tional opportunities available to all Indian children. Public school enrollment of Indians is higher than ever before; yet, despite the large number of students that have been transferred to local school districts, the number of students attending Bureau schools has grown from 42,000 in 1961 to nearly 50,000 during the current school year. The Bureau now operates 254 schools, 31 fewer than the high of 285 schools in 1959.

BIA FUNDING

For fiscal year 1967, $84.4 million was appropriated for the educational activities of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and nearly $40 million for construction of schools and related facilities. Of the $84.4 million, $72.2 million is earmarked for Federal school operations. Under the authority of the Johnson-O'Malley Act, $9.5 million is allocated for assistance to public schools: $1.6 million to pay full cost for 2,355 Navajo students in eight "border town" schools; and $7.9 million to assist public schools enrolling some 50,000 Indian students in 17 States. In addition, $2 million is available to provide grants-inaid to eligible Indian students enrolled in colleges and universities, while $0.7 million has been set aside for adult education activities.

III. INVOLVEMENT OF THE U.S. OFFICE OF EDUCATION IN INDIAN EDUCATION

The principal programs of the U.S. Office of Education from which Indians derive direct benefit are those which provide assistance to local school districts enrolling large numbers of students from federally impacted areas. (For the purpose of these acts Indian reservations have been classified as federally impacted areas.) Public Law 81-874 provides financial assistance to such districts for school operation, and Public Law 81-815 provides financial help for school construction. Local school districts annually receive about $14 million of Public Law 81-874 funds and around $3 million of Public Law 81-815 funds based on their enrollment of reservation Indian youngsters.

Under titles I, II, and III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (Public Law 89-10) as amended in 1966, Bureau of Indian Affairs schools have obtained about $5.4 million for fiscal year

1967.

Most U.S. Office of Education programs involve grants to State and local educational agencies. It is assumed that large numbers of Indian children in public schools have benefited from services provided through Federal programs such as titles I, II, and III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The U.S. Office of Education has recently undertaken a thorough examination of its resources to identify and to help solve the special problems encountered in the education of Indian children.

In the area of research, the U.S. Office of Education has funded nine research projects concerned with Indian education, seven completed and two in progress. The Bureau of Research is exploring the possibility of funding research and development in selected Indian schools. Also, several regional educational laboratories, which identify educational resources of a given region and act as a link between universities and school systems, have indicated an interest in projects

aimed at improvement of education of Indians and other minority groups.

In the area of teacher training, some of the teachers of Indian children have already been involved in summer institutes funded under the National Defense Education Act. Many more opportunities for such training will soon be available.

A data base for ascertaining the statistical impact of educational programs on Indian children, or the numbers affected by specific programs, is largely absent. Such data should be available beginning in July 1967 from the Office of Education for those programs in which Indian children are participating.

IV. DENVER MEETINGS WITH INDIAN LEADERS AND OTHERS

Two meetings were held November 9-12, 1966, in Denver to discuss where responsibility for Indian education should be located within the Federal Government. Lists of those attending these meetings are attached.

Attending the first meeting were 18 Indian tribal chairmen and members of tribal education committees, representing 76 percent of the total enrollment in Bureau of Indian Affairs schools and 60 percent of the entire reservation population.

Indian representatives expressed concern about the transfer of education from BIA to the Office of Education. Fearful of "termination" of Federal activities in their behalf, they are generally opposed to the disruption of the traditional relationships which has existed with the Government. They indicated distrust of the fragmentation of Indian services within the Federal Establishment and felt that their welfare would suffer if these functions were further divided between agencies rather than remaining concentrated in the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Attending the second meeting were college and university faculty who have conducted research on Indian problems, teachers of Indian children from both BIA and public schools, and others who have been involved in the educational aspects of community action programs. This group agreed that major responsibility for Indian education should remain within the BIA, provided that the BIA work closely with the Office of Education to make available the kinds and amounts of additional resources necessary to accomplish agreed upon objectives. Participants in the second meeting maintained that Indian education must be viewed in the context of the considerable variation among and within tribes, taking into consideration such differences as levels of economic and social development and educational expectations. They felt that educational programs should recognize the different problems of Indians in Federal and public schools and should consider the readiness of local or State systems to provide quality educational services. They recommended further that local studies be undertaken with the assistance of Indian groups, non-Indian groups, and State and Federal officials; and that Governors of the States involved should call attention to the need for improvement of educational opportunities for Indians in public schools.

The consensus at both meetings was that the BIA should be given time to carry out its new educational program before serious consideration is given to a transfer of the education function from one agency to another.

V. MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF STATE DEPARTMENTS OF EDUCATION

Because of State and local involvement in Indian education, the committee met with representatives designated by the chief State school officers of 15 States with significant Indian populations.

The experience of the several States in Indian education provided the general framework for discussion, with particular emphasis on the willingness and capability of States to exert greater effort in Indian education. Much of the discussion centered on the need for Federal assistance to help accomplish these objectives because of the limited financial resources of local school districts in many Indian areas.

There was no consensus among these representatives concerning the proposed transfer of the education function from BIA to the Office of Education and many stated they did not feel sufficiently informed to express a firm opinion.

VI. TRANSFER OF INDIAN HEALTH TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE

In an attempt to gain further insight into the possible effects of transferring Indian education, members of the Public Health Service were consulted regarding the transfer of Indian health from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to that agency in 1955. In reconstructing that transfer, it appeared that the decision was made quite suddenly, and was not based on the opinions of Indian people to any significant

extent.

The Division of Indian Health of the Public Health Service has been able to apply greater resources to the problems of Indian health and to work more independently than was possible previously. Since the transfer, there has been a marked improvement in the state of Indian health. Nevertheless, some of the Indian leaders at the Denver meeting expressed dissatisfaction with health services.

There are basic and significant differences in the circumstances surrounding Indian health and Indian education. There is no counterpart in health to the existing system of State-supported education with well-established relationships between these systems and the U.S. Office of Education. Further, the Public Health Service is experienced in the operation and control of hospitals and other medical facilities, whereas the Office of Education has never operated schools or school systems.

VII. ANTICIPATED EFFECTS OF TRANSFERRING INDIAN EDUCATION

The effects of transferring responsibility for Indian education from the BIA to the Office of Education must be analyzed in the context of providing improved quality of educational opportunities for Indian children. The committee identified the following significant advantages and disadvantages:

ADVANTAGES OF TRANSFER

1. The quality of Indian education might be expected to increase as a result of the augmentation of significant professional expertise, research capability, and financial resources.

2. A more positive public image of Indian education could result from greater identification with the education profession.

3. The Office of Education would have great incentive to build a model program for the education of Indian youth, particularly since this would be its only direct operational program.

4. A more effective transition of education functions from Federal to State Governments might take place with the more viable relationships which exist between the Office of Education, State departments of education, and local educational agencies.

DISADVANTAGES OF TRANSFER

1. The portion of the Bureau remaining after transfer of the education function might be handicapped, and the quality of remaining services might deteriorate. At present approximately 70 percent of the total BIA budget is allotted to education activity. Because of the intricate dovetailing of funding structure, personnel functions, and other services which has developed over the years, education is closely related to other BIA activities. A transfer of the education function doubtless would result in a period of dislocation.

2. Indian people tend to view a transfer of this nature as an additional step toward termination of Federal responsibility, a policy strongly opposed by most Indians.

3. A transfer of education alone would result in further fragmentation of services which would necessitate Indians dealing with yet another Federal agency. This diffusion of services is viewed as eventually decreasing the measure of total, integrated assistance to Indians, when it would appear more beneficial to be consolidating or in other ways improving the coordination of direct personal service programs.

VIII. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING INDIAN EDUCATION

The recommendations which follow have resulted from consultations with Indian groups and with specialists in Indian education and related areas, as well as from the deliberations of the committee itself. Recommendations are set forth in two sections. The first deals with those matters which involve policy and administrative decisions which can be effected within the existing system, provided that additional resources are made available. The second section includes those items which require additional legislation.

POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION

1. The Bureau of Indian Affairs should retain the education function at this time, working in close cooperation with the Office of Education to develop a high quality program of Indian education.

2. As long as the Federal Government operates schools, the principal official responsible for education should be in a role comparable to that of a superintendent of a major school system, i.e., with_full responsibility for the total educational enterprise, including school construction, operation, and maintenance.

3. The Office of Education in HEW should review all its programs to determine how to make these available to the greatest extent possible for the benefit of Indian children enrolled in federally operated schools. In its own programs the Office of Education should exert

influence to insure that resources become and continue to be available for Indian children enrolled in public schools and should urge States to give the same emphasis to Indian children.

4. Education must be viewed as a single, continuing process which ranges from preschool through adulthood. Beginning with preschool experience for all Indian children, the research and development capacity of the appropriate agencies should be strengthened in order to tailor educational programs to the needs of Indian people. Study should be made of the possible application of new educational technologies. Greater attention and support should be given to special education, since there is a high incidence of disability and handicaps among Indian children. Attention should be given to funding experimental programs at universities to assist Indian youth in adjusting to contemporary American society. Consideration should be given to supporting a center for graduate study of the languages, history, and culture of American Indians.

5. Strong support should be given to the BIA objective of moving Indian youngsters out of boarding schools and placing them in community schools on the reservation as soon as this can be done with no reduction in the quality of education.

6. Every effort should be made to encourage Indian parents and tribal leaders to assume increasing interest in and responsibility for the education of Indian children in accordance with the concept of community action. School boards, elected by the community and entrusted with appropriate responsibility for education, should be adopted as standard operating procedure. Specialized training programs should be instituted for board members. Study also should be given to the possibility of making grants directly to Indian groups to administer their own educational systems.

7. Staffing policies and procedures should be reviewed to develop procedures for recruitment and selection to assure employment and retention of the highest quality staff. Positions in education should be alined with the rest of the education profession, e.g., in terms of work year, incentives such as salary, opportunity for continuing education, etc. Consideration should be given to acquiring staff for schools in isolated areas by creating a volunteer or limited assignment category which might increase the likelihood of attracting well-qualified staff committed to working with the Indian child. Programs such as Teacher Corps and VISTA should be fully utilized. The roles of teacher and dormitory aids and other supportive personnel should receive appropriate consideration, particularly as a means of involving the community.