Disclaimer: The opinions that follow are my own and do not reflect any policy at the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory where it has been my pleasure to work for the past decade.  NWREL is a non-political, non-profit public service agency providing quality service to public education in the Pacific Northwest.  This paper has been written on my own time and on my home computer.—Robey J. Clark—November 2004

 

 

 

Rethinking Indian Education

in the wake of

No Child Left Behind

 

Introduction

 

I have worked as a professional educator for 30 years and was originally trained in educational evaluation. I have had much experience in test development and in implementing experimental/control evaluation designs in the field. I served 15 years as the Indian Education Project director for Portland Public Schools.  For the past ten years, have worked at the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. My position is split between two programs:

 

  1. The Comprehensive Center for Region X (CCX) which provides technical assistance to schools, districts, state departments of education, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) schools, and American Indian tribes on issues relating to the most recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming

.

  1. Northwest Educational Technology Consortium (NETC) another federally-funded technical assistance center with a broad mission to foster and promote the integration of technology into education. 

 

The CCX grant contract provide technical assistance Indian Education Projects funded through the USDE Office of Indian Education whose funds are awarded directly to school districts and not funneled through the state as are most other federal programs. The NETC contract specified rural and American Indian Populations as part of the contract.  For the past 10 years, I have been primarily responsible for organizing training events and developing resources for this population.  In addition, I have had an opportunity to observe many programs and schools in the Pacific Northwest.  The job has given me a new perspective and has significantly changed my own ideas about Indian Education.

 

During the last year of these two programs, which are scheduled for decommission in late summer or early fall of 2005, I am writing to offer some editorial opinions and short stories that I hope may shed some light on some issues surrounding Indian education in general.  It is my hope that this electronic pamphlet will provoke some discussion among my professional colleagues and to others who have an interest in improving public schools serving American Indian students. 

 

I also hope that you will take a few moments to email me your much-appreciated feedback.  I welcome constructive criticism from kindred spirits as well as counter arguments or alternative perspectives that will help me better understand these issues.

 

 

 

 

Robey J. Clark

3115 NE 8th Ave

Portland, Oregon 97212

503-249-0232

robeyclark@buffalostonewoman.com

 

 

*         American Indian Tribes and  No Child Left Behind.

*         How Title VII Indian Education formula grant projects should be deployed and their work evaluated.

*        Quotes

Other Writings