Hello, The Cal Summer Experience is a FREE two-day residential program on the UC Berkeley campus for university-bound high school and community college students.
There is no cost to the student. However, students are expected to provide their own transportation to the Berkeley campus and back.
There are two distinct programs:
· High school students
· Community college students
The goals of each program include enhancing students' academic preparation for the University and introducing them to the support services that will be available to them. An additional objective is to help students prepare for the college application process and transition to the University. Activities include faculty lectures, UC Personal Statement writing workshop, test preparation, major selection, transcript evaluation, and other related advising. In addition, participants will receive information on housing, financial aid and advice from a current Cal student panel.
CAL SUMMER EXPERIENCE June 23-15, 2013
APPLICATION DEADLINE IS APRIL 2, 2013
http://admissions.berkeley.edu/calsummerexperience
For More Information and Inquires Contact:
Thanks for sharing this information widely!
Bridget Neconie
Admission & Recruitment Specialist
Office of Undergraduate Admission
University of California, Berkeley
510.643.7902
|
|
NCAI Education Newsletter February 26, 2013 Announcements |
Upcoming NCAI Deadlines This Friday, March 1
· Call for Feedback: Request for Tribal Input on Native Education Legislation
· Deadline Extended: Submit a Proposal for NCAI's Tribal Leader/Scholar Forum
Call for Feedback: Request for Tribal Input on Native Education Legislation (Deadline: March 1)
The new Congressional session provides a key opportunity to strengthen Native education through the legislative proposals tribes have been working on for years. In preparation for advocacy on this critical priority, NCAI is requesting input by from tribal leaders and Native educators on draft language by March 1, 2013.
The following draft language comes from NCAI’s initial proposal for the Native Culture, Language, and Access for Success in Schools (CLASS) Act, which addresses the joint NCAI/NIEA education priorities outlined in Resolution #ABQ-10-054. The language has been marginally edited to account for some updates in the past year (e.g. removal of the Troops to Teachers provision because the National Defense Authorization Act recently made the Bureau of Indian Education eligible for the program).
· Click here to read the draft language.
· Click here to read a summary of the draft language.
· Click here to read NCAI/NIEA’s joint education priorities (Resolution #ABQ-10-054)
Background
During its last session, Congress introduced the Native CLASS Act (S. 1262 and H.R. 3569), which passed out of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in October 2011. The Native CLASS Act is a comprehensive bill that includes a number of provisions tribal leaders have long sought, including recognition of tribal governments as sovereigns in directing the education of Native students.
Next Steps
In partnership with the National Indian Education Association, the Tribal Education Departments National Assembly, and the United South and Eastern Tribes, NCAI is working with Congress to introduce an Indian education measure that is similar to the Native CLASS Act. As we reevaluate the previous language and consider revisions and additions, NCAI would like Indian Country’s feedback on what else needs to be included and/or updated.
Questions for Consideration
Please consider the following questions as you review the draft language:
· Is there anything missing from this proposal?
Are there other areas that need to be addressed?
· Are there opportunities to more closely link Native education with job creation and job readiness/training?
· Are the following areas adequately addressed in the bill?
o Tribal education departments
o Native language preservation
o Culturally-based education
o Ensuring all Native students’ needs are addressed
o Funding parity for tribes
o State waivers and tribes
o Access to student data
o Tribal/state partnerships
o Impact Aid
o Professional development
o Charter schools
o BIE schools
o Public schools
Deadline: March 1
Please send any comments you have on the draft proposal to Katie Jones at kjones@ncai.org by Friday, March 1, 2013.
Deadline Extended: Submit a Proposal for NCAI's Tribal Leader/Scholar Forum (Now Due March 1)
Planning for Change in Native Communities:
Using Research to Understand Economic, Civic, and Cultural Transformation
The call for proposals for the 8th Annual NCAI Policy Research Center's Tribal Leader/Scholar Forum ('the Forum') is now open. Proposals are being accepted until 5pm EST on Friday, March 1, 2013, and should be submitted via email to Beth Bahe at bbahe@ncai.org.
The NCAI Policy Research Center Tribal Leader/Scholar Forum will be held on Wednesday, June 26, 2013, in Reno, Nevada, at NCAI's Mid Year Conference.
The Forum provides a space for tribal leaders and citizens, researchers, and policy research organizations to discuss how to strengthen public policy and community-based initiatives based on meaningful data and research. This year's Forum will feature compelling research with significance to Native communities experiencing, planning for, and leading change in a range of areas, including but not limited to:
· Workforce preparedness for the new economy;
· Grassroots community movements and new types of civic engagement (e.g., voting reform, youth and elder engagement, intergenerational coordination, men's and women's initiatives)
· Demographic changes stemming from mobility between rural and urban communities, immigration, and environmental change
· Measuring how tribes and Native people contribute to rapidly changing regional economies
· Innovations in technology that may bring both benefits and dangers (e.g., telemedicine, energy advancements, sharing information across distances, and digital means of teaching culture and language).
Presentations should identify how current research can lead to policy priorities that can benefit Native health, education, community, and legal realities. Participants can submit proposals to present using one of the following presentation formats, including: panel proposals, individual paper proposals, research planning roundtable proposals, or poster proposals.
Deadline
Proposals should be submitted via email to Beth Bahe at bbahe@ncai.org by 5pm EST on Friday, March 1, 2013.
More Information
Early Bird Registration has been extended. Go to www.ccaie.org to sign up
|
Navajo students' uncanny relationship with Dartmouth is rooted in history
Updated:
|
Daily-Times.com
|
FARMINGTON — Ask some of the highest achieving Navajo students where they want to go to college and a good number of them will say, "Dartmouth."
Dartmouth, located more than 2,300 miles away from the Navajo Nation, costs about $50,000 a year to attend. It admits only about 1,000 students a year and is one of eight colleges in the country classified as "Ivy League."
It's no coincidence that, of all the well thought of institutions in the country, they say Dartmouth.
Since its founding in 1769, the school has been geared towards educating Native American students. Its mission, however, has changed drastically.
"One of the objectives was to assimilate (the Indian children) ... and minimize the conflicts," said N. Bruce Duthu, chairman of Dartmouth's Native American studies program.
The school began as a charter school founded in the name of King George III of England. It would educate any children in the community, which today is in Hanover, N.H.
The charter that funded the school said that the school would be "for the education and instruction of Youth of the Indian Tribes in this Land ... and also of English youth and any others," Duthu said.
Few Native American children wanted to attend the school, though, because it was far from their homes and had a curriculum that separated them from the traditions they knew.
In its first 20 years, the school only enrolled 19 Native American students.
"That's less than one a year," Duthu said.
In fact, not until 1970 did the college again make it a priority to enroll Native American students.
The college, at that time, made a commitment to return to its roots and create a campus where Native American students could pursue a quality education, and feel like they were a part of the campus community, Duthu said.
The college appears to have succeeded.
The college has more Native American undergraduates than all the other Ivy League schools' Native American student populations combined. It admits about 40 Native American students per year.
"One of the main reasons I came here was the Native American studies major," said Preston Wells, a senior at Dartmouth. "It's the only (Native American studies) major in the Ivy League, and it's the best in the nation."
Wells, a member of the Choctaw Nation, came to Dartmouth from Hugo, Okla. He now is a member of the Native American House on campus, a home that has more than a dozen Native American students living in it.
"There's a lot of Navajos," said Wells.
Navajo and Cherokee students make up the bulk of the Native American student population because those tribes have the largest populations, both Dartmouth students and faculty said.
"There's always a ton of students that get in on the fly-in," Wells said.
The college's fly-in program is an effective promotional tool, students and faculty said. The program pays for a three-day visit for many Native American students' considering enrolling. They receive a complimentary round-trip flight, and often free lodging and meals.
"Dartmouth gets them here, and then they see it, and they want to go here," Wells said.
And they see all of the comforts it has to offer. Not only do they offer a wealth of classes in Native American studies, they also have a program that has activities and support primarily for Native American students.
Wells is even trying to start a branch of Phi Sigma Nu, a Native American fraternity that has various branches across the country, most of them on the East Coast.
The school already has a Native American sorority on campus.
"Now that we have so many alums, they act as ambassadors," said Duthu. The school's alumni spread word of the opportunities that Dartmouth has for young Native Americans, he said.
Even post-college a lot of the students receive guidance and financial assistance in pursuing internships and jobs after they graduate.
"We have a pretty phenomenal rate of our students who end up going into jobs that give back to Indian Country," Duthu said. "A lot of these kids go on to do remarkable things."
And, granted, unlike many of the students who go off to Ivy League schools, they did not come from silver-spoon families. Some of them came from homes where they had no running water, no electricity, and no support.
For many of those students, the education is free.
"If a student's family's income is below $70,000 a year, Dartmouth College offers a full financial aid package. All you have to do is get admitted," said Matthew Tso, a former Dartmouth student who now is the board president of the Central Consolidated School District. "Cost of attendance should not be a barrier that prevents high-achieving students from applying."
The experience, education, relationships, and memories obtained at Dartmouth College are priceless, he said.
The college has no intention of slowing its programs for Native American students, either.
The Native American studies program is growing each year, Duthu said, with between 500 and 600 students taking those courses. The majority of them are non-Native American students, though the majority of students who major in the program are Native American.
That, too, is changing, however.
More and more students who are not Native American are becoming interested in the studies, and more of the Ivy League schools are trying to expand their own programs, Duthu said, even though they are far behind Dartmouth's.
"It's just not a priority for them," Duthu said. "For us, the commitment goes all the way back to our foundation."
California Conference on American Indian Education www.ccaie.org
The 36th Annual California Conference on American Indian Education (CCAIE) has selected the theme-“Native Roots: Past, Present, and Future,” and is a opportunity to share traditional and academic teaching and learning. The conference honors the commitment of families and those who contribute to the advancement of Indian Education in California.
Conference Goals:
•To advocate academic excellence and educational opportunities for American Indian families, educators, tribal leaders, and board members;
•To provide opportunities for networking among American Indian families, elders, tribal leaders, students, and educators;
•To recognize distinguished educators parents, and students;
•To honor our elders, who are our most revered teachers.
This conference is made possible by the collaborative efforts of the 27 American Indian Education Centers located statewide, endorsed by the California Department of Education as well as many other supporters of American Indian education throughout California. Our hope is that your attendance at this year’s conference will be a positive experience and will result in lasting memories. We look forward to seeing you in Santa Barbara!
We are pleased to announce that this year’s conference will again offer a youth track. Great speakers are scheduled as well as interactive activities, including a trip to the University of California, Santa Barbara for youth, junior high and above, who are enrolled in the Conference.
If you have any questions please contact Irma Amaro at 707-464-3512 or by e-mail at irma@ncidc.org or Rachel McBride at 530-895-4212 ext. 110 or by e-mail at rachel.4winds@sbcglobal.net
You can also go to our new website at www.ccaie.org
The Call To Conference can be downloaded here: http://ncidc.org/sites/default/files/feature-images/Call%20to%20Conference%202013.pdf
Indianz.Com. In Print.
http://www.indianz.com/News/2013/008141.asp Native Sun News: Indian family punished for criticizing school
THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013
Filed Under: Education | National
More on: california, native sun news, racism, stereotypes
The following story was written and reported by Brandon Ecoffey, Native Sun News Staff Writer. All content © Native Sun News.
The Eagle Bull-Oxendine family challenged the offensive curriculum promoted at their children’s school. As a result they may have lost the scholarships that their children had received based on their Native American heritage.Mocking Native culture at Maria Montessori School
By Brandon Ecoffey
Native Sun News Staff WriterSAN DIEGO — In a time when political correctness is the new norm it is not often that a school blatantly institutionalizes racially insensitive practices however, this seems to be the case at the Maria Montessori School in San Diego, CA.Jeanne Eagle Bull-Oxendine and her husband James Oxendine are both United States Navy Veterans and are both enrolled members of Tribal Nations. Jeanne is an Oglala Lakota born and raised on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and James is a member of the Lumbee Nation hailing from Pembroke, NC respectively. They both have travelled the world extensively serving their country and representing Indigenous people in far off lands.Recently the couple settled with their four kids in San Diego, CA where James works as the Combat Systems ADP Officer on the Littoral Combat Ship and Jeanie is furthering her education. They have struggled to carve out their own version of the American dream and are working hard to instill a sense of belonging and self-awareness of their traditional roots in their four children despite not currently living in a Native American community.Often the difficulty facing many Native Americans who have left their communities in search of other opportunities is addressing the many stereotypes that still exist in mainstream American culture about indigenous peoples.The misappropriation of Native American culture is not uncommon with the prevalence of Native American themed mascots in professional sports, the continued development of marketing campaigns that promote inaccurate depictions of Native peoples, and even in the behavior of celebrities who still feel that it is ok to play “Indian”.So when the Oxendine’s were forced to confront the mockery of their cultural heritage at their children’s school-where they least expected it-needless to say they were caught by surprise.“My daughter Jada came home and said, ‘Ina (mother) they are trying to make fun of us at school’ and handed me a flier detailing the school's Thanksgiving celebration,” said Jeanie Eagle Bull-Oxendine.During the week leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday the Maria Montessori School-where the Oxendine’s two youngest children attend school-holds a week long holiday celebration where non-Native teachers, parents and school administrators hold a number of events recognizing the holiday, which according to the school are meant to promote thankfulness and the importance of the first Thanksgiving.Some of the events could be seen as highly offensive and ignorant. The festivities include the making of Native American Head dresses, the giving out of “authentic” Native American names, the construction of drums, and culminates in a meal where teachers, parents, and students are encouraged to come dressed as either a Pilgrim or the much more coveted Native American.“I approached the teacher at the school and told her that as Native Americans and as veterans we found these practices extremely offensive,” said Jeanne Eagle Bull-Oxendine. “I asked them to stop the practices and even offered to come in and help educate the parents and other students about Native American culture,” she added.The teacher however was not responsive to Eagle Bull-Oxendine’s feedback and made it known that the Thanksgiving practices at the school were a thirty year old practice that the school was not looking to abandon.“I could not believe that in this day and age stuff like this continues to happen in our schools,” said Eagle Bull-Oxendine.In an attempt to prevent her daughter Jada, and son Jasa from enduring the events and the inevitable confusion that would come along with the experience Jeanne worked her way up the chain of command asking school officials to either discontinue the practices of modify them in a way that would more accurately portray Native people.The school’s response was not what was expected. Instead of working to help address the concerns of the Oxendine’s and their dissatisfaction with the Thanksgiving holiday events the school suggested that the best course of action would be that they keep their kids out of school while the events took place.“It is our intent to not exacerbate this situation any farther, and hence our request for your children to remain home for this week,” the school said in a letter.Shocked at the schools response Jeannie began approaching other parents at the school informing them of the concerns that she had. This however was greeted with an additional letter from the school.“As a school, we also want to limit your public discussions amongst our parents of your displeasure with our long-standing traditional Thanksgiving observance in our pre-school. Because of your dissatisfaction with the changes we offered to make in the curriculum, some of the activities that cause you so much concern will continue through this week,” the school responded.After they were informed by the school that they were not to speak publicly about their opposition to the school’s Thanksgiving curriculum the Oxendine’s contacted the American Montessori Association (AMA) who is responsible for the accreditation of Maria Montessori. They were told by the AMA that they could not force the school to do anything but would look in to it.Frustrated by the lack of concern shown by school administrators the Oxendine’s began looking for other schools where there children would not have to endure the racial insensitive practices that would continue to occur at Maria Montessori School.While looking however, the family was informed by the school that they would need to reapply for their kids’ scholarships. Tuition to attend the school is over $8,000 a year. Ironically the Oxendine children were awarded their scholarships based on their Native American lineage according to Jeanne Oxendine-Eagle Bull.“It seems like as soon as we started contacting other organizations about our concerns the scholarships were questioned,” said Eagle Bull-Oxendine. “All we want is the best education possible for our kids in an environment where they can be respected as people and as Native Americans,” she added.The family feels that had they not questioned the practices of the school their kids would still have their scholarships at Maria Montessori School. The school did not respond to requests by Native Sun News for comment. The Oxendine’s have begun looking for legal advice and the support of other Native American organizations in southern California.“We feel like we have exhausted all our options with the school and are now reaching out to other Native organizations for help,” said Jeanne. “We are also looking in to possibly exploring legal action against the school hopefully something works out for us,” she added.(Contact Brandon Ecoffey at staffwriter2@nsweekly.com)
http://www.indianz.com/News/2013/008141.asp Native Sun News: Indian family punished for criticizing school
THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013
Filed Under: Education | National
More on: california, native sun news, racism, stereotypes
The following story was written and reported by Brandon Ecoffey, Native Sun News Staff Writer. All content © Native Sun News.
The Eagle Bull-Oxendine family challenged the offensive curriculum promoted at their children’s school. As a result they may have lost the scholarships that their children had received based on their Native American heritage.Mocking Native culture at Maria Montessori School
By Brandon Ecoffey
Native Sun News Staff WriterSAN DIEGO — In a time when political correctness is the new norm it is not often that a school blatantly institutionalizes racially insensitive practices however, this seems to be the case at the Maria Montessori School in San Diego, CA.Jeanne Eagle Bull-Oxendine and her husband James Oxendine are both United States Navy Veterans and are both enrolled members of Tribal Nations. Jeanne is an Oglala Lakota born and raised on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and James is a member of the Lumbee Nation hailing from Pembroke, NC respectively. They both have travelled the world extensively serving their country and representing Indigenous people in far off lands.Recently the couple settled with their four kids in San Diego, CA where James works as the Combat Systems ADP Officer on the Littoral Combat Ship and Jeanie is furthering her education. They have struggled to carve out their own version of the American dream and are working hard to instill a sense of belonging and self-awareness of their traditional roots in their four children despite not currently living in a Native American community.Often the difficulty facing many Native Americans who have left their communities in search of other opportunities is addressing the many stereotypes that still exist in mainstream American culture about indigenous peoples.The misappropriation of Native American culture is not uncommon with the prevalence of Native American themed mascots in professional sports, the continued development of marketing campaigns that promote inaccurate depictions of Native peoples, and even in the behavior of celebrities who still feel that it is ok to play “Indian”.So when the Oxendine’s were forced to confront the mockery of their cultural heritage at their children’s school-where they least expected it-needless to say they were caught by surprise.“My daughter Jada came home and said, ‘Ina (mother) they are trying to make fun of us at school’ and handed me a flier detailing the school's Thanksgiving celebration,” said Jeanie Eagle Bull-Oxendine.During the week leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday the Maria Montessori School-where the Oxendine’s two youngest children attend school-holds a week long holiday celebration where non-Native teachers, parents and school administrators hold a number of events recognizing the holiday, which according to the school are meant to promote thankfulness and the importance of the first Thanksgiving.Some of the events could be seen as highly offensive and ignorant. The festivities include the making of Native American Head dresses, the giving out of “authentic” Native American names, the construction of drums, and culminates in a meal where teachers, parents, and students are encouraged to come dressed as either a Pilgrim or the much more coveted Native American.“I approached the teacher at the school and told her that as Native Americans and as veterans we found these practices extremely offensive,” said Jeanne Eagle Bull-Oxendine. “I asked them to stop the practices and even offered to come in and help educate the parents and other students about Native American culture,” she added.The teacher however was not responsive to Eagle Bull-Oxendine’s feedback and made it known that the Thanksgiving practices at the school were a thirty year old practice that the school was not looking to abandon.“I could not believe that in this day and age stuff like this continues to happen in our schools,” said Eagle Bull-Oxendine.In an attempt to prevent her daughter Jada, and son Jasa from enduring the events and the inevitable confusion that would come along with the experience Jeanne worked her way up the chain of command asking school officials to either discontinue the practices of modify them in a way that would more accurately portray Native people.The school’s response was not what was expected. Instead of working to help address the concerns of the Oxendine’s and their dissatisfaction with the Thanksgiving holiday events the school suggested that the best course of action would be that they keep their kids out of school while the events took place.“It is our intent to not exacerbate this situation any farther, and hence our request for your children to remain home for this week,” the school said in a letter.Shocked at the schools response Jeannie began approaching other parents at the school informing them of the concerns that she had. This however was greeted with an additional letter from the school.“As a school, we also want to limit your public discussions amongst our parents of your displeasure with our long-standing traditional Thanksgiving observance in our pre-school. Because of your dissatisfaction with the changes we offered to make in the curriculum, some of the activities that cause you so much concern will continue through this week,” the school responded.After they were informed by the school that they were not to speak publicly about their opposition to the school’s Thanksgiving curriculum the Oxendine’s contacted the American Montessori Association (AMA) who is responsible for the accreditation of Maria Montessori. They were told by the AMA that they could not force the school to do anything but would look in to it.Frustrated by the lack of concern shown by school administrators the Oxendine’s began looking for other schools where there children would not have to endure the racial insensitive practices that would continue to occur at Maria Montessori School.While looking however, the family was informed by the school that they would need to reapply for their kids’ scholarships. Tuition to attend the school is over $8,000 a year. Ironically the Oxendine children were awarded their scholarships based on their Native American lineage according to Jeanne Oxendine-Eagle Bull.“It seems like as soon as we started contacting other organizations about our concerns the scholarships were questioned,” said Eagle Bull-Oxendine. “All we want is the best education possible for our kids in an environment where they can be respected as people and as Native Americans,” she added.The family feels that had they not questioned the practices of the school their kids would still have their scholarships at Maria Montessori School. The school did not respond to requests by Native Sun News for comment. The Oxendine’s have begun looking for legal advice and the support of other Native American organizations in southern California.“We feel like we have exhausted all our options with the school and are now reaching out to other Native organizations for help,” said Jeanne. “We are also looking in to possibly exploring legal action against the school hopefully something works out for us,” she added.(Contact Brandon Ecoffey at staffwriter2@nsweekly.com)
Table of Contents
State of Indian Nations Address to Be Webcast Live (February 14)
Jefferson Keel, President of the National Congress of American Indians, will deliver the annual State of Indian Nations Address on February 14, 2013, from the Newseum in Washington, DC. As is tradition, the State of Indian Nations address is scheduled just days after the United States President delivers the State of the Union. President Barack Obama is scheduled to address the nation and a joint session of Congress on February 12, 2013.The live broadcast of the State of Indian Nations address will begin at 10:30 a.m. Eastern from the Newseum's Knight Studio for television broadcast. The event will be broadcast live on www.ncai.org/live. The address will be followed by a Congressional response and a question & answer session. Questions will be taken from the live studio audience and online viewers watching.Register a Watch Party for Your School or Youth GroupPeople all over Indian Country gather to watch the State of Indian Nations every year. Tribal governments, community groups, organizations, businesses, colleges, universities, schools, and others are all encouraged to host a watch party and incorporate a discussion with those attend. We'll even provide a way for you to interact online and ask questions during the question and answer session following the address. If you are not able to view the event live, the State of Indian Nations will be archived immediately online for playback at any time. Click here to register a watch party.Event DetailsWhen: Thursday February 14, 2013 —10:30amWhere: Newseum, Knight Studio 555 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20001 (6th Street Entrance). It can also be streamed live at www.ncai.org/liveEvent Schedule:9:15 a.m - Media Setup Begins9:30 a.m - Doors Open10:15 a.m - Final Seating10:20 a.m - Invocation10:30 a.m. - State of Indian Nations Address broadcast begins11:00 a.m. - Congressional Response11:15 a.m. - NCAI Question & Answer/Press AvailabilitySubmit a Proposal for NCAI's Tribal Leader/Scholar Forum (Due February 22)
Planning for Change in Native Communities:Using Research to Understand Economic, Civic, and Cultural TransformationThe call for proposals for the 8th Annual NCAI Policy Research Center's Tribal Leader/Scholar Forum ('the Forum') is now open. Proposals are being accepted until 5pm EST on Friday, February 22, 2013, and should be submitted via email to Beth Bahe at bbahe@ncai.org.The NCAI Policy Research Center Tribal Leader/Scholar Forum will be held on Wednesday, June 26, 2013, in Reno, Nevada, at NCAI's Mid Year Conference.The Forum provides a space for tribal leaders and citizens, researchers, and policy research organizations to discuss how to strengthen public policy and community-based initiatives based on meaningful data and research. This year's Forum will feature compelling research with significance to Native communities experiencing, planning for, and leading change in a range of areas, including but not limited to:· Workforce preparedness for the new economy;· Grassroots community movements and new types of civic engagement (e.g., voting reform, youth and elder engagement, intergenerational coordination, men's and women's initiatives)· Demographic changes stemming from mobility between rural and urban communities, immigration, and environmental change· Measuring how tribes and Native people contribute to rapidly changing regional economies· Innovations in technology that may bring both benefits and dangers (e.g., telemedicine, energy advancements, sharing information across distances, and digital means of teaching culture and language).Presentations should identify how current research can lead to policy priorities that can benefit Native health, education, community, and legal realities. Participants can submit proposals to present using one of the following presentation formats, including: panel proposals, individual paper proposals, research planning roundtable proposals, or poster proposals.DeadlineProposals should be submitted via email to Beth Bahe at bbahe@ncai.org by 5pm EST on Friday, February 22, 2013.More InformationRequest for Nominations: Bureau of Indian Education Adequate Yearly Progress Negotiated Rulemaking Committee (Due March 4)
The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) is requesting nominations for a new Adequate Yearly Progress Negotiated Rulemaking Committee. The Committee will recommend revisions to the existing regulations for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). As required by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the Secretary will select representatives of tribes for the Committee from:· Among individuals nominated by tribes whose students attend BIE-funded schools operated by either the Bureau; or· By the tribe through a contract or grant and who would be affected by a final rule.The BIE is currently soliciting comments on this proposal to establish the Committee, including comments on additional interests not identified in this notice of intent. It is also inviting tribes to nominate representatives for membership on the Committee.BackgroundThe No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 required states to use certain academic content standards, assessments, and a specific methodology for calculating the AYP of students to measure academic achievement. The NCLB's amendments to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) required the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to promulgate regulations through negotiated rulemaking for the accountability system to be used in Bureau-funded schools.In 2005, the BIA promulgated such regulations. These regulations require BIE to use the accountability system of the state in which a BIE-funded school is located to calculate AYP.BIE-funded schools are located in 23 different states, and each state has its own accountability system. As a result, each state system produces student achievement data that cannot be directly compared with data from other states. For BIE, comparison is necessary to identify under-performing schools and direct resources effectively.BIE had previously developed a method for comparing academic achievement across states despite the variances in academic standards. But now that some states have received flexibility waivers from the Department of the Education, BIE will no longer be able to use this method to effectively compare achievement. It is necessary, therefore, to revise the regulation.Submission GuidelinesPlease see the full Federal Register notice for nomination submission guidelines and more information.National Advisory Council on Indian Education to Meet in Washington DC (February 6-8)
The National Advisory Council on Indian Education (NACIE) will meet next week in Washington DC.Dates and Times:· Wednesday, February 6, 2013: 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Eastern· Thursday, February 7, 2013: 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Eastern· Friday, February 8, 2013: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. EasternUseful Links:Apply to Review ED Discretionary Grant Applications (Due February 15)
The Office of Indian Education (in the Department of Education) is soliciting highly qualified individuals to assist in the review process for two discretionary grant competitions: Demonstration Grants for Indian Children and the Professional Development program. Both programs are administered under Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The discretionary grant review information will be posted on the Office of Indian Education website when the scheduled is finalized.Please submit your resume to Lana Shaughnessy, Discretionary Program Group Leader, at lana.shaughnessy@ed.gov.Upcoming Webinar: The STAR School's 3-to-3rd Project for Navajo Students (February 13)
Wednesday, February 13, 20132:00 p.m. EasternHosted by the Rural School and Community TrustThe STAR School, located in rural northern Arizona, serves students in pre-school through grade 8 who live in the Southwest corner of the Navajo Nation and the surrounding rural area. The STAR Model of Early Math Education is a combination of strategies beginning in preschool that effectively and reliably ensures that low-income Native children enter school at or above grade level, and then continue that success through grade 3.This webinar will discuss the research behind the STAR 3-to-3rd Project and highlight the training films which show other educators serving rural, low-income students how they can implement this innovative program.Panelists· Dr. Matt Sorensen, Director/Principal, The STAR School· Robert Mahaffey, Director of Communications, Rural School and Community Trust· Doris Terry Williams, Executive Director, Rural School and Community TrustRegistrationClick here to register. A day prior to the event, you will receive an email with dial-in instructions and a PDF of the presentation.Other News and Commentary
· Sequestration Will Rip Apart Higher Education in Indian Country: Mark Trahant writes about the devastating impact that sequestration would have on Native youth and their opportunities for higher education. He specifically mentions how the cuts would affect tribal colleges.· Navajo Nation Gains Access to Utah Education Data: A Memorandum of Understanding signed January 10 between the Utah State Board of Education and the Navajo Department of Diné Education will give the Navajo Nation access to assessment data for Navajo students in third through 12th grades.· Education Director for Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Appointed to State Board: Nicolasa Sandoval, education director for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, has been appointed to the California Board of Education.· Teen Hosting Summit for Native Youth: Eight-grader Cierra Fields, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, created, organized, and develop a summit for local tribal youth to learn more about tribal government and how youth can become leaders in their communities.·· Mocking Native Culture at Maria Monterssori School: The Eagle Bull-Oxendine family challenged the offensive curriculum promoted at their children’s school. As a result, they may have lost the scholarships that their children had received based on their Native heritage.· Exemplary Institute Pushes Indian Education Forward: This conference teaches education professionals how to prepare exemplary Native students. This year, it will held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on April 25-26, 2013.Trends, Data, and Reports
· Public School Graduates and Dropouts from the Common Core of Data: School Year 2009-10 (National Center for Education Statistics): This new report presents the Averaged Freshman Graduation Rates and Event Dropout Rates by year, race/ethnicity (including American Indian and Alaska Native), gender, and grade. Rates are for public schools only (no BIE students). For the 2009-10 school year, the Averaged Freshman Graduation Rate increased compared to the prior year for Native students (from 65% in 2008-09 to 69% in 2009-10), for whites (82% in 2008-09 to 83% in 2009-10), and for all students (from 76% in 2008-09 to 78% in 2009-10). Not only did the rate increase for Native students, but the increase was greater than that for whites and for the national average.· Repairing a Broken System: Fixing Federal Student Aid (Alliance for Excellent Education): This report outlines a comprehensive approach to revamping the student aid system into one that better supports students and institutions of higher education and focuses on access and completion. The report proposes several policy and administrative changes to the existing federal student aid programs. These recommendations include (1) creating institutional supports and accountability; (2) simplifying the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the entire student aid system; (3) focusing student aid on the highest-need students; and (4) providing support for middle-class families.· Partnerships for Learning: Community Support for Youth Success (Harvard Family Research Project): This new report focuses on the power of learning partnerships to improve children's development and school success, and on a seamless web of supports designed to ensure positive learning experiences for children and youth. The report draws on the experiences of national organizations and a set of community schools that have built these learning partnerships, and examines seven key elements that are essential in building them.