The Colorado Senate Education Committee approved SB 57, a bill to encourage Indian languages in public schools, unanimously on Wednesday.

The bill authorizes schools to hire tribal elders even if they don't have a state teaching license.They must be paired with a licensed teacher in order to teach their languages.

“Native students who have a strong foundation in their language and culture do better academically,” Rose Marie McGuire, the Indian education manager for the Denver Public Schools, told lawmakers, The Durango Herald reported.

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Students could soon learn Indian languages (The Durango Herald 2/16)