20 U.S.C. § 7427: Student eligibility forms

§7427 Student Eligibility Forms

Title 20 › CHAPTER 70 — STRENGTHENING AND IMPROVEMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS › SUBCHAPTER VI — INDIAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN, AND ALASKA NATIVE EDUCATION › Part A — Indian Education › subpart 1 — formula grants to local educational agencies › § 7427

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Require each school district that applies for a grant to keep a file for every Indian child it serves. Each file must have a form that shows the child is eligible for help. The school must protect each child’s personal data and only send the Secretary of Education summary (group) numbers. The form must show either the tribe’s name and, if available, an enrollment number plus the group that keeps the tribe’s membership records, or the same info for a parent or grandparent if the child is not a member. The form must also say if the tribe is federally recognized, give the parent or guardian’s name and address, include the parent or guardian’s signature, and any other information the Secretary needs. An enrollment number is not required; other proof of membership is allowed. Once a child is found eligible, the school keeps that record and does not need to redo it for later grants. Forms already on file as of December 10, 2015 stay valid. Each year the Secretary will review a sample of grantees, taking size and location into account. Schools won’t be penalized for audits tied to forms used before April 28, 1988. If a school gives false information, it loses the right to apply and must repay unspent grant money. A student who gives false information cannot be counted for grant funding. Tribal schools with Bureau of Indian Education contracts may choose either the Bureau’s certified student count or the count based on these forms. To count students for a grant, a school must pick a date or a period no longer than 31 days (before the Secretary’s application deadline) and confirm each child was enrolled and getting a free public education on that date or during that period.

Title 20, §7427

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(a)In general

The Secretary shall require that, as part of an application for a grant under this subpart, each applicant shall maintain a file, with respect to each Indian child for whom the local educational agency provides a free public education, that contains a form that sets forth information establishing the status of the child as an Indian child eligible for assistance under this subpart, and that otherwise meets the requirements of subsection (b). All individual data collected shall be protected by the local educational agencies and only aggregated data shall be reported to the Secretary.

(b)Forms

The form described in subsection (a) shall include—

(1)either—

(A)(i)the name of the tribe or band of Indians (as defined in section 7491 of this title) with respect to which the child claims membership;

(ii)the enrollment number establishing the membership of the child (if readily available); and

(iii)the name and address of the organization that maintains updated and accurate membership data for such tribe or band of Indians; or

(B)the name, the enrollment number (if readily available), and the name and address of the organization responsible for maintaining updated and accurate membership data, of any parent or grandparent of the child from whom the child claims eligibility under this subpart, if the child is not a member of the tribe or band of Indians (as so defined);

(2)a statement of whether the tribe or band of Indians (as so defined), with respect to which the child, or parent or grandparent of the child, claims membership, is federally recognized;

(3)the name and address of the parent or legal guardian of the child;

(4)a signature of the parent or legal guardian of the child that verifies the accuracy of the information supplied; and

(5)any other information that the Secretary considers necessary to provide an accurate program profile.

(c)Statutory construction

Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect a definition contained in section 7491 of this title.

(d)Documentation and types of proof (e) Monitoring and evaluation review

(1)Types of proof (2) No new or duplicative determinations

For purposes of determining whether a child is eligible to be counted for the purpose of computing the amount of a grant award under section 7423 of this title, the membership of the child, or any parent or grandparent of the child, in a tribe or band of Indians (as so defined) may be established by proof other than an enrollment number, notwithstanding the availability of an enrollment number for a member of such tribe or band. Nothing in subsection (b) shall be construed to require the furnishing of an enrollment number.

(3)Previously filed forms

An Indian student eligibility form that was on file as required by this section on the day before December 10, 2015, and that met the requirements of this section, as this section was in effect on the day before December 10, 2015, shall remain valid for such Indian student.

(f)Tribal grant and contract schools

Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, in calculating the amount of a grant under this subpart to a tribal school that receives a grant or contract from the Bureau of Indian Education, the Secretary shall use only one of the following, as selected by the school:

(1)A count of the number of students in the schools certified by the Bureau.

(2)A count of the number of students for whom the school has eligibility forms that comply with this section.

(g)Timing of child counts

For purposes of determining the number of children to be counted in calculating the amount of a local educational agency’s grant under this subpart (other than in the case described in subsection (f)(1)), the local educational agency shall—

(1)establish a date on, or a period not longer than 31 consecutive days during, which the agency counts those children, if that date or period occurs before the deadline established by the Secretary for submitting an application under section 7424 of this title; and

(2)determine that each such child was enrolled, and receiving a free public education, in a school of the agency on that date or during that period, as the case may be.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Indian Elementary and Secondary School Assistance Act, referred to in subsec. (e)(1)(B), is title III of act Sept. 30, 1950, ch. 1124, as added by Pub. L. 92–318, title IV, § 411(a), June 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 335, which was classified generally to subchapter III (§ 241aa et seq.) of chapter 13 of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 100–297, title V, § 5352(1), Apr. 28, 1988, 102 Stat. 414.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 7427, Pub. L. 89–10, title VII, § 7117, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title I, § 101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3727, related to intensified instruction for limited English proficient students, prior to the general amendment of former subchapter VII of this chapter by Pub. L. 107–110.

Amendments

2015—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114–95, § 6002(i)(1), inserted at end “All individual data collected shall be protected by the local educational agencies and only aggregated data shall be reported to the Secretary.” Subsec. (b)(1)(A)(i). Pub. L. 114–95, § 6001(b)(7)(A), made technical amendment to reference in original act which appears in text as reference to section 7491 of this title. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 114–95, § 6001(b)(7)(B), made technical amendment to reference in original act which appears in text as reference to section 7491 of this title. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 114–95, § 6002(i)(4), added subsec. (d) and struck out former subsec. (d). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “For purposes of determining whether a child is eligible to be counted for the purpose of computing the amount of a grant award under section 7423 of this title, the membership of the child, or any parent or grandparent of the child, in a tribe or band of Indians (as so defined) may be established by proof other than an enrollment number, notwithstanding the availability of an enrollment number for a member of such tribe or band. Nothing in subsection (b) of this section shall be construed to require the furnishing of an enrollment number.” Pub. L. 114–95, § 6002(i)(2), (3), redesignated subsec. (e) as (d) and struck out former subsec. (d) which related to forms and standards of proof. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 114–95, § 6002(i)(3), redesignated subsec. (f) as (e). Former subsec. (e) redesignated (d). Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 114–95, § 6002(i)(5), which directed substitution of “Bureau of Indian Education” for “Bureau of Indian Affairs” in subsec. (f) as redesignated by section 6002(i)(4) of Pub. L. 114–95, was executed by making the substitution in introductory provisions of subsec. (f) as redesignated by section 6002(i)(3) of Pub. L. 114–95, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Pub. L. 114–95, § 6002(i)(3), redesignated subsec. (g) as (f). Former subsec. (f) redesignated (e). Subsec. (f)(3). Pub. L. 114–95, § 6001(b)(7)(C), made technical amendment to reference in original act which appears in text as reference to section 7423 of this title. Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 114–95, § 6002(i)(6), which directed substitution of “subsection (f)(1)” for “subsection (g)(1)” in subsec. (g) as redesignated by section 6002(i)(4) of Pub. L. 114–95, was executed by making the substitution in introductory provisions of subsec. (g) as redesignated by section 6002(i)(3) of Pub. L. 114–95, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Pub. L. 114–95, § 6002(i)(3), redesignated subsec. (h) as (g). Former subsec. (g) redesignated (f). Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 114–95, § 6002(i)(3), redesignated subsec. (h) as (g). Subsec. (h)(1). Pub. L. 114–95, § 6001(b)(7)(D), made technical amendment to reference in original act which appears in text as reference to section 7424 of this title.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2015 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 114–95 effective Dec. 10, 2015, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see section 5 of Pub. L. 114–95, set out as a note under section 6301 of this title.