suffer when there is no funding for
job placement Participants who are unable to work are unable to keep the local economy
thriving They do not possess the means to make purchases needed for basic survival Cost of
living is going higher and higher but federal funding for Native American programs continues to
decline Native Americans are among the nations poorest people and live in poverty stricken
area Surplus spending is definitely not an option for them Without the proper funding we
cannot help supplement a salary while they are being trained to do a specific job Therefore not
only do we help the participant but we also help the employer and the community
7
SUMMARY
All applicants who request service are asked to do a job search and prepare a resume If they
need help with interviewing or learning how to dress for success we have a video library the
participants may utilize We strive to meet the request of the participant Often times our
participants are not ready to enter a higher education program Most of the employers in
southeast Oklahoma only pay a little above minimum wage This is not self-sufficient Training
and job skills are key for participants to receive a higher income and become self-sufficient Many
participants learn without the proper education jobs are more difficult to obtain
More short term training programs are needed to service the participants with an immediate
employment situation A lot of our people cannot wait one or two years to be trained in a job
skill They need to work now so they can support their family They do not like to travel very far
or be away from their families Therefore more short term job training programs are needed
in our area
Over all the PL 102-477 Employment and Training program felt our participants received the
enhancement they needed to obtain a job Todays economy has placed the burden of
unemployment on more people These individuals need jobs to support them and their families
Unfortunately jobs with compensation to fit their needs are difficult to find
The Choctaw Nation is one of the major contributors for economic development in our state The
communities and state have seen many doors and opportunities opened because of the
generosity of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
CHOCTAW bullbullbull growing with pride hope and success
8
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH SERVICES
Patty Mink Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
9
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH TRIBAL YOUTH
YOUTH NARRATIVE
The Supplemental Youth program is one of the most important programs in our PL 102-477 plan
Native Americans from all federally recognized tribes who live in the Choctaw Nation service area
and meet the federal guidelines are eligible for the program
Through the generosity of the Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr
and the Tribal Council our youth program serves all Choctaw members and Native American
youth who complete their application meet eligibility guidelines and meet the application
deadline All participants meeting these guidelines and qualifications will be placed at a worksite
We have numerous youth apply for the supplemental program The Choctaw Nation of
Oklahoma provide additional funding to service these individuals through our Tribal Youth
program Supplemental Youth and Tribal Youth programs are similar The only exceptions are
Tribal Youth must be of Choctaw descent and there are no income guidelines
We did not visit the schools this year because our application was on line The on-line application
went well but I dont feel like all students realized the applications was on-line Next year plans
are being made to visit each school again and maybe meet in the computer lab so the participants
will have a chance to fill out the applications in our presence The schools are very interested in
our program and welcome the visit The schools acknowledge the benefit of the program and its
effects on students and the communities
JOB READINESS TRAININGORIENTATION
Native American youth were provided orientationjob readiness training prior to beginning work
All participants are eligible for 200 hours of Work Experience The Work Experience training
program is a five week period with an employing agency of either a private (for profit) or nonshy
profit business
10
PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS
Partnership of Summer School Education (POSSE)
Partnership of Summer School Education was created under the visionary leadership of Joy
Culbreath to increase literacy and address dropout rates throughout the Choctaw Nation The
program was designed to help local school districts remediate children in grades K-2
During the summer of 2015 the Choctaw Nation partnered with nine school districts to provide
a six week summer school for 350 students in kindergarten through third grader who were in
need of intervention in reading and math The Nation provided books supplies an afternoon
snack and salary for instructors The school district provided a facility utilities transportation
breakfast and lunch for students Students that qualify for the summer school program attend
free of charge
Students that attended the 2015 summer school demonstrated significant improvement in
reading and math According to academic research third grade reading performance directly
correlates to secondary school success Students who are not reading at grade level by the end
of 3rd grade are four times more likely to drop out of school
In the summer of 2016 the POSSE program expanded to 23 sites throughout the 10-12 counties
offering a hands on instructional approach to improve reading and math performance for 2100
students in 51 schools Next summer the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will continue its
expansion and offer summer learning opportunities to qualifying students from all 85 school
districts within its boundary
The POSSE program will continue to grow over the next years allowing more youth participants
to assist in the education growth and development of our future
It Starts Now - gth Grade Career Discovery Day
Choctaw Nation partnered with the Southern Workforce Board Southern Youth Council and
Southeastern Oklahoma State University to sponsor the second Career Discovery Day
A taskforce was organized to oversee the entire program consisted of representatives from area
school districts technology center businesses economic development agencies chamber of
commerce universities workforce board and tribal entities
The event was held at Southeastern Oklahoma State University on January 7 2016
629 - 8th grade students from 11 schools attended 9 Bryan County schools and 2 others
11
Students were given electronic surveys to select 5 career choices After completing survey
students attended sessions from their top three career choices
At the opening session the students received information about the different education options
budgeting and soft skills that would be needed to get and keep future jobs
There were 25 speakers who discussed their career the educational pathways salaries etc to
the students who had selected that career
Students were given pizza and cookies for lunch A motivational speaker closed the event with
the message of how important it is to stay in school and make good choices
I would like to thank the over 50 volunteers that assisted with logistics that day local school
systems for allowing their students to participant in the Career Discovery Days the local
businesses and employers who shared their career goals and the Choctaw Nation Southern
Workforce Board and SOSU for hosting this successful event
WORK EXPERIENCE
The WIOA served a total of 1298 youth from July 1 2015 - June 30 2016 on the Federal
Supplemental and Tribal Programs 293 participants was served with federal dollars Many
participants get hired by their employers for a few weeks after the program end We are blessed
to have the Tribal funding to help supplement our youth program
The majority of our youth returned to school Summer youth participants who participate in the
program are placed on leave of absence status at the end of the program Reactivation of the
participants reduces error and time needed to place the vast amount of participants The
majority of participants return to the work on the program each year The next spring returning
participants will update their application and proceed with another great year
The policies were changed for the 2016 Youth Work Program A decision was made to provide
this employment opportunity to students between the ages of 16 - 21 New applicants are
required to be 16 years of age by the first day of work Child Labor Laws in Oklahoma are quite
stringent making it quite difficult for students who are 14 - 15 to participate in traditional work
activities PY 2016 assisted 862 participants
There were 560 businesses that helped make our youth program a success The businesses
opened their doors and provided job training for each of our participants The Choctaw Nation
Youth program was designed to introduce workers into the workforce and assist with the
development of behaviors and attributes needed to become a successful employee Employers
are seeking individual with good communication skills honesty work ethic professionalism
positive attitude and self-motivation Whit the new age requirement change the employers are
12
more comfortable in treating our participants as they would any of the other employees that
works for them without worrying about the Child Labor Laws
All kids are at risk and we need more programs to help them get ready for the future workforce
and the real world
SUMMARY
One of my greatest concerns is funding We have a large number of participants that qualify for
the federal program In fact Choctaw Nation has been designated a Promise Zone and therefore
90 of our youth lives in the designated promise zone We do not have enough federal funding
to provide services to all Our federal youth funding covers approximately 200 of our youth who
worked on the program The Choctaw Nation Tribal Program provides the remaining funding to
pay the students
The Choctaw Nation encourages and offers numerous education programs for our people to stay
in school and get their education Therefore the Choctaw Nation offers their youth work
experience program during the summer months
The PL 102-477 program is blessed to have a caring administration Chief Batton Assistant Chief
Jack Austin Jr and the Choctaw Tribal Council are wonderful They truly care for our youth and
our communities This program has an impact on the youth their families and gives back to the
communities Our local businesses are very cooperative in helpingtraining our youth They give
them the opportunity to become a part of the workforce Without the supplemental funding the
tribe gives our program we would not be able to help the young people or the businesses We
must invest time money and help our young people
All of our participants received an exit sheet at the end of the program from their worksite
supervisor and many participants received a letter of recommendation from their supervisor
I have enclosed a few letters of support from employers letters of recommendation and several
participants wrote a statement about what the program has done for them
I hope you enjoy the success stories and worksite photos
13
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Allison Britton Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
14
---- I I II__
Higher Education Program
The Higher Education Program is a scholarship and grant program for Choctaw students
working toward a degree while attending an accredited college or university Full time and part
time students may receive educational assistance During the 2015-2016 school year the
Higher Education Program issued 9255 grant or scholarship awards to colleges and universities
throughout the United States The Choctaw Nation Higher Education Program has changed the
application process and students must apply online each semester for award consideration
This year Higher Education had 1356 students indicate they would be graduating 219 have
been verified and graduation verification is an ongoing process This is a problem each year as
most students do not send documentation for us to report accurate numbers despite the
attempts from our office to obtain the information This past year the Higher Education
Program attempted to contact students via email via telephone and through the Choctaw
Nation Higher Education Facebook page The result is similar to previous years where the
Higher Education Program would call students individually to determine their status
Scholarship Program
The Scholarship Program is awarded based on the students academics rather than financial
need A student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 25 to be considered
for the scholarship Depending on where the grade point is above the 25 will decide how
much the student will receive per semester up to the $100000 per semester maximum The
majority of the students applying for assistance will receive a scholarship This year the Higher
Education Program issued 8179 scholarships to students across the United States
Grant Program
The Grant Program is a need-based program awarded on the students classification in an
accredited college or university They must maintain a minimum grade point average of 20 per
semester The Grant Program has a maximum award of $80000 per semester for senior
classification This year the Higher Education Program issued 1079 grant awards to students
across the United States
Concurrent Enrollment
The Concurrent Enrollment Program is helping Choctaw high school students get a head start
on credits needed for their general education courses by assisting with a book allowance
Choctaw high school students throughout the United States may apply to receive $20000
toward books for one class or $40000 if enrolled in two or more classes Having college credits
upon graduation of high school will give those students an incentive to continue after high
school toward that college degree This year 345 awards were issued to high school students
through the Higher Education Concurrent Enrollment Program
Technology Allowance (formerly named Laptop Program)
The Choctaw Nation offers a one-time technology allowance to Choctaw tribal members
throughout the United States who are currently attending an accredited college or university
Students must be a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma however there are no blood
quantum requirements Qualified applicants will receive a Visa card to purchase necessary
technology for their education The card can only be used at specific retailers that sell
technology and college or university bookstores
Choctaw College Connect
Higher Education was involved in the second annual Choctaw Nations college fair It was
specifically designed for Choctaw Tribal Members and over 65 colleges universities and
institutions attended Over two hundred students plus their adult guest are treated to
informative breakout sessions and are able to visit with two year four year and Ivy League
institutions all under one roof Choctaw Nation programs were invited to share the benefits
provided by the Choctaw Nation programming Tribal educational organizations as well as
representatives from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are also invited to share
information with the Choctaw youth who attend
OMB Control No 1076-0135 Expiration Date 02282018
US Department of the Interior
~ Annual Financi~l~~t~ort (Version 2)~~~--~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~---~~~--~~~~~~~~~~--1 Tribe(fribal Organization 2 Other Identifying Number Assigned by DOI
Choctaw Nation ofOklahoma 73-0717979 OSGT907
9 Certification This is to certify that the information reported on all parts of this form is accurate and true to the best of my knowledge and belief and that the tribe has complied with all directly applicable statutory requirerrents and with those directly applicable regulatory requirements which have not been waived
a ~ff~aal~C1bull ggsmiddot middotDNcn=SonyaKDiggso=ChoctawNationofDklahoma gtou=Sen1or Accounting Manager Government
~HsdiggsChoctawnationcom c=US Date 20160912105227-0500
c Date Report Submitted
Sonya Diggs Senior Accounting Manager Grants
b Type Name and Title
9122016
d Questions regarding this report - Contact (Sonya Diggs Senior Accounting Manager Grants 580-924-8280 X235 l sdiggschoctawnationcom)
3 Mailing Address (Provide complete mailing address)
PO Box 1210 Durant OK 74702
4 Submission (Mark One)
X Original 0 6 Annual Report Period
From 07 I 01 I 13 To 06 I 30 I 16 (MonthDayN ear) (MonthDayN ear)
8 Transactions
a Total Funds Available
b Cash Assistance Expenditures
c Child Care Services Expenditures
d Education Employment Training and Supportive Services Expenditures
i TANF Purposes 3 and 4 (non-add)
ii Other TANF Assistance (non-add)
e Program Operations Expenditures
i Child Care Quality Improvement (non-add)
f AdministrationIndirect Cost Expenditures
g Total Federal Expenditures (Sum oflines b through f)
h Total Unexpended Funds
5 Final Report for Plan Period
Q Yes ~No
7 Plan Period Covered by this Report
From 07 01 15 To 06 I 30 (MonthDayNear) (MonthDayNear)
Column I Previously Reported
Column II This Annual Report
Period
Column III Cumulativerrotal
$ 253385500 $ 133053682 $ 386439182
$ $ $
$ $ $
$ 246497298 $ 77960634 $ 324457932
$ $ $
$ $ $
$ $ $
$ $ $
$ 11105646 $ 11533907 $ 22639553
$ 347097485$ 257602944 $ 89494541
$ (4217444) $ 43559141 $ 39341697
c
16
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
FY 2013-15 Annual Financial Report Item 12 Supplement amp Assurances
Period 711115-6302016
12a None of the funds in the approved budget which originated in the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) were used in violation of the Acts prohibition on the use of funds for economic development activities unless the tribe has approved economic development activities pursuant to Pub L 106-568 Section 1103
12b None of the funds in the approved budget which originated in the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) were used in violation of the Acts restrictions of assisting employer relocations
12c No program income was earned on 477 or Higher Education funds during this reporting period
12d There was no amount of refunds or rebates received
12e The total amount of administrative funds expended during this period was $11533907 _Total funds expended totaled $44845789
12f The total amount of Higher Education funds expended during this period was $446487 52
12g DHHS-TANF Report Not Applicable
Digitally signed by Sonya K Diggs DN cn=Sonya K Diggs o=Choctaw Nation ofK D middot g g dOklahom_ a ou=Se~ior ~ccounting Mana~er
])_ ~~ment email=sd1ggSchoctawnat1oncomSonya 7 Date 2016_0808 105442 -0500
Signature DirectorFinancial Officer Date
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES
Patty Mink Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
2
ADULT EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
PROGRAM NARRATIVE
Growing with pride hope and success is the motto for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Selfshy
sufficiency has always been the primary goal of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Therefore
economic development and educating our people are very important to the Choctaw Nation
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training services assist and deliver services throughout the 10
12 counties The counties that make up Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma located in the
southeastern part of the state of Oklahoma are Atoka Bryan Choctaw Coal Haskell Hughes
Latimer Leflore McCurtain Pittsburg and Pushmataha According to the Choctaw Nation CDIB
and Tribal Membership Department there are 180573 enrolled members worldwide
The Choctaw Nation field offices serve as a one stop for the Native American people All of the
Choctaw Nation service departments have applications at each field office The Choctaw Nation
of Oklahoma has 16 field offices located throughout the Choctaw Nation service area The
Choctaw Nation complex is located in Durant OK
Oklahoma is mostly rural and no major cities are located in southeastern Oklahoma The Choctaw
Nation is one of the largest employers of our area We employ over 10000 people nationwide
and are in the process of creating many more jobs for the people in our state
Millions of dollars are given to provide scholarships employment and training and career
development programs to assist with expenses and educational needs for our people to become
self-sufficient Many incentive programs are provided for students to encourage academic
success and perfect attendance Sport activity camps are offered to develop additional athletic
skills and sportsmanship
The Choctaw Nation Employment and Training program collaborates with other service
departments such as Higher Education GED Program Career Development Program Vocational
Rehabilitation vocational development program state college and universities technology
centers state workforce programs and many others Through collaboration and referrals
between all programs more opportunities are accessible to our participants with training and
knowledge for future employment
3
WORKFORCE INNOVATION amp OPPORTUNITY ACT
(WIOA)
EMPLOYMENT amp TRAINING SERVICES
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training services include but are not limited to Work
Experience On-the-Job Training Classroom Training Occupational Training Supportive Services
Career Counseling Job Readiness Training and JobReferralDirect Placement
Placement may be made in public non-profit private or tribal enterprise sectors as deemed
appropriate by the program case manager The duration of these services will vary based upon
the participants individual need job skills and work history
WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM
The Work Experience (WE) program primarily partners with non-profit and tribal enterprises The
majority of the participants begin at minimum wage due to lack of job skills We assisted 16
different businesses Most job placements were at schools city halls Choctaw Nation travel
plazas casinos public libraries and with county commissioners We had a total of 40 active
participants 34 have terminated from the work experience program Many participants
continued to work found other employment opportunities or returned to school
ON-THE-JOB TRAINING
The On-the-Job Training (OJT) program is a great program for those who may not be ready to go
to college or a specialized training They are hands-on people that want to learn a skill and work
We use public non-profit private or tribal enterprises when placing participants The Choctaw
Nation PL 102-477 services placed a total of 21 participants on the OJT program 17 of the
participants have terminated There was a variety of jobs where participants were placed
Participants were placed with 13 different worksites with varying skill requirements farms We
really appreciate all the local employers for giving our participants an opportunity to prove
themselves and make our program a success
4
CLASSROOM TRAINING
The Classroom Training (CRT) program collaborates very closely with Career Development
Higher Education and Vocational Development programs A total of 110 students were assisted
in the Classroom Training Program 62 have terminated from the program and 45 received a
certificatedegree The program assisted a total of 27 different training facilities
CollegesUniversities technology schools and private training institutes such as truck driving
and welding The Classroom Training participant received a stipend for attending classes The
participant is required to be enrolled as a full time student and maintain a 20 GPA Short term
training is offered on a reimbursement program upon completion of the class Verification of
certificate must be received along with proof of payment before reimbursements are made We
also partner with Career Development to assist the training cost The majority of our participants
are also able to receive resources from Higher Education or Career Development
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training program offers supportive services to participants who
have special needs or barriers for retaining their job The majority of the supportive services
provided this year were for proper clothing footwear certification testing transportation and
books and tuition for short term training Each request is considered on an individual basis and
is not limited to the above examples These services are provided through linkages and
coordination of services provided by other agencies If no resource can be utilized to meet the
participants needs the case manager will make the request for supportive service We assisted
49 participants with supportive service The participants requested supportive service for job
related activities fulfill clothing requirements for specialized training or equipment associated
with training or work activities
UNSUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT
44 of the WIA applicants were able to find employment without utilizing funding available to
them These 44 applicants came in for services but found unsubsidized employment Several
needed supportive services for uniforms tools or training for the job After searching the
internet for jobs and getting prepared for interviews these participants were successful in their
job search
5
VETERANS
Priority of service for veterans are based on the Jobs for Veterans Act (PL 107-288)(38 USC 4215)
to provide veterans (and eligible spouses) who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for all
employment and training programs funded by the US Department of Labor in accordance with
the provisions of TEGL 5-03 (91603) 100 of the applicants who applied for Employment and
Training services were placed
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has a very active Veteran Program The Tribal Veteran Program
offers their dedication and commitment in helping veterans secure the services they have earned
and assure that veterans receive benefits and services on par with other veterans and are treated
with respect and dignity by VA service providers
The Choctaw Nation has a long and proud tradition of supporting those who defend our country
The Veterans office serves Choctaw veterans by assisting with eligibility and entitlements of
veterans and their dependents
The WIOA program works closely with the Veterans Program to assure that all applicants who
apply for Employment and Training services are placed
The Choctaw Nation is honored to be a partner with the Military Warrior Support Foundation
and the US Wounded Veterans Airlift Command Annual events include a Veterans Day
celebration and luncheon This is one more way the Choctaw Nation is able to give back to our
veterans who served so that we can have our freedom
JOB PARTNERSHIP AND TRAINING (JPT)
The Choctaw Nation continues in researching core customer relations software for all programs
We are looking forward to developing a new data base that will be more convenient and
compatible to programs who have similar needs and outcomes All the programs included in the
477 program use the same software to track participant data Our database is called Tribal
Assistance Manager (TAM) The Higher Education Program and the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act program have continued to meet with our current software development firm
to make enhancements to the database to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our
current software application We are excited that the WIOA and HEP applications are available
online There was a cost associated with this project but the investment for the
upgradesenhancements will streamline the reporting process making the cost minimal
The WIOA department continues to partner with Choctaw Nation Human Resources Career
Tech Housing Authority Health Programs and Tribal Entities to sponsor Job Fair activities in the
10 Yi counties of the Choctaw Nation
6
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has partnered with Southeastern Oklahoma State University to
create Choctaw University This training is teaching how to become better leaders and how
leadership will affect the Choctaw Nations future
The Learning and Development Department offers standardized training for all associates ofthe
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma They also offer special projects and customized trainings to meet
departmental needs Choctaw University is a vehicle for professional skill leadership growth
and development for associates to complete higher education
Also the WIOA staff are participating in the Grant Management Certificate Program that
Choctaw Nation has so graciously offered to the financial staff and grant programs This training
has taught our staff about managing federal dollars effectively to understanding Federal grants
regulations and reporting performance The track Grants Management Certificate Program
Recipient Track helps organizations that receive Federal funds to use those funds to perform
programmatic work
I would like to thank Jeff Barwick AOTR for taking time from our program review to offer a short
Case Management training for my staff I have a fairly new staff and they have never attended a
full blown Case Management classes like was offered several years ago through the PL 102-477
National Case Management Training I attended and received my certification for Level One and
also the Directors Training I must say both trainings was awesome I would like to see the
training offered again so my new staff could receive their certificates
I am very proud to say the 477 staff are eager to takes advantage of any trainings offered that
will enhance their ability to perform and build their confidence to run the program successfully
CONCERNS
The biggest concern is the lack of funding for Choctaw Nation and other tribal entities Many
employers utilize the program to obtain qualified employees who they may not be able to hire
due to their current budget constraints Communities also suffer when there is no funding for
job placement Participants who are unable to work are unable to keep the local economy
thriving They do not possess the means to make purchases needed for basic survival Cost of
living is going higher and higher but federal funding for Native American programs continues to
decline Native Americans are among the nations poorest people and live in poverty stricken
area Surplus spending is definitely not an option for them Without the proper funding we
cannot help supplement a salary while they are being trained to do a specific job Therefore not
only do we help the participant but we also help the employer and the community
7
SUMMARY
All applicants who request service are asked to do a job search and prepare a resume If they
need help with interviewing or learning how to dress for success we have a video library the
participants may utilize We strive to meet the request of the participant Often times our
participants are not ready to enter a higher education program Most of the employers in
southeast Oklahoma only pay a little above minimum wage This is not self-sufficient Training
and job skills are key for participants to receive a higher income and become self-sufficient Many
participants learn without the proper education jobs are more difficult to obtain
More short term training programs are needed to service the participants with an immediate
employment situation A lot of our people cannot wait one or two years to be trained in a job
skill They need to work now so they can support their family They do not like to travel very far
or be away from their families Therefore more short term job training programs are needed
in our area
Over all the PL 102-477 Employment and Training program felt our participants received the
enhancement they needed to obtain a job Todays economy has placed the burden of
unemployment on more people These individuals need jobs to support them and their families
Unfortunately jobs with compensation to fit their needs are difficult to find
The Choctaw Nation is one of the major contributors for economic development in our state The
communities and state have seen many doors and opportunities opened because of the
generosity of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
CHOCTAW bullbullbull growing with pride hope and success
8
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH SERVICES
Patty Mink Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
9
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH TRIBAL YOUTH
YOUTH NARRATIVE
The Supplemental Youth program is one of the most important programs in our PL 102-477 plan
Native Americans from all federally recognized tribes who live in the Choctaw Nation service area
and meet the federal guidelines are eligible for the program
Through the generosity of the Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr
and the Tribal Council our youth program serves all Choctaw members and Native American
youth who complete their application meet eligibility guidelines and meet the application
deadline All participants meeting these guidelines and qualifications will be placed at a worksite
We have numerous youth apply for the supplemental program The Choctaw Nation of
Oklahoma provide additional funding to service these individuals through our Tribal Youth
program Supplemental Youth and Tribal Youth programs are similar The only exceptions are
Tribal Youth must be of Choctaw descent and there are no income guidelines
We did not visit the schools this year because our application was on line The on-line application
went well but I dont feel like all students realized the applications was on-line Next year plans
are being made to visit each school again and maybe meet in the computer lab so the participants
will have a chance to fill out the applications in our presence The schools are very interested in
our program and welcome the visit The schools acknowledge the benefit of the program and its
effects on students and the communities
JOB READINESS TRAININGORIENTATION
Native American youth were provided orientationjob readiness training prior to beginning work
All participants are eligible for 200 hours of Work Experience The Work Experience training
program is a five week period with an employing agency of either a private (for profit) or nonshy
profit business
10
PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS
Partnership of Summer School Education (POSSE)
Partnership of Summer School Education was created under the visionary leadership of Joy
Culbreath to increase literacy and address dropout rates throughout the Choctaw Nation The
program was designed to help local school districts remediate children in grades K-2
During the summer of 2015 the Choctaw Nation partnered with nine school districts to provide
a six week summer school for 350 students in kindergarten through third grader who were in
need of intervention in reading and math The Nation provided books supplies an afternoon
snack and salary for instructors The school district provided a facility utilities transportation
breakfast and lunch for students Students that qualify for the summer school program attend
free of charge
Students that attended the 2015 summer school demonstrated significant improvement in
reading and math According to academic research third grade reading performance directly
correlates to secondary school success Students who are not reading at grade level by the end
of 3rd grade are four times more likely to drop out of school
In the summer of 2016 the POSSE program expanded to 23 sites throughout the 10-12 counties
offering a hands on instructional approach to improve reading and math performance for 2100
students in 51 schools Next summer the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will continue its
expansion and offer summer learning opportunities to qualifying students from all 85 school
districts within its boundary
The POSSE program will continue to grow over the next years allowing more youth participants
to assist in the education growth and development of our future
It Starts Now - gth Grade Career Discovery Day
Choctaw Nation partnered with the Southern Workforce Board Southern Youth Council and
Southeastern Oklahoma State University to sponsor the second Career Discovery Day
A taskforce was organized to oversee the entire program consisted of representatives from area
school districts technology center businesses economic development agencies chamber of
commerce universities workforce board and tribal entities
The event was held at Southeastern Oklahoma State University on January 7 2016
629 - 8th grade students from 11 schools attended 9 Bryan County schools and 2 others
11
Students were given electronic surveys to select 5 career choices After completing survey
students attended sessions from their top three career choices
At the opening session the students received information about the different education options
budgeting and soft skills that would be needed to get and keep future jobs
There were 25 speakers who discussed their career the educational pathways salaries etc to
the students who had selected that career
Students were given pizza and cookies for lunch A motivational speaker closed the event with
the message of how important it is to stay in school and make good choices
I would like to thank the over 50 volunteers that assisted with logistics that day local school
systems for allowing their students to participant in the Career Discovery Days the local
businesses and employers who shared their career goals and the Choctaw Nation Southern
Workforce Board and SOSU for hosting this successful event
WORK EXPERIENCE
The WIOA served a total of 1298 youth from July 1 2015 - June 30 2016 on the Federal
Supplemental and Tribal Programs 293 participants was served with federal dollars Many
participants get hired by their employers for a few weeks after the program end We are blessed
to have the Tribal funding to help supplement our youth program
The majority of our youth returned to school Summer youth participants who participate in the
program are placed on leave of absence status at the end of the program Reactivation of the
participants reduces error and time needed to place the vast amount of participants The
majority of participants return to the work on the program each year The next spring returning
participants will update their application and proceed with another great year
The policies were changed for the 2016 Youth Work Program A decision was made to provide
this employment opportunity to students between the ages of 16 - 21 New applicants are
required to be 16 years of age by the first day of work Child Labor Laws in Oklahoma are quite
stringent making it quite difficult for students who are 14 - 15 to participate in traditional work
activities PY 2016 assisted 862 participants
There were 560 businesses that helped make our youth program a success The businesses
opened their doors and provided job training for each of our participants The Choctaw Nation
Youth program was designed to introduce workers into the workforce and assist with the
development of behaviors and attributes needed to become a successful employee Employers
are seeking individual with good communication skills honesty work ethic professionalism
positive attitude and self-motivation Whit the new age requirement change the employers are
12
more comfortable in treating our participants as they would any of the other employees that
works for them without worrying about the Child Labor Laws
All kids are at risk and we need more programs to help them get ready for the future workforce
and the real world
SUMMARY
One of my greatest concerns is funding We have a large number of participants that qualify for
the federal program In fact Choctaw Nation has been designated a Promise Zone and therefore
90 of our youth lives in the designated promise zone We do not have enough federal funding
to provide services to all Our federal youth funding covers approximately 200 of our youth who
worked on the program The Choctaw Nation Tribal Program provides the remaining funding to
pay the students
The Choctaw Nation encourages and offers numerous education programs for our people to stay
in school and get their education Therefore the Choctaw Nation offers their youth work
experience program during the summer months
The PL 102-477 program is blessed to have a caring administration Chief Batton Assistant Chief
Jack Austin Jr and the Choctaw Tribal Council are wonderful They truly care for our youth and
our communities This program has an impact on the youth their families and gives back to the
communities Our local businesses are very cooperative in helpingtraining our youth They give
them the opportunity to become a part of the workforce Without the supplemental funding the
tribe gives our program we would not be able to help the young people or the businesses We
must invest time money and help our young people
All of our participants received an exit sheet at the end of the program from their worksite
supervisor and many participants received a letter of recommendation from their supervisor
I have enclosed a few letters of support from employers letters of recommendation and several
participants wrote a statement about what the program has done for them
I hope you enjoy the success stories and worksite photos
13
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Allison Britton Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
14
---- I I II__
Higher Education Program
The Higher Education Program is a scholarship and grant program for Choctaw students
working toward a degree while attending an accredited college or university Full time and part
time students may receive educational assistance During the 2015-2016 school year the
Higher Education Program issued 9255 grant or scholarship awards to colleges and universities
throughout the United States The Choctaw Nation Higher Education Program has changed the
application process and students must apply online each semester for award consideration
This year Higher Education had 1356 students indicate they would be graduating 219 have
been verified and graduation verification is an ongoing process This is a problem each year as
most students do not send documentation for us to report accurate numbers despite the
attempts from our office to obtain the information This past year the Higher Education
Program attempted to contact students via email via telephone and through the Choctaw
Nation Higher Education Facebook page The result is similar to previous years where the
Higher Education Program would call students individually to determine their status
Scholarship Program
The Scholarship Program is awarded based on the students academics rather than financial
need A student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 25 to be considered
for the scholarship Depending on where the grade point is above the 25 will decide how
much the student will receive per semester up to the $100000 per semester maximum The
majority of the students applying for assistance will receive a scholarship This year the Higher
Education Program issued 8179 scholarships to students across the United States
Grant Program
The Grant Program is a need-based program awarded on the students classification in an
accredited college or university They must maintain a minimum grade point average of 20 per
semester The Grant Program has a maximum award of $80000 per semester for senior
classification This year the Higher Education Program issued 1079 grant awards to students
across the United States
Concurrent Enrollment
The Concurrent Enrollment Program is helping Choctaw high school students get a head start
on credits needed for their general education courses by assisting with a book allowance
Choctaw high school students throughout the United States may apply to receive $20000
toward books for one class or $40000 if enrolled in two or more classes Having college credits
upon graduation of high school will give those students an incentive to continue after high
school toward that college degree This year 345 awards were issued to high school students
through the Higher Education Concurrent Enrollment Program
Technology Allowance (formerly named Laptop Program)
The Choctaw Nation offers a one-time technology allowance to Choctaw tribal members
throughout the United States who are currently attending an accredited college or university
Students must be a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma however there are no blood
quantum requirements Qualified applicants will receive a Visa card to purchase necessary
technology for their education The card can only be used at specific retailers that sell
technology and college or university bookstores
Choctaw College Connect
Higher Education was involved in the second annual Choctaw Nations college fair It was
specifically designed for Choctaw Tribal Members and over 65 colleges universities and
institutions attended Over two hundred students plus their adult guest are treated to
informative breakout sessions and are able to visit with two year four year and Ivy League
institutions all under one roof Choctaw Nation programs were invited to share the benefits
provided by the Choctaw Nation programming Tribal educational organizations as well as
representatives from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are also invited to share
information with the Choctaw youth who attend
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
FY 2013-15 Annual Financial Report Item 12 Supplement amp Assurances
Period 711115-6302016
12a None of the funds in the approved budget which originated in the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) were used in violation of the Acts prohibition on the use of funds for economic development activities unless the tribe has approved economic development activities pursuant to Pub L 106-568 Section 1103
12b None of the funds in the approved budget which originated in the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) were used in violation of the Acts restrictions of assisting employer relocations
12c No program income was earned on 477 or Higher Education funds during this reporting period
12d There was no amount of refunds or rebates received
12e The total amount of administrative funds expended during this period was $11533907 _Total funds expended totaled $44845789
12f The total amount of Higher Education funds expended during this period was $446487 52
12g DHHS-TANF Report Not Applicable
Digitally signed by Sonya K Diggs DN cn=Sonya K Diggs o=Choctaw Nation ofK D middot g g dOklahom_ a ou=Se~ior ~ccounting Mana~er
])_ ~~ment email=sd1ggSchoctawnat1oncomSonya 7 Date 2016_0808 105442 -0500
Signature DirectorFinancial Officer Date
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES
Patty Mink Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
2
ADULT EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
PROGRAM NARRATIVE
Growing with pride hope and success is the motto for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Selfshy
sufficiency has always been the primary goal of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Therefore
economic development and educating our people are very important to the Choctaw Nation
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training services assist and deliver services throughout the 10
12 counties The counties that make up Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma located in the
southeastern part of the state of Oklahoma are Atoka Bryan Choctaw Coal Haskell Hughes
Latimer Leflore McCurtain Pittsburg and Pushmataha According to the Choctaw Nation CDIB
and Tribal Membership Department there are 180573 enrolled members worldwide
The Choctaw Nation field offices serve as a one stop for the Native American people All of the
Choctaw Nation service departments have applications at each field office The Choctaw Nation
of Oklahoma has 16 field offices located throughout the Choctaw Nation service area The
Choctaw Nation complex is located in Durant OK
Oklahoma is mostly rural and no major cities are located in southeastern Oklahoma The Choctaw
Nation is one of the largest employers of our area We employ over 10000 people nationwide
and are in the process of creating many more jobs for the people in our state
Millions of dollars are given to provide scholarships employment and training and career
development programs to assist with expenses and educational needs for our people to become
self-sufficient Many incentive programs are provided for students to encourage academic
success and perfect attendance Sport activity camps are offered to develop additional athletic
skills and sportsmanship
The Choctaw Nation Employment and Training program collaborates with other service
departments such as Higher Education GED Program Career Development Program Vocational
Rehabilitation vocational development program state college and universities technology
centers state workforce programs and many others Through collaboration and referrals
between all programs more opportunities are accessible to our participants with training and
knowledge for future employment
3
WORKFORCE INNOVATION amp OPPORTUNITY ACT
(WIOA)
EMPLOYMENT amp TRAINING SERVICES
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training services include but are not limited to Work
Experience On-the-Job Training Classroom Training Occupational Training Supportive Services
Career Counseling Job Readiness Training and JobReferralDirect Placement
Placement may be made in public non-profit private or tribal enterprise sectors as deemed
appropriate by the program case manager The duration of these services will vary based upon
the participants individual need job skills and work history
WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM
The Work Experience (WE) program primarily partners with non-profit and tribal enterprises The
majority of the participants begin at minimum wage due to lack of job skills We assisted 16
different businesses Most job placements were at schools city halls Choctaw Nation travel
plazas casinos public libraries and with county commissioners We had a total of 40 active
participants 34 have terminated from the work experience program Many participants
continued to work found other employment opportunities or returned to school
ON-THE-JOB TRAINING
The On-the-Job Training (OJT) program is a great program for those who may not be ready to go
to college or a specialized training They are hands-on people that want to learn a skill and work
We use public non-profit private or tribal enterprises when placing participants The Choctaw
Nation PL 102-477 services placed a total of 21 participants on the OJT program 17 of the
participants have terminated There was a variety of jobs where participants were placed
Participants were placed with 13 different worksites with varying skill requirements farms We
really appreciate all the local employers for giving our participants an opportunity to prove
themselves and make our program a success
4
CLASSROOM TRAINING
The Classroom Training (CRT) program collaborates very closely with Career Development
Higher Education and Vocational Development programs A total of 110 students were assisted
in the Classroom Training Program 62 have terminated from the program and 45 received a
certificatedegree The program assisted a total of 27 different training facilities
CollegesUniversities technology schools and private training institutes such as truck driving
and welding The Classroom Training participant received a stipend for attending classes The
participant is required to be enrolled as a full time student and maintain a 20 GPA Short term
training is offered on a reimbursement program upon completion of the class Verification of
certificate must be received along with proof of payment before reimbursements are made We
also partner with Career Development to assist the training cost The majority of our participants
are also able to receive resources from Higher Education or Career Development
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training program offers supportive services to participants who
have special needs or barriers for retaining their job The majority of the supportive services
provided this year were for proper clothing footwear certification testing transportation and
books and tuition for short term training Each request is considered on an individual basis and
is not limited to the above examples These services are provided through linkages and
coordination of services provided by other agencies If no resource can be utilized to meet the
participants needs the case manager will make the request for supportive service We assisted
49 participants with supportive service The participants requested supportive service for job
related activities fulfill clothing requirements for specialized training or equipment associated
with training or work activities
UNSUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT
44 of the WIA applicants were able to find employment without utilizing funding available to
them These 44 applicants came in for services but found unsubsidized employment Several
needed supportive services for uniforms tools or training for the job After searching the
internet for jobs and getting prepared for interviews these participants were successful in their
job search
5
VETERANS
Priority of service for veterans are based on the Jobs for Veterans Act (PL 107-288)(38 USC 4215)
to provide veterans (and eligible spouses) who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for all
employment and training programs funded by the US Department of Labor in accordance with
the provisions of TEGL 5-03 (91603) 100 of the applicants who applied for Employment and
Training services were placed
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has a very active Veteran Program The Tribal Veteran Program
offers their dedication and commitment in helping veterans secure the services they have earned
and assure that veterans receive benefits and services on par with other veterans and are treated
with respect and dignity by VA service providers
The Choctaw Nation has a long and proud tradition of supporting those who defend our country
The Veterans office serves Choctaw veterans by assisting with eligibility and entitlements of
veterans and their dependents
The WIOA program works closely with the Veterans Program to assure that all applicants who
apply for Employment and Training services are placed
The Choctaw Nation is honored to be a partner with the Military Warrior Support Foundation
and the US Wounded Veterans Airlift Command Annual events include a Veterans Day
celebration and luncheon This is one more way the Choctaw Nation is able to give back to our
veterans who served so that we can have our freedom
JOB PARTNERSHIP AND TRAINING (JPT)
The Choctaw Nation continues in researching core customer relations software for all programs
We are looking forward to developing a new data base that will be more convenient and
compatible to programs who have similar needs and outcomes All the programs included in the
477 program use the same software to track participant data Our database is called Tribal
Assistance Manager (TAM) The Higher Education Program and the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act program have continued to meet with our current software development firm
to make enhancements to the database to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our
current software application We are excited that the WIOA and HEP applications are available
online There was a cost associated with this project but the investment for the
upgradesenhancements will streamline the reporting process making the cost minimal
The WIOA department continues to partner with Choctaw Nation Human Resources Career
Tech Housing Authority Health Programs and Tribal Entities to sponsor Job Fair activities in the
10 Yi counties of the Choctaw Nation
6
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has partnered with Southeastern Oklahoma State University to
create Choctaw University This training is teaching how to become better leaders and how
leadership will affect the Choctaw Nations future
The Learning and Development Department offers standardized training for all associates ofthe
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma They also offer special projects and customized trainings to meet
departmental needs Choctaw University is a vehicle for professional skill leadership growth
and development for associates to complete higher education
Also the WIOA staff are participating in the Grant Management Certificate Program that
Choctaw Nation has so graciously offered to the financial staff and grant programs This training
has taught our staff about managing federal dollars effectively to understanding Federal grants
regulations and reporting performance The track Grants Management Certificate Program
Recipient Track helps organizations that receive Federal funds to use those funds to perform
programmatic work
I would like to thank Jeff Barwick AOTR for taking time from our program review to offer a short
Case Management training for my staff I have a fairly new staff and they have never attended a
full blown Case Management classes like was offered several years ago through the PL 102-477
National Case Management Training I attended and received my certification for Level One and
also the Directors Training I must say both trainings was awesome I would like to see the
training offered again so my new staff could receive their certificates
I am very proud to say the 477 staff are eager to takes advantage of any trainings offered that
will enhance their ability to perform and build their confidence to run the program successfully
CONCERNS
The biggest concern is the lack of funding for Choctaw Nation and other tribal entities Many
employers utilize the program to obtain qualified employees who they may not be able to hire
due to their current budget constraints Communities also suffer when there is no funding for
job placement Participants who are unable to work are unable to keep the local economy
thriving They do not possess the means to make purchases needed for basic survival Cost of
living is going higher and higher but federal funding for Native American programs continues to
decline Native Americans are among the nations poorest people and live in poverty stricken
area Surplus spending is definitely not an option for them Without the proper funding we
cannot help supplement a salary while they are being trained to do a specific job Therefore not
only do we help the participant but we also help the employer and the community
7
SUMMARY
All applicants who request service are asked to do a job search and prepare a resume If they
need help with interviewing or learning how to dress for success we have a video library the
participants may utilize We strive to meet the request of the participant Often times our
participants are not ready to enter a higher education program Most of the employers in
southeast Oklahoma only pay a little above minimum wage This is not self-sufficient Training
and job skills are key for participants to receive a higher income and become self-sufficient Many
participants learn without the proper education jobs are more difficult to obtain
More short term training programs are needed to service the participants with an immediate
employment situation A lot of our people cannot wait one or two years to be trained in a job
skill They need to work now so they can support their family They do not like to travel very far
or be away from their families Therefore more short term job training programs are needed
in our area
Over all the PL 102-477 Employment and Training program felt our participants received the
enhancement they needed to obtain a job Todays economy has placed the burden of
unemployment on more people These individuals need jobs to support them and their families
Unfortunately jobs with compensation to fit their needs are difficult to find
The Choctaw Nation is one of the major contributors for economic development in our state The
communities and state have seen many doors and opportunities opened because of the
generosity of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
CHOCTAW bullbullbull growing with pride hope and success
8
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH SERVICES
Patty Mink Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
9
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH TRIBAL YOUTH
YOUTH NARRATIVE
The Supplemental Youth program is one of the most important programs in our PL 102-477 plan
Native Americans from all federally recognized tribes who live in the Choctaw Nation service area
and meet the federal guidelines are eligible for the program
Through the generosity of the Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr
and the Tribal Council our youth program serves all Choctaw members and Native American
youth who complete their application meet eligibility guidelines and meet the application
deadline All participants meeting these guidelines and qualifications will be placed at a worksite
We have numerous youth apply for the supplemental program The Choctaw Nation of
Oklahoma provide additional funding to service these individuals through our Tribal Youth
program Supplemental Youth and Tribal Youth programs are similar The only exceptions are
Tribal Youth must be of Choctaw descent and there are no income guidelines
We did not visit the schools this year because our application was on line The on-line application
went well but I dont feel like all students realized the applications was on-line Next year plans
are being made to visit each school again and maybe meet in the computer lab so the participants
will have a chance to fill out the applications in our presence The schools are very interested in
our program and welcome the visit The schools acknowledge the benefit of the program and its
effects on students and the communities
JOB READINESS TRAININGORIENTATION
Native American youth were provided orientationjob readiness training prior to beginning work
All participants are eligible for 200 hours of Work Experience The Work Experience training
program is a five week period with an employing agency of either a private (for profit) or nonshy
profit business
10
PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS
Partnership of Summer School Education (POSSE)
Partnership of Summer School Education was created under the visionary leadership of Joy
Culbreath to increase literacy and address dropout rates throughout the Choctaw Nation The
program was designed to help local school districts remediate children in grades K-2
During the summer of 2015 the Choctaw Nation partnered with nine school districts to provide
a six week summer school for 350 students in kindergarten through third grader who were in
need of intervention in reading and math The Nation provided books supplies an afternoon
snack and salary for instructors The school district provided a facility utilities transportation
breakfast and lunch for students Students that qualify for the summer school program attend
free of charge
Students that attended the 2015 summer school demonstrated significant improvement in
reading and math According to academic research third grade reading performance directly
correlates to secondary school success Students who are not reading at grade level by the end
of 3rd grade are four times more likely to drop out of school
In the summer of 2016 the POSSE program expanded to 23 sites throughout the 10-12 counties
offering a hands on instructional approach to improve reading and math performance for 2100
students in 51 schools Next summer the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will continue its
expansion and offer summer learning opportunities to qualifying students from all 85 school
districts within its boundary
The POSSE program will continue to grow over the next years allowing more youth participants
to assist in the education growth and development of our future
It Starts Now - gth Grade Career Discovery Day
Choctaw Nation partnered with the Southern Workforce Board Southern Youth Council and
Southeastern Oklahoma State University to sponsor the second Career Discovery Day
A taskforce was organized to oversee the entire program consisted of representatives from area
school districts technology center businesses economic development agencies chamber of
commerce universities workforce board and tribal entities
The event was held at Southeastern Oklahoma State University on January 7 2016
629 - 8th grade students from 11 schools attended 9 Bryan County schools and 2 others
11
Students were given electronic surveys to select 5 career choices After completing survey
students attended sessions from their top three career choices
At the opening session the students received information about the different education options
budgeting and soft skills that would be needed to get and keep future jobs
There were 25 speakers who discussed their career the educational pathways salaries etc to
the students who had selected that career
Students were given pizza and cookies for lunch A motivational speaker closed the event with
the message of how important it is to stay in school and make good choices
I would like to thank the over 50 volunteers that assisted with logistics that day local school
systems for allowing their students to participant in the Career Discovery Days the local
businesses and employers who shared their career goals and the Choctaw Nation Southern
Workforce Board and SOSU for hosting this successful event
WORK EXPERIENCE
The WIOA served a total of 1298 youth from July 1 2015 - June 30 2016 on the Federal
Supplemental and Tribal Programs 293 participants was served with federal dollars Many
participants get hired by their employers for a few weeks after the program end We are blessed
to have the Tribal funding to help supplement our youth program
The majority of our youth returned to school Summer youth participants who participate in the
program are placed on leave of absence status at the end of the program Reactivation of the
participants reduces error and time needed to place the vast amount of participants The
majority of participants return to the work on the program each year The next spring returning
participants will update their application and proceed with another great year
The policies were changed for the 2016 Youth Work Program A decision was made to provide
this employment opportunity to students between the ages of 16 - 21 New applicants are
required to be 16 years of age by the first day of work Child Labor Laws in Oklahoma are quite
stringent making it quite difficult for students who are 14 - 15 to participate in traditional work
activities PY 2016 assisted 862 participants
There were 560 businesses that helped make our youth program a success The businesses
opened their doors and provided job training for each of our participants The Choctaw Nation
Youth program was designed to introduce workers into the workforce and assist with the
development of behaviors and attributes needed to become a successful employee Employers
are seeking individual with good communication skills honesty work ethic professionalism
positive attitude and self-motivation Whit the new age requirement change the employers are
12
more comfortable in treating our participants as they would any of the other employees that
works for them without worrying about the Child Labor Laws
All kids are at risk and we need more programs to help them get ready for the future workforce
and the real world
SUMMARY
One of my greatest concerns is funding We have a large number of participants that qualify for
the federal program In fact Choctaw Nation has been designated a Promise Zone and therefore
90 of our youth lives in the designated promise zone We do not have enough federal funding
to provide services to all Our federal youth funding covers approximately 200 of our youth who
worked on the program The Choctaw Nation Tribal Program provides the remaining funding to
pay the students
The Choctaw Nation encourages and offers numerous education programs for our people to stay
in school and get their education Therefore the Choctaw Nation offers their youth work
experience program during the summer months
The PL 102-477 program is blessed to have a caring administration Chief Batton Assistant Chief
Jack Austin Jr and the Choctaw Tribal Council are wonderful They truly care for our youth and
our communities This program has an impact on the youth their families and gives back to the
communities Our local businesses are very cooperative in helpingtraining our youth They give
them the opportunity to become a part of the workforce Without the supplemental funding the
tribe gives our program we would not be able to help the young people or the businesses We
must invest time money and help our young people
All of our participants received an exit sheet at the end of the program from their worksite
supervisor and many participants received a letter of recommendation from their supervisor
I have enclosed a few letters of support from employers letters of recommendation and several
participants wrote a statement about what the program has done for them
I hope you enjoy the success stories and worksite photos
13
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Allison Britton Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
14
---- I I II__
Higher Education Program
The Higher Education Program is a scholarship and grant program for Choctaw students
working toward a degree while attending an accredited college or university Full time and part
time students may receive educational assistance During the 2015-2016 school year the
Higher Education Program issued 9255 grant or scholarship awards to colleges and universities
throughout the United States The Choctaw Nation Higher Education Program has changed the
application process and students must apply online each semester for award consideration
This year Higher Education had 1356 students indicate they would be graduating 219 have
been verified and graduation verification is an ongoing process This is a problem each year as
most students do not send documentation for us to report accurate numbers despite the
attempts from our office to obtain the information This past year the Higher Education
Program attempted to contact students via email via telephone and through the Choctaw
Nation Higher Education Facebook page The result is similar to previous years where the
Higher Education Program would call students individually to determine their status
Scholarship Program
The Scholarship Program is awarded based on the students academics rather than financial
need A student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 25 to be considered
for the scholarship Depending on where the grade point is above the 25 will decide how
much the student will receive per semester up to the $100000 per semester maximum The
majority of the students applying for assistance will receive a scholarship This year the Higher
Education Program issued 8179 scholarships to students across the United States
Grant Program
The Grant Program is a need-based program awarded on the students classification in an
accredited college or university They must maintain a minimum grade point average of 20 per
semester The Grant Program has a maximum award of $80000 per semester for senior
classification This year the Higher Education Program issued 1079 grant awards to students
across the United States
Concurrent Enrollment
The Concurrent Enrollment Program is helping Choctaw high school students get a head start
on credits needed for their general education courses by assisting with a book allowance
Choctaw high school students throughout the United States may apply to receive $20000
toward books for one class or $40000 if enrolled in two or more classes Having college credits
upon graduation of high school will give those students an incentive to continue after high
school toward that college degree This year 345 awards were issued to high school students
through the Higher Education Concurrent Enrollment Program
Technology Allowance (formerly named Laptop Program)
The Choctaw Nation offers a one-time technology allowance to Choctaw tribal members
throughout the United States who are currently attending an accredited college or university
Students must be a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma however there are no blood
quantum requirements Qualified applicants will receive a Visa card to purchase necessary
technology for their education The card can only be used at specific retailers that sell
technology and college or university bookstores
Choctaw College Connect
Higher Education was involved in the second annual Choctaw Nations college fair It was
specifically designed for Choctaw Tribal Members and over 65 colleges universities and
institutions attended Over two hundred students plus their adult guest are treated to
informative breakout sessions and are able to visit with two year four year and Ivy League
institutions all under one roof Choctaw Nation programs were invited to share the benefits
provided by the Choctaw Nation programming Tribal educational organizations as well as
representatives from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are also invited to share
information with the Choctaw youth who attend
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES
Patty Mink Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
2
ADULT EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
PROGRAM NARRATIVE
Growing with pride hope and success is the motto for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Selfshy
sufficiency has always been the primary goal of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Therefore
economic development and educating our people are very important to the Choctaw Nation
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training services assist and deliver services throughout the 10
12 counties The counties that make up Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma located in the
southeastern part of the state of Oklahoma are Atoka Bryan Choctaw Coal Haskell Hughes
Latimer Leflore McCurtain Pittsburg and Pushmataha According to the Choctaw Nation CDIB
and Tribal Membership Department there are 180573 enrolled members worldwide
The Choctaw Nation field offices serve as a one stop for the Native American people All of the
Choctaw Nation service departments have applications at each field office The Choctaw Nation
of Oklahoma has 16 field offices located throughout the Choctaw Nation service area The
Choctaw Nation complex is located in Durant OK
Oklahoma is mostly rural and no major cities are located in southeastern Oklahoma The Choctaw
Nation is one of the largest employers of our area We employ over 10000 people nationwide
and are in the process of creating many more jobs for the people in our state
Millions of dollars are given to provide scholarships employment and training and career
development programs to assist with expenses and educational needs for our people to become
self-sufficient Many incentive programs are provided for students to encourage academic
success and perfect attendance Sport activity camps are offered to develop additional athletic
skills and sportsmanship
The Choctaw Nation Employment and Training program collaborates with other service
departments such as Higher Education GED Program Career Development Program Vocational
Rehabilitation vocational development program state college and universities technology
centers state workforce programs and many others Through collaboration and referrals
between all programs more opportunities are accessible to our participants with training and
knowledge for future employment
3
WORKFORCE INNOVATION amp OPPORTUNITY ACT
(WIOA)
EMPLOYMENT amp TRAINING SERVICES
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training services include but are not limited to Work
Experience On-the-Job Training Classroom Training Occupational Training Supportive Services
Career Counseling Job Readiness Training and JobReferralDirect Placement
Placement may be made in public non-profit private or tribal enterprise sectors as deemed
appropriate by the program case manager The duration of these services will vary based upon
the participants individual need job skills and work history
WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM
The Work Experience (WE) program primarily partners with non-profit and tribal enterprises The
majority of the participants begin at minimum wage due to lack of job skills We assisted 16
different businesses Most job placements were at schools city halls Choctaw Nation travel
plazas casinos public libraries and with county commissioners We had a total of 40 active
participants 34 have terminated from the work experience program Many participants
continued to work found other employment opportunities or returned to school
ON-THE-JOB TRAINING
The On-the-Job Training (OJT) program is a great program for those who may not be ready to go
to college or a specialized training They are hands-on people that want to learn a skill and work
We use public non-profit private or tribal enterprises when placing participants The Choctaw
Nation PL 102-477 services placed a total of 21 participants on the OJT program 17 of the
participants have terminated There was a variety of jobs where participants were placed
Participants were placed with 13 different worksites with varying skill requirements farms We
really appreciate all the local employers for giving our participants an opportunity to prove
themselves and make our program a success
4
CLASSROOM TRAINING
The Classroom Training (CRT) program collaborates very closely with Career Development
Higher Education and Vocational Development programs A total of 110 students were assisted
in the Classroom Training Program 62 have terminated from the program and 45 received a
certificatedegree The program assisted a total of 27 different training facilities
CollegesUniversities technology schools and private training institutes such as truck driving
and welding The Classroom Training participant received a stipend for attending classes The
participant is required to be enrolled as a full time student and maintain a 20 GPA Short term
training is offered on a reimbursement program upon completion of the class Verification of
certificate must be received along with proof of payment before reimbursements are made We
also partner with Career Development to assist the training cost The majority of our participants
are also able to receive resources from Higher Education or Career Development
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training program offers supportive services to participants who
have special needs or barriers for retaining their job The majority of the supportive services
provided this year were for proper clothing footwear certification testing transportation and
books and tuition for short term training Each request is considered on an individual basis and
is not limited to the above examples These services are provided through linkages and
coordination of services provided by other agencies If no resource can be utilized to meet the
participants needs the case manager will make the request for supportive service We assisted
49 participants with supportive service The participants requested supportive service for job
related activities fulfill clothing requirements for specialized training or equipment associated
with training or work activities
UNSUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT
44 of the WIA applicants were able to find employment without utilizing funding available to
them These 44 applicants came in for services but found unsubsidized employment Several
needed supportive services for uniforms tools or training for the job After searching the
internet for jobs and getting prepared for interviews these participants were successful in their
job search
5
VETERANS
Priority of service for veterans are based on the Jobs for Veterans Act (PL 107-288)(38 USC 4215)
to provide veterans (and eligible spouses) who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for all
employment and training programs funded by the US Department of Labor in accordance with
the provisions of TEGL 5-03 (91603) 100 of the applicants who applied for Employment and
Training services were placed
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has a very active Veteran Program The Tribal Veteran Program
offers their dedication and commitment in helping veterans secure the services they have earned
and assure that veterans receive benefits and services on par with other veterans and are treated
with respect and dignity by VA service providers
The Choctaw Nation has a long and proud tradition of supporting those who defend our country
The Veterans office serves Choctaw veterans by assisting with eligibility and entitlements of
veterans and their dependents
The WIOA program works closely with the Veterans Program to assure that all applicants who
apply for Employment and Training services are placed
The Choctaw Nation is honored to be a partner with the Military Warrior Support Foundation
and the US Wounded Veterans Airlift Command Annual events include a Veterans Day
celebration and luncheon This is one more way the Choctaw Nation is able to give back to our
veterans who served so that we can have our freedom
JOB PARTNERSHIP AND TRAINING (JPT)
The Choctaw Nation continues in researching core customer relations software for all programs
We are looking forward to developing a new data base that will be more convenient and
compatible to programs who have similar needs and outcomes All the programs included in the
477 program use the same software to track participant data Our database is called Tribal
Assistance Manager (TAM) The Higher Education Program and the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act program have continued to meet with our current software development firm
to make enhancements to the database to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our
current software application We are excited that the WIOA and HEP applications are available
online There was a cost associated with this project but the investment for the
upgradesenhancements will streamline the reporting process making the cost minimal
The WIOA department continues to partner with Choctaw Nation Human Resources Career
Tech Housing Authority Health Programs and Tribal Entities to sponsor Job Fair activities in the
10 Yi counties of the Choctaw Nation
6
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has partnered with Southeastern Oklahoma State University to
create Choctaw University This training is teaching how to become better leaders and how
leadership will affect the Choctaw Nations future
The Learning and Development Department offers standardized training for all associates ofthe
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma They also offer special projects and customized trainings to meet
departmental needs Choctaw University is a vehicle for professional skill leadership growth
and development for associates to complete higher education
Also the WIOA staff are participating in the Grant Management Certificate Program that
Choctaw Nation has so graciously offered to the financial staff and grant programs This training
has taught our staff about managing federal dollars effectively to understanding Federal grants
regulations and reporting performance The track Grants Management Certificate Program
Recipient Track helps organizations that receive Federal funds to use those funds to perform
programmatic work
I would like to thank Jeff Barwick AOTR for taking time from our program review to offer a short
Case Management training for my staff I have a fairly new staff and they have never attended a
full blown Case Management classes like was offered several years ago through the PL 102-477
National Case Management Training I attended and received my certification for Level One and
also the Directors Training I must say both trainings was awesome I would like to see the
training offered again so my new staff could receive their certificates
I am very proud to say the 477 staff are eager to takes advantage of any trainings offered that
will enhance their ability to perform and build their confidence to run the program successfully
CONCERNS
The biggest concern is the lack of funding for Choctaw Nation and other tribal entities Many
employers utilize the program to obtain qualified employees who they may not be able to hire
due to their current budget constraints Communities also suffer when there is no funding for
job placement Participants who are unable to work are unable to keep the local economy
thriving They do not possess the means to make purchases needed for basic survival Cost of
living is going higher and higher but federal funding for Native American programs continues to
decline Native Americans are among the nations poorest people and live in poverty stricken
area Surplus spending is definitely not an option for them Without the proper funding we
cannot help supplement a salary while they are being trained to do a specific job Therefore not
only do we help the participant but we also help the employer and the community
7
SUMMARY
All applicants who request service are asked to do a job search and prepare a resume If they
need help with interviewing or learning how to dress for success we have a video library the
participants may utilize We strive to meet the request of the participant Often times our
participants are not ready to enter a higher education program Most of the employers in
southeast Oklahoma only pay a little above minimum wage This is not self-sufficient Training
and job skills are key for participants to receive a higher income and become self-sufficient Many
participants learn without the proper education jobs are more difficult to obtain
More short term training programs are needed to service the participants with an immediate
employment situation A lot of our people cannot wait one or two years to be trained in a job
skill They need to work now so they can support their family They do not like to travel very far
or be away from their families Therefore more short term job training programs are needed
in our area
Over all the PL 102-477 Employment and Training program felt our participants received the
enhancement they needed to obtain a job Todays economy has placed the burden of
unemployment on more people These individuals need jobs to support them and their families
Unfortunately jobs with compensation to fit their needs are difficult to find
The Choctaw Nation is one of the major contributors for economic development in our state The
communities and state have seen many doors and opportunities opened because of the
generosity of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
CHOCTAW bullbullbull growing with pride hope and success
8
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH SERVICES
Patty Mink Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
9
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH TRIBAL YOUTH
YOUTH NARRATIVE
The Supplemental Youth program is one of the most important programs in our PL 102-477 plan
Native Americans from all federally recognized tribes who live in the Choctaw Nation service area
and meet the federal guidelines are eligible for the program
Through the generosity of the Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr
and the Tribal Council our youth program serves all Choctaw members and Native American
youth who complete their application meet eligibility guidelines and meet the application
deadline All participants meeting these guidelines and qualifications will be placed at a worksite
We have numerous youth apply for the supplemental program The Choctaw Nation of
Oklahoma provide additional funding to service these individuals through our Tribal Youth
program Supplemental Youth and Tribal Youth programs are similar The only exceptions are
Tribal Youth must be of Choctaw descent and there are no income guidelines
We did not visit the schools this year because our application was on line The on-line application
went well but I dont feel like all students realized the applications was on-line Next year plans
are being made to visit each school again and maybe meet in the computer lab so the participants
will have a chance to fill out the applications in our presence The schools are very interested in
our program and welcome the visit The schools acknowledge the benefit of the program and its
effects on students and the communities
JOB READINESS TRAININGORIENTATION
Native American youth were provided orientationjob readiness training prior to beginning work
All participants are eligible for 200 hours of Work Experience The Work Experience training
program is a five week period with an employing agency of either a private (for profit) or nonshy
profit business
10
PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS
Partnership of Summer School Education (POSSE)
Partnership of Summer School Education was created under the visionary leadership of Joy
Culbreath to increase literacy and address dropout rates throughout the Choctaw Nation The
program was designed to help local school districts remediate children in grades K-2
During the summer of 2015 the Choctaw Nation partnered with nine school districts to provide
a six week summer school for 350 students in kindergarten through third grader who were in
need of intervention in reading and math The Nation provided books supplies an afternoon
snack and salary for instructors The school district provided a facility utilities transportation
breakfast and lunch for students Students that qualify for the summer school program attend
free of charge
Students that attended the 2015 summer school demonstrated significant improvement in
reading and math According to academic research third grade reading performance directly
correlates to secondary school success Students who are not reading at grade level by the end
of 3rd grade are four times more likely to drop out of school
In the summer of 2016 the POSSE program expanded to 23 sites throughout the 10-12 counties
offering a hands on instructional approach to improve reading and math performance for 2100
students in 51 schools Next summer the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will continue its
expansion and offer summer learning opportunities to qualifying students from all 85 school
districts within its boundary
The POSSE program will continue to grow over the next years allowing more youth participants
to assist in the education growth and development of our future
It Starts Now - gth Grade Career Discovery Day
Choctaw Nation partnered with the Southern Workforce Board Southern Youth Council and
Southeastern Oklahoma State University to sponsor the second Career Discovery Day
A taskforce was organized to oversee the entire program consisted of representatives from area
school districts technology center businesses economic development agencies chamber of
commerce universities workforce board and tribal entities
The event was held at Southeastern Oklahoma State University on January 7 2016
629 - 8th grade students from 11 schools attended 9 Bryan County schools and 2 others
11
Students were given electronic surveys to select 5 career choices After completing survey
students attended sessions from their top three career choices
At the opening session the students received information about the different education options
budgeting and soft skills that would be needed to get and keep future jobs
There were 25 speakers who discussed their career the educational pathways salaries etc to
the students who had selected that career
Students were given pizza and cookies for lunch A motivational speaker closed the event with
the message of how important it is to stay in school and make good choices
I would like to thank the over 50 volunteers that assisted with logistics that day local school
systems for allowing their students to participant in the Career Discovery Days the local
businesses and employers who shared their career goals and the Choctaw Nation Southern
Workforce Board and SOSU for hosting this successful event
WORK EXPERIENCE
The WIOA served a total of 1298 youth from July 1 2015 - June 30 2016 on the Federal
Supplemental and Tribal Programs 293 participants was served with federal dollars Many
participants get hired by their employers for a few weeks after the program end We are blessed
to have the Tribal funding to help supplement our youth program
The majority of our youth returned to school Summer youth participants who participate in the
program are placed on leave of absence status at the end of the program Reactivation of the
participants reduces error and time needed to place the vast amount of participants The
majority of participants return to the work on the program each year The next spring returning
participants will update their application and proceed with another great year
The policies were changed for the 2016 Youth Work Program A decision was made to provide
this employment opportunity to students between the ages of 16 - 21 New applicants are
required to be 16 years of age by the first day of work Child Labor Laws in Oklahoma are quite
stringent making it quite difficult for students who are 14 - 15 to participate in traditional work
activities PY 2016 assisted 862 participants
There were 560 businesses that helped make our youth program a success The businesses
opened their doors and provided job training for each of our participants The Choctaw Nation
Youth program was designed to introduce workers into the workforce and assist with the
development of behaviors and attributes needed to become a successful employee Employers
are seeking individual with good communication skills honesty work ethic professionalism
positive attitude and self-motivation Whit the new age requirement change the employers are
12
more comfortable in treating our participants as they would any of the other employees that
works for them without worrying about the Child Labor Laws
All kids are at risk and we need more programs to help them get ready for the future workforce
and the real world
SUMMARY
One of my greatest concerns is funding We have a large number of participants that qualify for
the federal program In fact Choctaw Nation has been designated a Promise Zone and therefore
90 of our youth lives in the designated promise zone We do not have enough federal funding
to provide services to all Our federal youth funding covers approximately 200 of our youth who
worked on the program The Choctaw Nation Tribal Program provides the remaining funding to
pay the students
The Choctaw Nation encourages and offers numerous education programs for our people to stay
in school and get their education Therefore the Choctaw Nation offers their youth work
experience program during the summer months
The PL 102-477 program is blessed to have a caring administration Chief Batton Assistant Chief
Jack Austin Jr and the Choctaw Tribal Council are wonderful They truly care for our youth and
our communities This program has an impact on the youth their families and gives back to the
communities Our local businesses are very cooperative in helpingtraining our youth They give
them the opportunity to become a part of the workforce Without the supplemental funding the
tribe gives our program we would not be able to help the young people or the businesses We
must invest time money and help our young people
All of our participants received an exit sheet at the end of the program from their worksite
supervisor and many participants received a letter of recommendation from their supervisor
I have enclosed a few letters of support from employers letters of recommendation and several
participants wrote a statement about what the program has done for them
I hope you enjoy the success stories and worksite photos
13
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Allison Britton Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
14
---- I I II__
Higher Education Program
The Higher Education Program is a scholarship and grant program for Choctaw students
working toward a degree while attending an accredited college or university Full time and part
time students may receive educational assistance During the 2015-2016 school year the
Higher Education Program issued 9255 grant or scholarship awards to colleges and universities
throughout the United States The Choctaw Nation Higher Education Program has changed the
application process and students must apply online each semester for award consideration
This year Higher Education had 1356 students indicate they would be graduating 219 have
been verified and graduation verification is an ongoing process This is a problem each year as
most students do not send documentation for us to report accurate numbers despite the
attempts from our office to obtain the information This past year the Higher Education
Program attempted to contact students via email via telephone and through the Choctaw
Nation Higher Education Facebook page The result is similar to previous years where the
Higher Education Program would call students individually to determine their status
Scholarship Program
The Scholarship Program is awarded based on the students academics rather than financial
need A student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 25 to be considered
for the scholarship Depending on where the grade point is above the 25 will decide how
much the student will receive per semester up to the $100000 per semester maximum The
majority of the students applying for assistance will receive a scholarship This year the Higher
Education Program issued 8179 scholarships to students across the United States
Grant Program
The Grant Program is a need-based program awarded on the students classification in an
accredited college or university They must maintain a minimum grade point average of 20 per
semester The Grant Program has a maximum award of $80000 per semester for senior
classification This year the Higher Education Program issued 1079 grant awards to students
across the United States
Concurrent Enrollment
The Concurrent Enrollment Program is helping Choctaw high school students get a head start
on credits needed for their general education courses by assisting with a book allowance
Choctaw high school students throughout the United States may apply to receive $20000
toward books for one class or $40000 if enrolled in two or more classes Having college credits
upon graduation of high school will give those students an incentive to continue after high
school toward that college degree This year 345 awards were issued to high school students
through the Higher Education Concurrent Enrollment Program
Technology Allowance (formerly named Laptop Program)
The Choctaw Nation offers a one-time technology allowance to Choctaw tribal members
throughout the United States who are currently attending an accredited college or university
Students must be a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma however there are no blood
quantum requirements Qualified applicants will receive a Visa card to purchase necessary
technology for their education The card can only be used at specific retailers that sell
technology and college or university bookstores
Choctaw College Connect
Higher Education was involved in the second annual Choctaw Nations college fair It was
specifically designed for Choctaw Tribal Members and over 65 colleges universities and
institutions attended Over two hundred students plus their adult guest are treated to
informative breakout sessions and are able to visit with two year four year and Ivy League
institutions all under one roof Choctaw Nation programs were invited to share the benefits
provided by the Choctaw Nation programming Tribal educational organizations as well as
representatives from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are also invited to share
information with the Choctaw youth who attend
ADULT EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
PROGRAM NARRATIVE
Growing with pride hope and success is the motto for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Selfshy
sufficiency has always been the primary goal of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Therefore
economic development and educating our people are very important to the Choctaw Nation
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training services assist and deliver services throughout the 10
12 counties The counties that make up Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma located in the
southeastern part of the state of Oklahoma are Atoka Bryan Choctaw Coal Haskell Hughes
Latimer Leflore McCurtain Pittsburg and Pushmataha According to the Choctaw Nation CDIB
and Tribal Membership Department there are 180573 enrolled members worldwide
The Choctaw Nation field offices serve as a one stop for the Native American people All of the
Choctaw Nation service departments have applications at each field office The Choctaw Nation
of Oklahoma has 16 field offices located throughout the Choctaw Nation service area The
Choctaw Nation complex is located in Durant OK
Oklahoma is mostly rural and no major cities are located in southeastern Oklahoma The Choctaw
Nation is one of the largest employers of our area We employ over 10000 people nationwide
and are in the process of creating many more jobs for the people in our state
Millions of dollars are given to provide scholarships employment and training and career
development programs to assist with expenses and educational needs for our people to become
self-sufficient Many incentive programs are provided for students to encourage academic
success and perfect attendance Sport activity camps are offered to develop additional athletic
skills and sportsmanship
The Choctaw Nation Employment and Training program collaborates with other service
departments such as Higher Education GED Program Career Development Program Vocational
Rehabilitation vocational development program state college and universities technology
centers state workforce programs and many others Through collaboration and referrals
between all programs more opportunities are accessible to our participants with training and
knowledge for future employment
3
WORKFORCE INNOVATION amp OPPORTUNITY ACT
(WIOA)
EMPLOYMENT amp TRAINING SERVICES
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training services include but are not limited to Work
Experience On-the-Job Training Classroom Training Occupational Training Supportive Services
Career Counseling Job Readiness Training and JobReferralDirect Placement
Placement may be made in public non-profit private or tribal enterprise sectors as deemed
appropriate by the program case manager The duration of these services will vary based upon
the participants individual need job skills and work history
WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM
The Work Experience (WE) program primarily partners with non-profit and tribal enterprises The
majority of the participants begin at minimum wage due to lack of job skills We assisted 16
different businesses Most job placements were at schools city halls Choctaw Nation travel
plazas casinos public libraries and with county commissioners We had a total of 40 active
participants 34 have terminated from the work experience program Many participants
continued to work found other employment opportunities or returned to school
ON-THE-JOB TRAINING
The On-the-Job Training (OJT) program is a great program for those who may not be ready to go
to college or a specialized training They are hands-on people that want to learn a skill and work
We use public non-profit private or tribal enterprises when placing participants The Choctaw
Nation PL 102-477 services placed a total of 21 participants on the OJT program 17 of the
participants have terminated There was a variety of jobs where participants were placed
Participants were placed with 13 different worksites with varying skill requirements farms We
really appreciate all the local employers for giving our participants an opportunity to prove
themselves and make our program a success
4
CLASSROOM TRAINING
The Classroom Training (CRT) program collaborates very closely with Career Development
Higher Education and Vocational Development programs A total of 110 students were assisted
in the Classroom Training Program 62 have terminated from the program and 45 received a
certificatedegree The program assisted a total of 27 different training facilities
CollegesUniversities technology schools and private training institutes such as truck driving
and welding The Classroom Training participant received a stipend for attending classes The
participant is required to be enrolled as a full time student and maintain a 20 GPA Short term
training is offered on a reimbursement program upon completion of the class Verification of
certificate must be received along with proof of payment before reimbursements are made We
also partner with Career Development to assist the training cost The majority of our participants
are also able to receive resources from Higher Education or Career Development
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training program offers supportive services to participants who
have special needs or barriers for retaining their job The majority of the supportive services
provided this year were for proper clothing footwear certification testing transportation and
books and tuition for short term training Each request is considered on an individual basis and
is not limited to the above examples These services are provided through linkages and
coordination of services provided by other agencies If no resource can be utilized to meet the
participants needs the case manager will make the request for supportive service We assisted
49 participants with supportive service The participants requested supportive service for job
related activities fulfill clothing requirements for specialized training or equipment associated
with training or work activities
UNSUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT
44 of the WIA applicants were able to find employment without utilizing funding available to
them These 44 applicants came in for services but found unsubsidized employment Several
needed supportive services for uniforms tools or training for the job After searching the
internet for jobs and getting prepared for interviews these participants were successful in their
job search
5
VETERANS
Priority of service for veterans are based on the Jobs for Veterans Act (PL 107-288)(38 USC 4215)
to provide veterans (and eligible spouses) who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for all
employment and training programs funded by the US Department of Labor in accordance with
the provisions of TEGL 5-03 (91603) 100 of the applicants who applied for Employment and
Training services were placed
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has a very active Veteran Program The Tribal Veteran Program
offers their dedication and commitment in helping veterans secure the services they have earned
and assure that veterans receive benefits and services on par with other veterans and are treated
with respect and dignity by VA service providers
The Choctaw Nation has a long and proud tradition of supporting those who defend our country
The Veterans office serves Choctaw veterans by assisting with eligibility and entitlements of
veterans and their dependents
The WIOA program works closely with the Veterans Program to assure that all applicants who
apply for Employment and Training services are placed
The Choctaw Nation is honored to be a partner with the Military Warrior Support Foundation
and the US Wounded Veterans Airlift Command Annual events include a Veterans Day
celebration and luncheon This is one more way the Choctaw Nation is able to give back to our
veterans who served so that we can have our freedom
JOB PARTNERSHIP AND TRAINING (JPT)
The Choctaw Nation continues in researching core customer relations software for all programs
We are looking forward to developing a new data base that will be more convenient and
compatible to programs who have similar needs and outcomes All the programs included in the
477 program use the same software to track participant data Our database is called Tribal
Assistance Manager (TAM) The Higher Education Program and the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act program have continued to meet with our current software development firm
to make enhancements to the database to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our
current software application We are excited that the WIOA and HEP applications are available
online There was a cost associated with this project but the investment for the
upgradesenhancements will streamline the reporting process making the cost minimal
The WIOA department continues to partner with Choctaw Nation Human Resources Career
Tech Housing Authority Health Programs and Tribal Entities to sponsor Job Fair activities in the
10 Yi counties of the Choctaw Nation
6
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has partnered with Southeastern Oklahoma State University to
create Choctaw University This training is teaching how to become better leaders and how
leadership will affect the Choctaw Nations future
The Learning and Development Department offers standardized training for all associates ofthe
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma They also offer special projects and customized trainings to meet
departmental needs Choctaw University is a vehicle for professional skill leadership growth
and development for associates to complete higher education
Also the WIOA staff are participating in the Grant Management Certificate Program that
Choctaw Nation has so graciously offered to the financial staff and grant programs This training
has taught our staff about managing federal dollars effectively to understanding Federal grants
regulations and reporting performance The track Grants Management Certificate Program
Recipient Track helps organizations that receive Federal funds to use those funds to perform
programmatic work
I would like to thank Jeff Barwick AOTR for taking time from our program review to offer a short
Case Management training for my staff I have a fairly new staff and they have never attended a
full blown Case Management classes like was offered several years ago through the PL 102-477
National Case Management Training I attended and received my certification for Level One and
also the Directors Training I must say both trainings was awesome I would like to see the
training offered again so my new staff could receive their certificates
I am very proud to say the 477 staff are eager to takes advantage of any trainings offered that
will enhance their ability to perform and build their confidence to run the program successfully
CONCERNS
The biggest concern is the lack of funding for Choctaw Nation and other tribal entities Many
employers utilize the program to obtain qualified employees who they may not be able to hire
due to their current budget constraints Communities also suffer when there is no funding for
job placement Participants who are unable to work are unable to keep the local economy
thriving They do not possess the means to make purchases needed for basic survival Cost of
living is going higher and higher but federal funding for Native American programs continues to
decline Native Americans are among the nations poorest people and live in poverty stricken
area Surplus spending is definitely not an option for them Without the proper funding we
cannot help supplement a salary while they are being trained to do a specific job Therefore not
only do we help the participant but we also help the employer and the community
7
SUMMARY
All applicants who request service are asked to do a job search and prepare a resume If they
need help with interviewing or learning how to dress for success we have a video library the
participants may utilize We strive to meet the request of the participant Often times our
participants are not ready to enter a higher education program Most of the employers in
southeast Oklahoma only pay a little above minimum wage This is not self-sufficient Training
and job skills are key for participants to receive a higher income and become self-sufficient Many
participants learn without the proper education jobs are more difficult to obtain
More short term training programs are needed to service the participants with an immediate
employment situation A lot of our people cannot wait one or two years to be trained in a job
skill They need to work now so they can support their family They do not like to travel very far
or be away from their families Therefore more short term job training programs are needed
in our area
Over all the PL 102-477 Employment and Training program felt our participants received the
enhancement they needed to obtain a job Todays economy has placed the burden of
unemployment on more people These individuals need jobs to support them and their families
Unfortunately jobs with compensation to fit their needs are difficult to find
The Choctaw Nation is one of the major contributors for economic development in our state The
communities and state have seen many doors and opportunities opened because of the
generosity of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
CHOCTAW bullbullbull growing with pride hope and success
8
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH SERVICES
Patty Mink Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
9
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH TRIBAL YOUTH
YOUTH NARRATIVE
The Supplemental Youth program is one of the most important programs in our PL 102-477 plan
Native Americans from all federally recognized tribes who live in the Choctaw Nation service area
and meet the federal guidelines are eligible for the program
Through the generosity of the Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr
and the Tribal Council our youth program serves all Choctaw members and Native American
youth who complete their application meet eligibility guidelines and meet the application
deadline All participants meeting these guidelines and qualifications will be placed at a worksite
We have numerous youth apply for the supplemental program The Choctaw Nation of
Oklahoma provide additional funding to service these individuals through our Tribal Youth
program Supplemental Youth and Tribal Youth programs are similar The only exceptions are
Tribal Youth must be of Choctaw descent and there are no income guidelines
We did not visit the schools this year because our application was on line The on-line application
went well but I dont feel like all students realized the applications was on-line Next year plans
are being made to visit each school again and maybe meet in the computer lab so the participants
will have a chance to fill out the applications in our presence The schools are very interested in
our program and welcome the visit The schools acknowledge the benefit of the program and its
effects on students and the communities
JOB READINESS TRAININGORIENTATION
Native American youth were provided orientationjob readiness training prior to beginning work
All participants are eligible for 200 hours of Work Experience The Work Experience training
program is a five week period with an employing agency of either a private (for profit) or nonshy
profit business
10
PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS
Partnership of Summer School Education (POSSE)
Partnership of Summer School Education was created under the visionary leadership of Joy
Culbreath to increase literacy and address dropout rates throughout the Choctaw Nation The
program was designed to help local school districts remediate children in grades K-2
During the summer of 2015 the Choctaw Nation partnered with nine school districts to provide
a six week summer school for 350 students in kindergarten through third grader who were in
need of intervention in reading and math The Nation provided books supplies an afternoon
snack and salary for instructors The school district provided a facility utilities transportation
breakfast and lunch for students Students that qualify for the summer school program attend
free of charge
Students that attended the 2015 summer school demonstrated significant improvement in
reading and math According to academic research third grade reading performance directly
correlates to secondary school success Students who are not reading at grade level by the end
of 3rd grade are four times more likely to drop out of school
In the summer of 2016 the POSSE program expanded to 23 sites throughout the 10-12 counties
offering a hands on instructional approach to improve reading and math performance for 2100
students in 51 schools Next summer the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will continue its
expansion and offer summer learning opportunities to qualifying students from all 85 school
districts within its boundary
The POSSE program will continue to grow over the next years allowing more youth participants
to assist in the education growth and development of our future
It Starts Now - gth Grade Career Discovery Day
Choctaw Nation partnered with the Southern Workforce Board Southern Youth Council and
Southeastern Oklahoma State University to sponsor the second Career Discovery Day
A taskforce was organized to oversee the entire program consisted of representatives from area
school districts technology center businesses economic development agencies chamber of
commerce universities workforce board and tribal entities
The event was held at Southeastern Oklahoma State University on January 7 2016
629 - 8th grade students from 11 schools attended 9 Bryan County schools and 2 others
11
Students were given electronic surveys to select 5 career choices After completing survey
students attended sessions from their top three career choices
At the opening session the students received information about the different education options
budgeting and soft skills that would be needed to get and keep future jobs
There were 25 speakers who discussed their career the educational pathways salaries etc to
the students who had selected that career
Students were given pizza and cookies for lunch A motivational speaker closed the event with
the message of how important it is to stay in school and make good choices
I would like to thank the over 50 volunteers that assisted with logistics that day local school
systems for allowing their students to participant in the Career Discovery Days the local
businesses and employers who shared their career goals and the Choctaw Nation Southern
Workforce Board and SOSU for hosting this successful event
WORK EXPERIENCE
The WIOA served a total of 1298 youth from July 1 2015 - June 30 2016 on the Federal
Supplemental and Tribal Programs 293 participants was served with federal dollars Many
participants get hired by their employers for a few weeks after the program end We are blessed
to have the Tribal funding to help supplement our youth program
The majority of our youth returned to school Summer youth participants who participate in the
program are placed on leave of absence status at the end of the program Reactivation of the
participants reduces error and time needed to place the vast amount of participants The
majority of participants return to the work on the program each year The next spring returning
participants will update their application and proceed with another great year
The policies were changed for the 2016 Youth Work Program A decision was made to provide
this employment opportunity to students between the ages of 16 - 21 New applicants are
required to be 16 years of age by the first day of work Child Labor Laws in Oklahoma are quite
stringent making it quite difficult for students who are 14 - 15 to participate in traditional work
activities PY 2016 assisted 862 participants
There were 560 businesses that helped make our youth program a success The businesses
opened their doors and provided job training for each of our participants The Choctaw Nation
Youth program was designed to introduce workers into the workforce and assist with the
development of behaviors and attributes needed to become a successful employee Employers
are seeking individual with good communication skills honesty work ethic professionalism
positive attitude and self-motivation Whit the new age requirement change the employers are
12
more comfortable in treating our participants as they would any of the other employees that
works for them without worrying about the Child Labor Laws
All kids are at risk and we need more programs to help them get ready for the future workforce
and the real world
SUMMARY
One of my greatest concerns is funding We have a large number of participants that qualify for
the federal program In fact Choctaw Nation has been designated a Promise Zone and therefore
90 of our youth lives in the designated promise zone We do not have enough federal funding
to provide services to all Our federal youth funding covers approximately 200 of our youth who
worked on the program The Choctaw Nation Tribal Program provides the remaining funding to
pay the students
The Choctaw Nation encourages and offers numerous education programs for our people to stay
in school and get their education Therefore the Choctaw Nation offers their youth work
experience program during the summer months
The PL 102-477 program is blessed to have a caring administration Chief Batton Assistant Chief
Jack Austin Jr and the Choctaw Tribal Council are wonderful They truly care for our youth and
our communities This program has an impact on the youth their families and gives back to the
communities Our local businesses are very cooperative in helpingtraining our youth They give
them the opportunity to become a part of the workforce Without the supplemental funding the
tribe gives our program we would not be able to help the young people or the businesses We
must invest time money and help our young people
All of our participants received an exit sheet at the end of the program from their worksite
supervisor and many participants received a letter of recommendation from their supervisor
I have enclosed a few letters of support from employers letters of recommendation and several
participants wrote a statement about what the program has done for them
I hope you enjoy the success stories and worksite photos
13
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Allison Britton Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
14
---- I I II__
Higher Education Program
The Higher Education Program is a scholarship and grant program for Choctaw students
working toward a degree while attending an accredited college or university Full time and part
time students may receive educational assistance During the 2015-2016 school year the
Higher Education Program issued 9255 grant or scholarship awards to colleges and universities
throughout the United States The Choctaw Nation Higher Education Program has changed the
application process and students must apply online each semester for award consideration
This year Higher Education had 1356 students indicate they would be graduating 219 have
been verified and graduation verification is an ongoing process This is a problem each year as
most students do not send documentation for us to report accurate numbers despite the
attempts from our office to obtain the information This past year the Higher Education
Program attempted to contact students via email via telephone and through the Choctaw
Nation Higher Education Facebook page The result is similar to previous years where the
Higher Education Program would call students individually to determine their status
Scholarship Program
The Scholarship Program is awarded based on the students academics rather than financial
need A student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 25 to be considered
for the scholarship Depending on where the grade point is above the 25 will decide how
much the student will receive per semester up to the $100000 per semester maximum The
majority of the students applying for assistance will receive a scholarship This year the Higher
Education Program issued 8179 scholarships to students across the United States
Grant Program
The Grant Program is a need-based program awarded on the students classification in an
accredited college or university They must maintain a minimum grade point average of 20 per
semester The Grant Program has a maximum award of $80000 per semester for senior
classification This year the Higher Education Program issued 1079 grant awards to students
across the United States
Concurrent Enrollment
The Concurrent Enrollment Program is helping Choctaw high school students get a head start
on credits needed for their general education courses by assisting with a book allowance
Choctaw high school students throughout the United States may apply to receive $20000
toward books for one class or $40000 if enrolled in two or more classes Having college credits
upon graduation of high school will give those students an incentive to continue after high
school toward that college degree This year 345 awards were issued to high school students
through the Higher Education Concurrent Enrollment Program
Technology Allowance (formerly named Laptop Program)
The Choctaw Nation offers a one-time technology allowance to Choctaw tribal members
throughout the United States who are currently attending an accredited college or university
Students must be a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma however there are no blood
quantum requirements Qualified applicants will receive a Visa card to purchase necessary
technology for their education The card can only be used at specific retailers that sell
technology and college or university bookstores
Choctaw College Connect
Higher Education was involved in the second annual Choctaw Nations college fair It was
specifically designed for Choctaw Tribal Members and over 65 colleges universities and
institutions attended Over two hundred students plus their adult guest are treated to
informative breakout sessions and are able to visit with two year four year and Ivy League
institutions all under one roof Choctaw Nation programs were invited to share the benefits
provided by the Choctaw Nation programming Tribal educational organizations as well as
representatives from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are also invited to share
information with the Choctaw youth who attend
WORKFORCE INNOVATION amp OPPORTUNITY ACT
(WIOA)
EMPLOYMENT amp TRAINING SERVICES
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training services include but are not limited to Work
Experience On-the-Job Training Classroom Training Occupational Training Supportive Services
Career Counseling Job Readiness Training and JobReferralDirect Placement
Placement may be made in public non-profit private or tribal enterprise sectors as deemed
appropriate by the program case manager The duration of these services will vary based upon
the participants individual need job skills and work history
WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM
The Work Experience (WE) program primarily partners with non-profit and tribal enterprises The
majority of the participants begin at minimum wage due to lack of job skills We assisted 16
different businesses Most job placements were at schools city halls Choctaw Nation travel
plazas casinos public libraries and with county commissioners We had a total of 40 active
participants 34 have terminated from the work experience program Many participants
continued to work found other employment opportunities or returned to school
ON-THE-JOB TRAINING
The On-the-Job Training (OJT) program is a great program for those who may not be ready to go
to college or a specialized training They are hands-on people that want to learn a skill and work
We use public non-profit private or tribal enterprises when placing participants The Choctaw
Nation PL 102-477 services placed a total of 21 participants on the OJT program 17 of the
participants have terminated There was a variety of jobs where participants were placed
Participants were placed with 13 different worksites with varying skill requirements farms We
really appreciate all the local employers for giving our participants an opportunity to prove
themselves and make our program a success
4
CLASSROOM TRAINING
The Classroom Training (CRT) program collaborates very closely with Career Development
Higher Education and Vocational Development programs A total of 110 students were assisted
in the Classroom Training Program 62 have terminated from the program and 45 received a
certificatedegree The program assisted a total of 27 different training facilities
CollegesUniversities technology schools and private training institutes such as truck driving
and welding The Classroom Training participant received a stipend for attending classes The
participant is required to be enrolled as a full time student and maintain a 20 GPA Short term
training is offered on a reimbursement program upon completion of the class Verification of
certificate must be received along with proof of payment before reimbursements are made We
also partner with Career Development to assist the training cost The majority of our participants
are also able to receive resources from Higher Education or Career Development
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training program offers supportive services to participants who
have special needs or barriers for retaining their job The majority of the supportive services
provided this year were for proper clothing footwear certification testing transportation and
books and tuition for short term training Each request is considered on an individual basis and
is not limited to the above examples These services are provided through linkages and
coordination of services provided by other agencies If no resource can be utilized to meet the
participants needs the case manager will make the request for supportive service We assisted
49 participants with supportive service The participants requested supportive service for job
related activities fulfill clothing requirements for specialized training or equipment associated
with training or work activities
UNSUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT
44 of the WIA applicants were able to find employment without utilizing funding available to
them These 44 applicants came in for services but found unsubsidized employment Several
needed supportive services for uniforms tools or training for the job After searching the
internet for jobs and getting prepared for interviews these participants were successful in their
job search
5
VETERANS
Priority of service for veterans are based on the Jobs for Veterans Act (PL 107-288)(38 USC 4215)
to provide veterans (and eligible spouses) who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for all
employment and training programs funded by the US Department of Labor in accordance with
the provisions of TEGL 5-03 (91603) 100 of the applicants who applied for Employment and
Training services were placed
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has a very active Veteran Program The Tribal Veteran Program
offers their dedication and commitment in helping veterans secure the services they have earned
and assure that veterans receive benefits and services on par with other veterans and are treated
with respect and dignity by VA service providers
The Choctaw Nation has a long and proud tradition of supporting those who defend our country
The Veterans office serves Choctaw veterans by assisting with eligibility and entitlements of
veterans and their dependents
The WIOA program works closely with the Veterans Program to assure that all applicants who
apply for Employment and Training services are placed
The Choctaw Nation is honored to be a partner with the Military Warrior Support Foundation
and the US Wounded Veterans Airlift Command Annual events include a Veterans Day
celebration and luncheon This is one more way the Choctaw Nation is able to give back to our
veterans who served so that we can have our freedom
JOB PARTNERSHIP AND TRAINING (JPT)
The Choctaw Nation continues in researching core customer relations software for all programs
We are looking forward to developing a new data base that will be more convenient and
compatible to programs who have similar needs and outcomes All the programs included in the
477 program use the same software to track participant data Our database is called Tribal
Assistance Manager (TAM) The Higher Education Program and the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act program have continued to meet with our current software development firm
to make enhancements to the database to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our
current software application We are excited that the WIOA and HEP applications are available
online There was a cost associated with this project but the investment for the
upgradesenhancements will streamline the reporting process making the cost minimal
The WIOA department continues to partner with Choctaw Nation Human Resources Career
Tech Housing Authority Health Programs and Tribal Entities to sponsor Job Fair activities in the
10 Yi counties of the Choctaw Nation
6
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has partnered with Southeastern Oklahoma State University to
create Choctaw University This training is teaching how to become better leaders and how
leadership will affect the Choctaw Nations future
The Learning and Development Department offers standardized training for all associates ofthe
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma They also offer special projects and customized trainings to meet
departmental needs Choctaw University is a vehicle for professional skill leadership growth
and development for associates to complete higher education
Also the WIOA staff are participating in the Grant Management Certificate Program that
Choctaw Nation has so graciously offered to the financial staff and grant programs This training
has taught our staff about managing federal dollars effectively to understanding Federal grants
regulations and reporting performance The track Grants Management Certificate Program
Recipient Track helps organizations that receive Federal funds to use those funds to perform
programmatic work
I would like to thank Jeff Barwick AOTR for taking time from our program review to offer a short
Case Management training for my staff I have a fairly new staff and they have never attended a
full blown Case Management classes like was offered several years ago through the PL 102-477
National Case Management Training I attended and received my certification for Level One and
also the Directors Training I must say both trainings was awesome I would like to see the
training offered again so my new staff could receive their certificates
I am very proud to say the 477 staff are eager to takes advantage of any trainings offered that
will enhance their ability to perform and build their confidence to run the program successfully
CONCERNS
The biggest concern is the lack of funding for Choctaw Nation and other tribal entities Many
employers utilize the program to obtain qualified employees who they may not be able to hire
due to their current budget constraints Communities also suffer when there is no funding for
job placement Participants who are unable to work are unable to keep the local economy
thriving They do not possess the means to make purchases needed for basic survival Cost of
living is going higher and higher but federal funding for Native American programs continues to
decline Native Americans are among the nations poorest people and live in poverty stricken
area Surplus spending is definitely not an option for them Without the proper funding we
cannot help supplement a salary while they are being trained to do a specific job Therefore not
only do we help the participant but we also help the employer and the community
7
SUMMARY
All applicants who request service are asked to do a job search and prepare a resume If they
need help with interviewing or learning how to dress for success we have a video library the
participants may utilize We strive to meet the request of the participant Often times our
participants are not ready to enter a higher education program Most of the employers in
southeast Oklahoma only pay a little above minimum wage This is not self-sufficient Training
and job skills are key for participants to receive a higher income and become self-sufficient Many
participants learn without the proper education jobs are more difficult to obtain
More short term training programs are needed to service the participants with an immediate
employment situation A lot of our people cannot wait one or two years to be trained in a job
skill They need to work now so they can support their family They do not like to travel very far
or be away from their families Therefore more short term job training programs are needed
in our area
Over all the PL 102-477 Employment and Training program felt our participants received the
enhancement they needed to obtain a job Todays economy has placed the burden of
unemployment on more people These individuals need jobs to support them and their families
Unfortunately jobs with compensation to fit their needs are difficult to find
The Choctaw Nation is one of the major contributors for economic development in our state The
communities and state have seen many doors and opportunities opened because of the
generosity of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
CHOCTAW bullbullbull growing with pride hope and success
8
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH SERVICES
Patty Mink Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
9
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH TRIBAL YOUTH
YOUTH NARRATIVE
The Supplemental Youth program is one of the most important programs in our PL 102-477 plan
Native Americans from all federally recognized tribes who live in the Choctaw Nation service area
and meet the federal guidelines are eligible for the program
Through the generosity of the Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr
and the Tribal Council our youth program serves all Choctaw members and Native American
youth who complete their application meet eligibility guidelines and meet the application
deadline All participants meeting these guidelines and qualifications will be placed at a worksite
We have numerous youth apply for the supplemental program The Choctaw Nation of
Oklahoma provide additional funding to service these individuals through our Tribal Youth
program Supplemental Youth and Tribal Youth programs are similar The only exceptions are
Tribal Youth must be of Choctaw descent and there are no income guidelines
We did not visit the schools this year because our application was on line The on-line application
went well but I dont feel like all students realized the applications was on-line Next year plans
are being made to visit each school again and maybe meet in the computer lab so the participants
will have a chance to fill out the applications in our presence The schools are very interested in
our program and welcome the visit The schools acknowledge the benefit of the program and its
effects on students and the communities
JOB READINESS TRAININGORIENTATION
Native American youth were provided orientationjob readiness training prior to beginning work
All participants are eligible for 200 hours of Work Experience The Work Experience training
program is a five week period with an employing agency of either a private (for profit) or nonshy
profit business
10
PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS
Partnership of Summer School Education (POSSE)
Partnership of Summer School Education was created under the visionary leadership of Joy
Culbreath to increase literacy and address dropout rates throughout the Choctaw Nation The
program was designed to help local school districts remediate children in grades K-2
During the summer of 2015 the Choctaw Nation partnered with nine school districts to provide
a six week summer school for 350 students in kindergarten through third grader who were in
need of intervention in reading and math The Nation provided books supplies an afternoon
snack and salary for instructors The school district provided a facility utilities transportation
breakfast and lunch for students Students that qualify for the summer school program attend
free of charge
Students that attended the 2015 summer school demonstrated significant improvement in
reading and math According to academic research third grade reading performance directly
correlates to secondary school success Students who are not reading at grade level by the end
of 3rd grade are four times more likely to drop out of school
In the summer of 2016 the POSSE program expanded to 23 sites throughout the 10-12 counties
offering a hands on instructional approach to improve reading and math performance for 2100
students in 51 schools Next summer the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will continue its
expansion and offer summer learning opportunities to qualifying students from all 85 school
districts within its boundary
The POSSE program will continue to grow over the next years allowing more youth participants
to assist in the education growth and development of our future
It Starts Now - gth Grade Career Discovery Day
Choctaw Nation partnered with the Southern Workforce Board Southern Youth Council and
Southeastern Oklahoma State University to sponsor the second Career Discovery Day
A taskforce was organized to oversee the entire program consisted of representatives from area
school districts technology center businesses economic development agencies chamber of
commerce universities workforce board and tribal entities
The event was held at Southeastern Oklahoma State University on January 7 2016
629 - 8th grade students from 11 schools attended 9 Bryan County schools and 2 others
11
Students were given electronic surveys to select 5 career choices After completing survey
students attended sessions from their top three career choices
At the opening session the students received information about the different education options
budgeting and soft skills that would be needed to get and keep future jobs
There were 25 speakers who discussed their career the educational pathways salaries etc to
the students who had selected that career
Students were given pizza and cookies for lunch A motivational speaker closed the event with
the message of how important it is to stay in school and make good choices
I would like to thank the over 50 volunteers that assisted with logistics that day local school
systems for allowing their students to participant in the Career Discovery Days the local
businesses and employers who shared their career goals and the Choctaw Nation Southern
Workforce Board and SOSU for hosting this successful event
WORK EXPERIENCE
The WIOA served a total of 1298 youth from July 1 2015 - June 30 2016 on the Federal
Supplemental and Tribal Programs 293 participants was served with federal dollars Many
participants get hired by their employers for a few weeks after the program end We are blessed
to have the Tribal funding to help supplement our youth program
The majority of our youth returned to school Summer youth participants who participate in the
program are placed on leave of absence status at the end of the program Reactivation of the
participants reduces error and time needed to place the vast amount of participants The
majority of participants return to the work on the program each year The next spring returning
participants will update their application and proceed with another great year
The policies were changed for the 2016 Youth Work Program A decision was made to provide
this employment opportunity to students between the ages of 16 - 21 New applicants are
required to be 16 years of age by the first day of work Child Labor Laws in Oklahoma are quite
stringent making it quite difficult for students who are 14 - 15 to participate in traditional work
activities PY 2016 assisted 862 participants
There were 560 businesses that helped make our youth program a success The businesses
opened their doors and provided job training for each of our participants The Choctaw Nation
Youth program was designed to introduce workers into the workforce and assist with the
development of behaviors and attributes needed to become a successful employee Employers
are seeking individual with good communication skills honesty work ethic professionalism
positive attitude and self-motivation Whit the new age requirement change the employers are
12
more comfortable in treating our participants as they would any of the other employees that
works for them without worrying about the Child Labor Laws
All kids are at risk and we need more programs to help them get ready for the future workforce
and the real world
SUMMARY
One of my greatest concerns is funding We have a large number of participants that qualify for
the federal program In fact Choctaw Nation has been designated a Promise Zone and therefore
90 of our youth lives in the designated promise zone We do not have enough federal funding
to provide services to all Our federal youth funding covers approximately 200 of our youth who
worked on the program The Choctaw Nation Tribal Program provides the remaining funding to
pay the students
The Choctaw Nation encourages and offers numerous education programs for our people to stay
in school and get their education Therefore the Choctaw Nation offers their youth work
experience program during the summer months
The PL 102-477 program is blessed to have a caring administration Chief Batton Assistant Chief
Jack Austin Jr and the Choctaw Tribal Council are wonderful They truly care for our youth and
our communities This program has an impact on the youth their families and gives back to the
communities Our local businesses are very cooperative in helpingtraining our youth They give
them the opportunity to become a part of the workforce Without the supplemental funding the
tribe gives our program we would not be able to help the young people or the businesses We
must invest time money and help our young people
All of our participants received an exit sheet at the end of the program from their worksite
supervisor and many participants received a letter of recommendation from their supervisor
I have enclosed a few letters of support from employers letters of recommendation and several
participants wrote a statement about what the program has done for them
I hope you enjoy the success stories and worksite photos
13
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Allison Britton Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
14
---- I I II__
Higher Education Program
The Higher Education Program is a scholarship and grant program for Choctaw students
working toward a degree while attending an accredited college or university Full time and part
time students may receive educational assistance During the 2015-2016 school year the
Higher Education Program issued 9255 grant or scholarship awards to colleges and universities
throughout the United States The Choctaw Nation Higher Education Program has changed the
application process and students must apply online each semester for award consideration
This year Higher Education had 1356 students indicate they would be graduating 219 have
been verified and graduation verification is an ongoing process This is a problem each year as
most students do not send documentation for us to report accurate numbers despite the
attempts from our office to obtain the information This past year the Higher Education
Program attempted to contact students via email via telephone and through the Choctaw
Nation Higher Education Facebook page The result is similar to previous years where the
Higher Education Program would call students individually to determine their status
Scholarship Program
The Scholarship Program is awarded based on the students academics rather than financial
need A student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 25 to be considered
for the scholarship Depending on where the grade point is above the 25 will decide how
much the student will receive per semester up to the $100000 per semester maximum The
majority of the students applying for assistance will receive a scholarship This year the Higher
Education Program issued 8179 scholarships to students across the United States
Grant Program
The Grant Program is a need-based program awarded on the students classification in an
accredited college or university They must maintain a minimum grade point average of 20 per
semester The Grant Program has a maximum award of $80000 per semester for senior
classification This year the Higher Education Program issued 1079 grant awards to students
across the United States
Concurrent Enrollment
The Concurrent Enrollment Program is helping Choctaw high school students get a head start
on credits needed for their general education courses by assisting with a book allowance
Choctaw high school students throughout the United States may apply to receive $20000
toward books for one class or $40000 if enrolled in two or more classes Having college credits
upon graduation of high school will give those students an incentive to continue after high
school toward that college degree This year 345 awards were issued to high school students
through the Higher Education Concurrent Enrollment Program
Technology Allowance (formerly named Laptop Program)
The Choctaw Nation offers a one-time technology allowance to Choctaw tribal members
throughout the United States who are currently attending an accredited college or university
Students must be a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma however there are no blood
quantum requirements Qualified applicants will receive a Visa card to purchase necessary
technology for their education The card can only be used at specific retailers that sell
technology and college or university bookstores
Choctaw College Connect
Higher Education was involved in the second annual Choctaw Nations college fair It was
specifically designed for Choctaw Tribal Members and over 65 colleges universities and
institutions attended Over two hundred students plus their adult guest are treated to
informative breakout sessions and are able to visit with two year four year and Ivy League
institutions all under one roof Choctaw Nation programs were invited to share the benefits
provided by the Choctaw Nation programming Tribal educational organizations as well as
representatives from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are also invited to share
information with the Choctaw youth who attend
CLASSROOM TRAINING
The Classroom Training (CRT) program collaborates very closely with Career Development
Higher Education and Vocational Development programs A total of 110 students were assisted
in the Classroom Training Program 62 have terminated from the program and 45 received a
certificatedegree The program assisted a total of 27 different training facilities
CollegesUniversities technology schools and private training institutes such as truck driving
and welding The Classroom Training participant received a stipend for attending classes The
participant is required to be enrolled as a full time student and maintain a 20 GPA Short term
training is offered on a reimbursement program upon completion of the class Verification of
certificate must be received along with proof of payment before reimbursements are made We
also partner with Career Development to assist the training cost The majority of our participants
are also able to receive resources from Higher Education or Career Development
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
The PL 102-477 Employment and Training program offers supportive services to participants who
have special needs or barriers for retaining their job The majority of the supportive services
provided this year were for proper clothing footwear certification testing transportation and
books and tuition for short term training Each request is considered on an individual basis and
is not limited to the above examples These services are provided through linkages and
coordination of services provided by other agencies If no resource can be utilized to meet the
participants needs the case manager will make the request for supportive service We assisted
49 participants with supportive service The participants requested supportive service for job
related activities fulfill clothing requirements for specialized training or equipment associated
with training or work activities
UNSUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT
44 of the WIA applicants were able to find employment without utilizing funding available to
them These 44 applicants came in for services but found unsubsidized employment Several
needed supportive services for uniforms tools or training for the job After searching the
internet for jobs and getting prepared for interviews these participants were successful in their
job search
5
VETERANS
Priority of service for veterans are based on the Jobs for Veterans Act (PL 107-288)(38 USC 4215)
to provide veterans (and eligible spouses) who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for all
employment and training programs funded by the US Department of Labor in accordance with
the provisions of TEGL 5-03 (91603) 100 of the applicants who applied for Employment and
Training services were placed
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has a very active Veteran Program The Tribal Veteran Program
offers their dedication and commitment in helping veterans secure the services they have earned
and assure that veterans receive benefits and services on par with other veterans and are treated
with respect and dignity by VA service providers
The Choctaw Nation has a long and proud tradition of supporting those who defend our country
The Veterans office serves Choctaw veterans by assisting with eligibility and entitlements of
veterans and their dependents
The WIOA program works closely with the Veterans Program to assure that all applicants who
apply for Employment and Training services are placed
The Choctaw Nation is honored to be a partner with the Military Warrior Support Foundation
and the US Wounded Veterans Airlift Command Annual events include a Veterans Day
celebration and luncheon This is one more way the Choctaw Nation is able to give back to our
veterans who served so that we can have our freedom
JOB PARTNERSHIP AND TRAINING (JPT)
The Choctaw Nation continues in researching core customer relations software for all programs
We are looking forward to developing a new data base that will be more convenient and
compatible to programs who have similar needs and outcomes All the programs included in the
477 program use the same software to track participant data Our database is called Tribal
Assistance Manager (TAM) The Higher Education Program and the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act program have continued to meet with our current software development firm
to make enhancements to the database to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our
current software application We are excited that the WIOA and HEP applications are available
online There was a cost associated with this project but the investment for the
upgradesenhancements will streamline the reporting process making the cost minimal
The WIOA department continues to partner with Choctaw Nation Human Resources Career
Tech Housing Authority Health Programs and Tribal Entities to sponsor Job Fair activities in the
10 Yi counties of the Choctaw Nation
6
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has partnered with Southeastern Oklahoma State University to
create Choctaw University This training is teaching how to become better leaders and how
leadership will affect the Choctaw Nations future
The Learning and Development Department offers standardized training for all associates ofthe
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma They also offer special projects and customized trainings to meet
departmental needs Choctaw University is a vehicle for professional skill leadership growth
and development for associates to complete higher education
Also the WIOA staff are participating in the Grant Management Certificate Program that
Choctaw Nation has so graciously offered to the financial staff and grant programs This training
has taught our staff about managing federal dollars effectively to understanding Federal grants
regulations and reporting performance The track Grants Management Certificate Program
Recipient Track helps organizations that receive Federal funds to use those funds to perform
programmatic work
I would like to thank Jeff Barwick AOTR for taking time from our program review to offer a short
Case Management training for my staff I have a fairly new staff and they have never attended a
full blown Case Management classes like was offered several years ago through the PL 102-477
National Case Management Training I attended and received my certification for Level One and
also the Directors Training I must say both trainings was awesome I would like to see the
training offered again so my new staff could receive their certificates
I am very proud to say the 477 staff are eager to takes advantage of any trainings offered that
will enhance their ability to perform and build their confidence to run the program successfully
CONCERNS
The biggest concern is the lack of funding for Choctaw Nation and other tribal entities Many
employers utilize the program to obtain qualified employees who they may not be able to hire
due to their current budget constraints Communities also suffer when there is no funding for
job placement Participants who are unable to work are unable to keep the local economy
thriving They do not possess the means to make purchases needed for basic survival Cost of
living is going higher and higher but federal funding for Native American programs continues to
decline Native Americans are among the nations poorest people and live in poverty stricken
area Surplus spending is definitely not an option for them Without the proper funding we
cannot help supplement a salary while they are being trained to do a specific job Therefore not
only do we help the participant but we also help the employer and the community
7
SUMMARY
All applicants who request service are asked to do a job search and prepare a resume If they
need help with interviewing or learning how to dress for success we have a video library the
participants may utilize We strive to meet the request of the participant Often times our
participants are not ready to enter a higher education program Most of the employers in
southeast Oklahoma only pay a little above minimum wage This is not self-sufficient Training
and job skills are key for participants to receive a higher income and become self-sufficient Many
participants learn without the proper education jobs are more difficult to obtain
More short term training programs are needed to service the participants with an immediate
employment situation A lot of our people cannot wait one or two years to be trained in a job
skill They need to work now so they can support their family They do not like to travel very far
or be away from their families Therefore more short term job training programs are needed
in our area
Over all the PL 102-477 Employment and Training program felt our participants received the
enhancement they needed to obtain a job Todays economy has placed the burden of
unemployment on more people These individuals need jobs to support them and their families
Unfortunately jobs with compensation to fit their needs are difficult to find
The Choctaw Nation is one of the major contributors for economic development in our state The
communities and state have seen many doors and opportunities opened because of the
generosity of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
CHOCTAW bullbullbull growing with pride hope and success
8
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH SERVICES
Patty Mink Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
9
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH TRIBAL YOUTH
YOUTH NARRATIVE
The Supplemental Youth program is one of the most important programs in our PL 102-477 plan
Native Americans from all federally recognized tribes who live in the Choctaw Nation service area
and meet the federal guidelines are eligible for the program
Through the generosity of the Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr
and the Tribal Council our youth program serves all Choctaw members and Native American
youth who complete their application meet eligibility guidelines and meet the application
deadline All participants meeting these guidelines and qualifications will be placed at a worksite
We have numerous youth apply for the supplemental program The Choctaw Nation of
Oklahoma provide additional funding to service these individuals through our Tribal Youth
program Supplemental Youth and Tribal Youth programs are similar The only exceptions are
Tribal Youth must be of Choctaw descent and there are no income guidelines
We did not visit the schools this year because our application was on line The on-line application
went well but I dont feel like all students realized the applications was on-line Next year plans
are being made to visit each school again and maybe meet in the computer lab so the participants
will have a chance to fill out the applications in our presence The schools are very interested in
our program and welcome the visit The schools acknowledge the benefit of the program and its
effects on students and the communities
JOB READINESS TRAININGORIENTATION
Native American youth were provided orientationjob readiness training prior to beginning work
All participants are eligible for 200 hours of Work Experience The Work Experience training
program is a five week period with an employing agency of either a private (for profit) or nonshy
profit business
10
PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS
Partnership of Summer School Education (POSSE)
Partnership of Summer School Education was created under the visionary leadership of Joy
Culbreath to increase literacy and address dropout rates throughout the Choctaw Nation The
program was designed to help local school districts remediate children in grades K-2
During the summer of 2015 the Choctaw Nation partnered with nine school districts to provide
a six week summer school for 350 students in kindergarten through third grader who were in
need of intervention in reading and math The Nation provided books supplies an afternoon
snack and salary for instructors The school district provided a facility utilities transportation
breakfast and lunch for students Students that qualify for the summer school program attend
free of charge
Students that attended the 2015 summer school demonstrated significant improvement in
reading and math According to academic research third grade reading performance directly
correlates to secondary school success Students who are not reading at grade level by the end
of 3rd grade are four times more likely to drop out of school
In the summer of 2016 the POSSE program expanded to 23 sites throughout the 10-12 counties
offering a hands on instructional approach to improve reading and math performance for 2100
students in 51 schools Next summer the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will continue its
expansion and offer summer learning opportunities to qualifying students from all 85 school
districts within its boundary
The POSSE program will continue to grow over the next years allowing more youth participants
to assist in the education growth and development of our future
It Starts Now - gth Grade Career Discovery Day
Choctaw Nation partnered with the Southern Workforce Board Southern Youth Council and
Southeastern Oklahoma State University to sponsor the second Career Discovery Day
A taskforce was organized to oversee the entire program consisted of representatives from area
school districts technology center businesses economic development agencies chamber of
commerce universities workforce board and tribal entities
The event was held at Southeastern Oklahoma State University on January 7 2016
629 - 8th grade students from 11 schools attended 9 Bryan County schools and 2 others
11
Students were given electronic surveys to select 5 career choices After completing survey
students attended sessions from their top three career choices
At the opening session the students received information about the different education options
budgeting and soft skills that would be needed to get and keep future jobs
There were 25 speakers who discussed their career the educational pathways salaries etc to
the students who had selected that career
Students were given pizza and cookies for lunch A motivational speaker closed the event with
the message of how important it is to stay in school and make good choices
I would like to thank the over 50 volunteers that assisted with logistics that day local school
systems for allowing their students to participant in the Career Discovery Days the local
businesses and employers who shared their career goals and the Choctaw Nation Southern
Workforce Board and SOSU for hosting this successful event
WORK EXPERIENCE
The WIOA served a total of 1298 youth from July 1 2015 - June 30 2016 on the Federal
Supplemental and Tribal Programs 293 participants was served with federal dollars Many
participants get hired by their employers for a few weeks after the program end We are blessed
to have the Tribal funding to help supplement our youth program
The majority of our youth returned to school Summer youth participants who participate in the
program are placed on leave of absence status at the end of the program Reactivation of the
participants reduces error and time needed to place the vast amount of participants The
majority of participants return to the work on the program each year The next spring returning
participants will update their application and proceed with another great year
The policies were changed for the 2016 Youth Work Program A decision was made to provide
this employment opportunity to students between the ages of 16 - 21 New applicants are
required to be 16 years of age by the first day of work Child Labor Laws in Oklahoma are quite
stringent making it quite difficult for students who are 14 - 15 to participate in traditional work
activities PY 2016 assisted 862 participants
There were 560 businesses that helped make our youth program a success The businesses
opened their doors and provided job training for each of our participants The Choctaw Nation
Youth program was designed to introduce workers into the workforce and assist with the
development of behaviors and attributes needed to become a successful employee Employers
are seeking individual with good communication skills honesty work ethic professionalism
positive attitude and self-motivation Whit the new age requirement change the employers are
12
more comfortable in treating our participants as they would any of the other employees that
works for them without worrying about the Child Labor Laws
All kids are at risk and we need more programs to help them get ready for the future workforce
and the real world
SUMMARY
One of my greatest concerns is funding We have a large number of participants that qualify for
the federal program In fact Choctaw Nation has been designated a Promise Zone and therefore
90 of our youth lives in the designated promise zone We do not have enough federal funding
to provide services to all Our federal youth funding covers approximately 200 of our youth who
worked on the program The Choctaw Nation Tribal Program provides the remaining funding to
pay the students
The Choctaw Nation encourages and offers numerous education programs for our people to stay
in school and get their education Therefore the Choctaw Nation offers their youth work
experience program during the summer months
The PL 102-477 program is blessed to have a caring administration Chief Batton Assistant Chief
Jack Austin Jr and the Choctaw Tribal Council are wonderful They truly care for our youth and
our communities This program has an impact on the youth their families and gives back to the
communities Our local businesses are very cooperative in helpingtraining our youth They give
them the opportunity to become a part of the workforce Without the supplemental funding the
tribe gives our program we would not be able to help the young people or the businesses We
must invest time money and help our young people
All of our participants received an exit sheet at the end of the program from their worksite
supervisor and many participants received a letter of recommendation from their supervisor
I have enclosed a few letters of support from employers letters of recommendation and several
participants wrote a statement about what the program has done for them
I hope you enjoy the success stories and worksite photos
13
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Allison Britton Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
14
---- I I II__
Higher Education Program
The Higher Education Program is a scholarship and grant program for Choctaw students
working toward a degree while attending an accredited college or university Full time and part
time students may receive educational assistance During the 2015-2016 school year the
Higher Education Program issued 9255 grant or scholarship awards to colleges and universities
throughout the United States The Choctaw Nation Higher Education Program has changed the
application process and students must apply online each semester for award consideration
This year Higher Education had 1356 students indicate they would be graduating 219 have
been verified and graduation verification is an ongoing process This is a problem each year as
most students do not send documentation for us to report accurate numbers despite the
attempts from our office to obtain the information This past year the Higher Education
Program attempted to contact students via email via telephone and through the Choctaw
Nation Higher Education Facebook page The result is similar to previous years where the
Higher Education Program would call students individually to determine their status
Scholarship Program
The Scholarship Program is awarded based on the students academics rather than financial
need A student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 25 to be considered
for the scholarship Depending on where the grade point is above the 25 will decide how
much the student will receive per semester up to the $100000 per semester maximum The
majority of the students applying for assistance will receive a scholarship This year the Higher
Education Program issued 8179 scholarships to students across the United States
Grant Program
The Grant Program is a need-based program awarded on the students classification in an
accredited college or university They must maintain a minimum grade point average of 20 per
semester The Grant Program has a maximum award of $80000 per semester for senior
classification This year the Higher Education Program issued 1079 grant awards to students
across the United States
Concurrent Enrollment
The Concurrent Enrollment Program is helping Choctaw high school students get a head start
on credits needed for their general education courses by assisting with a book allowance
Choctaw high school students throughout the United States may apply to receive $20000
toward books for one class or $40000 if enrolled in two or more classes Having college credits
upon graduation of high school will give those students an incentive to continue after high
school toward that college degree This year 345 awards were issued to high school students
through the Higher Education Concurrent Enrollment Program
Technology Allowance (formerly named Laptop Program)
The Choctaw Nation offers a one-time technology allowance to Choctaw tribal members
throughout the United States who are currently attending an accredited college or university
Students must be a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma however there are no blood
quantum requirements Qualified applicants will receive a Visa card to purchase necessary
technology for their education The card can only be used at specific retailers that sell
technology and college or university bookstores
Choctaw College Connect
Higher Education was involved in the second annual Choctaw Nations college fair It was
specifically designed for Choctaw Tribal Members and over 65 colleges universities and
institutions attended Over two hundred students plus their adult guest are treated to
informative breakout sessions and are able to visit with two year four year and Ivy League
institutions all under one roof Choctaw Nation programs were invited to share the benefits
provided by the Choctaw Nation programming Tribal educational organizations as well as
representatives from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are also invited to share
information with the Choctaw youth who attend
VETERANS
Priority of service for veterans are based on the Jobs for Veterans Act (PL 107-288)(38 USC 4215)
to provide veterans (and eligible spouses) who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for all
employment and training programs funded by the US Department of Labor in accordance with
the provisions of TEGL 5-03 (91603) 100 of the applicants who applied for Employment and
Training services were placed
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has a very active Veteran Program The Tribal Veteran Program
offers their dedication and commitment in helping veterans secure the services they have earned
and assure that veterans receive benefits and services on par with other veterans and are treated
with respect and dignity by VA service providers
The Choctaw Nation has a long and proud tradition of supporting those who defend our country
The Veterans office serves Choctaw veterans by assisting with eligibility and entitlements of
veterans and their dependents
The WIOA program works closely with the Veterans Program to assure that all applicants who
apply for Employment and Training services are placed
The Choctaw Nation is honored to be a partner with the Military Warrior Support Foundation
and the US Wounded Veterans Airlift Command Annual events include a Veterans Day
celebration and luncheon This is one more way the Choctaw Nation is able to give back to our
veterans who served so that we can have our freedom
JOB PARTNERSHIP AND TRAINING (JPT)
The Choctaw Nation continues in researching core customer relations software for all programs
We are looking forward to developing a new data base that will be more convenient and
compatible to programs who have similar needs and outcomes All the programs included in the
477 program use the same software to track participant data Our database is called Tribal
Assistance Manager (TAM) The Higher Education Program and the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act program have continued to meet with our current software development firm
to make enhancements to the database to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our
current software application We are excited that the WIOA and HEP applications are available
online There was a cost associated with this project but the investment for the
upgradesenhancements will streamline the reporting process making the cost minimal
The WIOA department continues to partner with Choctaw Nation Human Resources Career
Tech Housing Authority Health Programs and Tribal Entities to sponsor Job Fair activities in the
10 Yi counties of the Choctaw Nation
6
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has partnered with Southeastern Oklahoma State University to
create Choctaw University This training is teaching how to become better leaders and how
leadership will affect the Choctaw Nations future
The Learning and Development Department offers standardized training for all associates ofthe
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma They also offer special projects and customized trainings to meet
departmental needs Choctaw University is a vehicle for professional skill leadership growth
and development for associates to complete higher education
Also the WIOA staff are participating in the Grant Management Certificate Program that
Choctaw Nation has so graciously offered to the financial staff and grant programs This training
has taught our staff about managing federal dollars effectively to understanding Federal grants
regulations and reporting performance The track Grants Management Certificate Program
Recipient Track helps organizations that receive Federal funds to use those funds to perform
programmatic work
I would like to thank Jeff Barwick AOTR for taking time from our program review to offer a short
Case Management training for my staff I have a fairly new staff and they have never attended a
full blown Case Management classes like was offered several years ago through the PL 102-477
National Case Management Training I attended and received my certification for Level One and
also the Directors Training I must say both trainings was awesome I would like to see the
training offered again so my new staff could receive their certificates
I am very proud to say the 477 staff are eager to takes advantage of any trainings offered that
will enhance their ability to perform and build their confidence to run the program successfully
CONCERNS
The biggest concern is the lack of funding for Choctaw Nation and other tribal entities Many
employers utilize the program to obtain qualified employees who they may not be able to hire
due to their current budget constraints Communities also suffer when there is no funding for
job placement Participants who are unable to work are unable to keep the local economy
thriving They do not possess the means to make purchases needed for basic survival Cost of
living is going higher and higher but federal funding for Native American programs continues to
decline Native Americans are among the nations poorest people and live in poverty stricken
area Surplus spending is definitely not an option for them Without the proper funding we
cannot help supplement a salary while they are being trained to do a specific job Therefore not
only do we help the participant but we also help the employer and the community
7
SUMMARY
All applicants who request service are asked to do a job search and prepare a resume If they
need help with interviewing or learning how to dress for success we have a video library the
participants may utilize We strive to meet the request of the participant Often times our
participants are not ready to enter a higher education program Most of the employers in
southeast Oklahoma only pay a little above minimum wage This is not self-sufficient Training
and job skills are key for participants to receive a higher income and become self-sufficient Many
participants learn without the proper education jobs are more difficult to obtain
More short term training programs are needed to service the participants with an immediate
employment situation A lot of our people cannot wait one or two years to be trained in a job
skill They need to work now so they can support their family They do not like to travel very far
or be away from their families Therefore more short term job training programs are needed
in our area
Over all the PL 102-477 Employment and Training program felt our participants received the
enhancement they needed to obtain a job Todays economy has placed the burden of
unemployment on more people These individuals need jobs to support them and their families
Unfortunately jobs with compensation to fit their needs are difficult to find
The Choctaw Nation is one of the major contributors for economic development in our state The
communities and state have seen many doors and opportunities opened because of the
generosity of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
CHOCTAW bullbullbull growing with pride hope and success
8
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH SERVICES
Patty Mink Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
9
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH TRIBAL YOUTH
YOUTH NARRATIVE
The Supplemental Youth program is one of the most important programs in our PL 102-477 plan
Native Americans from all federally recognized tribes who live in the Choctaw Nation service area
and meet the federal guidelines are eligible for the program
Through the generosity of the Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr
and the Tribal Council our youth program serves all Choctaw members and Native American
youth who complete their application meet eligibility guidelines and meet the application
deadline All participants meeting these guidelines and qualifications will be placed at a worksite
We have numerous youth apply for the supplemental program The Choctaw Nation of
Oklahoma provide additional funding to service these individuals through our Tribal Youth
program Supplemental Youth and Tribal Youth programs are similar The only exceptions are
Tribal Youth must be of Choctaw descent and there are no income guidelines
We did not visit the schools this year because our application was on line The on-line application
went well but I dont feel like all students realized the applications was on-line Next year plans
are being made to visit each school again and maybe meet in the computer lab so the participants
will have a chance to fill out the applications in our presence The schools are very interested in
our program and welcome the visit The schools acknowledge the benefit of the program and its
effects on students and the communities
JOB READINESS TRAININGORIENTATION
Native American youth were provided orientationjob readiness training prior to beginning work
All participants are eligible for 200 hours of Work Experience The Work Experience training
program is a five week period with an employing agency of either a private (for profit) or nonshy
profit business
10
PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS
Partnership of Summer School Education (POSSE)
Partnership of Summer School Education was created under the visionary leadership of Joy
Culbreath to increase literacy and address dropout rates throughout the Choctaw Nation The
program was designed to help local school districts remediate children in grades K-2
During the summer of 2015 the Choctaw Nation partnered with nine school districts to provide
a six week summer school for 350 students in kindergarten through third grader who were in
need of intervention in reading and math The Nation provided books supplies an afternoon
snack and salary for instructors The school district provided a facility utilities transportation
breakfast and lunch for students Students that qualify for the summer school program attend
free of charge
Students that attended the 2015 summer school demonstrated significant improvement in
reading and math According to academic research third grade reading performance directly
correlates to secondary school success Students who are not reading at grade level by the end
of 3rd grade are four times more likely to drop out of school
In the summer of 2016 the POSSE program expanded to 23 sites throughout the 10-12 counties
offering a hands on instructional approach to improve reading and math performance for 2100
students in 51 schools Next summer the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will continue its
expansion and offer summer learning opportunities to qualifying students from all 85 school
districts within its boundary
The POSSE program will continue to grow over the next years allowing more youth participants
to assist in the education growth and development of our future
It Starts Now - gth Grade Career Discovery Day
Choctaw Nation partnered with the Southern Workforce Board Southern Youth Council and
Southeastern Oklahoma State University to sponsor the second Career Discovery Day
A taskforce was organized to oversee the entire program consisted of representatives from area
school districts technology center businesses economic development agencies chamber of
commerce universities workforce board and tribal entities
The event was held at Southeastern Oklahoma State University on January 7 2016
629 - 8th grade students from 11 schools attended 9 Bryan County schools and 2 others
11
Students were given electronic surveys to select 5 career choices After completing survey
students attended sessions from their top three career choices
At the opening session the students received information about the different education options
budgeting and soft skills that would be needed to get and keep future jobs
There were 25 speakers who discussed their career the educational pathways salaries etc to
the students who had selected that career
Students were given pizza and cookies for lunch A motivational speaker closed the event with
the message of how important it is to stay in school and make good choices
I would like to thank the over 50 volunteers that assisted with logistics that day local school
systems for allowing their students to participant in the Career Discovery Days the local
businesses and employers who shared their career goals and the Choctaw Nation Southern
Workforce Board and SOSU for hosting this successful event
WORK EXPERIENCE
The WIOA served a total of 1298 youth from July 1 2015 - June 30 2016 on the Federal
Supplemental and Tribal Programs 293 participants was served with federal dollars Many
participants get hired by their employers for a few weeks after the program end We are blessed
to have the Tribal funding to help supplement our youth program
The majority of our youth returned to school Summer youth participants who participate in the
program are placed on leave of absence status at the end of the program Reactivation of the
participants reduces error and time needed to place the vast amount of participants The
majority of participants return to the work on the program each year The next spring returning
participants will update their application and proceed with another great year
The policies were changed for the 2016 Youth Work Program A decision was made to provide
this employment opportunity to students between the ages of 16 - 21 New applicants are
required to be 16 years of age by the first day of work Child Labor Laws in Oklahoma are quite
stringent making it quite difficult for students who are 14 - 15 to participate in traditional work
activities PY 2016 assisted 862 participants
There were 560 businesses that helped make our youth program a success The businesses
opened their doors and provided job training for each of our participants The Choctaw Nation
Youth program was designed to introduce workers into the workforce and assist with the
development of behaviors and attributes needed to become a successful employee Employers
are seeking individual with good communication skills honesty work ethic professionalism
positive attitude and self-motivation Whit the new age requirement change the employers are
12
more comfortable in treating our participants as they would any of the other employees that
works for them without worrying about the Child Labor Laws
All kids are at risk and we need more programs to help them get ready for the future workforce
and the real world
SUMMARY
One of my greatest concerns is funding We have a large number of participants that qualify for
the federal program In fact Choctaw Nation has been designated a Promise Zone and therefore
90 of our youth lives in the designated promise zone We do not have enough federal funding
to provide services to all Our federal youth funding covers approximately 200 of our youth who
worked on the program The Choctaw Nation Tribal Program provides the remaining funding to
pay the students
The Choctaw Nation encourages and offers numerous education programs for our people to stay
in school and get their education Therefore the Choctaw Nation offers their youth work
experience program during the summer months
The PL 102-477 program is blessed to have a caring administration Chief Batton Assistant Chief
Jack Austin Jr and the Choctaw Tribal Council are wonderful They truly care for our youth and
our communities This program has an impact on the youth their families and gives back to the
communities Our local businesses are very cooperative in helpingtraining our youth They give
them the opportunity to become a part of the workforce Without the supplemental funding the
tribe gives our program we would not be able to help the young people or the businesses We
must invest time money and help our young people
All of our participants received an exit sheet at the end of the program from their worksite
supervisor and many participants received a letter of recommendation from their supervisor
I have enclosed a few letters of support from employers letters of recommendation and several
participants wrote a statement about what the program has done for them
I hope you enjoy the success stories and worksite photos
13
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Allison Britton Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
14
---- I I II__
Higher Education Program
The Higher Education Program is a scholarship and grant program for Choctaw students
working toward a degree while attending an accredited college or university Full time and part
time students may receive educational assistance During the 2015-2016 school year the
Higher Education Program issued 9255 grant or scholarship awards to colleges and universities
throughout the United States The Choctaw Nation Higher Education Program has changed the
application process and students must apply online each semester for award consideration
This year Higher Education had 1356 students indicate they would be graduating 219 have
been verified and graduation verification is an ongoing process This is a problem each year as
most students do not send documentation for us to report accurate numbers despite the
attempts from our office to obtain the information This past year the Higher Education
Program attempted to contact students via email via telephone and through the Choctaw
Nation Higher Education Facebook page The result is similar to previous years where the
Higher Education Program would call students individually to determine their status
Scholarship Program
The Scholarship Program is awarded based on the students academics rather than financial
need A student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 25 to be considered
for the scholarship Depending on where the grade point is above the 25 will decide how
much the student will receive per semester up to the $100000 per semester maximum The
majority of the students applying for assistance will receive a scholarship This year the Higher
Education Program issued 8179 scholarships to students across the United States
Grant Program
The Grant Program is a need-based program awarded on the students classification in an
accredited college or university They must maintain a minimum grade point average of 20 per
semester The Grant Program has a maximum award of $80000 per semester for senior
classification This year the Higher Education Program issued 1079 grant awards to students
across the United States
Concurrent Enrollment
The Concurrent Enrollment Program is helping Choctaw high school students get a head start
on credits needed for their general education courses by assisting with a book allowance
Choctaw high school students throughout the United States may apply to receive $20000
toward books for one class or $40000 if enrolled in two or more classes Having college credits
upon graduation of high school will give those students an incentive to continue after high
school toward that college degree This year 345 awards were issued to high school students
through the Higher Education Concurrent Enrollment Program
Technology Allowance (formerly named Laptop Program)
The Choctaw Nation offers a one-time technology allowance to Choctaw tribal members
throughout the United States who are currently attending an accredited college or university
Students must be a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma however there are no blood
quantum requirements Qualified applicants will receive a Visa card to purchase necessary
technology for their education The card can only be used at specific retailers that sell
technology and college or university bookstores
Choctaw College Connect
Higher Education was involved in the second annual Choctaw Nations college fair It was
specifically designed for Choctaw Tribal Members and over 65 colleges universities and
institutions attended Over two hundred students plus their adult guest are treated to
informative breakout sessions and are able to visit with two year four year and Ivy League
institutions all under one roof Choctaw Nation programs were invited to share the benefits
provided by the Choctaw Nation programming Tribal educational organizations as well as
representatives from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are also invited to share
information with the Choctaw youth who attend
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has partnered with Southeastern Oklahoma State University to
create Choctaw University This training is teaching how to become better leaders and how
leadership will affect the Choctaw Nations future
The Learning and Development Department offers standardized training for all associates ofthe
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma They also offer special projects and customized trainings to meet
departmental needs Choctaw University is a vehicle for professional skill leadership growth
and development for associates to complete higher education
Also the WIOA staff are participating in the Grant Management Certificate Program that
Choctaw Nation has so graciously offered to the financial staff and grant programs This training
has taught our staff about managing federal dollars effectively to understanding Federal grants
regulations and reporting performance The track Grants Management Certificate Program
Recipient Track helps organizations that receive Federal funds to use those funds to perform
programmatic work
I would like to thank Jeff Barwick AOTR for taking time from our program review to offer a short
Case Management training for my staff I have a fairly new staff and they have never attended a
full blown Case Management classes like was offered several years ago through the PL 102-477
National Case Management Training I attended and received my certification for Level One and
also the Directors Training I must say both trainings was awesome I would like to see the
training offered again so my new staff could receive their certificates
I am very proud to say the 477 staff are eager to takes advantage of any trainings offered that
will enhance their ability to perform and build their confidence to run the program successfully
CONCERNS
The biggest concern is the lack of funding for Choctaw Nation and other tribal entities Many
employers utilize the program to obtain qualified employees who they may not be able to hire
due to their current budget constraints Communities also suffer when there is no funding for
job placement Participants who are unable to work are unable to keep the local economy
thriving They do not possess the means to make purchases needed for basic survival Cost of
living is going higher and higher but federal funding for Native American programs continues to
decline Native Americans are among the nations poorest people and live in poverty stricken
area Surplus spending is definitely not an option for them Without the proper funding we
cannot help supplement a salary while they are being trained to do a specific job Therefore not
only do we help the participant but we also help the employer and the community
7
SUMMARY
All applicants who request service are asked to do a job search and prepare a resume If they
need help with interviewing or learning how to dress for success we have a video library the
participants may utilize We strive to meet the request of the participant Often times our
participants are not ready to enter a higher education program Most of the employers in
southeast Oklahoma only pay a little above minimum wage This is not self-sufficient Training
and job skills are key for participants to receive a higher income and become self-sufficient Many
participants learn without the proper education jobs are more difficult to obtain
More short term training programs are needed to service the participants with an immediate
employment situation A lot of our people cannot wait one or two years to be trained in a job
skill They need to work now so they can support their family They do not like to travel very far
or be away from their families Therefore more short term job training programs are needed
in our area
Over all the PL 102-477 Employment and Training program felt our participants received the
enhancement they needed to obtain a job Todays economy has placed the burden of
unemployment on more people These individuals need jobs to support them and their families
Unfortunately jobs with compensation to fit their needs are difficult to find
The Choctaw Nation is one of the major contributors for economic development in our state The
communities and state have seen many doors and opportunities opened because of the
generosity of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
CHOCTAW bullbullbull growing with pride hope and success
8
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH SERVICES
Patty Mink Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
9
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH TRIBAL YOUTH
YOUTH NARRATIVE
The Supplemental Youth program is one of the most important programs in our PL 102-477 plan
Native Americans from all federally recognized tribes who live in the Choctaw Nation service area
and meet the federal guidelines are eligible for the program
Through the generosity of the Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr
and the Tribal Council our youth program serves all Choctaw members and Native American
youth who complete their application meet eligibility guidelines and meet the application
deadline All participants meeting these guidelines and qualifications will be placed at a worksite
We have numerous youth apply for the supplemental program The Choctaw Nation of
Oklahoma provide additional funding to service these individuals through our Tribal Youth
program Supplemental Youth and Tribal Youth programs are similar The only exceptions are
Tribal Youth must be of Choctaw descent and there are no income guidelines
We did not visit the schools this year because our application was on line The on-line application
went well but I dont feel like all students realized the applications was on-line Next year plans
are being made to visit each school again and maybe meet in the computer lab so the participants
will have a chance to fill out the applications in our presence The schools are very interested in
our program and welcome the visit The schools acknowledge the benefit of the program and its
effects on students and the communities
JOB READINESS TRAININGORIENTATION
Native American youth were provided orientationjob readiness training prior to beginning work
All participants are eligible for 200 hours of Work Experience The Work Experience training
program is a five week period with an employing agency of either a private (for profit) or nonshy
profit business
10
PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS
Partnership of Summer School Education (POSSE)
Partnership of Summer School Education was created under the visionary leadership of Joy
Culbreath to increase literacy and address dropout rates throughout the Choctaw Nation The
program was designed to help local school districts remediate children in grades K-2
During the summer of 2015 the Choctaw Nation partnered with nine school districts to provide
a six week summer school for 350 students in kindergarten through third grader who were in
need of intervention in reading and math The Nation provided books supplies an afternoon
snack and salary for instructors The school district provided a facility utilities transportation
breakfast and lunch for students Students that qualify for the summer school program attend
free of charge
Students that attended the 2015 summer school demonstrated significant improvement in
reading and math According to academic research third grade reading performance directly
correlates to secondary school success Students who are not reading at grade level by the end
of 3rd grade are four times more likely to drop out of school
In the summer of 2016 the POSSE program expanded to 23 sites throughout the 10-12 counties
offering a hands on instructional approach to improve reading and math performance for 2100
students in 51 schools Next summer the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will continue its
expansion and offer summer learning opportunities to qualifying students from all 85 school
districts within its boundary
The POSSE program will continue to grow over the next years allowing more youth participants
to assist in the education growth and development of our future
It Starts Now - gth Grade Career Discovery Day
Choctaw Nation partnered with the Southern Workforce Board Southern Youth Council and
Southeastern Oklahoma State University to sponsor the second Career Discovery Day
A taskforce was organized to oversee the entire program consisted of representatives from area
school districts technology center businesses economic development agencies chamber of
commerce universities workforce board and tribal entities
The event was held at Southeastern Oklahoma State University on January 7 2016
629 - 8th grade students from 11 schools attended 9 Bryan County schools and 2 others
11
Students were given electronic surveys to select 5 career choices After completing survey
students attended sessions from their top three career choices
At the opening session the students received information about the different education options
budgeting and soft skills that would be needed to get and keep future jobs
There were 25 speakers who discussed their career the educational pathways salaries etc to
the students who had selected that career
Students were given pizza and cookies for lunch A motivational speaker closed the event with
the message of how important it is to stay in school and make good choices
I would like to thank the over 50 volunteers that assisted with logistics that day local school
systems for allowing their students to participant in the Career Discovery Days the local
businesses and employers who shared their career goals and the Choctaw Nation Southern
Workforce Board and SOSU for hosting this successful event
WORK EXPERIENCE
The WIOA served a total of 1298 youth from July 1 2015 - June 30 2016 on the Federal
Supplemental and Tribal Programs 293 participants was served with federal dollars Many
participants get hired by their employers for a few weeks after the program end We are blessed
to have the Tribal funding to help supplement our youth program
The majority of our youth returned to school Summer youth participants who participate in the
program are placed on leave of absence status at the end of the program Reactivation of the
participants reduces error and time needed to place the vast amount of participants The
majority of participants return to the work on the program each year The next spring returning
participants will update their application and proceed with another great year
The policies were changed for the 2016 Youth Work Program A decision was made to provide
this employment opportunity to students between the ages of 16 - 21 New applicants are
required to be 16 years of age by the first day of work Child Labor Laws in Oklahoma are quite
stringent making it quite difficult for students who are 14 - 15 to participate in traditional work
activities PY 2016 assisted 862 participants
There were 560 businesses that helped make our youth program a success The businesses
opened their doors and provided job training for each of our participants The Choctaw Nation
Youth program was designed to introduce workers into the workforce and assist with the
development of behaviors and attributes needed to become a successful employee Employers
are seeking individual with good communication skills honesty work ethic professionalism
positive attitude and self-motivation Whit the new age requirement change the employers are
12
more comfortable in treating our participants as they would any of the other employees that
works for them without worrying about the Child Labor Laws
All kids are at risk and we need more programs to help them get ready for the future workforce
and the real world
SUMMARY
One of my greatest concerns is funding We have a large number of participants that qualify for
the federal program In fact Choctaw Nation has been designated a Promise Zone and therefore
90 of our youth lives in the designated promise zone We do not have enough federal funding
to provide services to all Our federal youth funding covers approximately 200 of our youth who
worked on the program The Choctaw Nation Tribal Program provides the remaining funding to
pay the students
The Choctaw Nation encourages and offers numerous education programs for our people to stay
in school and get their education Therefore the Choctaw Nation offers their youth work
experience program during the summer months
The PL 102-477 program is blessed to have a caring administration Chief Batton Assistant Chief
Jack Austin Jr and the Choctaw Tribal Council are wonderful They truly care for our youth and
our communities This program has an impact on the youth their families and gives back to the
communities Our local businesses are very cooperative in helpingtraining our youth They give
them the opportunity to become a part of the workforce Without the supplemental funding the
tribe gives our program we would not be able to help the young people or the businesses We
must invest time money and help our young people
All of our participants received an exit sheet at the end of the program from their worksite
supervisor and many participants received a letter of recommendation from their supervisor
I have enclosed a few letters of support from employers letters of recommendation and several
participants wrote a statement about what the program has done for them
I hope you enjoy the success stories and worksite photos
13
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Allison Britton Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
14
---- I I II__
Higher Education Program
The Higher Education Program is a scholarship and grant program for Choctaw students
working toward a degree while attending an accredited college or university Full time and part
time students may receive educational assistance During the 2015-2016 school year the
Higher Education Program issued 9255 grant or scholarship awards to colleges and universities
throughout the United States The Choctaw Nation Higher Education Program has changed the
application process and students must apply online each semester for award consideration
This year Higher Education had 1356 students indicate they would be graduating 219 have
been verified and graduation verification is an ongoing process This is a problem each year as
most students do not send documentation for us to report accurate numbers despite the
attempts from our office to obtain the information This past year the Higher Education
Program attempted to contact students via email via telephone and through the Choctaw
Nation Higher Education Facebook page The result is similar to previous years where the
Higher Education Program would call students individually to determine their status
Scholarship Program
The Scholarship Program is awarded based on the students academics rather than financial
need A student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 25 to be considered
for the scholarship Depending on where the grade point is above the 25 will decide how
much the student will receive per semester up to the $100000 per semester maximum The
majority of the students applying for assistance will receive a scholarship This year the Higher
Education Program issued 8179 scholarships to students across the United States
Grant Program
The Grant Program is a need-based program awarded on the students classification in an
accredited college or university They must maintain a minimum grade point average of 20 per
semester The Grant Program has a maximum award of $80000 per semester for senior
classification This year the Higher Education Program issued 1079 grant awards to students
across the United States
Concurrent Enrollment
The Concurrent Enrollment Program is helping Choctaw high school students get a head start
on credits needed for their general education courses by assisting with a book allowance
Choctaw high school students throughout the United States may apply to receive $20000
toward books for one class or $40000 if enrolled in two or more classes Having college credits
upon graduation of high school will give those students an incentive to continue after high
school toward that college degree This year 345 awards were issued to high school students
through the Higher Education Concurrent Enrollment Program
Technology Allowance (formerly named Laptop Program)
The Choctaw Nation offers a one-time technology allowance to Choctaw tribal members
throughout the United States who are currently attending an accredited college or university
Students must be a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma however there are no blood
quantum requirements Qualified applicants will receive a Visa card to purchase necessary
technology for their education The card can only be used at specific retailers that sell
technology and college or university bookstores
Choctaw College Connect
Higher Education was involved in the second annual Choctaw Nations college fair It was
specifically designed for Choctaw Tribal Members and over 65 colleges universities and
institutions attended Over two hundred students plus their adult guest are treated to
informative breakout sessions and are able to visit with two year four year and Ivy League
institutions all under one roof Choctaw Nation programs were invited to share the benefits
provided by the Choctaw Nation programming Tribal educational organizations as well as
representatives from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are also invited to share
information with the Choctaw youth who attend
SUMMARY
All applicants who request service are asked to do a job search and prepare a resume If they
need help with interviewing or learning how to dress for success we have a video library the
participants may utilize We strive to meet the request of the participant Often times our
participants are not ready to enter a higher education program Most of the employers in
southeast Oklahoma only pay a little above minimum wage This is not self-sufficient Training
and job skills are key for participants to receive a higher income and become self-sufficient Many
participants learn without the proper education jobs are more difficult to obtain
More short term training programs are needed to service the participants with an immediate
employment situation A lot of our people cannot wait one or two years to be trained in a job
skill They need to work now so they can support their family They do not like to travel very far
or be away from their families Therefore more short term job training programs are needed
in our area
Over all the PL 102-477 Employment and Training program felt our participants received the
enhancement they needed to obtain a job Todays economy has placed the burden of
unemployment on more people These individuals need jobs to support them and their families
Unfortunately jobs with compensation to fit their needs are difficult to find
The Choctaw Nation is one of the major contributors for economic development in our state The
communities and state have seen many doors and opportunities opened because of the
generosity of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
CHOCTAW bullbullbull growing with pride hope and success
8
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH SERVICES
Patty Mink Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
9
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH TRIBAL YOUTH
YOUTH NARRATIVE
The Supplemental Youth program is one of the most important programs in our PL 102-477 plan
Native Americans from all federally recognized tribes who live in the Choctaw Nation service area
and meet the federal guidelines are eligible for the program
Through the generosity of the Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr
and the Tribal Council our youth program serves all Choctaw members and Native American
youth who complete their application meet eligibility guidelines and meet the application
deadline All participants meeting these guidelines and qualifications will be placed at a worksite
We have numerous youth apply for the supplemental program The Choctaw Nation of
Oklahoma provide additional funding to service these individuals through our Tribal Youth
program Supplemental Youth and Tribal Youth programs are similar The only exceptions are
Tribal Youth must be of Choctaw descent and there are no income guidelines
We did not visit the schools this year because our application was on line The on-line application
went well but I dont feel like all students realized the applications was on-line Next year plans
are being made to visit each school again and maybe meet in the computer lab so the participants
will have a chance to fill out the applications in our presence The schools are very interested in
our program and welcome the visit The schools acknowledge the benefit of the program and its
effects on students and the communities
JOB READINESS TRAININGORIENTATION
Native American youth were provided orientationjob readiness training prior to beginning work
All participants are eligible for 200 hours of Work Experience The Work Experience training
program is a five week period with an employing agency of either a private (for profit) or nonshy
profit business
10
PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS
Partnership of Summer School Education (POSSE)
Partnership of Summer School Education was created under the visionary leadership of Joy
Culbreath to increase literacy and address dropout rates throughout the Choctaw Nation The
program was designed to help local school districts remediate children in grades K-2
During the summer of 2015 the Choctaw Nation partnered with nine school districts to provide
a six week summer school for 350 students in kindergarten through third grader who were in
need of intervention in reading and math The Nation provided books supplies an afternoon
snack and salary for instructors The school district provided a facility utilities transportation
breakfast and lunch for students Students that qualify for the summer school program attend
free of charge
Students that attended the 2015 summer school demonstrated significant improvement in
reading and math According to academic research third grade reading performance directly
correlates to secondary school success Students who are not reading at grade level by the end
of 3rd grade are four times more likely to drop out of school
In the summer of 2016 the POSSE program expanded to 23 sites throughout the 10-12 counties
offering a hands on instructional approach to improve reading and math performance for 2100
students in 51 schools Next summer the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will continue its
expansion and offer summer learning opportunities to qualifying students from all 85 school
districts within its boundary
The POSSE program will continue to grow over the next years allowing more youth participants
to assist in the education growth and development of our future
It Starts Now - gth Grade Career Discovery Day
Choctaw Nation partnered with the Southern Workforce Board Southern Youth Council and
Southeastern Oklahoma State University to sponsor the second Career Discovery Day
A taskforce was organized to oversee the entire program consisted of representatives from area
school districts technology center businesses economic development agencies chamber of
commerce universities workforce board and tribal entities
The event was held at Southeastern Oklahoma State University on January 7 2016
629 - 8th grade students from 11 schools attended 9 Bryan County schools and 2 others
11
Students were given electronic surveys to select 5 career choices After completing survey
students attended sessions from their top three career choices
At the opening session the students received information about the different education options
budgeting and soft skills that would be needed to get and keep future jobs
There were 25 speakers who discussed their career the educational pathways salaries etc to
the students who had selected that career
Students were given pizza and cookies for lunch A motivational speaker closed the event with
the message of how important it is to stay in school and make good choices
I would like to thank the over 50 volunteers that assisted with logistics that day local school
systems for allowing their students to participant in the Career Discovery Days the local
businesses and employers who shared their career goals and the Choctaw Nation Southern
Workforce Board and SOSU for hosting this successful event
WORK EXPERIENCE
The WIOA served a total of 1298 youth from July 1 2015 - June 30 2016 on the Federal
Supplemental and Tribal Programs 293 participants was served with federal dollars Many
participants get hired by their employers for a few weeks after the program end We are blessed
to have the Tribal funding to help supplement our youth program
The majority of our youth returned to school Summer youth participants who participate in the
program are placed on leave of absence status at the end of the program Reactivation of the
participants reduces error and time needed to place the vast amount of participants The
majority of participants return to the work on the program each year The next spring returning
participants will update their application and proceed with another great year
The policies were changed for the 2016 Youth Work Program A decision was made to provide
this employment opportunity to students between the ages of 16 - 21 New applicants are
required to be 16 years of age by the first day of work Child Labor Laws in Oklahoma are quite
stringent making it quite difficult for students who are 14 - 15 to participate in traditional work
activities PY 2016 assisted 862 participants
There were 560 businesses that helped make our youth program a success The businesses
opened their doors and provided job training for each of our participants The Choctaw Nation
Youth program was designed to introduce workers into the workforce and assist with the
development of behaviors and attributes needed to become a successful employee Employers
are seeking individual with good communication skills honesty work ethic professionalism
positive attitude and self-motivation Whit the new age requirement change the employers are
12
more comfortable in treating our participants as they would any of the other employees that
works for them without worrying about the Child Labor Laws
All kids are at risk and we need more programs to help them get ready for the future workforce
and the real world
SUMMARY
One of my greatest concerns is funding We have a large number of participants that qualify for
the federal program In fact Choctaw Nation has been designated a Promise Zone and therefore
90 of our youth lives in the designated promise zone We do not have enough federal funding
to provide services to all Our federal youth funding covers approximately 200 of our youth who
worked on the program The Choctaw Nation Tribal Program provides the remaining funding to
pay the students
The Choctaw Nation encourages and offers numerous education programs for our people to stay
in school and get their education Therefore the Choctaw Nation offers their youth work
experience program during the summer months
The PL 102-477 program is blessed to have a caring administration Chief Batton Assistant Chief
Jack Austin Jr and the Choctaw Tribal Council are wonderful They truly care for our youth and
our communities This program has an impact on the youth their families and gives back to the
communities Our local businesses are very cooperative in helpingtraining our youth They give
them the opportunity to become a part of the workforce Without the supplemental funding the
tribe gives our program we would not be able to help the young people or the businesses We
must invest time money and help our young people
All of our participants received an exit sheet at the end of the program from their worksite
supervisor and many participants received a letter of recommendation from their supervisor
I have enclosed a few letters of support from employers letters of recommendation and several
participants wrote a statement about what the program has done for them
I hope you enjoy the success stories and worksite photos
13
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Allison Britton Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
14
---- I I II__
Higher Education Program
The Higher Education Program is a scholarship and grant program for Choctaw students
working toward a degree while attending an accredited college or university Full time and part
time students may receive educational assistance During the 2015-2016 school year the
Higher Education Program issued 9255 grant or scholarship awards to colleges and universities
throughout the United States The Choctaw Nation Higher Education Program has changed the
application process and students must apply online each semester for award consideration
This year Higher Education had 1356 students indicate they would be graduating 219 have
been verified and graduation verification is an ongoing process This is a problem each year as
most students do not send documentation for us to report accurate numbers despite the
attempts from our office to obtain the information This past year the Higher Education
Program attempted to contact students via email via telephone and through the Choctaw
Nation Higher Education Facebook page The result is similar to previous years where the
Higher Education Program would call students individually to determine their status
Scholarship Program
The Scholarship Program is awarded based on the students academics rather than financial
need A student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 25 to be considered
for the scholarship Depending on where the grade point is above the 25 will decide how
much the student will receive per semester up to the $100000 per semester maximum The
majority of the students applying for assistance will receive a scholarship This year the Higher
Education Program issued 8179 scholarships to students across the United States
Grant Program
The Grant Program is a need-based program awarded on the students classification in an
accredited college or university They must maintain a minimum grade point average of 20 per
semester The Grant Program has a maximum award of $80000 per semester for senior
classification This year the Higher Education Program issued 1079 grant awards to students
across the United States
Concurrent Enrollment
The Concurrent Enrollment Program is helping Choctaw high school students get a head start
on credits needed for their general education courses by assisting with a book allowance
Choctaw high school students throughout the United States may apply to receive $20000
toward books for one class or $40000 if enrolled in two or more classes Having college credits
upon graduation of high school will give those students an incentive to continue after high
school toward that college degree This year 345 awards were issued to high school students
through the Higher Education Concurrent Enrollment Program
Technology Allowance (formerly named Laptop Program)
The Choctaw Nation offers a one-time technology allowance to Choctaw tribal members
throughout the United States who are currently attending an accredited college or university
Students must be a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma however there are no blood
quantum requirements Qualified applicants will receive a Visa card to purchase necessary
technology for their education The card can only be used at specific retailers that sell
technology and college or university bookstores
Choctaw College Connect
Higher Education was involved in the second annual Choctaw Nations college fair It was
specifically designed for Choctaw Tribal Members and over 65 colleges universities and
institutions attended Over two hundred students plus their adult guest are treated to
informative breakout sessions and are able to visit with two year four year and Ivy League
institutions all under one roof Choctaw Nation programs were invited to share the benefits
provided by the Choctaw Nation programming Tribal educational organizations as well as
representatives from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are also invited to share
information with the Choctaw youth who attend
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH SERVICES
Patty Mink Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
9
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH TRIBAL YOUTH
YOUTH NARRATIVE
The Supplemental Youth program is one of the most important programs in our PL 102-477 plan
Native Americans from all federally recognized tribes who live in the Choctaw Nation service area
and meet the federal guidelines are eligible for the program
Through the generosity of the Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr
and the Tribal Council our youth program serves all Choctaw members and Native American
youth who complete their application meet eligibility guidelines and meet the application
deadline All participants meeting these guidelines and qualifications will be placed at a worksite
We have numerous youth apply for the supplemental program The Choctaw Nation of
Oklahoma provide additional funding to service these individuals through our Tribal Youth
program Supplemental Youth and Tribal Youth programs are similar The only exceptions are
Tribal Youth must be of Choctaw descent and there are no income guidelines
We did not visit the schools this year because our application was on line The on-line application
went well but I dont feel like all students realized the applications was on-line Next year plans
are being made to visit each school again and maybe meet in the computer lab so the participants
will have a chance to fill out the applications in our presence The schools are very interested in
our program and welcome the visit The schools acknowledge the benefit of the program and its
effects on students and the communities
JOB READINESS TRAININGORIENTATION
Native American youth were provided orientationjob readiness training prior to beginning work
All participants are eligible for 200 hours of Work Experience The Work Experience training
program is a five week period with an employing agency of either a private (for profit) or nonshy
profit business
10
PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS
Partnership of Summer School Education (POSSE)
Partnership of Summer School Education was created under the visionary leadership of Joy
Culbreath to increase literacy and address dropout rates throughout the Choctaw Nation The
program was designed to help local school districts remediate children in grades K-2
During the summer of 2015 the Choctaw Nation partnered with nine school districts to provide
a six week summer school for 350 students in kindergarten through third grader who were in
need of intervention in reading and math The Nation provided books supplies an afternoon
snack and salary for instructors The school district provided a facility utilities transportation
breakfast and lunch for students Students that qualify for the summer school program attend
free of charge
Students that attended the 2015 summer school demonstrated significant improvement in
reading and math According to academic research third grade reading performance directly
correlates to secondary school success Students who are not reading at grade level by the end
of 3rd grade are four times more likely to drop out of school
In the summer of 2016 the POSSE program expanded to 23 sites throughout the 10-12 counties
offering a hands on instructional approach to improve reading and math performance for 2100
students in 51 schools Next summer the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will continue its
expansion and offer summer learning opportunities to qualifying students from all 85 school
districts within its boundary
The POSSE program will continue to grow over the next years allowing more youth participants
to assist in the education growth and development of our future
It Starts Now - gth Grade Career Discovery Day
Choctaw Nation partnered with the Southern Workforce Board Southern Youth Council and
Southeastern Oklahoma State University to sponsor the second Career Discovery Day
A taskforce was organized to oversee the entire program consisted of representatives from area
school districts technology center businesses economic development agencies chamber of
commerce universities workforce board and tribal entities
The event was held at Southeastern Oklahoma State University on January 7 2016
629 - 8th grade students from 11 schools attended 9 Bryan County schools and 2 others
11
Students were given electronic surveys to select 5 career choices After completing survey
students attended sessions from their top three career choices
At the opening session the students received information about the different education options
budgeting and soft skills that would be needed to get and keep future jobs
There were 25 speakers who discussed their career the educational pathways salaries etc to
the students who had selected that career
Students were given pizza and cookies for lunch A motivational speaker closed the event with
the message of how important it is to stay in school and make good choices
I would like to thank the over 50 volunteers that assisted with logistics that day local school
systems for allowing their students to participant in the Career Discovery Days the local
businesses and employers who shared their career goals and the Choctaw Nation Southern
Workforce Board and SOSU for hosting this successful event
WORK EXPERIENCE
The WIOA served a total of 1298 youth from July 1 2015 - June 30 2016 on the Federal
Supplemental and Tribal Programs 293 participants was served with federal dollars Many
participants get hired by their employers for a few weeks after the program end We are blessed
to have the Tribal funding to help supplement our youth program
The majority of our youth returned to school Summer youth participants who participate in the
program are placed on leave of absence status at the end of the program Reactivation of the
participants reduces error and time needed to place the vast amount of participants The
majority of participants return to the work on the program each year The next spring returning
participants will update their application and proceed with another great year
The policies were changed for the 2016 Youth Work Program A decision was made to provide
this employment opportunity to students between the ages of 16 - 21 New applicants are
required to be 16 years of age by the first day of work Child Labor Laws in Oklahoma are quite
stringent making it quite difficult for students who are 14 - 15 to participate in traditional work
activities PY 2016 assisted 862 participants
There were 560 businesses that helped make our youth program a success The businesses
opened their doors and provided job training for each of our participants The Choctaw Nation
Youth program was designed to introduce workers into the workforce and assist with the
development of behaviors and attributes needed to become a successful employee Employers
are seeking individual with good communication skills honesty work ethic professionalism
positive attitude and self-motivation Whit the new age requirement change the employers are
12
more comfortable in treating our participants as they would any of the other employees that
works for them without worrying about the Child Labor Laws
All kids are at risk and we need more programs to help them get ready for the future workforce
and the real world
SUMMARY
One of my greatest concerns is funding We have a large number of participants that qualify for
the federal program In fact Choctaw Nation has been designated a Promise Zone and therefore
90 of our youth lives in the designated promise zone We do not have enough federal funding
to provide services to all Our federal youth funding covers approximately 200 of our youth who
worked on the program The Choctaw Nation Tribal Program provides the remaining funding to
pay the students
The Choctaw Nation encourages and offers numerous education programs for our people to stay
in school and get their education Therefore the Choctaw Nation offers their youth work
experience program during the summer months
The PL 102-477 program is blessed to have a caring administration Chief Batton Assistant Chief
Jack Austin Jr and the Choctaw Tribal Council are wonderful They truly care for our youth and
our communities This program has an impact on the youth their families and gives back to the
communities Our local businesses are very cooperative in helpingtraining our youth They give
them the opportunity to become a part of the workforce Without the supplemental funding the
tribe gives our program we would not be able to help the young people or the businesses We
must invest time money and help our young people
All of our participants received an exit sheet at the end of the program from their worksite
supervisor and many participants received a letter of recommendation from their supervisor
I have enclosed a few letters of support from employers letters of recommendation and several
participants wrote a statement about what the program has done for them
I hope you enjoy the success stories and worksite photos
13
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Allison Britton Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
14
---- I I II__
Higher Education Program
The Higher Education Program is a scholarship and grant program for Choctaw students
working toward a degree while attending an accredited college or university Full time and part
time students may receive educational assistance During the 2015-2016 school year the
Higher Education Program issued 9255 grant or scholarship awards to colleges and universities
throughout the United States The Choctaw Nation Higher Education Program has changed the
application process and students must apply online each semester for award consideration
This year Higher Education had 1356 students indicate they would be graduating 219 have
been verified and graduation verification is an ongoing process This is a problem each year as
most students do not send documentation for us to report accurate numbers despite the
attempts from our office to obtain the information This past year the Higher Education
Program attempted to contact students via email via telephone and through the Choctaw
Nation Higher Education Facebook page The result is similar to previous years where the
Higher Education Program would call students individually to determine their status
Scholarship Program
The Scholarship Program is awarded based on the students academics rather than financial
need A student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 25 to be considered
for the scholarship Depending on where the grade point is above the 25 will decide how
much the student will receive per semester up to the $100000 per semester maximum The
majority of the students applying for assistance will receive a scholarship This year the Higher
Education Program issued 8179 scholarships to students across the United States
Grant Program
The Grant Program is a need-based program awarded on the students classification in an
accredited college or university They must maintain a minimum grade point average of 20 per
semester The Grant Program has a maximum award of $80000 per semester for senior
classification This year the Higher Education Program issued 1079 grant awards to students
across the United States
Concurrent Enrollment
The Concurrent Enrollment Program is helping Choctaw high school students get a head start
on credits needed for their general education courses by assisting with a book allowance
Choctaw high school students throughout the United States may apply to receive $20000
toward books for one class or $40000 if enrolled in two or more classes Having college credits
upon graduation of high school will give those students an incentive to continue after high
school toward that college degree This year 345 awards were issued to high school students
through the Higher Education Concurrent Enrollment Program
Technology Allowance (formerly named Laptop Program)
The Choctaw Nation offers a one-time technology allowance to Choctaw tribal members
throughout the United States who are currently attending an accredited college or university
Students must be a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma however there are no blood
quantum requirements Qualified applicants will receive a Visa card to purchase necessary
technology for their education The card can only be used at specific retailers that sell
technology and college or university bookstores
Choctaw College Connect
Higher Education was involved in the second annual Choctaw Nations college fair It was
specifically designed for Choctaw Tribal Members and over 65 colleges universities and
institutions attended Over two hundred students plus their adult guest are treated to
informative breakout sessions and are able to visit with two year four year and Ivy League
institutions all under one roof Choctaw Nation programs were invited to share the benefits
provided by the Choctaw Nation programming Tribal educational organizations as well as
representatives from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are also invited to share
information with the Choctaw youth who attend
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
SUPPLEMENTAL YOUTH TRIBAL YOUTH
YOUTH NARRATIVE
The Supplemental Youth program is one of the most important programs in our PL 102-477 plan
Native Americans from all federally recognized tribes who live in the Choctaw Nation service area
and meet the federal guidelines are eligible for the program
Through the generosity of the Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr
and the Tribal Council our youth program serves all Choctaw members and Native American
youth who complete their application meet eligibility guidelines and meet the application
deadline All participants meeting these guidelines and qualifications will be placed at a worksite
We have numerous youth apply for the supplemental program The Choctaw Nation of
Oklahoma provide additional funding to service these individuals through our Tribal Youth
program Supplemental Youth and Tribal Youth programs are similar The only exceptions are
Tribal Youth must be of Choctaw descent and there are no income guidelines
We did not visit the schools this year because our application was on line The on-line application
went well but I dont feel like all students realized the applications was on-line Next year plans
are being made to visit each school again and maybe meet in the computer lab so the participants
will have a chance to fill out the applications in our presence The schools are very interested in
our program and welcome the visit The schools acknowledge the benefit of the program and its
effects on students and the communities
JOB READINESS TRAININGORIENTATION
Native American youth were provided orientationjob readiness training prior to beginning work
All participants are eligible for 200 hours of Work Experience The Work Experience training
program is a five week period with an employing agency of either a private (for profit) or nonshy
profit business
10
PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS
Partnership of Summer School Education (POSSE)
Partnership of Summer School Education was created under the visionary leadership of Joy
Culbreath to increase literacy and address dropout rates throughout the Choctaw Nation The
program was designed to help local school districts remediate children in grades K-2
During the summer of 2015 the Choctaw Nation partnered with nine school districts to provide
a six week summer school for 350 students in kindergarten through third grader who were in
need of intervention in reading and math The Nation provided books supplies an afternoon
snack and salary for instructors The school district provided a facility utilities transportation
breakfast and lunch for students Students that qualify for the summer school program attend
free of charge
Students that attended the 2015 summer school demonstrated significant improvement in
reading and math According to academic research third grade reading performance directly
correlates to secondary school success Students who are not reading at grade level by the end
of 3rd grade are four times more likely to drop out of school
In the summer of 2016 the POSSE program expanded to 23 sites throughout the 10-12 counties
offering a hands on instructional approach to improve reading and math performance for 2100
students in 51 schools Next summer the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will continue its
expansion and offer summer learning opportunities to qualifying students from all 85 school
districts within its boundary
The POSSE program will continue to grow over the next years allowing more youth participants
to assist in the education growth and development of our future
It Starts Now - gth Grade Career Discovery Day
Choctaw Nation partnered with the Southern Workforce Board Southern Youth Council and
Southeastern Oklahoma State University to sponsor the second Career Discovery Day
A taskforce was organized to oversee the entire program consisted of representatives from area
school districts technology center businesses economic development agencies chamber of
commerce universities workforce board and tribal entities
The event was held at Southeastern Oklahoma State University on January 7 2016
629 - 8th grade students from 11 schools attended 9 Bryan County schools and 2 others
11
Students were given electronic surveys to select 5 career choices After completing survey
students attended sessions from their top three career choices
At the opening session the students received information about the different education options
budgeting and soft skills that would be needed to get and keep future jobs
There were 25 speakers who discussed their career the educational pathways salaries etc to
the students who had selected that career
Students were given pizza and cookies for lunch A motivational speaker closed the event with
the message of how important it is to stay in school and make good choices
I would like to thank the over 50 volunteers that assisted with logistics that day local school
systems for allowing their students to participant in the Career Discovery Days the local
businesses and employers who shared their career goals and the Choctaw Nation Southern
Workforce Board and SOSU for hosting this successful event
WORK EXPERIENCE
The WIOA served a total of 1298 youth from July 1 2015 - June 30 2016 on the Federal
Supplemental and Tribal Programs 293 participants was served with federal dollars Many
participants get hired by their employers for a few weeks after the program end We are blessed
to have the Tribal funding to help supplement our youth program
The majority of our youth returned to school Summer youth participants who participate in the
program are placed on leave of absence status at the end of the program Reactivation of the
participants reduces error and time needed to place the vast amount of participants The
majority of participants return to the work on the program each year The next spring returning
participants will update their application and proceed with another great year
The policies were changed for the 2016 Youth Work Program A decision was made to provide
this employment opportunity to students between the ages of 16 - 21 New applicants are
required to be 16 years of age by the first day of work Child Labor Laws in Oklahoma are quite
stringent making it quite difficult for students who are 14 - 15 to participate in traditional work
activities PY 2016 assisted 862 participants
There were 560 businesses that helped make our youth program a success The businesses
opened their doors and provided job training for each of our participants The Choctaw Nation
Youth program was designed to introduce workers into the workforce and assist with the
development of behaviors and attributes needed to become a successful employee Employers
are seeking individual with good communication skills honesty work ethic professionalism
positive attitude and self-motivation Whit the new age requirement change the employers are
12
more comfortable in treating our participants as they would any of the other employees that
works for them without worrying about the Child Labor Laws
All kids are at risk and we need more programs to help them get ready for the future workforce
and the real world
SUMMARY
One of my greatest concerns is funding We have a large number of participants that qualify for
the federal program In fact Choctaw Nation has been designated a Promise Zone and therefore
90 of our youth lives in the designated promise zone We do not have enough federal funding
to provide services to all Our federal youth funding covers approximately 200 of our youth who
worked on the program The Choctaw Nation Tribal Program provides the remaining funding to
pay the students
The Choctaw Nation encourages and offers numerous education programs for our people to stay
in school and get their education Therefore the Choctaw Nation offers their youth work
experience program during the summer months
The PL 102-477 program is blessed to have a caring administration Chief Batton Assistant Chief
Jack Austin Jr and the Choctaw Tribal Council are wonderful They truly care for our youth and
our communities This program has an impact on the youth their families and gives back to the
communities Our local businesses are very cooperative in helpingtraining our youth They give
them the opportunity to become a part of the workforce Without the supplemental funding the
tribe gives our program we would not be able to help the young people or the businesses We
must invest time money and help our young people
All of our participants received an exit sheet at the end of the program from their worksite
supervisor and many participants received a letter of recommendation from their supervisor
I have enclosed a few letters of support from employers letters of recommendation and several
participants wrote a statement about what the program has done for them
I hope you enjoy the success stories and worksite photos
13
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Allison Britton Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
14
---- I I II__
Higher Education Program
The Higher Education Program is a scholarship and grant program for Choctaw students
working toward a degree while attending an accredited college or university Full time and part
time students may receive educational assistance During the 2015-2016 school year the
Higher Education Program issued 9255 grant or scholarship awards to colleges and universities
throughout the United States The Choctaw Nation Higher Education Program has changed the
application process and students must apply online each semester for award consideration
This year Higher Education had 1356 students indicate they would be graduating 219 have
been verified and graduation verification is an ongoing process This is a problem each year as
most students do not send documentation for us to report accurate numbers despite the
attempts from our office to obtain the information This past year the Higher Education
Program attempted to contact students via email via telephone and through the Choctaw
Nation Higher Education Facebook page The result is similar to previous years where the
Higher Education Program would call students individually to determine their status
Scholarship Program
The Scholarship Program is awarded based on the students academics rather than financial
need A student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 25 to be considered
for the scholarship Depending on where the grade point is above the 25 will decide how
much the student will receive per semester up to the $100000 per semester maximum The
majority of the students applying for assistance will receive a scholarship This year the Higher
Education Program issued 8179 scholarships to students across the United States
Grant Program
The Grant Program is a need-based program awarded on the students classification in an
accredited college or university They must maintain a minimum grade point average of 20 per
semester The Grant Program has a maximum award of $80000 per semester for senior
classification This year the Higher Education Program issued 1079 grant awards to students
across the United States
Concurrent Enrollment
The Concurrent Enrollment Program is helping Choctaw high school students get a head start
on credits needed for their general education courses by assisting with a book allowance
Choctaw high school students throughout the United States may apply to receive $20000
toward books for one class or $40000 if enrolled in two or more classes Having college credits
upon graduation of high school will give those students an incentive to continue after high
school toward that college degree This year 345 awards were issued to high school students
through the Higher Education Concurrent Enrollment Program
Technology Allowance (formerly named Laptop Program)
The Choctaw Nation offers a one-time technology allowance to Choctaw tribal members
throughout the United States who are currently attending an accredited college or university
Students must be a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma however there are no blood
quantum requirements Qualified applicants will receive a Visa card to purchase necessary
technology for their education The card can only be used at specific retailers that sell
technology and college or university bookstores
Choctaw College Connect
Higher Education was involved in the second annual Choctaw Nations college fair It was
specifically designed for Choctaw Tribal Members and over 65 colleges universities and
institutions attended Over two hundred students plus their adult guest are treated to
informative breakout sessions and are able to visit with two year four year and Ivy League
institutions all under one roof Choctaw Nation programs were invited to share the benefits
provided by the Choctaw Nation programming Tribal educational organizations as well as
representatives from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are also invited to share
information with the Choctaw youth who attend
PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS
Partnership of Summer School Education (POSSE)
Partnership of Summer School Education was created under the visionary leadership of Joy
Culbreath to increase literacy and address dropout rates throughout the Choctaw Nation The
program was designed to help local school districts remediate children in grades K-2
During the summer of 2015 the Choctaw Nation partnered with nine school districts to provide
a six week summer school for 350 students in kindergarten through third grader who were in
need of intervention in reading and math The Nation provided books supplies an afternoon
snack and salary for instructors The school district provided a facility utilities transportation
breakfast and lunch for students Students that qualify for the summer school program attend
free of charge
Students that attended the 2015 summer school demonstrated significant improvement in
reading and math According to academic research third grade reading performance directly
correlates to secondary school success Students who are not reading at grade level by the end
of 3rd grade are four times more likely to drop out of school
In the summer of 2016 the POSSE program expanded to 23 sites throughout the 10-12 counties
offering a hands on instructional approach to improve reading and math performance for 2100
students in 51 schools Next summer the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma will continue its
expansion and offer summer learning opportunities to qualifying students from all 85 school
districts within its boundary
The POSSE program will continue to grow over the next years allowing more youth participants
to assist in the education growth and development of our future
It Starts Now - gth Grade Career Discovery Day
Choctaw Nation partnered with the Southern Workforce Board Southern Youth Council and
Southeastern Oklahoma State University to sponsor the second Career Discovery Day
A taskforce was organized to oversee the entire program consisted of representatives from area
school districts technology center businesses economic development agencies chamber of
commerce universities workforce board and tribal entities
The event was held at Southeastern Oklahoma State University on January 7 2016
629 - 8th grade students from 11 schools attended 9 Bryan County schools and 2 others
11
Students were given electronic surveys to select 5 career choices After completing survey
students attended sessions from their top three career choices
At the opening session the students received information about the different education options
budgeting and soft skills that would be needed to get and keep future jobs
There were 25 speakers who discussed their career the educational pathways salaries etc to
the students who had selected that career
Students were given pizza and cookies for lunch A motivational speaker closed the event with
the message of how important it is to stay in school and make good choices
I would like to thank the over 50 volunteers that assisted with logistics that day local school
systems for allowing their students to participant in the Career Discovery Days the local
businesses and employers who shared their career goals and the Choctaw Nation Southern
Workforce Board and SOSU for hosting this successful event
WORK EXPERIENCE
The WIOA served a total of 1298 youth from July 1 2015 - June 30 2016 on the Federal
Supplemental and Tribal Programs 293 participants was served with federal dollars Many
participants get hired by their employers for a few weeks after the program end We are blessed
to have the Tribal funding to help supplement our youth program
The majority of our youth returned to school Summer youth participants who participate in the
program are placed on leave of absence status at the end of the program Reactivation of the
participants reduces error and time needed to place the vast amount of participants The
majority of participants return to the work on the program each year The next spring returning
participants will update their application and proceed with another great year
The policies were changed for the 2016 Youth Work Program A decision was made to provide
this employment opportunity to students between the ages of 16 - 21 New applicants are
required to be 16 years of age by the first day of work Child Labor Laws in Oklahoma are quite
stringent making it quite difficult for students who are 14 - 15 to participate in traditional work
activities PY 2016 assisted 862 participants
There were 560 businesses that helped make our youth program a success The businesses
opened their doors and provided job training for each of our participants The Choctaw Nation
Youth program was designed to introduce workers into the workforce and assist with the
development of behaviors and attributes needed to become a successful employee Employers
are seeking individual with good communication skills honesty work ethic professionalism
positive attitude and self-motivation Whit the new age requirement change the employers are
12
more comfortable in treating our participants as they would any of the other employees that
works for them without worrying about the Child Labor Laws
All kids are at risk and we need more programs to help them get ready for the future workforce
and the real world
SUMMARY
One of my greatest concerns is funding We have a large number of participants that qualify for
the federal program In fact Choctaw Nation has been designated a Promise Zone and therefore
90 of our youth lives in the designated promise zone We do not have enough federal funding
to provide services to all Our federal youth funding covers approximately 200 of our youth who
worked on the program The Choctaw Nation Tribal Program provides the remaining funding to
pay the students
The Choctaw Nation encourages and offers numerous education programs for our people to stay
in school and get their education Therefore the Choctaw Nation offers their youth work
experience program during the summer months
The PL 102-477 program is blessed to have a caring administration Chief Batton Assistant Chief
Jack Austin Jr and the Choctaw Tribal Council are wonderful They truly care for our youth and
our communities This program has an impact on the youth their families and gives back to the
communities Our local businesses are very cooperative in helpingtraining our youth They give
them the opportunity to become a part of the workforce Without the supplemental funding the
tribe gives our program we would not be able to help the young people or the businesses We
must invest time money and help our young people
All of our participants received an exit sheet at the end of the program from their worksite
supervisor and many participants received a letter of recommendation from their supervisor
I have enclosed a few letters of support from employers letters of recommendation and several
participants wrote a statement about what the program has done for them
I hope you enjoy the success stories and worksite photos
13
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Allison Britton Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
14
---- I I II__
Higher Education Program
The Higher Education Program is a scholarship and grant program for Choctaw students
working toward a degree while attending an accredited college or university Full time and part
time students may receive educational assistance During the 2015-2016 school year the
Higher Education Program issued 9255 grant or scholarship awards to colleges and universities
throughout the United States The Choctaw Nation Higher Education Program has changed the
application process and students must apply online each semester for award consideration
This year Higher Education had 1356 students indicate they would be graduating 219 have
been verified and graduation verification is an ongoing process This is a problem each year as
most students do not send documentation for us to report accurate numbers despite the
attempts from our office to obtain the information This past year the Higher Education
Program attempted to contact students via email via telephone and through the Choctaw
Nation Higher Education Facebook page The result is similar to previous years where the
Higher Education Program would call students individually to determine their status
Scholarship Program
The Scholarship Program is awarded based on the students academics rather than financial
need A student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 25 to be considered
for the scholarship Depending on where the grade point is above the 25 will decide how
much the student will receive per semester up to the $100000 per semester maximum The
majority of the students applying for assistance will receive a scholarship This year the Higher
Education Program issued 8179 scholarships to students across the United States
Grant Program
The Grant Program is a need-based program awarded on the students classification in an
accredited college or university They must maintain a minimum grade point average of 20 per
semester The Grant Program has a maximum award of $80000 per semester for senior
classification This year the Higher Education Program issued 1079 grant awards to students
across the United States
Concurrent Enrollment
The Concurrent Enrollment Program is helping Choctaw high school students get a head start
on credits needed for their general education courses by assisting with a book allowance
Choctaw high school students throughout the United States may apply to receive $20000
toward books for one class or $40000 if enrolled in two or more classes Having college credits
upon graduation of high school will give those students an incentive to continue after high
school toward that college degree This year 345 awards were issued to high school students
through the Higher Education Concurrent Enrollment Program
Technology Allowance (formerly named Laptop Program)
The Choctaw Nation offers a one-time technology allowance to Choctaw tribal members
throughout the United States who are currently attending an accredited college or university
Students must be a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma however there are no blood
quantum requirements Qualified applicants will receive a Visa card to purchase necessary
technology for their education The card can only be used at specific retailers that sell
technology and college or university bookstores
Choctaw College Connect
Higher Education was involved in the second annual Choctaw Nations college fair It was
specifically designed for Choctaw Tribal Members and over 65 colleges universities and
institutions attended Over two hundred students plus their adult guest are treated to
informative breakout sessions and are able to visit with two year four year and Ivy League
institutions all under one roof Choctaw Nation programs were invited to share the benefits
provided by the Choctaw Nation programming Tribal educational organizations as well as
representatives from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are also invited to share
information with the Choctaw youth who attend
Students were given electronic surveys to select 5 career choices After completing survey
students attended sessions from their top three career choices
At the opening session the students received information about the different education options
budgeting and soft skills that would be needed to get and keep future jobs
There were 25 speakers who discussed their career the educational pathways salaries etc to
the students who had selected that career
Students were given pizza and cookies for lunch A motivational speaker closed the event with
the message of how important it is to stay in school and make good choices
I would like to thank the over 50 volunteers that assisted with logistics that day local school
systems for allowing their students to participant in the Career Discovery Days the local
businesses and employers who shared their career goals and the Choctaw Nation Southern
Workforce Board and SOSU for hosting this successful event
WORK EXPERIENCE
The WIOA served a total of 1298 youth from July 1 2015 - June 30 2016 on the Federal
Supplemental and Tribal Programs 293 participants was served with federal dollars Many
participants get hired by their employers for a few weeks after the program end We are blessed
to have the Tribal funding to help supplement our youth program
The majority of our youth returned to school Summer youth participants who participate in the
program are placed on leave of absence status at the end of the program Reactivation of the
participants reduces error and time needed to place the vast amount of participants The
majority of participants return to the work on the program each year The next spring returning
participants will update their application and proceed with another great year
The policies were changed for the 2016 Youth Work Program A decision was made to provide
this employment opportunity to students between the ages of 16 - 21 New applicants are
required to be 16 years of age by the first day of work Child Labor Laws in Oklahoma are quite
stringent making it quite difficult for students who are 14 - 15 to participate in traditional work
activities PY 2016 assisted 862 participants
There were 560 businesses that helped make our youth program a success The businesses
opened their doors and provided job training for each of our participants The Choctaw Nation
Youth program was designed to introduce workers into the workforce and assist with the
development of behaviors and attributes needed to become a successful employee Employers
are seeking individual with good communication skills honesty work ethic professionalism
positive attitude and self-motivation Whit the new age requirement change the employers are
12
more comfortable in treating our participants as they would any of the other employees that
works for them without worrying about the Child Labor Laws
All kids are at risk and we need more programs to help them get ready for the future workforce
and the real world
SUMMARY
One of my greatest concerns is funding We have a large number of participants that qualify for
the federal program In fact Choctaw Nation has been designated a Promise Zone and therefore
90 of our youth lives in the designated promise zone We do not have enough federal funding
to provide services to all Our federal youth funding covers approximately 200 of our youth who
worked on the program The Choctaw Nation Tribal Program provides the remaining funding to
pay the students
The Choctaw Nation encourages and offers numerous education programs for our people to stay
in school and get their education Therefore the Choctaw Nation offers their youth work
experience program during the summer months
The PL 102-477 program is blessed to have a caring administration Chief Batton Assistant Chief
Jack Austin Jr and the Choctaw Tribal Council are wonderful They truly care for our youth and
our communities This program has an impact on the youth their families and gives back to the
communities Our local businesses are very cooperative in helpingtraining our youth They give
them the opportunity to become a part of the workforce Without the supplemental funding the
tribe gives our program we would not be able to help the young people or the businesses We
must invest time money and help our young people
All of our participants received an exit sheet at the end of the program from their worksite
supervisor and many participants received a letter of recommendation from their supervisor
I have enclosed a few letters of support from employers letters of recommendation and several
participants wrote a statement about what the program has done for them
I hope you enjoy the success stories and worksite photos
13
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Allison Britton Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
14
---- I I II__
Higher Education Program
The Higher Education Program is a scholarship and grant program for Choctaw students
working toward a degree while attending an accredited college or university Full time and part
time students may receive educational assistance During the 2015-2016 school year the
Higher Education Program issued 9255 grant or scholarship awards to colleges and universities
throughout the United States The Choctaw Nation Higher Education Program has changed the
application process and students must apply online each semester for award consideration
This year Higher Education had 1356 students indicate they would be graduating 219 have
been verified and graduation verification is an ongoing process This is a problem each year as
most students do not send documentation for us to report accurate numbers despite the
attempts from our office to obtain the information This past year the Higher Education
Program attempted to contact students via email via telephone and through the Choctaw
Nation Higher Education Facebook page The result is similar to previous years where the
Higher Education Program would call students individually to determine their status
Scholarship Program
The Scholarship Program is awarded based on the students academics rather than financial
need A student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 25 to be considered
for the scholarship Depending on where the grade point is above the 25 will decide how
much the student will receive per semester up to the $100000 per semester maximum The
majority of the students applying for assistance will receive a scholarship This year the Higher
Education Program issued 8179 scholarships to students across the United States
Grant Program
The Grant Program is a need-based program awarded on the students classification in an
accredited college or university They must maintain a minimum grade point average of 20 per
semester The Grant Program has a maximum award of $80000 per semester for senior
classification This year the Higher Education Program issued 1079 grant awards to students
across the United States
Concurrent Enrollment
The Concurrent Enrollment Program is helping Choctaw high school students get a head start
on credits needed for their general education courses by assisting with a book allowance
Choctaw high school students throughout the United States may apply to receive $20000
toward books for one class or $40000 if enrolled in two or more classes Having college credits
upon graduation of high school will give those students an incentive to continue after high
school toward that college degree This year 345 awards were issued to high school students
through the Higher Education Concurrent Enrollment Program
Technology Allowance (formerly named Laptop Program)
The Choctaw Nation offers a one-time technology allowance to Choctaw tribal members
throughout the United States who are currently attending an accredited college or university
Students must be a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma however there are no blood
quantum requirements Qualified applicants will receive a Visa card to purchase necessary
technology for their education The card can only be used at specific retailers that sell
technology and college or university bookstores
Choctaw College Connect
Higher Education was involved in the second annual Choctaw Nations college fair It was
specifically designed for Choctaw Tribal Members and over 65 colleges universities and
institutions attended Over two hundred students plus their adult guest are treated to
informative breakout sessions and are able to visit with two year four year and Ivy League
institutions all under one roof Choctaw Nation programs were invited to share the benefits
provided by the Choctaw Nation programming Tribal educational organizations as well as
representatives from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are also invited to share
information with the Choctaw youth who attend
more comfortable in treating our participants as they would any of the other employees that
works for them without worrying about the Child Labor Laws
All kids are at risk and we need more programs to help them get ready for the future workforce
and the real world
SUMMARY
One of my greatest concerns is funding We have a large number of participants that qualify for
the federal program In fact Choctaw Nation has been designated a Promise Zone and therefore
90 of our youth lives in the designated promise zone We do not have enough federal funding
to provide services to all Our federal youth funding covers approximately 200 of our youth who
worked on the program The Choctaw Nation Tribal Program provides the remaining funding to
pay the students
The Choctaw Nation encourages and offers numerous education programs for our people to stay
in school and get their education Therefore the Choctaw Nation offers their youth work
experience program during the summer months
The PL 102-477 program is blessed to have a caring administration Chief Batton Assistant Chief
Jack Austin Jr and the Choctaw Tribal Council are wonderful They truly care for our youth and
our communities This program has an impact on the youth their families and gives back to the
communities Our local businesses are very cooperative in helpingtraining our youth They give
them the opportunity to become a part of the workforce Without the supplemental funding the
tribe gives our program we would not be able to help the young people or the businesses We
must invest time money and help our young people
All of our participants received an exit sheet at the end of the program from their worksite
supervisor and many participants received a letter of recommendation from their supervisor
I have enclosed a few letters of support from employers letters of recommendation and several
participants wrote a statement about what the program has done for them
I hope you enjoy the success stories and worksite photos
13
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Allison Britton Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
14
---- I I II__
Higher Education Program
The Higher Education Program is a scholarship and grant program for Choctaw students
working toward a degree while attending an accredited college or university Full time and part
time students may receive educational assistance During the 2015-2016 school year the
Higher Education Program issued 9255 grant or scholarship awards to colleges and universities
throughout the United States The Choctaw Nation Higher Education Program has changed the
application process and students must apply online each semester for award consideration
This year Higher Education had 1356 students indicate they would be graduating 219 have
been verified and graduation verification is an ongoing process This is a problem each year as
most students do not send documentation for us to report accurate numbers despite the
attempts from our office to obtain the information This past year the Higher Education
Program attempted to contact students via email via telephone and through the Choctaw
Nation Higher Education Facebook page The result is similar to previous years where the
Higher Education Program would call students individually to determine their status
Scholarship Program
The Scholarship Program is awarded based on the students academics rather than financial
need A student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 25 to be considered
for the scholarship Depending on where the grade point is above the 25 will decide how
much the student will receive per semester up to the $100000 per semester maximum The
majority of the students applying for assistance will receive a scholarship This year the Higher
Education Program issued 8179 scholarships to students across the United States
Grant Program
The Grant Program is a need-based program awarded on the students classification in an
accredited college or university They must maintain a minimum grade point average of 20 per
semester The Grant Program has a maximum award of $80000 per semester for senior
classification This year the Higher Education Program issued 1079 grant awards to students
across the United States
Concurrent Enrollment
The Concurrent Enrollment Program is helping Choctaw high school students get a head start
on credits needed for their general education courses by assisting with a book allowance
Choctaw high school students throughout the United States may apply to receive $20000
toward books for one class or $40000 if enrolled in two or more classes Having college credits
upon graduation of high school will give those students an incentive to continue after high
school toward that college degree This year 345 awards were issued to high school students
through the Higher Education Concurrent Enrollment Program
Technology Allowance (formerly named Laptop Program)
The Choctaw Nation offers a one-time technology allowance to Choctaw tribal members
throughout the United States who are currently attending an accredited college or university
Students must be a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma however there are no blood
quantum requirements Qualified applicants will receive a Visa card to purchase necessary
technology for their education The card can only be used at specific retailers that sell
technology and college or university bookstores
Choctaw College Connect
Higher Education was involved in the second annual Choctaw Nations college fair It was
specifically designed for Choctaw Tribal Members and over 65 colleges universities and
institutions attended Over two hundred students plus their adult guest are treated to
informative breakout sessions and are able to visit with two year four year and Ivy League
institutions all under one roof Choctaw Nation programs were invited to share the benefits
provided by the Choctaw Nation programming Tribal educational organizations as well as
representatives from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are also invited to share
information with the Choctaw youth who attend
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
PL 102-477
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM
Allison Britton Director
580-924-8280
pminkchoctawnationcom
14
---- I I II__
Higher Education Program
The Higher Education Program is a scholarship and grant program for Choctaw students
working toward a degree while attending an accredited college or university Full time and part
time students may receive educational assistance During the 2015-2016 school year the
Higher Education Program issued 9255 grant or scholarship awards to colleges and universities
throughout the United States The Choctaw Nation Higher Education Program has changed the
application process and students must apply online each semester for award consideration
This year Higher Education had 1356 students indicate they would be graduating 219 have
been verified and graduation verification is an ongoing process This is a problem each year as
most students do not send documentation for us to report accurate numbers despite the
attempts from our office to obtain the information This past year the Higher Education
Program attempted to contact students via email via telephone and through the Choctaw
Nation Higher Education Facebook page The result is similar to previous years where the
Higher Education Program would call students individually to determine their status
Scholarship Program
The Scholarship Program is awarded based on the students academics rather than financial
need A student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 25 to be considered
for the scholarship Depending on where the grade point is above the 25 will decide how
much the student will receive per semester up to the $100000 per semester maximum The
majority of the students applying for assistance will receive a scholarship This year the Higher
Education Program issued 8179 scholarships to students across the United States
Grant Program
The Grant Program is a need-based program awarded on the students classification in an
accredited college or university They must maintain a minimum grade point average of 20 per
semester The Grant Program has a maximum award of $80000 per semester for senior
classification This year the Higher Education Program issued 1079 grant awards to students
across the United States
Concurrent Enrollment
The Concurrent Enrollment Program is helping Choctaw high school students get a head start
on credits needed for their general education courses by assisting with a book allowance
Choctaw high school students throughout the United States may apply to receive $20000
toward books for one class or $40000 if enrolled in two or more classes Having college credits
upon graduation of high school will give those students an incentive to continue after high
school toward that college degree This year 345 awards were issued to high school students
through the Higher Education Concurrent Enrollment Program
Technology Allowance (formerly named Laptop Program)
The Choctaw Nation offers a one-time technology allowance to Choctaw tribal members
throughout the United States who are currently attending an accredited college or university
Students must be a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma however there are no blood
quantum requirements Qualified applicants will receive a Visa card to purchase necessary
technology for their education The card can only be used at specific retailers that sell
technology and college or university bookstores
Choctaw College Connect
Higher Education was involved in the second annual Choctaw Nations college fair It was
specifically designed for Choctaw Tribal Members and over 65 colleges universities and
institutions attended Over two hundred students plus their adult guest are treated to
informative breakout sessions and are able to visit with two year four year and Ivy League
institutions all under one roof Choctaw Nation programs were invited to share the benefits
provided by the Choctaw Nation programming Tribal educational organizations as well as
representatives from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are also invited to share
information with the Choctaw youth who attend
---- I I II__
Higher Education Program
The Higher Education Program is a scholarship and grant program for Choctaw students
working toward a degree while attending an accredited college or university Full time and part
time students may receive educational assistance During the 2015-2016 school year the
Higher Education Program issued 9255 grant or scholarship awards to colleges and universities
throughout the United States The Choctaw Nation Higher Education Program has changed the
application process and students must apply online each semester for award consideration
This year Higher Education had 1356 students indicate they would be graduating 219 have
been verified and graduation verification is an ongoing process This is a problem each year as
most students do not send documentation for us to report accurate numbers despite the
attempts from our office to obtain the information This past year the Higher Education
Program attempted to contact students via email via telephone and through the Choctaw
Nation Higher Education Facebook page The result is similar to previous years where the
Higher Education Program would call students individually to determine their status
Scholarship Program
The Scholarship Program is awarded based on the students academics rather than financial
need A student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 25 to be considered
for the scholarship Depending on where the grade point is above the 25 will decide how
much the student will receive per semester up to the $100000 per semester maximum The
majority of the students applying for assistance will receive a scholarship This year the Higher
Education Program issued 8179 scholarships to students across the United States
Grant Program
The Grant Program is a need-based program awarded on the students classification in an
accredited college or university They must maintain a minimum grade point average of 20 per
semester The Grant Program has a maximum award of $80000 per semester for senior
classification This year the Higher Education Program issued 1079 grant awards to students
across the United States
Concurrent Enrollment
The Concurrent Enrollment Program is helping Choctaw high school students get a head start
on credits needed for their general education courses by assisting with a book allowance
Choctaw high school students throughout the United States may apply to receive $20000
toward books for one class or $40000 if enrolled in two or more classes Having college credits
upon graduation of high school will give those students an incentive to continue after high
school toward that college degree This year 345 awards were issued to high school students
through the Higher Education Concurrent Enrollment Program
Technology Allowance (formerly named Laptop Program)
The Choctaw Nation offers a one-time technology allowance to Choctaw tribal members
throughout the United States who are currently attending an accredited college or university
Students must be a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma however there are no blood
quantum requirements Qualified applicants will receive a Visa card to purchase necessary
technology for their education The card can only be used at specific retailers that sell
technology and college or university bookstores
Choctaw College Connect
Higher Education was involved in the second annual Choctaw Nations college fair It was
specifically designed for Choctaw Tribal Members and over 65 colleges universities and
institutions attended Over two hundred students plus their adult guest are treated to
informative breakout sessions and are able to visit with two year four year and Ivy League
institutions all under one roof Choctaw Nation programs were invited to share the benefits
provided by the Choctaw Nation programming Tribal educational organizations as well as
representatives from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are also invited to share
information with the Choctaw youth who attend
Choctaw high school students throughout the United States may apply to receive $20000
toward books for one class or $40000 if enrolled in two or more classes Having college credits
upon graduation of high school will give those students an incentive to continue after high
school toward that college degree This year 345 awards were issued to high school students
through the Higher Education Concurrent Enrollment Program
Technology Allowance (formerly named Laptop Program)
The Choctaw Nation offers a one-time technology allowance to Choctaw tribal members
throughout the United States who are currently attending an accredited college or university
Students must be a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma however there are no blood
quantum requirements Qualified applicants will receive a Visa card to purchase necessary
technology for their education The card can only be used at specific retailers that sell
technology and college or university bookstores
Choctaw College Connect
Higher Education was involved in the second annual Choctaw Nations college fair It was
specifically designed for Choctaw Tribal Members and over 65 colleges universities and
institutions attended Over two hundred students plus their adult guest are treated to
informative breakout sessions and are able to visit with two year four year and Ivy League
institutions all under one roof Choctaw Nation programs were invited to share the benefits
provided by the Choctaw Nation programming Tribal educational organizations as well as
representatives from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are also invited to share
information with the Choctaw youth who attend