Nolan, Kirkpatrick, Ruiz, Lujan and McCollum Urge Commitment to Ensuring Safe Schools for Native Communities

Press Release

Amendment reads: "It is further the policy of the United States to ensure that Indian children do not attend school in buildings that are dilapidated or deteriorating, which may negatively affect the academic success of such children."

U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan today submitted a letter with Reps. Ann Kirkpatrick, Raul Ruiz, Ben Ray Lujan and Betty McCollum urging leadership of the House Committee on Educations & Workforce and Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions to include in the conference report their amendment to H.R.5, the Student Success Act, to put Congress on the record with its commitment to ensuring Indian children do not attend school in buildings that are falling apart. The Student Success Act reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

The amendment (italicized below) added the following sentence to current law regarding the Federal Government's trust responsibility to American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Education:

"It is the policy of the United States to fulfill the Federal Government's unique and continuing trust relationship with, and responsibility to, the Indian people for the education of Indian children. The Federal Government will continue to work with local educational agencies, Indian tribes and organizations, postsecondary institutions, and other entities toward the goal of ensuring that programs that serve Indian children are of the highest quality and provide for not only the basic elementary and secondary educational needs, but also the unique educational and culturally related academic needs of these children. It is further the policy of the United States to ensure that Indian children do not attend school in buildings that are dilapidated or deteriorating, which may negatively affect the academic success of such children."

According to the Department of the Interior, there are 63 schools nationwide funded by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) that remain listed as in "Poor Condition.'

"We truly hope the conference committee can produce a bipartisan Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization bill that provides the necessary resources to ensure continued improvement in our nation's education system," the Members said in their letter to committee leadership. "In your negotiations, we encourage you to honor our nation's commitment to students in Indian country by including our amendment in the final agreement. It's time for us in Congress to honor our obligation and send the message to our students in Indian country that their education and success in life is important to all of us."