2018-01: Urge Congress to Increase Appropriations for Tribal Education Departments and Agencies

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, Congress has authorized appropriations for Tribal Education Departments and Agencies (TEDs) through U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) since 1988 and U.S. Department of Education (DOE) since 1994; and

WHEREAS, in these authorizations, Congress granted TEDs the ability to facilitate tribal control over education, coordinate education programs, develop and enforce tribal education codes, policies, and standards, and provide support services and technical assistance to schools and programs; and

WHEREAS, both of these authorizations were retained in the most recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act; and

WHEREAS, though recent appropriations made pursuant to these authorizations have greatly improved TEDs’ capacity to serve their communities, federal funding provided through DOI and DOE has not changed since the initial authorization over 25 years ago;

WHEREAS, since those initial authorizations, TEDs have increased both in number and in capacity, and are in a unique position to reverse historic negative outcomes for Native students; and

WHEREAS, allowing greater tribal input in the development and implementation of educational services better serves Native students; and

WHEREAS, increased federal appropriations for tribes and TEDs is critical to building tribal education capacity and fulfilling the opportunities provided to tribes and TEDs in the Every Student Succeeds Act.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Indian Education Association will work in partnership with the Tribal Education Departments National Assembly and other Native education serving organizations to advocate for increased congressional authorizations $10,000,000 per year through the U.S. Department of Interior, and $10,000,000 per year through the U.S. Department of Education.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that such funds should not be shifted from other federal services and programs that serve Native students.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of NIEA until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution.