The Impact of the Reservation System on Modern Day Native American YouthMatthew A. Black

Argosy University Online

In 1786 the United States inaugurated the land reservation system in an effort to provide Native Americans with homes and land for cultivation. Ultimately the reservation system was established to avoid disputes in regard to boundaries and to bring Native Americans more easily under control of the Government by confining them to given land.

In order to develop and foster a reservation education system that increases success rates in Native American youth we must first understand existing outcomes among Native American students.

To illustrate, Cooper ( 2007) noted various outcomes for economically disadvantaged youth, such as lower academic grades, lower achievement scores, lower grade promotion, and higher dropout rates than non-economically disadvantaged children (Cooper & Crosnoe, 2007).

So how does this relate to Native American reservation students and schools?

What do we already know about Native American learning and education based on research?

Research has shown that on Native American reservations educational and occupational attainment is low and substance abuse problems are rampant.

Consequences/Outlook for Native American Youth in their education.

Lower Grades

Lower Achievement Scores

Higher rate’s of high-school drop out’s

Research found amongst Native American eighth grade students had the highest rates of absenteeism at 66% compared to other eighth grade students amongst other races.

Drug use and experimentation at a younger age.

Notable differences found in research of a Navajo reservation school.

The following research was completed on the Navajo reservation education system to demonstrate the differences between reservation and public education.

Student’s travel many miles from a large geographical area. With some students traveling as far as 60 miles away daily for their education.

While these students are not forced to travel this many miles each day to school for those that decide to stay at reservation are offered less than desirable living conditions away from their home reservation. Students are provided dormitories by the BIA ( Bureau of Indian Affairs ) however depending on the facilities at the individual reservation the dorm style living environment may not include running water and electricity (McCarthy & Benally, 2003).

A study was completed to on Native American youth to look at the relationship between drugs and school attendance and graduation rates. Native American youth are more likely to use alcohol and marijuana at an earlier age.

Research has shown that reservation youth start abusing alcohol and drugs on average 11 months earlier than urban youths. This would mean that drug use and experimentation begins around the age of 13 for Native American youth which directly relates to the above research showing a 66% average absenteeism for eighth graders in reservation schools (Nalls, Mullis, & Mullis, 2009).

Researchers have found that adolescents who feel unsafe, and witness and experience violence are more likely to report increased alcohol and drug use and depression.

For American Indian adolescents, sense of safety at school was significant only in relation to marijuana use. American Indian adolescents who reported feeling less safe and higher frequencies of peer aggression at school were more likely to have used marijuana over the past month. (Nalls, Mullis, & Mullis, 2009, p. 3)

Teacher / educator attrition issue’s on reservation schools.

Teacher attrition rates at many Navajo reservation school’s is high with 33% of teachers leaving annually.

Almost half of teachers on Navajo reservations are from Native American descent, most of them are white in their mid 20’s to 30’s whom have started their career in reservation schools on an emergency need or provisional certification.

The researchers found that the stress of moving to a remote reservation area with cultural, language differences and limited social activities forces reservation teachers to seek employment in the public school system outside of the reservation system. (McCarthy & Benally, 2003).

Under Researched area’s for reservation education.

We do not know what roles reservation poverty levels play in education.

We do not know a great deal of information on how culture plays a role in Native American learning.

What is the relationship between substance abuse in Native American youth and their education.

Why is educational attainment so low on reservation schools, and why is there a large amount of students whom do not continue on in their education after high school?

More time and research needs to be emphasized on programs to increase vocational awareness and guide Native American youth towards a career or vocational goal are pertinent in rebuilding both the education and land reservation system. Research has shown us the facts of teacher attrition, attendance, low graduation rates, and low college attendance. If we can provide reservation schools with the proper guidance and tools to educate and transition students to career and college the Native American youth grow into adulthood and have a successful career chances are they will return to their community as successful employed adult residents to teach, provide economic stability and grow the reservation for generations to come.

References

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Cooper, E., & Crosnoe, R. (2007). The engagement in schooling of economically disadvantaged parents and children. Youth and Society, 38, 372-391. Retrieved from Argosy Univerrsity Online Library

McCarthy, J., & Benally, J. (2003). Classroom management in a Navajo middle school. Theory into Practice, 42, 296-304. Retrieved from Argosy University Online Library

Mulhausen, D. (2003). Do job programs work. Journal of Labor Research, 26, 299-321. Retrieved from Argosy University Online Library

Nalls, M., Mullis, R., & Mullis, A. (2009). American Indian youths perceptions of their environment and their reports of depressive symptoms and alcohol and marijuana use. Adolescence, 44, 965-978. Retrieved from Argosy University Online Library

Roli, V. (2009). Attracting Native Americans to computing. Communications of the ACM, 52, 137-140. Retrieved from Arogsy University Online Library

Thornton, B., & Sanchez, J. (2010). Promoting resiliency among Native American students to prevent dropouts. Education, 131, 455-464. Retrieved from Argosy University Online Library

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Vinje, D. (2006). Native American economic development on selected reservations. American Journal of Economics & Sociology, 55, 427. Retrieved from Argosy University Online Library

Westermeyer, J., & Deer, M. (2007). Alcohol problems in Native America. Addiction, 102(1), 169. Retrieved from Argosy University Online Library