Changes to ethnic determination on school forms will include the collection of Tribal affiliation data, a step that will help Tribes increase services and increase enrollment accuracy of Native Americans, who are traditionally under-counted.
In a win for Michigan’s 12 federally recognized tribes, schools will now track the individual tribal affiliation of students, a move experts say is likely to triple the count of Native students and provide better feedback on their progress.
State lawmakers approved funding to ensure students in grades 8 through 12 develop a deeper understanding of the state’s 12 federally recognized tribes, tribal governance, the Trail of Tears and the history of abuse at federally funded boarding schools.
State Supt. Michael Rice is behind an effort to upgrade and diversify teaching materials relating to significant events and movements like the holocaust, civil rights, contributions by indigenous people and citizenship. It comes amid a national debate over race, books and lesson plans in U.S. schools.