Rep. Stansbury and Rep. Guest Introduce Legislation to Boost Tribal Schools and Teacher Pay

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representatives Melanie Stansbury (D-NM-01) and Michael Guest (R-MS-03) introduced the Indigenous Students Excel through Parity Act, bipartisan legislation that directs the Secretary of the Interior to recommend updates to the Indian School Equalization Formula, which governs funding for Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) funded schools. This includes funding for 183 schools across 64 tribal communities in 23 states that serve nearly 47,000 students through BIE-operated and Tribally controlled schools.

For years, BIE-funded schools have been severely underfunded by the federal government, from operational funding to construction and maintenance of schools. This has left schools without adequate funding to meet student needs and left teachers and educators without parity in teacher salaries compared to other school systems. The Indigenous Students Excel through Parity Act works to address this issue by reexamining the formula funds that fund these schools and discovering ways to ensure teachers and staff have competitive salaries, small and rural Tribal schools have adequate funding, and new revenue sources are identified to bring BIE-funded schools into parity with other school systems.

"Every student deserves the opportunity to thrive, and every teacher deserves to be paid what they're worth. This bill is to ensure Bureau of Indian Education and Tribally controlled schools have the resources they need to succeed," said Rep. Stansbury. "I'm proud to introduce the bipartisan Indigenous Students Excel through Parity Act, legislation to advance BIE funding, support Native students and teachers, and create new educational opportunities. Working with our Tribal nations and schools, we are fighting every day to ensure our schools have the resources they need!"

"I am honored to co-lead the ISEP Act with Congresswoman Stansbury," said Rep. Guest. "Our students deserve access to a quality education. Schools funded through the Bureau of Indian Education often face unique funding, staffing, and rural challenges that can make it difficult to recruit and retain qualified educators. This bipartisan bill will help identify those disparities and provide Congress with the information needed to improve educational opportunities for our Native American students."

Key provisions of the legislation include:

• A Formula Study: Within one year of enactment, the Secretary of the Interior, in coordination with the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs and the Director of the BIE, will evaluate updates to the Indian School Equalization Formula, including alternative methods for equitable distribution of funds.
• A Competitive Compensation Benchmark: The study will evaluate a compensation standard equal to the higher of either the highest quartile or average state-by-state salaries for non-Bureau public school staff, or the rate of basic compensation for Department of Defense overseas teaching positions. \
• Consideration for Small and Rural Schools: The study will weigh factors specific to tribally controlled schools, schools with fewer than 100 students, and schools located in rural areas.
• A Report to Congress: The Secretary will submit a report to Congress and make it publicly available to Indian Tribes describing the adequacy of the current formula and program, along with recommendations for improvement.
• A Revenue Source Study: Within one year of enactment, the Secretary will also conduct a separate study to identify potential revenue sources to help bring Bureau-funded schools into parity with other school systems.

The bill is endorsed by key Tribal organizations including the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) and the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI).

Companion legislation was introduced in the United States Senate by Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY).

You can read the full text of the bill here.

Additionally, Rep. Melanie Stansbury also introduced the Indigenous Students Excel through Parity Act (II), which would enact changes in formula funding studied in the bipartisan Indigenous Students Excel through Parity Act described above.

This bill actualizes the Secretary of the Interior's recommended updates to the Indian School Equalization Formula, requiring the Interior Department to update the Indian School Equalization Formula within one year of the bill's enactment. Additionally, this bill would ensure that Tribally controlled, small, and rural schools have access to more equitable funding by bringing BIE teacher salaries in line with top-quartile state pay. The bill also requires the President to request full funding for this program every single year in his annual budget request, protecting Tribal funding.

The full text of the Indigenous Students Excel through Parity Act (II) can be found here.

Rep. Stansbury held a virtual press call on these two bills. Watch it here.

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