Administration Updates

NIEA Sends Letter to Administration on School Choice Efforts

On January 29, 2025, the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) sent a letter to Secretary Burgum asking the Administration to uphold the federal government’s trust and treaty responsibility to Indian education as it implements the Executive Order on “Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families.” The letter highlights the importance of Tribal consultation in the planning and execution of any school choice funding programs for Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)-eligible students, emphasizing that such initiatives must not deplete already underfunded Tribal school accounts. NIEA underscores that Tribally Controlled Schools, established through self-determination policy, already provide Native families with school choice, but chronic underfunding has hindered their success. The letter stresses the need for additional, separate funding to support expanded educational opportunities for Native students while safeguarding essential BIE resources.

Click below to learn more about the Executive Order, read the full letter, and view the NIEA Fact Sheet.

NIEA Sends Letter to Administration Regarding Executive Order on Radical Indoctrination

On January 29, 2025, the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) sent a letter to Acting Secretary Carter and Acting Attorney General McHenry regarding the implementation of the Executive Order on “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schools.” The letter emphasizes the importance of Tribal consultation in shaping the “Ending Indoctrination Strategy” to ensure that state laws and locally led Tribal efforts to include Tribal history and culture in K-12 curriculum remain recognized. It highlights the bipartisan support for teaching Tribal histories in public schools and the need for Tribal representation in policy decisions that impact Native students.

Click below to learn more about the Executive Order, read the full letter, and view the NIEA Fact Sheet.