Measuring the impact of reservation gaming revenues on native american education achievement

The passage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 has allowed Native American tribes a new form of revenue generation. This new source of revenue facilitates entry into the U.S. political system and furthers the attainment of self-governance and economic development goals on reservations as demonstrated through educational achievement. While several works exist regarding benefits reaped by indigenous populations in the United States as a whole, the academic literature regarding the impact of reservation gaming on educational achievement is sorely lacking for Arizona. This study evaluates the role of Indian gaming revenue as a catalyst for self-governance, by answering the question: has the passage of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 made a difference in educational achievement for Native American tribes in the State of Arizona? The outcomes of this study will prove beneficial to Public Administration as evidence of the impacts of reservation gaming and its consequent policy externalities will enhance policy makers’ ability to implement and maintain an effective policy regarding Native American education achievement.