Page 17 - Building Bridges to Success for First Nation, Métis and Inuit Students – Developing Policies for Voluntary, Confidential Aboriginal Student Self-Identification: Successful Practices for Ontario School Boards

more effective program planning, targeted initiatives, additional support, and the involvement of family and community in the life of the school.
CONSULTATION IS KEY
Boards that have developed self-identification policies indicate that ongoing discussions with families aimed at developing a clear understanding of the initiative were critical to their success. These boards also pointed out that it was only through extensive consultation that they were able to learn about and address the concerns families had about such policies.
IDENTIFYING CONCERNS
First Nation, Métis, and Inuit parents, families, and communities often have a range of concerns about Aboriginal student data collection. For example, the perspective of many First Nation peoples on the school system has been strongly influenced by residential school experiences, which have led to an “intergenerational” distrust of the education system.
Aboriginal peoples have also expressed concerns about the uses and possible misuses of their personal information and about the issue of security and the ability of institutions to protect the data they have collected. Such concerns are rooted in previous experiences involving the tracking of, and reporting on, Aboriginal peoples by governments and other organizations.
It is important that families be aware of the ways in which data on their children’s achievement may be used by outside organizations. For example, the Fraser Institute reports on Aboriginal student achievement in jurisdictions that collect Aboriginal student data, such as British Columbia. Such reports tend to bring attention to low student achievement, and can have a negative effect on First Nation, Métis, and Inuit students and communities.
• Developing a Self-Identification Policy
COMMUNICATING HOW DATA WILL BE USED
It is important that boards have honest and open discussions with families in which they can respond to concerns about potential uses of data, including those by external organizations, and explain how they can protect and maintain a positive learning environment for Aboriginal students.
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