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. On December 5, 2011, the President signed an executive 

order titled “Improving American Indian and Alaska Native Education Opportunities and 

Strengthening Tribal Colleges and Universities,” which highlights his commitment to improve 

educational opportunities for Native American students from early education through college. The 

President’s fiscal year 2013 budget request reflects suggestions from the Native American 

community, including support for Native American language and culture and increased tribal 

participation over education.

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

education programs in the FY 2013 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.

 $105.9 million for formula grants to school districts and Indian tribes to address the 

unique educational- and culturally-related academic needs of Indian students through 

activities such as after-school programs, tutoring, and dropout prevention. These funds 

support enrichment programs that benefit nearly 477,000 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 improve school quality 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. 

 $5.9 million for national activities to support Native American schools, 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.

o This includes $2 million to strengthen the role of tribal educational agencies 

(TEAs), by continuing grant funding to TEAs who enter into a collaborative 

agreement with a State to administer some State-level functions for specific ESEA 
programs. This would build on the President’s ESEA proposal, which would allow 

TEAs and States to enter into similar agreements, and furthers the President’s policy 

of Tribal self-determination. 

 $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.

 Impact Aid program ($1.2 billion), 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.

 $25.7 million for tribally controlled colleges and universities, $12.9 million for Alaska 

Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and $3.1 million for Native 

American-serving non-tribal 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 Healthcare and Education 

Reconciliation 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 2013.

 $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.

 $38 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.