Letters | Native education at risk

Native education at risk

Editor,

For quite some time, I have worked extensively with schools serving Indian students across the U.S., focusing on their education.

Throughout this period, the linguistic and cultural landscape of tribal communities has diversified amid resource scarcity. Additionally, this landscape has become more political and, lately, less thoughtful, with federal policies significantly affecting the availability of programs, their funding, and the allocation of support.

President Trump’s plan to dissolve the U.S. Department of Education, without the statutory consultation required by law, and transfer Indian education programs to the U.S. Department of the Interior and other agencies, signifies a significant shift in how his administration views its responsibilities toward the historic Treaties between tribes and the U.S. government.

Some programs on the list for transfer mainly support elementary, high school, and post-secondary students and institutions within tribal communities. Additionally, other education initiatives are expected to be transferred to the Departments of Health and Human Services and the State. You can see details at niea.org/native-ed-transfers

Despite shifts in federal priorities, the Office of Indian Education remained an essential support for Native education. It funded teacher training, professional development and various school-improvement grants, while also coordinating with other U.S. Department of Education programs necessary to serve Indian students. Most importantly, it acted as a voice within the federal government, ensuring the educational rights of Native Americans were safeguarded.

The voice has now fallen silent. Recently, the Department of Education announced a 50% Reduction in Force, including the Office of Indian Education. Shortly afterward, the office was reduced to only three staff members. Funds for summer programs, professional development and technical assistance were frozen. Although the U.S. Department of Education has not been completely abolished, Congress, not the executive branch, has the sole authority to do so. However, the Trump Administration has taken steps to effectively dismantle it through executive actions, such as transferring many programs to other agencies and withholding funds. It has done this without conducting tribal consultations, even though the law clearly requires consultation with tribes before taking action.

The reasoning was that states and local districts are better equipped to meet the needs of Indian students without imposing unnecessary administrative burdens. This has resulted in a reduction of federal responsibilities, thereby weakening the trust and legal commitments made to tribal nations. Meanwhile, state governments have neither increased their capacity nor provided additional funding for Indian education, and funds for Tribal Departments of Education have not gone up.

Federal cuts rarely distribute harm evenly. Indian-serving schools are especially vulnerable because their budgets depend heavily on federal funds, which constitute only a small part of overall education funding. For instance, when local revenue is insufficient, Indian-serving schools rely on federal and state aid to fill the gap. Removing federal support for K-12 schools and tribal colleges and universities means these institutions – serving the most vulnerable students, the very communities with the fewest local resources – will face the greatest impact.

The loss of Indian education funding affects nearly every aspect of Native education in reservation communities. Many schools, whether public or BIE-funded, rely on this funding to support Indian teachers, conduct language assessments, purchase instructional technology, and pay home liaisons. In small or remote schools, a single Indian teacher may fill multiple roles – often as a social worker, counselor, nurse, and even a parent – sometimes traveling long distances to reach the school and parents’ homes. These roles could be eliminated.

Equally damaging is the loss of grants and services to fund teacher and administrator professional development. These training initiatives were crucial for attracting and retaining educators in remote, hard-to-staff schools, helping build local expertise and providing essential role models. Cuts to professional development and research funds through the Office of Indian Education and the School Improvement units further weaken the infrastructure that once supported Indian educators in serving their students effectively.

Without oversight, accountability, or dedicated funding, schools serving Native Americans risk becoming a patchwork of makeshift programs and inconsistent practices. No single law fully protects Native American education, as a complex system of laws and treaties governs this area. Still, a mix of federal regulations, executive orders, and the U.S. government’s trust responsibility forms the legal foundation. The protections from these landmark cases, which require schools to provide appropriate education services for Indian students, remain only on paper. And enforcement now remains uncertain.

The recent cuts to the Office of Indian Education and associated federal Indian Education programs, while causing a crisis, should prompt quick, decisive action instead of inaction. Tribal leaders, state education officials, school administrators, and advocates can take strategic steps to sustain services and defend students’ rights at both the state and local tribal levels.

Our tribal government and education leaders must carefully assess the impacts of these cuts, including how many Indian students are affected, lost staff positions, and reduced programs. Combining this data with personal stories of human impacts – such as students losing access to language instruction, teachers handling unmanageable caseloads, the lack of safe school buildings, or a shortage of critical school personnel – can provide clear, community-based evidence that resonates with the White House, Congress, state legislators, and voters.

Joseph Martin
Flagstaff, Ariz.

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