Diné pushes for education accountability

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Karen Francis
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — Members of the Education Committee expressed support for the effort to develop a Navajo Nation accountability standard after a plan was presented by Dr. Patrick Galvin Tuesday.

“After six years of No Child Left Behind accountability, most BIE (Bureau of Indian Education) contract schools are failing to meet AYP (adequate yearly progress) criteria,” Galvin said.

“A Navajo accountability plan would give the Navajo Department of Diné Education regulatory authority for the governance of BIE contract schools,” he said.

“Most of the schools have 26, 35, maybe 50 percent of the kids meeting proficiency standards,” he said.

Galvin said that the Navajo Nation standards would augment current academic standards, not replace them.

“We’re talking about adding new standards that we believe will strengthen the performance of those schools, the performance of those students,” he said.

Navajo language, culture and history are proposed to be included with the Navajo standards, along with character development.

Navajo Nation Board of Education President Jimmie C. Begay said that the board approved and supported the plan.

The plan is to immediately hire two Diné scholars to put together the framework for the Navajo educational philosophy by Feb. 20, according to Galvin. A draft of the accountability workbook would be written up and submitted to the committee by Feb. 20 for review and discussion and a draft of performance standards would be developed with the committee on Feb. 27, according to the proposed plan presented by Galvin.

Galvin said that the Bureau of Indian Education has hired JP Beaudoin’s firm to help with developing accountability workbooks, and the Navajo Nation is already working with the firm to meet the requirements for submitting the accountability workbook.

Galvin said that he has also reviewed the federal No Child Left Behind Act and the Diné Sovereignty in Education Act of 2005.

“We understand how those two mesh together, and I think they do mesh together successfully,” he said.

He is also reviewing the accountability workbooks for the BIE and the states of Arizona , New Mexico and Utah , Galvin told the committee.

The Navajo Nation still needs to “create a clear purpose for the Navajo accountability system,” establish a series of performance standards for the Navajo standards to be implemented and clarify how the Navajo standards can assist in improving student performance on No Child Left Behind academic standards, Galvin said.

“We’re on a very tight timeline here,” he said.

Adding to the difficulties surrounding the Navajo Nation’s effort is uncertainty over how the Obama administration will view reauthorization of No Child Left Behind, a new Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, plus many BIE leadership positions that are currently vacant.

Galvin said only one other tribe is attempting a similar effort.

Committee members Leonard Anthony and David Tom had questions regarding personnel and the committee went into executive session with Galvin and Dr. Kalvin White, director of the Office of Dine Math, Science and Technology.