Thousands of Native children being left behind (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

Thousands of Native children being left behind
NIEA holds its 36th convention in Denver

DENVER CO RIcik St. Germaine 10/26/2005
http://www.nativetimes.com/index.asp?action=displayarticle&article_id=7153

Responding to a growing dissatisfaction from Indian educators who are
complaining about damaging impediments from the No Child Left Behind
legislation, the National Indian Education Association on October 6th
launched a critical broadside at the federal education program with
charges that it is actually causing more American Indian students to
give up and drop out than it is helping.

This is not a small and trivial matter, declared Dr. David Beaulieu,
NIEA president, in his opening charge to the 2,000 delegates assembled
at the Denver Convention Center, NCLB is so focused on punishing school
failure rather than rewarding the many successes that our schools have
achieved.

In a rousing speech, interrupted at times with applause, Beaulieu cited
the components of the federal program that are causing the most
problems.

The Indian voice is heard less and less in this discussion as the Native
American community is only beginning to understand the impact, the
consequences of [discord] between NCLB and Title 7 (the Indian
Education Act programs), warned Beaulieu, as he described the testimony
elicited in eleven field hearings sponsored by NIEA in sites from
Washington, D.C. to Oklahoma City, Window Rock to Tacoma, and even
Honolulu, Hawaii.

Over two hundred American Indian tribal leaders and educators stepped
forward with thoughtful testimony around the issues caused by the
program, and even with praise for things that were working, according
to Beaulieu.

We need something different, he stated, with a focus and respect for the
political sovereignty of Indian tribes.

Beaulieu, who is a vocal advocate for programs that strengthen reading,
math, and language arts achievement among Native children, called for a
halt in blaming students for a schools failure.

Kids are taking the blame for poor AYP scores and dont even want to come
to school, he noted as he criticized the focus on testing and on
classroom practice for the test.

Theres a focus on the skill of reading and not what theyre reading, he
continued, as he suggested there should be a love of reading because
students are interested in what theyre reading.

NCLB parts dont fit, he continued, with major disruptions in our schools
that directly impact on Native culture based education.

Beaulieu released one thousand copies of the summary report from the
NIEA field hearings that were strategically held throughout Indian
country, because the U.S. Department of Education was selectively
inviting proponents of NCLB to their field hearings, quashing parts of
testimony that were negative.

The NIEA Convention was held in Denver during October 6-9 with dozens of
forum and workshops ranging from best practices and innovative
strategies in early childhood education through K-12 and higher
education school and program issues that serve American Indian
communities.


Rick St. Germaine is a school reform and school leader trainer who has
worked in the past fourteen years with over 80 schools, most of them
Bureau of Indian Affairs and tribal. He is a former tribal chairman,
school superintendent, and professor of education. Rick can be reached
at stgermainerick at aol.com