October 1991

Dear Mr. Secretary:

The Indian Nations At Risk Task Force submits this report, Indian Nations At Risk: An Educational Strategy for Action, as part of a national effort to improve the quality of education for America's students. Although the Task Force's effort predates AMERICA 2000, its call for the comprehensive transformation of Native education parallels the strategies you propose for the entire nation.

The Task Force is convinced that this report, specifically addressing the educational needs of Native America (American Indians and Alaska Natives), will lead to significant improvement in the academic performance of Native students if fully implemented.

The Task Force identified four important reasons the Indian Nations are at risk as a people: (1) Schools have failed to educate large numbers of Indian students and adults; (2) The language and cultural base of the American Native are rapidly eroding; (3) The diminished lands and natural resources of the American Native are constantly under siege; and (4) Indian self-determination and governance rights are challenged by the changing policies of the administration, Congress, and the justice system.

The Task Force believes that a well-educated American Indian and Alaska Native citizenry and a renewal of the language and cultural base of the American Native community will strengthen self-determination and economic well-being and will allow the Native community to contribute to building a stronger nation--an America that can compete with other nations and contribute to the world's economies and cultures.

This report includes the major educational findings reported in the Native testimony, recommends five major research-based strategies for addressing educational needs, and presents a comprehensive set of recommendations that are responsive to the complexities of improving schools and schooling.

This report recommends a broad-based initiative to improve the quality of education for American Natives. It is a model of what can be done for the entire nation. Basic to this strategy is the need to join in partnership with parents, school officials, tribal leaders, and policymakers. Each of us has a critical role. The Task Force calls on you to exercise your leadership as Secretary of Education to guide this initiative.

The Task Force urges you to implement those recommendations that you have the authority to adopt, to recommend to the United States Congress specific legislation for those recommendations that will require additional authority, and to propose budget increases for several priority areas. We particularly recommend support for new early childhood education and parent training programs, support for teacher education and other professional training for larger numbers of American Indian students and adults, support for Indian community colleges, and the development of new and exemplary education projects designed to carry out school improvement recommendations to meet the unique cultural and academic needs of Native students.

The issues facing Native communities and Native education in the United States are similar to issues facing Native populations worldwide. In effectively responding to these issues, we can offer model solutions to a world that is becoming increasingly culturally diverse yet interdependent.

The Indian Nations At Risk Task Force would like to thank you for your support, to commend the foresight of your predecessor in initiating this work, and to acknowledge the excellent staff assigned to work with the Task Force in the preparation of this report.

We believe that the report accurately presents the current status of American Native education, captures the essence of the measures that the researchers and the Native community have identified as necessary to improve schools, and makes sound recommendations. We welcome the opportunity to work with you as you move forward with the recommendations.

Respectfully,

Wlliam G Demmert, Jr Cochairman

Terrel H. Bell Cochairman