ERIC Number: ED343762
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1991
Reference Count: N/A
Plans for Dropout Prevention and Special School Support Services for American Indian and Alaska Native Students.
American Indian and Alaska Native students have the highest dropout rate among all ethnic or racial groups, about 30%. Many studies have focused on the supposed deficits of students who drop out, such as intelligence, school attendance, and parental income. Less attention has been given to the deficits of schools and teachers pushing out Native students. Research indicates several factors associated with higher dropout rates that are particularly critical for Native students: large factory-like schools, uncaring teachers, passive teaching methods, irrelevant curriculum, inappropriate testing, tracked classes, and lack of parent involvement. Beyond correcting these problems to prevent future dropouts, more must be done to help current dropouts. Such efforts include the General Educational Development (GED) program, community-based alcohol and drug abuse prevention programs, programs for teenage mothers, improving the image and content of vocational programs, and creating partnerships with business. Recommendations cover: teacher training in appropriate teaching methods; integrated culture-based curriculum; limiting school size; elimination of tracking; increasing science and mathematics classes; exploring alternatives to retention, suspension, and expulsion; providing K-12 day schools in Native communities that want them; promoting Native education departments; developing a Native teacher certification program acceptable in all Bureau of Indian Affairs schools; more funding for research in Native education; developing tribal curriculum and textbooks; and a national initiative to deglamorize alcohol and tobacco use. This paper contains 53 references. (SV)
Publication Type: Information Analyses
Education Level: N/A
Sponsor: Department of Education, Washington, DC. Indian Nations At Risk Task Force.
Authoring Institution: N/A
Note: In: Indian Nations At Risk Task Force Commissioned Papers. See RC 018 612.