On July 13, 1991, the Cherokee Nation Language and Cultural Preservation Act was signed, providing for the promotion and preservation of Cherokee language, history and culture. The Act formally recognized that the survival of a people is dependent upon their capacity to preserve and protect their culture and language.

In 2001, ᏣᎳᎩ ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ (Tsalagi Tsunadeloquasdi) known as the Cherokee Immersion School was started as a Cherokee language preservation program with 26 students and four staff members.

Today, the school has grown to about 110 students in grades pre-K through 8th grade. The curriculum is Oklahoma Department of Education grade level standards, but the instruction is taught exclusively in the Cherokee language, both written and spoken. The Sequoyah syllabary is used for all print materials.

In 2010, the Cherokee Nation accepted the charter of Tsalagi Tsunadeloquasdi making it the first Oklahoma charter school for Cherokee language Immersion and to keep a high standard of curriculum.

The Immersion School continues to graduate second language Cherokee Speakers.

In 2021, construction began for the new Durbin Feeling Language Center which will be a state-of-the-art school for Immersion students in Tahlequah. Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner also announced expanding by opening a second Immersion School in Stilwell. It will open with 28 students in 2022.

To contact the Cherokee Immersion School call 918-207-4900.

Requirements

• The student must be a citizen of a federally recognized tribe.

• Application interview and packet

• Application packets must be complete, and copies of the following documents attached.

  • Copies of tribal citizenship card, birth certificate and social security card

  • Income verification for student’s household

  • Student’s immunization record

If a child has been identified as having special needs, additional information may be requested.

Because class sizes are limited, some applicants may be placed on a waiting list.

Resource Links

• Oklahoma State Department of Education Open Transfer Application – This is the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s approved version of the open transfer application.

• Parents' Guide to Student Transfers – This is an information page provided by the Oklahoma State Department of Education.

• Cherokee Immersion Charter School 2021 Report Card - The Oklahoma School Report Card shows how public schools across Oklahoma are serving students in a variety of areas and provides information on school performance for schools, families, and the community.