Teacher/Family Partnerships for Student Learning: Lessons from <em>Indian Education for All</em> in Montana

Abstract

The article reports learning outcomes from a program aimed at creating partnerships among middleschool teachers and Native families in a western Montana urban school district involved in implementing the Indian Education for All Act. Studentlearning outcomes are analyzed according to attendance in classes taught by teachers divided into three groups based on the extent to which their teacher parti cipated in the program intervention. Six hundred fifteen students that could be matched for programinfluenced learning completed preprogram and postprogram surveys conducted in 30 classes. Study findings indicate that the innovative parentteacher partnership program had a varied impact in terms of net shifts in student knowledge and attitudes. Parentteacher partnership initiatives are more likely to generate positive attitudinal outcomes than they are to produce contentbased knowledge gains. These findings suggest that extensive involvement of Native parents in curricular partnerships with teachers can improve both Indian and nonIndian students’ attitudes toward cultural others and Indian students’ selfimage and attitudes toward public school.