Improving education outcomes for American Indian Children: Community and family influences on rural student academic success

Abstract

This chapter describes the Parents as Teachers (PAT) home visiting model as a strategy for improving education outcomes for American Indian (AI) children in rural communities and the challenges posed by geographic isolation and poverty in these communities. It describes the lingering impacts of a federal trust role that initially sought to eradicate the influences of AI/AN culture and language in these communities and relatively recently adopted principles of self-determination and self-governance. It includes a history of PAT’s work in tribal communities since 1990 in implementing home visiting programs that have moved early childhood to the forefront in AI communities at the earliest stages of child development-prenatal to age three, including the Family and Child Education (FACE) program, the Investing in Innovations (i3) Baby FACE program, and the recent Tribal MIECHV programs. Home-based strategies that address challenges and strengths of rural AI families are described. Research findings specific to PAT models in AI rural community settings and concerns for the conduct of research in these settings are provided. The chapter concludes with suggestions for future directions to advance rural research for AI communities.