February 14, 2011

U.S. Department of Education

STRENGTHENING THE COMMITMENT TO NATIVE AMERICAN, ALASKA NATIVE, 

AND NATIVE HAWAIIAN EDUCATION

President Obama has made it a priority of the Administration to strengthen the relationship between the 

United States and tribal governments and to support tribal communities in improving the education of Native 

American students. The President’s November 5, 2009 Memorandum on Tribal Consultation reaffirmed the 

Administration’s commitment to regular and meaningful consultation with tribal officials in developing policy 

with implications for Native Americans. Over the past year, the Department of Education has held six tribal 

consultations and developed a Plan of Actions for continuing this nation-to-nation collaboration. The 

President’s fiscal year 2012 budget request reflects suggestions the Department has heard during these 

consultations, including support for Native American language and culture and increased tribal control over 

education.

With continued regular and meaningful consultations, substantial support for Native American education 

programs in the FY 2012 budget request, and the key reforms outlined in the Blueprint for Reform of the 

Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the Department would help Indian tribes, States, school 

districts, schools, parents, and teachers to improve educational outcomes for Native Americans.

 $104 million for formula grants to school districts and Indian tribes to address the unique 

educational and culturally related academic needs of Indian students through such activities as afterschool programs, tutoring, and dropout prevention. These funds support enrichment programs that 

benefit nearly 474,000 Indian students nationwide. Under the Administration’s ESEA proposal, 

more tribes would be able to access these funds and grantees would have greater flexibility to carry 

out Native language restoration and Native language immersion programs.

 $19 million for competitive grants to States, school districts, Indian tribes and organizations, and 

institutions of higher education to improve school readiness and college preparation for Indian 

students and increase the number of Native American teachers, school leaders, and administrators. 

 $4 million for national activities, including research into effective practices for improving 

outcomes of Indian students, data collection on the educational status of Indian students, technical 

assistance on implementing successful programs, and support for the Department’s tribal 

consultations to ensure that tribes continue to have a voice in the development of policies that 

impact Native Americans.

 A new tribal educational agencies pilot initiative. The President’s ESEA proposal would 

enhance the role of tribal educational agencies (TEAs) through a pilot initiative to support TEAs in 

working closely with districts and schools located on reservations. This initiative would allow TEAs 

to enter into collaborative agreements with States and assume responsibilities for some State-level 

functions in administering ESEA programs. 

 $34 million and $33 million, respectively, for Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native student 

education programs, which support projects to improve the educational achievement of Native 

Hawaiian and Alaska Native students.
 $1.28 billion for the Impact Aid program, which provides assistance to school districts affected by 

Federal activities, including school districts serving students living on tribal lands. This program 

gives districts flexibility in the use of these funds, while requiring them to consult with parents of 

Indian students and tribes concerning the education of their children.

 $30 million for tribally controlled colleges and universities, $15 million for Alaska Native and 

Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and $4 million for Native American-serving nontribal 

institutions, to help these institutions improve and build their capacity to serve Native American 

students. With these investments, the Administration hopes to improve the college access and 

college completion rates of Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students. The 

Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act makes available an additional $30 million for tribally 

controlled colleges and universities, $15 million for Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving 

institutions, and $5 million for Native American-serving nontribal institutions in fiscal year 2012.

 $8 million for tribally controlled postsecondary career and technical institutions to provide 

high-quality career and technical education to Native Americans, including by training teachers, 

purchasing equipment, and providing services to students.

 $37 million for Indian tribes to provide vocational rehabilitation services for Native Americans 

with disabilities who live on or near reservations. These funds help tribes build their capacity to 

provide culturally relevant services that help Native Americans with disabilities prepare for and 

engage in gainful employment, particularly those with the most significant disabilities.