ISD 2142 approves Indigenous education plan

ViRGINiA- The St. Louis County School District is charting a new roadmap for improving educational outcomes for Indigenous students through language revitalization and consistent targeted support across the district's five schools. The 2026-29 Indigenous Education Strategic Direction for the district was shared with the 2142 school board during a meeting on Oct. 13.
The strategic direction was created by Dr. Luke Warnsholz, a member of the White Earth Nation and a Doctor of Business Administration, and Deanna Drift, the district's Indigenous education coordinator. It was developed to improve Ojibwe language instruction, address academic and disciplinary disparities, improve student attendance, and increase transparency in how Indigenous education programs are implemented and funded.
“A strategic plan is really to plant a seed on the direction that you and the organization or the department want to go,” Warnsholz said.
Language revitalization
Language revitalization is a priority for the district, according to the plan. Through a Minnesota Department of Education Native Language Revitalization grant, the district has funded language and culture teacher Stacy Palmer, who provides Anishinaabe instruction at multiple schools.
Because one teacher serves five schools, the district has invested in interactive video-conferencing equipment to connect classrooms and expand access to instruction.
The district has also purchased Rosetta Stone Ojibwe language software for students enrolled in Anishinaabe classes and is working with language educators, tribal partners and other organizations to develop an elementary-level curriculum, which is still being finalized.
Drift said the district is introducing basic vocabulary into elementary classrooms while longer-term curriculum development continues. Currently, the district relies on materials from Red Lake and the Minnesota Department of Education.
Warnsholz said early language instruction is important, particularly as fluent speakers age and pass away.
“Teaching kids when they're young in that pre-development phase is very important,” he said.
Addressing academic disparities
According to the Minnesota Department of Education's 2023 State of American Indian Education report, 22.8% of American Indian students are proficient in math and 32.4% in reading, compared with 54.3% in math and 59.4% in reading for white peers.
The report found that American Indian and Alaska Native students account for 5.8% of disciplinary actions despite making up 1.7% of the state's student population. Nearly one-third of Native students also reported experiencing race-based bullying in the previous 30 days.
The Minnesota Department of Education attributed these disparities to overlapping issues, including underfunded tribal and public school integration, a lack of culturally responsive curriculum and racism in schools.
The district's strategic plan aims to reduce these gaps through targeted student support.
District staff track attendance, grades and behavioral incidents to identify students who may need assistance. Warnsholz described a system using green, yellow and red indicators to help staff intervene before students fall significantly behind either in attendance or academics.
“Even on day two, hey, they have missed two days in a row. Maybe I should give a call to see what is going on. That's targeted support,” Warnsholz said.
Warnsholz said staff development is also important, particularly helping employees recognize students' emotional and academic needs and how circumstances outside school may affect students at school.
To help provide better support, the plan emphasizes the importance of accurate documentation. By 2027, the district hopes to achieve 100% accuracy in enrollment documentation for Indigenous students. It also calls for a verification system for federal Form 506, which documents eligibility for federally funded American Indian education programs.
Warnsholz said enrollment is important, but the real focus is on retaining students through graduation. He said family engagement, transportation and physical and mental health must be considered in regard to attendance issues.
Transportation remains a challenge for a district covering approximately 4,300 square miles across five schools and surrounding communities. Drift emphasized the importance of allowing students to attend events but that the district cannot realistically guarantee transportation for every after-school activity.
The district does provide transportation to some cultural events through state grant funding. Drift said the district hopes to expand transportation options through partnerships with tribal governments.
The plan also promotes restorative practices to address conflict and improve school relationships.
Warnsholz said restorative practices can complement disciplinary consequences by helping students repair relationships and move forward after conflict.
“Even if you have to get punitive discipline, you still need to restore it, repair it, so it doesn't happen again,” Warnsholz said.
Drift said she hopes more teachers will be able to attend restorative practice training sessions held by the Minnesota Department of Education. She said she will be attending the next training this November alongside multiple North Woods staff.
Communication and transparency
The strategic direction emphasizes collaboration among the district, families, tribal nations and state education officials.
Drift said the district works with its American Indian Parent Advisory Committee, which provides input on Indigenous education programming and state-funded initiatives. She meets monthly with the committee to review expenditures, explain budget allocations and answer questions.
The district also communicates with families through Infinite Campus, which allows parents to receive notifications by email or phone.
The district's federal Title VI programming includes a separate Indian Parent Committee and partnerships with other school districts. Drift said the district collaborates with Mt. Iron-Buhl and Ely through a Title VI consortium to host an annual graduation celebration honoring Indigenous students.
Warnsholz said the plan gives the district a shared framework for moving forward while leaving room for future adjustments.
“This is the playbook,” Warnsholz said. “You need a playbook to be a coach and you need a map to be the conductor, and this is the map to conduct the way to move forward.”