2011-09: Expansion of Reimbursement to BIE Schools for Meals

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, the United States has a federal trust responsibility to educate Native Americans through the provision of funding, programs, and other assistance; and

WHEREAS, 31 million students nationwide and 45,000 students in our BIE schools participate in the National School Lunch Program; and

WHEREAS, President Obama signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, Public Law 111-296, which reauthorizes the Child Nutrition Act which brings policies that help schools send consistent messages about healthy eating throughout the school; and

WHEREAS, BIE operated schools currently use ISEP funds to cover meal costs upfront and receive reimbursement from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) food programs and the reimbursement only cover five days per week for all residential schools; now

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Indian Education Association requests that the USDA and BIE collaborate on a plan which would allow for those BIE schools that operate five or seven day/week residential schools are allowed to be reimbursed for evening meals and meals on weekends.