FULL FUNDING OF ADMINISTRATIVE COST GRANTS LIKE TIISYAAKIN RESIDENTIAL HALL

WHEREAS, the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) was established in 1969 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 Indians, 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 Indian nations and tribes, the federal government has established programs and resources to meet the educational needs of American Indians, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiians, residing on and off their reserved or non-reserved homelands; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Navajo Nation Code at 10 N.N.C. §§ 1(A), 3(S) and 200(A); P.L. 100-297, the Tribally Controlled School Act of 1988 and the related P.L. 93-638, Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975, the Tiisyaakin Residential Hall Board (Board) has been delegated the duty and responsibility and has full leagal authority to act for and on behalf of Tiisyaakin Residential Hall (Tiisyaakin); and

WHEREAS, Navajo and federal law both emphasize that Tiisyaakin and similarly situated community schools and residential entities should be governed and has full responsibility and authority to govern community schools, in order to carry out this mandate. See 10 N.N.C. §§ 1(A), 3(S) and 200(A); and P.L. 100-297 and P.L. 107-110; and

WHEREAS, under the above referenced federal legislation, Indian nations and Indian entities have in good faith undertaken to perform the federal government’s obligation. It remains the federal government’s obligation to operate and govern community school; and

WHEREAS, to pay Indian nations and entities the full cost of performing the federal government’s obligation. The government hasn’t paid the full cost of its treaty obligation to educate Indian children. Instead, Indian tribes and Indian entities have been paying these costs; and

WHEREAS, there is a cap placed on funding the administrative cost grants of the above described bureau-funded, Indian operated educational entities. The result of the cap is the bureau-funded entities have a 100% administrative cost need; however, they are only provided with a percentage of that need. Further, as more BIA operated schools transition to bureau-funded schools, the percentage of administrative cost paid to each school is further reduced, and

WHEREAS, bureau-funded schools and residential programs cannot compete – with other schools and programs or develop “the highest quality” educational system when faced with underfunding.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that NIEA supports full funding of the administrative cost grants for all Bureau schools and residential programs.

CERTIFICATION

I do hereby certify that the following resolution was dully considered and passed by the NIEA Board o