South Dakota
Survey says nearly two-thirds of SD educators use Indigenous standards • South Dakota Searchlight
Survey results indicate nearly two-thirds of South Dakota public school educators are teaching the Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings, but the number of respondents is lower than the last survey.
The essential understandings are a set of standards approved in 2018 for teaching students about Native American culture and history. “Oceti Sakowin” is the collective term for Lakota, Dakota and Nakota speaking Native Americans, many of whom live in South Dakota. There are nine tribal nations within the state.
About 62% of teachers are using the standards, based on a survey conducted by the state Department of Education in 2023 — a “remarkable increase” from 45% in 2021, said Fred Osborn, director of the Office of Indian Education, which is under the supervision of the state Department of Tribal Relations. He presented the survey results to the Indian Education Advisory Council earlier this month.
Use of the standards is optional. The survey is used to understand how the standards are being implemented, and to help state officials encourage statewide adoption.
“The key is there’s improvement,” Osborn said. “It’s not perfect yet. There’s still work to be done, but we’ve come a long way from 45% of teachers. We hope that increases every year.”
Osborn added that the Office of Indian Education provided 10,000 copies of books on the Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings through a Bush Foundation grant since the first survey, and sent out education packets for all grade levels last fall.
Fewer survey responses
Only about 385 educators took part in the 2023 survey, compared to 554 in 2021.
The 2023 survey also does not list how many public school districts were represented in the survey, whereas 2021’s survey had responses from 125 of the state’s 149 school districts. The school district identification question was changed between 2021 and 2023, said department spokesperson Nancy Van Der Weide. The department does not have any data to determine how many school districts were represented in the latest survey.
Removing the school district identification question allowed participants more anonymity, Van Der Weide told South Dakota Searchlight.
Navajo leaders outraged after a Lakota student’s tribal regalia was removed at graduation
Neither Osborn nor any members of the council addressed the potential impact of fewer responses on the validity of the survey results. The survey was voluntary and available for one month, Van Der Weide said, with a notice placed in a newsletter sent to teachers throughout the state.
“Those educators who did respond provided informed recommendations,” Van Der Weide said in an emailed statement. “Some of those were educators who already incorporate a lot of OSEUs in their classrooms, while others were those who wanted to make them a part of their instruction and responded with ideas for tools that would help them to incorporate the standards into their classrooms.”
Advisory council member Sherry Johnson, tribal education director for the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, helped shaped the standards and is participating in the standards update. She doubts the survey is an accurate representation of how the standards are being used in the state.
“We have pockets of the state that are doing well, but it’s not pervasive. It’s not required,” Johnson said. “If nothing else, there should be direct teacher training and a mandate to have this Indian education for all.”
Megan Deal, a second-grade teacher in Pierre and a member of the advisory council, said her school participated in a pilot program to help create lesson plans for standards at each grade level, but not all teachers incorporated the teachings into their classrooms.
“I don’t think they’re being taught at very many schools around the state at this time,” Deal said.
Council member Brian Wagner, tribal education director with the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, said he is concerned about the lack of “teeth” with the standards. Lawmakers have introduced bills to require use of the Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings in classrooms, but those efforts have failed in the Legislature.
“Knowledge is power,” Wagner said. “If people don’t learn about history, then we risk repeating it, and unfortunately the history repeating would be the racism and the discrimination that many tribal members have experienced because people don’t understand tribal sovereignty or the treaties and the treaty rights.”
Impact expected from social studies standards
Though the standards are optional, said Secretary of South Dakota Department of Education Joseph Graves, the new social studies standards that will be implemented by 2025 will include references to the Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings. Those will encourage more teachers to use the cultural standards, he said.
“We’re going to find more Native American history and culture being taught in the schools than ever before,” Graves said. “This is actually a move forward, not a move back. I think the social studies standards have gotten an unfair black eye, and I think once you see these in place you’ll find we’re teaching more of it rather than less and, I think, from an enlightened perspective.”
States were adding lessons about Native American history. Then came the anti-CRT movement
The social studies standards controversy started in 2021 because the department removed more than a dozen references to the Oceti Sakowin from a committee’s draft revision of social studies standards. After Gov. Kristi Noem formed a new work group and ordered the process to start over, the group produced standards that drew criticism for an emphasis on rote memorization over inquiry-based learning.
Graves added that the department plans to provide teachers with weekly materials to help them utilize the social studies standards and encourage them to use the Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings.
According to the 2023 survey results, about 84% of educators said they were aware of the standards, and 77% said it is important to implement the standards in every classroom. Only 55% of teachers said they knew the concepts well enough to teach them, but that was an 18 point increase from 2021.
Nearly 40 administrators took part in their administrator survey in 2023, compared to 164 in 2021. The 2023 survey does not list how many public school districts were represented in the administrator survey.
Nearly 80% of administrators said it’s important to implement the standards in every classroom, but two-thirds of administrators indicated a lack of confidence to implement the standards in their schools, while 56% reported an uncertainty about how to integrate the standards and 44% cited a concern for the appropriateness of the content — an increase of 28 points from the 2021 survey.
The survey does not address how using the standards affects Native American student achievement, but Osborn said it would be “interesting to cross analyze” that.
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
South Dakota
America’s Biggest Petrified Park Has Otherworldly Vibes Next To South Dakota’s Cowboy Capital – Islands
On the prowl for the most unique roadside stops across America? Then buckle up and cruise on over to Lemmon — aka, the “cowboy capital” of South Dakota. There, right off U.S. Highway 12, you’ll find an otherworldly roadside oddity known as the Lemmon Petrified Wood Park & Museum. The peculiar park is the largest of its kind, taking up an entire block in the heart of the town’s downtown area. “It’s touted as the ‘Biggest Petrified Wood Park’ in the world which makes me wonder how many there are,” one past visitor wrote in a Tripadvisor review. “My guess is the Lemmon one is the only one and that it’s an inside joke. Go see it.”
This outdoor gem was the brainchild of a local amateur geologist named Ole Sever Quammen, Roadside America reports. As the park’s name suggests, it was created using thousands of tons of petrified wood, which is the fossilized remains of trees, as well as bits of boulders and dinosaur bones. “The petrified wood that was used in this park is just stunning,” another park-goer shared on Tripadvisor. “It all came from the fields surrounding the town and they put their creative genes to work. Plus, they have a display of rocks that have [dinosaur] claw marks in them. A very interesting park and worth a bit of your time to walk around.”
Opened in the early 1930s, the park was eventually donated to the town in the 1950s, where it still stands for all to enjoy today. You can freely stroll the grounds throughout the year. However, the on-site museum and gift shop are only open in the summer from Memorial Day to Labor Day during the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
See fossilized wood sculptures and more on display
Teeming with whimsy and wonder, this nook of the artsy, off-the-beaten-path town of Lemmon is definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area. Meander among the 100 or so unique petrified wood sculptures and other attractions scattered across the park. There’s certainly plenty to see, from a stunning waterfall fountain and wishing well to an imposing castle-like structure bedecked with dinosaur bones and lofty spires — some of which tower 20 feet above the ground.
If you visit in season, be sure to check out the indoor exhibits, too. The Petrified Wood Park & Museum doesn’t charge an admission fee, at the time of writing, making it one of the best free museums in America for a family day trip. “This is a great place to learn about the history of the area,” reads a Tripadvisor review. “The docents in the museum and gift shop are gems! There is a playground and public restrooms on the adjacent block, making this a nice place to stop for a break on a long drive.”
As if this place could get any cooler, you can even donate various artifacts and other historic relics to the park’s collection, though there’s no guarantee that your item will be put on display. If you want to take a gander at more dinosaur fossils, be sure to stop by the Grand River Museum before leaving town. It’s less than half a mile away and boasts an array of exhibits about the early ranching days, the history of Native peoples, and much more.
South Dakota
November Commemorations Remind South Dakota of an Unsettling Truth: Toxic Exposure Still Impacts Veterans and Military Families
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – For the 14th consecutive season, SDSU is in the playoffs.
With a record of 8-4 they will host 8-4 New Hampshire.
A little over four weeks ago South Dakota State was undefeated.
On Saturday they snapped a 4 game losing streak.
The Jacks are happy to keep playing football.
Graham Goering, SDSU wide receiver said, “We’re just blessed for any opportunity we are given. I think having some losses, there’s really never a doubt there actually and I think just seeing our name on screen ignites a little fire for everyone on the team. So obviously just blessed and excited for new season.”
Head coach Dan Jackson said, “This team has been close and galvanized for a long time, but what I do think it does it breathes a little bit of new life in them and last four weeks have been pretty heavy for them because they have been giving us all they have while at the same time not getting results they wanted. For them to be able to take a deep breath and remember who they are, and remember we can win and win in big moments, I think we have a really confident team that feels amazing right now not only after that play but how they competed the entire game.”
SDSU hosts New Hampshire at noon at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.
Copyright 2025 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.
Former Minneapolis teacher and coach sentenced to life in prison for sexually assaulting children
Woman killed in Southside Indianapolis apartment shooting
Despite rain, Pirates, Steelers and Penguins shine during Thanksgiving food distribution
Augusta theatres to dim lights in honor of Scott Seidl
Bowser announces decision not to run for 4th term: The News4 Rundown
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
War on badges: House GOP targets anti-police rhetoric amid ICE attacks
How a study on hormonal contraception and breast cancer was distorted
U.S. plans to cut ties with Boy Scouts. And, Comey and James’ criminal cases dismissed
Read the Ruling Dismissing the Charges Against James Comey
Trump launches ‘Genesis Mission’ to supercharge US scientific AI innovation
-
Business1 week agoFire survivors can use this new portal to rebuild faster and save money
-
World1 week agoFrance and Germany support simplification push for digital rules
-
News1 week agoCourt documents shed light on Indiana shooting that sparked stand-your-ground debate
-
Science4 days agoWashington state resident dies of new H5N5 form of bird flu
-
World1 week agoSinclair Snaps Up 8% Stake in Scripps in Advance of Potential Merger
-
World1 week agoCalls for answers grow over Canada’s interrogation of Israel critic
-
Politics1 week agoDuckworth fires staffer who claimed to be attorney for detained illegal immigrant with criminal history
-
Business1 week ago
Amazon’s Zoox offers free robotaxi rides in San Francisco
