National Indian Education Study 2011: The Educational Experiences of American Indian and Alaska Native Students at Grades 4 and 8
The National Indian Education Study (NIES) is designed to describe the condition of education for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students in the United States. The study provides educators, policymakers, and the public with information about the academic performance in reading and mathematics of AI/AN fourth- and eighth-graders as well as about their exposure to Native American culture. Conducted in 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2011, NIES provides data on a nationally representative sample of American Indian and Alaska Native students in public, private, Department of Defense, and Bureau of Indian Education-funded schools.
The content of the 2011 National Indian Education Study is excellent. The purposes and methodology are well stated and effectively communicated in a variety of different formats. The value, credibility, and utility are high, with the report’s findings frequently used by policymakers and education organizations to highlight the long-term low performance of American Indian students when compared to students overall, as well as to other subgroups. This particular study found that not only is American Indian achievement relatively stagnant, but that in some cases the gaps are increasing. Evidence of effectiveness is high, illustrated through the study’s findings often being cited in newspaper and research articles.