2009-06: In Support of NIEA, in Partnership with TEDNA and in Preparing for NIEA's Recommendations Regarding the Reauthorization of the ESEA/NCLB

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, within NIEA resolution support, the Tribal Education Departments National Assembly (TEDNA) was created in 2003 to assemble and represent collectively indigenous sovereign nations’ departments of education; foster effective relationships with other governmental and educational agencies, organizations, and entities; and cultivate consensus amongst members; and

WHEREAS, since 1988 Congress has authorized appropriations for Tribal Education Departments (TEDs) within the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) of the U.S. Department of the Interior (Pub. L. No. 100- 297, Section 5199); and since 1994 Congress has authorized appropriations for Tribal Education Departments in the budget of the U.S. Department of Education (Pub. L. No. 103-382, Section 9125) ;and

WHEREAS, in these authorizations, Congress envisions TEDs as facilitating tribal control over education; coordinating education programs; the developing and enforcing tribal education codes, policies and standards; and, providing support services and technical assistance to schools and programs; and

WHEREAS, with considerable advocacy effort led by NIEA, both of these authorizations were retained in the most recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act also known as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. the BIA authorization in NCLB Title X, Section 1140, currently codified at 25 U.S.C. Sec. 2020(a). The Department of Education authorization is and NCLB Title VII, section 7135, currently codified at 20 U.S.C. Section 7455; and

WHEREAS, The ESEA/NCLB will be reauthorized in the near future, and NIEA in partnership with TEDNA should review that TEDs authorizations to be sure that they accurately reflect the needs, capacity, and specialties of the increasing number of TEDs nationwide, and to develop any recommendations for substantive if changes to the TED authorizations in the are ESEA/NCLB reauthorization that increase tribal sovereignty over education

Now therefore be it resolved that the National Indian Education Association will work in partnership with TEDNA to review the two TED appropriations authorizations and to develop any recommendations for substantive changes to the authorizations that increased tribal sovereignty over education to meet the needs, capacities, and specialties of TEDs; and

Therefore be it finally resolved, a agrees to include an advocate for the TED appropriations authorizations substantive recommendations developed by NIEA- TEDNA’s partnership in the next we offer is a sham of the ESEA/NCLB.