Two years ago, her path was finally cleared thanks to a Nevada program that allows certain Native American students to attend college virtually for free. While Native American students’ graduation rate reached 75 percent in 2025, it’s still 10 percentage points under the statewide rate. But while the number of waiver recipients has grown, the number of Native American college students in Nevada hasn’t moved much. Oceguera said paying those extra costs can be difficult for Native American students coming from rural, low-income households. Oceguera said the waiver’s return on investment — improving Native American students’ lives — outweighs its costs.