Indian Education Acts
The Indian Education Acts, primarily highlighted by the Indian Education Act of 1972, were legislative efforts aimed at addressing the educational disparities faced by Native American communities in the United States. This act emerged from significant studies, including the National Study of American Indian Education and the Kennedy Report, which identified a strong desire among Indian populations for improved educational opportunities that respected their cultural heritage. It provided supplemental funding for public schools with Indian students, mandating the involvement of parents and communities in designing educational programs to meet their specific needs.
Key provisions included the establishment of an Office of Indian Education and the National Advisory Council on Indian Education, which aimed to enhance the educational experience for Native American students. The act also focused on culturally relevant curricula and adult education projects, ensuring that educational content was more representative of Native American histories and languages. Amendments in 1978 further reinforced these initiatives by setting standards for Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) schools and enhancing local Indian involvement in educational governance and funding decisions. Overall, the Indian Education Acts sought to empower Native American communities in shaping their educational landscapes.
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Indian Education Acts
The Indian Education Act of 1972, Public Law 92-318, was an attempt to remedy some of the problems in Indian education identified in the National Study of American Indian Education (carried out from 1967 to 1971) and in the hearings of the Special Senate Subcommittee on Indian Education that summarized its findings in 1969 under the title Indian Education: A National Tragedy, a National Challenge (also known as the Kennedy Report). Both studies found that Indian people wanted a better education for their children, wanted schools to pay more attention to Indian heritage, and wanted more to say in how their children’s schools were run.
The 1972 act pertained to public schools on and off reservations and provided supplemental funding for schools with ten or more Indian students in order to meet their special needs. All public schools with Indian students could get this funding and were required to involve Indian parents and communities in designing the supplemental programs. Grant money was also provided.
Part A of the act required parental and community participation in impact-aid programs (programs that provided federal money to local school districts to make up for tax-exempt federal lands such as Indian reservations). Part B authorized a series of grant programs to stress culturally relevant and bilingual curriculum materials. Part C provided money for adult-education projects. Part D established an Office of Indian Education within the US Office of Education (now the Department of Education). Part E provided funds for training teachers for Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) schools, with preference to be given to Indians. The act also established the National Advisory Council on Indian Education.
The Indian Education Amendments of 1978 (P.L. 95-561) established standards for BIA schools, institutionalized BIA school boards, required formula funding of BIA schools, and provided for increased Indian involvement in the spending of impact-aid funds.
Bibliography
Indian Education Act : Hearing before the Select Committee on Indian Affairs, United States Senate, Ninety-Ninth Congress, Second Session, On S. 830 . . . June 12, 1986, Washington, DC. Washington, DC: US GPO 1986. Digital file.
The Indian Education Act : Reformation In Progress. Washington, DC: US Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare, [Education Division], Office of Education, 1976. Digital file.
Meza, Nizhone. “Indian Education: Maintaining Tribal Sovereignty through Native American Culture and Language Preservation.” Brigham Young University Education & Law Journal 1 (2015): 353. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 30 Apr. 2015.
“Native American Education: A Timeline.” American School Board Journal 194.12 (2007): 22–23. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Apr. 2015.
Pisseleu, Maxime. Improving Indian Education : The Role of Management and Oversight. New York: Nova Science, 2013. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 30 Apr. 2015.