Editing Qualla Boundary (section)

==Education==
{{also|Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Educational Policies}}
From 1890 to 1954, the U.S. Indian Service (later renamed the Bureau of Indian Affairs) operated the Cherokee Boarding Schools in Cherokee. It replaced these with elementary day schools, located closer to students' homes in Big Cove, Soco, Birdtown, and Snowbird. In 1962 all elementary day schools were consolidated into Central Elementary School in Cherokee. 

In 1975, [[Cherokee High School (North Carolina)|Cherokee High School]] was opened with grades seven through twelve. In 1990 Cherokee Central Schools became a tribally operated school district, under a grant from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, with students assigned from Big Cove, Birdtown, Painttown, Wolftown, and Yellowhill communities.<ref name=History_CCS>{{cite web |url=https://www.ccs-nc.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=373900&type=d&pREC_ID=851868 |title=History of Cherokee Central Schools |publisher=Cherokee Central Schools |access-date=August 1, 2021}}</ref><ref name=SwainSDmap>{{cite map |author=US Census Bureau, Geography Division |date=January 8, 2021 |title=2020 Census - School District Reference Map: Swain County, NC |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st37_nc/schooldistrict_maps/c37173_swain/DC20SD_C37173.pdf |format=PDF |edition=2020 Census |location=Suitland, MD |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=July 18, 2021}}</ref><ref name=JacksonSDmap>{{cite map |author=US Census Bureau, Geography Division |date=January 8, 2021 |title=2020 Census - School District Reference Map: Jackson County, NC |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st37_nc/schooldistrict_maps/c37099_jackson/DC20SD_C37099.pdf |format=PDF |edition=2020 Census |location=Suitland, MD |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=July 18, 2021}}</ref> In 1996, the school district established the Kituwah curriculum for kindergarten through sixth grade, which incorporates the [[Cherokee language]].<ref name="History_CCS" /> Prior to this, the schools operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs allowed only English to be used.<ref>{{cite news|last=Parris|first=John|title=Boys Club provides independence|newspaper=[[Asheville Citizen-Times]]|location=[[Asheville, North Carolina]]|date=1996-10-30|page=B1}} - [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81782820/for-cherokee-central-schools/ Clipping] from [[Newspapers.com]].</ref> In 2004, the EBCI established the [[New Kituwah Academy]], a [[private school|private]] bilingual Cherokee-English language [[immersion school]] for Cherokee students in kindergarten through sixth grade, located in the Yellowhill community.<ref>{{cite web |title=KPEP and Kituwah |url=https://ebci.com/services/departments/department-of-education/kpep-and-kituwah/ |website=Eastern Band of Cherokee |access-date=February 28, 2019}}</ref>

In 1975 [[Western Carolina University]] opened its Cherokee Center in cooperation with the EBCI, which is the headquarters for outreach and involvement between residents in the Qualla Boundary and outside surrounding communities. It provides services including application process, transcript request, scholarships, internships placement, high school recruitment, as well as college level courses.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wcu.edu/engage/cherokee-center/index.aspx |title=Cherokee Center |publisher=[[Western Carolina University]] |access-date=August 1, 2021}}</ref> The Cherokee Center is supported by an advisory board composed of representatives from the EBCI and Western Carolina University.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wcu.edu/engage/cherokee-center/advisory-board.aspx |title=Cherokee Center Advisory Board |publisher=Western Carolina University |access-date=August 1, 2021}}</ref>