Our Services

  • Aerial view of a winding river flowing through lush green farmland with hills in the distance.

    Organizational Development & Strategic Planning

    For educational initiatives and organizations ready to grow with purpose, we partner with you to develop strategic plans and collaborate closely to create meaningful, actionable change.

    Whether your organization is making modest internal shifts or broad professional culture changes Red Path Learning can support your specific needs.

    We center Native education-practices grounded in place-based protocols and Indigenous perspectives.
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    Professional Development

    A core focus of our work is providing professional development to K-12 educators on topics related to Native education practices.

    We offer consultation services designed to enhance curriculum, strategy, and community engagement, ensuring clarity and cultural consciousness which means we specialize in helping schools and districts integrate authentic Indigenous perspectives:

    We provide focused responses to the curriculum review. This review is done while centering Indigenous Native education consciousness and practices.

  • A scenic view of a lake with lily pads and tall grass at the edge, surrounded by green forested hills under a partly cloudy sky.

    Innovation and Collaboration

    We have experience leading projects that strengthen partnerships among state agencies, nonprofit education organizations, and K–12 schools. If you’re planning a collaborative initiative, we’d love to help — whether that’s co-facilitation, co-planning, serving as your learning partner, supporting communications and event planning, conducting research and evaluation, advising on AI considerations, or something else. Reach out to start a conversation about how we can support your goals.

Some of our recent projects have been…

  • Emblem with a circular design featuring a green island with a tree, sun rays, water, and a spear, surrounded by text in a South African language and English.

    Supporting the work of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Education Department

    Traditional Ecological Knowledge Conference: Incorporating ancient Indigenous understanding into your curriculum to address today's issues of sustainability. Worked with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Education Department and Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve to provide conference technical support and assistance as well as Professional Development Points for educators.

    Data Stewardship support:

    Since July 2024, CES has provided the role of the Interim Data Steward for a tribal education department to link them further with partner school districts. The Interim Data Steward assesses as necessary, pertinent, and informative data and contributes to the overall well-being of Native American students through effective communication, strategic use of data to inform decisions, and improvement to student academic outcomes and cultural competence.

  • Logo of Holyoke High School Academies featuring shield with symbols for law, health, arts, and science

    Holyoke High School Genocide Studies

    Supported Ethnic Studies Curriculum addendum of Genocide history by:

    Provide professional development opportunities for ES educators.

    Provide expertise in the design of meaningful out-of-classroom experiences for students.

    Provide relevant feedback to current and proposed curriculum

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    Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)

    Racial Imbalance Advisory Committee (RIAC): Supported by the Native Education Council (NEC) to apply for the committee with the purpose of bringing forward topics that the NEC is discussing and report back to the NEC, the RIAC meeting notes.

    Investigating History: Invited to provide feedback to changes made to 3rd and 4th grade History & Social Studies Curriculum developed by DESE in collaboration with Educurious. 

    Provided asynchronous and synchronous feedback with development team,

    Including resources, direct edits, and detailed explanations to decisions made by the NEC contributors

    Invited to write an Indigenous perspective on American Expansion video script 

    Recorded the 4 min PD video for MA high school teachers an Indigenous perspective on American Expansion

  • Logo for Wistariahurst, Holyoke's museum and gardens.

    Wistariahurst

    Invited to provide consulting on the museums Land acknowledgement

    Connected the museum staff with Native author of Colonization and the Wampanoag story”

    Discussed the need to make an land acknowledgement an action plan that is dynamic

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    N8tive Ed PLC at CES

    In 2021, José Lugo and the late Jerry Lassos of the Tongva Tribe began the N8tive Education Professional Learning Community at CES as a place for educators to explore Native Educational Practices. 

    In 2022, they invited Itza Martinez to support the work with her background specifically in PLCs and K-12 spaces. 

    In 2023-24, José and Itza launched the second year of the N8tive Ed Practices PLC cohort where the group focused on providing a recurring virtual space for educators to learn, apply, and explore Native Educational Practices. Facilitators worked to demonstrate what Native communities/partners/culture keepers have shared regarding the needs in multi-cultural pedagogy. Our goal was to use the co-created virtual space to develop awareness and understanding of the Original inhabitants of the region, their relationships to the land, and identify practices you can apply to improve Native-Education in our learning settings. 

    The 2024-2025 cohort began in the Fall of 2024 with the continued focus and was granted the opportunity in January 2025 to merge and further align with the Diverse Teacher PLC Course Co-Facilitated by Aquinnah Wampanoag member Brad Lopes and José with Itza assisting as needed. 

Hear from folks who’ve worked with us

  • I am so grateful for José and Itza, they have given me such vital curricular and instructional resources and they have helped me to center Native voices and perspectives in my teaching on a daily basis.

    Ethnic Studies/History Teacher of Holyoke School District

  • Our interaction has greatly influenced my work to center Native voices by deepening my understanding of how to embed Native perspectives authentically into curriculum and instruction. As an instructional coach, I’m working to ensure Native histories and experiences are part of both teaching practices and student learning. I’ve gained valuable insights into best practices, such as highlighting contemporary Native experiences alongside historical narratives and incorporating resources created by Native authors and scholars, to foster a more inclusive and accurate understanding of history across classrooms. This work also reinforces the importance of supporting Native/Indigenous student success through culturally responsive teaching and intentional representation in the curriculum. This has been done by advocating for strategies that ensure Native students see themselves reflected in their learning and helping educators recognize Indigenous contributions to our shared history. These insights directly inform my coaching to prioritize equity, inquiry, and authenticity. I would also like to learn more about how to elevate these practices further and encourage more educators to engage in similar professional learning opportunities. Expanding access to this work and approaches is critical to creating lasting, systemic change in how Native voices are centered in education and greater society.

    Instructional Coach - Boston Public Schools

  • Wistariahurst began in 2023 by providing gallery space for Native voices and developing a land acknowledgment. Meeting with José helped us align our words and actions with the needs of the Native community. We recognized our responsibility to educate ourselves without placing the burden on the Native community. Additionally, we learned the importance of finding time frames that accommodate the Native community, rather than just our own schedules. As a result of these insights, we organized a community book discussion featuring Linda Coombs' "Colonization and the Wampanoag Story." We are also in discussions with local Indigenous artists and lecturers to explore how we can best provide space for them to share their stories and history. We look forward to building long-lasting relationships based on mutual trust as we work together.

    Curator & City Historian City of Holyoke

  • As an educator in, but not from Massachusetts, I have greatly appreciated working with José, Itza and the great Wampanoag people as it has provided me a more complete understanding of American history simply by acknowledging the significant contributions and experiences of Indigenous peoples from the state. This of course not only is insightful, but it also promotes cultural sensitivity, fosters positive identity development for Native students, and creates a more equitable school communities by challenging stereotypes and promoting accurate historical narratives. Projects like this ensure that all voices and perspectives are heard in the classroom, leading to a richer educational experience for everyone.

    Ethnic Studies Teacher of Holyoke School District

  • I worked with José Lugo on behalf of Wistariahurst Museum in Holyoke. He was incredibly helpful in outlining expectations for our time together and ensured a productive meeting. He listened to our goals and provided insightful feedback. He was encouraging towards our ideas and efforts that could help move our museum forward as a community partner. José and Itza Martinez made sure to follow up with us and check in on how the work felt to us and I am more educated and empowered to continue learning and serving the community thanks to the Native Education department at CES.

    Museum Director- Wistariahurst