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[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2674 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2674

 To amend the Native American Languages Act to provide for the support 
 of Native American language survival schools, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 27, 2006

   Mr. Akaka (for himself, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Baucus, and Mr. Johnson) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
                      Committee on Indian Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To amend the Native American Languages Act to provide for the support 
 of Native American language survival schools, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Native American Languages Act 
Amendments Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Section 102 of the Native American Languages Act (25 U.S.C. 2901) 
is amended--
            (1) by striking paragraph (4);
            (2) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (5), (6), 
        (7), (8), (9), and (10) as paragraphs (7), (8), (9), (10), 
        (11), (12), (14), (15), and (16), respectively;
            (3) by inserting before paragraph (7) (as redesignated by 
        paragraph (2)) the following:
            ``(1) historians and linguists estimate that there were 
        over 300 distinct Native languages at the time of first 
        European contact with North America;
            ``(2) as of the date of enactment of the Native American 
        Languages Act Amendments Act of 2006, there are only about 155 
        Native languages remaining, and 87 percent of those languages 
        have been classified as deteriorating or nearing extinction;
            ``(3) according to the 2000 decennial census, only 32.3 
        percent of the 4,100,000 Native Americans report speaking a 
        language other than English at home;
            ``(4) although the actual number and age of the average 
        fluent speaker of a Native language is unknown, there have been 
        efforts to suppress and eliminate Native languages throughout 
        American history, resulting in fewer speakers who are fluent in 
        a Native language;
            ``(5) there is a widespread practice of treating Native 
        languages as if they are anachronisms, which in the past often 
        resulted in acts of suppression and extermination of Native 
        languages and cultures;
            ``(6) Native Americans in the United States have special 
        status that recognizes distinct cultural and political rights, 
        including the right to maintain separate identities;'';
            (4) by inserting after paragraph (12) (as redesignated by 
        paragraph (2)) the following:
            ``(13) during World War II, the United States employed 
        Native American code talkers who developed secret means of 
        communication based on Native languages and who were critical 
        to winning that war and others;'';
            (5) in paragraph (15) (as redesignated by paragraph (2)), 
        by striking ``and'' after the semicolon;
            (6) in paragraph (16) (as redesignated by paragraph (2)), 
        by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; 
        and
            (7) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(17) previous Federal laws have resulted in inadequate 
        funding for the enormous task of preserving and supporting 
        Native languages.''.

SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to encourage and support, consistent with the policy of 
        the United States as expressed in the Native American Languages 
        Act (25 U.S.C. 2901 et seq.)--
                    (A) the development of Native American language 
                survival schools as innovative means of addressing the 
                effects of past discrimination against Native American 
                language speakers; and
                    (B) the revitalization of Native American languages 
                through--
                            (i) education in Native American languages; 
                        and
                            (ii) instruction in other academic subjects 
                        using Native American languages as an 
                        instructional medium;
            (2) to demonstrate the positive effects of Native American 
        language survival schools on the academic success of Native 
        American students and the students' mastery of standard 
        English;
            (3) to encourage and support the involvement of families in 
        the educational and cultural survival efforts of Native 
        American language survival schools;
            (4) to encourage communication, cooperation, and 
        educational exchange among Native American language survival 
        schools and the administrators of Native American language 
        survival schools;
            (5) to provide support for Native American language 
        survival school facilities and endowments;
            (6) to provide support for Native American language nests--
                    (A) as part of Native American language survival 
                schools; or
                    (B) as separate programs that will be developed 
                into more comprehensive Native American language 
                survival schools;
            (7) to support the development of local and national models 
        that can be disseminated to the public and made available to 
        other schools as exemplary methods of teaching Native American 
        students; and
            (8) to develop a system of support for Native American 
        language nests and Native American language survival schools 
        through Native American language colleges.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 103 of the Native American Languages Act (25 U.S.C. 2902) 
is amended--
            (1) by striking ``For the purposes of this title--'' and 
        inserting ``In this title:'';
            (2) by striking paragraph (7);
            (3) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (3), (4), (6), and (8) 
        as paragraphs (6), (13), (12), (7), and (3), respectively, and 
        moving the paragraphs so as to appear in numerical order;
            (4) by inserting before paragraph (2) the following:
            ``(1) Elementary school.--The term `elementary school' has 
        the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).'';
            (5) by inserting after paragraph (3) (as redesignated by 
        paragraph (3)) the following:
            ``(4) Indian tribal government.--The term `Indian tribal 
        government' has the meaning given the term in section 502 of 
        the Indian Environmental General Assistance Program Act of 1992 
        (42 U.S.C. 4368b).'';
            (6) in paragraph (5), by striking ``(5) The terms'' and 
        inserting the following:
            ``(5) Indian tribe; tribal organization.--The terms'';
            (7) by inserting after paragraph (7) (as redesignated by 
        paragraph (3)) the following:
            ``(8) Native american language college.--The term `Native 
        American language college' means--
                    ``(A) a tribally controlled college or university 
                (as defined in section 2 of the Tribally Controlled 
                College or University Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 
                1801)); and
                    ``(B) a single, State-governed college or 
                university per State (which may operate as part of a 
                larger college or university) at which 1 or more Native 
                American languages are dominant with respect to--
                            ``(i) instruction; or
                            ``(ii) use in internal communication and 
                        administration.
            ``(9) Native american language educational organization.--
        The term `Native American language educational organization' 
        means an organization that--
                    ``(A) is governed by a board consisting--
                            ``(i) primarily of Native Americans; and
                            ``(ii) as many speakers of 1 or more Native 
                        American languages as practicable;
                    ``(B) is currently providing instruction through 
                the use of a Native American language to at least 10 
                preschool, elementary school, or secondary school 
                students for at least 700 hours per year per student;
                    ``(C) has provided instruction through the use of a 
                Native American language to at least 10 preschool, 
                elementary school, or secondary school students for at 
                least 700 hours per year per student for a period of 
                not less than 3 years before the date of application 
                for a grant or contract under this title; and
                    ``(D) may be a public school that meets the 
                requirements of subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C).
            ``(10) Native american language nest.--The term `Native 
        American language nest' means a site-based educational program 
        that--
                    ``(A) enrolls families with children under the age 
                of 7;
                    ``(B) is conducted through a Native American 
                language for at least 700 hours per year per student; 
                and
                    ``(C) has the specific goal of strengthening, 
                revitalizing, or reestablishing a Native American 
                language and culture as a living language and culture 
                of daily life.
            ``(11) Native american language survival school.--The term 
        `Native American language survival school' means a site-based 
        educational program--
                    ``(A) in which a Native American language is 
                dominant;
                    ``(B) that expands from a Native American language 
                nest, as a separate entity or inclusive of a Native 
                American language nest, to enroll families with 
                children eligible for elementary school or secondary 
                school; and
                    ``(C) that provides a complete education through a 
                Native American language with the specific goal of 
                strengthening, revitalizing, or reestablishing a Native 
                American language and culture as a living language and 
                culture of daily life.'';
            (8) by inserting after paragraph (13) (as redesignated by 
        paragraph (3)) the following:
            ``(14) Secondary school.--The term `secondary school' has 
        the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            ``(15) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary 
        of Education.''; and
            (9) in each paragraph that does not have a heading, by 
        inserting a heading, in the same style as the heading in the 
        amendment made by paragraph (4), the text of which is comprised 
        of the term defined in the paragraph.

SEC. 5. NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE NESTS AND SURVIVAL SCHOOLS.

    The Native American Languages Act (25 U.S.C. 2901 et seq.) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 108. NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE NESTS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary may make grants to, or enter into 
contracts with, Native American language educational organizations, 
Native American language colleges, Indian tribal governments, 
organizations that demonstrate the potential to become Native American 
language educational organizations, or consortia of such entities for 
the purpose of establishing Native American language nests for--
            ``(1) students under the age of 7; and
            ``(2) families of the students.
    ``(b) Requirements.--A Native American language nest receiving 
funds under this section shall--
            ``(1) provide instruction and child care through the use of 
        a Native American language for at least 10 children under the 
        age of 7 for at least 700 hours per year per student;
            ``(2) provide compulsory classes in a Native American 
        language for parents of students enrolled in a Native American 
        language nest (including Native American language-speaking 
        parents);
            ``(3) provide compulsory monthly meetings for parents and 
        other family members of students enrolled in a Native American 
        language nest;
            ``(4) provide a preference in enrollment for students and 
        families who are fluent in a Native American language;
            ``(5) receive at least 5 percent of the funding for the 
        program from another source, which may include any federally 
        funded program (such as a Head Start program funded under the 
        Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.)); and
            ``(6) ensure that a Native American language becomes the 
        dominant medium of instruction in the Native American language 
        nest not later than 6 years after the date on which the Native 
        American language nest first receives funding under this title.
    ``(c) Diversity and Priority.--In making grants and entering into 
contracts under this section, the Secretary shall--
            ``(1) encourage geographic, linguistic, and tribal 
        diversity, to the maximum extent practicable; and
            ``(2) give priority to--
                    ``(A) a Native American language nest that--
                            ``(i) previously received Federal funds; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) as determined by the Secretary, 
                        demonstrates full use of any appropriate Native 
                        American language in each aspect of the Native 
                        American language nest;
                    ``(B) a Native American language survival school 
                that--
                            ``(i) previously received Federal funds; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) as determined by the Secretary, 
                        demonstrates not less than 80 percent use of 
                        any appropriate Native American language in 
                        each aspect of the Native American language 
                        survival school;
                    ``(C) the provision of direct educational services;
                    ``(D) applicants that have the support of each 
                appropriate tribal government; and
                    ``(E) applicants that have researched language 
                revitalization and the unique characteristics and 
                circumstances of the languages of their schools.

``SEC. 109. NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE SURVIVAL SCHOOLS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary may make grants to, or enter into 
contracts with, Native American language educational organizations, 
Native American language colleges, Indian tribal governments, or 
consortia of such entities, to operate, expand, and increase the number 
of Native American language survival schools throughout the United 
States and the territories of the United States for Native American 
children and Native American language-speaking children.
    ``(b) Eligibility.--As a condition of receiving funds under 
subsection (a), a Native American language educational organization, a 
Native American language college, an Indian tribal government, or a 
consortium of such entities--
            ``(1) shall have at least 3 years experience in operating 
        and administering--
                    ``(A) a Native American language survival school;
                    ``(B) a Native American language nest; or
                    ``(C) any other educational program in which 
                instruction is conducted in a Native American language;
            ``(2) shall include students who are subject to State 
        compulsory education laws; and
            ``(3) may include--
                    ``(A) students from infancy through grade 12; and
                    ``(B) the families of the students.
    ``(c) Diversity and Priority.--In making grants or entering into 
contracts under this section, the Secretary shall--
            ``(1) encourage geographic, linguistic, and tribal 
        diversity, to the maximum extent practicable; and
            ``(2) give priority to--
                    ``(A) a Native American language nest that--
                            ``(i) previously received Federal funds; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) as determined by the Secretary, 
                        demonstrates full use of any appropriate Native 
                        American language in each aspect of the Native 
                        American language nest;
                    ``(B) a Native American language survival school 
                that--
                            ``(i) previously received Federal funds; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) as determined by the Secretary, 
                        demonstrates not less than 80 percent use of 
                        any appropriate Native American language in 
                        each aspect of the Native American language 
                        survival school;
                    ``(C) the provision of direct educational services;
                    ``(D) applicants that have the support of each 
                appropriate tribal government; and
                    ``(E) applicants that have researched language 
                revitalization and the unique characteristics and 
                circumstances of the languages of their schools.
    ``(d) Use of Funds.--
            ``(1) Required uses.--A Native American language survival 
        school receiving funds under this section--
                    ``(A) shall consist of not less than 700 hours of 
                instruction per student conducted annually through 1 or 
                more Native American languages for at least 15 students 
                for whom a Native American language survival school is 
                their principal place of instruction;
                    ``(B) shall provide direct educational services and 
                school support services to students, which may 
                include--
                            ``(i) support services for children with 
                        special needs;
                            ``(ii) transportation;
                            ``(iii) boarding;
                            ``(iv) food service;
                            ``(v) teacher and staff housing;
                            ``(vi) purchase of basic materials;
                            ``(vii) adaptation of teaching materials;
                            ``(viii) translation and development; and
                            ``(ix) other appropriate services;
                    ``(C)(i) shall provide direct or indirect 
                educational and support services for the families of 
                enrolled students on site, through colleges, or through 
                other means to increase the families' knowledge and use 
                of the Native American language and culture; and
                    ``(ii) may impose a requirement of family 
                participation as a condition of student enrollment; and
                    ``(D) shall ensure that within 3 years of 
                enrollment, all students achieve functional fluency in 
                a Native American language that is appropriate to the 
                unique circumstances and endangerment status of the 
                Native American language, with the ultimate goal of 
                academic or cognitive fluency.
            ``(2) Permissible uses.--A Native American language 
        survival school receiving funds under this section may--
                    ``(A) include Native American language nests and 
                other educational programs for students who--
                            ``(i) are not Native American language 
                        speakers; but
                            ``(ii) seek--
                                    ``(I) to establish fluency through 
                                instruction in a Native American 
                                language; or
                                    ``(II) to reestablish fluency as 
                                descendants of Native American language 
                                speakers;
                    ``(B) provide instruction through more than 1 
                language;
                    ``(C) provide instruction through a regional 
                program (as opposed to 1 site) to better serve 
                geographically dispersed students;
                    ``(D) include a program of concurrent and summer 
                college or university education course enrollment for 
                secondary school students enrolled in the Native 
                American language survival school;
                    ``(E) provide special support for Native American 
                languages for which there are very few or no remaining 
                Native American language speakers;
                    ``(F) develop comprehensive curricula in Native 
                American language instruction and instruction through 
                Native American languages, including--
                            ``(i) curricula that can be used by public 
                        schools for--
                                    ``(I) instruction through a Native 
                                American language; or
                                    ``(II) teaching Native American 
                                languages as subjects;
                            ``(ii) community Native American language 
                        use in communities served by Native American 
                        language survival schools; and
                            ``(iii) knowledge of a specific Native 
                        American language gained through research for 
                        the purpose of directly aiding the development 
                        of curriculum materials;
                    ``(G) provide programs in pre-service and in-
                service teacher training, staff training, personnel 
                development, upgrading of teacher and staff skills, and 
                community resource development training, that shall 
                include a program component that has as the objective 
                of the program component increased speaking proficiency 
                in Native American languages for teachers and staff 
                employed in Native American language survival schools 
                and Native American language nests, which may include--
                            ``(i) visits or exchanges among Native 
                        American language survival schools and Native 
                        American language nests of teachers, staff, 
                        students, or families of students;
                            ``(ii) participation in conferences or 
                        special nondegree programs focusing on the use 
                        of 1 or more Native American languages for the 
                        education of teachers, staff, students, or 
                        families of students;
                            ``(iii) subject to paragraph (3), full or 
                        partial scholarships and fellowships to 
                        institutions of higher education--
                                    ``(I) to provide for the 
                                professional development of faculty and 
                                staff;
                                    ``(II) to meet requirements for the 
                                involvement of the family or the 
                                community of Native American language 
                                survival school students in Native 
                                American language survival schools; and
                                    ``(III) to develop resource 
                                personnel for Native American language 
                                programs in public schools;
                            ``(iv) training in the language and culture 
                        associated with a Native American language 
                        survival school that is provided by a community 
                        or academic expert, including credit courses;
                            ``(v) structuring of personnel operations 
                        to support Native American language and 
                        cultural fluency and program effectiveness;
                            ``(vi) Native American language planning, 
                        documentation, reference material, and archives 
                        development; and
                            ``(vii) recruitment for participation in 
                        teacher, staff, student, and community 
                        development; or
                    ``(H) rent, lease, purchase, construct, maintain, 
                or repair educational facilities to ensure the academic 
                achievement of Native American language survival school 
                students.
            ``(3) Requirements for recipients of fellowships or 
        scholarships.--A recipient of a fellowship or scholarship under 
        paragraph (2)(G)(iii) who is enrolled in a program leading to a 
        degree or certificate shall--
                    ``(A) be trained in the Native American language of 
                the Native American language survival school, if such 
                program is available through that Native American 
                language;
                    ``(B) complete a minimum annual number of hours in 
                Native American language study or training during the 
                period of the fellowship or scholarship; and
                    ``(C) enter into a contract that obligates the 
                recipient to provide the recipient's professional 
                services, during the period of the fellowship or 
                scholarship or on completion of a degree or 
                certificate, in Native American language instruction in 
                the Native American language associated with the Native 
                American language survival school in which the service 
                obligation is to be fulfilled.

``SEC. 110. DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS.

    ``(a) Definition of Eligible Entity.--In this section, the term 
`eligible entity' means an entity, or a consortium of entities 
(including a Native American language educational organization in 
cooperation with a Native American language college or another entity), 
that, as determined by the Secretary--
            ``(1) has provided support to a Native American language 
        survival school or a Native American language nest during the 
        5-year period preceding the date on which the entity receives a 
        grant from, or enters into a contract with, the Secretary;
            ``(2) has demonstrated participation in a national 
        cooperative effort relating to research of Native American 
        language survival schools or Native American language nests; 
        and
            ``(3) has the support of at least 1 Native American 
        language survival school or Native American language nest.
    ``(b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall make grants to, or enter 
into contracts with, eligible entities to establish at least 4 
demonstration programs in geographically diverse locations to--
            ``(1) provide assistance to Native American language 
        survival schools and Native American language nests; and
            ``(2) participate in a national study of the linguistic, 
        cultural, and academic effects of Native American language 
        survival schools and Native American language nests.
    ``(c) Purposes.--The demonstration programs shall be established by 
1 or more eligible entities for--
            ``(1) the development and operation of the various 
        components of a regional Native American language survival 
        school program and a college-level Native American language 
        teaching and use program that is supportive of Native American 
        language survival schools for children from infancy through 
        grade 12;
            ``(2) the provision of assistance in the establishment, 
        operation, and administration of Native American language 
        survival schools and Native American language nests by such 
        means as--
                    ``(A) training;
                    ``(B) hosting informational visits to demonstration 
                sites; and
                    ``(C) providing a national clearinghouse for data 
                and information relevant to--
                            ``(i) teaching Native American languages;
                            ``(ii) conducting outreach;
                            ``(iii) conducting research relating to 
                        Native American language nests and Native 
                        American language survival schools;
                            ``(iv) offering courses;
                            ``(v) providing conferences; and
                            ``(vi) carrying out other activities;
            ``(3) the public or private operation of a Native American 
        language survival school serving children at least through 
        grade 5;
            ``(4) cooperation between Native American language survival 
        schools and Native American language nests and other indigenous 
        entities across international, Indian reservation, and State 
        boundaries with respect to the revitalization of Native 
        American languages; and
            ``(5) the use of professional linguists in training, 
        outreach, conferences, and visitation programs, and for 
        provision of other assistance, in developing--
                    ``(A) orthographies;
                    ``(B) resource materials;
                    ``(C) language documentation;
                    ``(D) language preservation;
                    ``(E) material archiving; and
                    ``(F) community support development.
    ``(d) Use of Technology.--The demonstration programs established 
under this section may employ synchronic and asynchronic 
telecommunications and other appropriate means to maintain coordination 
and cooperation among the programs and with participating Native 
American language survival schools and Native American language nests.
    ``(e) Site Visit Evaluations.--The demonstration programs 
established under this section shall provide direction to the Secretary 
in developing a site visit evaluation of Native American language 
survival schools and Native American language nests.
    ``(f) Followup and Data Collection.--A demonstration program 
established under this section may conduct followup data collection and 
analysis on students while the students are in school--
            ``(1) to assess how Native American language survival 
        school students are performing in comparison with other 
        students; and
            ``(2) to identify instructional methods that are working 
        and instructional methods that are not working.
    ``(g) Availability of Information.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each eligible entity shall make 
        available to the Secretary any information (including any 
        curriculum, translation, research, or assessment, and any data 
        collected under subsection (f)) produced or collected by the 
        eligible entity in carrying out a demonstration program under 
        this section.
            ``(2) Distribution.--The Secretary may distribute any 
        information received under paragraph (1) to any other entity at 
        no cost to the entity, as the Secretary determines to be 
        appropriate.
            ``(3) Publication.--Not less frequently than once each 
        year, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register a 
        list describing any information received under paragraph (1) 
        during the preceding year.
    ``(h) Endowments and Facilities.--A demonstration program 
established under this section may--
            ``(1) establish endowments to further the activities of the 
        demonstration program relating to the study and preservation of 
        Native American languages; and
            ``(2) use funds to provide for the rental, lease, purchase, 
        construction, maintenance, and repair of facilities.
    ``(i) Evaluation.--Not less frequently than once each year, the 
Secretary shall evaluate each demonstration program that receives 
assistance under this section using such criteria as the Secretary 
determines to be appropriate.

``SEC. 111. ACHIEVEMENT OF STANDARDS.

    ``(a) In General.--In recognition of the unique circumstances of 
Native American language nests and Native American survival schools, 
the Secretary shall, by regulation, provide to Native American language 
nests and Native American survival schools alternative methods of 
achieving national education standards with respect to Native American 
language education.
    ``(b) Certification and Designation of Paraprofessionals.--
            ``(1) Definition of paraprofessional.--In this subsection, 
        the term `paraprofessional' means a person who, at a Native 
        American language nest or a Native American survival school--
                    ``(A) provides educational services relating solely 
                to Native American language or Native American culture; 
                or
                    ``(B) provides bilingual educational assistance to 
                a teacher.
            ``(2) Certification and designation.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding any other 
                provision of law (including regulations), a 
                paraprofessional shall be considered to meet any 
                applicable requirement relating to qualifications or 
                training for teachers or staff, with respect to the 
                services and assistance described in paragraph (1) 
                only, if the paraprofessional--
                            ``(i) receives a certification from an 
                        Indian tribe associated with the Native 
                        American language used by the paraprofessional; 
                        or
                            ``(ii) is designated as a Native American 
                        language expert or a Native American cultural 
                        expert by a Native American language 
                        educational organization associated with the 
                        Native American language or culture taught by 
                        the paraprofessional.
                    ``(B) Factors for consideration.--In certifying or 
                designating a paraprofessional under subparagraph (A), 
                an Indian tribe or Native American language educational 
                organization shall take into consideration whether the 
                paraprofessional has demonstrated high achievement with 
                respect to--
                            ``(i) the Native American language used by 
                        the paraprofessional;
                            ``(ii) the Native American culture to be 
                        taught by the paraprofessional; or
                            ``(iii) pedagogy appropriate to the Native 
                        American language or culture to be taught by 
                        the paraprofessional.
                    ``(C) Approval by secretary.--Not later than 180 
                days after the date on which an Indian tribe or Native 
                American language educational organization certifies or 
                designates a paraprofessional under subparagraph (A), 
                the Indian tribe or Native American language 
                educational organization shall submit the certification 
                or designation to the Secretary for approval.
                    ``(D) Review.--Not less frequently than once every 
                5 years, an Indian tribe or Native American educational 
                organization shall review, and revoke, as the Indian 
                tribe or Native American educational organization 
                determines to be appropriate, a certification or 
                designation under this paragraph.
    ``(c) Recognition.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no 
Federal agency, State or local educational agency, early childhood 
education program, institution of higher education, or other entity 
that provides or receives assistance under Federal law shall fail to 
recognize as meeting applicable Federal requirements--
            ``(1) a satisfactory score of a student of a Native 
        American language nest or Native American survival school on a 
        performance assessment in accordance with regulations 
        promulgated pursuant to subsection (a); or
            ``(2) the training or qualifications of a paraprofessional 
        certified or designated under subsection (b).

``SEC. 112. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title 
such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal years 2007 through 
2012.''.
                                 <all>
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