Data Matters Tribal Sovereignty & the Measurement of Small Populations

1. Data MattersTribal Sovereignty & the Measurement of Small Populations Dr. Malia Villegas, Director NCAI Policy Research CenterU. S. Census Bureau: Native American Heritage Month November 14, 2012

2. Overview Access to quality & meaningful data is a crucial element of tribal sovereignty “Robust data on the size and characteristics of the AI/AN [American Indian and Alaska Native] population in every community is essential to charting a course for the progress of the Native people in that community” (DeWeaver, 2010, p. ii). • Federal Responsibility for Data Collection & Reporting • Tribal Use of Data

3. Federal Data Collection & Reporting ISSUE: ‘Counts’ related to sampling and measuring small populations, race/ethnicity classifications, agency definitions and indicators • Census Decennial vs. American Community Survey • OMB 1997 Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity • Cross-Agency Consistency (Definitions, Indicators, & Age of Data)

4. Agency Implementation of OMB Standards Final Guidance on Maintaining, Collecting and Reporting Racial and Ethnic Data (U.S. Department of Education, 2007) “When aggregating local data for federal reporting…the seven aggregate categories for reporting to USED are: • Hispanic/Latino of any race; • and, for individuals who are non-Hispanic/Latino only: • American Indian or Alaska Native, • Asian, • Black or African American, • Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, • White, and • Two or more races.”

5. AI/AN Population from 2010 Census (Humes, Jones, & Ramirez, 2011)

6. Why ‘Counts’ Matter • Community planning • Identifying success • Identifying needs • Access to federal and state funding • Fostering solidarity and innovation

7. Mitigating Inaccurate ‘Counts’ • Inter-Agency Coordination • Tribal Consultation • Hold-harmless Provisions • Count Question Resolution & Census Challenge Program • Working Groups on Measurement of Small Populations

8. Tribal Use of Data & Indicators • Using Existing Data Specific to AI/AN Contexts • Census Brief: That American Indian and Alaska Native Population 2010 • Agriculture Census 2007 • Employing Culturally- Based Indices & Indicators • Ka Huaka’i: Native Hawaiian Ed. Assessment (Kamehameha Schools, 2005) • Alaska Native K-12 Indicators Report (First Alaskans Institute, 2004) • AIHEC AIMS Fact Book (2009) • Others related to unique conceptions of poverty, land management, sustainability, wellness, child welfare • Considering Unique Measures of ‘Status’ • Gap Comparisons • Native-to-Native Comparisons • Trend Analysis • Use of multiple data sets

9. Ka Huaka’i Framework Source: Kamehameha Schools, 2005

10. Dropout Rates for SY2001 to SY2006, Alaska Native and Statewide, Grades 7-12 Source: Alaska DEED

11. High School Graduation Rates for SY2004, by Ethnicity and ANCSA Region Source: First Alaskans Institute, 2005

12. NCAI Policy Research Center Efforts • Focus on Native Youth • Young Population • Sits at the Nexus of Education & Workforce Development • Young Native Males Engagement • ANA Grant – Where are our Native Youth & Data Institutes • FUDs and Database of Databases • Appropriate Inclusion in National Studies • American Indian Population & Labor Force Report • FDA’s PATH Study • National Children’s Study • PRC Research Update & Network Development

13. Native Youth Count

14. Native Youth Count

15. NCAI PRC Update

16. Moving Forward Together Access to quality & meaningful data is a crucial element of tribal sovereignty • Responsibility to Foster Inter-Agency Coordination • Duty to Explore the Meaningful Measurement of Small Populations • Responsibility to Foster Leadership in AI/AN Data

17. Discussion & Questions

18. Contact Information WWW.NCAIPRC.ORG Dr. Malia Villegas Director, NCAI Policy Research Center mvillegas@ncai.org