174 
SEC. 304. RETROCESSION OR REASSUMPTION OF CERTAIN 
SCHOOL FUNDS. 
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, begin-
ning July 1, 2008, any funds (including investments and 
interest earned, except for construction funds) held by a 
Public Law 100–297 grant or a Public Law 93–638 con-
tract school shall, upon retrocession to or reassumption 
by the Bureau of Indian Education, remain available to 
the Bureau for a period of 5 years from the date of ret-
rocession or reassumption for the benefit of the programs 
approved for the school on October 1, 1995. 
SEC. 305. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND DEPART-
MENT OF EDUCATION JOINT OVERSIGHT 
BOARD. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Education and 
the Secretary of the Interior shall jointly establish a De-
partment of the Interior and Department of Education 
Joint Oversight Board, that shall— 
(1) be co-chaired by both Departments; and 
(2) coordinate technical assistance, resource 
distribution, and capacity building between the 2 de-
partments on the education of and for Native Amer-
ican students. 
(b) INFORMATION TO BE SHARED.—The Joint Over-
sight Board shall facilitate the communication, collabora-
tion, and coordination between the 2 departments of edu-
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cation policies, access to and eligibility for Federal re-
sources, and budget and school leadership development, 
and other issues, as appropriate. 
SEC. 306. FEASIBILITY STUDY TO TRANSFER BUREAU OF 
INDIAN EDUCATION TO DEPARTMENT OF 
EDUCATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Government Ac-
countability Office shall carry out a study that examines 
the feasibility of transferring the Bureau of Indian Edu-
cation from the Department of the Interior to the Depart-
ment of Education. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The study shall include an assess-
ment of the impacts of a transfer described in subsection 
(a) on— 
(1) affected students; 
(2) affected faculty, staff, and other employees; 
(3) the organizational and operating structure 
of the Bureau of Indian Education; 
(4) applicable Federal laws, including laws re-
lating to Indian preference; and 
(5) intergovernmental agreements. 
SEC. 307. TRIBAL SELF-GOVERNANCE FEASIBILITY STUDY. 
(a) STUDY.—The Secretary of Education shall con-
duct a study to determine the feasibility of entering into 
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self-governance compacts and contracts with Indian tribal 
governments who wish to operate public schools that re-
side within their lands. 
(b) CONSIDERATIONS.—In conducting the study de-
scribed in subsection (a), the Secretary of Education shall 
consider the feasibility of— 
(1) assigning and paying to an Indian tribe all 
expenditures for the provision of services and related 
administration funds that the Secretary would other-
wise pay to a State educational agency and a local 
educational agency for 1 or more public schools lo-
cated on the Indian lands of such Indian tribe; 
(2) providing assistance to Indian tribes in de-
veloping capacity to administer all programs and 
services that are currently under the jurisdiction of 
the State educational agency or local educational 
agency; and 
(3) authorizing the Secretary to treat an Indian 
tribe as a State for the purposes of carrying out pro-
grams and services funded by the Secretary that are 
currently under the jurisdiction of the State. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education 
shall submit, to the Committee on Indian Affairs and the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions of 
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