WASHINGTON — The U.S. Bureau of Indian Education reported that its four-year graduation rate reached 79% in 2025, a significant increase since standardized data collection began in 2018. The agency oversees 183 primary and secondary schools serving over 40,000 students, many of whom are Native American and Alaska Native.

An analysis of BIE data showed that system-wide graduation rates have increased by 55% since the implementation of consistent reporting standards in 2018. In 2015, just over half of high schoolers at BIE schools graduated within four years, highlighting the scale of improvement achieved over the past decade. Nine BIE secondary schools reported graduation rate growth of 100% or more during this period.

Carmelia Becenti, chief academic officer of the U.S. Bureau of Indian Education, attributed the gains to coordinated oversight. "We had to come to a consensus and set an accountability framework for our schools," she said. The BIE serves as a division of the U.S. Department of the Interior under the assistant secretary for Indian affairs and is responsible for directing and managing education functions for federally recognized tribes.

Most BIE schools—over two-thirds—are operated by tribes themselves and receive federal funding, while less than one-third are directly managed by the agency. At Chief Leschi Schools, which is tribally controlled, graduation rates rose from 53% in 2019 to 87% in 2025 after the school launched a career and technical education curriculum in 2020 with funding from the Puyallup Tribal Council. Don Brummett, a superintendent involved in the initiative, said, "We devalued the trades. That was a mistake."

Choctaw Central High School, operated by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw, also saw marked improvement, with graduation rates climbing from roughly 70% to 93% following the introduction of virtual learning options. The school maintained those options for all high schoolers even after pandemic-related lockdowns ended. According to Alaric Keams, the school’s principal, "For certain kids that have more responsibilities at home, kids that need to work, we saw that (virtual learning) gave them a flexible schedule and an opportunity to earn their diploma."

However, progress has been uneven. The BIE-operated high school serving the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe in South Dakota has reported graduating fewer than 60% of students on time in recent years. Peter Lengkeek, chairman of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, said, "If we were able to, we would step in and try to remedy a lot of these things." He added, "We have to rely on the government to fulfill its treaty promise," and emphasized the need for more resources, stating, "We need stability. We need increased funding. We need infrastructure."

Why It Matters

The BIE’s performance reflects both the impact of targeted educational reforms and the persistent challenges in under-resourced communities. The agency’s role stems from federal laws including the Snyder Act and the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975, which obligate the U.S. government to support Native education. The 2025 graduation rate represents the highest recorded since consistent data collection began, offering a benchmark for future progress while underscoring ongoing disparities across the system.