Indigenous Education for All: Needs Assessment Survey

Starting on July 1 of this year, Minnesota academic standards began to require teaching and learning about the rich cultural heritage and contemporary contributions of the Ojibwe and Dakota people. The required academic standards include the contributions of Tribal Nations and Urban Indigenous Communities in an effort – known as Indigenous Education for All (IEFA) – that serves students in grades K-12. 

The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) wants to find out what our district needs to meet these standards – and you can help. MDE has created a survey to gather feedback from current and former students, parents, educators, community leaders and elders, and other residents of Minnesota.

The survey results will help MDE understand current practices and needs within our Rdale communities. Please share the survey link with others you think would like to respond. This survey closes September 22, 2023.

IEFA is intended to help all students in Minnesota, as well as their teachers and school administrators, better understand their Indigenous peers. The curriculum will eventually include resources specific to the cultural heritage and contemporary contributions of American Indians, with an emphasis on the eleven Tribal Nations with whom we Minnesotans have geography in common. 

Curricular resources could include different materials detailing American Indian experiences in Minnesota: Tribal histories, Indigenous languages, sovereignty issues, cultures, treaty rights, governments, socioeconomic experiences, contemporary issues and current events.