2008-14: NIEA to Support the Tribes and Tribal Councils in Declaring Themselves the State Education Agency (SEA) in Regard to the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Reauthorization

WHEREAS, the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) was established in 1969 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 Indians, 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 Native, and Native Hawaiians, residing on and off their reserved or non-reserved homelands; and

WHEREAS, the Memorandum of Agreement between the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Department of Education (DOE) signed in June of 2005 establishes that the OIEP can assume the responsibilities of the SEA in regard to NCLB; and

WHEREAS, nowhere in federal statute does it state that the BIA can assume the responsibilities of the SEA except in this memorandum; and

WHEREAS, NCLB will be reauthorized during this next administration;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the National Indian Education Association supports a change in NCLB that all Tribes and Tribal Councils through their Tribal Education Departments will be designated as the SEA for the schools on their reservations and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the National Indian Education Association supports the Tribes and Tribal Councils.