Research

“Restoring Our Place: An analysis of Native American resources used in Minnesota’s classrooms,” examines what curricular resources and professional development programs are used in the state’s elementary and secondary schools, which ones should be shared more broadly, what gaps or inadequacies exist among those resources, and the most pressing needs for new resources.

The report was commissioned by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community as a research project of Understand Native Minnesota, its philanthropic campaign to improve the narrative about Native Americans in Minnesota’s K-12 education system.

This report is the first resource scan of its kind ever attempted in the state and aims to serve as a reference point for future discussions about how Indigenous content can be accurately and appropriately taught in Minnesota. It is authored by Odia Wood-Krueger, a member of the Métis nation who has worked in Indian education for nearly 20 years.