Dr. Meredith L. McCoy

Category: Indian Education

  • DH Tools

    Hi again!

    I’ve been playing with some DH tools to help me visualize changes in federal grant allocations for Indian education over time. Today, I was looking for a tool that would help me see trends geographically, temporally, and categorically (types of grant recipients). After playing around with StoryMap JS, I decided to use color coding to change years, insert text boxes to designate school categories (tribal school, missionary school, etc.), and attach the gps pin as closely as possible to the site mentioned in the congressional records.

    Some pitfalls —

    1. The sites mentioned in the letters and records of Congress correspond to historical sites that don’t match up with Google Maps and its names for places today. Also, some sites were described through a reference to the tribal nation being served but not to a specific location. Tribal territories were in flux during the period in question (1819 to 1833), so finding an appropriate pin for “Creek nation,” for example, is difficult.
    2. Some schools filled multiple categories. For example, the Mohegan school at Montville, CT was both a missionary school and, at least partially, a tribally owned property.

    Take a look and see what you think!

    (if the embedded tool doesn’t work, you can check it out at https://uploads.knightlab.com/storymapjs/ef302b45fe690d798810f28b8f474bbd/civilization-act-of-1819-funds-distribution/index.html)

    Civilization Act of 1819 Funds Distribution

    A visual analysis of the disbursements of the Civilization Act of 1819 between 1819 and 1833

  • Consultation and Collaboration: NIEA Hill Day 2017

    This week, I got to attend the NIEA’s 2017 Hill Day. I came to listen and to learn what people are thinking about with regard to recent Indian education legislation. It was so exciting to hear leaders in Indian education sharing their perspectives on federal funding, innovation, and the rollout of the ESSA. Many shared similar feelings about the rollout of the new law, including ongoing concerns about the need for racially disaggregated data, for culturally relevant curriculum (and identifying teachers implement it), and for secure funding not subject to the whims of changing administrations. Many also discussed the potential for positive, collaborative relationships with states, federal agencies, and local districts based on the government-to-government relationship.

    The most thrilling and inspiring information from today came from states and tribes who are already engaged in the meaningful, ongoing consultation that can lead to positive results for kids. Notable examples included the work of the 39 Oklahoma tribes in conversation with state school superintendent Joy Hofmeister to offer 10 (!!!) Native languages as foreign languages to satisfy graduation requirements and to bring the Native high school graduation rate to 82%. As Superintendent Hofmeister noted, “It begins with consultation and collaboration with ESSA.” Also notable was the example of the Baboquivari school district in Arizona which has utilized the structures and resources at its disposal to reinvigorate a local public school district, drawing on Impact Aid funds to invest in teachers and using the state’s alternative certification program to bring in high quality language and culture instructors. There are thrilling examples of how charter schools can work for Native communities when they’re developed by the community based on community needs and values (not brought in from elsewhere), and I can’t wait to learn more about the work that Kara Bobroff is doing with the Native American Community Academy and NACA Inspired Schools Network. Perhaps the most exciting example of the day for me came from Sam Morseau with the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi. In preparing for ESSA, tribes in Michigan passed a strategic resolution which gives tribes the power to designate their liaison to the state for the purposes of working on ESSA. This resolution, passed by both individual tribes and by the United Tribes of Michigan, became part of the Michigan state plan for ESSA rollout which is now up for public comment.

    The kind of information-sharing and collaboration that happens at NIEA will ensure that representatives from Indian Country have a seat at the table and that Native youth are represented throughout the planning and implementation of ESSA. 

    So much of the conversation at NIEA this week was about utilizing the resources and structures already at your disposal to ensure positive outcomes for Native youth. Folks working in Indian Ed are collaborating and sharing information, identifying strategies that have worked elsewhere and then tailoring them to local contexts. Even beyond the law itself, the ESSA’s increased consulation requirements can be a stepping stone for future meaningful collaboration. Laws can be fickle, and the implementation of them can shift in seemingly mercurial ways as federal administrations come and go. As someone said today, this moment may be a once-in-a-generation opportunity. We can take advantage of the consultation rules built into the ESSA to set ourselves up for generations of improved school infrastructures, safer learning environments, and more culturally relevant curricular resources. I’m leaving today hopeful, looking forward to learning more from the people I met and excited for the future of Indian country with such brilliant, dedicated, and creative administrators, teachers, and policy advocates working on behalf of Native students.

  • ESSA Listening Sessions, round 1

    Today, I had the privilege of spending several hours learning from tribal leaders at the Department of Education’s tribal consultation in Orlando. The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Office of Indian Education, and the White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education called the listening session to share information about the Every Student Succeeds Act and to hear community members’ thoughts on next steps for providing guidance for those impacted by the law. This was a heavy meeting at times, particularly as we discussed the urgency of revitalizing our Native languages and the waves of youth suicides sweeping Indian Country. It was a good meeting, and I wanted to share some major themes from the day with you:

    Funding Needs

    1. Only 4% of education funding for public schools comes from the federal government; the rest comes from state and local funds. Many states are currently experiencing dire budgetary shortfalls, often leaving educational resources lacking. Several tribal leaders asserted that tribes should be able to enter into compacts with states to run their own education systems, much in the way that some tribes do for gaming or healthcare. They cited tribes running Head Start programs and tribal charter schools as evidence that this is a viable alternative to the present system.
    2. It almost goes without saying that tribes’ education funding is insufficient to cover all educational needs. Participants explained that when funding is available, it often comes in grants with relatively short implementation periods. If funding were more long-term, tribes might be able to craft stronger long-term strategic plans for their education systems. One tribal member explained that half of his tribe’s annual budget comes from grants, and that the management of those ~150 grants takes up substantial labor. The tribal member suggested consolidating smaller funds into one large grant, maximizing fund availability and freeing up tribal employees to work on other important initiatives.

    Curriculum Priorities

    1. Attendees stressed that language and culture should be more present in public schools serving Native youth. The ESSA requires that states consult with tribes regarding their use of Title I, Title II, and Title III funds. It also requires that local educational authorities (like school districts) consult with local tribes if 50% of students in their their district are Native or if they qualify for over $40,000 in Title VII (soon-to-be Title VI) funds. Importantly, one participant noted that this may not actually result in greater consultations if students who list “two or more races” on their registration do not get identified as Native by the district.
    2. As ESSA focuses on states having college- and career-ready standards, participants wanted to make sure there is adequate support for youth whose aspirations or life circumstances require trade schools, GEDs, and military service instead of a four-year institution. They emphasized the importance of career in “college- and career-ready.”

    Student Needs

    1. Many participants told personal stories about teachers or administrators who didn’t expect them to go to college and, in some cases, told students they would end up in prison. One participant from Alaska shared that the rates of suspensions and expulsions almost exactly match the rates of adult male incarceration — another example of the school-to-prison pipeline in full effect.
    2. Some attendees felt that Native students are over- or under-identified for Special Education: whereas some participants were concerned about school districts identifying Native students as SpEd in order to get additional per pupil funding, others were concerned that teachers and administrators may misinterpret cultural differences as learning disabilities.
    3. Historical trauma affects our students’ abilities to learn and grow. Districts should be aware of the impact of historical trauma on students and set up supports to help them succeed.
    4. Lastly (and most importantly), suicides are rampant in Indian Country. Several participants expressed feeling that schools that aren’t culturally responsive may exacerbate the problem. They asserted that a return to tribal languages and ceremonies can help counteract the issues contributing to youth suicides. Throughout the day, many commented on the need for more culturally responsive environments, teachers, counselors, standards, curriculum, and assessments for Native youth. Districts should invite tribes to actively partner in developing culturally responsive classrooms since they know their communities, their cultures, their histories, and their kids best.

    In the next few weeks, the Department of Education will hold additional listening sessions in Sisseton, Tulsa, and Spokane. They also have set up essa.questions@ed.gov as an email address to answer any ESSA-related questions or concerns. Other documents relevant to ESSA can be found on the Department of Education’s page or on the NIEA’s page. 

    Feel free to message me @meredithlmccoy on Twitter if you have any thoughts or questions about what I’ve written here. Let me know if this resonated with you!

    Miigwetch,

    Meredith

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