Title 25IndiansRelease 119-73not60

§2011 Policy for Indian Control of Indian Education

Title 25 › Chapter 22— BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS PROGRAMS › § 2011

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The United States, through the Secretary, must help tribes run and control education for their people. All actions under this law must include active, government-to-government work with tribes to make sure tribal members get a good education. "Consultation" means talking openly and thinking together about all choices between the Bureau and anyone interested. Tribes and school officials must be allowed to raise issues, offer options, and have their views followed unless the Secretary has a strong reason not to. If a decision goes against those views, the Secretary must give any Member of Congress a written explanation within 18 days of a written request.

Full Legal Text

Title 25, §2011

Indians — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)It shall be the policy of the United States acting through the Secretary, in carrying out the functions of the Bureau, to facilitate Indian control of Indian affairs in all matters relating to education.
(b)(1)All actions under this Act shall be done with active consultation with tribes. The United States acting through the Secretary and tribes shall work in a government-to-government relationship to ensure quality education for all tribal members.
(2)(A)In this subsection, the term “consultation” means a process involving the open discussion and joint deliberation of all options with respect to potential issues or changes between the Bureau and all interested parties.
(B)During discussions and joint deliberations, interested parties (including tribes and school officials) shall be given an opportunity—
(i)to present issues (including proposals regarding changes in current practices or programs) that will be considered for future action by the Secretary; and
(ii)to participate and discuss the options presented, or to present alternatives, with the views and concerns of the interested parties given effect unless the Secretary determines, from information available from or presented by the interested parties during one or more of the discussions and deliberations, that there is a substantial reason for another course of action.
(C)The Secretary shall submit to any Member of Congress, within 18 days of the receipt of a written request by such Member, a written explanation of any decision made by the Secretary which is not consistent with the views of the interested parties described in subparagraph (B).

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), means Pub. L. 95–561, Nov. 1, 1978, 92 Stat. 2143, known as the Education

Amendments

of 1978. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

of 1978 Amendment note set out under section 6301 of Title 20, Education, and Tables.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 2011, Pub. L. 95–561, title XI, § 1131, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title III, § 381, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 4001, related to policy for Indian control of Indian education, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 107–110. Another prior section 2011, Pub. L. 95–561, title XI, § 1131, Nov. 1, 1978, 92 Stat. 2322; 1978 Reorg. Plan No. 2, § 102, eff. Jan. 1, 1979, 43 F.R. 36037, 92 Stat. 3783; Pub. L. 98–511, title V, § 507(b), Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2396; Pub. L. 100–297, title V, §§ 5112(a), (b)(1), 5114, 5115, Apr. 28, 1988, 102 Stat. 377, 378, 380; Pub. L. 100–427, § 9(a)–(c), Sept. 9, 1988, 102 Stat. 1606, related to education personnel, 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.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

25 U.S.C. § 2011

Title 25Indians

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60