In my long career as a tribal college president, one of the accom­plishments that I take the greatest pride in is the implementa­tion of a reading proficiency level for all incoming students at Oglala Lakota College (OLC). As measured by General Educational Development (GED) standards, all incoming students at OLC must test in at the 10th-grade level or above before they can enroll in classes.

Years ago, I attended a conference where I had a discussion with a junior college counselor who served primarily African-American students. I told her of my idea that I wanted to implement a requirement that incoming students at OLC would need to have a 10th-grade reading level. Immediately, she said this would be a mistake. I knew her reasoning—such a requirement would lead to lower enrollments. In my esti­mation, this counselor did not care about improving the edu­cational needs of her students but rather was focused on get­ting the financial aid that comes with larger student enroll­ments. Ironically, she said that I would live to regret this deci­sion. I have not—just the oppo­site, I take pride in the decision.

I came to this conclusion that we could better serve the needs of our students through the implementation of 10th-grade reading level following a discussion with OLC’s remedial education director. I had asked her what reading proficiency level is needed for students to succeed and graduate from college. She said that statistically students needed at least a 10th-grade level. That very year, not one student in the graduating senior class from a local high school on the Pine Ridge reservation had a reading proficiency above the 8th-grade level.

Today, there is bad news for students graduating with poor reading skills. For example, the U.S. military, where Indian people have historically served in great numbers, now requires recruits to have a minimum reading proficiency that is roughly at the 10th-grade level, which is assessed through the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. This change was implemented because there are now detailed manuals for increasingly complex rifles and other weapon systems. Unfortunately, these proficiencies have resulted in fewer Indian people being accepted into the military. This is a sad situation, as military service has offered Indian people a means to a successful life and career. That avenue is now being closed off.

Unfortunately, the Pine Ridge reservation school system has not implemented a requirement that all graduating high school students must have a minimum 10th-grade reading level to receive a high school diploma. Reservation school boards could help bring about policy change, yet they have not. When I promoted this idea, many board members ironically viewed it as detrimental to edu­cating Native students. My experience is that many people serve on school boards not because they care about the overall success of our students, but rather to be in an authority role so the schools give their children preferential treatment, ensuring they get their diploma no matter what. Let me give you an example. I knew a very good high school teacher who worked at a reservation contract high school and he told me of a problem he had with a student. He said that this student was very aggressive in his class and that he bullied other students and disrespected him as the teacher. I told him that he should tell the high school prin­cipal about the problems he was having with this student. He said that he could not do this as the student’s father was on the school board and he was sure the principal would not do any­thing because he could lose his job. He also expressed concern that he himself would be fired for raising this concern.

As a result of this situation, I proposed a policy change that all incoming students at OLC must have at least a 10th-grade reading proficiency, which was approved by OLC’s board of trustees. This did not mean that we shut the door on students. Rather, OLC expanded its GED instruction at all of its 11 campuses and sites, hiring tutors and instructors who worked with students to elevate their reading proficiency levels. Once they reached the 10th-grade level, they were admitted to the college.

In my estimation, if a student can get to a 10th-grade reading level, it shows they are a hard worker and dedicated—attributes that will enable them to succeed in college and future careers. Tribal colleges could produce more well-prepared graduates if reservation high schools would implement higher reading profi­ciency levels. But if high schools fail to do so, it is up to us to do so for the long-term success of our students.

Tom Shortbull served as president of Oglala Lakota College for over 30 years.