Native American Dropout: Assessing Factors to Improve Retention in

Public, Secondary Schools

Tim LaPlantWalden University

Dr. Joseph Frantiska Jr.EDUC-6125

"Let us put our minds together and see what kind of life we can make for our children."

- Sitting Bull, Lakota Sioux Medicine Man and Chief

Overview

"Let us put our minds together and see what kind of life we can make for our children."

- Sitting Bull, Lakota Sioux Medicine Man and Chief

Overview

"Let us put our minds together and see what kind of life we can make for our children."

- Sitting Bull, Lakota Sioux Medicine Man and Chief

Overview

"Let us put our minds together and see what kind of life we can make for our children."

- Sitting Bull, Lakota Sioux Medicine Man and Chief

Overview

Context and Background

American Indian

graduation rates have been on a downward trend since

2008.

Context and Background

The high school

dropout rate for Native

Americans is the highest among any group in the

United States (Akee &Yazzie-Mintz, 2011).

Context and Background

Fourteen states, “Alaska, Idaho, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming” reported High School graduation rates for Native students below 60 percent (National Indian Education Association, 2013).

Comparison of National Dropout Rates

Dropout Rate All Students

White Students

AI/AN Students

Age Group

or Grade

Individuals Who Count as Dropouts...

Data Source

Event Dropout Rate (2009-10)

3% (N=514,238)

2% (N=191,943)

7% (N=12,044)

9-12th grade

Dropped out of public school in a given school year and didn't receive

a diploma

Stillwell & Sable, 2013

National Status Dropout Rate (CPS) (Oct 2009)

8% (N=3,030,000

)

5% (N=1,188,000)

13% (N=34,000)

16-24 years

Aren't in high school and don't have a diploma or alternative credential

Chapman, Laird, Ifill, &

KewalRamani, 2011

National Status Dropout Rate (ACS) (Oct 2009)

8% (N=3,167,400

)

6% (N=1,261,000)

15% (N=46,800)

16-24 years

Aren't in high school and don't have a diploma or alternative credential

Aud, Hussar, Kena, Bianco, et

al., 2011

National Indian Education Association. (2014). Statistics on native students. Retrieved from website: http://www.niea.org/Research/Statistics.aspx

Note: CCD = based on data from the Common Core of Data, CPS = based on data from the Current Population Survey, ACS = based on data from the American Community Survey

Purpose

• Improve Retention Rates

Literature

Research shows providing quality

education for Native children

and communities remains a huge

challenge as both Tribal and public school officials

struggle for new ways to keep

Native students in school.

Proposed Solutions

Facilitate the implementation of evidence-based strategies through intervention-based design models that:

•Promote the hiring of Native instructors.•Promote a positive school environment and pro-social behavior.•Increase student engagement by promoting culture retention strategy.•Promote academic success by encouraging non-Native teachers and faculty on applicable Native culture •Increase family and community support

Solutions (cont.)

Benchmark existing alternative schools that have had success.

Suggestion: Spotted Eagle Alternative High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which provides quality non-punitive alternative education for American Indian students in an urban environment.

Conclusion

• Assimilation of Native children into the dominant culture has failed.

• Close the cultural gap.

• Induce positive experience.

• Change mainstream paradigms.

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advocate’s statement about latest high school graduation rate data: Another sign that native education is in crisis. Retrieved from http://www.niea.org/news/?id=149

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