Review of Academic Achievement at the Chemawa Indian School

We performed this inspection of Chemawa Indian School, a BIE-operated off-reservation boarding school for students in grades 9 through 12, located in Salem, OR. We evaluated programs that the school had in place to help close the educational achievement gap and increase graduation rates. The No Child Left Behind Act, signed into law in January 2002, requires schools to complete a comprehensive needs assessment with which to develop a strategy aimed at meeting students’ academic development needs. We used the assessment to help evaluate Chemawa’s progress.

 

We found that the school’s comprehensive needs assessment did not address all required areas. Systematic identification and prioritization of student needs can help decision makers develop school-wide reform strategies that offer increased academic achievement opportunities for school children. The needs assessment might also help decision makers allocate scarce resources wisely in support of students’ educational achievement.

 

In addition, school children may have mastered conversational English but not yet be able to express themselves effectively using academic English, the formal written, auditory, and visual language used in learning environments. All states require some type of English language learner (ELL) assessment. We found that Chemawa had administered ELL assessments, and students likely received the additional support necessary to help them achieve academically.

 

We provided one recommendation to help Chemawa Indian School improve its efforts to promote educational achievement among its students and close the achievement gap.