California bill would change how schools count Indigenous students
Assembly Bill 1581 would require California schools to collect and report tribal affiliations for students who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native. Supporters say current counts miss many Indigenous students, especially those who also identify with another race or ethnicity.
Assemblymember James Ramos is backing legislation that would add tribal affiliation to California's annual student enrollment data. Current state reporting counts many students who identify as both Indigenous and another race or ethnicity under other categories, leaving only students who identify solely as American Indian or Alaska Native in that group.
A national report cited in the article estimated that California undercounts American Indian and Alaska Native students by 89.8%. Backers say more accurate data could affect funding for Native American language classes, tutoring and academic support, and could help schools better understand the different Indigenous communities their students come from.