The Navajo Nation encompasses land approximately the size of the state of West Virginia (25,000 square miles), located in the states of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah and has six school systems with over 160 schools on the Navajo Reservation. The Navajo Nation is seeking to create a systemic reform effort for science, mathematics and technology by building upon one component of the currently funded Utah-Colorado-Arizona-New Mexico Rural Systemic Initiative (UCAN-RSI). The UCAN experience indicates that there is a need for a new and expanded endeavor for the Navajo Nation schools. The major factors leading to this conclusion include: the need for Navajo Nation leadership; the large geographical area and number of schools to be served on the Navajo Reservation; the complexities among the six different school systems in three states; and the limited resources available through the UCAN RSI.
To build a successful sustainable program, the need for strong Navajo leadership to direct and control of the reform effort on a wider scale is paramount. This proposal will greatly expand the commitment and number of schools participating in the mathematics, science and technology systemic reform programs.
The NN-RSI is a collaborative endeavor of the Navajo Nation's Division of Dine Education, the six school systems operating on the reservation, the Dine College, (formerly the Navajo Community College), the local business community and other universities in proximity to the Navajo Nation. The Navajo Nation Rural Systemic Initiative (NN-RSI) will function as an entity under the Navajo Nation government, which has access to other educational resources for collaborative efforts. The NN-RSI will be administered under the recently expanded Office of Dine Science, Mathematics, and Technology (DSMT). Five Regional Centers located at K-12 schools will be established to promote curriculum dissemination and professional development and assist schools in the systemic reform process across four geographical regions. A fifth Center will serve the Window Rock School District.
The mission of the NN-RSI is to create a standards-based student centered teaching and learning environment in science, mathematics, technology (SMT) for approximately 70,000 K-12 students on or near the Navajo Reservation, most of whom come from families living below the Federal poverty level. The NN-RSI will assist schools in implementing a standards-based science and mathematics program by promoting a variety of instructional strategies and by assisting teachers to teach within the context of the cultural environment of Navajo students toward identified goals and objectives. The proposal requests $10,000,000 over a period of five-years to implement the program.
