Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska Anchorage
Abstract
In Alaska’s schools, indigenous1 students are the most at risk of any ethnic group
of failing to thrive; they drop out more frequently, are less likely to graduate, and
generally have lower educational attainment than non-Native students(Martin and Hill,
2009). Indeed, the situation appears to be worsening. The dropout rate of Alaska Native
students living in all areas of Alaska besides Anchorage has risen from 0.7 percent in
1996 to 3.3 percent in 2001 (Goldsmith et al. 2004). Dropout rates among all Native
students in Alaska increased from 5 percent to almost 10 percent between 1998 and 2001,
while the dropout rate among non-Native students increased from about 3 percent to 5
percent (ibid). In addition, low test scores are preventing many students from graduating
from high school—almost half of Alaska Native students are not passing the reading
section of the High-School Graduation Qualifying Exam. The educational system in
Alaska is failing to provide Alaska Native students the skills necessary either for postsecondary
academic work or success in the job market, if that is what they desire.
However, one secondary school, Mt. Edgecumbe High School, a boarding school
located in Southeast Alaska that serves predominately rural and Alaska Native students,
has produced students that consistently outperform their peers, both indigenous and non-
Native. The reputation of the school has been strong for decades, based on both historic
and recent accomplishments of its alumni. However, the experiences of recent alumni at
the school and their professional and educational attainment after high school had not
been looked at systematically for a number of years.
This paper is the result of a study conducted by the authors on recent graduates of
Mt. Edgecumbe High School (MEHS), at the suggestion of school administrators. Our
case study attempts to capture the educational, social, and cultural experiences of the
students while they attended the boarding school, and the impacts the school has had on
their lives. With this research we hope to inform the decisions o f policymakers and
educators, indigenous and non-Native alike, regarding rural secondary schooling options
in Alaska for indigenous children across the state.Rasmuson Foundation
