Off-Reservation Residential Schools

Chemawa Indian School

Chemawa Indian School boasts one of the most beautiful and sprawling preparatory school campuses in the Northwest Region. Created in 1880, it has been designated as the oldest, continuously operated boarding school for Native American students. Chemawa’s 9th – 12th graders population continues to grow as their residential facilities with age-appropriate dormitories, full recreation programs, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a full-service counseling center, and much more. Chemawa Indian School’s 79-acre campus is housed securely within 450 acres of land. Chemawa’s campus offers safe, academically enriched, and fun learning environments that emphasize the culture, heritage, and languages of its diverse Native communities. A dedicated team of teachers, educators, administrators, and support staff provides students with the educational resources needed to access ever-advancing technologies and to achieve their full potential.  

Students benefit from a variety of academic programs, extracurricular activities, and support services designed to help them succeed while in school and after graduation. Chemawa Indian School’s faculty offers a wide range of opportunities for a diverse student body to take advantage of college readiness programs, such as AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), SAT/ACT prep classes, and Dual Credit with Western Oregon University. Students with interests outside of the classroom may choose from a wide variety of academic programs, such as Automotive Mechanics, Robotics Technology, American Indian Science and Engineering, and Agricultural Program with School Farm.

Grades:  9-12 

Year Established:  1880

Accreditation:  State of Oregon

Flandreau Indian School

Flandreau Indian School located in Flandreau, South Dakota has been educating Indigenous youth for over 140 years. Originally established in 1875, Flandreau Indian School built its high school educational program upon holistic and comprehensive support services. A full-time Nurse on Campus, Chaplaincy Program, and a Native Spirituality Program are some of the services designed to support students throughout their educational journey. Students will find a variety of activities for spending and enjoying their time on campus with fellow classmates. This 450-acre campus includes a gymnasium, weight training facility, outdoor cross-country course, honor dorms, study centers with computers, and dining areas. Every student will be assigned an Academic Counselor who will remain dedicated for their entire high school career.    

While attending Flandreau residential school, students are provided a culturally resonant and culturally sensitive curriculum and extracurricular activity that informs their physical, social, and emotional development. Flandreau Indian School’s athletic program offers opportunities for the athletes of Boys and Girls and Junior Varsity and Varsity levels. The sports program provides many excellent opportunities for student-athletes to develop friendships, leadership skills, and work ethics. Basketball, cross-country, track and field, wrestling, golf, volleyball, and cheerleading, are a few of the sports that Flandreau Indians use to build community, accentuate holistic education, develop leadership skills, and embrace academic excellence.

Grades:  9-12 

Year Established:  1893

Accreditation:  State of South Dakota

Riverside Indian School

Riverside Indian School, accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, is serving the academic, social, and emotional needs of a diverse student body (approximately 800 students). This unique residential school promotes cultural preservation, high academic achievement, and personal growth among its student population, which includes grades 4th – 12th. Riverside campus’s recently renovated and upgraded facilities will accommodate every age group of the student body. Students will comfortably share dorm, recreation, study, and living facilities while in residence. With a diverse range of educational programs and support services like Counseling Technicians on Campus, Telepsychiatry, and Indian Health Services, all students can receive the necessary emotional, mental, and physical assistance they might need. Riverside Indian School offers a rigorous academic program designed to prepare Native adolescent scholars for high school, college, and beyond.

Riverside Indian School offers students excellent opportunities to grow, build, create, and play together. This educational journey involves a primary focus on academic achievement and engagement, while keeping a critical eye on the journey outside of the classroom. Riverside’s extracurricular activities continue developing students’ mental, social, and emotional well-being, and are key to creating future leaders. Also, student-athletes will have plenty of opportunities to compete on Junior Varsity and Varsity athletic team sports, such as basketball, volleyball, track and field, softball, and more.

Grades:  4-12 

Year Established:  1871

Accreditation:  Oklahoma State Dept of Education

Sherman Indian High School

Sherman Indian High School was originally opened in 1892 as Perris Indian School in Perris, California. The school was relocated to Riverside, California in 1903 and renamed the Sherman Institute. That name would remain until 1971 when the school was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, and it became Sherman Indian High School. Sherman Indian High School serves as a college preparatory institution providing a comprehensive education that emphasizes academic excellence, cultural awareness, and personal growth.

Sherman Indian High School is committed to preparing students for life beyond high school by offering robust college prep programming that includes Advanced Placement courses, AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), Dual Enrollment with Riverside Community College, and much more.

Support services include college counseling, financial aid workshops, as well as elective courses in art, music, and physical education. Students from over 100 tribes across the United States attend Sherman Indian High School, making it a diverse yet inclusive learning community. In addition to academic classes, students also participate in cultural activities such as powwows, traditional dance, and language classes, which help them to connect with their heritage, new friends, and promote cultural awareness.

Grades:  9-12 

Year Established:  1892

Accreditation:  WASC through 2028