expressed to keep Indian vocational education grant programs at Department of Education rather than moving any component part to Bureau of Indian Affairs. Although a number of the concerns in the higher education and scholarships 18sues session were directed at BIA, there was a concern that universities which receive Indian fellowship funds are sometimes delinquent in passing on the cash to recipients after tuition has been paid and that OIE should look at great wisdom of conducting an assessment of the professional needs of Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages and corporations for determining eligible fields of study and matching graduates back to available jobs. Mr. Chairman, there is one last related issue which I want to address. Part E of title V of Public Law 100-297 authorized the President to call the White House Conference on Indian Education. Since this conference has the broad purpose to develop recommendations for the improvement of educational programs to make the programs more relevant to the needs of Indians, I want to reiterate a portion of our previous testimony before this Committee. Part E needs some technical amendments, and while we do not currently have any recommendation of a vehicle for these amendments, such a vehicle should be found. The needed technical amendments include correction of section 5508 to - 21 1991. Currently, the section authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 1988, 1989, and 1990, and it is clear that these years were not pushed back when the bill (H.R. 5) introduced very early in the first session was passed in the community that the task force to be established under section 5504 to plan and conduct the conference is to consist of "such employees of the Department of the Interior and the Department of Education as the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Education determine to be necessary to enable the Task Force to carry out its duties." The reported fear is that the task force will there are no provisions in Part E for NACIE involvement in the conference, soliciting and receiving comments from Indian and Alaska Native organizations and individuals regarding 18sues that should be addressed by the conference. It has been suggested that the NACIE Executive Director should be specified in the legislation as & member of the task force and that the NACIE Chairman should be an ex officio member of the advisory Committee for the conference Education to appoint an equal number of employees from within the departments specifically hired from outside to bring a fresh approach. The Council would - 22 23 appreciate the Committee's consideration of these recommendations and would hope that the Committee, in its wisdom, would direct staff to find the appropriate vehicle on which to attach these amendments. Mr. Chairman, as you can see from the length of this document and the breadth of the 188ues discussed at the Council's 18sues sessions, the Council issues. Although we may be critical of government programs and we often lament about Indian and Alaska Native youngsters dropping out of school, we do have some success stories. However, those do not lessen the urgency with which we approach the Department of Education and other government agencies because we do not have to worry about the Indian children and adults who are success stories. I often say that the Department of Education, like many other agencies, does not want advisory councils; but, Mr. Chairman, this Council wants to be on the scene observing, advising, and sometimes tugging on coat sleeves because it is our boys and girls who desperately need educational status still at the bottom in America, we are the people with something to lose if we do nothing but we have so much to gain if we work together. Mr. Chairman, the National Advisory Council on Indian Education does not have the answers but we are working with the people to find them. The Council wants to work closely with the Congress and the Administration to make Indian and Native education exemplary Alaska country. relationship between Indian tribes/Alaska Native villages and the federal government and our smaller population, we challenge you to help us to be the model for the rest of the country, for with our diversity, if educational programs will work for us, they will work for the rest of America. The Council and I greatly appreciate this opportunity to appear before the Committee today to address Indian and Alaska Native education concerns. I will be happy to answer any questions you and the Committee Members may have to supply any additional uested information for the record. Thank you. Directors/Acting Directors for fast 10 Years Office of India Education Office of Indian Education, Department of Education Dr. Gerald Gipp Dep. Commissioner of Indian Ed. (HEW) 1977 1980 1980 1982 1982 1983 Acting Director 1983 1984 Director Jan. 1985 Jan. 1986 Acting Director Jan. 1986 Nov. 1987 Director Nov. 1987 - Aug. 1988 Acting Director Aug. 1988 Dec. 1988 Acting Director 1988 Present Dec. TESTIMONY BEFORE THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS UNITED STATES SENATE ON EDUCATION PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY TRIBAL SCHOOLS Mr. Roger Bordeaux, Executive Director 449 NORTH PLUM STREET SUITE 100 OCTOBER 27, 1989 |