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The Society for the Advancement of Excellence in Education provides non-partisan education research and information to policy-makers, education partners and the public. Our purpose is to encourage higher performance throughout Canada's public education system.
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SHARING OUR SUCCESS:
TEN CASE STUDIES IN ABORIGINAL SCHOOLING
Executive Summary
The disturbing educational success rates for Aboriginal students in comparison with their peers have been documented for many years. Reducing this persistent achievement gap is one of Canada's most pressing educational challenges.
Numerous reports commissioned by federal and provincial governments and Aboriginal authorities have offered detailed examinations of the complex social, economic, linguistic, and cultural interrelationships that contextualize the educational environments of Aboriginal students. Many of their families struggle with the legacy of residential schools that ripped families apart and caused immeasurable damage to the social fabric. Schools serving these communities work within a context that may include poverty, learned helplessness, despair, and high levels of abuse, addictions and violence. For some communities, student suicide rates may exceed graduation rates.
Yet despite many extraordinary challenges, some schools are producing tangible progress for their Aboriginal students. This report springs from a study of ten such schools in an effort to identify practices that appear to contribute to their success.
The 10 schools from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the Yukon are as diverse as their geographical locations, ranging from urban centers to isolated rural reserves. The set included two secondary, four elementary, one pre-K-9, and three pre-K-12 schools, with enrolments spanning from 74 to 950 students. The percentage of Aboriginal students varied from 35% to 100%; with the populations of five schools being 100% Aboriginal. Three schools were under the authority of school districts, one under the Yukon Department of Education, and the remaining six were band-operated. Of these, one was operated by a tribal council partnership of nine bands.
The schools were studied during the 2003/04 school year. Spending an average of 12 days per site, the researchers conducted over 120 interviews, and 37 focus groups of teachers, students, parents, and elders in the data collection process. Triangulating this with observations and document review, they prepared case studies highlighting each school's practices and analyzed the patterns observed across the schools to draw their conclusions.
Overview
The report covers a broad range of issues and highlights strategies and conditions that help Aboriginal students to succeed. It begins with an introduction to the study and the multiple overlapping contexts of Aboriginal education. Chapter 2 provides a synopsis of the literature relevant to Aboriginal learning. This is followed by detailed case studies of the ten schools. Chapter 13 analyzes the patterns observed in the sample, culminating with a discussion of the dominant and inter-related factors that underpin their success. Chapter 14 identifies key issues emerging from the research, and the final chapter contains recommendations for policy makers and practitioners.
Findings
These authentic case studies provide readers with a sense of the schools' inner workings and struggles against circumstances that test their teaching and administrative abilities on a daily basis. Although funding and resources vary greatly, particularly between band-operated schools and those in provincial systems, the schools demonstrated an exceptional commitment to overcome the multiple barriers that inhibit their students' learning. Operating within its own unique geo-political setting, each was solution-oriented, developing and adapting educational practices to fit its particular challenges. Despite the rich diversity in approaches and circumstances, a number of common characteristics distinguished these schools. The elements of their success are similar to those in the research literature:
- Strong leadership and governance structures, often with long tenure
- High expectations for students
- Focus on academic achievement and long-term success
- Secure and welcoming climates for children and families
- Respect for Aboriginal culture and traditions to make learning relevant
- Quality staff development
- Provision of a wide range of programs/supports for learning
All schools possessed highly effective governance structures, particularly important for band-operated schools. Stable leadership, long-term planning, and strategic alignment of available resources towards the goals they set marked these schools. Two band-operated schools had developed innovative hybrid governance systems in partnerships with school districts, allowing them to access needed resources and support systems beyond the capacity of the band's infrastructure. Most principals had been at the school for some years. While their leadership styles varied widely, their role in promoting and sustaining a common vision, focus and energy was a dominant factor in their school's success. Models of decision-making within the schools ranged from consultation to full power-sharing by staff, students and community, all of whom have the right to veto a proposal.
High levels of trust were evident in these schools. All exerted special efforts to bring parents into the school and foster trust relationships with parents and community to overcome the lingering multi-generational suspicion of schools as instruments of assimilation. A sense of community ownership of the schools also appeared to be associated with higher levels of support for education. Some schools had developed productive partnerships with local businesses, community service organizations and other agencies for the integration of a wide range of student support services.
All schools in the set provided positive climates. The learning environment was safe and accepting, and respect was the dominant operational value. A holistic approach was evident in their attempts to meet social, emotional, spiritual and physical needs of students in order to increase their capacity for intellectual development. The schools were proactive in addressing issues of attendance, behaviour and well-being, which are pre-conditions for learning. Several had implemented restitution principles which were found to positively impact relations and mutual responsibilities in the school and community. All schools challenged students to attempt higher levels of achievement, while putting multiple levels of support in place to optimize learning.
The schools offered an impressive array of instructional and extra-curricular programs, many of which were culturally linked. While yielding no 'magic bullets' in the form of universally successful programs, it was evident the schools chose their programs and approaches purposefully, based on extensive research, and implemented them coherently on a school-wide rather than random classroom basis. These schools were noted by the provision of numerous layers of support to improve their capacity to deal with at-risk students. Schools tended to adopt a seamless approach, integrating a wide array of social and other services through the school. Early childhood development programs were common and at the other end of the spectrum, supports were put in place to increase graduating students' chances of success at post-secondary.
These schools maintained high expectations for both staff and students. Teachers believed that each student had the potential to learn and to rise to the expected level of achievement. Staff members demonstrated a dedication to improving the quality of teaching and learning through ongoing professional development and research. The employment of up to 85% certified and highly qualified Aboriginal teachers from their own communities was a source of considerable pride at the schools. As local Aboriginal support staff filled a critical community liaison role, the schools actively encouraged and supported their training to fill these positions.
These schools used a variety of tools to monitor student progress and program effectiveness. Assessment data was utilized for student placement and programming and for strategic planning for improvement. There were marked differences among the schools, however, in their willingness to measure themselves against large scale norms and to report such results publicly. Transition success rates were tracked by the schools, with the result that programs were adjusted to better scaffold students' progress to senior grades and post-secondary experiences.
The tension between maintaining a rigorous academic program and the necessity to provide culturally relevant learning experiences was well-managed in these schools. From the gentle drum beats of Morning Circle to the bison hunt and the bannock feast, each gave special importance to honouring and affirming students' pride in their identity. Every school offered instruction to all classes in the Aboriginal language of the community, and most used the local language to exchange greetings, and for ceremonial purposes, or to supplement instruction. Only one school offered a first language immersion program and described itself as a Cree-friendly environment, in the sense that Cree was spoken everywhere with the exception of formal classroom instruction. In all cases, deep respect was shown towards the local Aboriginal culture and traditions. Most offered cultural classes, while in all the importance of the traditions and culture was affirmed by visible displays, special events, excursions, the use of local resource people, and the incorporation of cultural content into appropriate curriculum areas. They accorded a special place of honour to the elders and the language/culture teachers, treasured as rich and scarce resources of local wisdom and knowledge. Despite limitations of sufficient cultural and language teaching materials, which the schools lacked adequate time and resources to produce, the schools illustrate the successful integration of local culture into instruction to build academic success, meaningful relevance, and a sense of identity and self-worth.
ISSUES
Six larger systemic issues that may be seen as critical to the success of Canada's Aboriginal students have emerged from this study. These issues are: governance, funding, language and literacy, teacher supply, transitions, and performance measurement.
The present system of overlapping jurisdictions and governance models has resulted in large disparities in the quality of schooling experienced by Aboriginal students and precludes the development of a truly effective, equitable and accountable system of education. Since the problem is rooted in present legislation, there is a need for policy makers to enact change to resolve the jurisdictional conflicts impacting Aboriginal people whose education is currently a responsibility of the federal government. The formation of Aboriginal boards of education similar to those in existence for Francophone students holds promise for addressing some problems in governance and infrastructure and increasing capacity in small band-operated schools. Additionally, the hybrid model seen in this study, which unites local band authority with school district services, articulated through unique partnership agreements based on the strengths and resources of each party, seems to be an effective governance model.
The case studies confirm an uneven playing field in terms of resources. Inadequate educational funding remains a critical issue for all but the largest band-operated schools. While the disparity in funding seems to be slowly improving, federal educational funds available to band-operated schools remain substantially below provincial levels, estimated by some as 75% of that available to provincially operated schools. If the intent of federal authorities is to ensure that Canada's Aboriginal people receive a level of education equivalent to that provided by provincial authorities, educational grants from the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern development (DIAND) should be calculated using provincial funding definitions, formulas and accountability mechanisms. For true equivalency, funding must also take into account the cost of providing the infrastructure and support services provinces provide through their Education ministries.
Literacy is arguably the most important foundational skill required for academic success, and its acquisition is an issue of paramount concern in the context of Aboriginal schooling. While the case studies offer examples of practices, programs and strategies that appear to accelerate literacy, there is little rigorous Canadian research guidance for important questions in this field such as the efficacy of Aboriginal language immersion programs to improve acquisition of English. The shortage of qualified Aboriginal language teachers and curriculum scope and sequences and materials mitigates against systematic implementation and measurement of program outcomes.
While the existence of a competent, committed and dedicated teaching staff was noted in the schools, several serious issues were apparent that affected the ability of some to hire and retain the qualified and experienced staff they desire. There is a serious shortage of certified Aboriginal teachers, especially those with expertise in early childhood development, special education, reading, or science and mathematics specialties at the high school level. The education authorities of the schools in this study were very much aware of the importance of acquiring and retaining the services of highly qualified teaching staff, as evidenced by their hiring practices and staffing policies. Although band-operated schools need not comply with provincial teacher contracts or salary scales, almost all paid teachers at provincial rates, requiring some bands with smaller enrolments and less funding to subsidize their education budgets from other sources.
In the set of study schools, transitions from elementary to junior high and secondary education seemed to be key points where students dropped out. The most vulnerable students were those forced to attend high school outside the community, encountering a boarding situation or a long commute. In order to improve the unacceptably low graduation rates for Aboriginal students, both feeder and receiving schools need to develop strategies to reduce the negative effects of major transitions on student achievement.
Although DIAND is accountable for the quality of education in federally funded schools and its equivalency with provincial systems, there is no effective national process in place to evaluate the education that Aboriginal students are receiving or ensure its quality. Despite a well-defined link between the use of assessment data and improved performance, the absence of a mandatory large-scale assessment program for band-operated schools inhibits monitoring their progress against common benchmarks. Many band authorities have been reluctant to require their schools to participate in provincial assessment programs or to use standardized tests. Their concerns include the possible surrender of hard-won control over their education, the cultural bias of the tests, unfair comparison of band-operated and provincial schools, and the desire for more holistic measures of achievement. As a result, Aboriginal parents and Canadians at large lack useful evidence about the relative effectiveness of the various delivery systems.
RECOMMENDATIONS
To support the success of Aboriginal learners everywhere, the report directs ten recommendations towards policy makers and eight towards practitioners. These include the recommendations that:
♦ The Indian Act be revised to: a) recognize and empower Aboriginal school boards similar to those in provincial/territorial systems; b) provide sufficient funding to develop and support a level of educational infrastructure and services equivalent to those provided by provinces and territories; and, c) articulate an accountability framework that defines the relationships and responsibilities of educational stakeholders for the provision of educational equity and excellence for all Aboriginal students.
♦ A national Centre for Aboriginal Language and Culture be established to: a) assist in the preservation of Aboriginal languages and cultures; b) develop rigorous and relevant educational curricula, programs, and teaching materials; and, c) commission rigorous research on Aboriginal language immersion programs to share with practitioners.
♦ All Aboriginal students have access to secondary education in their home communities.
♦ Teacher education programs provide increased recognition of Aboriginal languages, offer programs and student teacher placements in Aboriginal communities, and opportunity for Aboriginals working in support roles in the schools to acquire teaching credentials.
♦ Responsibility for pre-school programs be included under the jurisdiction of education and that Aboriginal governing authorities implement programs to encourage early language development in children and promote family literacy.
♦ All jurisdictions implement programs to measure, track, and report on the progress of Aboriginal students and require the use of this data in annual school improvement plans which are co-developed and shared with parents and community; and that all Aboriginal education authorities participate in these performance measurement programs as well as work to develop holistic measures appropriate to Aboriginal programs.
Among other things, schools working with Aboriginal students are urged to hold high expectations for achievement while recognizing the existence of their special needs and providing multiple layers of support; use diverse measurement tools to monitor student progress and program effectiveness, including normed and provincial assessments, and employ the aggregate data produced in developing annual improvement plans; employ school leaders and teachers with the expertise and personal qualities that have been shown to be most effective with Aboriginal learners and the appropriate support and community liaison personnel to provide holistic support. They must also recognize the importance of Aboriginal language and culture by offering specific programs and classes, the inclusion of Aboriginal perspectives in regular curriculum, and by special events and celebrations. Schools are urged to provide special emphasis on literacy and communication skills, mathematics and the sciences, which provide the core competencies to enable their students to open doors to future success.
The study was commissioned by SAEE, a non-profit Canadian education research agency. Financial support for the research was provided by the BC Ministry of Education, the Canadian Language and Literacy Research Network (CLLRNET), the Northland School Division (Alberta) and a Canadian foundation.
Published May 2004, ISBN 0-9734046-3-9
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