Bill Overview
Title: Native Histories and Cultures Education Act of 2022
Description: This bill directs the National Museum of the American Indian to develop a nationally focused curriculum on Native histories and cultures. The museum must also award grants to partnerships of state educational agencies and Indian tribes, tribal organizations, or Native Hawaiian education organizations to (1) use the curriculum to develop and plan Native histories and cultures education programs that are locally and regionally specific, and (2) implement these programs in elementary and secondary schools.
Sponsors: Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]
Target Audience
Population: Students in U.S. Elementary and Secondary Schools
Estimated Size: 49400000
- The bill aims to integrate Native histories and cultures into the curricula of elementary and secondary schools across the United States.
- The target population includes students in U.S. elementary and secondary schools who will learn from this new curriculum.
- There are approximately 49.4 million students enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools in the United States.
- In addition to students, teachers and educational administrators will also be affected as they will implement these new curricula.
- The Native American population and their tribes will be impacted as their cultures and histories will be more broadly taught and potentially better appreciated.
Reasoning
- The policy focuses on educational institutions, thus impacting students, teachers, and educational administrators directly engaged in the curriculum implementation.
- Students, especially those from Native American and Hawaiian backgrounds, could experience a boost in self-worth and pride as their cultures are more comprehensively understood and appreciated.
- Teachers and staff will need resources and training, affecting their workload and perspectives on cultural education.
- People with limited connections to Native cultures might not experience direct changes, but there could be an indirect increase in cultural awareness and diversity appreciation long term.
- The policy's financial limits mandate careful prioritization of regions and partnerships to maximize cultural and educational impacts broadly.
- A range of demographic interviews can help us understand various societal perspectives and real impacts.
Simulated Interviews
High School Student (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 16 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think learning more about Native cultures will be amazing. It might help others to understand our customs better.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Middle School History Teacher (Spokane, WA)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Incorporating Native histories into my curriculum would provide students with a more balanced historical perspective.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
High School Student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 17 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It sounds interesting, but I don't know how much it will affect me personally.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
State Education Administrator (Albuquerque, NM)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Finally having this curriculum implemented is a huge step forward for accurate cultural representation in education.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Elementary School Teacher (Honolulu, HI)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our kids will have a great opportunity to learn how diverse cultures contributed to our state history and identity.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 10 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Graduate Student in Education Policy (New York, NY)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policies like these are essential for diversity and inclusion in education systems at all levels.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
School Principal (Chicago, IL)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Implementing these programs will help our diverse student body appreciate one another's histories.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Elementary School Student (Santa Fe, NM)
Age: 11 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 9.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I want to learn more stories from my ancestors at school.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Parent of School Student (Miami, FL)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's important for all children to understand and respect each other's backgrounds.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Cultural Engagement Coordinator (Seattle, WA)
Age: 33 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 1/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy complements our community efforts to promote cultural heritage preservation and education.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 10 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 2: $55000000 (Low: $45000000, High: $65000000)
Year 3: $60000000 (Low: $50000000, High: $70000000)
Year 5: $65000000 (Low: $55000000, High: $75000000)
Year 10: $70000000 (Low: $60000000, High: $80000000)
Year 100: $75000000 (Low: $65000000, High: $85000000)
Key Considerations
- Cultural sensitivity and accuracy in developing the curriculum are critical.
- Effective partnerships with tribal organizations are essential for successful program implementation.
- Potential resistance from regions less supportive of Native histories integration in education.
- The scalability of the program depends on continuous funding and support.