Purpose

Current education and service models often neglect Native cultural perspectives and do not honor the sovereignty of Tribal Nations in their design or practice (Administration for Native Americans, 2024). This neglect leads to high dropout rates, unemployment, poverty, and suicide among Native youth with disabilities (U.S. Census Bureau, 2022; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2017; National Center for Education Statistics, 2024a). A more significant proportion of Indigenous students (17% Native versus 13% of all students) receive services under IDEA than any other racial/ethnic group, yet are among the most underserved and neglected populations in the nation (National Center for Education Statistics, 2024b; National Council on Disability, 2023). To address this, our study aims to develop a Tribal-led and directed transition planning and service model, promoting personal well-being and positive outcomes post-school. Collaborating closely with Tribal partners, we introduce the Culturally Responsive Support and Integrated Services (CRSIS) framework. With the youth/young adult at the center, this approach incorporates Native culture into personalized holistic wraparound support systems involving schools and adult services. Developed by our experience working in Tribal school communities in multiple states and our team representing six Tribal Nations with the expertise of Tribal leaders, educators, Elders, family members, and Native students with and without disabilities, CRSIS prioritizes Indigenous wisdom and vision.

Overview

This two-part study involves eight schools, focusing on Indigenous youth with disabilities. Phase I (first two years) will concentrate on Explorations and Discovery at four school sites, using grounded theory (Creswell & Poth, 2018) to identify transition factors and resilience indicators. Phase II (Years 3-5) will implement the CRSIS framework in these four schools and four additional Tribal-serving schools, using mixed methods to assess intervention effectiveness (Creswell & Poth, 2018) and collecting personal well-being data on a Flourishing Index (FI) (VanderWeele, 2017). Through interviews, we will also gather qualitative data from stakeholders, including students. This study will establish practice-based evidence to develop a universal yet customizable Indigenous transition approach for Native youth with disabilities. The resulting model will provide valuable insights and resources for schools and adult services. This study adheres to principles for research with Indigenous communities (Straits et al., 2012).