Nawayee Center School

What Nawayee Center School does

Nawayee Center School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit alternative urban school located at 2421 Bloomington Ave. South in Minneapolis's Phillips neighborhood, founded approximately in 1980. It serves American Indian youth in grades 7-12, with an enrollment of approximately 56 students supported by a staff of 13. The school operates as an alternative public school within the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) system and delivers a culturally grounded curriculum centered on Indigenous knowledge, Dakota and Ojibwe language instruction, and traditional practices, drawing on more than four decades of accumulated organizational expertise.

Its core programmatic offerings include the Medicine Wheel Health Program (holistic wellness), an Experiential Learning Program, the Healthy Choices Program, the Children of the Seventh Fire Initiative, cultural classes, an Indigenous Garden, summer school, a Title I program, and McKinney-Vento Support Services for students experiencing housing instability. The school maintains active partnerships with the Native American Community Clinic, Minneapolis Indian Center, New Native Theater, Urban Boat Builders, Dream of Wild Health, University of Minnesota Raptor Center, Hawk Ridge Rescue Center, Outward Bound, and Owamni/NATIFS, and is a founding member of the Metropolitan Federation of Alternative Schools.

The school's business model is a nonprofit cost-recovery structure funded through three streams: per-pupil public school funding from Minneapolis Public Schools, federal Title I funding, and donations/grants. It does not charge tuition. Operational leadership rests with Executive Director Lisa Skjefte and Director of Education Rachel King, and the school has expanded into a Multi-Media Engagement Department (video news, podcasts, social media) and a paid internship program linked to classroom academic credit.

Name

Nawayee Center School

Legal name

Nawayee Center School

Website

https://centerschool.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nawayee Center School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit alternative school in Minneapolis serving approximately 56 American Indian students in grades 7-12 through culturally grounded curricula, funded by Minneapolis Public Schools, Title I, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alternative K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

akta.pro primary industry

Alternative Schools (Behavioral/Disciplinary & Nontraditional Settings) (EDAJAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Charter Indigenous/Culturally Focused & Community-Based Schools (EDAJACAM)

Keywords

• Alternative indigenous education
• Native American schooling
• Culturally grounded curriculum
• Experiential learning programs
• Holistic student wellness

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public School Funding: As part of Minneapolis Public Schools, the school receives public education funding. Accredited junior and senior high school classes provide recognized academic credits.
2. Donations and Grants: Nawayee Center School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that accepts donations through GiveMN.org and welcomes volunteers. The school also receives funding from various grant sources.
3. Title I Funding: The school participates in Title I programs providing additional federal funding for schools with high concentrations of students from low-income families.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Nawayee Center School is a public alternative school within Minneapolis Public Schools serving American Indian youth in grades 7-12 (ages 12-19). It delivers accredited junior and senior high school education integrated with Indigenous cultural programming, holistic wellness services, and adventure-based experiential learning at no tuition to students.

Product overview

Nawayee Center School is an alternative urban school serving American Indian youth in grades 7-12, offering a unified educational program grounded in Indigenous life-ways. The core offering integrates accredited academics with cultural programs including the Medicine Wheel Health Program for holistic wellness, Experiential Learning Program with adventure activities and internships, Healthy Choices Program for nutrition and fitness, and Children of the Seventh Fire Initiative for gender-specific support. Cultural programming includes Dakota and Ojibwe language instruction, Beadwork, Drum Group, and Indigenous Leadership electives. The school also operates Title I support services, McKinney-Vento housing support, a Summer School Program, and an award-winning Indigenous Garden. All programs work together to provide transformative, student-centered education that nurtures cultural identity and personal growth.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Indigenous Education Program (Grades 7-12) Transformative, student-centered education serving American Indian youth in grades 7-12 rooted in Indigenous life-ways that nurtures cultural identity, personal growth, and a lifelong love of learning. Approximately 95% of students identify as American Indian.
• Medicine Wheel Health Program A holistic approach to wellness addressing Mental, Physical, Spiritual, and Emotional health through culturally contextualized services including counseling, therapy, academic support, housing and transportation support, Indigenous language instruction, and immersion in Indigenous plant wisdom.
• Experiential Learning Program Adventure-based programming including backpacking, canoeing, rock climbing, kayaking, and integrated field trips. Features an internship program offering paid internships linked to classroom credits for workforce preparation.
• Healthy Choices Program Integrated health program including screening and follow-up services, nutrition education and healthy meals, structured exercise programs (basketball, weight training, yoga, drumming, dancing), and health education focused on holistic wellness.
• Children of the Seventh Fire Initiative Gender-specific classes and activities designed to support the unique needs of young men and young women through culturally grounded programming.
• Cultural Classes and Electives Elective classes including Dakota and Ojibwe languages, Beadwork, Drum Group, Outfit Making, Indigenous Leadership, Cultural Arts, Indigenous Musical Traditions, and spiritual and oral tradition instruction.
• Summer School Program Hands-on learning centered on gardening, Indigenous plant wisdom, and outdoor education during summer months.
• Title I Program Federal Title I program providing additional academic support and resources for students, with family engagement components and school improvement initiatives.
• McKinney-Vento Support Services Support services for students experiencing housing instability, providing school stability, free meals, immediate enrollment, transportation, and connection to community resources.
• Indigenous Garden School garden program launched in 2006 engaging students in growing their own food, featuring a large student-designed and painted mural on the south wall. Has received awards from the National Garden Association and Minnesota State Horticultural Society.

Quantifiable outcome

• 48 out of 56 students regularly attending school as of September 2015
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Native American Community Clinic (NACC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNACC provides four health screenings per year in a health fair format, consultation services on data gathering and management, and speakers on health education issues. They also follow up with students showing high-risk indicators such as obesity or family history of diabetes.
• Minneapolis Indian CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner in the Medicine Wheel Health program working collaboratively to address the holistic needs of students and the larger school community.
• New Native TheatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing culturally contextualized programming and cultural experiences for students through the Medicine Wheel Health program.
• Urban Boat BuilderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization that guides students in canoe building projects. Students learn math and practical skills while constructing canoes under expert guidance.
• Dream of Wild HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in experiential learning program, providing students with opportunities related to Indigenous plant wisdom and outdoor education.
• University of Minnesota Raptor CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner providing students experiential learning opportunities through visits to learn about raptors and wildlife conservation.
• Hawk Ridge Rescue CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthern Minnesota partner for two-day expedition providing students with wildlife education and conservation experiences.
• Outward BoundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdventure-based learning partner providing climbing and expedition opportunities for students.
• Owamni/NATIFScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization providing healthy lunches to students through a contract, supporting the school's nutrition and health initiatives.
• Metropolitan Federation of Alternative SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCenter School is a founding member of this federation connecting alternative schools for resource sharing and advocacy.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS): MPS is the public school district within which Center School operates, providing the funding framework and referral channel. It is a much larger, broader institution, but the parent system that defines Center School's enrollment dynamics and funding streams.

Regional players

• Heart of the Earth Center: Heart of the Earth was a historic Native American survival/alternative school in Minneapolis serving Indigenous youth with cultural curriculum. Although it no longer operates, its legacy and alumni network remain closely aligned with Center School's mission and community.
• Sherman Indian High School: Sherman Indian High School is a Bureau of Indian Education off-reservation boarding high school in Riverside, CA. Like Center School, it serves American Indian high-school students with culturally responsive programming, though it operates nationally rather than in the Twin Cities.

Direct peers

• Red Cloud Indian School: Red Cloud is a Lakota Catholic school system on Pine Ridge Reservation, SD, serving K-12 through a culturally grounded education combining Lakota language and tradition with academics. Directly comparable in mission to deliver culturally contextualized education to Native American youth.
• Anishinabe Academy: Anishinabe Academy is a Minneapolis Public Schools alternative school serving Native American middle-school students with a similar cultural-pedagogy focus. It is one of the few alternative schools in MPS that competes for the same Indigenous student population in the Twin Cities.
• Native American Community Academy (NACA): NACA is an Indigenous-focused charter school in Albuquerque, NM serving grades K-12 with a culturally rooted curriculum. Like Center School, it integrates Native language, culture, and wellness into accredited academics and serves a predominantly American Indian student body.

Others

• Dream of Wild Health: Dream of Wild Health is a Minneapolis-based Indigenous nonprofit farm and education program currently partnering with Center School. It is an ecosystem peer providing Indigenous plant wisdom programming that complements the school's curriculum and grows the Indigenous youth pipeline.
• MIGIZI Communications: MIGIZI is a Minneapolis-based Native American youth-serving nonprofit (after rebuilding from a 2021 fire) that historically offered cultural and media programming for Indigenous youth. It is an ecosystem peer addressing the same urban Native youth population Center School serves.
• Native American Community Clinic (NACC): NACC is a Minneapolis Native American health clinic and a core partner in Center School's Medicine Wheel Health Program. It provides on-site health screenings and counseling that integrate with the school's wellness offerings.
• National Indian Education Association (NIEA): NIEA is the leading advocacy organization for Native American education in the U.S. It is an ecosystem peer providing policy and funding intelligence relevant to Center School's mission and serving the same Native student population nationally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/nawayee
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/nawayee-center-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nawayee Center School