American Indian Studies Requirement for Teacher Education Majors (Act 31)

Students in teacher education programs are required to have instruction in the history, culture and tribal sovereignty of the federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands located in Wisconsin.

Description/History:

"In 1983, the people of Wisconsin were largely unprepared for the implications of the Voight Decision, the federal court decision which affirmed the reserved rights of the Lake Superior Bands of Chippewa. The curriculum in Wisconsin's public schools had included very little about the history, culture, or tribal sovereignty of the other federally-recognized tribes and bands in the state, and until recently, adequate instructional resources were largely unavailable. This lack of information led to a lack of understanding, and the societal problems which arose illustrated the need for accurate, authentic information about American Indians. In 1989, the Wisconsin State Legislature acted to address this situation by requiring all public schools to provide instruction about the histories, cultures, and tribal sovereignty of the federally-recognized tribes and bands in the state. These requirements were designed to provide Wisconsin's students with instruction in American Indian Studies because of its academic appropriateness and its potential to serve as a positive force with which to combat misunderstanding and social unrest."
-From the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction American Indian Studies Program web site

Resources and More Information:

American Indian Curricular Resources Office in the School of Education

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction American Indian Studies Program

MERIT Library's Resource Guide on Wisconsin Native Americans

How Teacher Education Programs Meet this Requirement:

Click Here (Choose program of interest, then "Rules and Statutes.")

Comments or Problems: easinfo@education.wisc.edu.
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