Book Description

This report summarizes findings of the 1990-91 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) with regard to schools that serve American Indian and Alaska Native students. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and federally recognized tribal organizations under BIA grants and contracts operate 149 elementary and secondary schools. In addition, 1,260 public schools are considered to have high Indian student enrollment (over 25 percent). These two types of schools are located mainly in rural areas and small towns. However, of the 445,425 American Indian and Alaska Native students enrolled in grades K-12, 56 percent attend public schools with low Indian enrollment. Chapters contain many data tables and figures and provide information for the three school types on the following: (1) school and student profiles (school size, rurality, region, student sex and race/ethnicity, bilingual education and remedial programs, free or reduced-price lunch, and college preparation); (2) demographic characteristics and qualifications of principals and teachers (percentage that are American Indian/Alaska Native, degrees earned, and administrative or teaching experience), schools with formal evaluation and mentoring programs for teachers, and percentage of full-time noninstructional staff; (3) principal and teacher salaries and benefits; (4) principal ratings of educational objectives, principal and teacher ratings of school problems, teacher and student absenteeism rates, principal beliefs about influence of various stakeholders on school practices, and principal career plans; and (5) teacher supply and demand, certification, and shortages, as well as teacher recruitment strategies. Appendices contain technical notes on the SASS and tables of variance estimates. Contains an index and a list of additional resources on the SASS. (SV)