2013-13: Support of Title VII Within the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)

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

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the United States to fulfill the Federal Government’s unique and continuing trust relationship with and responsibility to the Native People of the United States for the education of American Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Natives and;

WHEREAS, Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act authorizes programs that serve American Indian, Native Hawaiian and Alaska Natives, that are of the highest quality and provide for not only the basic elementary and secondary educational needs, but also the unique linguistic and culturally related academic needs of American Indian, Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native students; and

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the NIEA supports the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), particularly Indian, Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native Education Acts, so that Native Education is left as a distinct and separate title to strengthen Native, tribal, and local control over the education of American Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native students; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NIEA does hereby support the requirement that states with significant numbers of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian populations be required to consult with these constituents and create state plans which directly address the needs of these populations as required under the current Title I of Elementary and Secondary Education Act.