2011-18: Requesting the Bureau of Indian Education and Federal Government to Appropriate Full Funding for the Tribally Controlled Schools’ Facilities Program

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

WHEREAS, schools operated by tribal governing boards are entitled to receive facilities funding for the purpose of maintaining and managing the safety and regulation standards of day to day operations; and

WHEREAS, the BIE schools (like Na’ Neelzhiin Ji Olta’) Facilities Program has been underfunded for several years which interferes with the maintenance and management of safety and regulation standards of day to day operations. The lack of funding also hinders boilers for heat during the winter, cooking appliances, etc. The buildings alone are quickly deteriorating from age, day to day usage and neglect of maintenance and repair due to lack of funding; and

WHEREAS, as well as the unsafe conditions, the lack of maintenance and improvement and repairs to the school, teacher housing also falls in the same category as the neglect of the school due to underfunding. Teacher quarters are “outdated” unites which need to also be brought up to standards. With lack of funding, this too, is inadequate; now

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that NIEA hereby requests to the appropriate entities: Federal Government, Congressmen, Appropriation committees and Standing Committees to provide full funding of this program and to cease the constraint immediately for proper management for the facilities’ school wide programs.