However, numerous conditions work against reservation students and keep them from improving their scholastic abilities. There is little or no continuity for these students. Many are homeless. Many will live in several different overcrowded houses during the course of a single year. Many switch schools several times during their lives.
Poverty overwhelms many Indian households.
Obtaining a decent meal can be a problem for students. Over a third of reservation households do not have electricity, making it difficult to do homework after dark. Lack of transportation to and from school is a major roadblock to regular attendance. A large number of students have learning disabilities because of prenatal drug and alcohol abuse. These students are mainstreamed into regular classrooms and teachers end up spending inordinate amounts of time with them at the expense of non-special education students.