This case study focuses on a Native American family's experience on a walk in an urban forest preserve. Drawing on interaction analysis traditions, we analyze video data and transcript data to characterize how learning unfolds in place, in this case an urban forest. We build on this analysis, as well as the work of Indigenous scholars, to…

This brief tells the story of Lumina Foundation's and states' efforts to promote an equity agenda for higher education, featuring the 2015 Equity Policy Academy-- which focused on improving educational equity for students from historically underserved groups--as a turning point. Based primarily on interviews with Lumina staff and key state leaders…

The New Mexico Public Education Department (PED)--through its various divisions and bureaus--has been actively engaged with pueblos, tribes, nations, and the school districts serving American Indian students. The purpose of this report is to provide information required by the Indian Education Act and State-Tribal Collaboration Act to stakeholders…

The Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) has synthesized key data on English learners (ELs) into two-page sheets on a variety of subjects. The topics for this report on national and state-level high school graduation rates for English learners include: (1) National High School Graduation Rates, by Race and Ethnicity: SY 2015-16; (2)…

Hopa Mountain is a nonprofit organization committed to developing citizen leaders in rural and tribal communities in the Northern Rockies. The mission of Hopa Mountain is rooted in the principle that the local people have within themselves the strength and wisdom to bring about community change. This mission was inspired by the broader philosophy…

Parents of Cherokee children with disabilities encounter educational agencies from their child's birth to adulthood. Living rurally within the Cherokee Nation's jurisdictional boundaries, these indigenous families engage with a myriad of special education agencies and subsequent policies. This qualitative study explores parental involvement with…

The dynamics of Native American female leadership is becoming a more prevalent topic in the scholarly literature as more educated Native American women become visible in tribal higher education. This qualitative case study explored Native American female leadership, as a growing number of Native American women enter higher education and earn…

The narrative form is everywhere. It can be as common as our daily stories and as significant as a great novel. Narrating can be a process of self-assessment and introspection around a certain theme. In this sense it is important in education. In this paper I argue that people learn not only by listening to narrative but also by teaching others…

This article introduces and describes the academic leadership role of the chief academic officer (CAO), also referred to as the academic vice-president, academic dean, or the provost. The CAO is responsible for the development and implementation of all academic programs, including the curriculum content, assessment, instruction quality,…

One might argue that an Indian student entering higher education is faced with a critical question--Where to study, in India or abroad? With a gross enrollment ratio of around 20% in the tertiary sector, only one in five in the 18 to 23 age group of a 140 million eventually gets to answer the question. But those who do, and whose numbers are…

The evaluation of students' learning has been the central focus in Indian schools for a very long time. Teachers and school administrators in most schools train students from the very beginning to sit for the examinations conducted at the end of Classes X and XII. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (popularly known as RTE) Act,…

This article analyzes factors that might be associated with Navajo college students' writing anxiety. Oral tradition, reading, syntax, and past experience are the factors discussed. Suggestions based on previous literature and personal experience are provided.

Intercollegiate athletics is a very important part in American higher education both financially and symbolically. One of the most distinct features of college sports is athletic mascots and nicknames of colleges and universities represent not only the athletic programs but also the whole institutions and communities. As they were deeply ingrained…

Understanding how young children are socialized to the process and products of storytelling as part of everyday family life is important for language and literacy instruction. A language socialization framework was used to understand storytelling practices on the Navajo Nation. This study examined how three young English-speaking Navajo children,…

Schools and communities across Montana are working hard to ensure that students receive the best education and graduate ready for college and careers. One of the most important components in this effort involves understanding where students are and how schools and communities can best help them achieve at the highest levels. Data is an invaluable…