2019-08: In Support of a Complete and Accurate 2020 Census Count in Native Communities

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 Native 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 Native people; and

WHEREAS, through its unique relationship with Native 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, the Constitution of the United States requires a full enumeration of the U.S. population every 10 years; and

WHEREAS, Census data is used to draw legislative districts for congressional representation and electoral votes; and

WHEREAS, Census data informs federal officials as they enforce civil rights statutes, including the Every Student Succeeds Act, Individuals with Disabilities Act, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965; and

WHEREAS, federal, state, local, and tribal policymakers will use data collected through the 2020 census to develop key legislation and to allocate more than $600 billion in federal funding, including critical appropriations for Native schools, education programs, Native workforce programs, Indian health programs, Indian housing programs, water and sewage projects, roads and economic development; and

WHEREAS, the 2020 Census will collect data related to the unique needs of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students, educators, and communities; and

WHEREAS, in the 2010 Census, the Census Bureau estimates that American Indians and Alaska Natives living on reservations or in Native villages were undercounted by approximately 4.9 percent, more than double the undercount rate of the next closest population group; and

WHEREAS, a large proportion of American Indians/Alaska Natives in certain states live in hard-to-count (HTC) tracts; for instance, in New Mexico 78.6 percent, 68.1 percent in Arizona, 65.6 percent in Alaska, 52.4 percent in South Dakota, and 49.9 percent in Montana; and

WHEREAS, Census data are held confidential for 72 years and, by law, the U.S. Census Bureau cannot share an individual's records with any other government agency, including welfare agencies, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), courts, police, and the military.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) supports a complete and accurate Census count in 2020, particularly among population groups who have been historically undercounted; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NIEA urges its full membership and the public to participate in the 2020 Census enumeration process; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NIEA supports efforts to fully fund and staff the Tribal Liaison Program, as well as efforts to recruit Partnership Specialists engaged in outreach to state, local, and tribal governments and community-based organizations; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NIEA will urge tribal leaders and stakeholders to work with the local Census staff in their areas to obtain a full and accurate count for the 2020 Census; and

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