About Act 31
Wisconsin’s residents engage in a continually diversifying society, and its citizens increasingly need an understanding of the history, culture, and sovereignty of the American Indian nations in the state. Wisconsin borders the most federally recognized tribes in one state east of the Mississippi, and their contributions touch citizen’s lives in many ways, from education, to economics, to politics, and law. The events following the 1983 Voigt decision, in which the Lake Superior Ojibwe’s rights to hunt and fish off reservation were affirmed, made it clear that many Wisconsin residents had limited knowledge of American Indian history, culture, and sovereignty, the basis for the Ojibwe’s claim and the court’s decision to uphold their rights. Violent protests and ugly displays of racism surged across northern Wisconsin as small but vocal groups of citizens organized to prevent tribal members from exercising their rights on Wisconsin lakes. Many of the states citizens watched in amazement as their state, known for its progressive history, engaged in overt organized racism wondering how it happened and what could be done.
Through efforts of community members, an ad hoc commission on racism, the American Indian Language and Culture Board, and then Governor Tommy Thompson, the Wisconsin state legislature introduced statutes mandating education about Wisconsin American Indians in its 1989-1991 biennial budget as a way of combating persisting racism and ignorance. The statutes, commonly called “Act 31,” are designed to help Wisconsin’s citizens understand American Indian history, culture, and sovereignty, and thus engage in our multicultural society in an educated and informed way. The statutory language carries requirements for the state superintendent, school boards, in-service teachers, pre-service teachers, and certification programs. While these are not the only statutes and standards that require consideration of American Indian studies and students, the following are the major statutory requirements.
Chapter 115 - State Superintendent: Gen. Classifications and Definitions: Handicapped Children
115.28 General Duties
(17) American Indian Language and Culture Education
(d) In coordination with the American Indian Language and Culture Education Board, develop a curriculum for grades 4 to 12 on the Chippewa Indians' treaty-based, off-reservation rights to hunt, fish, and gather.
Chapter 118 - General School Operations
118.01 ( c) Citizenship. Each school board shall provide an instructional program designed to give pupils:
(7) An appreciation and understanding of different value systems and cultures.
(8) At all grade levels, an understanding of human relations, particularly with regard to American Indians, Black Americans, and Hispanics.
118.19 Teacher Certificates and Licenses
(8) Beginning July 1, 1992, the state superintendent may not grant to any person a license to teach unless the person has received instruction in the study of minority group relations, including instruction in the history, culture, and tribal sovereignty of the federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands located in the state.
Chapter 121 - School Finance
121.02 School District Standards
(1) Each school board shall:
(h) Provide adequate instructional materials, texts, and library services which reflect the cultural diversity and pluralistic nature of American society.
(L)(4) Beginning September 1, 1991, as part of the social studies curriculum, include instruction in the history, culture, and tribal sovereignty of the federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands located in this state at least twice in the elementary grades and at least once in the high school grades.
Links to ACT 31 Informational Resources
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Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Facts Sheet for American Indian Studies
The development of instructional materials and resources about the 11 federally-recognized American Indian nations and tribal communities in Wisconsin have been historically inaccurate and difficult to obtain by the educational community prior to the enactment of Wisconsin Act 31 in 1989. As a result, the societal problems surrounding the 1983 Voigt Decision, which recognized the Chippewa or Ojibwe retained rights to hunt, fish, and gather under the treaties of 1837, 1842 and 1854, demonstrated the serious consequences that result from a lack of accurate and authentic information about tribal histories, cultures, and tribal sovereignty or political status. Sourced from WI DPI
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Resource Manual: American Indian Studies in Wisconsin (Act 31) Published in 2018
This resource manual focuses on listing quality materials that are representative of Wisconsin tribes. In addition, it offers a wide selection of resources pertaining to tribes and significant events outside of Wisconsin. It was decided to provide this wider range in order to introduce the exceptional new Native authors and resources now available. This offers the opportunity to show that American Indians do not fit generic modes but are unique individuals who are members of distinct nations throughout this country. Some of these newer Native materials often represent today’s trends. There is a wide range of Indigenous graphic novels, teen genres including dystrophic and paranormal fiction, science fiction, and bi-lingual materials along with the more traditional history and culture resources. In this manual an effort has been made to include materials that are readily available for purchase or for loan through libraries. Sourced from WI DPI
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Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction American Indian Studies Program - Publications
This website contains Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction publications relating to American Indian education and studies.
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Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Lesson Planning Resources
The lessons plans, instructional resources, and curriculum included on this webpage have been selected to illustrate ways in which teachers can integrate and infuse American Indian Studies content into their classroom or school district. The information from each of these resources can be woven into a school district’s curriculum through a balanced, comprehensive, and aligned framework adaptable to local circumstances.
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American Indian Education in Wisconsin Brief completed in June 2015
Starting with a historical overview, the brief gives the reader information about Wisconsin's American Indian nations and tribal communities, resulting in context within which to understand the educational status and achievement of Wisconsin's American Indian students.
It concludes with descriptions of education initiatives and supports aimed at increasing student achievement by these Wisconsin students. Sourced from WI DPI -
Wisconsin Education Act 31: 2014 Administrator and Teacher Survey Report: Highlights
The goals of the Wisconsin Administrator and Teacher surveys were to find information that would be used to determine how state and tribal agencies can provide information, training, and technical assistance to school districts in teaching and learning about each of the Wisconsin American Indian nations and tribal communities. The Act 31 Survey Report (2014) was completed in June 2014. Sourced from WI DPI
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Wisconsin Education Act 31 CESA Districts Colleges of Education Survey Principals Survey Teachers Survey, 2000
This study is being conducted to gather information on Wisconsin public school's needs and desires for more educational material pertinent to Wisconsin Act 31 of 1991. In addition, information from the survey will be used to guide the Wisconsin Indian Education Association in their efforts to help schools get the information they need and want.
Partners/collaborators - Cooperative Extension, Wisconsin Indian Education Association, Wisconsin Indian Education Directors Association, UW-Stevens Point Native American Center, UW-Eau Claire American Indian Studies Program.
Surveys were conducted by the UW-River Falls Research and Survey Lab: Dr. Larry Swain, David Kabes.
Funding for the survey was provided through a UW-Extension Cross Divisional Grant. The publication costs were covered through a UW-System Grant from the Institute on Race and Ethnicity. Sourced from WI DPI
