More Than a Moment: How We’re Indigenizing Literacy to Close the Opportunity Gap

In the hallways of St. Paul Public Schools (SPPS), we often talk about “mirrors and windows” Emily Style (1988) – the idea that every student deserves to see themselves reflected in their learning and to look out onto the diverse world around them. For our American Indian students, however, those mirrors have historically been missing or distorted.

To change this, we launched the Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) Indigenous Campaign. This isn’t just a celebration for Native American Heritage Month; it is a fundamental shift in how we approach literacy, identity, and academic excellence for the Indigenous people of this land of Minnesota. Our first step was utilizing the Native American Lives Series books and starting a literacy project at the American Indian Magnet School in St. Paul Minnesota.

The Vision: Fighting the Opportunity Gap with Strength and Pride

Our goal is clear: we are fighting the persistent opportunity gap for our American Indian students, specifically in literacy. Currently, data shows that this student group often faces the lowest proficiency rates statewide. But we believe the solution isn’t just “more reading”—it’s relevant reading.

By providing our students with resources that show the strength, pride, and massive contributions of Dakota and Anishinaabe people, we help them feel seen. When students see their own culture treated as a source of academic rigor rather than a historical footnote, engagement soars. We aren’t just teaching them to read; we are showing them that their heritage is a vital part of our district’s strength.

Beyond the “Add-On”: Literacy as Survival and Sovereignty

For too long, Indigenous history was treated as a “one-time event” or an “add-on” to the curriculum. The DEAR Indigenous campaign aims to permanently embed these perspectives into the very fabric of our academic day.

This work is grounded in the “Why.” St. Paul sits on the ancestral homelands of the Dakota people. To understand the place we live, all students must understand its original inhabitants. Furthermore, we recognize the history of the Boarding School Era and the intentional erasure of Indigenous identity. In this context, literacy is a tool for survival, adaptation, and the protection of tribal sovereignty.

Putting Books in Hands: The Middle School Pilot

One of the most exciting parts of this campaign is our Literacy Pilot at the American Indian Magnet Middle School. We know that text ownership is a powerful driver of engagement. Through partnerships with the Minnesota Humanities Center and the Office of American Indian Education, we ensured that 100% of participating students received their own personal copies of the Native American Lives series.

These aren’t just stories; they are complex, non-fiction texts that align with state standards for “Writing to Inform”. Students aren’t just reading—they are:

• Analyzing how author identity and perspective influence a text.
• Synthesizing information from multiple Indigenous sources to build arguments.
• Mastering domain-specific vocabulary, including local terms like Boozhoo (Ojibwe) and Mitakuye Oyasin (Dakota).

A Framework for Critical Thinking

We are also “indigenizing” our classrooms through the “Three Big Questions” framework. We paired the framework with traditional indigenous pedagogy using the oral tradition and using circles in our work. Students engage with these questions through talking circles, honoring the oral traditions of the Dakota and Anishinaabe. We ask our students:

1. What surprised you? (Identifying new perspectives)
2. What did the author think you already knew? (Highlighting knowledge gaps)
3. What changed, challenged, or confirmed your thinking? (Personal reflection)

This approach moves beyond passive reading. It empowers students to challenge old narratives and recognize the ongoing excellence of Native Nations in Minnesota today.

Looking Forward: “Just What We Do”

While the DEAR Indigenous campaign is a catalyst, our ultimate goal is for this to become “just what we do” in SPPS. We are building a “Year-Round Resource Roadmap” so that every librarian has a toolkit and every student has a mirror.

We invite our entire community—teachers, librarians, and families—to join us. Whether it’s through curated book displays, integrated lesson plans, or simply taking the time to “Drop Everything and Read,” we are honoring the legacy of this land and the bright future of our students. Using the Native American Lives Series books could be the catalyst to bring everything together.

Education is the weapon our people need to protect our land and our future. Through the DEAR Indigenous campaign, we are making sure our students are well-armed for the journey ahead.