Nadine L. Bill, Upper Skagit Director of Institutional Research Wal-Mart Foundation, AIHEC, HACU and NAFEO Student Success Collaborative Nadine L. Bill, Upper Skagit Director of Institutional Research Northwest Indian College

Tribal Colleges and Universities 36 Tribal Colleges in the U.S. and Canada Fall 09 enrollment of Degree Seeking Student 17,400 FTE

“Pathways for Native Students: A Report on Washington State Colleges and Universities”

Partnership for Native American College Access and Success Project Northwest Indian College The Evergreen State College Grays Harbor College Antioch University-Seattle Muckleshoot Tribal College

Who Wrote and Why Who – Why – An inter-agency group that represented 4 years, 2 years, regional Indian college, tribes, state government and researchers Why – Grant-based project Need for comprehensive look Need for combining of data Need for combining of Best Practices Writing Team that Created Leveraging Opportunities

Reason for report: 29 Federally recognized Tribes in Washington 26% of the U.S. population is under age 18, while the Native American population under that age is 33%. The percentage is even higher on many reservations in Washington Cultural revitalization and nation-building are at the forefront for Washington tribes Growing need for Native Americans with higher education and training Data and trends on Native students and institutions’ services required to improve access and attainment levels Reason for report:

Major Research Questions: How many AI/AN Students attend Washington State Colleges and Universities What is the AI/AN student experience at WA State colleges and universities What types of academic programs and student services targeted at AI/AI students currently exist What do “Institutions” consider as their “Best Practice” regarding AI/AI students

How the Research Conducted Template Out to all Colleges and Universities Multiple Levels of Contact Persistence - took real effort to gather the information (them and us) Had to get to the right person presidential support critical Probed existing data bases Disaggregated data, took existing data sets and reports, and reorganized

How was the Research Conducted? A Strength-Based Approach National Center for Educational Management Systems IPEDS WA State Higher Education Coordinating Board State Board for Community and Technical Colleges Tribal Statistics 44 of Washington’s Colleges and Universities Institutional Profiles Best Practices Lessons Learned

Decisions about how to tell the research-based story Stories – that make it come alive Pictures Data Lively Narrative Historical Context Stress Best Practices Stress Needed Arenas of Work Focus on Exceptional Schools

Why is this Report and Strategy Different ? Produced by the schools themselves as a collaborative effort Cross-sector – K-20, private and public, 2 year - 4year A whole institution view (Student Affairs and Academics) Tied to a dissemination strategy

Native Participation in Postsecondary Education in Washington State Approximately 7500 Native American Students are enrolled in Washington Colleges and Universities Type of Institution # AI/AN Students (FTE) % AI/AN Faculty/Staff Two-year public colleges 4632 1.6% Faculty Four-year public colleges & universities 1800 0.8% Faculty Four-year private colleges & universities 500 0.7% Faculty Tribal College (Northwest Indian College) 690 57% Faculty + Staff

What do we know about Access & Focus Areas Retention & completion rates low K-20 pipeline issue Stopping out common Gatekeeper classes should be a key focus Basic studies/Dev Ed

Institutional Profiles Statistical profile of Native American/ Alaska Native faculty, staff, and students Academic courses & programs focusing on Native Americans Public service programs and initiatives focusing on Native Americans Student support services and student organizations focusing on Native Americans Best practices and lessons

12 Recommendations 1. Create/support vehicles to foster collaboration Support mechanisms for tribes to share Washington leaders must make greater investment Tackle financial barriers to college that remain significant Institutions must pay attention to the needs Build the pipeline - bridging the gaps between the sectors (K-12 and two-year and four year colleges) Find effective approaches in gateway courses/key transition points Find successful approaches in underrepresented fields Diversifying the faculty and staff is a key element in student success Make linkages between needs of Native students and other underserved populations to more efficiently address service and awareness gaps Maintain a long term focus on Native student success More research and data is needed to fully understand challenges and effectiveness of institutions and programs. Involve Native stakeholders in holistic evaluation strategies, continuous improvement and dissemination. Cull and make shorten – Talk about making the HS problem better and as the pathway that doesn’t work.

What Works in Native American Student Success Strong family support Positive interactions with mentors (e.g.., faculty, advisor, department staff members) Clear educational goals and personal motivation Institutional support Academic preparation Academic and social integration The ability to function bi-culturally (Ortiz and HeavyRunner, 2003; Inglebret and Pavel, 2007)

Student Success Strategies in Tribal Colleges First Year Experience Service Learning/Experiential Learning Course Design and Co-Curricular Activities Family Education Model (FEM) Emphasis on STEM and Student-Based Research in 1st and 2nd year Education Based Programs and Research that benefits tribal communities

Share the information learned with presentations that inspire dialogue and networking between communities Examine and implement examples of Performance Indicators and ways to measure Native American Student Success in higher education Apply applicable examples of how Institutions of higher learning and Native American communities work together Continue to build educational program that embraces assessment and a model of continuous improvement Build seamless pathways between higher education and K-12 systems Where do we go from here?