Rep. McCollum (D) MN introduces resolution to empower, promote, and support the educational development of American Indian and Alaska Native children

Representative McCollum (D) from Minnesota's fourth congressional district has introduced House Resolution 977 July 28 “Reinforcing the Federal Government's Federal trust relationship and commitment to working with American Indian Nations to empower, promote, and support the educational development of American Indian and Alaska Native children and youth” For those wishing to see the entire resolution and to track the progress of this resolution please check in at Thomas at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.RES.977:

The resolution was introduced by Representative McCollum and 17 other House Members. The resolution focuses at the heart of federal policy affecting the education of American Indian and Alaska Native education by identifying education as an aspect of the trustee relationship and responsibility of the federal government, the significant contrast between the lofty goals of federal education legislation and the persistent and chronic under funding of programs and services for American Indians and Alaska Natives, points out the extent to which American Indians and Alaska Natives begin behind as in the example that 1/3 of the BIA school facilities and buildings are in very poor condition and in need of repair and that nearly all facilities are beyond their useful life. The resolution also focuses on the unique cultural and language needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives that must be met through education and the unique relationship of effective and meaningful education to strong healthy American Indian and Alaska Native communities. The listing within the resolution is representative of the principal themes in Federal Indian education policy and of where the federal government has failed in its Trust responsibility.

The resolution in light of this sense of failure on the part of the federal government to live up to its responsibility then resolves what could easily be described as the outlines of a federal Indian education policy blueprint.

Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) affirms the Federal Government's special legal and political relationship with American Indian and Alaska Native people by recognizing the sovereignty of Tribal Nations;
(2) calls upon the Federal Government, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Department of Education, to recognize and fulfill its trust responsibilities and consultation obligations to American Indian and Alaska Native people and communities;
(3) acknowledges that the past Federal policies of the forced removal of children from reservations to boarding schools have negatively impacted American Indian and Alaska Native families, communities, and youth;
(4) urges the Federal Government to promote success and eliminate disparities among American Indian and Alaska Native children and youth during consideration of the reauthorizations of Head Start and the No Child Left Behind Act, and through the Federal appropriations process;
(5) urges the Federal Government to recognize, promote, and work towards strengthening the educational needs of American Indian and Alaska Native youth and families;
(6) reinforces the educational commitment to promote the best interests of American Indian and Alaska Native children by reinforcing native cultural and language development which strengthens, preserves, and promotes cultural identity, and recognizes that it is imperative that the Federal Government sharpen its focus and commitment to title VII of the No Child Left Behind Act consistent with the desires of American Indian and Alaska Native people; and
(7) recognizes that education is significantly linked to overall quality of life and therefore must be prioritized and organized to meet the unique and specialized needs of American Indian and Alaska Native students.


Rep. Betty McCollum has been engaged more directly in Indian education issues recently through responding forthrightly to the significant reaction of Minnesota Indian education projects to the Office of Indian education efforts at micro managing Title VII formula grants by giving federal priorities to these grants instead of those allowable in the statute and prioritized through a partnership with the parents of the students and the local education agency based upon the required needs assessment. A number of resolutions were developed opposing the manner of the implementation of Title VII by OIE locally. Support was received by the Minnesota Chippewa tribe through a resolution of the tribe as well as the two umbrella organizations of Indian organization directors in Minneapolis and St. Paul. The representative sent a letter to Secretary Spellings whose response will be useful in contending the federal management of the program and/or seeking the kind of language in future reauthorization to ensure that the Indian education program remains “Indian” (See Wednesday August 2, 2006 post.)

I encourage Indian education projects and organizations in other states to follow the example of Minnesota.