PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

Sets rules for the geographic attendance areas of Bureau-funded schools. The Secretary must create separate attendance zones by regulation. If more than one Bureau school is on a reservation, the tribal governing body can have the school boards agree on boundaries, and the Secretary must accept those boundaries. On or after July 1, 2001, no attendance area can be changed or created without giving the tribal governing body or its chosen local school board at least 6 months notice and a chance to suggest different boundaries. A tribe may ask the Secretary to revise boundaries. The Secretary must accept those revisions unless, after talking with the tribe, the Secretary finds they do not meet students’ needs or program stability. Accepted changes are published in the Federal Register. A tribe can also pass a resolution letting parents choose a Bureau school regardless of boundaries. The Secretary cannot cut funding for a Bureau school just because an eligible Indian student lives outside its area. But money to transport a student to or from a place outside the approved area needs tribal approval. If only one Bureau program is on a reservation, its attendance area is the reservation boundaries as the tribe accepts, and nearby residents also get services. Off-reservation dormitory schools must include students who need special emphasis programs, and attendance must be coordinated with education officers, families, and the sending and receiving programs.

Title 25, §2004

Indians, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Establishment by Secretary

The Secretary shall establish, by regulation, separate geographical attendance areas for each Bureau-funded school.

(b)Establishment by tribal body

In any case where there is more than one Bureau-funded school located on an Indian reservation, at the direction of the tribal governing body, the relevant school boards of the Bureau-funded schools on the reservation may, by mutual consent, establish the relevant attendance areas for such schools, subject to the approval of the tribal governing body. Any such boundaries so established shall be accepted by the Secretary.

(c)Boundary revisions

(1)Notice

On or after July 1, 2001, no geographical attendance area shall be revised or established with respect to any Bureau-funded school unless the tribal governing body or the local school board concerned (if so designated by the tribal governing body) has been afforded—

(A)at least 6 months notice of the intention of the Bureau to revise or establish such attendance area; and

(B)the opportunity to propose alternative boundaries.

(2)Revision process

Any tribe may petition the Secretary for revision of existing attendance area boundaries. The Secretary shall accept such proposed alternative or revised boundaries unless the Secretary finds, after consultation with the affected tribe or tribes, that such revised boundaries do not reflect the needs of the Indian students to be served or do not provide adequate stability to all of the affected programs. The Secretary shall cause such revisions to be published in the Federal Register.

(3)Tribal resolution determination

Nothing in this section shall deny a tribal governing body the authority, on a continuing basis, to adopt a tribal resolution allowing parents the choice of the Bureau-funded school their children may attend, regardless of the attendance boundaries established under this section.

(d)Funding restrictions

(1)In general

The Secretary shall not deny funding to a Bureau-funded school for any eligible Indian student attending the school solely because that student’s home or domicile is outside of the geographical attendance area established for that school under this section.

(2)Transportation

No funding shall be made available without tribal authorization to enable a school to provide transportation for any student to or from the school and a location outside the approved attendance area of the school.

(e)Reservation as boundary

When there is only one Bureau-funded program located on an Indian reservation—

(1)the attendance area for the program shall be the boundaries (established by treaty, agreement, legislation, court decisions, or executive decisions and as accepted by the tribe) of the reservation served; and

(2)those students residing near the reservation shall also receive services from such program.

(f)Off-reservation home-living (dormitory) schools

(1)In general

Notwithstanding any geographical attendance areas, attendance at off-reservation home-living (dormitory) schools shall include students requiring special emphasis programs to be implemented at each off-reservation home-living (dormitory) school.

(2)Coordination

Such attendance shall be coordinated between education line officers, the family, and the referring and receiving programs.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 2004, Pub. L. 95–561, title XI, § 1124, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title III, § 381, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3986, related to school boundaries, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 107–110. Another prior section 2004, Pub. L. 95–561, title XI, § 1124, Nov. 1, 1978, 92 Stat. 2319; Pub. L. 98–511, title V, § 503, Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2393; Pub. L. 99–89, § 3, Aug. 15, 1985, 99 Stat. 380; Pub. L. 100–297, title V, § 5120, Apr. 28, 1988, 102 Stat. 384, related to school boundaries, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 103–382.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 8, 2002, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see section 5 of Pub. L. 107–110, set out as a note under section 6301 of Title 20, Education.

§2004 School Boundaries