Copyright 1999 Federal Document Clearing House, Inc.
Federal Document Clearing House Congressional Testimony
October 27, 1999
SECTION: CAPITOL HILL HEARING TESTIMONY
LENGTH: 1014 words
HEADLINE:
TESTIMONY October 27, 1999 DANIEL K. INOUYE SENATOR SENATE
INDIAN AFFAIRS EDUCATION ASSISTANCE REAUTHORIZATIONS
BODY:
STATEMENT OF SENATOR DANIEL I, INOUYE, VICE
CHAIRMAN BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS OVERSIGHT HEARING ON THE
REAUTHORIZATION OF THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT
(ESEA) OCTOBER 27,1999 I AM PLEASED TO JOIN CHAIRMAN CAMPBELL
IN WELCOMING THE WITNESSES WHO WILL TESTIFY THIS MORNING ON THE ELEMENTARY AND
SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT. WITH AN ESTIMATED INDIAN POPULATION OF TWO MILLION
PEOPLE AND OF THOSE, APPROXIMATELY FORTY PERCENT UNDER THE AGE OF TWENTY, THE
NEED FOR COMPETITIVE, YET UNIQUE AND CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE, INDIAN EDUCATION IS
URGENT. CURRENTLY, INDIAN STUDENTS RANK AT OR NEAR THE BOTTOM OF EVERY
EDUCATIONAL INDICATOR. THEIR EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT IS INHIBITED BY HIGH RATES
OF POVERTY, UNEMPLOYMENT AND HEALTH PROBLEMS. IN 1972, THE INDIAN EDUCATION
AMENDMENTS WERE ENACTED TO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTARY FUNDS FOR NEW PROGRAMS TARGETED
SOLELY FOR INDIAN STUDENTS. THESE AMENDMENTS WERE INCORPORATED INTO THE
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT AS TITLE IX. AND THEY PROVIDE CONTINUED
FUNDING FOR THE UNIQUE AND CULTURALLY RELATED ACADEMIC NEEDS OF INDIAN STUDENTS.
AS A RESULT, INDIAN CHILDREN HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT EDUCATIONAL GAINS. FOR
INSTANCE, BETWEEN 1980 AND 1990, THE HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION RATE FOR INDIAN
STUDENTS LIVING ON RESERVATIONS INCREASED BY 11 PERCENT. ALTHOUGH THIS IS GOOD
NEWS, WE MUST REMEMBER THAT MUCH MORE IS REQUIRED. FOR AT THE SAME TIME, BY
1990, NINE PERCENT OF INDIAN STUDENTS WHO WERE EIGHTH GRADERS IN 1988 HAD
ALREADY DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL. THUS, DESPITE THE GAINS, THERE IS STILL A
SIGNIFICANT NEED FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS IN THE
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT. FINALLY, I MUST NOTE THAT TITLE IX ALSO
FURTHERS THE SPECIAL HISTORICAL AND LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT TO THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES. AND BY ALLOWING FOR
MONIES TO BE PROVIDED DIRECTLY TO TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS, IT STRENGTHENS THE
GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE
INDIAN TRIBES AND THE ALASKA NATIVES. INDIAN CHILDREN ARE VITAL TO THE FUTURE OF
A STRONG, PRODUCTIVE AND SELF-SUFFICIENT INDIAN COUNTRY. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING
POSSIBLE TO ENSURE THAT THESE FUTURE TRIBAL LEADERS RECEIVE AN EDUCATION THAT IS
COMPARABLE TO THE EDUCATION PROVIDED TO ALL OTHER AMERICAN CHILDREN. MR.
CHAIRMAN, I LOOK FORWARD TO EXPEDITIOUS ACTION ON THE REAUTHORIZATION OF THE
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT AND I COMMEND YOU FOR SCHEDULING TODAY'S
HEARING ON AN ISSUE THAT IS CRITICAL TO THE FUTURE OF AMERICA'S NATIVE PEOPLES.
LOAD-DATE: November 2, 1999 
