Bill would fund statewide Native American history curriculum; tribes and educators back measure, some urge collaborative drafting

Representative Jamie Davis introduced House Bill 15‑36, which would appropriate $1,500,000 to the Department of Public Instruction to develop, refine and support implementation of a K–12 Native American history curriculum in partnership with tribal leaders and educators.

Davis said the 2019 law (Senate Bill 2304) that required Native American history to be included in K–12 instruction created a statutory obligation but not the resources for consistent, statewide implementation. "Without this, Senate Bill 2304 is simply a directive without the infrastructure to make it successful," Davis told the committee.

Multiple tribal leaders, educators and Indigenous program directors testified in favor. Robert Berthorst II, an enrolled Standing Rock Sioux Tribal member and former K–12 Native American studies teacher, said a funded, tribally‑informed curriculum will "empower both native and non‑native students" and support rural districts that lack resources. Lorraine Davis, a tribal‑community leader and educational program director, and others described successful examples from other states and urged the committee to fund statewide materials, teacher training and virtual resources for rural schools.

Witnesses emphasized that curriculum development should include tribal voices and elders. Rep. Davis and several witnesses described a collaborative process with tribal colleges and elders to create culturally accurate materials, virtual field trips and teacher professional development.

Opposition testimony focused on how the curriculum would be composed. Andrew Alexis Farvel said he supported earlier legislation requiring Native American education but opposed HB 15‑36 as written, arguing it could "politicize the curriculum" by putting tribal leaders in primary control of content without sufficient safeguards for historical accuracy and cross‑cultural perspectives. He urged further collaborative drafting and quality control.

DPI representatives said the department has previously created resources — including a "Teaching of Our Elders" website and the North Dakota Native American essential understandings — and that an updated package of curriculum guides is scheduled for dissemination in August 2025. DPI's Office of Indian and Multicultural Education and its annual North Dakota Indian Education Summit were cited as existing supports; DPI said the proposed appropriation would support statewide consistency, teacher training and materials access for smaller districts.

Committee members asked about past implementation since 2019 and whether tribes already had curriculum models; witnesses said tribal colleges and local programs have developed material, but not a single statewide curriculum, and noted that many districts currently teach Native history unevenly. The committee closed the hearing after extensive testimony and will consider language to ensure broad collaboration, documentation of sources and oversight.