TITLE Indian Nations at Risk, Summary of Issues & Recommendations from Regional Hearings, July-October 1990
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 341 543 RC 018 557 TITLE Indian Nations At Risk, Summary of Issues & Recommendations from Regional Hearings, July-October 1990. INSTITUTION Department of Education, Washington, DC. Indian Nations At Risk Task Force. PUB DATE Oct 90 NOTE 445p.; Indian Fations At Risk Task Force hearings held in Juneau, AK (July 16, 1990); Billings, MT (August 20); Seattle, WA (September 5); Phoenix, AR (September 12); Oklahoma City, OK (September 17-18); St. Paul, MN (September 21); and Cherokee, NC (October 2, 1990). For related documents,see ED 339 587-588, RC 018 537-536. PUB TYPE Collected Works - Conference Proceedings (021) EARS PRICE MF01/PC18 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Adult Basic Education; *American Indian Education; American Indians; *Community Involvement; Early Childhood Education; *Educational Needs; Elementary Secondary Education; *Federal Aid; Federal Indian Relationship; Hearings; Higher Education; *High Risk Students; Parent Participation; Postsecondary Education; Racial Bias; Teacher Education; Tribes IDENTIFIERS *Indian Nations At Risk Task Force; *Tribally Controlled Education ABSTRACT The Indian Nations At Risk Task Force held seven regional hearings during 1990 on issues in American Indianeducation. This document contains detailed reports of theseven hearings, individual summaries of each hearing, and an overallsummary of issues and recommendations offered in the field of AmericanIndian education. Major areas of concern included:(1) federal funding cf Native American education;(2) teachers and teacher training; (3) Native parent and community participation and self-determination; (4) integration of Native language and culture into the curriculum;(5) financial aid for Native postsecondary education; (6)postsecondary readiness, recruitment, and persistence among Native students; (7) tribally controlled community colleges; (8) supportservices for at-risk Native youth; (9) development and improvement ofthe curriculum and of educational programs; (10) role of federal,state, and tribal government; (11) racial bias and stereotypeson personal and institutional levels; (12) standards and testing;(13) early childhood education programs; (14) urban and public schooleducation; (15) adult basic education; (16) specialeducation, Chapter 1, and other special services; and (17) data collectionand research. This document contains various statistic., on Native Americanenrollment, dropout rates, educational attainment, and academic achievement. (SV) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best thatcan be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** INDIAN NATIONS AT RISK SUMMARY OF ISSUES & RECOMMENDATIONS FROM REGIONAL HEARINGS JULY - OCTOBER 1990 U.S. DEPARTMENT OFEDUCATION Orlice of Educational Researchand Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER (ERIC/ his document has beenreproduced as /received from the person ororganization originatmg it n Minor Chenge3 have beenmade to improve feProduction ouali4 2 Pthnta of vie* o oonton3slated ,n this docu ment do not necessarily representofficial OF RI position or policy BEST COPY AVAILABLE Indian Nations At Risk Summary of Issues & Recommendations from Regional Hearings Juiy - October 1990 This summary presents issues and recommendations brought before the Indian Nations At Risk Task Force during regional hearings which were held on 07/16/90 in Juneau, AK; 08/20/90 in Billings, MT; 09/05/90 in Seattle, WA; 09/12/90 in Phoenix AZ; 09/17-18/90 in Oklahoma, OK; 09/21/90 in St. Paul, MN; and 10/02/90 in Cherokee, NC. Issues ate presented in order of priority beginning win, those that received the most comment. Federal Funding of Native Education Chronic underfunding of all Native education programs must come to an end. Education is a basic part of treaty rights and obligations. Gradual decreases in federal funding for Native education programs are resulting in cuts in essential and desperately needed services. These programs should be exempt from Gramm-Rudman budget cuts. The quality of Native education at the local level is directly dependent on the levels of federal ED and BIA funding. Local schools cannot effectively address critical problems such as high dropout rates and low academic success without significant increases in federal assistance. Funding for drect educational services, support services, facilities, and libraries is significantly lower for Native students than for their non-Native counterparts. A full review of the ISEP formula is necessary since it currently funds programs at one-third less per pupil than public schools. B1A education programs should be forward funded to eliminate the tremendously ?Averse impact of current-year funding. Tribal schools should receive direct federal funding for JOM and school lunch programs without the imposition of state and local administration and assessed ovuhead costs. BIA grant ant; contract schools seriously lack funds for facilities improvement and consequently must operate their programs out of temporary facilities that are often little more than shanties with numerous violations of health and safety codes. Tribes should be allowed to design, finance, and construct their own school buildings and renovation projects with BIA-guaranteed long-term leases to back up construction loans. Additional funds must be made available to establish adequate school and community libraries, to address the problem of prohibitively high transportation costs for students on large reservations, and to provide appropriate, well equipped vocational programs. Funding for Native education programs must be stabilized so that long-range planning can establish the program and staff continuity which are essential to helping Native American youth overcome barriers and achieve academic success. The federal government should hold public schools accountable for their use of Impact Aid funds. Existing regulations that mandate Native parent and community input must be enforced through sign-off 1 authority. Performance standards should be established for districts serving Native students. When schools do not comply with the regulations or fail to meet performance standards, funds should be withheld and assigned to parents so they might apply them to the education site of their choice. Regulations should be simplified so that less red-tape and fewer restrictions hamper effective delivery of services. Teachers and Teacher Training American Indian and Alaska Native teachers, administrators, counselors, and specialists are needed in schools at all levels and in all areas because Native staff serve as role models for Native students and thus help increase self-esteem. Native staff are more sensitive to the cultural and learning styles of Native students because they share a common cultural and language background. We must establish targeted incentive and support programs to attract American Indian and Alaska Native young people into the education profession. Increasing the number of Native graduateswho return to their own communities to teach would help reduce the high teacher turnover rates in remote locations. Both Native and non-Native teachers across the country should be required to complete a course in Native history, culture, languages, and educational needs as a part of pre-service training. This would increase their cultural sensitivity and recognition of Native American contributions to the country. Public schools, esp..cially those serving significant numbers of Native students, should fully utilize in- service days, workshops, and other staff development programs to improve staff ability to effectively teach Native students. Non-Native teachers who go into Native communities should receive the same kind of language and cultural orientation that Peace Corps volunteers receive before they are posted. Their training should prepare them to recognize the different learning styles of Native students and learn how to provide appropriate instruction (including use of more experiential, participatory, and cooperative learning strategies). Alternative certification requirements must be instituted to allow tribal elders and community members with cultural expertise to participate in the instruction of Native children. Prii ati n and W--1._a_2_ininti n Paren's are still not part of the system despite efforts to incrzase their involvement. They know things must change, but they lack understanding of the system and how to influence it. They are angry, frustrated, and alienated. Schools in Native communities should have Native staff to interact with Native parents and create a comfort level that encourages their participation. These schools should have open classrooms where parents are welcome to come any time to observe and participate, and should establish a place where parents can congregate. Schools should offer extended building hours, parent-child library programs, and other family-based programs and services. Schools need to be accountable to the communities they serve. They need to reach out by informing and reporting educational realities to their communities and seeking their input. 2 4 Teachers must make it their business to get to know parents, share information with them, and enlist their involvement with the school. Parents need training to become active partners ir the educational process and advocates with the schools for their own children. Schools should offer this kind of training as well as parenting