2008-04: Indian Education Provisions for the No Child Left Behind Act

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 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 Native and Native Hawaiians, residing on and off their reserved or non-reserved homelands; and

WHEREAS, through its unique relationship with Indian nations and tribes, the U.S. 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, the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law is currently being reviewed by the U.S. Congress in anticipation of this key comprehensive legislation that affects all K-12 education, including Indian education and related programs; and

WHEREAS, the National Indian Education Association (NIEA), established in 1969, and membership, including ATNI, is actively reviewing the NCLB and is making specific recommendations to strengthen and clarify the legislation to ensure Native students, staff, parents, communities and tribes receive equitable and equal consideration and opportunities in the legislation; and

WHEREAS, specific provisions being addressed by the NIEA includes, but is not limited to the following:

  1. Improve, expand and increase funding of Title VII – Indian Education, to address the unique cultural and educational needs of Indian students;

  2. Strengthen and clarify NCLB to provide instruction in Native Languages;

  3. Reaffirm and strengthen 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

  4. Require Indian Education consultation and planning with the Parent Committee, Tribesand community in the collection of culturally responsive data and research in the education of Native students;

  5. Improve culturally responsive measurement system(s) for Adequate Yearly Progress;

  6. Improve support for teachers of Native students in Title II and Title VII;

  7. Improve cooperation among Tribes, States and the Federal Government;

  8. Restore the Indian Education Technical Assistance and Training Center(s) to address the need for technical

WHEREAS, there is a also a need to address the unique issues and role of Native students, parents, communities and tribes under all other NCLB provisions, including Homeless Education, Migrant Education, Bi-lingual Education and Alcohol/Drug Prevention and Education; and

WHEREAS, these key legislative provisions promotes the sovereignty of tribes and will continue to strengthen the educational, social, health and economic well-being of our diverse Native communities, families and tribes.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the National Indian Education Association will advocate and promote the unique and special educational needs of American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians to strengthen and reaffirm Indian Education under the No Child Left Behind legislation; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NIEA supports amendments to the No Child Left Behind Act that strengthens tribal and parent involvement in the education of Native students and promotes culturally based education, emphasizing Native languages and history instruction; and

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

Steven Peters