2024 - #003: Urging the Reinstatement of Parent Committee Control over Title VI Programs

WHEREAS, the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) was established in 1970 for the purpose of advocating, planning, and promoting the unique and special educational needs of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians; and

WHEREAS, NIEA as the largest national Native organization of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian educators, administrators, parents, and students in the United States, provides a forum to discuss and act upon issues affecting the education of Indian and Native people; and

WHEREAS, through its unique relationship with Native nations and tribes, the federal government has established programs and resources to meet the educational needs of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians, residing on and off their reserved or non-reserved homelands; and

WHEREAS, the 2015 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965 removed section 7114(c)(4)(C) of P.L. 107-110, the No Child Left Behind Act, which decreased the ability for the Indian Parent Committee to exercise involvement in the local educational agencies hiring of personnel, administration of project objectives, and evaluation of services; and

WHEREAS, prior to the 2015 reauthorization of ESEA, a school district was required to consult with the Indian Parent Committee when making decisions regarding the use of grant funding and seek committee approval; and

WHEREAS, after section 7114(c)(4)(C) was removed from P.L. 107-110, many school districts no longer continued to consult or comply with the recommendations of Indian Parent Committees regarding the use of Title VI funds, leading to misappropriation of these dollars, a lack of transparency as to the funding uses, and failure to utilize the grant funding for its intended purposes and population – Native children’s educational and cultural needs in public schools, which further serves as a failure to uphold the federal trust and treaty responsibilities to Native education; and

WHEREAS, in 2008, NIEA passed resolution NIEA 2008-04, Indian Education Provisions for the No Child Left Behind Act, which supported the “[Reaffirmation and strengthening of] the role of parents, families and tribes as the “first teachers” of their child(ren) and the role of Indian Education Parent Committees as the decision-makers in Indian Education” and the “[Requirement of] Indian Education consultation and planning with the Parent Committee, Tribes and community in the collection of culturally responsive data and research in the education of Native students”; and

WHEREAS, the removal of section 7114(c)(4)(C) from P.L. 107-110 fails to adhere to resolution NIEA 2008-04, requiring the need to reaffirm the NIEA commitment to Indian Parent Committee oversight of Title VI Grant Programs in public schools.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the National Indian Education Association urges Congress to reinstate the language set out in section 7114(c)(4)(C), “that has set forth such policies and procedures, including policies and procedures relating to the hiring of personnel, as will ensure that the program for which assistance is sought will be operated and evaluated in consultation with, and with the involvement of, parents of the children, and representatives of the area, to be served.” thereby reinstating Indian Parent Committee oversight and ensuring Title VI funds continue to be used to serve Native students’ specific needs as determined by their community and as outlined and advised by the Indian Parent Committee, and ensuring Title VI Grants continue to adequately uphold the federal trust and treaty responsibilities for high quality, culturally relevant Native education.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of NIEA until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution.