Office of Planning and Service Coordination
Learn-Ed Nations Inventory: A Tool for Improving Schools With American Indian and Alaska Native Students
From the Introduction:
In 1985, the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL) published a set of three guides titled Effective Practices in Indian Education (Butterfield; Pepper; Pepper & Nelson). Joseph Coburn, then director of the NWREL Research and Development Program for Indian Education, guided this work. At that time, the "effective schools" research that began in the 1970s had identified school and classroom practices that were present in successful schools and absent in less successful ones. However, the educational research focused on students in general, and had only
limited application to American Indian students. Research on American Indian and Alaska Native learners was quite limited and, more important, the vast majority of American Indian students attended public schools in classrooms with non-Indian students and non-Indian teachers. There was a need for knowledge about effective practices for these students.
A panel of American Indian master teachers was convened to translate the educational research of that era into classroom practices effective with Indian students. The Effective Practices in Indian Education guides recorded that important practitioner knowledge. For years, the guides have been widely used throughout the Pacific Northwest for the professional development of teachers, curriculum coordinators, and administrators working in schools on or near reservations.
After 16 years, however, the monographs have become dated in their organization and approach. References to standards and performance assessments—prominent concerns in education today—are conspicuous by their absence. Targeted supplemental programs that unintentionally misdirected Title IX to handle "the special educational and culturally related academic needs of Native American students" are being reconfigured as heterogeneous, schoolwide programs. Thinking now focuses on whole-system comprehensive school reform, eclipsing the atomistic view of "fixing the pieces one at a time" found in the earlier guides. The time had arrived to recreate and update the effective practices guides, reflecting new thinking and a new educational research base.
In August 2001, the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory reconvened a panel of master American Indian and Alaska Native educators. While several of these individuals had participated in the original development work, their profession had taken them much further. They are now principals, superintendents, teacher educators, counselors, and tribal education officials. The thinking in this group, as in the field of education, had advanced from desiring "cookbook recipes" to wanting "nutrition guides." Our panelists pointed out that research can demonstrate what is known, but only expert knowledge taken in the context of specific schools and communities can demonstrate what is done and needs to be done. As a starting point, the panel examined and discussed a wide range of current publications concerning effective schooling practices for American Indian and Alaska Native students. Their purpose was to reckon the understandings found in "book knowledge" with their considerable experience working with these students—what they know works from years of their own schooling and practice in schools.
The deep and thoughtful discussion quickly advanced to the central issues of improving educational opportunities for these students. The panelists determined that the charge today is for all educators throughout the system to advocate for and organize resources to serve the best interests of American Indian and Alaska Native communities. They noted that public education begins with a dialogue between the school and the (public) community. They emphasized that leadership within schools and classrooms can create an environment in which Indian students are not viewed in terms of majority cultural stereotypes (for example, as "villains" or "victims"). The panelists also stressed that every student, school, and community is unique, making local cultural context essential to school reform.
At the core, panelists advocated for a systemic, integrated approach and set forth the following:
- Deep support from the local community is central to undertaking educational improvement. Improvements are made for the community's public school, its children, and its social infrastructure.
- By themselves, all the effective classroom practices available won't improve schools and opportunities for American Indian and Alaska Native learners. Unless system and community resources are committed to support quality education, little will change; it takes funding.
- Leadership in its many forms—community, school board, administration, principals, and school team members—is also essential for creating a culture of renewal and continuous improvement.
- All the scientifically rigorous research and well-validated tools will not improve school systems unless thoughtful and open dialogue is focused upon understanding, valuing, and committing to school improvement as a community.
The practitioner panelists celebrated the growing self-determination of Native peoples. They stated emphatically that they want any new tools created to assist American Indian and Alaska Native students toward self-realization within their tribal communities, which themselves are pursuing self-determination. With their eyes on these core elements over the course of the weeklong discussion, the panelists ultimately determined to set the original monographs aside, rather than revise them.
Then, they embarked on a profoundly different strategy.
Their perceptions led them beyond the practices needed in the classroom to a broader focus that includes the school district and community in trusting relationship.
The panel of practitioner experts counseled that many school communities first need to examine how they are doing currently in relation to American Indian and Alaska Native students. If a school community captures this evidence, it can have a collective sense of how well the school is doing. From this point, the group can better determine needs, set priorities, and devise a plan for effective, integrated action to help their students. The Indian/Alaska Native practitioners decided the first resource that should be devised is a comprehensive inventory of indicators for the school community environment.
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