Tribal leaders across the U.S., are voicing frustration after learning that more than a dozen Native American education programs are being shifted to other federal departments without prior consultation.
The Trump administration recently announced an Inter-Agency Agreement between the Departments of Education and Interior to transfer programs such as Tribal College initiatives, Native Languages, and.
Leaders say the Department of Education failed to meet its legal obligation to consult tribes on decisions with tribal implications. “Without that ability to weigh in, without that ability to take control and voice exactly what’s needed for us, then that is a failure of that nation-to-nation relationship,” said Julia Wakeford, Legislative and Federal Policy Director of the National Indian Education Association.
While many tribal leaders are angered by the move, some are also considering potential opportunities the transfer could bring. A DOE spokesperson noted that consultation with tribes is planned, as the transfer process has not yet begun.
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