Intertribal Life Newspaper -

SACRAMENTO, Calif.-A new California education law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom will allow Native American students to be excused from school so they can participate in cultural ceremonies.

Before Assembly Bill 516 was passed, when Native children missed school days to participate in cultural events, the days were not considered excused absence. As a result, at times students were not allowed to make up work or tests they missed.

"It's certainly gratifying to see that the work we are doing is having an impact on our local students, locally as well as beyond. It's a sign of respect for our tribal youth and their families to say we recognize this cultural event is a value to you and we're going to do everything we can to support," Shasta County Superintendent of Schools, Judy Flores, told the Redding Record Searchlight.

Chronic absenteeism rate is especially high among Native American students. California statistics show that of all student groups, Native American students miss more than the other groups, absent for 10 percent of school.

To look into the problem, the Office of Education in Shasta County created the American Indian Advisory Board (AIAB), which partnered with school administrators and representatives from the Winnemem Wintu, Wintu Tribe of Northern California, Pit River Tribe and Redding Rancheria tribes.

The AIAB has trained teachers and created lesson plans to teach the history and culture of the area's Native American tribes.

In January 2020, Flores began discussing the problem with Assemblywoman Megan Dahle, R-Bieber. In January 2021, Dahle introduced a bill to excuse absences due to cultural ceremonies.

"The ideas were brought to us by leaders of the community and constituents," Dahle said to the Redding Record Searchlight. "And being able to take that from a local level into the Legislature and through the whole process, to have it assigned to law, feels really good."