Statement of the Problem

Strategies

Activities

Who is Responsible

Timeline

Evaluation

1.Mandated curriculum from top to bottom: Standardized English writing, reading, and math.

1.Should begin from the grassroots of the people and communities.

2.Institute and fund a Native curriculum development program.

3.UA system and private colleges collaborate with Native Educator Associations when seeking funding for "Native curriculum."

1.Curriculum development in the Alaska Native perspective aligned with state and regional standards.

2.Clear pathway to assist teachers on how to teach to standards in an appropriate cultural context.

3.Establish a central location to publish Native curriculum and Alaska Native History and cultures.

1.UA system and private colleges.

2.Native Curriculum Specialists

3.District level administrators

4.Native Educator Associations

1.November 21-22 2002 and ongoing

1.Feedback from members of the writing, math and science consortium, district curriculum officers and Native educators who have developed place-based curriculum.

2.No Child Left Behind Act is not appropriate for Rural Area. The law is not understood.

1.Need workshops in the Rural Area to explain what it all involves and means.

1.EED, district staff provide technical assistance

1.EED

2.District Staff

1.November 21-22 2002 and ongoing

1.Policy direction from State Board of Education.

3.Areas of weaknesses is identified for students in rural setting through Benchmark testing. This type of identification is not culturally appropriate.

1.Testing should include local knowledge for positive success of our rural students.

1.Multiple measures of achievement incorporated into the state accountability system, i.e., statewide testing, school designators system, to strengthen its positive aspects and eliminate/maximize its negative aspects, and provide adequate resources to schools to succeed in reaching higher standards.

2.EED staff will hold workshops using the Teachers Guide to the Alaska Benchmark Exams; how to interpret Benchmark and Terra Nova scores; what can and cannot be inferred from these scores; how to understand and use other types of assessments, often referred to as "authentic"; and take cultural considerations into assessments.

1.EED Staff

2.School Designator committees

3.District level administrators

4.State Board of Education

5.Native Educator Associations

1.November 21-22 2002 and ongoing

1.Statewide and local evaluation teams established and comprised of community members, Elders, Native Educators and parents to ensure multiple measures are incorporated into "student success."

4.State does not recognize Native students in rural area as a Whole Child. State seems to see a student as a part of something.

1.Teaching methods on teaching content materials as a whole is needed instead of individualizing such as science away from writing and reading.

2. Student learning styles need to be studied.

1.Incorporate traditional knowledge and teaching practices in all aspects of the lives of children and youth, including which occurs in classroom settings as outlined in Guidelines for Nurturing Culturally Healthy Youth.

1.State Board of Education

2.EED

3.UA and private college system

4.District Level Administrators, 5.classroom teachers

1.November 21-22, 2002

1.State Board of Education endorsement of the Guidelines for Nurturing Culturally Healthy Youth and incorporation into classroom teaching and learning.

5.Native parents do not demand nor get what they want. Some do not know "how."

1.Need local level meetings to help parents recognize and understand the need to help their students succeed in their education.

1.Incorporate Cultural Standards for Curriculum as outlined in the Alaska Standards for Culturally Responsive Schools

1.State Board of Education

2.EED

3.UA system and private colleges.

4.Native Curriculum

Specialists

5.Native Educator Associations

1.November 21-22, 2002

1.State Board of Education endorsement of the Curriculum Standards in the Alaska Standards for Culturally Responsive Schools.

2.EED regulation

3.Teacher Leadership Development Project Lead/Master teachers progress reports from the 5-cultural regions.

6.Need to continue to develop and improve teacher access to Alaska-specific and place-based curriculum.

1.Continued collaborative efforts between EED and the Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative.

1.Annual curriculum fairs.

2.Centralized Alaska-specific website to improve access to currently existing curriculum materials.

3.Digitize and host curriculum materials developed by individual teachers and districts.

1.UA system and private colleges.

2.EED staff

3.Content Consortia

4.District Curriculum Developers

5.Native Educator Associations

6.Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative Staff

7.Alaska Native Knowledge Network

8.Alaskool Web Staff

1.November 21-22, 2002 - ongoing

1.Relevant curriculum expertise and materials through members of the Native Educator Associations, writing and math/science consortia, district curriculum officers and especially, talented teachers who have developed relevant, place-based curriculum units but have not had the means to circulate them.

7.Need to provide learning opportunities through which young Alaskans will know and appreciate "The History of This Land and Its Peoples."

1.EED and Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative participate in a statewide discussion about an appropriate Alaska History Course for high school students, including implications associated with requiring Alaska History for high school graduation.

1.EED and the Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative identify staff persons to facilitate the discussion.

1.UA system and private colleges.

2.EED Staff

3.Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative Staff

1.November 21-22, 2002 - November 21 - 22, 2003

1.Materials specific to regional and language/cultural groups represented in Alaska History.