Department of Education

INDIAN EDUCATION

Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Request

CONTENTS

Page

Appropriations Language ........................................................................................................ F-1

Analysis of Language Provisions and Changes....................................................................... F-2

Appropriation, Adjustment, and Transfers ............................................................................... F-3

Authorizing Legislation............................................................................................................ F-4

Appropriations History............................................................................................................. F-5

Significant Items in FY 2020 Appropriations Reports............................................................... F-6

Summary of Request .............................................................................................................. F-7

Activities: 

Grants to local educational agencies .................................................................................. F-9

Special programs for Indian children................................................................................. F-16

National activities.............................................................................................................. F-21

State Table* 

State tables reflecting final 2019 allocations and 2020 and 2021 estimates are posted on the 

Department’s webpage at: https://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/statetables/index.html

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F-1 

Appropriation s L angu age

For expenses necessary to carry out, to the extent not otherwise provided, title VI, part A of the 

ESEA, $180,739,000, of which $67,993,000 shall be for subpart 2 of part A of title VI and 

$7,365,000 shall be for subpart 3 of part A of title VI:1 Provided, That the 5 percent limitation in 

sections 6115(d), 6121(e), and 6133(g) of the ESEA on the use of funds for administrative 

purposes shall apply only to direct administrative costs:2 Provided further, That the Secretary 

may make awards under subpart 3 of Part A of title VI without regard to the funding limitation in 

section 6133(b)(1) of the ESEA:3 Provided further, That notwithstanding sections 6132(c)(2) and 

6133(d)(1) of such Act, the Secretary may make such awards for a period of up to 5 

years.4(Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2020.)

NOTE

Each language provision that is followed by a footnote reference is explained in the Analysis of Language 

Provisions and Changes document which follows the appropriation language.
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F-2

Analysis of Language Provisions and Changes

Language Provision Explanation

1... of which $67,993,000 shall be for subpart 2 

of part A of title VI and $7,365,000 shall be for 

subpart 3 of part A of title VI: 

This language specifies the funding level for 

the Special Programs for Indian Children and 

National Activities programs and overrides 

the authorization level.

2 Provided, That the 5 percent limitation in 

sections 6115(d), 6121(e), and 6133(g) of the 

ESEA on the use of funds for administrative 

purposes shall apply only to direct 

administrative costs:

This language specifies that the 

administrative cost restrictions in sections 

6115(d), 6121(e), and 6133(g) apply only to 

direct administrative costs, not indirect 

administrative costs.

3 Provided further, That the Secretary may make 

awards under subpart 3 of Part A of title VI 

without regard to the funding limitation in 

section 6133(b)(1) of the ESEA:

This language allows the Secretary to make 

Native language immersion grants without 

regard to the funding limitation in section 

6133(b)(1).

4 Provided further, That notwithstanding 

sections 6132(c)(2) and 6133(d)(1) of such Act, 

the Secretary may make such awards for a 

period of up to 5 years.

This language allows the Secretary to make 

State-Tribal Education Partnership and 

Native language immersion grants for up to 

5 years.
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Appropriation, Adjustment, and Transfers

(dollars in thousands)

Appropriation/Adjustments/Transfers 2019 2020 2021

Discretionary: 

Discretionary Appropriation.......................................... $180,239 $180,739 $180,739

Total, discretionary appropriation.... 180,239 180,739 180,739
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Authorizing Legislation

(dollars in thousands)

Activity

footnote

2020

Authorized

footnote

2020

Estimate

2021

Authorized

2021

Request

Grants to local educational agencies (ESEA VIA-1) ..................................................................... $106,525 $105,381 $106,5251 $105,381

Special programs for Indian children

(ESEA VI-A-2-6121 & 6122)

....................................................................... 17,993 67,993 17,9931 67,993

National activities (ESEA VI-A-3-6131)................ 5,565 7,365 5,5651 7,365

Total definite authorization........................ 130,083 130,083

Total annual appropriation ........................ 180,739 180,739

1 The GEPA extension applies through September 30, 2021.
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F-5 

Appropriations History

(dollars in thousands)

Year

Budget 

Estimate 

to Congress

House 

Allowance Footnote

Senate 

Allowance

Footnote

Appropriation

Footnote

2012 $127,282 $132,0271 $128,0271 $130,779

2013 130,779 130,9972 130,7792 123,939

2014 130,779 N/A3 130,3814 123,939

2015 123,939 N/A3 123,9395 123,939

2016 173,939 143,9396 123,9396 143,939

2017 174,939 174,9397 143,9397 164,9399

2018 143,665 164,9398 165,2398 180,23910

2019 164,939 180,2399 180,2399 180,239

2020 180,739 186,374 180,73910 180,73910

2021 180,739

1 The level for the House allowance reflects an introduced bill and the level for the Senate allowance reflects Senate 

Committee action only.

2 The levels for the House and Senate allowances reflect action on the regular annual 2013 appropriations bill, which 

proceeded in the 112th Congress only through the House Subcommittee and the Senate Committee.

3 The House allowance is shown as N/A because there was no Subcommittee action.

4 The level for the Senate allowance reflects Committee action only

5 The level for the Senate allowance reflects Senate Subcommittee action only.

6 The levels for House and Senate allowances reflect action on the regular annual 2016 appropriations bill, which 

proceeded in the 114th Congress only through the House Committee and the Senate Committee.

7 The levels for House and Senate allowances reflect Committee action on the regular annual 2017 appropriation bill; 

the Appropriation reflects the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017.

8 The level for the House allowance reflects floor action on an Omnibus appropriation bill; the Senate allowance

reflects Committee action on the regular annual 2018 appropriations bill; the Appropriation reflects the Consolidated 

Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115-141). 9 The levels for the House and Senate allowance reflect Committee action on the regular annual 2019 appropriations 

bill; the Appropriation reflects enactment of the Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and 

Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (P.L. 115-245). 10 The Senate allowance reflects the Chairman’s mark; the Appropriation reflects the Further Consolidated 

Appropriation Act, 2020 (P.L. 116-94).
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Significant Items in FY 2020 Appropriations Reports

National Activities

Minibus: The President's budget request includes up to $10,000,000 to expand the ability 

of families to choose high-quality educational opportunities to meet the needs of 

Native youth. The Department shall only pursue this initiative if supported by 

Tribes after Tribal consultation. Accordingly, the Department is directed to 

include information on the planned use of funds under the Special Programs for 

Indian Children program in the operating plan required under section 516 of this 

Act, and to brief the Committees not less than 30 days prior to posting any notice 

inviting applications under this program.

Senate: The Committee directs the Department to only pursue this initiative after Tribal 

consultation and if supported by Tribes. Accordingly, the Committee directs the 

Department to include information on the planned use of funds under the Special 

Programs for Indian Children program in the operating plan required under 

section 516 of this act, and to brief the Committees on Appropriations of the 

House of Representatives and the Senate not less than 30 days prior to posting 

any notice inviting applications under this program.

Response: In 2019, the Department conducted Tribal consultations to determine how it can 

best expand access to educational opportunities and empower Tribes and 

parents to choose education services best suited to their students’ needs. A 

majority of Tribal consultation participants supported expanding educational 

choice. During these consultations, Tribes expressed interest in making available 

to families services for Native language, history, or culture, tutoring, especially for 

students in low-performing schools, summer and after-school education 

programs, and apprenticeships and industry certifications. The Department will 

include information on the planned use of funds under the Special Programs for 

Indian Children program in the operating plan and will brief the Committees on 

Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate not less than 30 

days prior to posting a notice inviting applications under the Demonstration 

Grants program.
F-7 

SUMMARY OF REQUEST

Click here for accessible version

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FISCAL YEAR 2021 PRESIDENT'S BUDGET

(in thousands of dollars)

Cat 

Code

2019

Appropriation

2020

Appropriation

2021 President's 

Budget

2021 President's Budget Compared to 

2020 Appropriation

Amount Percent

1.

2.

3.

Total D 180,239 180,739 180,739 0 0.00%

NOTES: D = discretionary program; M = mandatory program 

Detail may not add to totals due to rounding.

Indian Education (ESEA VI)

Grants to local educational agencies (Part A-1) D 105,381 105,381 105,381 0 0.00%

Special programs for Indian children (Part A-2) D 67,993 67,993 67,993 0 0.00%

National activities (Part A-3) D 6,865 7,365 7,365 0 0.00%
F-8 

Summary of Request

The Indian Education programs in this account are authorized by Title VI, Part A of the 

Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended (ESEA). These activities support a 

comprehensive approach to educational improvement and reform for Indian students, helping to 

ensure that they benefit from national education reforms and receive every opportunity to 

achieve to high standards. The activities include: (1) direct assistance to local educational 

agencies (LEAs) and Department of the Interior/Bureau of Indian Education schools for the 

education of Indian children, (2) special programs, including demonstrations and the training of 

Indian individuals as educators, and (3) research, evaluation, data collection, technical 

assistance, and other national activities. The programs promote the efforts of schools, LEAs, 

and Indian Tribes and organizations to meet the unique educational and culturally related 

academic needs of their American Indian and Alaska Native students. 

The Administration requests $180.7 million for fiscal year 2021 for Indian Education programs, 

the same as the fiscal year 2020 level. The request would provide:

• $105.4 million for Grants to Local Educational Agencies to help them address the particular 

needs of Indian children enrolled in urban and rural schools.

• $68.0 million for Special Programs for Indian Children to make new Choice awards under

Demonstration grants, continuation awards for Native Youth Community Projects under 

Demonstration Grants, and new and continuation awards under the Professional 

Development program.

• $7.4 million for National Activities to support research that will provide information on the 

educational needs and status of the Indian population and to provide technical assistance 

and support to educators serving that population. The National Activities request would also 

support continuation awards for Native language immersion grants, and would support new 

grants to Tribal educational agencies to build their capacity by entering into agreements with 

SEAs and LEAs to administer education programs.
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Activities:

Grants to local educational agencies 

(Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, Title VI, Part A, Subpart 1) 

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2021 Authorization: $106,5251

Budget Authority: 

2020

Appropriation

2021

Request

Change from

2020 to 2021

$105,381 $105,381 0

1 The GEPA extension applies through September 30, 2021.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The program supports formula grants that provide assistance to elementary and secondary 

schools for programs serving Indian students, including preschool children. Grants primarily go 

to local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools operated or supported by the Bureau of Indian 

Education (BIE), which is part of the Department of the Interior, to help meet the unique cultural, 

language, and educational needs of such students and ensure that all students meet 

challenging State academic standards. The program also makes awards to Indian Tribes, Indian 

organizations, or Indian community-based organizations representing 50 percent or more of the 

children in the schools of an LEA that does not apply for funding. In fiscal year 2019, 27 Tribes 

received such awards.

While allocations are determined by a statutory formula, each applicant must annually develop 

and submit to the Department a comprehensive plan for meeting the needs of Indian children. 

Each applicant must develop this plan in collaboration with a local committee comprised 

primarily of parents and family members of Indian children and must include student 

performance goals, an explanation of how it will assess and report on students’ progress toward 

meeting these goals, and a description of proposed professional development activities. 

The program makes formula allocations only to LEAs, BIE schools, or other eligible entities in 

which the number of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) children is at least 10 or constitutes 

at least 25 percent of total enrollment. LEAs in California, Alaska, and Oklahoma, and those 

located on or near reservations are exempt from this requirement. The grant amount is 

determined by multiplying the number of Indian children in an LEA by the average per-pupil 

expenditure in the LEA’s State or 80 percent of the average per-pupil expenditure in the U.S., 

whichever is greater. Grants are then ratably reduced to fit within the available appropriation. In 

addition, the statute requires that each participating LEA receive at least $3,000.
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Grants to local educational agencies

F-10

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2016.............................................................................$100,381

2017...............................................................................100,381

2018...............................................................................105,381

2019...............................................................................105,381

2020...............................................................................105,381

FY 2021 BUDGET REQUEST

The Administration requests $105.4 million for the Indian Education Grants to LEAs program in 

fiscal year 2021, the same as the fiscal year 2020 appropriation. The request reflects the 

Department’s commitment to maintaining strong support for formula grant programs serving 

vulnerable student populations.

Funds would support supplemental educational services to a disadvantaged population that is 

heavily affected by poverty and low educational attainment, providing an average estimated 

per-pupil payment of $232 for more than 450,000 eligible AI/AN elementary and secondary 

students nationwide. 

This program is the Department's largest vehicle to support local efforts to address the unique 

academic and cultural needs of AI/AN children in public schools. Grants supplement the regular 

school program, helping AI/AN children sharpen their academic skills and participate in 

enrichment programs that would otherwise be unavailable. Approximately 90 percent of AI/AN

students enrolled in public schools attend schools that receive funds from the program. 

In accordance with Executive Order 13592, the Department is participating with the BIE in the 

Interagency Working Group on AI/AN Education. The Working Group is in the process of 

developing and implementing goals, benchmarks, and key activities for improving educational 

outcomes for AI/AN students, in part through more effective use of Indian Education Grants to 

LEAs.

AI/AN students continue to be subject to significant risk factors that negatively affect their 

academic achievement and general well-being. For example, AI/AN students are more likely to 

be identified for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) than 

students from any other racial/ethnic group. While IDEA, Part B served 13.2 percent of all U.S. 

children ages 3 to 21 in 2015-2016, it served 17.2 percent of AI/ANs of the same age. Further, 

absenteeism rates for AI/AN students are higher than for other students, particularly chronic 

absenteeism, defined as missing at least 15 days of school in an academic year. In the 

2015-2016 school year, 26 percent of AI/AN students were chronically absent, compared to 

16 percent of all students. Absenteeism translates into less time for classroom instruction and 

learning and has harmful effects on students’ academic outcomes, including proficiency rates in 

core subjects, and contributes to the likelihood of dropping out of high school. 

These risk factors may help explain why the achievement of AI/AN students, as measured by 

the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), has not improved since 2005 even as 
INDIAN EDUCATION

Grants to local educational agencies

F-11

other racial/ethnic groups have shown significant gains. For example, the average scale score 

for AI/AN students in 4th grade reading was 204 in 2005 and 204 in 2019, and the 8th grade 

reading scale score was 249 in 2005 and 248 in 2019, reflecting a statistically insignificant 

change over a period in which all other groups had statistically significant increases. NAEP 

math results for AI/AN students showed a similar pattern relative to the achievement of other 

disadvantaged student groups over the same period. 

High school graduation rate and dropout rate data, while showing modest improvement in 

recent years, also demonstrate the challenges facing AI/AN students. While the AI/AN 

graduation rate increased from 65 percent in 2010-2011 to 75 percent in 2016-2017, mirroring 

national trends, that rate remains the lowest among all racial/ethnic groups. The “status” dropout 

rate (which represents the proportion of non-institutionalized young people ages 16 through 24 

who are out of school and who have not earned a high school credential) for AI/AN youth was 

10 percent in 2017, compared to the overall national average of 5 percent. Furthermore, while 

AI/AN enrollment in postsecondary education for 18- to 24-year-olds increased from 16 percent 

in 2000 to 41 percent 2010, it dropped to 20 percent in 2017 and remains well below the rate for 

all students (40 percent). 

The data described above demonstrate the importance of providing continued supplemental 

funding to LEAs serving AI/AN students while also supporting Federal, State, and local efforts to 

use that funding more effectively to improve outcomes for these students.

PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES 

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2019 2020 2021

Number of awards

Number to LEAs 1,144 1,144 1,144

Number to Tribes 27 27 27

Number to BIE- grant/contract schools 94 94 94

Number to BIE- operated schools 48 48 48

Number to Indian community-based 

organizations 1 1 1

Total Number of aw ards 1,314 1,314 1,314

Distribution of funds

Distribution LEAs $95,914 $95,914 $95,914

Distribution Tribes $1,458 $1,458 $1,458

Distribution BIE- grant/contract schools $5,648 $5,648 $5,648

Distribution BIE- operated schools $2,283 $2,283 $2,283

Number to Indian community-based 

organizations $ 78 $ 78 $ 78

Distribution Total $105,381 $105,381 $105,381
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Grants to local educational agencies

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Output Measures 2019 2020 2021

Number of eligible students

Students i n LEAs 410,290 410,290 410,290

Students i n Tribes 6,055 6,055 6,055

Students i n BIE- grant/contract schools 25,861 25,861 25,861

Students i n BIE- operated schools 11,114 11,114 11,114

Number to Indian community-based 

organizations 314 314 314

Total number of students 453,634 453,634 453,634

Range of awards (whole dollars)

Highest award $2,772,768 $2,772,768 $2,772,768

Lowest award $4,000 $4,000 $4,000

Average allocation $80,172 $80,172 $80,172

Average payment per eligible 

student $232 $232 $232

NOTE: The Department is authorized to reserve up to 0.5 percent of funds appropriated for most ESEA 

programs, including Indian Education Grants to LEAs, and pool those funds to support the evaluation of 

any ESEA program. While the Department did not reserve funds from the Indian Education Grants to 

LEAs program for this purpose in fiscal year 2019, it may do so in fiscal years 2020 and 2021. 

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION 

Performance Measures

This section presents selected program performance information and results based on GPRA 

goals, objectives, measures, and performance targets. Achievement of program results is based 

on the cumulative effect of the resources provided in previous years and those requested in 

fiscal year 2021 and future years, as well as the resources and efforts invested by those served 

by this program. 

The current performance indicators for this program use data from the National Assessment of 

Educational Progress (NAEP) and State assessments to track Indian students’ educational 

status. Since the 2005 NAEP, the Department has oversampled AI/AN students in the biennial 

NAEP 4th-grade and 8th-grade reading and math assessments in order to generate reliable, 

national-level data on AI/AN student performance. After the 2011 assessment, the Department 

began oversampling AI/AN students on NAEP only every other cycle (i.e., every four years 

instead of every two years). AI/AN students were oversampled for the 2019 assessment and will 

next be oversampled in 2023. 

Goal: To help American Indian and Alaska Native children achieve to the same 

challenging standards expected of all students by supporting access to programs that 

meet their unique educational and culturally related academic needs.
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Grants to local educational agencies

F-13

Objective: American Indian and Alaska Native students served by LEAs receiving Indian 

education formula grants will progress at rates similar to those for all students in achievement to 

standards, promotion, and graduation.

Measure: The percentage of American Indian and Alaska Native students in grade 4 who score 

at or above the basic level in reading on NAEP.

Year Target Actual – AI/AN Actual – All Students

2013 56% 51% 68%

2015 58 52 69

2017 60 48 68

2019 62 50 66

2021 64

Measure: The percentage of American Indian and Alaska Native students in grade 8 who score 

at or above the basic level in reading on NAEP.

Year Target Actual – AI/AN Actual – All Students

2013 67% 62% 78%

2015 69 63 76

2017 71 63 76

2019 73 59 73

2021 75

Measure: The percentage of American Indian and Alaska Native students in grade 4 who score 

at or above the basic level in math on NAEP.

Year Target Actual – AI/AN Actual – All Students

2013 76% 68% 83%

2015 78 69 82

2017 80 69 80

2019 82 67 81

2021 84

Measure: The percentage of American Indian and Alaska Native students in grade 8 who score 

at or above the basic level in math on NAEP.

Year Target Actual – AI/AN Actual – All Students

2013 61% 59% 74%

2015 63 57 71

2017 65 56 70

2019 67 51 69

2021 69
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Grants to local educational agencies

F-14

Additional information: The percentage of AI/AN students meeting or exceeding performance 

standards established by the National Assessment of Educational Progress is an indicator of the 

success of efforts (including those funded by this program) to raise the population’s educational 

achievement.

Measure: The percentage of Indian students in grades 3-8 meeting State achievement 

standards by scoring at the proficient level or above in reading on State assessments.

Year Target Actual – AI/AN Actual – All Students

2016 100 38.7% 49.5%

2017 100 31.6 50.2

2018 100

2019 100

2020 100

2021 100

Measure: The percentage of Indian students in grades 3-8 meeting State achievement 

standards by scoring at the proficient or the advanced level or above in mathematics on State 

assessments. 

Year Target Actual – AI/AN Actual – All Students

2016 100 34.6% 45.5%

2017 100 27.4 46.2

2018 100

2019 100

2020 100

2021 100

Additional information: State assessments provide the basis for school and LEA 

accountability under ESEA Title I. The Department expects to have 2018 data later in 2020, and 

is developing targets based on the reauthorized ESEA following the final approval of ESEA 

consolidated plans for all States in 2018. 

Measure: The difference between the percentage of Indian students in grades 3-8 scoring at the 

proficient or advanced levels in reading on State assessments and the percentage of all students 

scoring at those levels.

Year Target Actual

2016 0.0% 10.8%

2017 0.0 18.6

2018 0.0

2019 0.0

2020 0.0

2021 0.0
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Grants to local educational agencies

F-15

Measure: The difference between the percentage of Indian students in grades 3-8 scoring at the 

proficient or advanced levels in mathematics on State assessments and the percentage of all 

students scoring at those levels.

Year Target Actual

2016 0.0% 10.9%

2017 0.0 18.8

2018 0.0

2019 0.0

2020 0.0

2021 0.0

Additional information: The Department expects to have 2018 data later in 2020 and is 

developing targets based on the reauthorized ESEA following the final approval of ESEA 

consolidated plans for all States in 2018. 

Measure: Percentage of Indian students who graduate from high school as measured by the 

4-year adjusted cohort graduation rate.

Year Target Actual

2016 75% 72%

2017 77

2018 79

2019 81

2020 83

2021 85

Additional information: This measure is calculated as the simple average among the States, a 

method that, while not statistically accurate, provides a reasonable proxy for GPRA purposes. 

The Department recently revised its targets for this measure to better align with results. The 

Department expects to have 2017 data in spring 2020.
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Special programs for Indian children 

(Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, Title VI, Part A, Subpart 2) 

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2021 Authorization: $17,9931

Budget Authority: 

2020

Appropriation

2021

Request

Change from

2020 to 2021

$67,993 $67,993 0

1 The GEPA extension applies through September 30, 2021. 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The program supports discretionary grants designed to improve the quality of education for 

Indian students and to prepare and train Indian individuals to serve as teachers and school 

administrators. Funds are awarded competitively under the following authorities: 

• Improvement of Educational Opportunities for Indian Children and Youth (Section 6121) 

(Demonstration Grants). Under this program, the Department makes 4-year discretionary 

grants to State educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), Indian 

Tribes and organizations, federally supported elementary or secondary schools for Indian 

students, and Indian institutions (including Indian institutions of higher education), or a 

consortium of such institutions, to improve Indian student achievement. The statute 

authorizes demonstration grants in such areas as innovative educational programs, 

remedial instruction, bilingual and bicultural programs, programs to increase high school 

graduation rates for Indian children and youth, guidance and counseling, early childhood 

and kindergarten programs, and family literacy services. From 2009 to 2015, the 

Department funded Demonstration Grant projects in the areas of early childhood and 

secondary-to-postsecondary-education transition. From 2015 to 2019, the Department used

funding for Native Youth Community Projects (NYCP) to support community-driven 

strategies to improve the college- and career-readiness of Native youth.

• Professional Development (Section 6122). Under this program, the Department makes 

5-year discretionary grants to (1) IHEs, or (2) SEAs, LEAs, Indian Tribes and organizations, 

and BIE-funded schools, in consortium with IHEs, to increase the number of Indian 

individuals qualified in teaching, school administration, and other education professions, and 

to improve the skills of those individuals. Individuals receiving training under this program 

are required to secure employment in a field related to their education and benefiting Indian

individuals or to pay back the amount of the assistance. Awards focus on pre-service 

teacher and pre-service administrator training.
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Special programs for Indian children

F-17

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2016...............................................................................$37,993

2017.................................................................................57,993

2018.................................................................................67,993

2019.................................................................................67,993

2020.................................................................................67,993

FY 2021 BUDGET REQUEST

The Administration requests $68.0 million for Special Programs for Indian Children in fiscal year 

2021, the same as the fiscal year 2020 appropriation. The request includes appropriations 

language overriding the authorized funding level for this program. Funds would be used to 

support approximately $15.0 million in new Demonstration grants, $24.8 million in NYCP 

continuation grants, and about $8.0 million in new and continuation awards to IHEs and other 

eligible entities under the Professional Development program. 

In 2019, the Department conducted Tribal consultations to determine how it can best expand 

access to educational opportunities and empower Tribes and parents to choose education 

services best suited to their students’ needs. A majority of Tribal consultation participants 

supported expanding educational choice. During these consultations, Tribes expressed interest 

in making available to families, services for Native language, history, or culture, tutoring, 

especially for students in low-performing schools, summer and after-school education programs, 

and apprenticeships and industry certifications. The Department will provide approximately

$10.8 million in fiscal year 2020 to support grants that expand the ability of families to choose 

high-quality educational opportunities that meet the needs of Native children and youth. The 

Department would provide funding for technical assistance and evaluation through the National 

Activities program (described elsewhere in this account).

PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES 

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2019 2020 2021

Demonstration Grants

Demonstr ati on Grants – NYC P - Funding for Choice new awards 0 $15,000 $10,854

Demonstr ati on Grants – ChoiceFunding for Choice continuation 

awards 0 0 $15,000

Demonstr ati on Grants – NYC P - Funding for NYCP continuation 

awards $58,510 $38,645 $24,840

Total $58,510 $53,645 $50,734

Demonstr ati on Grants – NYC P - Number of Choice new awards 0 5-15 3-10
INDIAN EDUCATION

Special programs for Indian children

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Output Measures 2019 2020 2021

Demonstr ati on Grants – ChoiceNumber of Choice continuation 

awards 0 0 5-15

Demonstr ati on Grants – NYC P - Number of NYCP continuation 

awards 106 57 37

Professional Development

Professi onal D evelopment Funding for new awards: Professional Devel opm ent 0 $6,561 $8,000

Professi onal D evelopment Funding for continuation awards: 

Professi onal D evelopment

$9,483 $7,107 $8,619

Total: Professional Devel opm ent $9,483 $13,668 12,619

Professi onal D evelopment Number of new awards: Professional Devel opm ent 0 23 14

Professi onal D evelopment Number of continuation awards: Professional Devel opm ent 43 24 20

Peer Review of new award 

applications 0 $680 680

NOTE: The Department is authorized to reserve up to 0.5 percent of funds appropriated for most ESEA 

programs, including Special programs for Indian children, and pool those funds to support the evaluation 

of any ESEA program. While the Department did not reserve funds from the Special programs for Indian 

children program for this purpose in fiscal year 2019, it may do so in fiscal years 2020 and 2021. 

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION 

Performance Measures

This section presents selected program performance information and results based on GPRA 

goals, objectives, measures, and performance targets. Achievement of program results is based 

on the cumulative effect of the resources provided in previous years and those requested in 

fiscal year 2021 and future years, as well as the resources and efforts invested by those served 

by this program.

Demonstration Grants – Native Youth Community Projects

The Department developed the following performance measures for the NYCP program: (1) the 

percentage of the annual measurable objectives, as described in the application, that are met by 

grantees; and (2) the percentage of grantees that report a significant increase in community 

collaborative efforts that promote college- and career-readiness of Indian children. 

For 2016, based on data from the 2015 and 2016 cohorts, grantees met 43 percent of their 

annual measurable objectives, and 50 percent of grantees reported a significant increase in 

community collaborative efforts that promote college- and career-readiness of Indian children.

Due to concerns about data quality and consistency, the Department is not able to report data 

for 2017. Data for 2018 will be available in fall 2020. 
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Professional Development

Measure: The percentage of participants in administrator preparation projects who become 

principals, vice principals, or other school administrators in LEAs that serve AI/AN students.

Year Target Actual

2016 30% 21%

2017 35 37

2018 40 35

2019 45

2020 50

2021 55

Measure: The percentage of participants in teacher preparation projects who become teachers 

in LEAs that serve AI/AN students.

Year Target Actual

2016 30% 30%

2017 35 36

2018 40 38

2019 45

2020 50

2021 55

Measure: The percentage of program participants who meet State licensure requirements.

Year Target Actual

2016 30% 32%

2017 35 37

2018 40 41

2019 45

2020 50

2021 55

Measure: The percentage of program participants who complete their service requirement on 

schedule.

Year Target Actual

2016 20% 35%

2017 25 23

2018 30 24

2019 35

2020 40

2021 45
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Measure: The cost per individual who successfully completes an administrator preparation 

program, takes a position in a school district that benefits American Indian/Alaska Native 

enrollment, and completes the service requirement in such a district.

Year Target Actual

2016 Not applicable $108,800

2017 Not applicable $116,921

2018 $108,000 $110,265

2019 $100,000

2020 $95,000

2021 $90,000

Measure: The cost per individual who successfully completes a teacher preparation program, 

takes a position in such a school district that benefits American Indian/Alaska Native enrollment, 

and completes the service requirement in such a district.

Year Target Actual

2016 Not applicable $107,397

2017 Not applicable $116,036

2018 $108,000 $104,272

2019 $100,000

2020 $95,000

2021 $90,000

Additional Information: Data for 2019 will be available in early 2021. 

The Department will develop performance measures for the Demonstration grants in 2020.
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National activities 

(Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, Title VI, Part A, Subpart 3) 

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2021 Authorization: $5,5651

Budget Authority: 

2020

Appropriation

2021

Request

Change from

2020 to 2021

$7,365 $7,365 0

1 The GEPA extension applies through September 30, 2021.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The program supports three types of Indian Education National Activities: (1) research, 

evaluation, and data collection to provide information on the educational status of the Indian 

population and on the effectiveness of Indian Education programs; (2) grants to support native 

language immersion schools and programs; and (3) grants to Tribes to build capacity for 

administrative planning, development, and coordination related to education systems. These 

activities help the Department to improve the knowledge base on the educational status and 

needs of Indians; identify and disseminate information on best practices for serving this 

population; help maintain, preserve, and restore Native languages and cultural traditions; and 

promote Tribal self-determination in education as well as coordination and cooperation between 

Tribes and State educational agencies (SEAs) and local educational agencies (LEAs).

Research funds are used primarily to augment broader research and statistical activities to 

ensure that they include significant coverage of the Indian population and provide data that can 

be used to track the educational progress of Indian students over time and to compare the 

status of Indian students with that of other groups. For example, through the National Indian 

Education Study (NIES), the Department gathered and disseminated data on the academic 

achievement, enrollment, graduation rates, and English-speaking ability of Indian students as 

well as the characteristics of teachers and principals serving those students.12 This research 

program also responds to Executive Order 13592, on American Indian and Alaska Native 

Educational Opportunities and Strengthening Tribal Colleges and Universities, which requires 

the Secretary of Education to study and collect information on the education of American Indian 

and Alaska Native students. 

The reauthorization of the ESEA in late 2015 established two new authorities within National 

Activities. The first formally authorized a program for Tribes to create Tribal educational 

agencies (TEAs) and for TEAs to build their capacity in administering education programs and 

12 https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nies/
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promote increased collaboration with SEAs. The Department laid the groundwork for this new 

authority by making pilot awards to four TEAs in fiscal year 2012 to work with SEAs to assume 

certain SEA responsibilities for the administration of ESEA programs; the Department made a 

second round of awards in fiscal year 2015. In fiscal year 2019, the Department awarded oneyear State-Tribal Education Partnership (STEP) Development grants to Tribes to create TEAs. 

The second new authority established a Native language immersion grant program to support 

projects that develop and maintain, or improve and expand, school-based programs using 

Native languages as the primary languages of instruction.

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2016.................................................................................$5,565

2017...................................................................................6,565

2018...................................................................................6,865

2019...................................................................................6,865

2020...................................................................................7,365

FY 2021 BUDGET REQUEST

The Administration requests $7.4 million for Indian Education National Activities in fiscal year 

2021, the same as the fiscal year 2020 appropriation. The request includes appropriations 

language overriding the authorized funding level for this program and the provision limiting the 

length of STEP and Native language immersion grants to three years to allow grantees 

sufficient time to implement their projects. The request would support the following activities:

• $1.0 million for the National Indian Education Study (NIES), which has two components: 

(1) oversampling AI/AN students in the National Assessment of Educational Progress 

(NAEP), and (2) a survey to collect information on the educational experiences of AI/AN 

students and the role of Indian culture in their education. The request would support the 

2023 administration of the NAEP reading and mathematics assessments, as well as the 

educational experiences survey. 

• $1.8 million for continuation awards under the new Native American Language Immersion 

program to maintain and promote the use of Native languages, support Native language 

education and development, and provide professional development for teachers.

• $2.2 million for new and continuation awards to Tribal educational agencies participating in 

the STEP program, which makes grants to Tribes to create a TEA and to existing TEAs to 

build their capacity by entering into agreements to assume certain SEA responsibilities for 

the administration of ESEA programs.

• $1.3 million for technical assistance to support Demonstration and STEP grantees.

• $1.1 million for logistical support, including for the Department to continue tribal 

consultations and forums to help inform the Department’s policies and decision-making 
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process. Previous experience suggests that these consultations can help improve 

education for AI/AN students. The Department is committed to continuing tribal consultation 

and strengthening the government-to-government relationship between the United States 

and Indian Tribes.

PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES 

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures 2019 2020 2021

Grants to Tribal education agencies

Grants to tribal education agenci es New awards $1,510 $1,940 $237

Grants to tribal education agenci es Number of new awards 5 4 1

Grants to tribal education agenci es Continuation awards 0 0 $1,940

Grants to tribal education agenci es Number of continuation awards 0 0 4

Native language immersion grants

Grants to tribal education agenci es New awards 0 $1,796 $0

Grants to tribal education agenci es Number of new awards 0 5 0

Grants to tribal education agenci es Continuation awards $1,647 $249 $1,796

Grants to tribal education agenci es Number of continuation awards 6 1 5

National Indian Education Study $970 $976 $976

Technical assistance $1,533 $1,240 $1,252

Technical and logistical support $1,136 $1,090 $1,090

Peer review of new award applications $69 $74 $74

NOTE: The Department is authorized to reserve up to 0.5 percent of funds appropriated for most ESEA 

programs, including Indian Education National Activities, and pool those funds to support the evaluation 

of any ESEA program. While the Department did not reserve funds from the Indian Education National 

Activities program for this purpose in fiscal year 2019, it may do so in fiscal years 2020 and 2021. 

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

This section presents selected program performance information and results based on GPRA 

goals, objectives, measures, and performance targets. Achievement of program results is based 

on the cumulative effect of the resources provided in previous years and those requested in 

fiscal year 2021 and future years, as well as the resources and efforts invested by those served 

by this program. 
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The Department released the 2011 NIES in July 2012 and released the 2015 NIES in 

early 2017.13

STEP

The Department established one performance measure for the one-year STEP Development 

program for grants to Tribes to create TEAs: The number of Tribes that create a TEA by the end 

of the grant period. The Department also established two performance measures for the threeyear STEP program for grants to TEAs to assess grantees’ progress in implementing 

collaborative agreements with SEAs: (1) the number of funded projects under which the TEA 

assumes State-level functions by the beginning of the second grant period (i.e., the second year 

of their projects); and (2) the number of funded projects that, at the end of the project period, 

has resulted in creation of an arrangement under which the TEA will continue to be responsible 

for the State-level functions delineated in its TEA-SEA agreement after Federal funding ends. 

For the fiscal year 2012 cohort, all four STEP pilot grantees, the Chickasaw Nation (Oklahoma), 

the Navajo Nation (New Mexico), the Nez Perce Tribe (Idaho), and the Confederated Tribes of 

the Umatilla Indian Reservation (Oregon), had assumed at least one State-level function by the 

beginning of the second grant period (i.e., the second year of their 3-year projects), with two 

grantees assuming two functions, for a total of six State-level functions. At the end of the project 

period, all four 2012 pilot grantees met the second measure and will continue to be responsible 

for the State-level functions delineated in their TEA-SEA agreements after Federal funding 

ends.

For the fiscal year 2015 cohort, all five STEP grantees, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai 

Tribes (Montana), the Muscogee Creek Nation (Oklahoma), the Nez Perce Tribe (Idaho), the 

Coeur d'Alene Tribe (Idaho), and the Chickasaw Nation (Oklahoma) assumed SEA- or LEAlevel functions, as described in their final agreements by the beginning of the second grant 

period. Information on the second performance measure will be available in winter 2020 due to 

grantees receiving a 1-year, no-cost extension. 

The Department expects to have information available on the performance measure for the 

fiscal year 2019 STEP Development cohort in spring 2021.

13 http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nies/
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Native language immersion grants

Measure: The number and percentage of participating students who attain proficiency in a 

Native Language as determined by each grantee through pre-and post-assessments of Native 

Language proficiency.

Year Target Actual

2017 Baseline 35.2%

2018 35% 41.4

2019

2020

2021

Measure: The number and percentage of participating students who make progress in learning 

a Native Language, as determined by each grantee through pre- and post-assessments of 

Native Language proficiency.

Year Target Actual

2017 Baseline 21.4%

2018 21% 21.4

2019

2020

2021

Measure: The number and percentage of participating students who show an improvement in 

academic outcomes as measured by academic assessments or other indicators.

Year Target Actual

2017 Baseline 9.6%

2018 10% 35.2

2019

2020

2021

Measure: The difference between the average daily attendance of participating students and 

the average daily attendance of all students in the comparison group (e.g., school, LEA, tribe, or 

other)

Year Target Actual

2017 Baseline 55.6%

2018 55% 57.6

2019

2020

2021