To Support Improvement of Service Delivery to BIA-Funded Schools Through Amendments to Public Law 95-561 and Public Law 100-297.

WHEREAS, the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) was established in 1969 for the purpose of advocating, planning, and promoting the unique and special education needs of American Indian and Alaska Native people; and

WHEREAS, NIEA, as the largest national Indian organization of American Indian and Alaska Native educators, administrators, parents, and students in the United States, provides a forum to discuss and act upon issues affecting the education of Indian people; and

WHEREAS, through its unique political relationship with Indian nations and tribes, the federal government has established education program resources to meet the educational needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives residing both on and off their reserved homelands; and

WHEREAS, NIEA has collaborated with other Indian organizations over the last 29 years; and

WHEREAS, NIEA has initiated many collaborative efforts including the Indian Education Executive Order of 1998, the White House Conference on Indian Education of 1992, and an annual Indian Education Legislative Impact Week; and

WHEREAS, NIEA has previously worked with the Association of Community Tribal Schools, Inc. (ACTS) since 1982 and has collaborated with the National Indian School Board Association (NISBA) and the Native American Grant School Association (NAGSA) since their inception, as well as with organizations such as the Navajo Area School Board Association (NASBA), the Association ofNavajo Community Controlled School Boards (ANCCSB), and other such groups;and

WHEREAS, Public Laws 95-561 and 100-297 are the titles of the Elementary and Secondary Education Assistance Act which directly authorize the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to provide specific education programs and services to American Indian and Alaska Native students in BIA-funded schools; and

WHEREAS, ACTS, NISBA, and NAGSA have been working together since the 1998 Indian Education Legislative Impact Week on legislative changes to ESEA, specifically amendments to Public Laws 95-561 and 100-297, that seek to improve the delivery of education services to BIA-funded school children; and

WHEREAS, the combined membership of ACTS, NISBA, and NAGSA represent the majority of students in BIA-funded schools; and

WHEREAS, NIEA agrees with ACTS, NISBA, and NAGSA that improvements are needed in the delivery of education services to BIA-funded school children.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE NATIONAL INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION does hereby express its support for the collaborative effort of the Association of Community Tribal Schools, Inc. (ACTS), the National Indian School Board Association (NISBA), and the Native American Grant School Association (NAGSA) to improve service delivery to Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)-funded schools through amendments to Public Laws 95-561 and 100-297 during the re-authorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

BEITFURTHERRESOLVEDTHATTHENATIONALINDIANEDUCATION ASSOCIATION does hereby join with ACTS, NISBA, and NAGSA, while urging them to include and consult with the Navajo Area School Board Association (NASBA), the Association of Navajo Community Controlled School Boards (ANCCSB), the Dakota Area Consortium of Tribal Schools (DACTS), Minneapolis Area Community Tribal Schools (MACTS), other such groups, and all tribal departments of education, in the aforementioned collaborative effort to improve service delivery to BIA-funded schools.

SUBMITTED BY: Dr. Roger Bordeaux (Sicangu Lakota).

CERTIFICATION

I do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly considered and passed by the NIEA Board of Directors at its March 27-30, 1999 meeting in Washington, D.C., at which a quorum was present.