Title: Tribal Sovereignty and SelfDetermination through Evaluation National Congress of American Indians Mi
1Tribal Sovereignty and Self-Determination through
EvaluationNational Congress of American
IndiansMid-Year Session - June 18-21, 2006Sault
Ste. Marie, MI
- Presented By Wiciwen Niw Kenewak
- Nicole R. Bowman (Mohican), PhD Candidate
- Educational Leadership Policy Analysis
Department - University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Owner, Bowman Performance Consulting, LLC
- www.nbowmanconsulting.com
2Yo Anushiik (Welcome)
- Nicole Bowman, Mohican from WI
- U of WI Ph.D. program
- Studying policy effectiveness for Indian
populations in rural, urban, and Tribal contexts - Owner of Bowman Performance Consulting
- Providing culturally appropriate and
scientifically rigorous research and evaluation
3Afternoon Breakout Session
- Overview of a.m. presentation giving research
paper focus, findings, and future recommendations - Education as an example of using evaluation for
sovereignty and self-determination - Specific evaluation activities tied to the five
policy process stages will be given to you - Examples of specific Tribal government research,
evaluation, and Institutional Review Board
policies will be shared - Examples of Indigenized surveys, needs
assessments, and other tools will be provided - Community based research discussion with audience
- Did I mention we will have give aways too ???!!! ?
4NCAI Policy Paper Focus
- Using evaluation as a tool to assert Tribal
sovereignty and self-determination - Tribal evaluation and research policy is the key
to effective programs and an improved standard of
living for Indians - Enforcement of policies for effective programs is
the responsibility of the Tribal government - Accountability of programs and policies
(internally or externally funded) that impact
Indian Country is also the responsibility of
Tribal government
5Academic Definitions
- Research is a study to prove something or
investigate something that is happening - Evaluation is a study to improve something and
gives an opinion on if a program, policy, or
other things are working or not - Policy is a plan of action to guide decisions
and actions policies are political, management,
financial, and/or administrative mechanisms that
help an organization to reach their goals - Institutional Review Board (IRB) is a group of
academic (and community members) that review and
approve studies to be done in the local
community an IRB ensures that studies are done
in an ethical manner that protects the community
as a whole and the human subjects individually
living there
6Indigenous Academic Definition
- An Indigenous evaluation, policy, or research
process (model) - Respects, recognizes, and values the worth and
strength of Indian cultures - Is responsive to the communitys needs
- Builds an evaluation or research design that
protects Indians and their culture - Uses Indigenous resources throughout the entire
research, policy, or evaluation process - Links activities to current Indian community
needs while incorporating needs for the next 7
generations
7Evaluation Completes the Circle
8Educational Example
- Merriam Report (1928) to National Indian
Education Study (2006) - 13 studies reviewed
- These studies have been discussing the same
issues for the last 78 years - Nearly 80 of these studies used data from BIA
schools despite nearly 90 of our Indian students
attend public schools - Why hasnt it changed?
9Education Related Issues
- Gap between public policies and tribal needs
leading to long term negative trends - Lowest levels of school readiness than any other
minority or majority ethnic group (Hoffman,
Sable, Nuam, and Gray, 2005) - Lowest levels of achievement and graduation rates
per capita than any other group (Bowman 2003,
2005 Clarke 2002 and Tippeconnic and Faircloth,
2002) - Indian children start behind and get further
behind as they move through the educational
systems - Leads to the chronic and distressing statistics
that Indian youth and adults have had for decades - Education matters and improves all aspects of
life (High Scope Study) - Tribes have the power to really make changes and
hold others accountable for these changes through
sovereignty status and self-determination policies
10Other Issues Related to Tribes
- lt1 of Tribal governments have their own
Institutional Review Board (IRB) that set
policies for programs/services to Tribal members - If Tribes do not have IRBs then they must rely
on others to develop policies, programs, and
services for their Tribal members - IRB policies and practices represent the people
who make up the IRB or research/evaluation team
no Indians means that there is a low/no chance
that Indian perspectives and concerns will be
taken into consideration - If Indians are not taken into consideration, then
the policies, programs, and services for Indian
people will have low/no connection to Indian
Country - Therefore without a strong Tribal IRB presence
then chronic social, educational, economic,
health, and other disparities persist with Indian
people
11Making Changes through Policy
- Policy is a Five Step Process
- Needs Documentation and Goal Formation
- Policy Development
- Policy Implementation
- Policy Accountability
- Policy Replication and Dissemination
An evaluation is a tool that can be embedded
throughout the policy process making your
efforts comprehensive, effective, and efficient
12Other Solutions
- Tribes need to create their own research and
evaluation policies that internal and externally
funded projects must follow - Tribes need to have their own Institutional
Review Boards - Tribes need to use evaluation to ensure that
policies are enforced, that studies are ethical,
and so programs are effective - By doing these things, Tribes are protecting
their members just like Tribes protect the
environment, cultural artifacts, and gaming - Samples next.....
13Solutions Generated by Tribes
- Navajo Nation IRB policies
- Ho Chunk Nation IRB policies
- Menominee Indian Tribal IRB policies
- NCAI Resolution
- Indigenous Peoples Council Protection Act
- Northwest Portland Indian Area Health Board
- Canadian Tri-Council Policy Statement
- Canadian Society of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists - Haskell Indian Nations
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18School Evaluation Design Rationale
19Level of Cultural Responsiveness (in
Education)(Schacht, 1999 and modified by Bowman,
2002)
20My Tribal Mosaic