§7422 Grants to Local Educational Agencies and Tribes

Summary

The Secretary can give grants from this program to local school districts (called local educational agencies), Indian tribes, Indian organizations, groups of two or more of these entities, or Indian community-based organizations. A consortium can apply if each participating district promises the Indian students will get the program services and follows the same rules as other districts. A local school district can get a grant if, in the previous year, it had at least 10 eligible Indian children enrolled or Indian students made up at least 25% of its enrollment. A district may team up with a tribe if that tribe represents at least 25% of the eligible Indian children and asks to join. The 10-or-25% rule does not apply in Alaska, California, Oklahoma, or for districts on or near reservations. If an eligible district does not set up the required grant committee, a tribe or Indian organization that represents more than half of that district’s eligible Indian children may apply instead. Such tribes or organizations are treated like a district for most rules but are exempt from a few specific requirements. They must promise to use the funds to serve all Indian students served by the district. If no district, tribe, or organization applies, an Indian community-based organization serving that community may apply and is treated the same way. An Indian community-based organization is mainly made up of Indian parents, family and community members or tribal education officials, helps social, cultural, and educational development, meets students’ cultural and language needs, and can manage the grant.