William J. Benham

SCHOOL, community and parental relationship practices in public schools serving Indian students from reservations in five western states were part of a study conducted by the writer in 1965. In this study, persons-in-charge of 109 school districts in the states of Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and New Mexico were asked to indicate whether 98 practices deemed desirable by a committee of experts were missing, existed to a limited extent or existed to a full extent. Eighty six or 78.8% of the total responded. The findings with regard to school, community and parental relationship practices are presented herewith along with the conclusion and recommendations of the writer.

Practices which existed have been grouped for presentation and discussion. The two groupings are information and involvement practices, and other practices in school, community and parental relationships. The figure given shows the number and percent of the 86 school districts from which it was reported that a practice existed to a full extent.

Only 19 or 22.1 percent reported that a pre-conference training session was held to help teachers and other staff members to learn better, more effective conference techniques for use with parents. Only 29 or 33.9 percent indicated that parents worked with school personnel in such activities as immunizations, the school lunch program and health examinations. Regarding tribal relations, only 28 or 32.5 percent indicated that the school system worked regularly with some organization from the tribe or tribes such as an education committee or members of the tribal council.

Only 36 or 41.9 percent reported that the school district employed an attendance officer or liaison person to work with parents on attendance and other school problems. The school district was reported providing leadership and accepting responsibility for seeing that urgent welfare needs were met by 32 or 37.3 percent. Sixteen or 18.6 percent specified that the school district provided appropriate adult educational activities which were available to adults including Indian residents.

One of the most acute needs of the school systems surveyed was better liaison with the Indian home and programs to involve actively Indian parents in the education of their children. Probably no other aspect of the school program is more important or can be more far reaching than developing the means for the active involvement of Indian parents in the education program.

Regarding parent-teacher or other educationally active organizations, when such organizations do not exist or when Indian parental participation is lacking, involvement in such cooperative activities is felt to be an excellent way to initiate Indian parental participation in school affairs. Indian parents may be reached through their children, missionaries, tribal officials and by direct personal contact.

Concerning parental conferences, hopefully, teachers will have more than two contacts each year with Indian parents because of the potential value such contacts can have for the education of the Indian student. School systems should include training sessions on how to conduct parental conferences as part of the orientation and continuous in-service training programs of school personnel.

It is recommended that schools make more use of such programs as school lunch, immunizations, health examinations, and curricular evaluation as avenues of contact with Indian parents. Through such avenues, Indian support of the school program may be mobilized to a greater extent.

It is recommended that the school districts recognize and utilize the elected or traditional leaders in Indian communities. Such leadership should be utilized as a means of seeking solutions to problems and maintaining the active support of the Indian communities in school affairs. Liaison is needed between the school and Indian parents in seeking the solutions to problems such as irregular attendance and the failure of individual students to achieve. If the finances of the school system will not permit the employment of a special visiting teacher or liaison official, the best possible alternate arrangement should be made for visitation by the principal or other members of the school staff when a particular problem arises.

It would appear helpful if the Divisions of Indian Education in the State Departments of Education in the states included in this study were to explore means of exchanging information concerning projects in school districts which have been particularly successful in developing Indian parental involvement. Such information should be developed on a timely and periodic basis and disseminated to the school districts in the five states. This would have the effect of focusing attention on this important area of school affairs and serve as a source of stimulation for school district personnel.

Because of the generally recognized economic needs of reservation Indian students, it is recommended that the school systems accept some responsibility for seeking solutions to the urgent welfare needs of the students. The school systems should be in the best position to identify and refer needy students to the appropriate public and private welfare agency.

Since school districts generally do not have responsibility for adult education activities and would not normally have local funds available for this purpose, it is recommended that public school personnel seek ways to cooperate with other agencies which do have this responsibility.

In closing, it would appear that recent Federal legislation, such as the Economic Opportunity Act and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, would offer valuable assistance to school districts in providing needed programs for Indian students and parents from reservations.