A study of perceptions on educational values of post high school Crow Indian students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of post high school Crow Indian students as to the value of education. Surveys were distributed among 150 post high school Crow Indian students assisted by the Crow Higher Education Department. The distribution of the survey was among four subgroups from the population; administrators, college graduates in other professions, current students, and students who did not complete college. Conclusions of the survey are: 1) Most of the respondents feel a need for education beyond high school, not only from the educational standpoint, but also for economic and social reasons. 2) A large obstacle to obtaining higher education is meeting financial needs. 3) The most valuable subjects are Reading, Writing, and Speech, in that order. 4) Meeting the cost of education is the highest motivator for continuing higher education. 5) Family support and the location of the school makes a difference in enrollment decisions. 6) Factors that influence career decision making is higher with family members than high school experiences. The recommendations of the study are: 1) Provide good jobs, as incentives, for students that graduate from a Higher Education Institution and return to the Crow Indian Reservation. 2) Develop a program to increase awareness for opportunities and societal improvements with additional education. 3) Increase funding for students that are attending Higher Educational Institutions. 4) Develop a support program to track students progress. 5) Become a bigger factor in improving preparatory courses for Institutions of Higher Learning at the local high schools. 6) Promote Little Big Horn College as a vehicle for a better social, economic, and self-development environment for the entire Crow Tribal population. 7) Promote, request, encourage, and finance research that benefits the Crow Tribe.