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WHO:
Dr. Heather Shotton,
President, National Indian Education Association.
WHAT: Testimony on improving performance of the U.S. Bureau of Indian
Education (BIE) before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior,
Environment, and Related Agencies.
WHERE:
Rayburn House Office
Building, Room B-308
WHEN:
Wednesday, February 27
at 10 a.m.
WHY: Native education is in a state of emergency. Improving BIE,
which is the best-known school system educating American Indian and Alaska
Native students (and one of only two operated directly by the federal
government) is critical to reforming Native education.
The
poor conditions of BIE schools – which on average, are 60 years old (or 20
years older than the average traditional public school) – must be addressed
in order to provide Native students with safe, nurturing learning
environments. Federal inspectors recently identified that four BIE schools on
the Rosebud Sioux Reservation had 120 safety deficiencies that could
jeopardize the lives of students attending them.
Native
children should not have to risk their lives during the course of any school
day. Additional construction funding, better stewardship of existing funds,
and collaboration with tribal governments, could help improve classroom
conditions for Native students as well as help them receive the high-quality
academic and cultural education they need for success.
NIEA
President Dr. Heather Shotton, a longtime advocate for Native students, will
offer the association’s perspective at the subcommittee hearing.
MEDIA
CONTACT: Media can contact NIEA’s Director of
Communications, either at rbiddle@niea.org
or 202.544.7290. A copy of Dr. Shotton’s testimony will be available tomorrow
morning at 9 a.m. E.S.T. (10 a.m. C.S.T.) at NIEA.org.
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About National
Indian Education Association: The premiere
organization advocating for educational excellence, opportunity, and equity
for Native students, the National Indian Education Association (NIEA)
advances comprehensive educational opportunities for American Indians, Alaska
Natives, and Native Hawaiians throughout the United States. Learn more at www.NIEA.org.
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