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Less than half of students graduated from Tohono O’odham Nation high schools a decade ago. It was a wake-up call for the superintendent at the time, Alberto Siqueiros. He set the school on a plan to improve graduation rates, test scores and overall performance. He cleaned house, removing half the district’s staff and raising teacher salaries. Today one high school in the school district sees 87-percent of their students graduate. We’ll talk with him and others about the successes and challenges of this transformation.
Guests:
Dr. Alberto Siqueros – executive director of the Tohono O’odham Nation education department
Dr. Edna Morris – superintendent of the Baboquivari Unified School District
Verlon Manual Jose (Tohono O’odham Nation) – Vice Chairman of the Tohono O’odham Nation
Break Music: Willie’s Ghost Riders (song) Gertie & the T.O. Boyz (artist)
There’s two high schools on the Tohono O’odham Nation, while one is seeing success the other is failing.
Tohono O’odham High School has a total of six teachers and no principle. Teacher’s hand out packets of work without books to guide the students. When a parent has concerns there’s no one to talk to or they are given an empty promise that they will be called back with an answer.
Students have to endure 2 hour-plus bus rides, while the school is only 45 min away, in some cases. Can you imagine being on a bus for four hours of your day? I can’t.
There is all around negligence and these students are being affected tremendously. We are failing to provide a quality education for our future leaders.