Demographics
I teach US History and Advanced Placement US History (APUSH) to sophomores at Window Rock High School in Fort Defiance, Arizona. It is part of the Navajo Nation, with a student population of 557. Out of this number, 99% are Navajo with the remaining one percent being Hispanic and Caucasian. My classes are made up of an average of 120 students.
One section is APUSH, with about 20-28 students. Four sections make up the general US History courses. One section tends to ‘float’ as an enrichment class or career planning class, outside the scope of history/social studies. It is also a high poverty area with all students eligible for free breakfasts and lunches.
Reading and writing are a focal point within the Window Rock Unified School District (WRUSD). Reading scores are low, averaging 7th-grade level. Yet, the high school continues to make gains and was rated an “A” school by the state of Arizona in 2025. It’s only one of two schools on the Navajo Nation with this distinction and is above the local border-town schools just off the reservation boundaries. This curriculum unit would pertain to any non-Navajo student as well.
Many students do tend to go on to college, with many in state at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff or Arizona State University in Tempe. Our school also is sports driven with many competing at the next level in volleyball, basketball, cross country and wrestling. There tends to be that extra drive to do more academically.
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