Since 1973 the Canadian government has effected a major policy change in Indian education which is characterized by a new awareness and willingness to let native people control their education and administer their schools. The new mentality with regard to native education is producing improvements, although changes are slow. Native students finishing grade 12 represent one-quarter of the national average. There are 187 band operated, on-reserve schools and 450 of the 575 bands are administering all or part of their programs. The percentage of Indian administrators and teachers on the staff of federal schools is now near 30%. Increased support of native language use and the demand for classroom materials has resulted in a surge of native language texts and resources. Units on natives are being introduced in the social studies curriculum so non-native students can receive accurate and unbiased information. The report focuses on the more positive recent developments and is divided into four main sections--federal government, provincial governments, school boards, and band operated schools--which show how each body is dealing with native education and what each body's priorities, challenges, and plans are. A selected bibliography and a list (with map) of the school boards and schools which participated in the survey conclude the document. (BRR)