Turtle Mountain Rural Systemic Initiative

Turtle Mountain Community College, Belcourt ND

Investigators

Abstract

The Turtle Mountain Rural Systemic Initiative proposal for Phase II proposes that the Turtle Mountain Community College coordinate continues systemic reform of the K-12 schools in the reservation area. These schools include: Dunseith Day School, Dunseith Public Elementary School, Dunseith High School, Ojibwa Elementary School, Turtle Mountain Elementary School, Turtle Mountain Middle School and Turtle Mountain High School. Objectives 1. Sustain professional development of staffs of Turtle Mountain schools as a year-round endeavor. 2. Institutionalize the process for continually reviewing, revising and implementing standards-based curriculum in all classrooms in each school engaging the teachers in alternative assessments. 3. Establishing teacher learning communities headed by lead teacher to continue to improve instruction in SMET areas. 4. Put in place policy mandates supporting high quality SMET at all levels of each system. 5. Sustain a resource network for continuing organizational improvement in SMET areas. 6. Disseminate success via a conference involving stakeholders in SMET to demonstrate gains in student achievement for traditionally underserved populations. Methods The TMRSI will institutionalize the ongoing annual Teacher Enhancement Institute pre-school year training session providing graduate credits for area teachers. TMCC's newly constructed main campus will become its permanent site. To support continued staff renewal, a teacher learning community program will be implemented in which lead teachers will identified and trained to conduct staff improvement clinics for their fellow teachers in SMET areas. TMRSI will assist area schools in obtaining consultants to help systematically acquaint them with varied alternative assessment methods and to conduct one pilot project in alternative assessment in area schools. TMRSI will work with policy makers to shape mandates including reserved inservice days for improved SMET education. Rational budget forecasting, leveraging funds from external resource providers, and implementing and annual SMET conference will also sustain the momentum of system reform from Phase I.