Indigenous Students Excel through Parity Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]
Introduced
Summary
The Indigenous Students Excel through Parity Act of 2026 would create a statutory framework to study and reform funding and staffing to achieve funding and staffing parity between Bureau-funded and tribally controlled schools and other public schools.
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- Would direct a comprehensive review and update of the Indian School Equalization Formula (ISEF) within 1 year to identify funding needed so students in Bureau-funded schools receive a high-quality education.
- Would require the study to identify resources needed to recruit and retain teachers, administrators, and staff by funding competitive salaries and benefits, using the higher of state public-school pay or the Department of Defense overseas teacher rate as a benchmark.
- Would require the Secretary, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, and the Bureau of Indian Education Director to report adequacy findings and recommendations to Congress and Indian Tribes, and to run a separate 1-year study to identify potential revenue sources. The updated ISEF must consider special weights for tribally controlled, small, and rural schools and must award Havasupai Elementary School an additional 12.5 Weighted Student Unit (WSU).
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Pay parity for Bureau schools
If enacted, this bill would require the Bureau of Indian Education to update its Indian School Equalization Formula within 1 year. The updated formula would have to fund teacher, principal, and all school staff pay at a rate equal to the higher of: the top state salaries (highest quartile or state average) for comparable public school staff, or the Department of Defense overseas teacher pay rate (under 20 U.S.C. 901 et seq.). The formula would also have to add extra funding weights for tribally controlled schools, schools with fewer than 100 students, and rural schools. Havasupai Elementary School would receive an additional 12.5 Weighted Student Units under the updated formula.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]
NM • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Lummis, Cynthia M. [R-WY]
WY • R
Sponsored 6/23/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov