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## Other Youth Topics

## Breadcrumb

            -  Youth Topics 
            -  American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Youth 
            -           Education/Higher Education      

# Education/Higher Education

The majority of AI/AN youth, an estimated 93 percent, attend public schools, while approximately seven percent attend Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) schools. Additionally, Native students are more likely to attend rural schools.1

AI/AN youth have fewer successful educational outcomes than the general population by nearly all measures. Among AI/AN youth aged 25 and older, 22 percent have not finished high school and only 13 percent have a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 29 percent of the U.S. population who have a bachelor’s degree.2

AI/AN youth experience disparities in many aspects of their education. In 2011, only about 16 percent of AI/AN fourth and eighth graders were proficient or advanced in reading and math compared to nearly 45 percent of White fourth and eighth graders, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. While all other race/ethnicities saw an improvement in reading and math performance between 2005 and 2011, Native youth did not.3

In higher education, among students enrolled in four-year institutions, only 39 percent of Native students completed college and received their bachelor’s degree compared to 62 percent of White students.4 AI/AN youth also lack access to Advanced Placement (AP) exams, score lower on college entry exams (e.g., ACT), and earn a lower annual median income than others with bachelor’s degree or higher.5

It is evident that there are educational disparities within AI/AN populations, however there are three areas that have been identified as being helpful in improving educational outcomes for Native students. The following three areas include examples of how AI/AN students can be better supported in achieving improved educational outcomes:
                      - Instructional Practices : Promising instructional practices included increasing local autonomy; actively valuing elders’ knowledge; ensuring harmony between home and community life and education; and employing culturally responsive educational practices.
                      - Curriculum Content : Curriculums that were found to be engaging for students included content that utilized students’ prior knowledge, experience, and community values; included culturally relevant content across the curriculum; and ensured that content was accurate and did not include bias and stereotypes.
                      - School Climate : Important attributes of healthy  school climate  included developing positive behavior supports; building relationships with students and families; communicating a belief in the abilities of learners; learning about Indian heritage; and providing the necessary supports to reach high levels of achievement. 6

## Resources

**AANAPISIs: Serving a Critical AAPI Student Population**This blog outlines the issues discussed at a meeting that former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan held with Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander education stakeholders.

**Investing in the Future: Native American Youth and Education**This Department of Education blog discusses lessons learned from the White House Tribal Nations Conference held on November 13, 2013.

**National Indian Education Association**The National Indian Education Association conducts research and provides information on educational opportunities for AI/AN youth.

**Status and Trends in the Education of American Indians and Alaska Natives: 2008**Report by the National Center for Education Statistics on current conditions and recent trends in the education of AI/ANs using statistical measures.

**Strengthening Tribal Communities through Education and Economic Development**This fact sheet from The White House provides ways the government can improve tribal education opportunities and outcomes for tribal youth.

## References

1 The State of Education for Native Students, 20132 2014 Native Youth Report, 20143 The State of Education for Native Students, 20134 2014 Native Youth Report, 20145 National Indian Education Association: Statistics on Native Students, 20126 Jesse, Northup, & Withington, 2015; Oakes & Maday, 2009

## Other Resources on this Topic

### Agencies 

                          - Children's Bureau

### Announcements 

                          - Department of Justice Awards More Than $136 Million to Support Youth and Reform the Juvenile Justice System
                          - Free to Learn Initiative
                          - November is American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Heritage Month
                          - OJJDP’s Fiscal Year 2021 Discretionary Awards Total Nearly $344 Million
                          - Report: Child Exploitation in Special Areas and Populations
                          - Report: Federal Policy to Advance Racial, Ethnic, and Tribal Health Equity
                          - Report: Healing Indigenous Lives: Native Youth Town Halls
                          - Report: Missing or Murdered Indigenous Women: New Efforts Are Underway Exist to Improve the Federal Response
                          - Report: Not One More: Findings and Recommendations of the Not Invisible Act Commission
                          - Report: Supporting Tribal Youth Attendance Achievement
                          - Resource: 2019 National Indian Education Study (NIES) Data Companion
                          - Resource: Advances in Supporting Kinship Caregivers – Part 3
                          - Resource: American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Heritage Month Fun Facts
                          - Resource: AmeriCorps Equity Action Plan
                          - Resource: Choose AmeriCorps Public Service Announcement
                          - Resource: Core Youth Outcomes in Youth of Color
                          - Resource: Culturally Responsive Pathways to Peer Programming in Tribal Communities
                          - Resource: Engaging American Indian Children and Families
                          - Resource: Guide for Drafting or Revising Tribal Juvenile Delinquency and Status Offense Laws
                          - Resource: Healthy Native Youth
                          - Resource: Healthy Native Youth Community of Practice Sessions
                          - Resource: Healthy Native Youth Implementation Toolbox
                          - Resource: Healthy Native Youth Stand-Alone Lessons
                          - Resource: MyPlate Recipes for National Native American Heritage Month
                          - Resource: NCFY
                          - Resource: Preventing Suicide Requires a Comprehensive Approach
                          - Resource: Project Red Talent National Network At-Home HIV Tests
                          - Resource: Recruiting and Supporting Resource Families in Tribal Communities
                          - Resource: Seed Sisters 4 Part “Strong Roots” Series, Part 1
                          - Resource: Stories from the Field: The White Earth Nation
                          - Resource: Suicide Provisional Estimates
                          - Resource: Supporting Native Youth into Adulthood
                          - Resource: Talking is Power: Tools for Parents
                          - Resource: The Indian Child Welfare Act: A Primer for Child Welfare Professionals
                          - Resource: Toolkit for Implementing Authentic Youth Engagement Strategies Within State Advisory Groups
                          - Resource: Trauma-Informed Practice Strategies (TIPS) for Supporting Caregivers of Native Youth in Out-of-Home Care
                          - Resource: Trauma-Informed Practice Strategies to Support Indigenous Transition-Aged Youth
                          - Resource: Tribal Customary Adoption
                          - Resource: Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program
                          - Resource: What Does it Mean to be Two-Spirit?
                          - Resource: Working with American Indian Children and Families in Adoption
                          - Resources for American Indian and Alaska Natives (AI/AN)
                          - Share with Youth: Indian Boarding School Oral History Project
                          - Share with Youth: Next Legends
                          - Share with Youth: Public Health Associate Program (PHAP)
                          - Share with Youth: We Need You Here
                          - Toolkit: Celebrating our Magic: Resources for American Indian/Alaska Native Transgender and TwoSpirit Youth, Their Relatives and Families, and their Healthcare Providers
                          - Webinar Series: Community of Practice with Healthy Native Youth Part 2
                          - Webinar Series: Supporting Gender Diverse Indigenous Youth
                          - Webinar: Tribal Technical Advisory Committee Meeting
                          - Youth Voices Have Moved to YE4C

### Feature Articles 

                          - Just Launched! Redesigned YE4C
                          - Minnesota's Support Systems for Rural Homeless Youth Program
                          - National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month
                          - We R Native. Who R U?  Submit Your Story!

### Programs 

                          - Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB)
                          - John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood

### Publications 

                          - Native American Traditional Justice Practices

### Resources 

                          - Resource: Healthy Native Youth

### Youth Topics 

                          - American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Youth

## Youth Briefs

How Individualized Education Program (IEP) Transition Planning Makes a Difference for Youth with Disabilities
Youth who receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) and especially young adults of transition age, should be involved in planning for life after high school as early as possible and no later than age 16. Transition services should stem from the individual youth’s needs and strengths, ensuring that planning takes into account his or her interests, preferences, and desires for the future.

Youth Transitioning to Adulthood: How Holding Early Leadership Positions Can Make a Difference
Research links early leadership with increased self-efficacy and suggests that leadership can help youth to develop decision making and interpersonal skills that support successes in the workforce and adulthood. In addition, young leaders tend to be more involved in their communities, and have lower dropout rates than their peers. Youth leaders also show considerable benefits for their communities, providing valuable insight into the needs and interests of young people

How Trained Service Professionals and Self-Advocacy Makes a Difference for Youth with Mental Health, Substance Abuse, or Co-occurring Issues
Statistics reflecting the number of youth suffering from mental health, substance abuse, and co-occurring disorders highlight the necessity for schools, families, support staff, and communities to work together to develop targeted, coordinated, and comprehensive transition plans for young people with a history of mental health needs and/or substance abuse.

Young Adults Formerly in Foster Care: Challenges and Solutions
Nearly 30,000 youth aged out of foster care in Fiscal Year 2009, which represents nine percent of the young people involved in the foster care system that year. This transition can be challenging for youth, especially youth who have grown up in the child welfare system.

Coordinating Systems to Support Transition Age Youth with Mental Health Needs
Research has demonstrated that as many as one in five children/youth have a diagnosable mental health disorder. Read about how coordination between public service agencies can improve treatment for these youth.

Civic Engagement Strategies for Transition Age Youth
Civic engagement has the potential to empower young adults, increase their self-determination, and give them the skills and self-confidence they need to enter the workforce. Read about one youth’s experience in AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC).

## Main navigation

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## Latest Resources

### Announcements

Webinar Series: Community of Practice with Healthy Native Youth Part 2

Webinar: Tribal Technical Advisory Committee Meeting

Resource: Supporting Native Youth into Adulthood

### Feature Articles

Just Launched! Redesigned YE4C

National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month

Minnesota's Support Systems for Rural Homeless Youth Program

### Publications

Native American Traditional Justice Practices

### Resources

Resource: Healthy Native Youth

### Youth Topics

American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Youth