Multidisciplinary, culturally relevant
K-12 music education
Speak/Sing Native™ is an original, multidisciplinary concept in K-12 music education for the general student. It aligns with Oregon state standards and complements the Oregon Department of Education’s Tribal History/Shared History initiative. Our mission is to create and deliver a culturally relevant music education for K-12 students that is missing in many classrooms. We do this in Jim Pepper’s name and reflecting the educational legacy of his mother, Floy C. Pepper. In the absence of culturally relevant music curriculum, it is our mission to create and deliver one, which we have named Speak/Sing Native™.
Coming Summer 2025
Curriculum and Courses
Speak/Sing Native™ offers engaging, interdisciplinary, culturally-relevant curriculum that focuses on indigenous music and musicians for Oregon schools grades K-12. And we offer related professional development courses for teachers. The curriculum, developed by the Jim Pepper Native Arts Council and a team of curriculum developers based out of Southern Oregon University, is aligned with Oregon state standards and complementary to the Department of Education's Tribal History/Shared History initiative, the state-mandated curriculum written in partnership with the nine federally recognized tribes of Oregon.
Artist Archive
The Speak/Sing Native™ Artist Archive presents an overview of Indigenous contributions to popular music. The Archive is a searchable directory for use in K-12 classrooms and for anyone interested in Native American/Alaska Native/First Nations music and musicians. The Archive provides key musical examples and tribal contexts, as well as histories and other background information related to Indigenous artists working across the United States and Canada.
Our Partners
Speak/Sing Native™ curriculum development and this e-learning system are made possible with generous support from the Well-Rounded Access Program (WRAP), the Oregon Department of Education, Southern Oregon Educational Service District, Spirit Mountain Community Fund, the Collins Foundation, the Oregon Community Foundation, Potlatch Fund, Seeding Justice, Oregon Humanities SHARP grant, and the City of Portland Office of Community and Civic Life Social Equity and Educational Development (SEED) grant.
Funding for the Speak/Sing Native™ project has been provided in part through a 5-year, $9.8 Million grant from the U.S. Department of Education awarded to the Oregon Department of Education, to expand access to well-rounded education courses. Approximately 8% of the total funding / $830,000 is being used for this program, combined with an additional $180,000 of non-federal funding. The content of this document does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Education, and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. government.