> I am looking for research on American Indian drop-out rates in the past 4
> years. I am also looking for information on retention programs for
> American Indian youth. I am a graduate student at San Francisco State
> University majoring in American in Education and need more current data
> for my Masters thesis. I would appreciate any help you can give me.
> Please send to this address: almandel@mercury.sfsu.edu In message text,
> attention to Claudine.
I can't help Keith with statistical data, only anecdotal information. I
teach English at a small college. We have, on the average, approx. 100
NA students and the drop out rate is horrendous--somewhere around 70%.
We get no support from the administration; in fact, they get incredibly
defensive whenever we suggest an additional NA counselor or the
development of a support group. I get sick at heart when fine, young,
bright, promising students drop out and I'm at a loss as to what to
do. I know NA students have difficulty; we are, afterall, a
overwhelmingly white, middle-class school. I don't know; so many of
them just seem to disappear without a trace.
I'd like to discuss this with other educators out there. Any ideas,
suggestions, criticisms, whatever you can say, will be much
appreciated
Patrick Bjork
Bismarck State College
Dept. of English
1500 Edwards Avenue
Bismarck, ND 58501
bjork@badlands.nodak.edu