ABERDEEN - U.S. District Judge Charles Kornmann has signed an agreement between the Winner School District and American Indian students who said they were systematically and unfairly punished.

Backed by the American Civil Liberties Union, 10 students and their families sued the school district last year and received class action status on behalf of all Indians students in the district's middle school and high school.

The two sides reached agreement in June, and Kornmann now has approved it.

The settlement will result in several changes intended to improve the achievements of Indian students in the Winner School District. Kornmann will enforce the agreement for four years.

The district admitted no wrongdoing but said it agreed to the settlement to avoid further litigation. It must pay $100,000 to the ACLU for attorney's fees and costs.