Native American Language Resource Center Act of 2022
Bill: S.989 | Sponsor: Sen. Schatz, Brian (D-HI)
Policy area: Native Americans

Summary:
Native American Language Resource Center Act of 2022
This act authorizes the Department of Education to make a grant to or enter into a contract with an eligible entity (e.g., an institution of higher education) to establish, operate, and staff a Native American language resource center. The center must serve as a resource to improve the capacity to teach and learn Native American languages, further Native American language use and acquisition, and support the revitalization and reclamation of Native American languages.

[117th Congress Public Law 335]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 136 STAT. 6143]]

Public Law 117-335
117th Congress

                                 An Act


 
 To establish a Native American language resource center in furtherance 
        of the policy set forth in the Native American Languages 
                Act. <<NOTE: Jan. 5, 2023 -  [S. 989]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Native American 
Language Resource Center Act of 2022.>> 
SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 20 USC 6301 note.>>  SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Native American Language Resource 
Center Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. <<NOTE: 20 USC 7457.>>  NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE RESOURCE 
                    CENTERS.

    (a) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to further align the 
resources provided by the Department of Education with the policies set 
forth in the Native American Languages Act (25 U.S.C. 2901 et seq.) 
through establishment of a program within the Department of Education to 
support 1 or more Native American language resource centers.
    (b) <<NOTE: Grants. Contracts.>> In General.--The Secretary of 
Education is authorized to make a grant to, or enter into a contract 
with, an eligible entity for the purpose of--
            (1) establishing, strengthening, and operating a Native 
        American language resource center; and
            (2) staffing the center with individuals with relevant 
        expertise and experience, including staff who speak American 
        Indian and Alaska Native languages and the Native Hawaiian 
        language and have worked in language education in the American 
        Indian and Alaska Native languages and the Native Hawaiian 
        language in a preschool, elementary school, secondary school, 
        adult education, or higher education program.

    (c) Authorized Activities.--The Native American language resource 
center established under subsection (b) shall carry out activities to--
            (1) improve the capacity to teach and learn Native American 
        languages;
            (2) further Native American language use and acquisition;
            (3) preserve, protect, and promote the rights and freedom of 
        Native Americans to use, practice, and develop Native American 
        languages in furtherance of--
                    (A) the policies set forth in the Native American 
                Languages Act (25 U.S.C. 2901 et seq.); and
                    (B) the United States trust responsibility to Native 
                American communities;
            (4) address the effects of past discrimination and ongoing 
        inequities experienced by Native American language speakers;

[[Page 136 STAT. 6144]]

            (5) support the revitalization and reclamation of Native 
        American languages; and
            (6) support the use of Native American languages as a medium 
        of instruction for a wide variety of age levels, academic 
        content areas, and types of schools, including Native American 
        language medium education.

    (d) Additional Authorized Activities.--The Native American language 
resource center established under subsection (b) may also carry out 
activities--
            (1) to encourage and support the use of Native American 
        languages within educational systems in the same manner as other 
        world languages, including by encouraging State educational 
        agencies, local educational agencies, and institutions of higher 
        education to offer Native American language courses the same 
        full academic credit as courses in other world languages;
            (2) <<NOTE: Assessments.>> to support the development, 
        adoption, and use of educational outcome metrics aligned with 
        the Native American language of instruction, including 
        assessments, qualifications, and processes based on promising 
        practices in Native American language medium education;
            (3) to provide assistance to Native American language 
        programs seeking Federal resources;
            (4) to encourage and support teacher preparation programs 
        that prepare teachers to teach Native American languages and to 
        use Native American languages as a medium of instruction, 
        including by disseminating promising practices and developing 
        pedagogical programming and through appropriate alternative 
        pathways to teacher certification;
            (5) to provide information and resources--
                    (A) on promising practices in the use and 
                revitalization of Native American languages in Native 
                American communities, including use in educational 
                institutions; and
                    (B) for the use of technology in school and 
                community-based Native American language programs to 
                support the retention, use, and teaching of Native 
                American languages;
            (6) to support the use of distance learning technologies and 
        training for parents, students, teachers, and learning support 
        staff associated with Native American language programs, 
        including--
                    (A) the compilation and curation of digital 
                libraries and other online resources for Native American 
                languages, except that any materials collected by the 
                center shall only be materials provided by a Native 
                American language program or Native American community;
                    (B) the development of optional distance learning 
                curricula appropriate for preschool, elementary school, 
                secondary school, adult education, and postsecondary 
                education;
                    (C) pedagogical training for Native American 
                language teachers; and
                    (D) other efforts necessary to continue Native 
                American language acquisition through distance learning;
            (7) to provide technical assistance for Native American 
        communities and school systems to develop Native American 
        language medium education programs in preschool, elementary

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        school, secondary school, or adult education programs conducted 
        through the medium of Native American languages;
            (8) to support Native American language programs and Native 
        American communities in--
                    (A) accessing international best practices, 
                resources, and research in indigenous language 
                revitalization; and
                    (B) gathering and sharing technical assistance, 
                promising practices, and experiences;
            (9) for the operation of intensive programs, including 
        summer institutes, to train Native American language speakers, 
        to provide professional development, and to improve Native 
        American language instruction through preservice and in-service 
        language training for teachers; and
            (10) that otherwise support the Native American language 
        resource center established under subsection (b) to carry out 
        the activities required in subsection (c).

    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) ESEA definitions.--The terms ``elementary school'', 
        ``local educational agency'', ``secondary school'', and ``State 
        educational agency'' have the meanings given the terms in 
        section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
        1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
                    (A) an institution of higher education;
                    (B) an entity within an institution of higher 
                education with dedicated expertise in Native American 
                language and culture education; or
                    (C) a consortium that includes 1 or more 
                institutions of higher education or 1 or more entities 
                described in subparagraph (B).
            (3) Institution of higher education.--The term ``institution 
        of higher education'' has the meaning given the term in section 
        101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).
            (4) Native american; native american language.--The terms 
        ``Native American'' and ``Native American language'' have the 
        meanings given those terms in section 103 of the Native American 
        Languages Act (25 U.S.C. 2902).

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    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section, $3,000,000 for each fiscal year.

    Approved January 5, 2023.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 989:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

SENATE REPORTS: No. 117-46 (Comm. on Indian Affairs).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 168 (2022):
            Dec. 19, considered and passed Senate.
            Dec. 21, 22, considered and passed House.

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