JUSTIFICATION Chairman HAYDEN. The justification for "Education and welfare services" will also be included in the record. (The justification follows:) BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS EDUCATION AND WELFARE SERVICES HIGHLIGHT STATEMENT The Bureau provides services and assists the States in furnishing services to Indians in the United States including the natives of Alaska in the fields of education, welfare, relocation, and law and order. Progress in education is basic to successful achievement of overall Bureau programs. Education provides the base of understanding and skills that facilitates Indian acceptance of ideas and programs leading them to full assumption of citizenship responsibilities. In the last few years the education program has been broadened to include adults as well as children of school age. Indian children attend public, Federal, private, and mission schools. In 1960 there were 133,316 Indian pupils, age 6 to 18, inclusive, enrolled in school, an increase of 1.1 percent over the year before. In addition 8,232 Indian pupils, under 6 and over 18, were enrolled. Funds are requested for fiscal year 1962 to provide educational services for approximately 600 additional pupils in 20 additional day school units and for the Federal Government's share of the increased pupil load in public schools enrolling Indian children. Wherever facilities are available Indians are enrolled in local public schools. The Bureau assists in financing some districts enrolling Indian pupils eligible for payment under the Johnson-O'Malley Act. When school districts educating Indian children are eligible for Federal aid under Public Law 874, 81st Congress (64 Stat. 1100), as amended, supplemental aid under the JohnsonO'Malley program is limited to meeting educational problems under extraordinary or exception circumstances. When public school opportunities are not available, the Bureau operates schools for Indian children. In 1960 the Bureau operated 277 schools, enrolling 40,194 pupils and 19 dormitories enrolling 3,814 pupils. The primary objective of the schools operated for Indian children living on Indian owned or restricted trust land is to prepare them for successful living. In Federal schools the children develop basic academic skills, acquire an understanding of the social and economic world, learn improved standards of living, follow practices which assure optimum health, acquire vocational training to qualify for gainful employment, and obtain sufficient education to enter special schools and institutions of higher learning. The schools provided by the Federal Government for Indian children meet the instructional standards required by the States in which they operate and all secondary schools are accredited so that graduates may enter college on the same basis as public high school graduates. In addition to the operation of Federal schools for eligible Indian children, the Bureau conducts a limited educational program for adult reservation Indians. In 1960, 97 communities were served by this program. Courses are planned to meet specific needs of individuals and community groups and range from the most elementary reading and writing to practical and business skills and citizenship training. The act of August 3, 1956 (70 Stat. 986) authorized a program of adult vocational training and education in the amount of $3,500,000 annually. This program was initiated in 1958 on a limited basis. For 1962, we are requesting $3,500,000, which will provide for 1,700 training units. The Bureau provides general relief, child welfare, and miscellaneous services to Indians who do not qualify for similar services offered under Federal, State or county welfare programs. An average monthly caseload of 14,200, an increase of 1,380 over 1961, for general relief is contemplated in 1962; and foster care for 2,812 children, an increase of 412 over 1961. The relocation program assists Indians from reservations to settle and secure permanent employment in non-Indian communities, and assists in a program of industrial development on or near reservations to provide local job opportunities. In 1961, 3,800 relocatees will be furnished aid and in 1962, 4,400. Police services and tribal court operations are financed on Indian reservations, and special officers direct enforcement of Federal law. Failure or lack of a program to maintain order on the reservations jeopardizes or renders impossible the accomplishment of other Bureau programs. 6880661-7 To provide for increased pay costs on full-year basis. Educational assistance, facilities and services: Assistance to pupils in non-Federal schools__. +617,000 +94,000 Welfare and guidance services: General welfare assistance case- Net change, 1962 Budget estimate, 1962___ +1,066, 000 +2,451, 000 +354,000 6,080, 000 71, 521, 000 1. Educational assistance, facilities and services 2. Welfare and guidance services. 3. Relocation services. 4. Maintaining law and order. Unobligated balance.. Total.. $49, 937, 754 $53, 644,000 $1,509,000 $55, 153, 000 $58, 373,000 +$3, 220, 000 (a) Assistance to pupils in non-Federal schools The estimate of $6,854,000 is an increase of $1,498,000 over 1961. Need for increase.-The increase of $1,498,090 will provide for the Bureau's share under State Johnson-O'Malley plans for increased enrollment and additional costs in public schools. Plan of work. This item covers subactivities as follows: (1) Public schools: This item provides for the Johnson-O'Malley program under which the Bureau cooperates with local public schools by compensating districts for impacts of Indian children from tax-free Indian lands and resulting financial problems in educating Indian children. State and/or district plans are agreed upon and at contracting time funds are adjusted to meet the exact amount needed to finance such plans. Prior to 1959 local public schools participating under a State or district plan financed from Johnson-O'Malley funds were ineligible for entitlement for Indian pupils under Public Law 874, 81st Congress (64 Stat. 1100) administered by the Health, Education, and Welfare Department. The act of August 12, 1958, amended Public Law 874 so that school districts educating Indian children may receive payments for Indian children on the same basis as other federally affected children. Bureau efforts are carefully coordinated with the Office of Education in the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to insure that there is no duplication of assistance for the same service. Although Public Law 874 applies to Indian children on the same basis as nonIndian children, not all public schools have an adequate tax base to provide education at acceptable State standards without additional assistance over and above their entitlement under Public Law 874 which requires a 3 percent impact and a minimum average daily attendance of 10 federally-connected children to qualify for financial assistance. Some schools enrolling Indian children do not qualify because of this requirement. Johnson-O'Malley aid is provided in such instances. It is limited entirely to Indian impacted districts not qualifying for Public Law 874 aid and to meeting needs under extraordinary and exceptional circumstances when the district is eligible for Public Law 874 funds. Increased enrollment and increased education costs account for increased need of assistance from the Bureau under the Johnson-O'Malley program. Enrollments of Indian children in public schools increased approximately from 2,500 to 4,500 pupils annually over the past 5 years. Public school costs are increasing on an average of from 5 to 7 percent annually acording to information received from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Office of Education. The Bureau must be in a position to meet justifiable assistance to public schools enrolling Indian children to insure the continued enrollment and adjustment of Indian children in public schools. Otherwise many Indian children may be faced with no facilities or with attendance at a Federal school facility already overcrowded. The Bureau meets the full per capita cost for the education of Navajo pupils domiciled in Federal dormitories and attending out-of-district public schools. In 1960 the public schools enrolled 84,650 Indian children. Of this number, approximately one-half attended public schools receiving financial assistance under the Bureau's Johnson-O'Malley contract program. The following tables list the Johnson-O'Malley education contracts: (a) Navajo peripheral (2) Special aids: This item provides for lunches and transportation for 130 Seminole children in Florida. (3) Higher education: This item provides for grants to 765 students in universities, colleges, and institutions of higher learning. More than 4,700 Indian young people were in schools above the high school level in 1960. The number is expected to increase annually because of the larger number graduating from Federal and public high schools and because of the growing interest of the Indian people in having their children receive education at the higher levels. The Federal grant funds, with the funds provided by private and public organizations, various schools, some States, tribal groups, and Federal and tribal loans, will assist many Indian young people who would otherwise be unable to attend schools of higher learning. The amount of grant funds provided by various Indian tribes for higher education is increasing each year as tribal resources permit and as other tribes establish grant funds for this use. However, many tribes are without resources to provide for the higher education needs of their youngsters. An analysis of the item by area follows: The estimate of $47,389,000 is an increase of $1,712,000 over 1961. (1) $1,034,000 in boarding schools representing $423,000 to finance on full annual basis the pay increase authorized by Public Law 86-568 approved |