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Office of Indian Education

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Ensuring No American Indian and Alaska Native Child Is Left Behind

The mission of the Office of Indian Education is to support the efforts of local educational agencies, Indian tribes and organizations, postsecondary institutions, and other entities to meet the unique educational and culturally related academic needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives so that these students can achieve to the same challenging state standards as all students.

The No Child Left Behind Act amends the Indian education programs as Title VII, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. This landmark in education reform embodies four key principles: stronger accountability for results; greater flexibility in the use of federal funds; more choices for parents of children from disadvantaged backgrounds; and an emphasis on research-based instruction that works.


DIRECTORY


ANNOUNCEMENTS AND HIGHLIGHTS

  • 2015 Indian Education Formula Grant Application Now Open
    Part I of the Electronic Application System for Indian Education (EASIE) is now open. A Federal Register Notice was published on January 26, 2015 for the two-part application process. The notice may be found here: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-01-23/pdf/2015-01202.pdf. Important key dates associated with the 2015 application process include:

      DATES:
    • Part I of the Formula Grant Electronic Application System for Indian Education (EASIE) Applications Available: January 26, 2015. Deadline for Transmittal of Part I Applications: February 27, 2015.
    • Part II of the Formula Grant EASIE Applications Available: April 10, 2015. Deadline for Transmittal of Part II Applications: May 15, 2015.

    The Indian Education Formula Grants to Local Educational Agencies (Formula Grants) program provides grants to support local educational agencies (LEAs) and other eligible entities described in this notice in reforming and improving elementary and secondary school programs that serve Indian students. The Department funds comprehensive programs that are designed to help Indian students meet the same State academic content and student academic achievement standards used for all students while addressing the language and cultural needs of Indian students. Such programs include supporting the professional development of teachers of Indian students.
    (February 2, 2015)

  • Obama Announces Native American Youth Effort; Issues Report
    On Dec. 3, 2014, the White House hosted the White House Tribal Nations Conference, in which leaders from the 566 federally recognized Native nations engaged with the president, cabinet officials, and the White House Council on Native American Affairs on key issues facing tribes including, respecting tribal sovereignty and upholding treaty and trust responsibilities, lack of access to capital and credit, and protecting Native women and youth.

    Nearly half of Native American people (42 percent) are under the age of 24; more than one-third of Native children live in poverty; and Native youth have the lowest high school graduation rate of students across all schools. As part of the conference, the White House will release a new Native Youth Report that explores the challenges facing Native youth and makes recommendations for a path forward.

    For the first time in these conferences, the voice of Native youth was represented by 36 White House Youth Ambassadors, who joined tribal leaders in the breakout sessions and panels, and participating in leadership development programming.

    President Obama announced the launch of Generation Indigenous (Gen I), a Native youth initiative focused on removing the barriers that stand between Native youth and their opportunity to succeed. This initiative will take a comprehensive, culturally appropriate approach to help improve the lives and opportunities for Native youth and will include:

    • New Native Youth Community Projects, administered by ED through the existing Demonstration Grants Program to provide funding in a select number of Native communities to support culturally relevant coordinated strategies designed to improve the college- and career-readiness of Native children and youth.
    • New National Tribal Youth Network program in partnership with the Aspen Institute’s Center for Native American Youth. The Youth Network will support leadership development, provide peer support through an interactive online portal that links resources and tools, and empowers youth to become leaders within their communities. The White House, in cooperation with the Aspen Institute, will also host a high-level convening on challenges facing Native youth in February 2015.
    • The release of the White House Native Youth Report that acknowledges past failures of federal policy on the education of Native students, explores the breadth of the challenges facing Native children, and makes recommendations for a path forward.
    • The launch of the Cabinet Native Youth Listening Tour, which will begin next year as part of the President’s call to hear directly from Native youth on how to bolster federal policies to improve youth outcomes. In addition, the Administration will expand federal outreach on youth internships and employment opportunities across the federal agencies.
    • The first White House Tribal Youth Gathering to engage hundreds of Native youth in a day-long convening in the summer of 2015. This gathering builds on the November 2014 Native Youth Conference hosted by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the tribal youth visit with President Obama.

    In addition to these efforts, the Department of the Interior is making progress to transform the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). Since Secretary Jewell's Secretarial Order directing Indian Affairs to restructure the BIE to serve as a support network to schools rather than a direct education provider, DOI, along with ED has made steady progress towards implementing the administration’s vision of high-achieving tribally controlled schools.

  • Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Published for the Indian Demonstration and Indian Professional Development Programs
    A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) was published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, December 3, 2014 for the 2015 discretionary grant competition slated for later in 2015. The purpose of the proposed rulemaking is to update regulations governing both the demonstration and professional development programs and for identifying a new priority area for the 2015 grant competition. The proposed regulations combine funding for both programs into a single grant competition for 2015 with a new priority focus on Native Youth Community Involvement. As these are proposed rules the public has an opportunity to review and comment on the proposed rules. The deadline for receipt of comments is January 2, 2015. You may access the Federal Register announcement at this link: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-12-03/pdf/2014-28354.pdf. All comments must be sent to the Federal eRulemaking Portal at this link: http://www.regulations.gov/ and must be received on or before the January 2, 2015 deadline. As an aid in discerning what is being proposed for change, OIE has devleoped a side-by-side document that compares the current regulations with the proposed regulations. This side-by-side does not replace the actual NPRM notice as published in the Federal Register, but is a quick view to see where the proposed changes are to existing regulations. The actual NPRM has additional information not contained in the side-by-side so reviewers should not solely rely on this document for developing comments. You may access the side-by-side document here: NPRM Side-By-Side. OIE encourages the public to comment on the proposed regulations during the 30-day open period which closes on January 2, 2015.
    (December 4, 2014)

  • Indian Formula Grant EASIE 2015 Registration Now Open
    Registration for the application process for school year (SY) 2015-16 Title VII Formula Grant opened on Monday, November 17 and will remain open until Friday, December 19, 2014. The Office of Indian Education (OIE) of the U.S. Department of Education uses the Electronic Application System for Indian Education (EASIE) to receive applications for Title VII Formula Grant for SY 2015-16.

    IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT REGISTRATION

    • Registration ensures that the correct entity information is pre-populated into EASIE Part I.
    • Allows you to update outdated contact information.
    • The consortium leader's data will be pre-loaded into the registration website. If you plan to be a member of a consortium again this year, you do not need to register. However, if you plan to apply on your own behalf this year, you do need to register.
    • OIE requests that only one user at each entity access the website.
    • Once your registration is completed, please refer to the federal register notice for application deadlines; however, PSC will also email up-to-date application deadline information.
    • The registration Web site does not serve as your entity's grant application.

    • NEW GRANTEES

    If you are a new registrant and plan on applying for a grant in SY 2015, ensure that you are in the process of establishing your Indian Parent Committee and gathering your ED 506 Forms on all Indian students you intend to count in preparation for the opening of EASIE Part I. A blank copy of the ED 506 Form can be found under Downloads. A reminder: BIE entities and tribes applying in lieu of an LEA(s) are not required to form a parent committee.

    EDFacts PARTNER SUPPORT CENTER If updates to the current contact information displayed via the registration Web site are required, please contact the EDFacts Partner Support Center (PSC) to make the appropriate updates. PSC is available for questions between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time, except for federal holidays. For more information about navigating the EASIE website click on the following link: EASIE Registration.

    EDFacts Partner Support Center Voice: (877) 457-3336 (877-HLP-EDEN)
    Fax: (888) 329-3336 (888-FAX-EDEN)
    TTY/TDD: (888) 403-3336 (888-403-EDEN)
    E-mail: eden_oie@ed.gov
    (November 24, 2014)

  • Tribal Consultation Listening Sessions on Native Youth Initiative Scheduled
    A series of tribal consultation listening sessions have been scheduled by the White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education (WHIAIANE) in conjunction with the Office of Indian Education. The purpose of the consultations are to discuss with tribal leaders the proposed changes to the Office of Indian Education discretionary program priorities in 2015 in order to implement a new Native Youth Initiative. In addition to tribal consultation sessions, several webinar broadcasts will be held to gather input from Indian Country on the proposed changes. To learn more about the consultation sessions please log onto the following site: www.edtribalconsultations.org and be sure to register for these upcoming events. All interested tribal leaders and the Indian public are encouraged to listen in to the webinars to learn more about proposed changes to OIE discretionary program priorities in 2015. Input gathered from these sessions will guide the development of this new priority for OIE discretionary programs.

    Also available on the ED Tribal Consultation website is a tribal leader letter announcing the consultation sessions located here: Letter-ConsultationonNativeYouthInitiative.pdf. The PowerPoint developed for the webinar sessions is located here: Native Youth Consultation PowerPoint.
    (October 22, 2014)

  • Office of Indian Education Announces 2014 Indian Education Professional Development Grant Awards
    The Office of Indian Education has announced the awards for the 2014 Indian Professional Development program. The purposes of the Indian Education Professional Development Grants program are to (1) Increase the number of qualified Indian individuals in professions that serve Indians; (2) provide training to qualified Indian individuals to become teachers, administrators, teacher aides, social workers, and ancillary educational personnel; and (3) improve the skills of qualified Indian individuals who serve in the education field. Activities may include, but are not limited to, continuing education programs, symposia, workshops, conferences, and direct financial support. Below is a ist of the 2014 awards. The full set of abstracts are located at this link 2014 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARDS".


    ARIZONA
    AZ Board of Regents AZ State University

    MASSACHUSETTS
    University of Massachusetts Boston

    NEW YORK
    Research Foundation SUNY Potsdam

    OKLAHOMA
    Southeastern Oklahoma State University

    OREGON
    Portland State University
    (October 1, 2014)

  • Office of Indian Education Announces 2014 Indian Education Demonstration Grant Awards
    The Office of Indian Education announces the 2014 awards under the Indian Demonstration Grants for Indian Children. A total of seven awards were made recently under this authorization. Demonstration Grants for Indian Children is a competitive discretionary grant program that supports projects to develop, test and demonstrate the effectiveness of services and programs to improve educational opportunities and achievement of Indian children. To meet the purposes of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended, this program focuses project services on the following two absolute priorities: (1) increasing school readiness skills of three- and four-year old Indian children to prepare them for successful entry into kindergarten; and, (2) enabling Indian high school students to transition successfully to postsecondary education by increasing their competency and skills in challenging subjects, including mathematics and science. Below is a ist of the 2013 awards. The full set of abstracts are located at this link 2014 DEMONSTRATION AWARDS".


    ALASKA
    Tebughna Foundation
    Cook Inlet Tribal Council


    ARIZONA
    Page Unified School District #8
    San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation

    IDAHO
    Coeur d'Alene Tribe

    MICHIGAN
    Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College

    MINNESOTA
    Indepemndent School District #25

    MONTANA
    Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes
    Stone Child College

    NEBRASKA
    Educational Service District #49

    NORTH DAKOTA
    United Tribes Technical College

    OKLAHOMA
    Maryetta School Route 6

    WASHINGTON
    Wellpinit School District #49
    (October 1, 2014)

  • Tribal Consultation Transcripts Available - UPDATED 04/08/14
    Update includes the latest set of transcripts for the September 12, 2013 Tribal Leader Consultation Session, held in Scottsdale, AZ. On December 2, 2011, President Barack Obama signed Executive Order 13592, which established the White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education (Initiative). The President's Initiative committed the Federal Government to working closely with tribal governments to close the achievement gap between Indian students and non-Indian students, decrease the alarmingly high dropout rates of all American Indian and Alaska Native students, and help preserve and revitalize Native languages.

    The Secretaries of the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and the U.S. Department of Education (ED) serve as co-chairs of the Initiative. The Departments of the Interior and Education must collaborate with those who know their students and communities the best and will be hosting four Tribal Leader Consultation meetings to consult on the following objectives: (1) the development and content of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of the Interior and the Department of Education and (2) the strategic implementation of the Initiative.

    The Department of Education recently conducted tribal consultation meetings in various locations around the country. You may download these trancripts in Word or PDF format below. These include:

    April 18, 2014 - Missoula, MT, Tribal Leader Consultation Meeting
    [download file] PDF (460K)

    April 15, 2014 - Oklahoma City, OK, Tribal Leader Consultation Meeting
    [download file] PDF (563K)

    February 5, 2014 - Wshington, DC, Tribal Leader Consultation Meeting
    [download file] PDF (664K)

    January 29, 2014, Washington, DC - STEP Webinar PowerPoint
    [download file] PDF (1365K)

    January 29, 2014, Washington, DC - STEP Webinar Transcript
    [download file] PDF (208K)

    January 28, 2014, Washington, DC - Professional Development Webinar PowerPoint
    [download file] PDF (1,567K)

    January 28, 2014 - Washington, DC, Professional Development Webinar Transcript
    [download file] PDF (116K)

    September 12, 2013 - Scottsdale, AZ, Tribal Leader Consultation Meeting
    [download file] PDF (627K)

    August 15, 2013 - Smith River, CA, Tribal Leader Consultation Meeting
    [download file] PDF (627K)

    May 13, 2013 - Niagra Falls, NY, Tribal Leader Consultation Meeting
    [download file] PDF (501K)

    September 17, 2012 - Anchorage, AK, Tribal Leader Consultation Meeting
    [download file] PDF (531K)

    August 30, 2012 - Pala, CA, Tribal Leader Consultation Meeting
    [download file] PDF (336K)

    May 30, 2012 - Seattle, WA, Urban Native Educational Learning Session
    [download file] PDF (605K) | [download file] MS Word (332K)


    May 24, 2012 - Flagstaff, AZ, Tribal Leader Consultation Meeting
    [download file] PDF (432K) | [download file] MS Word (251K)


    June 8, 2012 - Chicago, IL, Urban Native Educational Learning Session
    [download file] PDF (384K) | [download file] MS Word (243K)

    Previous tribal consultation material for 2010 and 2011 may be found here:
    2012 and 2011 Tribal Consultation documents
    (April 8, 2014)

  • Tribal Consultation Transcripts Available - UPDATED 11/12/2013
    Update includes the latest set of transcripts for the September 12, 2013 Tribal Leader Consultation Session, held in Scottsdale, AZ. On December 2, 2011, President Barack Obama signed Executive Order 13592, which established the White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education (Initiative). The President's Initiative committed the Federal Government to working closely with tribal governments to close the achievement gap between Indian students and non-Indian students, decrease the alarmingly high dropout rates of all American Indian and Alaska Native students, and help preserve and revitalize Native languages.

    The Secretaries of the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and the U.S. Department of Education (ED) serve as co-chairs of the Initiative. The Departments of the Interior and Education must collaborate with those who know their students and communities the best and will be hosting four Tribal Leader Consultation meetings to consult on the following objectives: (1) the development and content of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of the Interior and the Department of Education and (2) the strategic implementation of the Initiative.

    The Department of Education recently conducted tribal consultation meetings in various locations around the country. You may download these trancripts in Word or PDF format below. These include:

    February 5, 2014 - Wshington, DC, Tribal Leader Consultation Meeting
    [download file] PDF (664K)

    January 29, 2014, Washington, DC - STEP Webinar PowerPoint
    [download file] PDF (1365K)

    January 29, 2014, Washington, DC - STEP Webinar Transcript
    [download file] PDF (208K)

    January 28, 2014, Washington, DC - Professional Development Webinar PowerPoint
    [download file] PDF (1,567K)

    January 28, 2014 - Washington, DC, Professional Development Webinar Transcript
    [download file] PDF (116K)

    September 12, 2013 - Scottsdale, AZ, Tribal Leader Consultation Meeting
    [download file] PDF (627K)

    August 15, 2013 - Smith River, CA, Tribal Leader Consultation Meeting
    [download file] PDF (627K)

    May 13, 2013 - Niagra Falls, NY, Tribal Leader Consultation Meeting
    [download file] PDF (501K)

    September 17, 2012 - Anchorage, AK, Tribal Leader Consultation Meeting
    [download file] PDF (531K)

    August 30, 2012 - Pala, CA, Tribal Leader Consultation Meeting
    [download file] PDF (336K)

    May 30, 2012 - Seattle, WA, Urban Native Educational Learning Session
    [download file] PDF (605K) | [download file] MS Word (332K)


    May 24, 2012 - Flagstaff, AZ, Tribal Leader Consultation Meeting
    [download file] PDF (432K) | [download file] MS Word (251K)


    June 8, 2012 - Chicago, IL, Urban Native Educational Learning Session
    [download file] PDF (384K) | [download file] MS Word (243K)

    Previous tribal consultation material for 2010 and 2011 may be found here:
    2012 and 2011 Tribal Consultation documents
    (September 5, 2013)

  • New ED506 Form Available
    A new Title VII Student eligibility form is now available from the Office of Indian Education. The 506 Form is used by Indian education formula programs to document Indian heritage of participating students. To download this and other files follow this link to our Indian formula resource page: http://www.ed.gov/programs/indianformula/resources.html
    (July 29, 2013)

  • National Advisory Council on Indian Education Annual Report for 2011-2012 Available
    The National Advisory Council on Indian Education (NACIE) recently released their annual report to congress for 2011-2012. The report details the council's recommendations for American Indian and Alaska Native education and activites for 2011 and 2012. The annual report may be viewed by clicking this link: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oese/oie/nacie.html
    (July 17, 2013)

    • UPDATE: Transcripts for NACIE's meeting are now available at the following link: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oese/oie/nacie.html

  • State Department of Indian Education Page Updated
    The Office of Indian Education has updated the State Department of Indian Education listings from across the country. These officies have primary oversight over Indian education programs in their respective states. To access the updated page please click here: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oese/oie/statecontacts.html
    (February 28, 2013)

  • U.S. Education Department Awards Nearly $2 Million to Tribal Education Agencies to Improve Education for American Indian and Alaska Native Students
    The U.S. Department of Education today announced the award of four competitive grants totaling nearly $2 million to tribal education agencies (TEAs), under the State Tribal Education Partnership (STEP) program. These grants will help to increase the role of TEAs in the education of American Indian and Alaska Native students to meet the unique educational and cultural needs of those students and to improve their academic achievement.

    "We have a profound obligation to ensure that all children, including American Indian and Alaska Native students, have the opportunity to receive a 21st century education," U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. "Tribal leaders, teachers, and parents are best-suited to identify and address the needs of their children, and tribal communities deserve to play a greater role in providing American Indian and Alaska Native students with the tools and support they need to be successful in school and beyond."

    During regional tribal consultations, tribal officials consistently discussed the lack of opportunities for tribes to meaningfully participate in the education of their own children. Drawing from input received at these consultations, the Obama administration included in its Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization proposal a pilot authority that would elevate the role of TEAs. The Department's fiscal year 2012 Congressional appropriation provided funding for the Department to create a pilot competition to increase the role of tribal education departments in the education of students attending public schools on the tribe's reservation.

    The STEP program aims to promote collaboration between TEAs and state educational agencies (SEAs) and to build the capacity of tribes as they develop and enhance their roles, responsibilities and accountability in Indian education. The pilot program will fund projects created through collaborative agreements between TEAs and SEAs that allow for TEAs to perform some state-level functions for certain federal grant programs funded through the ESEA, within public schools located on tribally controlled lands. STEP grants are three-year awards, and year one grant amounts are listed below. Grantees and their SEA partners are:

      Nez Perce Tribe, Idaho - $451,481
      The Navajo Nation Diné Department of Education, New Mexico - $357,347
      The Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma - $739,246
      Confederated Tribes of Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon - $385,436

    For more information on the STEP pilot program, please visit here: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/step/index.html"

    The actual press release may be found here: Press Releases".
    (October 12, 2012)

  • Executive Order on American and Alaska Native Education Signed by President Obama
    On December 2, 2011 President Obama signed a new Executive Order on Improving American Indian and Alaska Native Educational Opportunities and Strengthening Tribal Colleges and Universities. The order provide for an Interagncy Working Group to facilitate the order and increase educational opportunities for tribal colleges and universities. The Order also calls for increasing outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native outcomes including native language and culture. The link to the order may be found here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/12/02/executive-order-improving-american-indian-and-alaska-native-educational-
    (December 2, 2011)

  • Tribal Leader Consultation Meetings
    The U.S. Department of Education will be scheduling several Tribal Leader consultation meetings for 2013. Senior officials from the Department, to date, have obtained feedback from Tribal officials on reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and the development ofthe Department's Consultation Policy. We look forward to ongoing and meaningful dialogue with Tribal leaders. The dates and locations will be posted here when conrimed.


  • National Indian Education Study 2009 Part 1 & 2 Released
    National Indian Education Study 2009 Part I: Performance of American Indian and Alaska Native Students at Grades 4 and 8 on NAEP 2009 Reading and Mathematics Assessments is now available at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nies The report presents the results of Part I of the National Indian Education Study (NIES) focusing on the performance of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) fourth- and eighth-graders on the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress in reading and mathematics. A national sample of approximately 9,300 AI/AN students at grades 4 and 8 participated in the reading assessment and 9,000 in the mathematics assessment. Results from this study are compared to those from the first NIES conducted in 2005 and 2008. The results for 12 states with relatively large populations of AI/AN students are presented in addition to the national results.

    See complete results at: http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nies
    NIES was conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Indian Education. NAEP, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences.
    (July 17, 2010)

  • Update on OIE Contacts
    OIE's work in processing all applications and awards is performed by teams instead of specific state assignments of grantees to program specialists. For more information and a listing of teams, see Contacts for OIE.
    (April 6, 2007)

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Last Modified: 02/02/2015