Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. called for the renewal of the tribal-state car tag compact on Tuesday as the Cherokee Nation distributes record funding to more than 100 school districts in Northeast Oklahoma.

The $7.9 million distribution was part of the tribe’s annual Public School Appreciation Day event at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa.

The tribe allocates 38% of its annual revenue collected from the sale of tribal car tags through the tribal-state car tag compact directly to education.

This year’s distribution will mark the largest total annual amount provided to school districts since the Cherokee Nation began its annual contributions in 2002.

The money allocated to school districts is based on the number of Cherokee Nation citizens that have enrolled; however, the funding benefits all students in each school district.

Each school district makes the decision on how to use the funding provided by the Cherokee Nation. Washington County schools received $354,000, Nowata County schools received $103,000 and Rogers County schools received $844,000.