Chapter 6: Indigenous Education in South Dakota: The History and Development of Native Knowledge and Practices in the Classroom

Over the past decade, American Indian education efforts in South Dakota have taken steadfast steps forward. Prior to 2012, numerous generations of Native and non-Native South Dakotans received an education which largely did not include Native American history or culture. With the passage of the 2007 Indian Education Act and the collaboration of numerous educators across the state, the development of the Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings (OSEU) is changing the way K–12 students and their teachers think and learn about American Indian culture and history. This essay sets out to explore the beginnings of Indian education in South Dakota and the development of the OSEU and the educational models developed following its inception.