There are 11 sovereign tribal nations within the state of Minnesota, comprised of seven Anishinaabe reservations and four Dakota communities, each with its own distinct government. Additionally, Minnesota is also home to the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe (MCT). MCT is comprised of six of the seven Ojibwe bands and is a federally recognized tribal government that promotes and protects the member bands.

The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) engages in meaningful and collaborative educational efforts with each of these nations through their tribal leaders and through their Tribal Nations Education Committee (TNEC) representative, with the shared goal of eliminating educational inequities and improving the outcomes of American Indian learners statewide. These partnerships are extremely valuable, and MDE is deeply grateful to tribal partners for generously sharing their time, unique cultural perspectives, and expertise.