Data MattersData MattersTowards a National Data Quality Strategy Towards a National Data Quality Strategy

in Contexts of Significance for in Contexts of Significance for American Indians & Alaska NativesAmerican Indians & Alaska Natives

Dr. Malia Villegas (Alutiiq/Sugpiaq)Dr. Malia Villegas (Alutiiq/Sugpiaq)

Director, Policy Research Center, National Congress of American IndiansDirector, Policy Research Center, National Congress of American Indians

Profile America Forum: National Museum of the American IndianProfile America Forum: National Museum of the American Indian

January 25, 2012January 25, 2012

OverviewOverview

Access to quality & meaningful Access to quality & meaningful data is a crucial element of data is a crucial element of tribal tribal

sovereigntysovereignty

Federal Responsibility for Data Collection Federal Responsibility for Data Collection & Reporting& Reporting

Tribal Use of Data & IndicatorsTribal Use of Data & Indicators

Data Collection & Data Collection & ReportingReporting

ISSUE: ‘Counts’ related to sampling, ISSUE: ‘Counts’ related to sampling, race/ethnicity classifications, agency definitions race/ethnicity classifications, agency definitions

and indicatorsand indicators

Census Decennial vs. American Community Census Decennial vs. American Community Survey Survey

OMB 1997 OMB 1997 Revisions to the Standards for the Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Classification of Federal Data on Race and EthnicityEthnicity

Cross-Agency Consistency (Definitions, Cross-Agency Consistency (Definitions, Indicators, & Age of Data)Indicators, & Age of Data)

Agency Implementation of OMB Standards

Final Guidance on Maintaining, Collecting and Reporting Racial and Ethnic Data (U.S.

Department of Education, 2007)

“When aggregating local data for federal reporting…the seven aggregate categories for reporting to USED are:

Hispanic/Latino of any race;

and, for individuals who are non-Hispanic/Latino only: – American Indian or Alaska Native, – Asian, – Black or African American, – Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, – White, and – Two or more races.

Why ‘Counts’ MatterWhy ‘Counts’ Matter

Access to federal and state Access to federal and state fundingfunding

Community planningCommunity planning– Identifying needsIdentifying needs– Identifying successIdentifying success

Fostering solidarityFostering solidarity

Mitigating Inaccurate Mitigating Inaccurate ‘Counts’‘Counts’

Hold-harmless ProvisionsHold-harmless Provisions

Count Question ResolutionCount Question Resolution

Census Challenge ProgramCensus Challenge Program

Tribal ConsultationTribal Consultation

Monitoring by AI/AN Advocacy Monitoring by AI/AN Advocacy OrgsOrgs

Tribal Use of Data & Tribal Use of Data & IndicatorsIndicators

Existing Data Specific to AI/AN ContextsExisting Data Specific to AI/AN Contexts– Census 2000 Brief: That American Indian and Alaska Native PopulationCensus 2000 Brief: That American Indian and Alaska Native Population– Agriculture Census 2007Agriculture Census 2007

Indices & IndicatorsIndices & Indicators– Alaska Native K-12 Indicators Report Alaska Native K-12 Indicators Report (First Alaskans Institute, 2004)(First Alaskans Institute, 2004) – Ka Huaka’iKa Huaka’i: : Native Hawaiian Ed. Assessment Native Hawaiian Ed. Assessment (Kamehameha Schools, (Kamehameha Schools,

2005)2005)– AIHEC AIMS Fact Book AIHEC AIMS Fact Book (2009)(2009)– Others related to unique conceptions of poverty, land management, Others related to unique conceptions of poverty, land management,

sustainability, wellness, child welfaresustainability, wellness, child welfare

StatusStatus– Gap ComparisonsGap Comparisons– Native-to-Native ComparisonsNative-to-Native Comparisons– Trend AnalysisTrend Analysis– Use of multiple data setsUse of multiple data sets

Dropout Rates for SY2001 to Dropout Rates for SY2001 to SY2006, Alaska Native and SY2006, Alaska Native and

Statewide, Grades 7-12Statewide, Grades 7-12

0 .0 %

1 .0 %

2 .0 %

3 .0 %

4 .0 %

5 .0 %

6 .0 %

7 .0 %

8 .0 %

9 .0 %

1 0 .0 %

S Y 2 0 0 1 S Y 2 0 0 2 S Y 2 0 0 3 S Y 2 0 0 4 S Y 2 0 0 5 S Y 2 0 0 6

A la s k a N a tiv e s S ta te w id e

Source: Alaska DEED

High School Graduation Rates for High School Graduation Rates for SY2004,SY2004,

by Ethnicity and ANCSA Regionby Ethnicity and ANCSA Region

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

Ahtna Aleut ArcticSlope

BeringStraits

BristolBay

Calista Chugach CookInlet

Doyon Koniag NANA Sealaska StatewideTotals

All Others Alaska Natives

Source: First Alaskans Institute, 2005

Ka Huaka’i FrameworkKa Huaka’i Framework

Source: Kamehameha Schools, 2005

A Focus on Native YouthA Focus on Native Youth

Age of our Native populationAge of our Native population

Pervasive issues of undercounting and Pervasive issues of undercounting and school ‘dropout’school ‘dropout’

Sits at the nexus of education and Sits at the nexus of education and workforce arenasworkforce arenas

Native VoteNative Vote

Native Youth CountNative Youth Count

Source: US Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, 2010 Census, Summary File 1

Native Youth CountNative Youth Count

Source: US Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, 2010 Census, Summary File 1

Case: Where are our Native Case: Where are our Native youth?youth?

National concentrations: OK, CA, AZ (11-12%)National concentrations: OK, CA, AZ (11-12%)

State concentrations: SD, NE, ND (~50%)State concentrations: SD, NE, ND (~50%)

Enrolled in public schools (AK, OK, MT, NM, SD, ND, Enrolled in public schools (AK, OK, MT, NM, SD, ND, AZ)AZ)– In special education, non-academic, GED/alternative programsIn special education, non-academic, GED/alternative programs

Of those pursuing higher education, most are enrolled Of those pursuing higher education, most are enrolled at public, 2-year institutionsat public, 2-year institutions– Completing bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees faster Completing bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees faster

than the national average (much lower at first-professional than the national average (much lower at first-professional degree level)degree level)

Incarcerated or being held in custodyIncarcerated or being held in custody

In the labor forceIn the labor force

In the militaryIn the military

Moving Forward TogetherMoving Forward Together

AI/AN Contributions to America: AI/AN Contributions to America: ‘State of Indian Nations Address’‘State of Indian Nations Address’

America’s Responsibility to honor America’s Responsibility to honor the nation-to-nation relationshipthe nation-to-nation relationship

Access to quality & meaningful Access to quality & meaningful data is a crucial element of data is a crucial element of tribal tribal sovereigntysovereignty