2007 Session Laws Chapter 82

ENTITLED, An Act to provide for an Office of Indian Education and an Indian Education Advisory Council and to establish certain provisions to enhance Indian education in the state.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA:

Section 1. The Office of Indian Education is hereby established within the Department of Education. The Office of Indian Education shall support initiatives in order that South Dakota's students and public school instructional staff become aware of and gain an appreciation of South Dakota's unique American Indian culture. The secretary of the Department of Education shall appoint an Indian Education Advisory Council. The council shall consist of representatives of all nine tribes in South Dakota along with Native American educators from all parts of the state. The nine representatives of the tribes shall be appointed from nominations submitted by the tribal councils of each of the tribes. The council members shall serve for three-year terms.

Section 2. All teachers new to the profession, from out-of-state, or certified after 1993 shall complete a three-hour course in South Dakota Indian studies. The course shall include components specific to:

(4) Implementation and strategies of Indian learning styles, curriculum development and authentic assessment.

Section 3. The Department of Education, in cooperation with the Indian Education Advisory Council created in section 1 of this Act, shall develop course content for curriculum and coursework in South Dakota American Indian history and culture.

Section 4. The South Dakota American Indian language revitalization program is hereby established. The Office of Indian Education shall develop a pilot program to offer instruction in the Lakota language to educators of South Dakota American Indian students. The pilot program may be extended to offer instruction in the Lakota language directly to South Dakota American Indian students. The Office of Indian Education shall provide a report on the status of the development and implementation of the South Dakota American Indian language revitalization program to the 2008 Legislature.

Section 5. The Board of Education may promulgate rules pursuant to chapter 1-26 to provide for curriculum and coursework in South Dakota American Indian history and culture.