2009-04: Expansion of State Pre-Kindergarten Legislation to Include Provisions for Native American Language Immersion Preschools

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 Indian organization of American Indian, Alaska Natives 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 Indian nations and tribes, the federal government has established programs and resources to meet the educational needs of American Indians, Alaska Nativeand Native Hawaiians, residing on and off their reserved or non-reserved homelands; and

WHEREAS, all Native American children shall receive equal opportunities from the federal government based upon the unique indigenous status, language, and cultural history; and

WHEREAS, in 1990, Congress passed the Native American Languages Act (NALA) which established a unique federal policy relative to use and publicly supported education of the Native American languages spoken in this country before 1492 ; and

WHEREAS, many Native American communities and tribes have systems of education in the native languages and where literacy rates are high; and

WHEREAS, Native American language immersion preschools are operated independently ofstate departments of education; and

WHEREAS, Congress is looking to expand state pre-kindergarten programs; and

WHEREAS, currently there are no state funds appropriated to Native American language immersion preschool education

Now therefore be it resolved that the National Indian Education Association will support the expansion of state pre-kindergarten programs to include Native American (American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian) language immersion preschool operated independently of state departments and that feed into Native American language kindergarten school programs operated by the community being served.