§293a Conveyance of School Properties to Local School Districts or Public Agencies

Summary

The Secretary of the Interior (or a person they authorize) may transfer to state or local governments or to local school authorities the United States’ rights in land, buildings, and equipment that were used for Federal Indian schools and are no longer needed. Before giving land the United States holds in trust for an individual Indian or an Indian tribe, the Secretary must get that beneficiary’s consent. No more than 50 acres may be transferred for any one school. The transfer keeps the government’s mineral rights and must require the land be used for school or other public purposes and be open to Indians and non‑Indians on the same terms unless the Secretary agrees otherwise. If the new owner fails to follow the transfer terms for at least one year, the Secretary can cancel the transfer and the title goes back to the United States; the Secretary’s decision is final. If the Secretary does not act, the former beneficial owner (an individual Indian or an Indian tribe) may ask the U.S. District Court to cancel the transfer and return the land to the United States in the same trust status it had before.