Resolution of the National Indian Education Association Supporting Full Funding of Administrative Cost Grants Tribally-Operated Schools.

WHEREAS, the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) was established in 1969 for the purpose of advocating, planning, and promoting the unique and special education needs of American Indian and Alaska Native people; and

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

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

WHEREAS, two-thirds of the 185 BIA-funded schools are operated by tribes or tribal school boards, and educate nearly 50,000 Indian children who live on or near reservations; and

WHEREAS, BIA-funded schools, as one of only two federal school systems, depend on federal funds for their school operating and facility costs, and rely entirely on Administrative Costs Grants to meet the indirect and administrative costs needed for the basic management of these schools; and

WHEREAS, the Administrative Cost Grants are a separate line item on the Bureau oflndian Affairs budget and are similar to the Contract Support Costs for non-school programs operated by tribes under Indian self-determination Act contracts; and

WHEREAS, the Congressional appropriation for Administrative Cost Grants has been “frozen” for the past three years (at $42,160,000) which has been insufficient to fund these Grants at the full amount required by the statutory formula; this has resulted in a pro-rata reduction in funding for all tribally-controlled schools; the amount of AC Grant need met has fallen from 89.5% in SY98-99 to less than 82% in SY99-00, and the rate of payment is expected to be even lower in SY00-01 and SYOl-02; and

WHEREAS, tribally-operated schools are plagued by insufficient funding for their administrative costs at a time when more schools are converting to tribal operation, and these schools are forced to make detrimental reductions in necessary staff, hindering tribally-operated schools from providing fundamental education functions for our Indian children.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE NATIONAL INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, supports the full funding of Administrative Cost Grants under the statutory formula for tribally-operated schools; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE NATIONAL INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION urges Congress to make adequate appropriations to allow for the full funding of Administrative Cost Grants and directs its Board of Directors and Executive Director to communicate this support to the Administration and the Congressional Appropriation Committees; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE NATIONAL INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION instructs its Board of Directors and Executive Director to urge the National Congress of American Indians, at its 2000 Annual Session, to adopt a resolution supporting full funding for the Administrative Cost Grant statutory fonnula for tribally-controlled schools.

SUBMITTED BY: Lorena Zah Bahe

CERTIFICATION

I do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly considered and passed by the NlEA membership assembled at its annual convention in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, at which a quorum was present during the meeting held October 28 – November 1, 2000.