WATONGA, Okla. — Hollie Youngbear serves as the Indian education director for the Watonga school district, where her primary focus is ensuring the success of Native American students, a task that starts with their attendance at school.
She ensures that these students have access to clothing and necessary school supplies while also connecting them with tribal and federal resources. Additionally, when students fail to attend school, she and a colleague make home visits to provide transportation.
Data shows that Native American students generally have higher absenteeism rates compared to their peers; however, this trend does not hold true at Watonga High School. Youngbear collaborates with families to build connections that respect the historical context and particular needs of Native communities.
While reviewing binders in her office that detailed records of the Native students enrolled, Youngbear noted that the pattern of missing school can often be traced back to the trauma suffered by previous generations in U.S. government boarding schools.
“If a grandmother didn’t go to school, and her grandmother didn’t either, this can create a cycle that continues,” explained Youngbear, a member of the Arapaho tribe who spent 25 years teaching the Cheyenne and Arapaho languages in the school.
Watonga schools partner with various Cheyenne and Arapaho programs specifically aimed at reducing Native student absenteeism. One initiative assists students with their educational expenses and encourages attendance at tribal youth conferences, while another holds monthly sessions during lunchtime that focus on preventing underage drinking and drug use.
Oklahoma is home to 38 federally recognized tribes, many of which operate their own education departments. The backing from these tribes plays a significant role in student success. Remarkably, during the 2022-2023 academic year, Oklahoma was the only state among 34 that reported lower absenteeism rates for Native students compared to the overall state average, based on data collected.
At Watonga High School, less than 4% of Native students were deemed chronically absent in the latest school year, reflecting similar attendance levels to the general student population. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more of the school year, whether the absences are excused or unexcused. This condition poses risks for educational achievement and increases the likelihood of students dropping out.
Around 14% of the student body at Watonga High consists of Native American students. The high school’s hallways are adorned with inspirational Bible verses, typical of many rural schools across Oklahoma, yet a classroom designated for the Eagle Academy, an alternative education program, showcases Native artwork created by students.
Students who face challenges with their grades or attendance are often placed in the Eagle Academy. Most participants are Native American, and the classroom’s teacher, Carrie Compton, emphasizes the importance of rewarding attendance through incentives such as organized field trips.
Compton has observed positive outcomes from her efforts. She described a Native boy who had been absent for 38 days in one semester but experienced a turnaround after spending time in the Eagle Academy, successfully graduating the following year. “He had perfect attendance for the first time ever because he felt a connection to school,” she noted.
In cases where students miss school, Compton and Youngbear take turns visiting homes to encourage attendance.
“I remember a time when I picked up five kids every morning due to transportation issues,” Compton recalled. “At 7 AM, I would start my route, and once they became accustomed to it, they began attending school regularly.”
Across the country, Native students are often disproportionately represented in alternative education programs, which can lead to increased segregation. However, at Watonga’s Eagle Academy, the nurturing attitude of the teacher differs significantly from the experiences some students encounter in other parts of the school.
Compton often hears complaints from Native students voicing feelings of being disliked by teachers, pointing to a culture of misunderstanding. Additionally, bullying incidents involving Native students have raised concerns, as highlighted by Watonga senior Happy Belle Shortman, of Kiowa, Cheyenne, and Arapaho descent, who mentioned that Cheyenne students are teased regarding their cultural traditions and music.
“People around here can be rather closed-minded; they tend to have fixed opinions,” Shortman expressed. “Those from different cultures often lack understanding of our way of life.”
Poverty may also contribute to the bullying that students face, as expressed by Shortman, who noted that not being dressed in line with current trends can lead to social exclusion.
Watonga staff members attribute the low absenteeism rates to the effort made in building rapport with Native students, despite ongoing challenges. “Native students won’t truly feel welcomed unless non-Native faculty actively work to ensure that those Native students feel accepted,” asserted Dallas Pettigrew, director of Oklahoma University’s Center for Tribal Social Work and a Cherokee Nation member.