Reimagining Native Teacher Preparation: Early Evaluation Insights from the OIE PD Grant

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 3:45 pm - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: We Shall Not Be Moved: Honoring Identities, Motivations, and Well-Being in Teacher Preparation and Development

Abstract

This proposal presents early findings from an evaluative study of the Office of Indian Education Professional Development (OIE PD) Grant, a federally funded initiative supporting Native American teacher recruitment, credentialing, and induction across 21 university sites. Drawing on interviews with program directors and faculty mentors, the study explores culturally responsive approaches to recruitment, certification support, and mentoring. Findings highlight both cross-site variation and shared commitments to Indigenous knowledge and educational equity. The study also examines director motivations and feedback on a draft logic model designed to guide program theory. This phase centers leadership perspectives to inform future evaluation efforts and offers insights for reimagining teacher preparation to better serve Native communities.

Authors

• Jennifer P Villalobos, Claremont Graduate University

• DeLacy E. Ganley, Claremont Graduate University

• Victoria Cabrera, Claremont Graduate University

• Sonia Baron, Claremont Graduate University