2025-2026 california indian Education Resource Guide

25-26 California Indian Education Resource Guide provides an overview of SDCOE American Indian Education projects, networking opportunities, and grants that are supporting in collaboration with tribal leaders and educators.The professional learning (PL) opportunities offered in this catalog are designed specifically to ensure local education agencies (LEAs - school/districts and charter schools) can establish, expand and refine successful American Indian Education learning programs in collaboration with tribal governments, AI/AN students and families,
and tribal community members.

2025-2026 California Indian Education for All Calendar of Events

The SDCOE and CIEFA invite PK-12 educators, administrators, Title VI committee members, Tribal Education staff, college/university faculty, school board members, and tribal community members to attend events on our 25-26 CIEFA calendar. Presenters and participants will share resources and programs related to American Indian Education, place-based learning, CA Native American Studies model curriculum, culturally responsive literacy, Native Youth Leadership, Native family and tribal community engagement, and improvement strategies to facilitate Native community leadership and agency in schools. We welcome those who share a commitment for improving belongingness, access, opportunities, and support to allow American Indian students to thrive in school.

Native Ways of Knowing LIVE Webinars

Supporting Literacy and Culturally Responsive Instruction for Native American Students
San Diego County Office of Education and California Indian Education for All are hosting a free, Native Ways of Knowing Webinar Series. K-12 educators and leaders are invited to learn from several renowned Native American professors, scholars, and change makers. Participants will access free culturally responsive resources to improve representations and classroom climates for teaching and learning about California's first peoples. Live and interactive webinars are designed for participants to gain knowledge on supporting literacy, cultural competency, and culturally responsive instruction for Native American students. Each session will include access to free, open-source lesson plans, resources, and instructional materials.

Participants will reflect on the following:

• Whose stories do we chose to promote?
• How can we design more actively-centered Native stories and experiences?
• How can we use children's books to broaden our community conversation about race and decolonization?
• What ways can schools design programs and structures to honor Native Ways of Knowing?

All live, virtual webinars will be held on select Thursdays from 3:30 to 5 p.m. PDT

Register at: https://sdcoe.k12oms.org/902-224595

Audience: K-12 Educators, K-12 Administrators, Librarians, District AI/AN Education Directors, Title VI TOSAs, Tribal Education Directors, Tribal education staff, Title VI Leaders, and tribal community

Native Ways of Knowing Book List

Decolonizing and Indigenizing Classrooms and Libraries

To help educators and parents choose high-quality Indigenous authored books, the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) and California Indian Education (CIEFA) have designed this Native Ways of Knowing Book List: Decolonizing and Indigenizing Classrooms and Libraries. These books have been vetted by Native American scholars, CIEFA, and SDCOE staff. Please consider adding these insightful and vibrant Indigenous authored books to your school, classroom, or home library. Adding these books to your classroom will help teach young readers empathy, courage, resilience, sovereignty, and Native Ways of Knowing. These suggested Indigenous authors and illustrators utilize Indigenous storytelling and convey the breadth of Native cultures and sovereignty.

2025-2026 California Indian Educational Leader Cohort

K–12 educators, counselors, administrators, and Tribal education staff can apply for the California Indian Education for All Leadership Program, a six-month paid professional learning and certificate program funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Indian Education NYCP Grant. In partnership with the San Diego County Office of Education, California Indian Education for All, UC Berkeley’s Joseph A. Myers Center for Research on Native American Issues, the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center, and CSU San Marcos American Indian Studies
faculty, the program builds cultural competency and leadership skills to support Native student success. Cohort participants engage in courses on American Indian Studies, decolonizing California, culturally responsive teaching, and educational leadership. This program develops cultural competency and leadership skills to help educators create asset-based schools that foster Native American student success. Participants engage in a structured pathway that includes: Introduction to American Indian Studies, Decolonizing California, Designing and Teaching American Indian Studies, and American Indian Educational Leadership. Upon completion, participants will earn a California Indian Educational Leadership and American Indian Studies Certificate and receive an $800 stipend. All costs, including tuition, stipends, and materials, are covered by the Office of Indian Education NYCP federal grant.

American Indian Education Talking Circle

San Diego County Office of Education and California Indian Education for All are hosting monthly American Indian Education Talking Circles.  SDCOE and CIEFA are committed to closing the opportunity gap that exists between American Indian students and their peers. As a community, we will gather once a month to share our strengths and knowledge to improve the educational programs for Native youth. During monthly Talking Circles district/school American Indian Education Directors, Title VI TOSAs , tribal education leaders, and Title VI leaders are invited to learn from Native American education and tribal education experts. Meetings will discuss how to ensure Indigenous cultural values and history are honored and truthfully represented in schools. This Community of Practice will share resources and programs in K-12 education related to American Indian education and improvement strategies that are culturally responsive approaches based on holistic connections to tribal knowledge and Indigenous identity. Sessions include new resources and opportunities to engage with Native American professionals in the field. We welcome those who share a commitment for improving access, opportunities, and supports to allow American Indian students to thrive in school.  

Monthly meeting topics and trainings will include:

• Tribal Consultation Toolkit
• Title VI Programs
• AI/AN Student Success
• Understanding Sovereignty
• Innovative Tribal Education Programs
• Indigenous Language Preservation
• AI/AN Family and Community Engagement
• Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Learning
• UC Native American Opportunity Plan
• AI/AN College and Career Support
• Native American Studies Model Curriculum
• Grant Funding Updates

All live, virtual meetings will be held on select Thursdays from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. PDT

Register at: https://sdcoe.k12oms.org/902-223504

Audience: District AI/AN Education Directors, Title VI TOSAs, Tribal Education Directors, and Title VI Leaders