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The Department of Education is hosting its second Tribal Consultation this year.  The Consultation will take place at the Smith River Rancheria in Smith River, California.

Issues will include:

  • The American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services (AIVRS) have published a request for information (RFI) for input on a proposed definition of the Department’s interpretation of “reservation” that would align it with the Government Accounting Office (GAO) interpretation.
  • Title VII Formula seek grantees through the Electronic Application System for Indian Education (EASIE). During the 2012-2013 grant cycles, some initial enhancements were made to the program, and additional work is planned for the 2013-2014 grant year. This will also include a revamp of the ED 506 form for eligibility to be more user friendly; we are asking for recommendation on the draft form of this document. 
  • General Updates in Indian Education

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Please call and write letters to your congressional leaders today to protect the trust responsibility to Native education. Yesterday, Representatives Don Young (R-AK) and Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) filed a bipartisan amendment to the Student Success Act (H.R. 5) to preserve Native education as a stand-alone title under current law. The U.S. House of Representatives is currently poised to consider H.R. 5 this coming Thursday, July 18. Without the amendment, the comprehensive education bill would merge current law’s Title VII — which includes Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian education programs — with Title I, potentially decreasing critical funding for our students and eliminating Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian programs.NIEA urges you to contact your congressional leaders now to protect Native education programs and funding.Action

  • Call your Member of Congress today to support the bipartisan amendment offered by Representatives Don Young (R-AK) and Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) to restore Native programs.
  • Call House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN) at (202) 225-2271 or e-mail him.

Talking Points

  • Merging Title VII into Title I would undercut the federal government’s trust responsibility to support high-quality academic and cultural education for Native students.
  • Eliminating Title VII as a stand-alone funding stream could also lead to decreases in funding needed to keep Native students on the path to college and career success.
  • Please support this important amendment to H.R. 5 that reestablishes the stand-alone title that helps our Native students achieve success for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Learn more about why congressional leaders should support this amendment by reading NIEA’s letter to Chairman Kline. Contact Clint Bowers, NIEA Research and Policy Associate, for more information.