Public school libraries in Shasta County will soon carry books by Native authors as part of the “Celebrating Indigenous Voices” project.
The Shasta County Board of Education’s literacy initiative provides each of the county’s 25 school districts books for different grade levels.
Tribal leaders hope to help address problems facing Native students. Leaders on the board of education said these books can be informative and build empathy among readers.
The Chairman of the Wintu Tribe of Northern California said he sees the initiative as a way to get Native students back into the classroom amid high absenteeism in the community.
The California Tribal Families Coalition found in 2023 that the state’s Native student population has the highest rate of chronic absenteeism when compared to other racial groups.
The project was a joint effort between the Shasta County Office of Education, the Shasta County Board of Education and the American Indian Advisory.
