2008-13: Support Meaningful Consultation Between the Office of Head Start and American Indian/Alaska Natives on Performance Standards and Annually as Required by the Head Start 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 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, the Office of Head Start continues to subject American Indian and Alaska Native Head Start programs to federal performance standards without meaningful tribal consultation; and

WHEREAS, the Office of Head Start is mandated within the Head Start Act to hold consultation sessions each year in regions where Tribal Head Start programs are located; and

WHEREAS, the Office of Head Start is mandated within the Head Start Act to hold a consultation session with Tribes and early education experts on the performance standard revisions; and

WHEREAS, the Office of Head Start has not followed the mandates regarding the consultation session; and

WHEREAS, the Office of Head Start is moving forward with the promulgation of the revised performance standards despite the requirement of tribal consultation; and

WHEREAS, the Office of Head Start is taking a restrictive view and interpretation of new regulations to the detriment of tribal Head Start programs; and

WHEREAS, the American Indian and Alaska Native Head Start program are the best educators of our AI/AN children and understand the educational needs of AI/AN students; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the National Indian Education Association opposes the promulgation of the performance standards until the consultation requirements are fulfilled by the Office of Head Start; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the National Education Association supports annual meaningful consultation between the Office of Head Start and American Indian and Alaska Natives as required by the Head Start Act; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the National Indian Education Association urges its partners, the National Congress of American Indians and National Indian Head Start Directors Association, to support this effort, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of NIEA until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution.