Serving American Indian Students Under Title III

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Serving American Indian Students Under Title III

• J P Leary, Consultant
• American Indian Studies Program
• Department of Public Instruction
• 608/267-2283 or 800/441-4563
• jp.leary_at_dpi.state.wi.us

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Demographics
There are eleven federally recognized tribes in
Wisconsin, each of whom is engaging in efforts to
revitalize their languages.
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Demographics

• There are over 50,000 American Indians in
  Wisconsin (US Census, 2000).
• There are over 14,000 American Indian students
  attending public, tribal, or private K-12 schools
  in Wisconsin.
• Public enrollment 12,748
• Tribal schools 1,250
• Private schools (including Indian Community
  School) 300

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Key Questions

• How are American Indian students eligible for
  Title III services?
• What information do we use to identify students
  for services?
• What types of services can we provide?
• What about instruction in tribal language?
• Other questions?

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Q. How are American Indian students eligible for
Title III services?

• A. American Indian students are included in No
  Child Left Behinds definition of Limited English
  Proficient and are therefore eligible for
  services under Title III.

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Title IX, Sec. 9101

• (25) LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT- The term limited
  English proficient', when used with respect to an
  individual, means an individual
• (A) who is aged 3 through 21
• (B) who is enrolled or preparing to enroll in an
  elementary school or secondary school
• (C)(i) who was not born in the United States or
  whose native language is a language other than
  English
• (ii)(I) who is a Native American or Alaska
  Native, or a native resident of the outlying
  areas and
• (II) who comes from an environment where a
  language other than English has had a significant
  impact on the individual's level of English
  language proficiency or
• (iii) who is migratory, whose native language is
  a language other than English, and who comes from
  an environment where a language other than
  English is dominant and
• (D) whose difficulties in speaking, reading,
  writing, or understanding the English language
  may be sufficient to deny the individual
• (i) the ability to meet the State's proficient
  level of achievement on State assessments
  described in section 1111(b)(3)
• (ii) the ability to successfully achieve in
  classrooms where the language of instruction is
  English or
• (iii) the opportunity to participate fully in
  society.

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Title IX, Sec. 9101

• (25) LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT- The term limited
  English proficient', when used with respect to an
  individual, means an individual
• (A) who is aged 3 through 21
• (B) who is enrolled or preparing to enroll in an
  elementary school or secondary school
• (C)(i) who was not born in the United States or
  whose native language is a language other than
  English
• (ii)(I) who is a Native American or Alaska
  Native, or a native resident of the outlying
  areas and
• (II) who comes from an environment where a
  language other than English has had a significant
  impact on the individual's level of English
  language proficiency or
• (iii) who is migratory, whose native language is
  a language other than English, and who comes from
  an environment where a language other than
  English is dominant and
• (D) whose difficulties in speaking, reading,
  writing, or understanding the English language
  may be sufficient to deny the individual
• (i) the ability to meet the State's proficient
  level of achievement on State assessments
  described in section 1111(b)(3)
• (ii) the ability to successfully achieve in
  classrooms where the language of instruction is
  English or
• (iii) the opportunity to participate fully in
  society.

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Q. What information do we use to identify
students for services?

• A. American Indian students are LEP if
• Their use of and proficiency in English has been
  impacted by another language and
• They lack proficiency in English sufficient to
  score above minimal on state assessments

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Linguistic Impact

• Refers to the impact another language has on how
  a student learns English and the form of English
  learned
• This often leads to non-standard English, Indian
  English
• Some linguists refer to the condition where
  students are proficient in neither their tribal
  language nor English as semilingualism (Leap,
  1986)

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Linguistic Impact

• Very few American Indian students in Wisconsin
  are fluent in their tribal language
• However, because linguistic impact can be traced
  across up to four generations, virtually all
  American Indian students can be considered
  linguistically impacted by their tribal language.

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State Assessments

• The WKCE (Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts
  Examination) is a statewide standardized exam
  currently given each year to students in grades
  4, 8, and 10.
• In 2005-2006, WKCE expands to grades 3-8.
• The exam measures student achievement in five
  subject areas reading, language arts,
  mathematics, science, social studies. Students
  also provide a rough draft writing sample.

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State Assessments

• The overarching goal of NCLB is to increase
  academic performance as measured by state
  assessments
• In Wisconsin, WKCE scores serves as the outcome
  measure for academic performance

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State Assessments

• Statewide, approximately 50 of all American
  Indian students scored minimal or basic on WKCE
  tests in reading and language arts (WINSS,
  2003-2004)
• By definition, approximately 50 of all American
  Indian students in Wisconsin meet the criteria
  for services under Title III

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State Assessments

• Why not use LAS, IPT, Woodcock-Munoz, or other
  assessment instruments for identifying LEP
  American Indian students?
• You can but do not need to do so
• States have discretion in setting criteria
• These instruments are not normed for this
  population nor for this purpose
• They are weak proxies for determining academic
  proficiency
• WKCE is a more valid measure of academic
  proficiency in reading and language arts

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Q. What types of services can we provide?

• Title III, sec. 3115 authorizes the following
  types of activities
• Developing and implementing new language
  instruction educational programs and academic
  content instruction
• Expansion or enhancement of existing language
  instruction programs
• School-wide programs for restructuring,
  reforming, and upgrading language instruction and
  related activities
• District-wide programs for restructuring,
  reforming, and upgrading language instruction and
  related activities

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Required Activities

• Language instruction programs designed to
  increase English proficiency and student academic
  achievement in core academic subjects
• Professional development related to improving
  educational outcomes for LEP students

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Allowable Activities

• Improving program objectives and instructional
  strategies
• Upgrading curriculum, instructional materials,
  and assessment procedures
• Tutoring
• Vocational education
• Language programs coordinated with other school
  programs or services
• Community participation programs
• Family literacy efforts
• Parent outreach and training initiatives

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Q. What about instruction in tribal language?

• NCLB explicitly recognizes the unique status of
  American Indian tribes and tribal languages under
  the law.
• PL-101-477, the Native American Languages Act of
  1990, establishes as federal policy the desire to
  preserve, protect, and promote the rights and
  freedom of Native Americans to use, practice, and
  develop Native American languages

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Native American Languages Act of 1990

• The traditional languages of Native Americans
  are an integral part of their cultures and
  identities and form the basic medium for the
  transmission, and thus survival, of Native
  American cultures, literatures, histories,
  religions, political institutions, and values
  (sec. 102(3))
• There is convincing evidence that student
  achievement and performance, community and school
  pride, and educational opportunity is clearly and
  directly tied to respect for, and support of, the
  first language of the child or student (sec.
  102(6))
• Languages are the means of communication for
  the full range of human experiences and are
  critical to the survival of cultural and
  political integrity of any people (sec. 102(9))

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NCLB, Title III, SEC. 3125. Rules of Construction

• Nothing in this part shall be construed
• (1) to prohibit a local educational agency from
  serving limited English proficient children
  simultaneously with children with similar
  educational needs, in the same educational
  settings where appropriate
• (2) to require a State or a local educational
  agency to establish, continue, or eliminate any
  particular type of instructional program for
  limited English proficient children or
• (3) to limit the preservation or use of Native
  American languages.

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Academic Benefits of Teaching the Tribal Language

• Students do better in school if their language
  and culture are a part of the schools curriculum
  (Cummins, 1986)
• Navajo students in an immersion program designed
  for dual proficiency and aligned to state
  standards dramatically outperformed peers in an
  English-only classroom on standardized tests
  (F.T. Johnson and J. Wilson, 2004)

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Other Questions?