Education Equity Insights Part 3: Better Serving Native Students

Across the U.S., 由于结构性和制度性障碍，土著学生面临着机会差距，这些障碍影响了他们的教育经历和发展轨迹. Opportunity gaps exist for many reasons, including ineffective curriculum and instruction, deficient social and emotional supports, inadequate educator preparation and training, lack of programs focused on college and career readiness, and the need for more meaningful partnerships between organizations, such as state education agencies (SEAs), local education agencies (LEAs), and tribal education departments (TEDs).

为了帮助建立SEAs的能力，以更全面地支持土著教育，美国国务院在一份声明中说.S. Department of Education, in 2019, awarded funding to the National Comprehensive Center (National Center), directed by 趣赢平台, to develop resources to enhance the learning of Native youth. 国家中心建立了本土教育合作组织(NEC)来创建这些资源，并将不同的sea聚集在一起, LEAs, 和ted来寻找有希望的策略来提高本土学生的学业成绩. Amy Bitterman, a 趣赢平台 senior research associate who co-led the project, discusses the evolution of this work.

Q: 为什么这么长时间以来，土著学生的学业成绩一直遥不可及?

A: Historical and ongoing trauma including poverty, neglect, poor health conditions, discrimination, and biased disciplinary policies have impacted their educational progress. State curriculums often exclude Native history, language, and culture; and there are not enough Native teachers to serve as positive role models. Tribal education leaders are not always included in discussions to address these issues; however, they must be part of the conversations on how to best serve Native youth, 正如美国原住民和阿拉斯加原住民一再表现出的韧性和克服障碍的能力一样.

Q: What impact has the pandemic had on Native youth?

A: COVID-19对土著居民的影响尤为严重，加剧了他们的困难. With many reservations remotely located, connectivity is often nonexistent, making remote learning challenging.

Q: 韦斯特是如何帮助这些学生推进教育成果的?

A: 当我们被授予这个项目时，我们的第一步是把土著的声音带到这项工作中. 这种声音对于识别土著学生学习中的差距和帮助他们超越所需的改进至关重要. 为了确定项目的方向，我们采访了15位来自全国各地的本土专家——印度教育主管和教育倡导领袖, education strategies and practices to highlight, and overarching categories to focus on. We retained 6 Native consultants to design, develop, and implement a framework and process to help SEAs, LEAs, ted参与了关于本土学生学习的合作和深刻反思的讨论. 这个框架——一系列被称为“反思圈”的指导性讨论——有三个目标:(1)揭示各州和地方在确保高质量方面做了什么或没有做什么, relevant, and stimulating learning experiences for Native students; (2) determine priorities; and (3) guide the creation and implementation of promising strategies to improve Native students’ education.

Q: What capabilities did 趣赢平台 bring to this process?

A: Collaboration was key to the success of this project; and it was important to meet our clients where they were in the process of change. 我们的组织和项目管理技能支持顾问的工作，我们的能力建设专门知识也支持顾问的工作, equity mindset, and best practices.

Q: What can you tell us about the Circles?

A: Our Native capacity leads piloted 3 circles with 4 states: Oklahoma, North Carolina, Idaho, and Washington. In the First Circle, 来自这些州的高级SEA工作人员讨论了他们州目前在支持本土学生学习方面的努力水平. Answers were prompted by reflection questions, organized by 6 overarching categories: Native culture and language; tribal consultation and sovereignty; effective teachers and leaders; college and career readiness and access; physical and behavioral health; and identification of promising programs and practices.

In the Second Circle, 来自拥有大量土著学生的LEAs和ted的代表加入了第一圈成员. 这些代表验证、补充或澄清了第一圈的结果.

In the Third Circle, First Circle SEA participants and Second Circle members refined priorities, created a 90-day action plan, and identified longer-term goals.

Q: What was the tenor of the discussions?

A: These were hard discussions for all parties. For many tribal representatives, 这是他们第一次有来自东南亚的听众真正倾听他们的演讲. It was an emotional experience for them, having been marginalized for so long; and, at first, some were distrustful of the process. It was a difficult experience for SEAs and LEAs, too. It opened their eyes to the gap in support for these students.

Q: Are states working on plans to remedy this situation?

A: 是的，这四个州都在制定计划，我们将继续监测他们的进展.

Q: Will there be additional Circles of Reflection?

A: 是的，我们将与其他国家进行讨论，并继续与最初的小组进行对话.

Q: How can other SEAs, LEAs, and TEDs learn about this work?

A: 我们创建了“创意银行”，提供本土专家开发的资源，涵盖了国家支持的主要类别, the 90-day action plan, and the more ambitious longer-term goals.

Q: How does this work help other underserved students?

A: 这项工作是提供一种机制，使这些学生的倡导者能够被倾听并被纳入决策过程的重要一步.