A Native Community Revitalized a Language. Here’s How a School District Carries It On

When Native students are exposed to their cultural languages, their sense of well-being improves and they’re more likely to graduate, studies show. Similarly, culturally responsive teaching and curriculum have been shown to boost students' academic achievement, motivation, and social-emotional well-being. The Washoe County School District in Reno, Nev., started offering Northern Paiute and was the first in Nevada to offer an Indigenous language class.

Since the program started, the district has expanded the course to three of its high schools. The schools compete in a “language bowl” at the end of the school year to test their students' knowledge of the language, and the students engage with Paiute elders who judge the competition.