Planning Professional Educational Programs for Ethnic Minority Students: Native American Examples

Abstract

A conceptual framework was developed for analyzing and constructing special educational programs for ethnic minority students. Three variables were formulated as the principal components of a comprehensive program: ethnic aspirations of minority students, structure of special educational programs, and professional employment opportunities. Hypotheses were formulated specifying the kinds of relationships between the variables that were likely to produce outcomes for students. Four special educational programs for Native Americans were analyzed. Generalizations were made regarding the extent to which these were designed to preserve and enhance the ethnic community.