For this Profile in Practice, we hear from leaders, educators, and students at NISN – the Native American Community Academy (NACA) Inspired Schools Network. Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, NACA is a tuition-free public charter school serving students in elementary, middle, and high school (grades K-12).

NACA’s student body is diverse, with many cultural and ethnic backgrounds represented. Beginning in 2005, NACA was designed in collaboration with 150 community members to establish a school that reflects their values and priorities, including personal wellness, cultural identity, and academic preparation. As interest in replicating NACA’s model grew, NISN was formed. NISN supports leaders in Indigenous communities to develop a network of schools providing rigorous academic curriculum aimed at college preparation while also promoting Indigenous culture, identity, and community investment.

This Profile in Practice was filmed during NISN’s 2023 Native Literature Symposium, which is one of many examples of how this network of schools co-designs with the individuals most impacted at the table while also seeking to affirm the cultural identities of the individuals the schools serve.

In this Profile in Practice, we hear from Anpao Duta Flying Earth (Lakota, Dakota, Ojibwe, Akimel O’odham), Executive Director of NISN and Co-Founder of NACA, about the origins of NISN and how they privileged a process with community involvement to scale their model. We also hear from Valerie Kie (Laguna Pueblo), Senior Director of Leadership Development at NISN, and Josh Krause, Senior Director of Student Experience at NISN, about how they work to tap into the genius within communities. Finally, we hear from students and graduates about what NACA has meant to them.