CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT (CEI)
Indigenizing Compassionate School Leadership (ICSL)
Project Support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Image Credit: Credit: Sac and Fox Nation Pow Wow (2025). Photos provided by the Association of American Indian Physicians, ‘We Belong’ 988 campaign.
The Center for Educational Improvement (CEI) is launching a new initiative, Indigenizing the Compassionate School Leadership Approach: Addressing Trauma, Substance Abuse, & Suicide Prevention for Native Students in Oklahoma (ICSL). This project will adapt CEI’s Compassionate School Leadership Academy to reflect Indigenous cultural values and healing traditions, with the goal of alleviating trauma and improving well-being among Native youth.
Beginning in February 2026, the Center for Educational Improvement (CEI) is advancing its Health Equity and DEI work through the Indigenizing Compassionate School Leadership (ICSL) initiative. This project supports Native youth in Oklahoma by addressing trauma, substance use, and suicide prevention through culturally responsive, community-informed approaches.
Melanie Johnson
Project Director
Melody Mann
Project Co-Director
​Overview
ICSL is implemented in partnership with the Sac and Fox Nation Black Hawk Health Center and Education Department. The initiative adapts CEI’s Compassionate School Leadership Academy (CSLA), originally developed with Yale University’s Program for Recovery and Community Health, to align with Indigenous values, traditions, and community priorities.
The project builds on CEI’s prior collaborations with the National Indian Education Association and Whole Child initiatives that engaged over 540 tribal representatives in listening sessions focused on improving outcomes for Native youth.
Approach
ICSL integrates CEI’s Heart Centered Learning framework with Indigenous knowledge and leadership to create a sustainable, trauma-informed model for schools and communities. The initiative emphasizes:
• Cultural alignment and community co-design
• Compassion-centered leadership practices
• Strengthening student voice, belonging, and resilience
CEI’s approach prioritizes partnership, consent, and respect for Indigenous knowledge systems, ensuring that implementation is guided by community leadership rather than imposed frameworks.
Implementation
Over the grant period, CEI and its partners will:
• Provide training for educators, health providers, and community leaders
• Develop culturally grounded leadership practices
• Support student-centered initiatives such as peer-led programs, healing circles, and substance use prevention
campaigns
All program components are informed by community participatory research and are open to stakeholder engagement.
Impact & Evaluation
The ICSL initiative aims to:
• Increase staff capacity to address trauma, substance use, and
suicide prevention
• Improve student well-being, engagement, and connection to culture
• Reduce substance use and suicide risk among Native youth
Ongoing evaluation will assess outcomes related to student well-being, school engagement, and behavioral health indicators.
Educators, community leaders, and partners are invited to get involved in the ICSL initiative and help advance culturally grounded, compassionate school leadership. To learn more or express interest in participating, please contact us at cei@edimprovement.org.