SD Indian Education draws leader from retirement

Longtime educator Lowell Amiotte is leaving retirement and takes over June 9 as director of the South Dakota Office of Indian Education.

The 72-year-old Oglala Sioux tribal member has experience as a teacher and spent years at Black Hills State University and South Dakota State University. He was the president of Oglala Lakota College for three years.

He'll work with public and tribal schools, as well as Bureau of Indian Education to reduce the achievement gap between Native and non-Native American students.

Native Americans make up about 9 percent of the state population.

Amiotte says economic hardship on reservations has been an ongoing concern for educators of Native American students. He hopes to help improve these students' test scores.

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