Education has been called the “new buffalo” for its potential to contribute to the economic, social, and political well-being of Indigenous peoples in Canada (Stonechild, 2006). Despite gains in education among Aboriginal peoples in Canada, there continues to be gaps in educational attainment. This editors' introduction explores some of the realities underlying educational trends among Indigenous peoples in order to set the stage for the articles in this special edition of the International Indigenous Policy Journal examining educational pathways among Indigenous learners.