Data Matters

Towards a National Data Quality Strate

Contexts of Significance for American In

Alaska Natives

Dr. Malia Villegas (Alutiiq/Sugpiaq)

Director, Policy Research Center, National Congress of American In

Profile America Forum: National Museum of the American Indi

January 25, 2012
Overview

Access to quality & meaningful dat

crucial element of tribal sovereig

Federal Responsibility for Data Collectio

Reporting

Tribal Use of Data & Indicators
Data Collection & Report

ISSUE: ‘Counts’ related to sampling, race/et

classifications, agency definitions and ind

Census Decennial vs. American CommuSurveyOMB 1997 Revisions to the Standards for tClassification of Federal Data on Race and ECross‐Agency Consistency (Definitions,Indicators, & Age of Data)
Agency Implementation of

OMB Standards

Final Guidance on Maintaining, Collecting and Reportin

and Ethnic Data (U.S. Department of Education, 2

“When aggregating local data for federal reporting...the seven ag

categories for reporting to USED are:

Hispanic/Latino of any race;and, for individuals who are non‐Hispanic/Latino only:

– American Indian or Alaska Native,– Asian,– Black or African American,

– Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander,

– White, and

– Two or more races.
Why ‘Counts’ Matter

Access to federal and state fundingCommunity planning

– Identifying needs

– Identifying success

Fostering solidarity
Mitigating Inaccurate ‘Cou

Hold‐harmless ProvisionsCount Question ResolutionCensus Challenge ProgramTribal ConsultationMonitoring by AI/AN Advocacy O
Tribal Use of Data & Indica

Existing Data Specific to AI/AN Contexts

– Census 2000 Brief: That American Indian and Alaska Native Popula

– Agriculture Census 2007

Indices & Indicators

– Alaska Native K‐12 Indicators Report (First Alaskans Institute, 20

– Ka Huaka’i: Native Hawaiian Ed. Assessment (Kamehameha Scho– AIHEC AIMS Fact Book (2009)

– Others related to unique conceptions of poverty, land managem

sustainability, wellness, child welfare

Status

– Gap Comparisons

– Native‐to‐Native Comparisons

– Trend Analysis– Use of multiple data sets
Dropout Rates for SY2001 to SY2006, A

Native and Statewide, Grades 7‐

0.0%1.0%2.0%3.0%4.0%5.0%6.0%7.0%8.0%9.0%

10.0%

SY2001 SY2002 SY2003 SY2004 SY2005 

A laska N atives Statew ide

Source: Alaska DEED
High School Graduation Rates for S

by Ethnicity and ANCSA Regio

0.0%

10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%80.0%90.0%

100.0%

Ahtna Aleut Arctic

Slope

Bering

Straits

Bristol

Bay

Calista Chugach C ook

Inlet

Doyon Koniag N AN A Sea

All O thers Alaska Natives

Source: First Alaskans Institute, 2005
Ka Huaka’i Framework

Source: Kamehameha Schools, 2005
A Focus on Native Youth

Age of our Native populationPervasive issues of undercounting and s

‘dropout’

Sits at the nexus of education and work

arenas

Native Vote
Native Youth Count

Source: US Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, 2010 Census, Summary File 1
Native Youth Count

Source: US Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, 2010 Census, Summary File 1
Case: Where are our Native yo

National concentrations: OK, CA, AZ (11‐12%)State concentrations: SD, NE, ND (~50%)Enrolled in public schools (AK, OK, MT, NM, SD

– In special education, non‐academic, GED/alternative p

Of those pursuing higher education, most are en

public, 2‐year institutions

– Completing bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees 

the national average (much lower at first‐professional d

Incarcerated or being held in custodyIn the labor forceIn the military
Moving Forward Togeth

AI/AN Contributions to America: ‘

of Indian Nations Address’

America’s Responsibility to honor 

nation‐to‐nation relationship

Access to quality & meaningful da

crucial element of tribal sovereignt