Native American Languages Amendments Act of 2006

Bill: 109-hr-5222
Sponsor: Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-2]
Introduced: 2006-04-27 in the House
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Academic performance
Adult education
Alaska
Archives
Building construction
Charter schools
College costs
Colleges
Commerce
Conferences
Construction costs
Curricula
Data banks
Day care
Distance education
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Educational accountability
Educational facilities
Educational research
Educational statistics
Educational technology
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Families
Federal aid to Indians
Federal aid to education
Government Operations and Politics
Hawaii
Hawaiians
Higher education
Indian education
Language and languages
Language arts
Law
Leases
Licenses
Maintenance and repair
Minorities
Montana
Pacific Islanders
Paraprofessional school personnel
Parent-school relationships
Performance measurement
Preschool education
Private schools
Public-private partnerships
Rating of teachers
Scholarships
School buildings
School personnel
Science, Technology, Communications
Secondary education
Teacher education
Teacher supply and demand

Summary:
action_date: 2006-04-27
text: 
Native American Languages Amendments Act of 2006 - Amends the Native American Languages Act to authorize the Secretary of Education to provide funds to Native American Language Educational Organizations (Organizations) (or organizations demonstrating potential to become one), Native American Language Colleges, Indian tribal governments, or a consortia of such entities to establish Native American Language Nest programs (site-based education programs conducted through a Native American language) for students under age seven and their families.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to or enter into contracts with such entities to operate Native American Language Survival Schools for Native American children and Native American language-speaking children. Permits the use of grant and contract funds to provide full or partial higher education scholarships and fellowships for the professional development of faculty and staff.
 
Requires the Secretary to make grants or enter into contracts to establish four specified demonstration programs that will provide assistance to schools and nests through grants to: (1) the 'Aha Punana Leo, Inc. in consortium with the Ka Haka 'Ula O Ke'elikolani; (2) Piegan Institute of Browning, Montana; (3) the governing board of Window Rock Unified School District No. 8 and its Indian Education Committee on the Navajo Reservation; and (4) the Alaskan Federation of Natives, in consortium with other appropriate entities.
 
Directs the Secretary to recognize the unique circumstances of education in Native American languages and to provide for the meeting of national educational standards through alternative means in the area of Native American language education.
 
 Outlines provisions for: (1) performance assessments of students, teachers, and staff in Native American language survival schools and Native American language nests; and (2) prohibitions on restrictions on Native American language use in federally funded educational activities.
 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) provide for the inclusion of support for Native American language nests and Native American language survival schools in federal support for private education and charter schools; (2) assure that such support is coordinated as part of a unified effort for Native American language revitalization; and (3) look to Native American language educational organizations to lead coordinated public-private cooperative efforts to revitalize Native American languages.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-05-24
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness.
action_date: 2006-04-27
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2006-04-27
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E666-667)
action_date: 2006-04-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2006-04-27
text: Introduced in House