A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Speeches and Testimony

Statement by
Gerald N. Tirozzi
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education
on
Fiscal Year 1997
Request for Indian Education

April 3, 1996

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee:

I am pleased to have this opportunity to present the fiscal year 1997 budget request for the Indian Education programs of the Department of Education. Our request is for $81.5 million, a small increase over the 1995 appropriation. This request for Indian Education reflects the President's commitment to improving opportunities for Indian students.

In 1994, Congress reauthorized the Indian Education programs as Title IX, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The reauthorized legislation adopts a more comprehensive approach to educational reform to ensure that Indians benefit from national education reforms and receive every opportunity to achieve to high academic standards. The Federal appropriation supports programs of direct assistance for the education of Indian children and adults; the training of Indian persons as educators and in other professions serving Indian people; and research, evaluation, and data collection.

Formula Grants

We are requesting $61.2 million for Grants to Local Educational Agencies, a $1.5 million increase compared to the fiscal year 1995 appropriation. (Throughout my testimony, I will use the 1995 appropriation as the basis for comparison, because we do not yet have a final appropriation for 1996.) This program provides financial support to almost 1,300 local educational agencies, BIA supported schools, and BIA-operated schools for integrated educational services, enrichment programs, early childhood and family programs, school-to-work transition activities, substance abuse prevention, and other activities. Grantees must provide assurance that funded programs will help Indian students reach the same challenging State content and performance standards that apply to all students. The legislation promotes accountability for results by requiring each local educational agency (LEA) to develop a comprehensive plan for its overall approach to the education of Indian students. The plan must describe how the LEA will use its local, State, and Federal funds to pursue its goals for Indian students. LEAs must report periodically to their communities on the progress they have made toward attainment of their goals.

In fiscal year 1995, a total of 429,865 Indian students benefitted from the formula grant program. The Department expects a similar number to participate in fiscal year 1997.

Special Programs for Indian Children

Our request for Special Programs for Indian Children is for $12 million, $342,000 less than the 1995 level. Special Programs for Indian Children includes three activities: Demonstration grants awarded competitively for a variety of activities, including dropout prevention, partnership projects between LEAs and institutions of higher education, and programs to meet the needs of gifted and talented Indian students; a Professional Development program that provides grants to increase the number of qualified Indian individuals in professions serving Indian people; and the Fellowship program, which makes awards for graduate and undergraduate study in the fields of medicine, psychology, law, education, business administration, engineering, and natural resources. Participants who receive training under the Professional Development and Fellowship programs must perform work related to their training that benefits the Indian community, or repay part or all of the cost of training. This provision furthers program accountability, providing an incentive for recipients to complete their programs and ensuring a solid return on the Federal investment. While the 1996 appropriation bills do not include funding for this activity, the Department believes funding should be restored because these projects make an important contribution to improving education for Indians and because no similar programs exist elsewhere in the Department or at BIA.

Special Programs for Indian Adults

For Adult Education, we are requesting $5.0 million, $420,000 less than the fiscal year 1995 appropriation. This program supports projects that enable Indian adults to acquire basic literacy, complete secondary school through a high school equivalency program, and secure the education needed to begin a vocational training program. Because of the major need of the Indian community for adult literacy programs, and because there are no similar programs within the Department or at BIA, the Department proposes to restore funding for this activity.

National Activities

In the past the Department has requested funds under this activity to augment the sample of other broader studies to ensure a representative sample of Indians. In fiscal year 1997, no funds are requested, since no studies are planned under which it would be appropriate to augment the population sampled.

Federal Administration

For Federal Administration, which includes the Office of Indian Education and the National Advisory Council on Indian Education (NACIE), the request is $3.3 million, $168,000 below the fiscal year 1995 appropriation.

Mr. Chairman, in addition to setting forth the budget request, I would like to share with you some of the reasons we believe that the Department's Indian Education program is needed and makes a unique contribution to improving educational opportunity for Indian students.

According to the 1990 Census, about 31 percent of Indians live below the poverty level, compared to 13 percent of the general population. And while the Indian high school graduation rate rose in the 1980's, it remains considerably below that for the overall population. These statistics demonstrate the continuing need for Federal support of programs that address the specific educational needs of Indians.

The Federal Government has a long-standing commitment to Indian nations to provide high-quality educational opportunities for Indian students. Throughout U.S. history, Indian needs have frequently been overlooked by States and local communities, and the Federal Government has needed to ensure that Indians receive full opportunity in areas like education. During the next few years, as more States and communities begin to implement standards-based educational reforms under Goals 2000 and the reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act, ensuring that the needs of Indians are addressed by those reforms will be more important than ever. The Department's programs can ensure that the education of Indian children and adults benefits from the broader reforms underway nationally.

Frequently, the Department is asked why we have Indian Education programs when the Bureau of Indian Affairs administers them as well. There are major differences between our respective programs. While the educational programs of the BIA serve only members of federally recognized tribes, and mainly those attending schools funded by the BIA, the Department's Indian Education programs address the needs of all tribes, both Federal- and State-recognized, with most funds flowing to public schools, which enroll 90 percent of all Indian students. BIA programs serve an estimated 40,000 Indian students (8 percent of the total). The Department's programs serve an estimated 390,000 Indian students enrolled in public schools, as well as 40,000 students in BIA schools.

In sum, we believe there is a major need for our Indian Education programs and that they provide services that are not made available through BIA or other Federal programs. Yet the pending 1996 appropriations bills would reduce formula grants funding by 16 percent and eliminate all funding for Demonstration Grants, Professional Development, Fellowships, and Adult Education. The long delay in our obtaining an appropriation, with the programs hanging in the balance, has further confused and severely disappointed the Indian community. I hope you will give careful consideration to our 1997 request as a vehicle for putting our efforts back on track and serving a unique need.

I will be happy to respond to any questions you may have for the record.
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Last Updated -- April 22, 1996, (pjk)