In 2017, the Oregon Legislature enacted Senate Bill (SB) 13, now known as Tribal History/Shared History. This law directed the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to create K-12 Native American Curriculum for inclusion in Oregon public schools. Lesson plans and professional development were created in partnership with the ODE and the nine federally recognized tribes in Oregon that focused on the Essential Understandings of Native Americans in Oregon. These essential understandings serve as an introduction to past and current presence, sovereignty, history, tribal governance, identity, lifeways, language, treaties with the United States, and genocide, federal policy and laws. 

Since 2021, more than 80 educators in David Douglas have participated in meaningful professional learning around the Essential Understandings. Educator’s reported this as deep, transformational learning:

“The training was extremely informative, and after finishing, I feel more excited and inspired to not only try these lessons, but to really incorporate this instruction and truly better and more completely serve our Native American students and all of our students. The learning provided a background and context not only for the lessons, but helped highlight my own lack of knowledge. As teachers committed to closing all gaps in achievement, this training was a valuable first step as we commit to building more complete and accurate curricula for our students.” -Workgroup Participant 

“I opened my eyes to lots of concepts we’ve been taught in our own school experiences and helped me to reframe my understanding of Native Americans as being current and present.  Lots of textbooks & curriculum make it seems as though Native Americans are no longer active participants in society, yet this is completely not true.  In fact, I learned a lot about how Native American peoples have been, still are, and forever will be an integral part of this nation.” -Workgroup Participant 

Lessons can be found on ODE’s Tribal History/Shared History website. 
Educators also have access to place-based curriculum from several of the nine federally recognized tribes in Oregon.