September 5, 2002
THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES LANGUAGE LESSON
Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon
As the summer winds down and the school year nears
its beginning, the staff at the Language program are
putting the final touches on lesson plans, establishing
lesson times, and meeting with Warm Springs Elemen
tary school teachers. The routine of the school year is
about to begin. As it does, we at the Culture & Heri
tage Department would like to share with you another
project that has been going on this summer, which has
involved all of our the teachers and the Culture and
Heritage Dept. Director.
An Update On The Certification Of Na
tive American Teachers To Teach Tribal
Languages
Myra Johnson; Director C. & H. Dept.
I am pleased to announce the final stages of
the State of Oregon law ORS 342.1 44
American Indian languages teaching license
becoming an important role in the preserva
tion of our three languages of Warm Springs.
It has been educational for politicians and
others in the State, to recognize the impor
tant role that languages play in the survival
and maintenance of our sovereignty, culture,
and Tribal identities.
The most important part of the Law recog
nizes that Tribes will be in full control of their
Tribal languages. The State and others will be
there in supportive roles to Tribes that have
Tribal members ready to teach languages that
apply for the teaching license. The Tribes will
establish the criteria that applicatnts will need
to fulfill and then file the application jointly to
the Teachers Standards and Practices Com
mission (TSCP) for the teaching license.
The stages from beginning to end are as
follows:
1 . Senate Bill to 2001 Legislative Assem
blypassed unopposed.
2. Mettings held by Oregon Departmetn of
Education to discuss implementation.
3. 1st draft of Rules to Implement intro
duced to TSCP (proved unacceptable to
Tribes and others).
4. Summer of 2002 342.144 official part of
Oregon Statutes.
5. Discussions held on concerns of 1 st draft
of Rules to Implement, with many supporters
asking for shorter version.
6. 2nd draft of Rules to Implement ac
cepted and on to the TSPC.
7. TSPC approved 2nd Rules to Implement
August 2, 2002.
8. First application for teaching license next
to occur.
These 8 stages are simplified. During all of
these stages, a lot of conversation, support,
discussion, meetings, and other events had to
happen to come to a place that would allow
for the teaching license to be available for the
2002-03 school year.
For your reference, provided also on this
page, are: Oregon Statute, and Teachers
Standards Practices Commission Rule to Imple
ment Senate Bill 690. Rule to Implement
Senate Bill 690 addresses the two bills: ORS
181.539 (not included due to length) and
ORS 342.123 (provided).
Our program has many thanks to give to
many, many people. Thanks to Wendell Jim,
who in 1 995 seeded the idea to get our lan
guage instructors certified. All Tribal elders
from Oregon Reservations, who came to sup
port and testify on behalf of the bill when it
was first introduced: Michael Mason, Louie
Pitt, Minority House Leader Kate Brown, Sena
tors (Bev Clarno, Ted Ferrioli, Jason Atkinson,
Maragret Carter, Susan Castillo, Avel Gordly,
Dave Nelson, Frank Shields, Charles Starr, and
Mark Simmons), House Representatives (Dan
Gardner, Vic Backlund, Richard Devlin, Dan
Doyle, Elaine Hopson, Jan Lee Karen Minnis,
Donna Nelson, Tootsie Smith, Carolyn Tomei,
Carl Vilson), thank you Oregon State Univer
sity Staff, University of Oregon Staff, Oregon
Department of Education Staff, Oregon Tribal
Language Program Staff, Warm Springs El
ementary School, thank you Urbana Ross,
Madeline, Gladys, Language Program Staff
School Time and School Safety
who spoke in the three languages of Warm
Springs and so many others who have sup
ported this effort. I know that I left out many
CIVIL RIGHTS STATUTE
342.1 23 Knowledge of civil rights laws re
quired. (1 ) In addition to and not in lieu of an
other law or rule or standard established by
the Teacher Standards and Practices Commis
sion, the commission shall require an applicant
for a teaching license or any renewal thereof
demonstrate knowledge of Title VI of the Civil
Rights Act of 1 964, Title IX of the Education
Amendments of 1 972, and federal statutes
pertaining thereto, as well as state statutes
prohibiting discrimination.
(2) An applicant shall be required to demon
strate knowledge of federal and state stat
utes prohibiting discrimination required by
subsection (1 ) of this section only once.
1977 c.805 2; 1981 c663 1
people, yet you know whom you are and that
the smallest role-played was an important
one. So our hearts and prayers are with
those who continue to support our efforts.
RULE TO IMPLEMENT SB 690 (2001 SES-SION)-ORS
342.144
Requirements for an American Indian
Langauges Teaching License:
584-060-0200 Upon filing a correct
and complete application in form and matter
prescribed by the Commission, an applicant
may be granted an American Indian Teaching
License for one or more American Indian lan
guages. The license shall be valid for three
years'ricrmatbeTenem
from the holder of the license.
(1 ) The initial application shall be a joint appli
cation for the prospective teacher and the
tribe whose language will be taught. The tribe
must certify that the applicat is qualified to
teach the language of the tribe.
(2) The initial application shall include the
submission of fingerprint cards with the ap
propriate fees and a completed affidavit at
testing to the review of laws prohibiting dis
crimination as found in the booklet entitled
Discrimination and the Oregon Educator.
(3) A holder of an American Indian languages
teaching license who does not also have a
teaching license or registration issued under
ORS 342.1 25 may not teach any subject
other than the American Indian language they
are approved to teach by the tribe.
Answers to Last Issue's
Wasq'u Word Puzzle
a s h a 3 a a ? a n
This word was missing a clue in our last issue, so a special congratulations
to those who figured it outl Sorry to those who tried, that omission was not
intentional.
AMERICAN INDIAN LANGUAGES STATUTE
342.144 American Indian languages teaching license. (1 ) As used in this section, "American
Indian tribe" means an Indian tribe as that term is defined in ORS 97.740.
(2) The Legislative Assembly declares that teaching American Indian languages is essential to
the proper education of American Indian children.
(3) The Teacher Standards and Practices Commission shall establish an American Indian lan
guages teaching licesnse.
(4) Each American Indian tribe may develop a written and oral test that must be successfully
completed by an applicant for an American Indian languages teaching license in order to deter
mine whether the applicant is qualified to teach the tribe's native language. When developing
the test, the tribe shall determine:
(a) Which dialects will be used on the test; t
(b) Wheather the tribe will standardize the tribe's writing system; and
(c) How the teaching methods will be evaluated in the classroom.
(5) The test shall be administered at an appropriate location that does not create hardship for
the tribal members administering the test.
(6) The commission may not require an applicant to hold a specific academic degree, to com
plete a specific amount of education or to complete a teacher education program to treceive
an American Indian languages teaching license.
(7) (a) An American Indian languages teaching license qualifies the holder to accept a teaching
position in a school district, public charter school, education service diestrict, community col
lege, or state institution of higher educaiton.
(b) A holder of an American Indian languages teaching licesne who does not also have a teach
ing license issued under ORS 342.1 25 may not teach in a school district or education service
district any subject other than the American Indian language they are approved to teach by
the tribe.
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