25 CFR 32.3--4 Mission Statement & Policies

Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior

§ 32.4

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§ 32.3 Mission statement.
Recognizing the special rights of Indian Tribes and Alaska Native entities
and the unique government-to-government relationship of Indian Tribes and
Alaska Native villages with the Federal Government as affirmed by the
United States Constitution, U.S. Supreme Court decisions, treaties, Federal statutes, and Executive Orders,
and as set out in the Congressional declaration in sections 2 and 3 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education
Assistance Act (Pub. L. 93–638; 88 Stat.
2203; 25 U.S.C. 450 and 450a), it is the responsibility and goal of the Federal
government to provide comprehensive
education programs and services for Indians and Alaska Natives. As acknowledged in section 5 of the Indian Child
Welfare Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95–608; 92
Stat. 3069; 25 U.S.C. 1901), in the Federal Government’s protection and preservation of Indian Tribes and Alaska
Native villages and their resources,
there is no resource more vital to such
Tribes and villages than their young
people and the Federal Government has
a direct interest, as trustee, in protecting Indian and Alaska Native children, including their education. The
mission of the Bureau of Indian Affairs,
Office of Indian Education Programs, is
to provide quality education opportunities from early childhood through life
in accordance with the Tribes’ needs
for cultural and economic well-being in
keeping with the wide diversity of Indian Tribes and Alaska Native villages
as distinct cultural and governmental
entities. The Bureau shall manifest
consideration of the whole person, taking into account the spiritual, mental,
physical and cultural aspects of the
person within family and Tribal or
Alaska Native village contexts.
§ 32.4 Policies.
In carrying out its Education mission, the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs through the Director shall:
(a) Policy making. (1) Assure that no
new policy shall be established nor any
existing policy changed or modified
without consultation with affected
Tribes and Alaska Native Government
entities.
(2) Be guided in policy formulation
and funding priorities, including the

proposing and awarding of contracts
and grants, by periodic and systematic
consultation with governing bodies of
Tribes and Alaska Native entities.
(3) Ensure that Indian Tribes and
Alaska Native entities fully exercise
self-determination and control in planning, priority-setting, development,
management, operation, staffing and
evaluation in all aspects of the education process.
(4) Ensure that each agency or local
school board shall be authorized and
empowered to function as the policy
making body for the school, consistent
with the authority granted by the
tribes or Alaska Native entity(ies)
served by the school(s).
(b) Student rights. Ensure the constitutional, statutory, civil and human
rights of all Indian and Alaska Native
students, and respect the role of Tribal
judicial systems where appropriate including, for example, ensuring that
students have the right to be free from
cruel and unusual punishment and that
all disciplinary procedures shall be
consistent with appropriate customs
and practices of the appropriate Indian
Tribe or Alaska Native village.
(c) Equity funding. Assure that resources for all education programs are
equitably distributed for the benefit of
all Indian and Alaska Native students,
taking into account special educational needs where they exist, as further described in part 39 of this subchapter.
(d) Direction of programs. Ensure that
the education function be structured in
such a manner that all matters relating to the operation of education programs be administered by or be under
the direction of education personnel.
(e) Respect for family. Promote, respect and defend the cohesiveness and
integrity of the family, and Tribal and
Alaska Native community, as they relate to the educational and social prerogatives of the Tribes and Alaska Native entities.
(f) Religious freedom. Promote and respect the right to cultural practices
and religious freedom for all students,
consistent with Tribal and Alaska Native entities’ wishes and with the provisions of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act (92 Stat. 469; Pub.
L. 95–341; 42 U.S.C. 1996).

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