Since my first day in office, a primary goal of mine has been to better educate Oklahoma students about our state’s 39 tribal nations. As part of that initiative, the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) joined with tribes, American Indian leaders and educators, as well as local education organizations to create a hub of information and classroom content.

This resource is the product of many people, particularly the Oklahoma Advisory Council on Indian Education and the committee of Indian educators and other educators who came from all across the state, devoting their valuable time and knowledge to this more-than-two-year project. The OIER is now on the Oklahoma State Department of Education website at www.ok.gov/sde/oier.

Although this resource is mainly designed for schools, the information it contains is important to anyone seeking a richer understanding of our great state. As I said when we unveiled the OIER last month, the story of our state is, in many respects, the story of American Indian tribes. The impact of Indian culture on Oklahoma is deep and enduring. It is critical that all of us — particularly the youngest and future generations — learn about and appreciate the traditions and the legacies of our Indian tribes.