By founding schools that teach in Native languages and center tribal history and beliefs, tribal language schools are taking education back into their own hands. But these standards are paternalistic, notes Harper, who says that fluent language teachers at Native schools are often trained outside of accredited teaching colleges, which don’t offer relevant Native language teaching programs. The schools have led the way for statewide and national policy change in Native language education. Four years later, in 1990, the passage of the Native American Language Act affirmed that Native American children across the nation have the right to be educated, express themselves, and be assessed in their tribal language. Since 2016, Native American language medium schools have been able to assess students in their language.