BISMARCK — Teachers from across the state will attend the eighth annual North Dakota Indian Education Summit at the Capitol building and State Heritage Center in Bismarck on Thursday and Friday.

Several of the instructional sessions will concentrate on ways to blend Native American history, culture, and traditions into elementary, middle, and high school curricula. The State Legislature passed a bill last year that requires schools to incorporate Native American history into teaching.

“Our public education system has a great responsibility to help all of our students learn about the richly diverse history and experiences that exist in North Dakota. As a result, we will better understand each other and grow stronger,” said North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler.

Other sessions will include presentations on strong student engagement practices, how to evaluate the effectiveness of programs for indigenous communities, and ways to strengthen ties between schools and their communities. Also included will be information on the North Dakota Native American Essential Understandings Initiative, which offers information about history, culture, and traditions of North Dakota’s five tribes, including a website with interviews of tribal elders and a resource document for classrooms.

Some 250 educators are registered to attend the event.