OPA

SALEM, Ore. – Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs David W. Anderson shared his message of hope and the philosophies he credits for the personal and business successes in his life at a visit today with the students, faculty and staff of Chemawa Indian School, a Bureau of Indian Affairs-operated boarding school for grades 9-12 located just outside of the city of Salem. This was the new assistant secretary’s first visit to the school since his swearing-in last month.

“Chemawa students, like other young people, continually face difficult choices that impact their lives and their families,” Anderson said. “They are vital members of our national Indian community and possess a tremendous source of untapped potential. By teaching all BIA students the benefits of positive thinking and how to make healthy life choices, I believe we can empower them to realize that potential.”

Anderson also continued to emphasize his belief in the benefits of healthy life choices and positive thinking with the BIA school’s students. Chemawa is the second in a series of visits Anderson plans to make to BIA field offices and education facilities during his administration. He addressed students and met with school officials at Sherman Indian High School in Riverside, Calif., yesterday.

The Chemawa Indian School is the oldest of four BIA-operated off-reservation boarding schools. The school was founded in 1880 as the Indian Industrial Training and Normal School and eventually renamed Chemawa Indian School in 1885. Chemawa’s 287 students represent dozens of tribes from 17 western states, including Alaska.

The Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs has responsibility for fulfilling the department’s trust responsibilities to individual and tribal trust beneficiaries, as well as promoting tribal self-determination, self-governance and economic development for the nation’s 562 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and their 1.8 million members.

The Assistant Secretary also oversees the BIA, the 180-year old agency that provides services to individual American Indians and Alaska Natives from the federally recognized tribes, and the BIA school system. The school system serves approximately 48,000 American Indian children in 184 elementary and secondary day and boarding schools located on or near 63 reservations in 23 states. The BIA directly operates one-third of these schools and the remaining two-thirds are tribally operated under BIA contracts or grants.

PREWITT, N. M. - Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton and Acting Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Aurene M. Martin today joined students and community members celebrating the opening of Baca/Dlo'ay azhi Community School, a K-6 facility serving approximately 390 students from the Prewitt and Thoreau communities on the eastern portion of the Navajo Nation reservation in New Mexico.

"'Back-to-school' will have a special meaning here this year because this school is not only a model of sustainable environmental design and 21st century technology but also embodies the elements sacred to the Navajo culture," said Interior Secretary Norton. "The Baca Dlo'ay Azhi School is one of 20 new Indian schools funded as part of President Bush's promise that 'no child will be left behind.' We are committed to ensuring that the 48,000 Indian students attending schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs receive quality education."

The BIA operates 185 schools in 23 states, either directly or through tribal grants and contracts. The opening today marks a milestone in BIA efforts to replace all of its aging schools with modern structures that are safe, comfortable, ecologically friendly and equipped with the most modern technology.

"This new facility will allow Baca Community School parents to focus on their children's education," said Martin. "We remain committed to the goal of replacing debilitated BIA schools to provide our students and teachers with a physical environment best conducive to learning."

Baca/Dlo'ay azhi Community School replaces two aging BIA schools - Baca Day School and Thoreau Boarding School - with a modern structure whose design combines Navajo culture with a 21st century learning environment. It is located adjacent to the historic Baca Day School site that was established in the 1930's. The firm of local architect Dyron Murphy, a Navajo Nation tribal member, designed the new structure

The school is also a landmark achievement in culturally sensitive and environmentally conscious construction. Its aesthetic design incorporates several elements of Navajo culture. The school's main entrance, for example, faces east to greet the morning sun--thereby symbolizing the beginning of life--and four wings, representing the four directions of the Navajo universe and painted in sacred colors appropriate to each direction.

The facility also incorporates the latest in computer technology and environmentally sustainable design features, including an optimized heating and air conditioning system and the use of recycled steel. In fact, this new facility is in position to become New Mexico's first building and the nation's first BIA-funded school to be certified by the United States Green Building Council for its "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" award. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, an agency of the Department of the Interior, has 10,500 employees nationwide and is responsible for providing services to approximately 1.4 million individual American Indians and Alaska Natives from the federally recognized tribes.

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WASHINGTON – Secretary Gale Norton and Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs David W. Anderson today announced that the Bureau of Indian Affairs has been awarded $32.4 million in three grants from the U.S. Department of Education to improve student reading, school performance and teacher quality in BIA-funded schools under President Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Starting this year, over 12,000 students will benefit from funds to help them improve their academic performance and support their institutions’ efforts to achieve adequate yearly progress as stipulated by the act.

“The No Child Left Behind Act is the president’s commitment that all federally funded schools must provide students with a quality education,” Norton said. “BIA students and parents can expect that our schools also will carry forward that vision.”

“I can think of no better initiatives in our schools than the Reading First program to instill a love of reading in the youngest students, the Improving Basics program for those schools working hard to meet their progress goals and the Improving Teacher Quality program to challenge our teachers to become the best they can be,” Anderson said. “Through these programs, our schools now have a chance to realize President Bush’s vision for themselves and their students.”

Last November, the BIA was awarded $30.4 million for a six-year grant under the Reading First program, the centerpiece of President Bush’s historic education reform law, to use scientifically proven instruction methods to improve reading proficiency by BIA students in grades K-3. The Reading First program reflects the president’s emphasis on the importance of reading to student academic achievement.

Today, the BIA is releasing the first installments of these funds to 22 eligible schools under three-year subgrants. They can apply again with other schools during a second round of the competitive process for a shot at another three-year funding award. In fiscal year 2004, BIA funded schools will receive Reading First subgrants ranging from $97,170 to $417,000 depending on a school’s needs, number of students served and design of its reading program.

In addition, the BIA was awarded $1.5 million under Title I, Part A of the act to provide subgrants for technical assistance and training to schools in need of improvement. In fiscal year 2004, at least 21 BIA-funded schools will receive Improving Basics subgrants of up to $115,143 to help them meet student academic achievement standards, assist teachers to enable low-performing students to meet challenging standards, provide services to children with limited English proficiency or disabilities, help meet highly qualified teacher requirements and to encourage greater parent involvement and professional development.

The No Child Left Behind Act supports having highly qualified teachers in the classroom as essential to increasing student academic achievement. Under Title II, Part A of the act, the BIA has received $359,054 to provide Improving Teacher Quality subgrants to aid schools in teacher development and mentoring. In fiscal year 2004, at least 16 schools will receive subgrants of up to $30,000 with funding amounts based on student population.

The Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs has responsibility for fulfilling the department’s trust responsibilities to individual and tribal trust beneficiaries, as well as promoting tribal self-determination, self-governance and economic development for the nation’s 562 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and their 1.8 million members.

The Assistant Secretary also oversees the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the 180-year old agency that provides services to individual American Indians and Alaska Natives from the federally recognized tribes, and the BIA school system. The school system serves approximately 48,000 American Indian children in 184 elementary and secondary day and boarding schools located on or near 63 reservations in 23 states. In school year 2002-2003, the BIA directly operated one-third of these schools and the remaining two-thirds were tribally operated under BIA contracts or grants.

Note to Editors: Lists of funded schools accompany this press release and may be viewed via the Department’s website at www.doi.gov.

NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT OF 2001

TITLE I, PART A, IMPROVING BASIC PROGRAMS

FY 2004 BIA SUBGRANT RECIPIENTS

(WASHINGTON)- Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton today praised President Bush's intention to nominate David Anderson to serve as Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs. The announcement is subject to confirmation by the U.S. Senate, once the official nomination is made by the President.

"David Anderson's innovative leadership and dedication to constant improvement will serve him well as Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs," Norton said. "His inspiring vision, proven management expertise and compassion for Indian issues will help us in our efforts to improve the quality of services we provide to Indian Country."

Anderson, a member of the Chippewa and Choctaw tribes and an enrolled member of the Lac Courte Oreilles Lake Superior Band of Ojibwa, is a nationally-recognized business entrepreneur, expert in revitalizing failing companies, and founder and chairman of Famous Dave's of America, Inc. - one of the nation's fastest growing chains of family restaurants.

Anderson also is known for his dedication to the American Indian community, having donated more than $6 million to Indian advancement programs. In 1999 the Anderson Family established the Youth Skills Foundation with a $1.4 million gift to help disadvantaged American Indian children. Proceeds from Anderson's award-winning BBQ cookbook are donated to the foundation. In 2001, Anderson also founded the Life Skills Center for Leadership, offering life-changing programs for at-risk Indian youth and young adults. .

Television personality Oprah Winfrey was so impressed that her Angel Network awarded a $25,000 grant to the LifeSkills Center in 2002.

During his business career, Anderson founded three publicly traded companies on Wall Street, created more than 18,000 new jobs, and reorganized a number of failing businesses in Indian Country, enabling them to become financially successful operations.

In 1982, Anderson, as chief executive officer for the Lac Courte Oreilles Chippewa tribal enterprises, built a team that successfully turned reservation businesses into profitable and stable operations. Under his leadership, gross revenues increased from $3.9 million to $8 million. This achievement was recognized by President Reagan's Commission on Indian Reservation Economics.

Anderson has been appointed to numerous state and national commissions, including the American Indian Education Foundation (2003); Presidential Advisory Council for Tribal Colleges and Universities (2001); National Task Force on Reservation Gambling (1983); Council on Minority Business Development for the State of Wisconsin (1983); Wisconsin Council on Tourism (1983) and Harvard University's Native American Program.

Having weathered the changing fortunes of an entrepreneurial career, Anderson also uses his life experiences as a public speaker to help others. Sharing his optimism and inspiration with youth groups and community organizations, he has said, "No matter how tough things may seem today, if you hold fast to your dreams and work hard, tomorrow's rewards will always come."

His numerous honors include being named a Bush Leadership Fellow (1985); recognized as Minnesota and Dakota's Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst and Young, NASDAQ, and USA Today; named Restaurateur of the Year by Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine (1998); and chosen an Olympic Torch Carrier of the 2002 Winter Olympics by his community.

Anderson received a master's degree in Public Administration from Harvard University at the John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1986. He lives in Edina, Minnesota, with his wife.

The Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs has responsibility for fulfilling the Department's trust responsibilities and promoting self-determination on behalf of the 562 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments. The Assistant Secretary also oversees the Bureau of Indian Affairs, an agency with 10,500 employees nationwide, which is responsible for providing services to approximately 1 A million individual American Indians and Alaska Natives from the federally recognized tribes.

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WASHINGTON – Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs David W. Anderson today announced he has issued a Notice of Proposed Finding to decline to acknowledge that the Burt Lake Band of Ottawa and Chippewa, Inc. (BLB), from Brutus, Mich., a petitioner under the federal acknowledgment process, exists as an Indian tribe within the meaning of federal law. The proposed finding is based on a determination that the Burt Lake Band of Ottawa and Chippewa, Inc. (“petitioner”) does not meet four of seven mandatory criteria for federal acknowledgment under 25 CFR Part 83, the federal acknowledgment regulations, and therefore does not meet the requirements for a government-to-government relationship with the United States.

The BLB petitioner does not meet criterion 83.7(a), which requires that it have been identified as an American Indian entity on a substantially continuous basis since 1900. The case record contains some identifications prior to 1956 of an Indian settlement at Burt Lake or an Indian entity consisting of descendants of the historical band. The petitioner did not submit required identifications of an Indian entity between 1956 and 1978. A Burt Lake band organization that has become the current petitioner has been identified since 1978. Since 1984 identifications of that Indian entity have identified a group that consists of descendants of the “Cheboygan band” at Burt Lake plus descendants of a John B. Vincent, a ship’s carpenter in the town of Cheboygan, Mich., who was an allottee within the Cheboygan reserve, but left no evidence that he was an Indian of the Cheboygan band.

The petitioner does not meet criterion 83.7(b), which requires that a predominant portion of the petitioning group comprise a distinct community from historical times until the present. The descendants of the Cheboygan band lived in an exclusive Indian village until 1900, and then on Indian Road, near Burt Lake, until at least 1938. However, the Cheboygan band descendants and the Vincent descendants never formed a single social community or even two separate communities that amalgamated. Persons born at that settlement before 1940 are elderly, and it is not known if younger people maintain social ties to each other and to the few residents still living on Indian Road.

The petitioner does not meet criterion 83.7(c), which requires that it has maintained political influence over members as an autonomous entity from historical times until the present. Acknowledgment precedent accepts that political authority was maintained within historical Indian villages, such as one on Burt Lake before 1900. Between 1900 and 1977, sporadic political activity may have involved Burt Lake descendants, but evidence is ambiguous as to whether it shows bilateral political relationships and political authority for a distinct Burt Lake entity. In 1977, the descendants of the Burt Lake band organized. In 1984, a descendant of John Vincent joined and immediately became chairman. He was the first Vincent descendant to ever participate in a political activity of Burt Lake Indians.

The petitioner does not meet criterion 83.7(e), which requires that its members descend from a historical Indian tribe or from tribes that combined and functioned as a single autonomous political entity. Only 46 percent of 490 current members descend from historical individuals identified as a “Burt Lake band” on the 1870 annuity list of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan. This level of descent from the historical tribe – 46 percent − is not sufficient to meet the criterion.

The petitioner, however, does meet criterion 83.7(f), which requires that a petitioning group be composed principally of persons who are not members of any acknowledged North American Indian tribe. Although a total of 50 of the 490 current members of the BLB petitioner are also members of the federally acknowledged Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians or the Sault Ste. Marie Band of Chippewa Indians without having formally relinquished their membership in the petitioner, 90 percent of the group is not enrolled in a federally recognized tribe. The petitioner also has met two other criteria for federal acknowledgment: criterion 83.7(d), by having submitted a copy of its governing document and membership criteria, and criterion 83.7(g), because it has never been the subject of congressional legislation terminating or forbidding the federal relationship.

Furthermore, the proposed finding concludes that the petitioner is not eligible to be evaluated under provisions in the regulations for previously acknowledged entities (section 83.8). This conclusion revises a preliminary determination that the petitioner was previously acknowledged as a tribe as recently as 1917. This change is based on a finding that most of the petitioner’s members do not descend from the previously acknowledged entity, and that the petitioner is not the tribal entity that was previously acknowledged. This finding may result from recent substantial changes in the petitioner’s membership. An evaluation under section 83.7 does not result in a different finding. Whether the petitioner is eligible to be evaluated under section 83.8 of the regulations is subject to reconsideration at the time of the final determination.

The Notice of Proposed Finding on Burt Lake Band of Ottawa and Chippewa, Inc. will be published in the Federal Register. As provided by 25 CFR 83.10(i), the petitioner or any individual or organization wishing to challenge or support the proposed finding shall have 180 days after the notice’s publication date to submit arguments and evidence to rebut or support the proposed finding before any final determination is issued.

The Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs has responsibility for fulfilling the Interior Department’s trust responsibilities and promoting self-determination on behalf of the 562 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments. The Assistant Secretary also oversees the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which is responsible for providing services to approximately 1.8 million individual American Indians and Alaska Natives from the federally recognized tribes, and the Office of Federal Acknowledgment (OFA), which is responsible for administering the federal acknowledgment process.

Note to Editors: The abbreviated version of the Mandatory Criteria for Federal Acknowledgment that accompanies this press release may be viewed via the Department’s website at www.doi.gov.

Special Trustee Ross O. Swimmer today announced four tribal consultation sessions that will be held to discuss issues relating to the participation of the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians (OST) in the Department of the Interior consolidation of all real estate appraisal functions. The consultations will be held on September 24,2003, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and on October 28,2003, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Formal notice of the consultations will be published in the Federal Register later this week.

"These tribal consultations will be critical to resolving issues associated with OST's participation in this consolidation that are unique to real estate appraisals performed on Indian trust lands," stated Swimmer.

On June 19, 2003, Secretary Norton announced that real estate appraisal functions currently performed by various agencies within the Department would be consolidated into a single office. This action is taken in response to concerns about the objectivity and management of the appraisal programs within the Department, and documented in reports issued by the Department's Inspector General, the General Accounting Office and other groups.

Discussions with the Department and OST's participation on the Department's Appraisal Reform Team indicate that it would be beneficial for the OST appraisal program to join this consolidation. However, issues specific to the appraisal of Indian trust assets require special consideration.

"I am looking forward to a productive discussion with tribal leaders on the potential benefits to the Indian trust asset appraisal program that can result from this consolidation, including additional resources to address the appraisal backlog in Indian country, and an increased level of beneficiary confidence in asset valuations," Swimmer remarked. "Some important issues, including the future process for contracting and compacting the appraisal function, need to be discussed with the tribes. These meetings are the perfect opportunity for a thorough discussion of these issues."

The OST Office of Appraisal Services was created after the appraisal program was transferred from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to OST in June 2002. The Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians is responsible for the oversight and coordination of the Department's efforts to reform its practices relating to the management and discharge of the Secretary's Indian trust responsibilities.

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WASHINGTON – Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs David W. Anderson and Office of Indian Education Programs Director Edward F. Parisian are traveling this week to North and South Dakota as part of their continuing tour of Bureau of Indian Affairs funded schools. Starting today, Anderson and Parisian will be attending an honor roll banquet at the Turtle Mountain High School in Belcourt, N.D., where the assistant secretary will stress the importance of encouraging and inspiring all BIA students to grow through learning.

“Every child should have the opportunity to reach their potential,” Anderson said. “Our schools must help students climb the academic ladder, regardless of which rung they’re on, and prepare them to become contributing members of their families and tribes.”

In addition to their appearance at Turtle Mountain High School, the assistant secretary and OIEP director will spend several hours this week meeting with students, parents, faculty and staff at schools on the Pine Ridge Reservation, Cheyenne River Reservation and Lower Brule Reservation in South Dakota.

“BIA schools are vital centers of learning for the communities they serve,” Parisian said. “Our mission to bring accountability and high standards into every classroom has never been more urgently needed to help students realize their maximum learning potential.”

DAY ONE: Monday, April 5, 2004

Location: Turtle Mountain High School, a BIA-funded, tribally-operated grant day school for grades 9-12 in Belcourt, N.D. Student population: 530 (school year 2003-2004).

Activities: Attend honor roll banquet and meet with students, parents, faculty and staff.

DAY TWO: Tuesday, April 6, 2004

Location: Pine Ridge School, a BIA-operated on-reservation boarding school for grades K-12 in Pine Ridge, S.D. Student population: 1,063 (school year 2003-2004).

Activities: Meet with students, parents, faculty and staff and visit local Boys and Girls Club.

DAY THREE: Wednesday, April 7, 2004

Location: Cheyenne-Eagle Butte School, a BIA-operated cooperative boarding school for grades K-12 in Eagle Butte, S.D. Student population: 906 (school year 2003-2004).

Activities: Speak at assembly, tour school and meet with students, parents, faculty and staff.

DAY FOUR: Thursday, April 8, 2004

Location: Lower Brule Day School, a BIA-funded, tribally-operated grant day school for grades K-12 in Lower Brule, S.D. Student population: 293 (school year 2003-2004).

Activities: Speak at assembly, tour school and meet with students, parents, faculty and staff.

The Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs oversees the BIA, the 180-year old agency that provides services to individual American Indians and Alaska Natives from the federally recognized tribes, and the BIA school system. The school system serves approximately 48,000 American Indian children in 184 elementary and secondary day and boarding schools located on or near 63 reservations in 23 states. The BIA directly operates one-third of these schools and the remaining two-thirds are tribally operated under BIA contracts or grants.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Aurene M. Martin today announced that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) will be holding a series of tribal consultation meetings on the realignment of the BIA’s 12 regional offices. The realignment is a result of the reorganization currently taking place within the Office of the Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs, the BIA and the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians. The meetings will take place on September 24-25 at the Hilton Garden Inn – Tulsa Airport in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and on October 27-30 at the MGM Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“With these consultation meetings, I intend to fulfill a commitment made to tribal leaders to consult with them prior to finalizing the regional level reorganization,” Martin said. “This is an opportunity for tribes to help us design a regional office structure that meets their needs.”

The schedule for the consultation meetings will be as follows:

• September 24, 2003 (Tulsa): Southern Plains Region, Eastern Oklahoma Region

• September 25, 2003 (Tulsa): Midwest Region, Eastern Region

• October 27, 2003 (Las Vegas): Great Plains Region, Rocky Mountain Region

• October 28, 2003 (Las Vegas): Southwest Region, Navajo Region

• October 29, 2003 (Las Vegas): Pacific Region, Northwest Region

• October 30, 2003 (Las Vegas): Western Region, Alaska Region

In June 2003, the Department held 18 informational sessions throughout the country to brief employees, Indian tribes and interested parties on the status and structure of the reorganization. The upcoming consultation meetings will provide an opportunity for tribes and interested parties to provide oral and written comments regarding the organizational structure of the BIA’s 12 regional offices for consideration by the Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs.

The Department will publish this week a notice in the Federal Register with dates and locations of the meetings. Comments will be due two weeks following the consultation for each region.

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WASHINGTON – Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs David W. Anderson will speak on April 20, 2004 at the Baca/Dlo’ay azhi Community School, a Bureau of Indian Affairs operated day school located in Prewitt, N.M., on the Navajo Nation reservation, at a ceremony celebrating the school’s designation as both the first Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEEDTM) building in the state and the first BIA school to be a “green” certified building. The certification was issued by the U.S. Green Building Council, a coalition of building industry leaders that promotes environmentally responsible design, construction and maintenance for private, public and commercial buildings.

Anderson will be joined by Lt. Col. Dana Hurst, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Albuquerque District and USGBC Chairman John Harzfeld, as well as students and school officials, and representatives from the Navajo Nation. Also represented at the event will be local firms who collaborated with Army Corps of Engineers and the BIA’s Office of Facilities Management and Construction on the project: Dyron Murphy Architects PC, Bradbury Stamm Construction Inc., Environmental Dynamics Inc. and Southwest Commissioning Services LLC.

The Baca/Dlo’ay azhi Community School serves 419 students in grades K-6 from the Prewitt, Haystack and Thoreau communities on the Navajo Nation reservation. It is one of 184 BIA funded elementary and secondary day and boarding schools located on or near 63 reservations in 23 states serving approximately 48,000 students.

WHO: David W. Anderson, Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior

WHAT: Anderson will speak at a ceremony to celebrate the designation of the Baca/Dlo’ay azhi Community School, located in the town of Prewitt on the Navajo Nation Reservation in northwestern New Mexico, as both the first U.S. Green Building Council LEED^TM certified building in the state and in the BIA school system.

WHEN: Tuesday, April 20, 2004 starting at 11:15 a.m. (all times are local time)

The following events are open to press:

11:15 a.m.: Tour school and visit classrooms

12:15 p.m.: Lunch with students (Location: Cafeteria)

1:00 p.m.: Presentation of LEED^TM Certification (Location: Gymnasium) Performance by Baca/Dlo’ay azhi School Indian Club student members

Speakers will include (in order of presentation):

• Jacque Mangham, Master of Ceremonies and Principal, Baca/Dlo’ay azhi Community School
• Lt. Col. Dana Hurst, Commander, Albuquerque District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• John Harzfeld, Chair, U.S. Green Building Council
• David W. Anderson, Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior

2:00 p.m.: Tree planting (Location: Schoolyard)

WHERE: Baca/Dlo’ay azhi Community School

Directions from Albuquerque, N.M., or Gallup, N.M.:

• Take Exit 63 North off of I-40 (exit is 11 miles East of Thoreau and 19 miles West of Grants, N.M.).
• When exiting, go North to Hwy. 66 (approximately one-quarter mile).
• School will be on the left (school is adjacent to I-40).

CREDENTIALS: Press registration and lunch will be provided. Please bring your sanctioned media credentials and if possible, wear on your shirt collar or around your neck for easy viewing. This will assist our staff. Press seating will be provided.

WASHINGTON – Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Aurene M. Martin today announced that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has been awarded a Reading First grant by the U.S. Department of Education totaling $27 million over the next six years. Office of Indian Education Programs Director Edward Parisian officially received the award today from Education Department officials at the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians 50th annual conference in Pendleton, Oregon.

“I am very pleased that the BIA has been awarded a Reading First grant,” Martin said. “This funding will allow BIA schools to help students establish a foundation of reading for a lifetime of learning.”

The Reading First program was established under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 as a new, high quality evidence-based program to enable all students to become successful early readers. Under the program’s guidelines, states must compete to receive a six-year grant that will, in turn, fund competitively awarded sub grants to local school districts. The BIA applied as a state education agency. BIA-funded schools may submit applications via a competitive grant process to OIEP’s Center for School Improvement in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

For the next six years, the BIA will receive $4.5 million per year to fund 16 to 20 BIA-funded schools. Eligible schools will receive funding for three years with another round of schools applying through the same competitive process for another three years. The size of each grant will be approximately $180,000 per year. The grant is to raise reading achievement in grades K3 through professional development of staff using scientifically researched-based reading programs

“Improving our students’ reading ability is one of our highest priorities,” Parisian said. “This Reading First grant will enable us to help BIA schools raise their students’ reading levels. I commend our Center for School Improvement staff for their hard work in producing a winning application.”

There are 185 BIA-funded elementary and secondary day and boarding schools serving approximately 48,000 Indian students living on or near 63 reservations in 23 states. In School Year 2001-2002, the BIA directly operated one-third of its schools with the remaining two-thirds tribally-operated under BIA contracts or grants. The BIA also directly operates two postsecondary institutions of higher learning and provides funding to 25 tribally-controlled colleges and universities. In addition, the BIA offers financial assistance grants to Indian undergraduate and graduate students through, respectively, tribal scholarship programs and the American Indian Graduate Center (AIGC) in Albuquerque, N.M.

The Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs has responsibility for fulfilling the Department’s trust responsibilities to individual and tribal trust beneficiaries, as well as promoting the self-determination and economic well-being of the nation’s 562 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes. The Assistant Secretary also oversees the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which is responsible for providing education and social services to approximately 1.4 million individual American Indians and Alaska Natives from the federally recognized tribes.

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