characteristics of american indian and alaska native education

279 Pages·1997·1.1 MB·English

CHARACTERISTICS OF AMERICAN INDIAN
AND ALASKA NATIVE EDUCATION:
Results fromthe 1990–91 and 1993–94 Schools and Staffing Surveys
Submitted to:
U.S. Department ofEducation
NationalCenter for EducationStatistics
Surveys and Cooperative Systems Group
Washington, DC
Submitted by:
ResearchTriangle Institute
ResearchTriangle Park, NorthCarolina
February1997
CHARACTERISTICS OF AMERICAN INDIAN
AND ALASKA NATIVE EDUCATION:
Results fromthe 1990–91 and 1993–94 Schools and Staffing Surveys
D. MichaelPavel
WashingtonState University
Thomas R. Curtin
ResearchTriangle Institute
Summer D. Whitener, Project Officer
NationalCenter for EducationStatistics
February1997
H
IGHLIGHTS
AmericanIndianand Alaska Native students CHAPTER2:SCHOOLSANDAMERICAN
comprise approximately1 percent ofthe total INDIANANDALASKANATIVESTUDENTS
student populationinthe United States. Con-
3
sequently, these students, and the schools and In1993-94, the Bureau ofIndianAffairs
staffthat serve them, are rarelyrepresented in (BIA) ofthe U.S. Department ofInterior
sufficient numbers innationaleducationstudies and federallyrecognized tribes withBIA
to permit reliable and valid generalizations funding operated 170 elementaryand
about their characteristics. Additionally, secondaryschools inthe United States
because oftribaland linguistic diversity, (termed BIA/tribalschools inthis report).
geographic dispersion, and preponderance in Additionally, among the 80,893 public
remote ruralareas, researchers have found it schools inthe United States, 1,244 had an
too costlyto add supplementalsamples of AmericanIndian/Alaska Native student
Indianschools and students to other data enrollment ofat least 25 percent (called
collectionprograms. However, during the highIndianenrollment schools).
1990-91 and 1993-94 schoolyears, the
3
NationalCenter for EducationStatistics BIA/tribaland highIndianenrollment
(NCES) ofthe U.S. Department ofEducation schools were primarilylocated inruralareas
added anIndianeducationsupplement to the and smalltowns and had enrollments of
Schools and Staffing Survey(SASS) data fewer than500 students. The heaviest
collectionprogramthat enabled education concentrationofthese schools was inthe
researchers and policymakers to describe the Southwest and NorthernPlains regions of
schools, principals, and teachers serving Indian the U.S. Halfofthe highIndianenrollment
students. The data collected bySASS are both public schools were located inthe South
nationalinscope and comparable to data Centralregionand Alaska.
gathered concurrentlyonU.S. schools in
3
general. BIA/tribalschools were more likelythan
public schools withlow Indianenrollment
This report summarizes the findings ofthe (less than25 percent Indianstudent enroll-
1993-94 SASS withregard to schools that ment) to offer compensatoryprograms such
serve AmericanIndianand Alaska Native as Chapter 1, remedialmathematics, and
students, and examines trends inIndian bilingualeducation. BIA/tribalschools were
educationsince 1990-91, whenthe data for the also more likelythanthese public schools to
first NCES report onIndianeducationwere offer gifted and talented programs for their
collected (Pavel, Curtin, Thorne, Christenson, students.
&Rudes, 1995). The chapter highlights are
presented below.
i
3
Inorder to graduate, highschoolstudents in ofthe students inlow enrollment public
BIA/tribalschools were required to com- schools were eligible.
plete more coursework incore subject areas
3
(Englishand language arts, mathematics, Approximatelyone-third ofthe Indian
socialstudies, and sciences) thanstudents in students inBIA/tribalschools spoke a
low Indianenrollment schools. Additionally, language other thanEnglishintheir homes;
BIA/tribalschools were more likelythan 28 percent were identified bytheir schools
highand low Indianenrollment public as having limited Englishproficiency. Only
schools to require coursework incomputer a smallfractionofIndianstudents inlow
science and foreignlanguage. Indianenrollment schools spoke a language
other thanEnglishintheir homes or had
3
The student to teacher ratio inBIA/tribal limited Englishproficiency.
schools (14:1) was lower thanthe ratio in
3
public schools withlow Indianenrollment BIA/tribalschoolstudents were just as
(15:1). Additionally, the ratio ofstudents to likelyas students inhighand low Indian
noninstructionalstaffwas lower inBIA/ enrollment public schools to receive
tribalschools (43:1) thanineither type of academic counseling, more likelyto receive
public school(50:1 and 72:1). alcohol- and drug-abuse counseling, and
less likelyto receive career counseling.
3
Public schools withhighand low Indian
3
student enrollment had higher graduation Tenpercent ofthe students enrolled in
rates for highschoolseniors thanBIA/tribal BIA/tribalschools had dropped out or
schools (91 percent for bothtypes ofpublic withdrawnfromschoolat some time intheir
schools vs. 86 percent);public schools with student careers;less than5 percent ofthe
low Indianenrollment also had larger students inpublic schools withhighand low
percentages ofstudents applying to college Indianenrollment had dropped out or
(58 percent vs. 47 percent for BIA/tribal withdrawn.
schools).
3
AmericanIndianand Alaska Native
3
Ofthe 491,936 AmericanIndianand Alaska students were less likelythanwhite, non-
Native students enrolled inkindergarten Hispanic students to enrollinhigher-level
through12thgrade (K-12) classes in mathematics courses typicallyrequired for
publiclyfunded schools inthe U.S. (i.e., college admission.
BIA/tribaland public schools), 9 percent
attended BIA/tribalschools and 38 percent CHAPTER3:PRINCIPALSSERVING
attended public schools withhighIndian AMERICANINDIANANDALASKANATIVE
enrollment. Fifty-three percent ofthe Indian STUDENTS
student populationattended public schools
3
withrelativelyfew Indianstudents. During the 1993-94 schoolyear, 74,842
principals administered publiclyfunded
3
Eighty-five percent ofthe students in schools inthe U.S. Forty-sevenpercent of
BIA/tribalschools and 56 percent ofthe the BIA/tribalschoolprincipals were
students inpublic schools withhighIndian Indian, and allofthese were enrolled tribal
enrollment were eligible for free or members. Approximately14 percent ofthe
reduced-priced lunches. Less thanone-third principals inpublic schools withhighIndian
enrollment were Indian, and 84 percent
ii
were triballyenrolled. Less than1 percent of CHAPTER4:TEACHERSSERVINGAMERICAN
the principals inlow Indianenrollment public INDIANANDALASKANATIVESTUDENTS
schools were Indian, and about halfofthem
3
were tribalmembers. Less than1 percent ofthe 2,564,000
teachers inBIA/tribaland public schools
3
Compared to their white, non-Hispanic during the 1993-94 schoolyear were
colleagues inBIA/tribalschools, Indian AmericanIndianor Alaska Native. In
principals had fewer years ofteaching BIA/tribalschools, 38 percent ofthe
experience and were less likelyto hold teachers were Indianor Alaska Native.
advanced degrees beyond the master's Sixteenpercent ofthe teachers inpublic
degree. Inpublic schools withhighIndian schools withhighIndianenrollment and less
enrollment, triballyenrolled principals had than1 percent ofthe teachers inlow
comparable teaching experience but were enrollment schools were Indian.
less likelythanwhite principals to hold
3
degrees beyond the master’s. Most ofthe Indianteachers inBIA/tribal
schools(95 percent) and inpublic schools
3
Most principals have received inservice withhighIndianenrollment (84 percent)
training inevaluationand supervision. were enrolled ina state or federally
However, BIA/tribalschoolprincipals and recognized tribe. Thirty-eight percent ofthe
principals inhighenrollment public schools Indianteachers inpublic schools withlow
were more likelyto have received specific Indianenrollment were tribalmembers.
training inIndianeducationadministration.
3
Nationally, 6 percent ofthe publiclyfunded
3
The average salaries for principals in schools have AmericanIndianor Alaska
BIA/tribalschools, especiallythose with Native teachers onstaff. Ninety-five percent
master’s degrees and more advanced ofBIA/tribalschools, 70 percent ofhigh
degrees, were comparable to those of Indianenrollment public schools, and 5
principals frompublic schools withhigh percent oflow Indianenrollment public
Indianenrollment but lower thanprincipals schools had Indianteachers.
inlow Indianenrollment public schools.
3
Nationally, few teachers reported college
3
BIA/tribalschoolprincipals were less likely majors or minors inIndianeducation(less
thanprincipals inlow Indianenrollment than0.05 percent). EveninBIA/tribal
public schools to receive medicaland dental schools, where teachers most oftenheld
insurance and to receive in-kind benefits. these credentials, only2 percent ofthe
teachers held sucha major or minor.
3
Principals inBIA/tribalschools were more
3
likelythantheir colleagues ineither type of Onaverage, teachers inBIA/tribalschools
public schoolto report that poverty, had fewer years ofteaching experience than
parentalalcoholismand drug abuse, and their counterparts inpublic schools.
lack ofparentalinvolvement were serious
problems intheir schools.
iii
3
AmericanIndianand Alaska Native teachers or grade levels to fillthe vacant classes, and
were more likelythanwhite, non-Hispanic to employlong- or short-termsubstitutes to
teachers to beginteaching after first holding fillvacant positions.
nonteaching positions ineducation(e.g.,
3
clerk or another type ofnoninstructional BIA/tribalschools were more likelythan
staff). highand low Indianenrollment schools to
provide free retraining to staffmembers to
3
Beginning teacher salaries were higher in prepare for careers infields withcurrent or
BIA/tribalschools and highIndianenroll- anticipated teacher shortages.
ment districts thaninpublic districts with
3
low Indianenrollment. Onthe other hand, BIA/tribalschools were more likelythan
experienced teachers were better paid in highand low Indianenrollment schools to
low enrollment districts thaninBIA/tribal use payincentives to recruit teachers in
and highIndianenrollment districts. fields withcurrent or anticipated teacher
shortages.
3
At least halfofthe teachers inBIA/tribal
schools reported that parentalalcoholism CHAPTER6:AMERICANINDIANAND
and drug abuse, lack ofparentalinvolve- ALASKANATIVEEDUCATIONSINCE1990-91
ment, and povertywere serious problems in
3
their schools. At least one-third ofthe BIA/tribalschools accounted for
teachers inhighIndianenrollment schools approximately0.2 percent ofthe publicly
saw these issues as serious problems. funded schools inthe United States during
Teachers inlow Indianenrollment schools boththe 1990-91 and 1993-94 schoolyears.
were less likelyto report these problems.
3
The majorityofAmericanIndianand
CHAPTER5:TEACHERSUPPLYANDDEMAND Alaska Native studentsattended public
schools withlow Indianstudent enrollment
3
Overall, teachers inBIA/tribalschools were inboth1990-91 and 1993-94, and this
less likelythantheir colleagues inpublic percentage was stable during the reporting
schools to be certified intheir teaching area. period.
Notably, newlyhired teachers inBIA/tribal
3
schools were more likelythantheir public The percentage ofBIA/tribalschools
colleagues to be certified intheir teaching offering Chapter 1 services decreased
area. slightly(4 percent) between1990-91 and
1993-94. However, this decrease was not
3
Vacant teaching positions inBIA/tribal accompanied byreductions inother pro-
schools were more likelythanteaching grams for at-risk students (e.g., ESL,
positions inhighand low Indianenrollment bilingualeducation, or remedialmath-
schools to remainvacant or to be filled by ematics instruction). BIA/tribalschools
substitute teachers because qualified offering gifted/talented programming
candidates could not be found. increased 15 percent during the same
period.
3
BIA/tribalschools were more likelythan
3
public schools withlow Indianenrollment Graduationrates for highschoolseniors
to cancelclasses, to hire less-qualified remained steadyinpublic schools withhigh
teachers, to use teachers fromother subjects Indianenrollment and BIA/tribalschools
iv
3
betweenthe 1990-91 and 1993-94 school Povertywas, and continues to be, the prob-
years;the rate declined slightlyinlow Indian lemmost frequentlyidentified as serious by
enrollment schools (from94 to 91 percent). principals inBIA/tribalschools and public
schools. Principals’concerns withthe roles
3
The percentage ofstudents inBIA/tribal played byparents (e.g., alcoholism/drug
schools applying to college rose from33 to abuse and lack ofinvolvement) have
47 percent during the reporting period. No decreased over the last 3 years.
change wasapparent inpublic schoolswith
3
highIndianstudent enrollment. No change inthe percentages ofAmerican
Indianand Alaska Native teachers inthe
3
Graduationrequirementsfor manyhigh three Indianschooltypesor inthe percent-
schoolstudents increased betweenthe ages ofIndianteachers enrolled ina state or
1990-91 and 1993-94 schoolyears. Course federallyrecognized tribes was apparent.
completionrequirements for mathematics
3
instructionincreased to 3 years inBIA/tribal BIA/tribalschools were less likelyto report
schools and to 2.5 years inpublic schools teaching positionvacancies during the
withlow Indianstudent enrollment. 1993-94 schoolyear thanin1990-91.
Vacancies decreased inspecialeducation,
3
Few changes inthe qualifications and English, mathematics, and foreign
experiences ofprincipals, their opinions languages.
about schoolproblems and goals, or their
3
career plans were apparent betweenthe BIA/tribalschools and public schools with
1990-91 and 1993-94 schoolyears. low Indianstudent enrollment were more
Notably, however, principals inpublic likelyto provide free retraining to school
schools withlow Indianstudent enrollment staffpreparing to teachinfields with
were more likelyto have received current and anticipated shortages in1993-
specialized training inIndianeducation 94 thanin1990-91.
administrationin1993-94.
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Chapter Page
Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i
List ofFigures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix
List ofText Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
AmericanIndianand Alaska Native Educationinthe U.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Schools and Staffing Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Organizationofthe Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2 Schools and AmericanIndianand Alaska Native Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
DistributionofSchools and Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Percentage ofStudents byRace-Ethnicity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Schools Offering Specific Programs and Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Student to StaffRatios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Student and Teacher Absenteeism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
SecondarySchoolPrograms for Seniors and GraduationRates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Years ofInstructionRequired for Graduation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Students Eligible for Free and Reduced-Price Lunches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Linguistic Characteristics ofStudents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Student Academic and Support Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Student Counseling Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Services fromAmericanIndianand Alaska Native Teachers and Counselors . . . . . . 19
Student Course Completion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Selected Student Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
3 Principals Serving AmericanIndianand Alaska Native Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
EducationalBackground and Teaching Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Prior Experience inEducation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Specialized Training for Principals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
PrincipalCompensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Important EducationalGoals for Principals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Serious Problems Identified byPrincipals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Principals’Perceptions ofInfluence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
PrincipalCareer Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
vi
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Chapter Page
4 Teachers Who Serve IndianStudents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Demographics ofthe Teaching Force . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Access to AmericanIndianand Alaska Native Teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Qualifications ofTeachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Teacher Compensation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Teachers’Perceptions ofProblems inTheir Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
5 Teacher Supplyand Demand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Certificationinthe Field ofAssignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Criteria for Hiring Teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Adequacyofthe SupplyofQualified Teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Teacher Retention, Retraining, and Development Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
LayOffs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
6 AmericanIndianand Alaska Native Educationsince 1991 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Schools Serving AmericanIndianand Alaska Native Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Programs and Services Available to Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
EducationalOutcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
PrincipalCharacteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Changes inPrincipals’Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Changes inthe Problems Reported byPrincipals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Teacher Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Changes inthe Problems Reported byTeachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Changes inthe Supplyand Demand for Teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
7 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Organizationofthe Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
The Schools and Staffing Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
SummaryofFindings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
vii
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Appendixes Page
A TechnicalNotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
B Tables ofEstimates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1
C Tables ofStandard Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1
D AdditionalResources onthe Schools and Staffing Survey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-1
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-1
viii