I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2690
To amend the Native American Languages Act to provide for the support 
of Native American language survival schools, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 9, 2003
Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico (for herself, Mr. PEARCE, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, 
Mr. CASE, Mr. UDALL of New Mexico, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, and Mr. 
REHBERG) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Education and the Workforce 
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 Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; PURPOSES. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Native American Languages Act Amendments Act of 
2003’’. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are as fol-
lows:
(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 lan-
guages; and 
(ii) instruction in other academic sub-
jects using Native American languages as 
an instructional medium. 
(2) To demonstrate the positive effects of Na-
tive American language survival schools on the aca-
demic 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 de-
veloped into more comprehensive Native Amer-
ican language survival schools. 
(7) To support the development of local and na-
tional models that can be disseminated to the public 
and made available to other schools as exemplary 
methods of teaching Native American students. 
(8) To develop a support center system for Na-
tive American language survival schools at the uni-
versity level. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 103 of the Native American Languages Act 
(25 U.S.C. 2902) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 103. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘In this title: 
‘‘(1) ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL.—The term ‘ele-
mentary school’ has the meaning given the term in
section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
‘‘(2) INDIAN.—The term ‘Indian’ has the mean-
ing given the term in section 7151 of the Elemen-
tary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 7491). 
‘‘(3) INDIAN RESERVATION.—The term ‘Indian 
reservation’ has the meaning given the term ‘res-
ervation’ in section 3 of the Indian Financing Act of 
1974 (25 U.S.C. 1452). 
‘‘(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). 
‘‘(5) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘Indian tribe’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 
Act (25 U.S.C. 450b). 
‘‘(6) NATIVE
AMERICAN.—The term ‘Native 
American’ means—
‘‘(A) an Indian; 
‘‘(B) a Native American Pacific Islander; 
and 
‘‘(C) a Native Hawaiian.
‘‘(7) NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE.—The term 
‘Native American language’ means a historical, tra-
ditional language spoken by Native Americans. 
‘‘(8) NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE COLLEGE.—
The term ‘Native American language college’ 
means—
‘‘(A) a tribally controlled college or univer-
sity (as defined in section 2 of the Tribally Con-
trolled College or University Assistance Act of 
1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801)); 
‘‘(B) a college that is applying for, or has 
obtained, funds under section 109 for a Native 
American language survival school in a Native 
American language that—
‘‘(i) the college regularly offers as 
part of the curriculum of the college; and 
‘‘(ii) has the support of an Indian 
tribal government traditionally affiliated 
with the Native American language; and 
‘‘(C) Ka Haka ‘Ula O Ke’elikolani College. 
‘‘(9) 
NATIVE
AMERICAN
LANGUAGE
EDU-
CATIONAL ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘Native Amer-
ican 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 Amer-
ican language for at least 700 hours per year 
per student; and 
‘‘(C) has the specific goal of strengthening, 
revitalizing, or reestablishing a Native Amer-
ican language and culture as a living language 
and culture of daily life. 
‘‘(11) NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE SURVIVAL 
SCHOOL.—The term ‘Native American language sur-
vival school’ means a site-based educational pro-
gram—
‘‘(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.
‘‘(12) NATIVE AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER.—
The term ‘Native American Pacific Islander’ means 
any descendant of the aboriginal people of any is-
land in the Pacific Ocean that is a territory or pos-
session of the United States. 
‘‘(13) NATIVE
HAWAIIAN.—The term ‘Native 
Hawaiian’ has the meaning given the term in section 
7207 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7517). 
‘‘(14) SECONDARY
SCHOOL.—The term ‘sec-
ondary school’ has the meaning given the term in 
section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
‘‘(15) 
SECRETARY.—The 
term 
‘Secretary’ 
means the Secretary of Education. 
‘‘(16) TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘trib-
al organization’ has the meaning given the term in 
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Edu-
cation Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b).’’. 
SEC. 3. NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE NESTS AND SUR-
VIVAL SCHOOLS. 
The Native American Languages Act (25 U.S.C. 
2901 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing:
‘‘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 col-
leges, Indian tribal governments, organizations that dem-
onstrate the potential to become Native American lan-
guage educational organizations, or consortia of such enti-
ties for the purpose of establishing Native American lan-
guage 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 Na-
tive American language-speaking parents); 
‘‘(3) provide compulsory monthly meetings for 
parents and other family members of students en-
rolled in a Native American language nest;
‘‘(4) provide a preference in enrollment for stu-
dents and families who are fluent in a Native Amer-
ican language; 
‘‘(5) receive at least 5 percent of the funding 
for the program from another source, which may in-
clude 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. 
‘‘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 col-
leges or universities where such languages are taught, In-
dian tribal governments, or consortia of such entities, to 
operate, expand, and increase the number of Native Amer-
ican language survival schools throughout the United 
States and the territories of the United States for Native 
American children and Native American language-speak-
ing children.
‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY.—As a condition of receiving funds 
under subsection (a), a Native American language edu-
cational organization, a Native American language college 
or universities where such languages are taught, 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) PRIORITY.—In making grants or entering into 
contracts under this section, the Secretary shall give pri-
ority to—
‘‘(1) the provision of direct educational services; 
‘‘(2) applicants that have the support of each 
appropriate tribal government;
‘‘(3) applicants that have researched language 
revitalization and the unique characteristics and cir-
cumstances of the languages of their schools; and 
‘‘(4) applicants that are geographically placed 
amongst a high density of potential Native American 
and other students. 
‘‘(d) USE OF FUNDS.—
‘‘(1) REQUIRED USES.—A Native American lan-
guage survival school receiving funds under this sec-
tion—
‘‘(A) shall consist of not less than 700 
hours of instruction per student conducted an-
nually through 1 or more Native American lan-
guages for at least 15 students for whom a Na-
tive American language survival school is their 
principal place of instruction; 
‘‘(B) shall provide direct educational serv-
ices 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 mate-
rials; 
‘‘(viii) translation and development; 
and 
‘‘(ix) other appropriate services; 
‘‘(C)(i) shall provide direct or indirect edu-
cational 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 lan-
guage and culture; and 
‘‘(ii) may impose a requirement of family 
participation as a condition of student enroll-
ment; and 
‘‘(D) shall ensure that within 3 years of 
enrollment, all students achieve functional flu-
ency in a Native American language that is ap-
propriate 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 stu-
dents who—
‘‘(i) are not Native American lan-
guage speakers; but 
‘‘(ii) seek—
‘‘(I) to establish fluency through 
instruction in a Native American lan-
guage; or 
‘‘(II) to reestablish fluency as de-
scendants of Native American lan-
guage 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 en-
rolled 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 in-
struction 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 lan-
guage use in communities served by Native 
American language survival schools; and 
‘‘(iii) knowledge of a specific Native 
American language gained through re-
search for the purpose of directly aiding 
the development of curriculum materials; 
‘‘(G) provide programs in pre-service and 
in-service teacher training, staff training, per-
sonnel development, upgrading of teacher and 
staff skills, and community resource develop-
ment training, that shall include a program 
component that has as the objective of the pro-
gram 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 teach-
ers, staff, students, or families of students; 
‘‘(ii) participation in conferences or 
special nondegree programs focusing on 
the use of 1 or more Native American lan-
guages for the education of teachers, staff, 
students, or families of students; 
‘‘(iii) subject to paragraph (3), full or 
partial scholarships and fellowships to col-
leges or universities—
‘‘(I) to provide for the profes-
sional development of faculty and 
staff; 
‘‘(II) to meet requirements for 
the involvement of the family or the 
community of Native American lan-
guage survival school students in Na-
tive 
American 
language 
survival 
schools; and 
‘‘(III) to develop resource per-
sonnel for Native American language 
programs in public schools; 
‘‘(iv) training in the language and cul-
ture associated with a Native American 
language survival school that is provided 
by a community or academic expert, in-
cluding credit courses; 
‘‘(v) structuring of personnel oper-
ations to support Native American lan-
guage and cultural fluency and program 
effectiveness; 
‘‘(vi) Native American language plan-
ning, documentation, reference material, 
and archives development; and 
‘‘(vii) recruitment for participation in 
teacher, staff, student, and community de-
velopment; or 
‘‘(H) rent, lease, purchase, construct, 
maintain, or repair educational facilities to en-
sure the academic achievement of Native Amer-
ican language survival school students.
‘‘(3) REQUIREMENTS FOR RECIPIENTS OF FEL-
LOWSHIPS OR SCHOLARSHIPS.—A recipient of a fel-
lowship 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 sur-
vival 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 profes-
sional services, during the period of the fellow-
ship or scholarship or on completion of a degree 
or certificate, in Native American language in-
struction in the Native American language as-
sociated with the Native American language 
survival school in which the service obligation is 
to be fulfilled. 
‘‘SEC. 110. DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall make 
grants, or enter into contracts, to establish 4 demonstra-
tion programs that will provide assistance to Native Amer-
ican language survival schools and Native American lan-
guage nests. 
‘‘(b) LOCATIONS AND PURPOSES.—The demonstra-
tion programs shall be established at—
‘‘(1) Ka Haka ‘Ula O Ke‘elikolani College of 
the University of Hawaii at Hilo, in consortium with 
the ‘Aha Punana Leo, Inc., and with other entities 
if determined to be appropriate by the College—
‘‘(A) for the conduct of a demonstration 
program in the development and operation of 
the various components of a regional Native 
American language survival school program and 
college level Native American language teaching 
and use that is supportive of Native American 
language survival schools; and 
‘‘(B) for the provision of assistance in the 
establishment, operation, and administration of 
Native American language nests and Native 
American language survival schools by such 
means as—
‘‘(i) training; 
‘‘(ii) hosting informational visits to 
demonstration sites; and
‘‘(iii) providing a national clearing-
house for data and information relevant 
to—
‘‘(I) teaching Native American 
languages; 
‘‘(II) conducting outreach; 
‘‘(III) offering courses; 
‘‘(IV) providing conferences; and 
‘‘(V) carrying out other activities; 
‘‘(2) Piegan Institute of Browning, Montana, 
for demonstration of the operation of a Native 
American language nest and Native American lan-
guage survival school; and 
‘‘(3) the Alaska Native Language Center of the 
University of Alaska at Fairbanks, in consortium 
with other entities as the Center determines to be 
appropriate, for the conduct of a demonstration pro-
gram, 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. 
‘‘(4) the Native American Studies Department 
of the University of New Mexico at Albuquerque in 
consortium with the Linguistic Institute for Native 
Americans and other entities as determined to be 
appropriate by the consortium, for the following: 
‘‘(A) Assisting in establishing, conducting, 
and administering community-based Native 
American language nests or Native American 
language survival schools by—
‘‘(i) developing community leadership 
for Native American language programs; 
‘‘(ii) training Native American lan-
guage mentors; and 
‘‘(iii) conducting community education 
and outreach on Native American language 
issues. 
‘‘(B) Assisting in developing training pro-
grams for Native American language speakers 
and teachers through—
‘‘(i) on-site training and university or 
college courses; 
‘‘(ii) summer training institutes; 
‘‘(iii) 
materials-development 
work-
shops; and
‘‘(iv) regional seminars on Native 
American language issues. 
‘‘(C) Examining the affects of local, State 
and Federal education policies on the long-term 
survival of Native American languages. 
‘‘(D) Examining the impact of culturally-
responsive curricula on Native American lan-
guages. 
‘‘(c) USE OF TECHNOLOGY.—The demonstration pro-
grams established under this section may employ syn-
chronic and asynchronic telecommunications and other ap-
propriate means to maintain coordination and cooperation 
among the programs and with participating Native Amer-
ican language survival schools and Native American lan-
guage nests. 
‘‘(d) SITE VISIT EVALUATIONS.—The demonstration 
programs established under this section shall provide di-
rection to the Secretary in developing a site visit evalua-
tion of Native American language survival schools and Na-
tive American language nests. 
‘‘(e) FOLLOW-UP AND DATA COLLECTION.—A dem-
onstration program established under this section may 
conduct follow-up data collection and analysis on students 
while the students are in school—