    [House Hearing, 116 Congress]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

     EXAMINING THE BUREAU OF INDIAN EDUCATION'S SCHOOL REOPENING GUIDANCE
                         DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

    =======================================================================

                               OVERSIGHT HEARING

                                   BEFORE THE

            SUBCOMMITTEE FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THE UNITED STATES

                                    OF THE

                         COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
                         U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                         ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS

                                 SECOND SESSION

                                   __________

                          Thursday, September 10, 2020

                                   __________

                               Serial No. 116-40

                                   __________

           Printed for the use of the Committee on Natural Resources

     [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

            Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov
                                       or
              Committee address: http://naturalresources.house.gov

                                   __________

                        U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
    41-453 PDF                  WASHINGTON : 2020

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                         COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

                          RAUL M. GRIJALVA, AZ, Chair
                        DEBRA A. HAALAND, NM, Vice Chair
       GREGORIO KILILI CAMACHO SABLAN, CNMI, Vice Chair, Insular Affairs
                   ROB BISHOP, UT, Ranking Republican Member

    Grace F. Napolitano, CA              Don Young, AK
    Jim Costa, CA                        Louie Gohmert, TX
    Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan,      Doug Lamborn, CO
        CNMI                             Robert J. Wittman, VA
    Jared Huffman, CA                    Tom McClintock, CA
    Alan S. Lowenthal, CA                Paul A. Gosar, AZ
    Ruben Gallego, AZ                    Paul Cook, CA
    TJ Cox, CA                           Bruce Westerman, AR
    Joe Neguse, CO                       Garret Graves, LA
    Mike Levin, CA                       Jody B. Hice, GA
    Debra A. Haaland, NM                 Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen, AS
    Joe Cunningham, SC                   Daniel Webster, FL
    Nydia M. Velazquez, NY               Liz Cheney, WY
    Diana DeGette, CO                    Mike Johnson, LA
    Wm. Lacy Clay, MO                    Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, PR
    Debbie Dingell, MI                   John R. Curtis, UT
    Anthony G. Brown, MD                 Kevin Hern, OK
    A. Donald McEachin, VA               Russ Fulcher, ID
    Darren Soto, FL                      Pete Stauber, MN
    Ed Case, HI
    Steven Horsford, NV
    Michael F. Q. San Nicolas, GU
    Matt Cartwright, PA
    Paul Tonko, NY
    Jesus G. ``Chuy'' Garcia, IL
    Vacancy

                         David Watkins, Chief of Staff
                            Sarah Lim, Chief Counsel
                    Parish Braden, Republican Staff Director
                       http://naturalresources.house.gov
                                     ------

            SUBCOMMITTEE FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THE UNITED STATES

                            RUBEN GALLEGO, AZ, Chair
                    PAUL COOK, CA, Ranking Republican Member

    Darren Soto, FL                      Don Young, AK
    Michael F. Q. San Nicolas, GU        Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen, AS
    Debra A. Haaland, NM                 John R. Curtis, UT
    Ed Case, HI                          Kevin Hern, OK
    Matt Cartwright, PA                  Pete Stauber, MN
    Jesus G. ``Chuy'' Garcia, IL         Rob Bishop, UT, ex officio
    Vacancy
    Raul M. Grijalva, AZ, ex officio

                                    ------

                                    CONTENTS

                                  ----------
                                                                       Page

    Hearing held on Thursday, September 10, 2020.....................     1

    Statement of Members:

        Gallego, Hon. Ruben, a Representative in Congress from the
          State of Arizona...........................................     1
            Prepared statement of....................................     3
        Stauber, Hon. Pete, a Representative in Congress from the
          State of Minnesota.........................................     4
            Prepared statement of....................................     6

    Statement of Witnesses:

        Garcia, Hon. Joe, Co-Chair, Tribal Interior Budget Council,
          Education Subcommittee, National Congress of American
          Indians, Washington, DC....................................     8
            Prepared statement of....................................     9
            Questions submitted for the record.......................    12
        Parton, Sue, President, Federation of Indian Service
          Employees, Albuquerque, New Mexico.........................    17
            Prepared statement of....................................    19
            Questions submitted for the record.......................    21
        Witte, Lance, Superintendent and Principal, Lower Brule
          Schools, Lower Brule, South Dakota.........................    14
            Prepared statement of....................................    15
            Questions submitted for the record.......................    17
        Yanan, Therese, Executive Director and Attorney, Native
          American Disability Law Center, Farmington, New Mexico.....    22
            Prepared statement of....................................    24
            Questions submitted for the record.......................    29

    Additional Materials Submitted for the Record:

        Bureau of Indian Education, U.S. Department of the Interior,
          Statement for the Record...................................    47
        Bureau of Indian Education, U.S. Department of the Interior,
          Return to Learn! Plan......................................    47

        Submissions for the Record by Representative Stauber

            Navajo Nation, July 28, 2020 Letter to Speaker Pelosi and
              Rep. McCarthy on S. 886................................    33

            The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Indians, Statement for the
              Record.................................................    48

    OVERSIGHT HEARING ON EXAMINING THE BUREAU OF INDIAN EDUCATION'S SCHOOL
                REOPENING GUIDANCE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

                                  ----------

                          Thursday, September 10, 2020

                         U.S. House of Representatives

            Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States

                         Committee on Natural Resources

                                 Washington, DC

                                  ----------

        The Subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 3:06 p.m., via
    Webex, Hon. Ruben Gallego [Chairman of the Subcommittee]
    presiding.
        Present: Representatives Gallego, Soto, Haaland, Case,
    Cartwright, Grijalva; and Stauber.

        Mr. Gallego. The Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the
    United States will now come to order.
        The Subcommittee is meeting today to hear testimony on the
    Bureau of Indian Education's COVID-19 School Re-opening
    Guidelines.
        Under Committee Rule 4(f), any oral opening statements at
    hearings are limited to the Chair and the Ranking Minority
    Member. This will allow us to hear from our witnesses sooner
    and help Members keep to their schedules.
        Therefore, I ask unanimous consent that all other Members'
    opening statements be made part of the hearing record if they
    are submitted to the Clerk by 5 p.m. today or the close of the
    hearing, whichever comes first.
        Hearing no objections, so ordered.
        Without objection, the Chair may also declare a recess
    subject to call of the Chair.
        Hearing no objection, so ordered.
        As described in the hearing notice, statements, documents
    or motions must be submitted to the electronic repository at
    HNRCDocs@mail.house.gov. Additionally, please note that, as
    with in-person meetings, Members are responsible for their own
    microphones and Members can be muted by staff only to avoid
    inadvertent background noise. Finally, Members or witnesses
    experiencing technical problems should inform Committee staff
    immediately.
        Thank you.

       STATEMENT OF THE HON. RUBEN GALLEGO, A REPRESENTATIVE IN
                   CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF ARIZONA

        Mr. Gallego. Good afternoon and welcome to everyone
    watching our livestream. I want to thank our witnesses for
    making the time to testify before us remotely.
        Today, we will be examining the Bureau of Indian
    Education's School Re-opening Plan and the steps, or missteps,
    BIE has taken in ensuring the safety of Native American
    students, teachers, and employees.
        Though I am grateful for the witnesses we have here today,
    I would like to voice my disappointment in the Bureau of Indian
    Education for choosing not to testify today. BIE has refused to
    testify because we are holding this hearing in a virtual
    setting.
        While this Committee has often struggled with this
    Administration's frequent refusal to provide timely and
    informed testimony, the BIE's refusal to be here today is a new
    low.
        This fall, the health of Native children is on the line
    when they return to school. The health of teachers and staff is
    on the line. The health of their families and their communities
    is on the line.
        If we do not get BIE schools re-opened correctly, Native
    Americans will die as a result. We know this because multiple
    BIE employees died this spring when some BIE schools took too
    long to close. We cannot let that happen again.
        It is a dereliction of the Federal trust responsibility for
    the BIE to refuse to be here to discuss how to protect Native
    students just because the hearing is not happening in person.
        This hearing is happening remotely because we understand
    the stakes of the public health crisis we are in. From their
    refusal, it is clear that BIE does not understand those stakes,
    which is why I am extremely concerned about their ability to
    oversee safe re-openings at BIE-run schools this fall.
        Finally, I want it to be on the record that this Committee
    stands ready to hear BIE's testimony on school re-openings when
    the agency determines that Native lives are important enough to
    necessitate it.
        Now, let's move on to the situation before us. BIE
    currently funds 183 elementary and secondary schools located on
    64 reservations in 23 states, serving over 40,000 students.
    Fifty-five of those schools are operated by the BIE.
        At the beginning of the pandemic, BIE schools shut down
    along with public schools across the country. Like other
    schools, BIE attempted to transition to a distance learning
    model; unlike other schools, BIE schools have had to contend
    with digital divide in Indian Country.
        People on tribal lands are four times more likely to not
    have the internet, and are also more likely to lack access to
    laptops or, unfortunately, even electricity.
        To make matters worse, BIE was not able to quickly mobilize
    to provide instruction, resources, or IT services to aid the
    transition to virtual learning in the spring. While these
    hiccups may have been understandable in March, it is disturbing
    that we are seeing those same problems arise in September, when
    BIE has had months to prepare.
        In March, Congress provided funding for BIE schools through
    the CARES Act Education Stabilization Fund. However, it took
    BIE 97 days, over 3 months, to distribute this money, which
    undermined schools' ability to prepare teachers, students, and
    employees for the fall.
        In addition to funding delays, BIE spent the summer sending
    mixed and concerning messages regarding school re-opening
    plans. In July, BIE held two tribal consultation sessions and
    assured the tribal leaders, tribal organizations, and school
    boards involved that their input would inform the re-opening
    plan.
        However, in August, the BIE released a plan proclaiming
    that on September 16, BIE-operated schools would open in-person
    to the maximum extent possible. The BIE guidance does not
    provide for the consultation and explicit consent of local
    tribes, parents, and teachers before re-opening a school.
        The BIE guidance, though it is only binding for BIE-
    operated schools, directs any tribally operated school that
    deviates from the guidance to ``consult with its legal counsel
    to ensure it does not risk violating the terms of its grant''--
    a potential threat to tribal sovereignty.
        Finally, the BIE guidance released on August 24 gave
    schools less than 1 month to implement this top-down approach,
    leaving school leaders with more questions than answers.
        We all know that effectively and safely educating our
    children in a pandemic is a huge challenge. But we will never
    be able to overcome the challenges in Indian Country without
    committing to a thoughtful, nuanced approach that emphasizes
    consultation and partnership with local tribes and school
    leadership.
        That is why I am disappointed that BIE is not here to
    engage in this discussion today, and that is why I look forward
    to hearing what our witnesses have to say.

        [The prepared statement of Mr. Gallego follows:]
     Prepared Statement of the Hon. Ruben Gallego, Chair, Subcommittee for
                    Indigenous Peoples of the United States
        Good afternoon and welcome to everyone watching on our livestream.
    I want to thank our witnesses for making the time to testify before us
    remotely.
        Today, we will be examining the Bureau of Indian Education's school
    re-opening plan and the steps--or missteps--BIE has taken in ensuring
    the safety of Native American students, teachers and employees.
        Though I am grateful for the witnesses we have here today, I would
    like to voice my disappointment in the Bureau of Indian Education for
    choosing not to testify today. BIE has refused to testify because we
    are holding this hearing in a virtual setting.
        While this Committee has often struggled with this Administration's
    frequent refusal to provide timely and informed testimony, the BIE's
    refusal to be here today is a new low.
        This fall, the health of Native children is on the line when they
    return to school. The health of teachers and staff is on the line. The
    health of their families and their communities is on the line.
        If we do not get BIE school re-openings right, Native Americans
    will die as a result. We know this because multiple BIE employees died
    this spring when some BIE schools took too long to close. We cannot let
    that happen again.
        It is a dereliction of the Federal trust responsibility for BIE to
    refuse to be here to discuss how to protect Native students just
    because the hearing isn't happening in person.
        This hearing is happening remotely because we understand the stakes
    of the public health crisis we are in. From their refusal, it's clear
    that the BIE does not understand those stakes, which is why I am
    extremely concerned about their ability to oversee safe re-openings at
    BIE-run schools this fall.
        Finally, I want it to be on the record that this Committee stands
    ready to hear BIE's testimony on school re-openings when the agency
    determines that Native lives are important enough to necessitate it.
        Now, let's move on to the situation before us. BIE currently funds
    183 elementary and secondary schools, located on 64 reservations in 23
    states, serving over 40,000 students; 55 of these schools are operated
    by the BIE.
        At the beginning of the pandemic, BIE schools shut down along with
    public schools across the country. Like other schools, BIE attempted to
    transition to a distance learning model. Unlike other schools, BIE
    schools had to contend with the digital divide in Indian Country.
        People on tribal land are four times more likely to not have
    internet, and are also more likely to lack access to a laptop or even
    electricity.
        To make matters worse, BIE was not able to quickly mobilize to
    provide instruction, resources, or IT services to aid the transition to
    virtual learning in the spring.
        While these hiccups may have been understandable in March, it is
    disturbing that we are seeing the same problems arise in September,
    when BIE has had months to prepare.
        In March, Congress provided funding for BIE schools through the
    CARES Act Education Stabilization Fund. However, it took BIE 97 days--
    over 3 months--to distribute this money, which undermined schools'
    ability to prepare teachers, students and employees for the fall.
        In addition to funding delays, BIE spent the summer sending mixed
    and concerning messages regarding school re-opening plans. In July, BIE
    held two tribal consultation sessions and assured the tribal leaders,
    tribal organizations, and school boards involved that their input would
    inform the re-opening plan.
        However, in August, the BIE released a plan proclaiming that on
    September 16, BIE-operated schools would open in-person ``to the
    maximum extent possible.'' The BIE guidance does not provide for the
    consultation and explicit consent of local tribes, parents and teachers
    before re-opening a school.
        The BIE guidance, though it is only binding for BIE-operated
    schools, directs any tribally-operated school that deviates from the
    guidance to ``consult with its legal counsel to ensure it does not risk
    violating the terms of its grant''--a potential threat to tribal
    sovereignty.
        Finally, the BIE guidance, released on August 24, gave schools less
    than 1 month to implement this top-down approach, leaving school
    leaders with more questions than answers.
        We all know that effectively and safely educating our children in a
    pandemic is a huge challenge. But we will never be able to overcome
    that challenge in Indian Country without committing to a thoughtful,
    nuanced approach that emphasizes consultation and partnership with
    local tribes and school leadership.
        That is why I am so disappointed that the BIE is not here to engage
    in this discussion today. And that is why I look forward to hearing
    what our witnesses have to say.

                                     ______

        Mr. Gallego. Before I end my remarks, I want to welcome Mr.
    Stauber as a new member of the House Natural Resources
    Committee and this Subcommittee. He is serving as Ranking
    Member today, and I would like to recognize him for any opening
    remarks he may have.

        STATEMENT OF THE HON. PETE STAUBER, A REPRESENTATIVE IN
                  CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF MINNESOTA

        Mr. Stauber. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Today marks
    my first appearance as a member of the House Natural Resources
    Committee.
        My district is home to 3.5 million acres of Federal lands,
    the headwaters of the mighty Mississippi River, five sovereign
    Native American bands, and the Duluth Complex.
        I have sought an appointment to this Committee since I
    started in Congress, and I have been fortunate enough to
    participate in an unofficial capacity several times.
        Thank you very much to Chairman Grijalva and Ranking Member
    Bishop for welcoming me. I am excited to roll up my sleeves and
    get to work on Committee business.
        Now, it is an honor and privilege to stand in for Ranking
    Member Cook and serve alongside Chairman Gallego today to
    discuss an issue pressing and pertinent to northern Minnesota
    and throughout the country.
        First, I want to thank the Chairman for his interest in
    Indian education, but would encourage collaboration with the
    Committee that has jurisdiction over the Bureau of Indian
    Education, the Education and Labor Committee.
        While this Committee has very limited jurisdiction over
    Indian education, there are legislative proposals this
    Committee has and can take action on.
        I was proud to support the Great American Outdoors Act,
    which was signed by President Trump earlier this year. The Act
    included a 5 percent annual carve out for Bureau of Indian
    Education schools. When updating infrastructure with this
    funding, these schools can further develop infrastructure to
    provide better education and combat the virus.
        Joining Chairman Bishop and the Committee's Minority, I
    wish to express disappointment in the Committee Majority for
    refusing to act on S. 886, the Indian Water Rights Settlement
    Extension Act. This bill would help tribes in one of the
    hardest-hit COVID-19 regions. As the CDC has advised, one of
    the best ways to combat COVID is hand washing.
        Unfortunately, the Democrat Majority seems content in
    letting the settlement agreement collect dust, and many Navajo
    households struggle to get access to a reliable water supply.
        It has been 90 days since the Senate sent over a
    legislation package containing this agreement and other bills
    aimed at the Native American communities and schoolteachers.
    This legislation is currently being held at the desk, and it
    appears that the Majority has no interest in passing this
    critical agreement.
        I want to submit for the record a letter from President Nez
    asking Speaker Pelosi to schedule a vote on final passage of
    this bill.
        That being said, and turning back to the issue of BIE
    schools in my district, we have three tribal schools operated
    by the Leech Lake Band, the Fond du Lac Band, and the Mille
    Lacs Band. These schools [inaudible].
        Mr. Gallego. Let's give Mr. Stauber a few minutes so that
    way his internet catches up.
        Mr. Stauber. [Inaudible.]
        Mr. Gallego. Mr. Stauber, you are coming in and out.
        Mr. Stauber. I am confident everyone participating today
    can agree that the priority is to simply get children back in
    school, especially the American Academy of Pediatrics, the
    leading organization on children's health.
        Therefore, thank you to the Bureau of Indian Education for
    providing detailed guidance to help students return. It is well
    documented that [inaudible] of students [inaudible] in school.
    For example, evidence from the McKinsey Foundation shows that
    kids remaining at home will make existing achievement gaps
    worse.
        Furthermore, [inaudible] student anxiety and depression
    have skyrocketed during closures.
        With these effects in mind, we need to find ways to get
    students safely back into schools. I am encouraged by the
    Bureau's guidance, relying on the CDC's leadership, by
    instituting social distancing, adding protective barriers,
    requiring face coverings, and added [inaudible].
        Most importantly, we must remember these Native schools
    serve sovereign nations in largely rural areas. Therefore, they
    require flexibility and local decision making. The Bureau's
    guidelines do just that by offering expert opinions to match
    the needs of individual communities.
        Mr. Chairman, I am a father of four and a youth advocate. I
    want [inaudible] education possible and our sovereign
    [inaudible].
        Let's provide our Native children with the education they
    need and deserve by following the guidelines of the Bureau and
    getting them safely back into their schools.
        I yield back.

        [The prepared statement of Mr. Stauber follows:]
       Prepared Statement of the Hon. Pete Stauber, a Representative in
                      Congress from the State of Minnesota
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Today marks my first appearance as a
    member of the House Natural Resources Committee. My district is home to
    3.5 million acres of Federal public lands, the headwaters of the Mighty
    Mississippi River, five sovereign Native American bands, and the Duluth
    Complex. I have sought an appointment to this Committee since I started
    in Congress, and I have been fortunate enough to participate in an
    unofficial capacity several times.
        Thank you very much to Chairman Grijalva and Ranking Member Bishop
    for welcoming me. I am excited to roll up my sleeves and get to work on
    Committee business.
        Now, it is an honor and privilege to stand in for Ranking Member
    Cook and serve alongside Chairman Gallego today to discuss an issue
    pressing and pertinent to northern Minnesota and throughout the
    country.
        First, I want to thank the Chairman for his interest in Indian
    Education, but would encourage collaboration with the committee that
    has jurisdiction over the Bureau of Indian Education, the Education and
    Labor Committee.
        While this Committee has very limited jurisdiction over Indian
    education, there are legislative proposals this Committee has or can
    take action on. I was proud to support the Great American Outdoors Act
    which was signed by President Trump earlier this year. The Act included
    a 5 percent annual carve out for Bureau of Indian Education Schools;
    when updating infrastructure with this funding, these schools can
    further develop infrastructure to provide better education and combat
    the virus.
        Joining Chairman Bishop and the Committee's Minority, I wish to
    express disappointment in the Committee Majority for refusing to act on
    S. 886, the Indian Water Rights Settlement Extension Act. This bill
    would help tribes in one of the hardest hit COVID-19 regions. As the
    CDC has advised, one of the best ways to combat COVID is hand washing.
        Unfortunately, the Democrat Majority seems content in letting this
    settlement agreement collect dust as many Navajo households struggle to
    access a reliable water supply. It has been 90 days since the Senate
    sent over a legislative package containing this agreement, and other
    bills aimed at the Native American communities and schoolteachers. This
    legislation is currently being held at the desk and it appears the
    Majority has no interest in passing this critical agreement. I want to
    submit for the record a letter from President Nez asking Speaker Pelosi
    to schedule a vote on final passage for this bill.
        That being said and turning back to the issue of BIE schools, in my
    district, we have three tribal schools, operated by the Leech Lake
    Band, the Fond du Lac Band, and the Mille Lacs Band. These schools
    provide a world-class education while preserving the traditions of the
    respective Ojibwe bands.
        I would like to take a moment and thank the Mille Lacs Band for
    providing my office with background on what the Nay Ah Shing School has
    been doing. They plan to open with a Hybrid Learning and Distance
    Learning Options, following the guidelines of the Bureau.
        The BIE payments from the CARES Act to the Mille Lacs Band will be
    used to implement infrastructure updates such as barriers to ensure a
    touch-free environment and for transportation options to implement
    social distancing for bussing.
        Another point to be made on behalf of the Mille Lacs Band is the
    need for mental health counseling in the school. It is impossible for
    the mental health staff to reach the students that need to be reached
    when schools are closed.
        I am confident everyone participating today can agree that the
    priority is to safely get children back into the classroom, as that is
    the position of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the leading
    organization on children's health. Therefore, thank you to the Bureau
    of Indian Education for providing detailed guidance to help students
    return.
        It is well documented that learning, health, safety, and nutrition
    of students are at their best when students are in school.
        For example, evidence from the McKinsey Foundation shows that kids
    remaining at home will make existing achievement gaps worse.
    Furthermore, EdSource highlighted in a recent article that student
    anxiety and depression have skyrocketed during closures.
        With these effects in mind, we need to find ways to get students
    safely back into schools. I am encouraged by the Bureau's guidance
    drawing on the CDC's leadership by instituting social distancing,
    adding protective barriers, requiring face coverings, and added
    emphasis on hand washing and sanitizing.
        Most importantly, we must remember these Native schools serve
    sovereign nations in largely rural areas. Therefore, they require
    flexibility and local decision making. The Bureau's guidelines do just
    that, by offering expert opinion to match the needs of individual
    communities.
        Mr. Chairman, I am a father of four and an education advocate. I
    want my children to get the best education possible, and our sovereign,
    Native brothers and sisters deserve the same.
        Let's provide our Native children the education they need and
    deserve by following the guidance from the Bureau and getting them
    safely back into their schools.

                                     ______

        Mr. Gallego. Thank you, Representative Stauber.
        You did break up for a portion there, say, two-thirds of
    the way in. If you get a better connection and you want to read
    that into the statement at some point, or just in the process
    of questioning, obviously we will give you extra time.
        I believe at some point you wanted to submit something for
    the record. I did not fully get that. I thought you had a
    letter from a tribal leader or something like that. If you
    could just repeat that, then I could put it into the record.
        And, obviously, when we go through the question period if
    you want to add anything that was missed during your opening
    statement, we will give that opportunity.
        Now, I would like to transition to our panel of witnesses
    for today.
        Under our Committee Rules, oral statements are limited to 5
    minutes, but you may submit a longer statement for the record
    if you choose.
        When you begin, the on-screen timer will begin counting
    down and will turn orange when you have 1 minute remaining.
        I recommend that Members use the grid view function so they
    may pin this timer on their screen. When you go over the
    allotted time, I will ask you to please wrap up your statement.
        After your testimony is complete, please remember to mute
    yourself to avoid any inadvertent background noise.
        I will allow the entire panel to testify before we question
    the witnesses.
        The Chair will now recognize the Honorable Joe Garcia, who
    is the co-chair for the National Congress of American Indians
    and Interior's Tribal Budget Formulation Education
    Subcommittee.

      STATEMENT OF THE HON. JOE GARCIA, CO-CHAIR, TRIBAL INTERIOR
     BUDGET COUNCIL, EDUCATION SUBCOMMITTEE, NATIONAL CONGRESS OF
                            AMERICAN INDIANS

        Mr. Garcia. Good afternoon. Mr. Chairman, can you hear me?
        Mr. Gallego. I can, sir. Please continue.
        Mr. Garcia. Chairman Gallego, Ranking Member Cook, and
    members of the Subcommittee, and I also see Chairman Grijalva
    present. It is good to see all of you.
        My name is Joe Garcia, and I am Head Councilman and former
    three-term governor of Ohkay Owingeh, a federally recognized
    tribal nation in New Mexico.
        I am also a former two-term president of the National
    Congress of American Indians, or NCAI. NCAI, founded in 1944,
    is the oldest and largest representative organization of tribal
    nations and communities.
        This hearing could not come at a more critical time.
    September is the time that schools re-open for the new academic
    year. This year that task is complicated by the COVID-19
    pandemic, which continues to plague Indian Country, and the
    nation and the world as a whole.
        But even if that were not the case, there is a long-
    standing crisis in Indian education that merits this
    Subcommittee's attention and scrutiny. I have addressed this in
    my prepared testimony and will be glad to take your questions.
        My oral testimony focuses on the re-opening of the Bureau
    of Indian Education schools, the BIE schools.
        The BIE funds 183 schools located on 63 reservations in 23
    states. Of these 183 schools, 132 are tribally controlled
    schools operated pursuant to a grant under the Tribally
    Controlled Schools Act of 1988 or pursuant to a contract under
    the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act. The
    remaining 55 schools are Bureau operated, which gives the BIE
    central office more authority over how these schools operate.
        Today, the most critical issue before this Subcommittee is
    the question of whether these 55 Bureau-operated schools should
    re-open for in-person instruction. NCAI's position is that
    schools should re-open for in-person instruction only where
    BIE, the tribal government that the school serves, the parents,
    and the teachers all concur that it is safe to do so.
        These decisions must be made at the local level, free of
    over-reach from the BIE central office and free in every
    respect from political interference. By this, I mean to say
    that the White House has no business influencing the BIE on
    whether it is safe to re-open a school.
        On August 6, the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office
    of Indian Affairs announced that it would re-open brick and
    mortar schools under its jurisdiction to the maximum extent
    possible. It was widely believed that the Interior Department
    took this action out of a desire to please the President, if
    not in response to direct pressure from the White House.
        This announcement was not well received in Indian Country.
    The ``Dear Tribal Leader'' letter included another sentence
    that reads, ``Local decisions will be made in coordination with
    tribes, states, and local public health officials.'' This is
    closer to what NCAI wants things to be.
        But, unfortunately, we are not seeing this coordination
    happen to the extent that we believe is needed.
        On August 22, the BIE issued its final re-opening plan
    titled, ``Return to Learn.'' While this guidance provides more
    information than that of previous documents issued by the
    Bureau, it does not ensure that the decision of tribal
    governments will be respected when it comes to the re-opening
    of K-12 and the safety of the students.
        Once again, the Interior Department said that schools will
    operate in-person on a regular full-time schedule to the
    maximum extent possible, in effect doubling down on the very
    position that drew strong criticism from Indian Country in
    early August.
        We are now a week away from school opening, and the
    question before us is whether BIE will respect the local
    judgments of tribal nations, sovereign nations, and parents on
    whether the school opens in person or virtually.
        The BIE should be here today to answer the questions for
    all of us, but unfortunately, the Bureau declined the
    Subcommittee's invitation to testify.
        Additionally, there is no evidence that the Interior
    Department or BIE officials have deferred to the position that
    tribal leaders have expressed to them. For example, on August
    24----
        Mr. Gallego. Mr. Garcia, start wrapping up please.
        Mr. Garcia. Yes. We urge the Subcommittee to demand that
    the Department of the Interior commit to abide by the wishes of
    the tribal government when it comes to re-opening schools.
        The most important piece of it is that the safety and well-
    being of our children, of the faculty, and the staff be adhered
    to. That is the No. 1 reason why education systems exist in
    this country.
        I thank the Committee for holding this hearing, and I look
    forward to your questions and working with you to address these
    issues.
        Thank you.

        [The prepared statement of Mr. Garcia follows:]
    Prepared Statement of Head Councilman Joe Garcia, National Congress of
                                American Indians
        Chairman Gallego, Ranking Member Cook, and members of the
    Subcommittee, My name is Joe Garcia, and I am Head Councilman and
    former three-term Governor of Ohkay Owingeh, a federally recognized
    tribal nation in New Mexico. I am also Co-Chair to the Department of
    the Interior's Tribal Budget Formulation Education Subcommittee, and a
    former two-term President of the National Congress of American Indians
    (NCAI). NCAI, founded in 1944, is the oldest and largest representative
    organization of tribal nations and communities.
        This hearing could not come at a more critical time. September is
    the time that schools reopen for the new academic year. This year that
    task is complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to plague
    Indian Country and the Nation as a whole. But even if that were not the
    case, the month of September is the best time to discuss the state of
    Indian education. The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) has historically
    faced difficulties in providing quality, robust education to our
    American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students due to the
    underfunding of our programs, inadequate facilities, limited access to
    broadband, difficulty recruiting and retaining teachers, and a lack of
    culturally appropriate educational opportunities--all of which have
    been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
              the reopening of bureau of indian education schools
        The BIE funds 183 schools located on 63 reservations in 23 states.
    Of these 183 schools, 132 are tribally controlled schools operated
    pursuant to a grant under the Tribally Controlled Schools Act of 1988
    (25 U.S.C. Sec. 2501, et seq.) or pursuant to a contract under the
    Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C.
    Sec. 5301, et seq.). The remaining 55 schools are Bureau-operated,
    which gives the BIE Central Office more authority over how these
    schools operate. Today, the most critical issue before this
    Subcommittee is the question of whether these 55 Bureau-operated
    schools should reopen for in-person instruction. NCAI's position is
    that schools should reopen for in-person instruction only where BIE,
    the tribal government(s) that the schools service, the parents, and the
    teachers all concur that it is safe to do so. These decisions must be
    made at the local level, free of over-reach from the BIE central
    office, and free in every respect from political interference. By this,
    I mean to say that the White House has no business influencing the BIE
    on whether it is safe to open a school.
        On August 10, NBC News reported that the U.S. Department of the
    Interior's Office of Indian Affairs announced that it would reopen
    ``brick and mortar schools'' under its jurisdiction to the ``maximum
    extent possible'' on September 16.\1\ It was widely believed that the
    Interior Department took this action out of a desire to please the
    President, if not in response to direct pressure from the White House.
    This announcement was not well received in Indian Country. Furthermore,
    we are aware that the news report led parents to seriously consider
    pulling their children out of BIE schools this academic year.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ NBC News, ``Federal agency to reopen 53 Native American schools
    despite coronavirus fears,'' Miranda Green, August 10, 2020, https://
    www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/federal-agency-reopen-53-native-american-
    schools-despite-coronavirus-fears-n1236253.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        The document on which the NBC News story was based is a Dear Tribal
    Leader Letter signed by Assistant Secretary Tara Sweeney on August 6.
    The Dear Tribal Leader Letter included another sentence that was not
    mentioned by NBC News. That sentence reads, ``Local decisions will be
    made in coordination with tribes, states, and local public health
    officials.'' This is closer to where NCAI wants things to be.
        A month has passed since the NBC News story, and we are a week away
    from school opening. The question before us now is whether BIE will
    respect the local judgments of tribal nations and parents on whether
    school opens in person or virtually. The BIE should be here today to
    answer the question for all of us. But unfortunately, the Bureau
    declined the Subcommittee's invitation to testify.
        On August 21, the BIE issued its final reopening plan titled
    ``Return to Learn.'' While this guidance provides more information that
    previous documents issued by the Bureau, it does not ensure that the
    decisions of tribal governments will be respected when it comes to the
    reopening of K--12 schools. Once again, the Interior Department states
    that schools will operate in-person on a regular full-time schedule to
    the maximum extent possible. In effect, they are doubling down on the
    very position that drew strong criticism from Indian Country in early
    August.
        Adding to the confusion, there is no evidence that the Interior
    Department or BIE officials have deferred to positions that tribal
    leaders have expressed to them. There are more BIE-controlled schools
    on the Navajo Nation than any other tribal nation in the country. On
    August 24, 2020, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez sent a letter
    stating that every BIE-operated school located within the Navajo Nation
    must remain closed for face-to-face and in-classroom instruction for
    the entirety of the Fall 2020 semester, after which point the issue
    will be reviewed again. As of September 8, 2020, the Department of the
    Interior still has not acceded to this request. We are uncertain how
    the Department has handled similar communications that other tribes
    have submitted.
        We urge the Subcommittee to demand that the Department of the
    Interior commit to abide by the wishes of tribal governments when it
    comes to reopening schools. The BIE must also provide a straightforward
    process for tribal leaders to request that the Bureau provide online or
    distance learning until a tribal community deems it safe to reopen.
    Finally, there may be situations where a tribal government is willing
    to reopen schools on its reservation for in-person instruction if it is
    convinced it is safe to do so. The Interior Department needs to provide
    straightforward assurances that BIE schools will be able to fulfill
    this promise. Furthermore, if an outbreak should arise, they should be
    prepared to close the school and swiftly move to a remote learning
    environment.
        Other areas of concern regarding the BIE's ``Return to Learn'' plan
    include how the Agency will guarantee students that are required to
    receive special education services do so. This is troublesome to tribal
    leaders considering the Government Accountability Office published a
    report this year finding that BIE schools did not provide or did not
    account for 38 percent of special education and related service time
    for students with disabilities during a regular school year.
        Tribal leaders have also voiced their concerns during the
    Department of Interior's Tribal Interior Budget Council meeting, held
    on August 10-14, 2020, that because of the BIE's inadequate
    communications to tribal families, many families are withdrawing their
    students from the BIE system for this academic year. Therefore, tribal
    leaders have requested that the Bureau freeze Average Daily Membership
    (ADM) levels for the 2020-2021 school year to 2019-2020 levels. These
    ADMs have a critical role in the appropriations each school receives
    every year, and tribal leaders are concerned that the withdrawal of
    students for this academic year will negatively impact their Federal
    funding for years to come.
                         the state of indian education
        Even if the pandemic had not occurred, we would be here today to
    describe the state of Indian education as troubling. The COVID-19
    pandemic has only exacerbated long-standing educational disparities
    that directly result from the Federal Government's chronic underfunding
    of its trust and treaty responsibilities. There are approximately
    620,000 AI/AN students enrolled in public schools, both in urban and
    rural areas, while 48,000 attend BIE schools. There are 183 BIE-funded
    schools located on 63 reservations in 23 states. The most recent data
    shows the high school graduation rate for BIE students is at 67 percent
    compared to the national average of 85 percent for the rest of the
    country.\2\,\3\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \2\ U.S. Department of the Interior, Budget Justification and
    Performance Information, FY 2021 Bureau of Indian Education, https://
    www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/uploads/fy2021-budget-justification-
    bie.pdf.
        \3\ U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education
    Statistics. (2020). The Condition of Education 2020 (NCES 2020-144),
    https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=805.

        Prior to the pandemic, the Federal Government recognized that AI/AN
    students were being educated in inadequate facilities. For example, the
    Department of the Interior identified $629 million in deferred
    maintenance for BIE-funded education facilities and $86 million in
    deferred maintenance for BIE educational quarters, including severely
    overcrowded classrooms.\4\ In addition to the crumbling physical
    infrastructure, tribal communities disproportionately lack the
    infrastructure to engage in culturally rich remote education.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \4\ Statement of Jason Freihage, Deputy Assistant Secretary For
    Management Office of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs
    Department of the Interior before the Subcommittee on Interior,
    Environment, and Related Agencies, House Committee on Appropriations on
    Education Facilities and Construction (July 24, 2019), https://
    www.congress.gov/116/meeting/house/109835/witnesses/HHRG-116-AP06-
    Wstate-FreihageJ-20190724.pdf.

        In addition to these infrastructure disparities that result in less
    than ideal learning conditions, the BIE has historically had
    difficulties with recruiting and retaining highly effective teachers.
    Inadequate housing, the inability for tribally controlled schools to
    provide their staff Federal Employee Health Benefits, and low salary
    make it difficult for quality teachers to consider careers in the BIE
    system.
                          funding during the pandemic
        Initially, tribal and educational leaders were hopeful after the
    CARES Act was enacted because $153.75 million was allocated under the
    Department of Education's Education Stabilization Fund to programs
    operated or funded by the BIE. In addition to these funds, $69 million
    was appropriated directly to the BIE to ``prevent, prepare for, and
    respond to coronavirus.'' On March 31, 2020, NCAI and the National
    Indian Education Association sent an intertribal organizational letter
    to both the Departments of Education and Interior requesting that funds
    allocated under the CARES Act be disbursed quickly and with maximum
    flexibility to BIE-funded schools. Despite this request, it was not
    until April 28 and 30 that the Department of Education held formal
    tribal listening sessions regarding the disbursement of the $153.75
    million in funding. Finally, on June 9, the BIE began distributing
    their directly appropriated $69 million to BIE schools, and on July 2,
    the Agency began distributing the $153.75 million from the Department
    of Education.\5\ This 97-day delay in releasing funds impaired access
    to distance learning, prevented schools from preparing for summer
    programming, and delayed assessment of technology needs as described in
    NCAI's testimony before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Hearing on
    COVID-19 in Indian Country.\6\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \5\ U.S. Department of Interior, BIE Listening Session, (July 2,
    2020), https://www.bia.gov/sites/bia.gov/files/assets/asia/opa/
    BIE_CARES_Act_Slides%20-%20July%202nd%20Update.pdf.
        \6\ National Congress of American Indians, Testimony before U.S.
    Commission on Civil Rights Hearing on COVID-19 in Indian Country: The
    Impact of Federal Broken Promises on Native Americans, (July 17, 2020),
    http://www.ncai.org/resources/testimony/written-testimony-of-president-
    fawn-sharp-at-the-hearing-on-covid-19-in-indian-country-the-impact-of-
    federal-broken-promises-on-native-americans.

           emergency funding and current needs for our ai/an students
        As BIE-funded schools continue to plan for the 2020-2021 academic
    year, it is clear that our K-12 schools do not have the resources and
    educational infrastructure to ensure a safe return for our students. To
    address this, 21 national and regional tribal organizations have
    requested the following: (1) investment in emergency broadband access
    and deployment for BIE schools and tribal communities; (2) at least $1
    billion in emergency funding to address the backlog of unfunded repairs
    and renovations at Bureau-funded schools which are especially needed to
    address overcrowded classrooms; and (3) at least $1.5 billion to BIE
    funded schools to meet the health, safety, and educational needs of
    students due to the impacts of COVID-19.\7\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \7\ Inter-tribal Letter to Congress on Tribal Priorities for COVID-
    19 Relief Package, (July 20, 2020), http://www.ncai.org/Covid-19/
    indian-country-priorities-for-covid19-stimulus/Tribal_Inter-
    Org_COVID_Relief_Letter-7.20.2020-FINAL.pdf.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   conclusion

        Thank you again to the Committee for holding this hearing, and I
    look forward to your questions and working with you to address these
    disparities.

                                     ______

     Questions Submitted for the Record to the Honorable Joe Garcia, Head
               Councilman, National Congress of American Indians

                      Questions Submitted by Rep. Gallego

        Question 1. In an ideal world, what would BIE's decision-making
    process about the upcoming school year have looked like?

        Answer. The Bureau of Indian Education's (BIE's) decision-making
    process regarding the 2020-2021 school year should have centered around
    the safety and well-being of students, staff, and the community. Rather
    than taking risks in reopening schools, the BIE and Department of the
    Interior (Interior) should have deferred to all tribal nations, their
    elected leaders, and their local educational advisors on how to reopen
    schools safely.

        In an ideal world these discussions with BIE, Interior, and tribal
    leaders would have occurred in May 2020 rather than in July, which
    would have provided more time for tribal communities to prepare for
    various situations. Doing so would have allowed for better
    collaboration and planning between tribal authorities, local and state
    health authorities, and the BIE, in order to develop health and safety
    plans alongside community members.

        Question 2. The Broken Promises report by the U.S. Commission on
    Civil Rights found that remote areas in Indian Country lack
    telecommunications infrastructure and broadband access.

        2a. How has the lack of infrastructure and broadband access
    affected Native students during this pandemic?

        2b. How will this affect achievement gaps?
        Answer. According to a Government Accountability Office report,
    only 65 percent of individuals living on tribal lands had access to
    fixed broadband in contrast to the access rate of 92 percent for all
    Americans. Further, 34 percent of Native students nationwide do not
    have internet access in their homes, compared to 24 percent of students
    nationwide.\1\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ Alliance for Excellent Education, Future Ready Schools,
    Students of Color Caught in the Homework Gap, https://futureready.org/
    homework-gap/.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Not being able to connect to the internet hinders a student's
    ability to get assistance or engage in active lesson plans. Further,
    not being able to communicate with an instructor or ask questions when
    unsure of a program or topic discourages students and furthers the
    achievement gap. Finally, if a teacher is not able to engage with their
    students and provide formative assessments, their learning progression
    can be hindered, which can result in students not achieving the
    educational outcomes and goals for the day. Four months of this or more
    will widen the achievement gap and have a negative effect on our
    students and their futures.

        Question 3. The CARES Act provided $153 million for BIE schools. Is
    this funding enough to meet the needs of Native students?

        Answer. Simply put, no. A significant investment in emergency
    funding is needed for the BIE system. On July 24, 2020, 21 national and
    regional tribal organizations requested at least $1.5 billion in direct
    funding to BIE funded schools to meet the health, safety, and
    educational needs of students due to the impacts of COVID-19. This
    funding would go toward purchasing education technology hardware,
    software, and connectivity; prevention and response efforts related to
    COVID; providing mental health services and services specific to the
    unique needs of AI/AN students; hiring additional IT staff; increased
    transportation to allow students to social distance on buses; and
    cleaning and sanitizing school facilities. This does not include the
    cost of maintenance and repair to BIE school facilities that would
    allow students and staff to abide by CDC guidance

                      Questions Submitted by Rep. Grijalva
        Question 1. We have reviewed reporting by the GAO and the
    Department of the Interior's Office of Inspector General indicating
    that BIE facilities are currently in subpar conditions and do not meet
    health and safety standards.

        1a. Can you share your concerns about BIE school facilities, in
    subpar conditions, meeting the CDC's guidelines to safely reopen
    schools?

        Answer. Prior to the pandemic, the Department of the Interior
    recently identified $629 million in deferred maintenance for BIE funded
    education facilities and $86 million in deferred maintenance for BIE
    educational quarters. These maintenance needs include utility systems
    such as portable water wells, water treatment plans, and water storage
    tanks. It is impossible for AI/AN students to abide by CDC's sanitation
    and hygiene standards in response to COVID-19 without the necessary
    water and sanitation infrastructure at our BIE schools. Due to the
    large amount of deferred maintenance, Indian Country has concerns on
    BIE schools meeting CDC's guidelines to reopen schools safely.
        Additionally, before the pandemic, it was common for BIE classrooms
    to have to close for up to 2 weeks due to the presence of dangerous
    mold, unsafe roofs, and HVAC system failures, which all resulted in
    pre-pandemic lost instruction during the academic year. Kindergarten
    students alone have been displaced from their regular classrooms for 3
    years at some schools.

                                     ______

        Mr. Gallego. Thank you, Honorable Joe Garcia. Thank you for
    your testimony.
        The Chair now recognizes Mr. Lance Witte.
        Did I pronounce that correctly, Mr. Witte?
        Mr. Witte. Yes, that is correct.
        Mr. Gallego. OK. Mr. Lance Witte, the Superintendent and
    high school principal for the Lower Brule Schools in South
    Dakota.

     STATEMENT OF LANCE WITTE, SUPERINTENDENT AND PRINCIPAL, LOWER
                BRULE SCHOOLS, LOWER BRULE, SOUTH DAKOTA

        Mr. Witte. Chairman Gallego, Ranking Member Stauber,
    honorable members of this Subcommittee, thank you for the
    opportunity to testify on behalf of Lower Brule Schools and the
    Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, both located in central South Dakota.
        I serve as Superintendent of Lower Brule Schools, and my
    testimony today focuses on the challenges we face because of
    COVID-19. Specifically, my testimony is about the Bureau of
    Indian Education's school re-opening guidance and how COVID-19
    intensifies our existing funding shortfalls.
        In 1868, the Fort Laramie Treaty was signed between
    representatives of the Lakota Nation and the United States.
    This treaty established the Federal Government's role and
    commitment to best promote the education of Lakota youth by
    providing teachers, schools, and educational funding.
        Our school serves students in one of the most rural and
    impoverished communities in the United States. The reservation
    covers more than 400 square miles, and 99 percent of our
    students are economically disadvantaged.
        The primary source of funding for our schools is the Indian
    School Equalization Program, or ISEP. These funds, according to
    the Bureau's own documentation, are designed for education
    related programs, such as staff salaries and benefits,
    classroom supplies, textbooks, gifted and talented programming,
    and extracurricular activities. Unfortunately, ISEP is not
    sufficient.
        ISEP dollars must be used to close gaps in other federally-
    funded programs like transportation, food service, special
    education, and facilities construction and maintenance.
        Like many schools, businesses, and governments throughout
    America, COVID-19 has severely impacted our budget.
    Unfortunately, this pandemic-related impact merely compounds
    the annual funding crisis we face because of Federal under-
    funding.
        The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe received Federal coronavirus
    relief funds from the CARES Act and distributed a portion of
    these funds to Lower Brule Schools. We are grateful to have
    received these funds that can help us provide technology to
    students, purchase personal protective equipment, and build out
    a wireless internet network so that our students can access
    their course work from home.
        This year, to ensure the health and safety of our students
    and staff, we decided to start school online. One reason we
    decided not to re-open our campus was that South Dakota has the
    most rapidly increasing rate of COVID-19 spread in the nation,
    rising 55 percent in the last 2 weeks alone.
        In part, we also decided to start the year with online
    learning because of the lack of clear communication from the
    BIE about CARES Act funding. When the CARES Act became law in
    March, we were grateful that it included tribal set-asides and
    increased funding for the BIE. But as the school's leadership
    team began crafting plans to resume school, we struggled with
    the lack of Federal guidance about this funding.
        While our school was provided a tentative funding
    projection, no timeline was provided on when these funds would
    be available for us to use. It was only on June 29, 2020, that
    these BIE funds were deposited into our school's account, just
    a few weeks before the start of the school year.
        This delayed funding meant that we had to postpone the
    start of our school year by 3 weeks.
        As we reshuffle our Federal funding to meet immediate
    needs, the educational equity gap between our students and
    their non-Native peers in non-tribal schools only grows. In
    South Dakota, the Native American student proficiency rate on
    standardized math, English, and science assessments are less
    than half of the statewide average.
        In testimony before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
    on July 29, BIE Director Tony Dearman said that it is the BIE's
    firm belief that students succeed when at school. Students
    learn and grow while attending school during in-person academic
    instruction.
        Lower Brule Schools entirely agrees with Mr. Dearman's view
    on school re-opening and agrees with Federal policy makers that
    a return to in-person learning is good for students.
        But as the BIE develops and implements its re-opening
    plans, we ask that they keep in mind that Federal funding
    directly impacts our ability to welcome students back to
    campus.
        Funds provided to tribal grant schools need not only to be
    adequate but provided in a timely manner. Delayed funding is
    unfortunately not new to us, but we hope that this will change.
    For example, our school submitted all of its necessary
    documents for Title I funding in the fall of 2019 only to
    receive these Title I funds on March 20, 2020, after school had
    closed for COVID-19.
        One hundred and fifty years after the Fort Laramie Treaty
    was signed, our tribe and school continue to pursue an
    education that best promotes the education of our students.
    Underfunding of the Indian School Equalization Program and
    other BIE programs does not help.
        Congress' trust responsibility to our school is not altered
    because of COVID-19, and we ask for sufficient and timely
    fiscal relief from our Federal partners so that we can pursue a
    safe re-opening of our campus.
        Thank you for your time and the opportunity to testify
    about these important issues.

        [The prepared statement of Mr. Witte follows:]
         Prepared Statement of Lance Witte, Ed. S. Lower Brule Schools
      Superintendent on behalf of Lower Brule Schools and the Lower Brule
                                  Sioux Tribe
        Chairman Gallego, Ranking Member Cook, and honorable members of
    this Subcommittee: thank you for the opportunity to testify on behalf
    of Lower Brule Schools and the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, both located in
    central South Dakota. I serve as the superintendent of Lower Brule
    Schools, and my testimony today focuses on the challenges we face
    because of COVID-19. Specifically, my testimony is about the Bureau of
    Indian Education's (BIE) school reopening guidance and how COVID-19
    exacerbates our existing funding shortfalls.
        In 1868, the Fort Laramie Treaty was signed between representatives
    of the Lakota Nation and the United States. This treaty established the
    Federal Government's role and commitment to ``best promote the
    education'' of Lakota youth by providing teachers, schools, and
    educational funding.
        Our school serves students in one of the most rural and
    impoverished communities in the United States; the reservation covers
    more than 400 square miles and 99 percent of our students are
    economically disadvantaged. The primary source of funding for our
    school, the Indian School Equalization Program, or ISEP, provides a
    per-pupil allocation to Bureau of Indian Education-funded grant schools
    for general operating expenditures. These funds, according to the
    Bureau's own documentation, are designed for education-related
    programming, such as staff salaries and benefits, classroom supplies,
    textbooks, gifted and talented programming, and extracurricular
    activities. Unfortunately, ISEP funding is not sufficient to operate
    our school well.
        One reason for this is that ISEP dollars often must be used to
    close gaps in other federally-funded programs, like transportation,
    food service, special education, and facilities construction and
    maintenance. Draining ISEP funds for needed expenses in other areas
    leaves us with less money to pay teachers and invest in student
    programming.
        Like many schools, businesses, and governments throughout America,
    COVID-19 has severely impacted our budget. Unfortunately, this
    pandemic-related impact merely compounds the annual funding crisis we
    face because of Federal underfunding. The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe
    received Federal Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) from the CARES Act
    (P.L. 116-136) and distributed a portion of these funds to Lower Brule
    Schools. We are grateful to have received these funds that can help us
    provide technology to students, purchase personal protective equipment,
    and build out a wireless internet network so that our students can
    access their coursework at home. But to put this in perspective, these
    CRF funds do not even cover the existing Federal funding shortfall our
    school has faced since 2018.
        As I speak with tribal school leaders across South Dakota and
    nationwide, it is clear that many of us are in a similar position: Our
    schools are forced to use Federal funds intended for educational
    programming for other essential needs, often simply to keep our aging
    school facilities open. As we reshuffle our Federal funding to meet
    immediate needs, the educational equity gap between our students and
    their non-Native peers in non-tribal schools only grows. In South
    Dakota, the Native American student proficiency rate on standardized
    math, English, and science assessments is less than half of the
    statewide average.
        This year, to ensure the health and safety of our students and
    staff, we decided to start school online. One reason we decided to not
    reopen our campus was because South Dakota has the most rapidly
    increasing rate of COVID-19 spread in the nation, rising 55 percent in
    the last 2 weeks alone.\1\ In part, we also decided to start the year
    with online learning because of a lack of clear communication from the
    BIE about CARES Act funding. When the CARES Act became law in March, we
    were grateful that it included tribal set-asides and increased funding
    for the BIE. But as our school's leadership team began crafting plans
    to resume school, we struggled with a lack of Federal guidance about
    this funding. While our school was provided a tentative funding
    projection, no timeline was provided about when these funds would be
    made available for us to use. Without knowing the confirmed funding
    amounts, we could not adequately prepare for the start of school--we
    did not have the information we needed to properly budget funds for
    personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies, laptop computers for
    in-home learning, or mobile hotspots, for example.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ National Public Radio (NPR), September 8, 2020. ``Coronavirus
    Maps: How Severe Is Your State's Outbreak?''
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        It was only on June 29, 2020, that BIE funds were deposited into
    our school's account, just a couple weeks before the start of school.
    This delayed funding meant that we had to postpone the start of our
    school year by 3 weeks.
        In testimony before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on July
    29, BIE Director Tony Dearman said that ``it is BIE's firm belief that
    students succeed when at school. Students learn and grow while
    attending school during in-person academic instruction.'' Lower Brule
    Schools entirely agrees with Mr. Dearman's view on school reopening and
    agrees with Federal policymakers that a return to in-person learning is
    good for students.
        But as the BIE develops and implements its reopening plans, we ask
    that it keep in mind that Federal funding directly impacts our ability
    to welcome students back to campus. Funds provided to tribal grant
    schools need not only be adequate, but provided in a timely manner.
    (Delayed funding is unfortunately not new to us, but we hope that this
    will change; for example, our school submitted its all necessary
    documents for Title I funding in the fall of 2019, only to receive
    these Title I funds on March 20, 2020, after the school had closed due
    to COVID-19.
        150 years after the Fort Laramie Treaty was signed, our tribe and
    school continue to pursue an education that ``best promotes the
    education'' of our students. Underfunding of the Indian School
    Equalization Program and other BIE programs does not help. Congress's
    trust responsibility to our school is not altered because of COVID-19,
    and we ask for sufficient and timely fiscal relief from our Federal
    partners so we can pursue the safe re-opening of our campus.
        Thank you for your time and the opportunity to testify about these
    important issues.

                                     ______

      Questions Submitted for the Record to Mr. Lance Witte, Lower Brule
                             Schools Superintendent
                      Questions Submitted by Rep. Gallego
        Question 1. What written guidance or other communication, if any,
    did you receive from BIE last spring and/or over the summer regarding
    the reopening plans for the upcoming school year?

        Answer. The BIE sent out sample surveys for parents in July. We
    utilized those surveys with our parents to collect data. After that, no
    guidance for the school opening was sent out until late August. We used
    information from parent surveys, CDC, South Dakota Department of
    Health, South Department of Education, and other school districts
    around the state to develop our Return to Learn Plan. Our Return to
    Learn Plan was approved on August 5 by the Lower Brule Tribal Council.
    We were asked to send the Return to Learn Plan to the BIE, and we met
    their request. We then told on September 4 that the BIE was evaluating
    our Return to Learn Plan with a rubric that we were never provided. On
    September 15, we received the feedback on Return to Learn Plan and were
    asked to make adjustments based on the feedback. We modified our Plan
    in a couple of days as directed. Finally, we received an email from Dr.
    Tsosie, BIE Minneapolis, before we were able to send the modifications
    that they approved the Plan without modifications.

                                     ______

        Mr. Gallego. Thank you, Mr. Witte.
        The Chair now recognizes Ms. Sue Parton, the President of
    the Federation of Indian Service Employees.

       STATEMENT OF SUE PARTON, PRESIDENT, FEDERATION OF INDIAN
                           SERVICE EMPLOYEES

        Ms. Parton. Good afternoon, Chairman Grijalva, Subcommittee
    Chairman Gallego, Ranking Member Stauber, and distinguished
    members of the Subcommittee.
        My name is Lahoma Sue Parton. I am a member of the Kiowa
    Tribe of Oklahoma. I am president of the Federation of Indian
    Service Employees, affiliated with the American Federation of
    Teachers. FISE represents 6,700 employees at 350 work sites in
    22 states run by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of
    Indian Education, the Office of Special Trustee for American
    Indians, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Indian
    Affairs under the Department of the Interior.
        The coronavirus has hit Native American communities
    especially hard, and misinformation or no information has
    complicated the lives and careers of our members.
        On March 16 and 17, all Bureau-operated schools were shut
    down and boarding schools were directed to send students home,
    but employees were directed to continue to report for duty.
        Employees were eventually directed to shelter in place and
    initially placed on weather safety leave. They were ultimately
    directed to telework, yet they were not provided with training
    nor equipment to telework. Many lived in rural areas with
    little or no broadband or internet access.
        At the end of April, FISE received a draft of the BIE
    School Re-opening Plan. We requested and were granted the
    opportunity to participate in the re-opening plan.
        The first meeting of the BIE Re-opening Task Force met by
    conference call on May 22. However, all subsequent meetings
    were canceled.
        On June 12, I received an e-mail from BIE stating that the
    task force would not be reconvened.
        On June 24, the BIA sent out an e-mail to the employees
    stating, ``Your BIE e-mail is scheduled to migrate this
    evening.''
        The new software required users to have a DOI-issued
    personal identity verification card and card reader, which the
    majority of BIE employees did not have and could not acquire
    due to the closings of the credentialing centers.
        The BIE employees were immediately put in the position
    where they could not receive information from the union or
    communication from their supervisors since they could not
    access the government e-mail. This situation continues to
    affect about 1,000 BIE contract educators today.
        In late June, the BIE School Re-opening Plan was published
    for comment in the Federal Register with the announcement of
    public and tribal comment sessions to be presented virtually. I
    sent the union's comments to the BIE per instructions for
    publication, but it was sent back to the BIE Employee Labor
    Relations Office to address the concerns and questions.
        The union then submitted our proposal on the re-opening
    plan, which was also ignored.
        Throughout July, FISE made numerous attempts to communicate
    with BIE. We were forwarded guidance from BIE's Human Resources
    Office, from the DOI, Indian Affairs, BIE, state government and
    tribal government, which may or may not have been applicable to
    all four agencies that we represent. It was confusing and
    difficult to decipher.
        At the end of July, we were informed by BIE that there was
    a glitch causing unemployment applications to be denied to
    contract educators. BIE devised a work-around where employees
    would have to submit several documents on an individual basis
    to apply for retroactive benefits.
        Many employees lacked internet access to these submissions
    except at their work sites, which they cannot reach due to the
    pandemic.
        Throughout the summer, we requested information on the
    teaching method and distance learning plans the BIE would be
    offering so we could notify employees and help to ensure a safe
    and productive working environment. It is now 4 work days
    before the re-opening date, and we have not received any
    decision. The most recent version of the BIE re-opening plan,
    ``Return to Learn,'' simply states that BIE prefers to offer
    in-person teaching to the extent possible.
        About 80 percent of our members are affiliated with a
    Native American tribe and traditionally live in
    multigenerational homes, amplifying concerns about spreading
    the virus to their family members. The majority of Native
    Americans depend on Indian Health Service for health care,
    which is underfunded by BIE. Our tribal nations have already
    been decimated.
        FISE believes schools must re-open but must do so safely.
    We must follow available science and public health guidance and
    the expertise of educators and health practitioners.
        As we see across the country, premature return to normal
    activity without proper precautions risks infection surges and
    new shutdowns, harming our communities and our economy.
        As to the ``Return to Learn'' plan, safety measures are
    only recommendations, not directives. There are several times
    where the guidance equivocates, such as ``when feasible,'' ``if
    possible,'' ``within reason,'' or ``to the extent practicable''
    when referring to safe measures like social distancing, face
    coverings, or other PPE.
        I want to be clear that what we want is an opportunity to
    truly collaborate with BIE. Our members have the right to a
    workplace with adequate infection control practices and PPE,
    and our labor laws obligate employers to discuss these matters.
        We want a solution-driven dialogue with employers that will
    ensure staff and students are safe.
        Thank you for this opportunity.

        [The prepared statement of Ms. Parton follows:]
       Prepared Statement of Sue Parton, President, Federation of Indian
                               Service Employees
        Good afternoon, Chairman Gallego, Ranking Member Cook and
    distinguished members of the Subcommittee.
        My name is Lahoma Sue Parton, and I am a member of the Kiowa Tribe
    of Oklahoma. I currently serve as the president of the Federation of
    Indian Service Employees, affiliated with the American Federation of
    Teachers. FISE is headquartered in Albuquerque, NM, where I have worked
    and resided for the past 44 years. FISE represents about 6,700
    employees in the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian
    Education, the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians and
    the Office of the Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs, under the
    Department of Interior, who work at about 350 work sites located in 22
    states.
        FISE represents 2,817 BIE bargaining unit employees who work at 55
    bureau-operated schools and offices located in 10 different states.
    Currently, 2,281 of our members work in schools located in Arizona and
    New Mexico. The coronavirus has hit Native American communities
    especially hard, particularly in how it has affected BIE-operated
    schools and how misinformation, or no information, from BIE/DOI
    management has complicated the lives and careers of our members.
        Although I became aware in January, through news reports, of COVID-
    19's devastating impact on a Washington state nursing home, I was not
    yet aware of its potential to become a pandemic that would affect us
    all. It was not I received an email at the end of January from the AFT,
    with guidance and resources regarding preparing for and taking
    precautions against a possible airborne viral pandemic, that I realized
    the implications of the coronavirus. About the same time, I received
    inquiries from some OST members who had questions as to why they were
    being advised to take home their laptop computers, just in case.
        In early March, I was notified that my Federal supervisor had
    attended a conference in Washington state and was told to quarantine
    for 14 days upon her return to Albuquerque. In mid-March, when the
    governors of New Mexico and Oregon shut down their public schools, many
    BIE schools were on spring breaks, so we were inundated with inquiries
    from employees as to what BIE was going to do. On March 16 and 17, all
    bureau-operated schools were shut down and boarding schools were
    directed to send students home, but employees were directed to continue
    to report for duty. This raised many questions, but BIE did not provide
    consistent answers. Employees were eventually directed to ``shelter in
    place,'' being initially placed on weather/safety leave provided
    through guidance from DOI/BIE. They were ultimately directed to
    telework, allowing them to fulfill their school year contracts. While
    this is the status of the majority of our BIE employees, employees were
    not provided with training or equipment to telework, and they lived in
    rural areas that had little or no broadband or internet access.
        On March 18, after numerous unsuccessful attempts to get decisive,
    consistent guidance from BIE/DOI and an increase in inquiries from
    worried employees, I sent out an email to our entire bargaining unit to
    inform them that their union was pursuing every avenue to advocate for
    them and get answers to their concerns. This correspondence was sent
    through the government email system, per the collective bargaining
    agreement. I was censured by the Bureau of Indian Affairs for doing so.
        In early April, management offered paid leave under the Family
    First Coronavirus Response Act, as a way for employees to remain on
    telework or to care for themselves and family members, but the
    administration of these leave policies were often misinterpreted and
    applied inconsistently throughout BIE. Once the decision was made for
    bureau-operated schools to remain closed through the end of the school
    year, the Employee Performance Appraisal Plan closeout issue was
    negotiated to fairly rate employees, which would affect their next
    year's contract.
        At the end of April, FISE received a draft of the BIE School
    Reopening Plan. As the exclusive representative of the employees, we
    requested and were granted the opportunity to participate in the
    reopening plan. The first meeting of the BIE Reopening Task Force met
    by conference call on May 22, however all subsequent meetings were
    canceled. On July 12, I received an email from BIE stating that the
    task force would not be reconvened. The reason given was to allow the
    BIE to align the reopening plan with the administration's ``Opening Up
    America Again'' guidelines.
        To exacerbate the situation, on June 24, the BIA Office of
    Information Management Technology, which controls the BIE email system,
    sent out an email to employees stating, ``Your BIE email is scheduled
    to migrate THIS evening.'' The BIE was migrating to Office 365, which
    required users to have a DOI-issued personal identity verification
    (PIV) card and card reader, which the majority of BIE employees, who
    were mostly on their summer furlough, did not have and could not
    acquire, due to the closures of credentialing centers. The BIE
    employees were immediately put in a position where they could not
    receive information from the union or directives and communication from
    their supervisors, since they could not access their government email.
    The situation continues to affect about 1,000 BIE contract educators
    today. The union was not notified of this change in employees' working
    conditions, which would have allowed the employees to bargain over the
    impact and implementation of the change, so a grievance was filed. We
    have been informed that our grievance has been upheld, but we have not
    yet received the relief we are seeking.
        In late June, the BIE School Reopening Plan was published for
    comment in the Federal Register, with announcement of public and tribal
    consultation/comments sessions to be presented virtually. I sent the
    union's comments to the BIE per instructions for publication, but it
    was sent back to the BIE ER/LR office to address the concerns and
    questions. The union then submitted our proposal on the reopening plan,
    which was obviously ignored.
        Throughout July, FISE made numerous attempts to communicate with
    BIE regarding the reopening plans and types of instruction, email
    issues, concrete information on types of leave for employees, and
    specific concerns for the bureau-operated schools that have residential
    operations, including the four off-reservation boarding schools located
    in Oregon, California, South Dakota and Oklahoma. We received only
    guidance provided to us by BIE's Human Resources office, from DOI,
    Indian Affairs, BIE, state governments and tribal governments, which
    may or may not be applicable to all four agencies we represent. It was
    confusing and proved difficult to decipher.
        At the end of July, we were informed by BIE HR that there was a
    problem with contract educators who normally receive unemployment
    during their furlough, because of a glitch causing unemployment
    applications to be denied. We learned that BIE sends personnel
    information to the Interior Business Center (payroll office), who sends
    the information to its processing contractor, Equifax, who sends it to
    various states' Labor departments for unemployment eligibility
    information for benefits. There was a problem with the transfer of
    information from IBC to Equifax, so employees did not receive
    unemployment benefits. BIE HR devised a ``workaround'' where individual
    employees would have to submit several documents on an individual basis
    to apply for retroactive benefits. I'm not sure if this has been
    resolved, but I doubt that it has, with the lack of internet access for
    most employees, except at their work sites, which they could not reach
    due to the pandemic.
        Throughout the summer, we have requested a list of all of the BOS
    schools and what type of teaching they will be offering their students,
    so we can notify employees and ``impact and implementation'' bargain
    over any part of the plan to ensure a safe and productive working
    environment. It is now 4 work days before the reopening date, and we
    have not received any decision, other than the most recent version of
    the BIE reopening plan, ``Return to Learn,'' which still states that
    BIE prefers to offer in-person teaching ``to the extent possible.''
    This leaves the decision on how to reopen schools on September 16 up to
    each individual school working with the BIE associate deputy director
    for their schools, adhering to any tribal government directives and the
    guidelines provided by their state governors and their local health
    officials.
        About 80 percent of our members are affiliated with a Native
    American tribe and traditionally live in multigenerational homes, which
    accelerates their concerns about contracting the virus and spreading it
    to members of their families, particularly the elderly with many
    underlying health conditions. The majority of Native Americans depend
    on Indian Health Service to provide their healthcare, which is as
    vastly underfunded as BIE. Having a personal computing device and a
    vehicle is often a luxury for many Native families.
        FISE believes schools must reopen, but must do so safely. We must
    follow available science and public health guidance and the expertise
    of educators and health practitioners. As we are seeing across the
    country, premature return to ``normal'' activity without proper
    precautions risks infection surges and new shutdowns, which harms our
    communities and our economy.

        Based on what is currently known about the disease and its spread,
    there are two essential components each community and our Nation as a
    whole must commit to. These are imperative and should be considered
    non-negotiable, and they are preconditions for opening school
    buildings.

      1.  Physical distancing until the number of new cases declines for at
                least 14 consecutive days in a given region.

      2.  A robust public health infrastructure with the capacity for
                effective disease surveillance, tracing, isolation of those
                infected and quarantine.

        The best way to keep students and staff in school is to ensure that
    community transmission is under control. However, getting students to
    and from school, and what happens in schools, are just as important.
        As to the ``Return to Learn'' plan, non-negotiable safety measures
    are recommendations, not directives. There are several spaces where the
    guidelines are worded in equivocating language, such as ``when
    feasible,'' ``if possible,'' ``within reason'' or ``to the extent
    practicable,'' when referring to safety measures such as social
    distancing, face coverings and other PPE. Our tribal nations have
    already been decimated. I want to be clear that we are not calling for
    an overhaul of the BIE. To the contrary, we acknowledge that the BIE
    has the right intentions, and we support its mission 100 percent. What
    we want is an opportunity to truly collaborate with the agency and to
    be heard.
        We share the BIE's goal of educational excellence and equity for
    Native students--to ensure that they are able to meet the same
    challenging college- and career-ready standards required of all
    students. It was encouraging to see that the plan aspires to meet the
    academic, health and social needs of our Native children.
        In conclusion, I would like to say that our members have the right
    to a workplace with adequate infection-control practices and PPE to
    keep them safe from exposure to hazards like COVID-19, and our labor
    laws obligate employers to discuss these matters. As a union, we can
    engage in a solution-driven dialogue with employers that will ensure
    staff and students are protected from COVID-19 exposure in the
    workplace.
        Thank you for this opportunity.

                                     ______

       Questions Submitted for the Record to Ms. Sue Parton, President,
                     Federation of Indian Service Employees
                      Questions Submitted by Rep. Gallego
        Question 1. In its letter to Tribal leaders, the BIE said that
    ``educators will receive professional development which supports them
    being effective instructional leaders in a COVID-19 environment.'' To
    your knowledge, have teachers received that training?

        Answer. In a request the union sent to BIE on August 10 and again
    on August 25, we asked for information as to what type of teaching each
    of the BIE schools would have. Normally, that would be done through an
    official notification outlining how the affected educators would be
    impacted, what the provision for the selected type of teaching would
    entail and how management would meet the requirements for that type of
    instruction. Then, we would work with employees and management to
    ensure that all safety measures would be provided to accommodate those
    needs. However, since we have not yet received that information for all
    schools, I can only respond that a few schools I do know of have
    provided professional development to the educational staff. But, I
    cannot verify that is the case for ALL BIE operated schools.

        Question 2. In June, you mentioned that BIA's Office of Information
    Management Technology reached out to BIE staff regarding the BIE e-mail
    system and that there were issues with BIE employees receiving
    information about their contracts.

        2a. Since you were not notified of the change in working conditions
    for employees, does this mean that the bargaining period for BIE
    employees has ended?

        Answer. The change was made without prior notice to the union, and
    the union has still not received official notice of the change, in
    violation of the CBA. Consequently, it is the union's position that it
    may still conduct I&I bargaining once (if) the official notice is ever
    provided. Not if management complies with the relief we are seeking in
    the grievance filed on June 26. The reason this change was so
    disruptive is because it required that employees have a card reader
    attached to their computers in order to access their e-mail accounts.
    With the vast majority of employees working from home, card readers
    were not issued for their home use, which meant none of these employees
    could access their e-mail accounts remotely, and that impacted their
    ability to obtain information about their contracts and other work-
    related information.

        2b. What relief were you seeking for the grievance?

        Answer. To rescind the decision to implement card readers and
    Office 365, and instead return to the former BIE e-mail system. We
    further requested that once the decision is made to move forward with
    the new system, to officially notify the union, afford for I&I
    bargaining, then go from there. This has caused a lot of undue
    confusion, stress and anxiety in a time when there's plenty already for
    our employees.

        2c. Roughly how many BIE employees continue to be impacted by this
    technology delay?

        Answer. About 1,000 at this time.

                                     ______

        Mr. Gallego. Thank you, Ms. Parton. I apologize if I
    mispronounced your name earlier.
        And thank you to all the witnesses for their testimony.
        The Chair now recognizes Ms. Therese Yanan, the Executive
    Director for the Native American Disability Law Center.
        Thank you, Ms. Yanan.

     STATEMENT OF THERESE YANAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND ATTORNEY,
                 NATIVE AMERICAN DISABILITY LAW CENTER

        Ms. Yanan. Thank you, Chairman Gallego.
        Chairman Gallego, Ranking Member Stauber, members of the
    Committee, thank you for the opportunity to speak with you
    today.
        The Native American Disability Law Center is a private non-
    profit that addresses the unique legal issues facing Native
    Americans with disabilities and is a part of the Federal
    Protection and Advocacy System, a nationwide system dedicated
    to promoting the rights of people with disabilities.
        For over 25 years, I have had the pleasure and privilege of
    working with the various tribal communities of the Four Corners
    region, primarily the Navajo Nation and Hopi Tribe.
        Since its inception in 1994, a primary focus of the Law
    Center's services and a major concern of our community has been
    the education of Native American children with disabilities,
    especially those attending BIE schools.
        The BIE's current obligation to meet the educational needs
    of its students, including those with disabilities is rooted in
    its trust responsibility to tribes and under Federal law. For
    approximately 6,000 Native American students with disabilities,
    the Bureau must comply with the requirements of the Individuals
    with Disabilities Education Act, known as the IDEA.
        As an agency, the Bureau struggles to meet the needs of
    students with disabilities attending its schools. A series of
    GAO and IG reports and the Department of Education corrective
    action plans documents the Bureau's inability to meet even the
    basic educational needs of students with disabilities.
        For 9 consecutive years, the Department of Education has
    found the Bureau needs intervention based on its repeated
    failure to comply with corrective action plans to properly
    implement the IDEA. The Bureau's long-standing inability to
    comply with the IDEA made education for Native American
    students with disabilities attending their schools challenging
    under the best of circumstances.
        Then the pandemic hit. While state education agencies were
    issuing guidance to school districts concerning the provision
    of educational services, families of students in BIE schools
    were left in the dark. Schools shut their doors with no
    communication to students with disabilities about how their
    services would be provided.
        Beginning in April and continuing through June, the Law
    Center checked in with clients in Bureau schools across the
    Four Corners region. One parent was contacted by a school
    counselor who had been counseling her son and told that the
    school terminated his contract.
        A speech language therapist in another school was told to
    stop providing services even though she could do so remotely.
        Some parents were provided packets of work for their
    children, but they were often either far above or below the
    child's grade level.
        Across the board, these families were clear that their
    children were not receiving any meaningful education or
    services.
        In July, when the Bureau held listening sessions on the
    topic of a school re-opening plan, stakeholders expressed
    concern about re-opening too early in areas with high COVID
    rates, not having reliable technology to support distance
    learning, and the lack of training for staff on how to educate
    students in remote learning environments.
        Despite this input, the Bureau issued a letter on August 6
    suggesting that all schools return to in-person learning as
    soon as possible. The letter referenced the ``Return to Learn''
    plan which provides little substantive guidance on the actual
    re-opening of schools for the current school year.
        While the clear goal of the Bureau is for students to
    return to in-person learning as soon as possible, the plan
    includes two other alternatives. One is internet-based
    learning.
        The other is an alternative education program for students
    without technology or connectivity. The plan instructs schools
    that they must provide students with disabilities all services
    identified in their IEPs, regardless of which option they
    choose.
        The Law Center has significant concerns with these options.
    First, with such a heavy focus on return to in-person learning,
    the Bureau failed to construct effective internet-based
    educational services. Many students in Bureau schools lack the
    technology or reliable internet necessary to fully participate
    in an online learning platform.
        Further, by giving schools the choice of providing an
    alternative program to families who do not have access to
    technology, the Bureau is contributing to the already existing
    inequities facing tribal communities.
        Additionally, the plan fails to provide guidance on how
    special education services will fit into the alternative
    program or how students would be connected with service
    providers.
        Recent outreach revealed that schools have not been in
    contact with families, leaving them unsure of what the current
    school year looks like. Many families are afraid to return
    their children to school for in-person learning. Students
    should not be forced to return to school because the Bureau
    failed to provide a viable distance learning option.
        The Bureau must take immediate steps to address the needs
    of students with disabilities by developing a more robust and
    comprehensive distance learning plan that provides clear
    guidance on meeting the educational needs of students with
    disabilities.
        We appreciate the Subcommittee's interest in the issues
    facing Native American students with disabilities.
        Thank you for your time today.

        [The prepare statement of Ms. Yanan follows:]
    Prepared Statement of Therese E. Yanan, Native American Disability Law
                                     Center
        Chairman Gallego, Ranking Member Cook, members of the Subcommittee:
    thank you for the opportunity to testify today regarding reopening
    schools funded and operated by the Bureau of Indian Education. My name
    is Therese Yanan and I am an attorney and the Executive Director of the
    Native American Disability Law Center.
                          introduction and background
        The Native American Disability Law Center (Law Center) is a private
    non-profit legal organization that serves Native Americans with
    disabilities in the Four Corners region of Arizona, Colorado, New
    Mexico and Utah. The Law Center's mission is to advocate so that the
    rights of our clients are enforced, strengthened, and brought in
    harmony with their communities. With offices in Farmington, New Mexico
    and Flagstaff, Arizona, our advocates work to ensure that Native
    Americans with disabilities have access to justice and are empowered
    and equal members of their communities and nations. The issues we
    address include civil rights, special education, health care, and
    access to public and private services. Our staff investigate abuse and
    neglect in care facilities, and provide rights-based training for
    people with disabilities, their families, educators and service
    providers.
        The Law Center is a part of the Federal Protection and Advocacy
    (P&A) System, which is a nationwide system of legal organizations
    dedicated to promoting and protecting the rights of people with
    disabilities living in every state and U.S. territory. The Law Center
    is the only P&A that is dedicated to meeting the unique needs of Native
    Americans with disabilities. While we focus our direct services in the
    Four Corners, as national leaders in the field, the Law Center
    routinely consults with other legal organizations, including in the
    national P&A network, to address the legal issues facing Native
    Americans with disabilities. The Law Center is often invited to speak
    at regional and national disability rights conferences. In 2019, the
    Law Center was recognized as the organizational recipient of the annual
    National Disability Rights Network Advocacy Award for its efforts to
    address the educational needs of Native American students with
    disabilities attending a BIE school.
        For over 25 years, I have had the pleasure and privilege of working
    with the various tribal communities of the Four Corners, primarily the
    Navajo Nation and Hopi Tribe. Since its inception in 1994, a primary
    focus of the Law Center's services and a major concern of our community
    has been the education of Native American children with disabilities.
        The Law Center addresses the special education needs of Native
    American students with disabilities in the Arizona, New Mexico,
    Colorado and Utah public school systems and the Federal Bureau of
    Indian Education (BIE) system. The Law Center provides services that
    can include informal advocacy, technical assistance, and legal
    representation to its clients. The Law Center has been working to
    address the unique legal issues facing Native American students with
    disabilities attending BIE schools for 25 years including in the
    seminal education civil rights cases Bitsilly v. Bureau of Indian
    Affairs, 253 F. Supp.2d 1257 (D.N.M. 2003) and Stephen C. v. BIE, No.
    3:17-cv-08004-SPL (D. Ariz. 2017). The legal issues Native American
    students with disabilities face in BIE schools are often more
    complicated because of jurisdiction and tribal sovereignty issues,
    inconsistent practices across BIE schools, persistent failure to
    adequately staff schools, and a lack of formalized special education
    policies and procedures.
                history of indian education in the united states
        The history of Indian education in the United States has a painful
    past that has left a long-lasting impact on many Native American
    communities. With the passage of the Civilization Fund Act on March 3,
    1819, the U.S. Government ushered into practice forced assimilationist
    policies that led to an era often referred to as the ``Indian boarding
    school era.'' This era created boarding schools that were run by the
    Federal Government and religious officials and designed to assimilate
    Native Americans into the dominant culture. During this shameful era,
    Native American students were coerced into attending the boarding
    schools where they were stripped of their cultural practices, language,
    and appearances. The Federal Government has recognized that it was
    Federal policy to ``acculturate and assimilate'' Native American
    communities by eradicating their tribal cultures through the boarding
    school system. In 1928 the Meriam Report documented the conditions of
    the boarding school system as overcrowded, without adequate food or
    medical care, with a uniform and ineffective curriculum and low teacher
    standards, and with child labor being used to keep the schools running.
    Many may not know that for some the disruption of the boarding school
    era has not ended since many Native American students who do have a
    high school in their community attend BIE boarding schools since it is
    their only option if they want to obtain a high school diploma.
        The Indian boarding schools were originally operated by the U.S.
    Department of Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs. This system of
    schools was later taken over by the Office of Indian Education
    Programs, which was renamed and reestablished as the BIE in 2006. The
    BIE is headed by a director, who is responsible for the direction and
    management of all education functions, including the formation of
    policies and procedures, the supervision of all program activities and
    the approval of fund expenditures appropriated for education functions.
        The BIE's current obligation to meet the educational needs of its
    students, including students with disabilities, is rooted both in its
    unique trust responsibility to tribes and Federal law. The Federal
    Government's trust responsibility to provide for the education of
    Native American students is established primarily through treaties
    between the Federal Government and tribes, but also through Federal
    statutes, court decisions and executive actions. The BIE's obligations
    to meet the educational needs of Native American students are detailed
    in the Indian Education Act, the Indian Self-Determination and
    Education Assistance Act and other numerous Federal statutes and
    regulations, such as the Every Student Succeeds Act. In its own
    regulations, the BIE has declared its mission is to provide ``quality
    education opportunities from early childhood through life in accordance
    with a tribe's 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.'' In addition to funding
    and operating its own schools, the BIE is the State Education Agency
    (SEA) for tribally-controlled schools funded by the BIE, but operated
    by other tribal entities like tribal school boards or departments of
    education. Currently, there are 183 BIE-funded elementary and secondary
    schools, located on 64 reservations in 23 states serving roughly 43,000
    students, including 6,000 students with disabilities. In addition, the
    BIE funds or operates off-reservation boarding schools and dormitories
    near reservations to support students who attend public schools far
    from their homes.
        For Native American students with disabilities, the BIE must comply
    with the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education
    Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) in
    addition to other applicable Federal education laws. The BIE has never
    promulgated its own regulations implementing the IDEA. Its IDEA
    policies and procedures have been in draft form since 2012.
    Importantly, on July 17, 2020, the BIE for the first time issued a
    national policy providing interim guidance to its operated elementary
    and secondary schools and dormitories on the ``nondiscrimination
    prohibitions based on disability found in Section 504[.]'' Prior to
    issuing this policy, the BIE had no written policy regarding its
    obligations to comply with Section 504, a provision passed in 1973.
     bie's failure to meet needs of students with disabilities and general
                                    concerns
        As an agency, the BIE struggles to meet the needs of students with
    disabilities attending its schools. Well documented in a series of U.S.
    Government Accountability Office (GAO) Reports, Inspector General
    reports, the U.S. Department of Education State IDEA Determinations and
    related communications, internal reports and corrective action plans,
    the BIE is plagued with high staff turnover, lack of staff training,
    lack of special education and related service providers, and an
    inability to properly monitor its special education program. These
    inadequacies impact the BIE's ability to meet even the basic
    educational needs of students with disabilities often resulting in
    students' being owed compensatory or ``make up'' education services.
        According to a June 2020 GAO Report, the U.S. Department of
    Education, which provides approximately $78 million annually to the BIE
    to meet the educational needs of Native American students with
    disabilities, raised significant concerns about BIE's implementation of
    IDEA including concerns about BIE's long-standing noncompliance with
    the IDEA's requirements and repeated failure to take the Department of
    Education's required corrective actions. The Report ultimately
    determined BIE was not complying with the IDEA. Troublingly, the GAO
    found that the BIE did not provide or did not account for 38 percent of
    special education and related time for students with disabilities. One
    school did not provide any service to three of its students.
    Furthermore, the BIE has not established whether and when missed
    service should be made up, which has led to inconsistent practices
    among schools.
        For 9 consecutive years, the Department of Education has found that
    the BIE ``needs intervention'' based on its repeated failure to comply
    with corrective action plans to properly implement the IDEA. Students
    attending BIE schools have the lowest outcomes of any students in the
    country.
        In practice, this means that Native American students with
    disabilities are not provided with the critical special education and
    related services they are entitled to receive in their Individual
    Education Plans (IEPs), the document that defines a student with a
    disability's education program under the IDEA. Families who avail
    themselves of the IDEA's procedural safeguards like filing informal and
    formal complaints against the BIE often wait many months or in extreme
    circumstances, years, for resolution. Many of the Law Center's clients
    do not contact the Law Center with esoteric legal issues: families
    simply want to schedule an IEP Meeting with their school and can't get
    a response, are concerned their student's IEP is not being properly
    implemented with fidelity, or want to access their student's
    educational records, which they have been denied. These issues are
    fundamental to the student's ability to learn and access his or her
    educational program and their parents' ability to fully participate in
    their child's education contrary to the clear mandates of the IDEA.
        The BIE's long-standing inability to comply with the IDEA and
    Section 504 made education advocacy for Native American students with
    disabilities attending BIE schools challenging under the best of
    circumstances. Then the pandemic hit.
                    covid-19 school closure and bie response
        In March 2020, Americans began to come to grips with the fact that
    we were facing a global pandemic. By late March, many states had
    announced that schools would be closed for the remainder of the year.
    New Mexico made this decision on March 27, while Arizona followed suit
    3 days later. State Education Agencies (SEAs) began issuing guidance to
    school districts concerning the provision of educational services and,
    in particular, special education services to students with
    disabilities. The message was clear: schools must continue to provide
    students with disabilities the supports and services identified in
    their individualized education plans (IEPs). Should a school be unable
    to provide those supports and services, it must be prepared to review a
    student's progress toward goals and provide compensatory services to
    enable that student to be in a position s/he would have been if
    services had been provided. While it has not been a smooth road for
    students with disabilities in state-funded schools, there was at least
    a map to follow and a general understanding of expectations.
        Meanwhile, families of students in schools overseen by the BIE were
    left in the dark. Schools shut their doors with no communication to
    students with disabilities about how their services would be provided.
    In early April, one school sent parents a letter informing them that
    the school was closed, no education services would be provided, IEP
    meetings would be held virtually or canceled, and students with IEPs
    may be eligible for compensatory education services. Beginning in April
    and continuing through June, the Law Center checked in with clients in
    BIE schools across the Four Corners area. One parent was contacted by a
    school counselor who had been providing ongoing counseling services to
    her son. The counselor stated that his contract was terminated by the
    school. A speech language therapist in another school was told to stop
    providing services, even though she could do so remotely. Some families
    were provided with packets for their children to work on, but they were
    often either far above or below the child's grade level. Occasionally,
    a special education teacher would call to check on a student, but this
    check in was typically a cursory call to see how the student was doing.
    Across the board, the message from these families was clear: we are not
    receiving any meaningful education or services. Not only were students
    being denied educational opportunities, but Native American students
    with disabilities were left without access to critical services. During
    the pandemic, alternative services in the community were often
    inaccessible as resources were being directed toward managing an influx
    of COVID-19 cases at under-resourced health systems.
        On April 21, 2020, the Law Center, along with civil rights and
    disability rights advocates across the country, submitted a request to
    the BIE to issue guidance to its schools. This request went
    unacknowledged and unanswered.
        On April 30, 2020, the BIE held a public listening session on the
    disbursement of $153 million of CARES Act funding. Despite active
    participation and input from tribal leaders and school representatives,
    the BIE failed to publicly release any plan concerning the funding.
        The school year ended without fanfare, without grades, without
    progress reports, and without any clear direction moving forward. On
    June 11, 2020, Margo DeLaune, Acting Associate Deputy Director for the
    BIE Division of Performance and Accountability (which oversees special
    education in BIE schools) signed a ``Dear School Leader'' letter
    addressing the continued responsibility of schools under the
    Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA). The letter
    reminded schools of their obligations to students with disabilities and
    highlighted the need for schools to assess their obligation to provide
    compensatory services during the time that school facilities have been
    closed due to COVID-19, to conduct annual evaluations, and to figure
    out how to provide extended school year (ESY) services to students if
    schools remained closed through the summer. This guidance instructed
    schools to contact families and schedule IEP meetings or provide notice
    that an IEP meeting would be scheduled in the future to discuss these
    issues. Many of our clients have not been contacted by schools
    concerning compensatory services or IEP meetings. It is unclear whether
    the BIE has provided oversight of its schools on this important
    requirement.
                              bie re-opening plan
        In July, the BIE held three listening sessions on the topic of a
    school re-opening plan. The stated purpose of these listening sessions
    was to allow stakeholders input on the needs of their individual
    schools and communities. Concerns were expressed about reopening too
    early in areas with high rates of COVID-19 transmission, not having
    reliable technology to support distance learning, lack of safe and
    reliable bus transportation, mental health needs of students, and lack
    of training for staff on how to educate students in a remote learning
    environment. While the BIE agreed to take all these comments and
    concerns under consideration, they quickly issued a letter on August 6,
    2020 suggesting that all schools return to in-person learning as soon
    as possible. The letter referenced a Return to Learn plan, which was
    located on a new BIE website: returntolearn.bie.edu. This 76-page
    document provides very little substantive guidance on the actual
    reopening of schools for the 2020-2021 school year.

        While the clear goal of the BIE is for students to return to in-
    person learning as soon as possible, the plan outlines three possible
    learning environments for students:

      1.  In person for the full school day;

      2.  Distance learning through a Learning Management System (LMS); or

      3.  Alternative education programs as determined by each school
                leader for students without capability to connect to
                distance learning instruction.

        The plan instructs schools that they must provide students with
    disabilities all services identified in their IEPs, regardless of
    whether they choose the distance learning or alternative education
    option. There is no mention of the June 11 letter instructing schools
    on their obligations to provide compensatory education services, annual
    evaluations, or ESY. The Law Center is not aware of any BIE funded
    school that was able to provide ESY to any student. We also have
    serious concerns about whether schools have communicated with parents
    about ESY or their child's right to these services.
        The Law Center has significant concerns with the options available
    to families. First, with such a heavy focus on a return to in-person
    learning, the BIE has failed to construct an effective method of
    delivering educational services though distance learning. Many students
    in BIE schools lack the technology necessary to fully participate in an
    online learning platform. Even if they have a computer, internet
    service is often unavailable, unreliable or slow. The BIE has not
    released any plan to ensure students have adequate technology to access
    distance learning platforms or, in the case of students with
    disabilities, special education and related services. Further, by
    giving schools the choice of providing an ``alternative education
    program'' to families who do not have access to technology, the BIE is
    contributing to the already existing inequities in tribal communities.
    There is no guidance on how special education services would fit into
    the ``alternative education program'' or how students would be
    connected to service providers. The BIE assumes that in person
    education and services will be possible; however, as we see school
    reopening play out across the country, this goal seems unrealistic.
        Another concern is the BIE's statement that ``schools should assist
    families in understanding their responsibility in supporting their
    child's education in this environment.'' While families play an
    important role in a child's life both in and outside of school, they
    cannot be held responsible for their education. This is especially true
    for families of students with disabilities. Special education teachers
    receive specialized training in working with students with
    disabilities; it cannot fall on parents to provide these services in
    the home. Further, as previously mentioned, many of these students rely
    on the school for assistance with basic needs that require specialized
    knowledge and training. A parent cannot be expected to be a speech
    therapist, occupational therapist, and teacher--particularly when they
    are likely facing the additional stresses that have come with the
    pandemic and their own work responsibilities.
        Recent outreach to families revealed that schools have not been in
    contact with students with disabilities to schedule IEP meetings and
    that families are unsure of what the 2020-2021 school year will look
    like. Many families remain concerned about returning their students to
    school for in-person learning. Some, particularly on the Navajo Nation,
    have experienced loss of close family members to the virus. They should
    not be forced to send their children back to school simply because the
    BIE cannot provide a viable distance learning option.
                                  action items
        We respectfully request you consider taking the following steps to
    immediately address the BIE's failure to account for and address the
    specific and unique needs of students with disabilities during the
    COVID-19 related school closures and in its Reopening Plan.
        First, the BIE should be required to create a COVID-19 Response
    Team properly staffed with the requisite educational and public health
    and safety expertise that is responsible solely for addressing the
    BIE's Reopening Plan. Specifically, this Response Team should be
    responsible for developing a clear communication plan and strategy that
    addresses the needs of both school administration and leadership and
    parents and families. For every school, there should be coordination
    between the Response Team, the School Leadership, Tribal
    representatives and parents. Given the history of Indian Education, the
    BIE should recognize the importance of building partnerships with
    tribal governments and families. These partnerships are essential to
    solving the complex problems facing these schools.
        The Response Team should have a clear communication plan with
    concrete implementation strategies for school administration and
    leadership to follow including how best to communicate with families,
    document any concerns or issues facing families and how families can
    contact the school to address them. For families, the Response Team
    must have a cogent, consistent communication plan that does not rely
    solely on the BIE's ``Return to Learn'' website in order to meet the
    needs of families who may not have access to internet, read English or
    know about the website. Further, the Response Team should create a
    system or complaint process where a specific Response Team member is
    tracking individual family issues in order to connect that family
    directly with the school to work through the issues for prompt
    resolution.
        Importantly, the Team should have an appropriate level of staffing
    to successfully ``roll out'' the Reopening Plan to all of its operated
    schools and still be available to provide technical and direct
    assistance to those schools so that Reopening Plan expectations are
    clearly communicated and issues are addressed quickly and effectively.
        Second, the BIE should develop a more robust Distance Learning
    Plan. As discussed above, the BIE's current iteration of its remote and
    distance learning plan is not comprehensive, nor does it provide clear
    guidance on how a student with a disability's educational needs will be
    served. The plan must first clearly state that distance learning must
    be made available to all students with disabilities. Further, the plan
    must clearly require that the schools provide laptops (or other
    devices) and adequate access to the internet so all students can access
    the remote learning plan. Without a more robust remote learning plan
    with clear direction that the BIE is responsible for ensuring access,
    students with disabilities will be left behind even more than they
    already have been.
        Last, the BIE should be required to demonstrate transparency and
    release publicly available information about how the BIE's CARES Act
    funds and other subsequent funding streams have been spent to date and
    how feedback from the April 20 and 28, 2020 tribal consultations and
    listening sessions was considered in that process.

        We appreciate the Subcommittee's interest in this issue. Thank you
    for allowing me to speak with you today.

                                     ______

     Questions Submitted for the Record to Therese Yanan, Native American
                             Disability Law Center
                      Questions Submitted by Rep. Grijalva
        Question 1. Are BIE schools required under IDEA to provide eligible
    students with special education services during the COVID-19 related
    closures?

        Answer. Yes, it is clear from the guidance provided by the U.S.
    Department of Education and the BIE's own guidance it provided to its
    schools that schools must comply with the IDEA and provide students
    with services during school closures.

        1a. To what extent did schools provide these services to eligible
    students after BIE schools closed in the spring of 2020?

        Answer. Based on our contact with families, schools consistently
    failed to provide any special education or related services to students
    when they closed in the spring. Some parents reported that they
    received a call from a teacher to generally check in on how things were
    going but schools were not providing coordinated or substantive
    services or supports.

        Question 2. You mentioned that the BIE is unable to meet the basic
    educational needs of students with disabilities.

        2a. Can you expand on the issues you have identified?

        Answer. The BIE consistently fails to provide schools with
    appropriate staff, supports & services, including assistive technology
    and related services, such as speech, physical or occupational therapy
    in order to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Many schools
    under the BIE's supervision report an inability to provide related
    services due to a lack of staff. The schools frequently fail to timely
    identify and evaluate students who have suspected disabilities and fail
    to timely develop and implement Individual Education Plans (IEPs), the
    document that guides a student's educational program. The schools also
    consistently fail to constructively address students' behavior that is
    related to their disabilities, instead resorting to exclusionary
    discipline practices that improperly remove students from school.
        Additionally, the BIE lacks the infrastructure and consistent
    practice across its schools to properly document what special education
    and related services students are entitled to receive in their IEPs and
    what the students actually receive. In some instances, this
    inconsistent recordkeeping makes it virtually impossible to determine
    what service, if any, a student is provided or entitled to in
    compensatory education services. This critical issue was amplified in
    the May 2020 GAO Report where it determined the BIE was unable to fully
    account for the services students with disabilities were provided.
        Structurally, one of the major difficulties facing students with
    disabilities is the BIE's failure to finalize either regulations or
    policies to consistently implement the IDEA. The IDEA was last
    reauthorized in 2004. The BIE's procedures have been in ``draft'' form
    since 2012. To date, there are no publicly available procedures on
    which parents, or their advocates, can rely to ensure that students
    with disabilities receive appropriate services as required by the IDEA.
    One issue that the Law Center has addressed multiple times is the
    complaint system provided by the IDEA. This complaint system is
    intended to be a quick and easy way for parents to address concerns
    about a school's failure to provide services consistent with an IEP.
    The IDEA regulations require that a complaint be investigated and
    addressed within 60 days. The Law Center has waited up to 6 to 9 months
    for the BIE to address a complaint. At one point this issue was
    ``fixed,'' because the BIE had addressed internal contracting issues
    that led to the delays but it has again became a problem with one
    client waiting over 3 months for the BIE to begin investigating a
    complaint. Since the BIE did not have clear procedures regarding
    investigations, the offending school used Department of Interior
    regulations to object to the investigation after the 60-day timeline
    had passed, further delaying the BIE's ability to address the
    complaint.

        2b. Have GAO and/or IG reports mentioned or raised similar
    concerns?

        Answer. In May 2020, the Government Accountability Office issued a
    report specifically on the BIE's provision of special education
    services. In addition to interviews with relevant parties, the GAO
    reviewed specific student files. The report documents that:

         BIE Schools did not provide or did not account for 38
                percent of special education and related service time.

         BIE's limited monitoring and technical assistance hindered
                its oversight and support for special education.

         BIE cannot ensure that the schools it funds are meeting
                their responsibilities under the IDEA.

        In February 2018, the Department of Interior Office of Inspector
    General issued a report on the BIE's use of background checks in its
    schools. The OIG found that:

         The BIE does not require completion of local law
                enforcement checks.

         Reinvestigations are not up to date and the backlog was
                increasing.

         Oversight responsibility for background checks at tribally
                controlled schools was unclear.

         The background check guidance and information system are
                outdated & inadequate.

        In May 2010, the Department of Education Office of Special
    Education Programs (OSEP) sent a letter to the BIE documenting the
    results of its Continuous Improvement and Focused Monitoring System to
    verify compliance with the IDEA. The results of this process found
    that:

         BIE did not have a system to effectively monitor
                educational results, functional outcomes for students with
                disabilities or to ensure compliance with the IDEA.

         BIE did not have a system to ensure correction of
                identified areas of noncompliance in a timely manner. It
                was:

                --  Unable to review data to ensure issues have been
            corrected;

                --  Unable to determine the cause of noncompliance;

                --  Unable to require a change in policies or procedures
            that contributed to noncompliance.

        In March 2007, the United States Department of Education Office of
    Inspector General issued a final audit report on the results of its
    audit of implementation of the IDEA. The OIG found that:

         BIA was unable to demonstrate that it provided planned
                special education services to 68 percent of students.

         BIA was unable to adequately account for $111 million of
                IDEA funds.

        In addition to this history of the BIE's failure to properly serve
    students with disabilities, provide required legal protections,
    properly account for Federal funds, and take reasonable measures to
    protect all students, the United States Department of Education Office
    of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has had the BIE school system
    designated as ``needs intervention'' for over 9 years. It is the only
    school system in the country that has had this designation for such a
    long period of time and indicates the BIE's ongoing failure to address
    long identified issues that ensure that students with disabilities
    receive services consistent with the IDEA.

        Thank you again for the Subcommittee's interest in these important
    issues. Please contact us at your convenience if we can provide any
    further information.

                                     ______

        Mr. Gallego. Thank you for your time.
        And thank you for all the panel witnesses. I greatly
    appreciate your testimony.
        Reminding Members that Committee Rule 3(d) imposes a 5-
    minute limit on questions, the Chairman will now recognize
    Members for any questions they may wish to ask the witnesses.
        I will start by recognizing myself for 5 minutes.
        Chairman Garcia, my first question is: what was your
    reaction to learning that BIE was not planning to testify at
    today's hearing?
        Mr. Garcia. Mr. Chairman, No. 1, I was really upset that
    they failed, and I figured they had reasons why they did not
    accept, and some of them I have already elicited, but some of
    the panelists also have written or talked about the reasons why
    they probably did not accept.
        But it remains to be seen what happens after this.
        Mr. Gallego. Right. In NCAI's view, does BIE's ``Return to
    Learn'' Re-opening Plan adequately include local stakeholders
    like tribal governments, school administrators, and parents in
    the decision to fully re-open BIE-operated schools?
        Was there proper consultation?
        Mr. Garcia. I don't believe so, sir. I live in a community
    that has in the local area about five different BIE schools.
        The important part for me is that under BIE controlled and
    operated schools, it is harder for the community to work with
    the BIE staff and the BIE personnel.
        For instance, the principals are hired by BIE. So, I think
    they were under direct orders to not speak to the locals unless
    instructed to do so.
        Now, tribally controlled schools are a little bit
    different. We have a lot better local control, and so our
    planning with the local tribally controlled schools, ones that
    we have and the one that I belong to, Santa Fe Indian School,
    we have made all of those important things that we need to do
    to ensure the safety of the students, including
    telecommunications and all of that. But the BIE schools,
    nothing like that that I have seen.
        So, the communications efforts have been really, really
    poor. I have spoken to a number of tribal leaders and educators
    locally in the Pueblos and tribes, and that never really
    happened with the BIE.
        Mr. Gallego. Your testimony mentions the difficulty that
    Navajo Nations face in its attempts to keep BIE-operated
    schools out of trouble and it is closed for in-person learning.
    What does BIE's unresponsiveness to the Nation's request signal
    to you?
        Mr. Garcia. Well, it signals that it is a bigger problem
    than we feel because Navajo Nation, No. 1, is the biggest
    Indian Nation in the country. So, if the BIE doesn't even
    respond to the Navajo, how in the world do I expect them to and
    people expect that they are going to talk to the tribal leaders
    in the small communities like Taos Pueblo, like San Felipe, and
    other schools in the Pueblo area if they are not even working
    with the Navajo Nation?
        So, I presume that the numbers that I have spoken to in
    tribal leaders, that is the real case, that they are not
    responding.
        Mr. Gallego. OK. Let's switch to Ms. Parton. I apologize,
    and my screen just went blank, of course. Give me 1 second.
    Again, I apologize. You never rely on things going well when
    you need them to.
        Mr. Garcia. Sue Parton maybe?
        Mr. Gallego. Yes. I apologize. I had to get my question up
    right here.
        Ms. Parton, the question I have for you is scrolling all
    the way down to my questions, of course, and there it is.
        To what extent do BIE schools have the supplies and staff
    capacity to follow through on Federal recommendations for
    taking protective measures against COVID, including sanitizing
    school buildings, providing PPE, and enforcing social
    distancing?
        This is more of a followup to my opening testimony where in
    part of the CARES Act we provided money for our BIE schools to
    actually have this money, but it took 97 days to even
    distribute it.
        Ms. Parton. To my knowledge, the BIE has been offering
    safety and sanitation courses online to all of the BIE-operated
    schools. However, the union does not have any way to ensure
    that they have available resources and policies in place for
    opening up the schools.
        Mr. Gallego. Thank you, Ms. Parton.
        I yield my time back, and I recognize our Ranking Member,
    Pete Stauber, for his 5 minutes.
        Mr. Stauber. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
        Mr. Chair, I have a couple of things that are requests from
    you. I had an issue with my internet.
        Mr. Chair, I want to ask unanimous consent that I allow my
    opening statement in writing to be sent to the Committee. I do
    not want to have to go over it. Time is of the essence here.
        Mr. Gallego. Without objection.
        Mr. Stauber. And, Mr. Chair, I would like to enter into the
    record a letter from the Navajo Nation asking for enactment of
    S. 886 be included in the record please.
        Mr. Gallego. Without objection.

        [The information follows:]
                                      THE NAVAJO NATION
                                           Window Rock, Arizona

                                                          July 28, 2020

    The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
    Speaker of the House of Representatives
    1326 Longworth House Office Building
    Washington, DC 20515

    The Honorable Kevin McCarthy
    Republican Leader
    H-204, the Capitol
    Washington, DC 20515

        Dear Speaker Pelosi and Leader McCarthy:

        We respectfully request that you schedule a vote on final passage
    of S. 886, the Navajo Utah Water Rights Settlement Act (NUWRSA), before
    the House leaves for the August recess. As discussed and explained in
    our June 22, 2020 letter to the House, nearly 40 percent of the Navajo
    Nation lacks running water or adequate sanitation in their homes. To
    make matters worse, the Navajo Nation's COVID-19 infection rate on a
    per capita basis is one of the highest in the country and the Navajo
    Nation has more COVID-19 deaths than many states. The House has an
    opportunity to take immediate action to mitigate future COVID-19
    outbreaks and address the drinking water crisis on the Navajo
    Reservation by passing S. 886. Although the Senate unanimously passed
    S. 886, the House of Representatives has so not acted on it, further
    delaying the relief that it will ultimately bring to the Navajo people.
        The Navajo Nation has over 300,000 enrolled members and is the
    largest Indian reservation spanning portions of Arizona, New Mexico,
    and Utah. The conditions on Navajo are dire and the pandemic only
    compounds our needs. With so few watering points across the Navajo
    Nation, families must travel hours to reach these points and must
    ration their water accordingly. Without access to clean drinking water,
    the Navajo Nation will continue to struggle, and its members will be
    more susceptible to deadly illnesses such as COVID-19.
        S. 886 would provide the means to begin to address these critical
    needs. Through NUWRSA, the Navajo Nation would receive approximately
    $220 million in federal and state funding for desperately needed
    drinking water infrastructure on the Reservation in exchange for the
    Nation waiving its water-related claims against the United States and
    State of Utah. In 2016, Congress first introduced the settlement
    legislation and on June 4, 2020, the Senate unanimously passed S. 886,
    demonstrating the broad bi-partisan support for the legislation.
        The Navajo Nation recognizes that there is more to be done for
    Indian Country and we stand ready to assist you on this work, but S.
    886 is ready for final passage. The House's inaction on S. 886 or
    sending it back to the Senate for further consideration will only delay
    addressing the basic human needs of the Navajo people. Therefore, we
    respectfully request that you schedule a vote on final passage of S.
    886 before the House recesses in August.

                Sincerely,

            Jonathan Nez, President       Myron Lizer, Vice President

                                     ______

        Mr. Stauber. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
        Mr. Garcia, thank you for offering your expertise today on
    Native issues. From your testimony, it is clear you are a
    valued voice by Indian Country nationwide and by the Trump
    administration in your capacity as Co-Chair of the Interior's
    Tribal Budget Formulation Committee.
        I, therefore, look forward to learning on your experience
    on this Subcommittee.
        However, experts on the subject matter of educating
    children, the American Academy of Pediatrics, states, and I
    quote, ``The AAP strongly advocates that all policy
    considerations for the coming school year should start with a
    goal of having students physically present in school.''
        Would you agree with the experts, in this case the American
    Academy of Pediatrics, saying that children need to be in
    school to optimize social and emotional learning and work to
    close achievement gaps?
        Mr. Garcia. Yes, sir. That is a dual-pointed issue, I
    think. I come from a rich culture in the Pueblo country in
    Ohkay Owingeh, and so I think it is important that I didn't
    learn all of the things that I knew about social life and
    culture and language and all of that in an education setting. I
    learned at home. I learned in the community.
        But the other part of it is that if we are going to be part
    of the United States of America, then we also should learn the
    educational system of the dominant society, if you will.
        And how true that statement is, yes, that's where you learn
    face to face, but, sir, I must say the online statement to that
    would be in a safe environment.
        If the climate is not safe by virtue of the COVID in
    existence, they have to assure--the people that are running the
    schools, have to give assurance that the places are safe and
    well-kept and that the resources are available and that right
    policies and perspectives are put in place so that our children
    will not suffer, will not be infected, not only the children,
    but their families and students and personnel.
        Mr. Stauber. Thank you, Mr. Garcia.
        And do you foresee your support for in-person learning
    before a vaccine or before we as a nation get through the
    virus?
        Do you foresee support for in-person learning?
        Mr. Garcia. Oh, yes, there is a lot of support for in-
    person learning. In fact, one of our panelists talked about
    those students that are especially in need of mental and
    behavior health needs. That is how you are going to provide it
    by being face-to-face.
        And to tell you, you know how much of a hampering that has
    happened to some of the schools now, the BIE schools in
    particular, they do not have the resources to go online, and
    then No. 2 is that the communities are not well equipped
    technically to be able to accept that kind of service.
        The tribally controlled schools are a little bit different
    because we are able to ensure that those students are provided
    with what they are needed to be provided.
        Thank you.
        Mr. Stauber. Mr. Garcia, I just want to follow up.
        Mr. Chair, how much time do I have?
        Mr. Gallego. You have 45 seconds, but don't worry if you
    need more time.
        Mr. Stauber. I just want to ask Mr. Garcia one more.
        Mr. Garcia, when discussing the NBC's coverage of the
    ``Dear Tribal'' letter from Assistant Secretary Sweeney, you
    stated that the NBC article omitted a sentence reading, ``Local
    decisions will be made in coordination with tribes, states, and
    local public health officials.''
        And furthermore, your testimony says that these local
    decisions are ``closer to where NCAI wants them to be.''
        In your opinion, Mr. Garcia, why do you think NBC News took
    that line from Assistant Secretary Sweeney out of context and
    omitted the part where she clearly stated that they will make
    local decisions in coordination with local officials?
        Mr. Garcia. I can only assume, but the fact remains that
    what was the action in the BIE actions after the fact, and the
    truth is that they did not contact local tribal leaders.
        I have taken the liberty to contact tribal leaders locally
    here in New Mexico, and in fact, a couple of schools in
    Arizona, and as I said, there was no response from BIE at any
    level, and so for whatever reason. But I can only assume why
    they did not do it.
        Thank you.
        Mr. Stauber. Thank you, Mr. Garcia, for your expert
    testimony. I appreciate you and all the witnesses here today.
        I yield back, Mr. Chair.
        Mr. Gallego. Thank you, Representative Stauber, and you,
    Mr. Garcia.
        Let me now move to--and I probably should make sure I have
    the right list. Now let me recognize Representative Haaland for
    5 minutes.
        Ms. Haaland. Thank you so much, Chairman.
        And thank you to all the witnesses for being here. I am
    very, very grateful for that and for this hearing.
        Ms. Parton, I will start with you. In your testimony, you
    mentioned that the Bureau of Indian Affairs censured you for
    sending out an e-mail to your bargaining unit since the Bureau
    of Indian Education would not issue your employees guidance,
    even after other state governors shut down their schools in
    their states.
        How did the BIA censure you or prevent you from finding
    this information?
        And do you feel that it was a safety concern?
        Ms. Parton. Well, what we were hearing was very, very
    disheartening to me. Our employees were scared, and they were
    not getting messaging or they were getting mixed messaging.
    They were getting guidelines from the Federal Government, and
    as Federal employees, they felt compelled to follow the
    guidelines of the Federal Government.
        But then they would get a different set of guidelines from
    the state governor wherever their school was located, and quite
    often they would get other guidance from the tribal leaders if
    they were located on or near a reservation.
        So, they started calling the union saying, ``What do we do?
    Who do we follow? State schools are doing this right down the
    road from where we are, but we are still in classes or we are
    still having to work.''
        I was hearing all of this, and I just felt compelled to
    reach out to the members and tell them, ``Look. We don't know.
    We are getting the same mixed messages, but I want to assure
    you that your union is advocating for you and fighting on your
    behalf to try and come up with some answers. So, this is what
    you can do to help us at this point.''
        And then about a week later, I received a letter of censure
    from the Office of Human Capital.
        Ms. Haaland. Thank you for that answer.
        And then one quick question. Since only 65 percent of
    tribal lands have broadband networks available, how did the
    lack of internet services impact the BIE employees that you
    work with during the shutdown?
        Ms. Parton. It impacted them very much because a lot of
    times they were told to telework. This was after they did their
    14 days of safety and wellness leave. They were told to
    telework, but a lot of them did not have equipment. If they got
    equipment, they did not have internet access. They did not have
    broadband availability.
        A lot of the Pueblos, as I know you are aware, are located
    in really remote places and sometimes in places where there are
    mountains, so there is no signal. They were afraid that they
    were going to be disciplined because they could not meet the
    tasks that were being given to them to do remotely as a part of
    their telework.
        Ms. Haaland. Thank you
        My next question is for Mr. Garcia, and it is very nice to
    see you, Mr. Garcia.
        The Federal Communications Commission found that only 65
    percent of tribal lands have broadband networks and are the
    most digitally disconnected lands in the United States.
    However, the Interior school re-opening letter stated it will
    provide, and this I quote, ``wireless access in each school
    like hot spots.''
        If tribes do not have access to wireless networks over a
    majority of their lands, how does the Interior's technology
    platform contradict itself?
        And is it an issue that the BIE should have solved years
    ago so that Native students can have the same educations as
    their state school peers?
        Mr. Garcia. Yes, Ms. Haaland. As you know, I have been one
    of the pushers of telecommunications and broadband for many,
    many, many years. I serve on the SEC Tribal Leader Task Force,
    and that 65 percent is even a high number compared to reality.
        And if you think about hot spots, hot spots work especially
    if they are using Verizon. That assumes that you have
    communications for cell phone service, and many of the remote
    areas in Indian Country don't even have that.
        So, it is an assumption about what they can provide, but
    the important part of it is that those that are near
    metropolitan areas can actually go out and provide the
    services, if the BIE was prepared to go to virtual learning or
    could provide services or communications or any of that stuff.
        But I have been harping on the BIE for over 10 years that
    they need to invest in it, and so just recently it is happening
    at the Tribal Interior budget sessions, but we are really far
    behind already.
        I can give kudos to the tribally controlled schools like
    the Santa Fe Indian School. We were on top of the game.
        When they shut down and we shut down the school, we were
    already prepared to provide communications, and we did what was
    necessary at the local level for the tribal level as well as
    for the school to provide long-distance learning communications
    and what not, but the BIE has not done so. I am sorry.
        Ms. Haaland. Thank you, Mr. Garcia.
        Chairman, I yield back.
        Mr. Gallego. Thank you, Chairman Haaland.
        Ranking Member Stauber, do you have any Members of the
    Minority that are interested in questions?
        Mr. Stauber. At this time, Mr. Chair, I don't believe I do.
        Mr. Gallego. OK. Just make us aware and get my attention if
    someone should pop in. We want to make sure we obviously get
    them in the queue.
        Next I would like to recognize Representative Ed Case from
    the great state of Hawaii.
        Representative Case is not available, so we will move on to
    Representative Cartwright from the great state of Pennsylvania.
        Mr. Cartwright. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        Can you hear me?
        Mr. Gallego. Representative Cartwright, I can.
        Mr. Cartwright. All right. Good.
        My first question is for the Honorable Joe Garcia.
        Mr. Garcia, tribal consultation is a critical aspect of the
    Federal trust responsibility, but in your written testimony,
    you stated there is no evidence that the Interior Department or
    BIE officials have deferred to positions that tribal leaders
    have expressed to them in crafting their school re-opening
    plan.
        Is that what you said? And could you please expand on that
    statement?
        Mr. Garcia. OK. Thank you for the question.
        There are two aspects of that. The first one that you
    referred to is the Navajo Nation. The Bureau has not really
    talked with the Navajo Nation president in terms of what their
    plans are.
        And in fact, the president has said the Navajo Nation
    facilities, BIE facilities will not open if the places are not
    safe, if the students cannot be safe, and so the BIE cannot be
    trusted to provide a safe environment for our children in the
    learning environment.
        That is one outlier, you might say. The other one is the
    example in Taos Pueblo. In Taos Pueblo up north from where I
    live, they bent over backwards in order to get information from
    the Bureau at the Assistant Secretary level as well as at the
    Secretary level of DOI to get clarification of what it is that
    they are going to do.
        And what they were told is that the BIE is planning to open
    that school because it is not a tribally controlled school. It
    is a BIE controlled school, so the principal and all personnel
    are BIE employees.
        So, they are under direction to re-open that school, and I
    will quote permission granted by the War Chief of Taos Pueblo.
    He said they told him that you can re-open the school if you do
    not listen to what we have to say because we have passed laws
    at Taos Pueblo that there are no outside people coming in, that
    you need to condone to our laws, and that means that the
    schools will not be open either.
        So, you can open the school if you like, but you will have
    no students. And the reason they said that is there is also a
    public school in Taos, and the War Chief said all of our
    students will be disenrolled from BIE schools and they will be
    transferred to the public schools, and they are under virtual
    learning at the Taos public schools.
        So, those are two extremes, sir. I hope that answers your
    question.
        Mr. Cartwright. It does. Thank you.
        And, Mr. Garcia, you also mention in your written testimony
    that prior to the pandemic, the Department of the Interior
    identified $629 million in deferred maintenance for BIE-funded
    education facilities and $86 million in deferred maintenance
    for BIE educational quarters.
        It is no secret that infrastructure problems like poor
    ventilation and overcrowding can contribute to the spread of
    COVID-19, but despite the prevalence of these problems
    throughout BIE schools, the BIE is proceeding with an
    aggressive Re-opening Plan.
        In your opinion, did the BIE sufficiently take into account
    the potentially harmful effects of a school's aging physical
    infrastructure when it issued its final Re-opening Plan?
        Mr. Garcia. I would say, no, they did not. It was more of,
    I guess, a directive that they open the school rather than the
    safety and the well-being of the students that were to attend.
        But that is not COVID-related per se. It is related to the
    backlog of the conditions of the facilities from years and
    years and years of neglect.
        Mr. Cartwright. Correct. And let me ask you this. Were the
    tribes consulted on this matter?
        Mr. Garcia. No, sir.
        Mr. Cartwright. I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
        Mr. Garcia. Thank you.
        Mr. Gallego. Thank you, Representative Cartwright.
        I now recognize the great Chairman from Arizona,
    Congressman Grijalva.
        Mr. Grijalva. Thank you.
        Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for the hearing and
    the really good panel that the Committee has put together. And
    I think the questions from my colleagues are to the point and
    have dealt with a lot of substance.
        Two things that are noticeable. This deadline of September
    16 is still active for BIE schools, that and Defense Department
    schools. It is kind of interesting that the only schools that
    the Federal Government truly controls are those BIE schools and
    Defense schools that happen to be on military bases, and those
    are being urged to do, and pushed in the direction to do,
    person-to-person, while the rest of the country roils in this
    debate upon what is safe, when is the time, what are the
    resources we are going to have in order to open our public
    schools.
        And yet, to some extent, this is a second class status
    given to the 42,000 Native students that utilize BIE and
    tribally controlled schools on the rez and to treat them in a
    different matter, forsaking the trust responsibilities,
    circumventing it or doing something perfunctory, and the
    pandemic and the consequences.
        We all know, and you stated it before, Mr. Chairman, that
    the hardest hit, the most impactful in terms of infection and
    mortality per capita has been in Indian Country and yet we are
    being asked to rush this.
        I have just a couple of questions. Let me start with the
    Honorable Joe Garcia.
        Mr. Chairman, in your written testimony, you wrote that you
    believe the Department of the Interior took the action to re-
    open schools out of a desire to please the President, if not in
    response to direct pressure from the White House.
        What makes you come to that opinion, if you wouldn't mind
    elaborating, sir?
        Mr. Garcia. Mr. Chairman, was that for me, Joe Garcia?
        Mr. Grijalva. Yes.
        Mr. Garcia. I come to those conclusions because that is
    what is being pushed in the nation, opening of schools whether
    the safety is there or not.
        And I want to ensure that at least in New Mexico we will
    listen to the governor of the state of New Mexico in the
    closures of schools and the opening of facilities, including
    educational facilities and what not.
        We were consulted. We worked together, but that does not
    happen with the BIE. This is being pushed at the higher levels,
    higher than just the BIE, which means then the DOI part of it.
    That is the message that I get, and a lot of other tribal
    leaders have told me the same thing, that BIE is only acting on
    instructions and directives given from higher up.
        Mr. Grijalva. Thank you so much.
        Mr. Superintendent, if I may, Mr. Witte, the release of the
    BIE guidelines, the timing of that, how did that affect your
    school's planning and procedures? And, thus far, the
    coronavirus pandemic, how has that affected your students, in
    particular, and the staff that works for those students, if you
    wouldn't mind touching on those two questions?
        Mr. Witte. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        We had plans in place long before we received the BIE
    guidelines based on conversations with tribal officials from
    the state of South Dakota and the other plans for public
    schools in the surrounding area because some of our schools are
    off the reservation of those schools.
        So, when we received those guidelines, we received them
    late. The Tribal Council had already determined what our re-
    entry plan would be, which we are currently in as Phase 1.
        We are about 97 percent online. We do see the kids 1 hour a
    week, touch base with them. We took a very aggressive move to
    put in a 2.5 gigahertz, a Spectrum broadband initiative to get
    our families wi-fi.
        So, the issue that I alluded to was the delay in the
    funding being brought to us, which delayed us getting that
    broadband piece put together. We are still installing routers
    as I speak, and the 3 weeks of extra time would have done us a
    lot of good.
        Mr. Grijalva. Thank you.
        And, Mr. Chairman and Ms. Parton, I think the saddest
    commentary, saddest in the sense that I think BIA and Interior,
    in general, keep making the case, especially BIA, for their
    ineffectiveness, to say the least, and to allowing some of its
    functions to be so politicized that it cannot truly represent
    the trust responsibility and the obligations that we have to
    Indian Country in this nation.
        And that hurts this Committee's work, and it certainly is
    affecting tribes as we heard today and the 6,000 kids with
    special education needs that are by the wayside even more so.
        That is a very sad commentary on the work being done at
    this point, and I want to thank you for highlighting that and I
    look forward to any followup that you might suggest, Mr.
    Chairman.
        Thank you again. I yield back.
        Mr. Gallego. Thank you, Chairman Grijalva.
        I just want to check in with Ranking Member Stauber.
        Are we OK? Did anyone else jump on?
        Mr. Stauber. Mr. Chair, I don't think any other Member has
    jumped on, so I send it back to you.
        Thank you.
        Mr. Gallego. Not a problem.
        OK. Now we move on to Representative Soto for 5 minutes.
        Mr. Soto. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        I wanted to make sure, as I had to go in and out with other
    committee assignments, that I gave each of the witnesses a
    little extra time to answer questions that they may not have
    gotten to. We will start with Mr. Garcia.
        If there were one or two things you could say to the Bureau
    of Indian Affairs today about what you would like them to do
    going forward, what would they be with regard to school
    openings?
        Mr. Garcia. No. 1 is--please give us assurance that the
    facilities are safe, that the plans are in place. Show me what
    the plan is. Show us what the plans are. Show us that you have
    communicated with the local governing bodies, the tribal
    leaders, the school boards and others that are related and
    acquainted with the school system locally.
        And, as well, show us how you work with the state that
    those facilities are in, so it is a three-prong approach, not
    just a BIE controlling.
        But I have yet to see a document, sir, that dictates or
    that shows me that I would have confidence in having one of my
    students attend a BIE facility, and just like Taos Pueblo, if
    they were not ready, if they are not safe, my student is not
    attending any one of those schools and neither are our
    community's students.
        So, that is the bottom line. They have to show us. They
    have to really show us that they are ready to re-open, and they
    have not shown that, nothing.
        Mr. Soto. Thank you, Mr. Garcia.
        Ms. Parton, what advice would you give to BIA about re-
    opening and how we can improve, if you would be able to give
    them one or two points if they were here today?
        Ms. Parton. I think I would tell them that, just like Mr.
    Garcia said, we need assurances that our workplaces are safe.
    As educators, we really care about the education of our
    students. We know how it is important to advance the Native
    American society.
        My father was a BIA teacher back in the 1950s in a boarding
    school in South Dakota and then later in a boarding school near
    Gallup, New Mexico, so I have lived around Native education my
    whole life.
        And I would tell them that we really need assurances that
    our people are going to be safe, our employees, our students,
    their families and our Native communities. It is just not
    happening. It is like this is being pushed on everybody.
        The employees know that as Federal employees they have to
    do what they are directed to do, but they are very worried.
    They are very concerned and do not want to spread it to their
    families or people in the communities where they live.
        Mr. Soto. Thank you, Ms. Parton.
        Mr. Witte, what would you say to BIA if they were here
    today about one or two points you would like to see them
    improve upon?
        Mr. Witte. I think there are two things that could be
    improved upon drastically. One is the communication in a timely
    manner. It seems like things are always coming out past the
    time where we have to make decisions.
        And another important issue would be the distribution of
    funds. We were excited to hear that we got the money for maybe
    doing some things to better prepare ourselves--because in the
    spring of the year when we had to close our school, we were not
    in a very good position to deliver education.
        And as we tried to make those decisions through the summer
    to implement change and receiving the funding at the end of
    June did not allow us very much time to prepare for the start
    of the school year.
        Mr. Soto. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire how much time I have
    left? I can't see the clock.
        Mr. Gallego. Representative Soto, you have and I actually
    lost track of the time also. Go ahead with your question, and
    we are going to do a second round, too, if you have lost time.
        Mr. Soto. OK. My second and final question is on rural
    broadband. I know this is a concern both in my district in
    central Florida, which is both urban, suburban, and very rural,
    and I know our tribes run the gamut from being more urban like
    in south Florida in our state to very rural.
        So, it would be great to get a brief state of how you all
    are faring with rural broadband or with broadband generally to
    be able to do some distance learning should you have to.
        We will start with Mr. Garcia.
        Mr. Garcia. The question, I will give you two examples.
        One is that the Northern Pueblos of New Mexico, when the
    ARRA stimulus packages came out back in 2010, put an effort out
    as five tribes that became partners in a coalition to improve
    the broadband systems here, internet systems if you will, here
    in northern New Mexico.
        We were successful. We got the funding, and we put a system
    in place. So, broadband is not a big issue for at least the
    northern part of New Mexico.
        We are OK. We are faring well. Some of the schools that
    have hard times are in southern New Mexico.
        But the biggest example that I give you that is a negative
    side are the rural parts of Arizona and the rural parts of New
    Mexico or the remote parts of those two states. That is where
    the Navajo Nation is.
        That is where a lot of the BIE schools are. So, if the
    infrastructure is non-existent, you can do all you want in this
    facility, which is not going to do any good if you can't get
    the information to the community, to the students who live
    outside the facility.
        So, that is still a dilemma, and it is not going to be a
    quick fix. It is going to take a lot of timing, a lot of effort
    to ensure that it is done properly so that the----
        Mr. Gallego. Thank you, Mr. Garcia.
        Mr. Garcia. Thank you.
        Mr. Gallego. Representative Soto, we are going to do a
    second round. So, if you want to hold your questions on that
    second round so that we can respect the time of everybody on
    here, I would greatly appreciate it.
        Mr. Stauber. I will do that, Mr. Chair. Fine.
        Mr. Gallego. Oh, no, I am sorry, Representative Stauber. I
    was talking to Representative Soto.
        Mr. Stauber. Oh, OK.
        Mr. Gallego. Yes.
        Mr. Stauber. Mr. Chair, it is up to you, but I would yield
    to Representative Soto time if he needs it.
        Mr. Gallego. OK. Let's do that then. That is fine. Let's
    finish up the rounds of questions.
        Go ahead, Representative Soto. Continue.
        Mr. Soto. Thank you, Mr. Stauber. I thank the gentleman
    from Minnesota.
        And I am just going to continue on with the question that I
    think both Republicans and Democrats care about here, which is
    the rural broadband access.
        Ms. Parton, if you would go next. It would be great to hear
    the state of broadband in your area as well.
        Ms. Parton. OK. When you say in my area, we represent the
    employees at 55 Bureau-operated schools in 10 different states,
    so it varies from state to state.
        We have four off-reservation boarding schools that are kind
    of located near urban areas that really I think do not have the
    broadband access.
        But then we have the rural schools, like Mr. Garcia said,
    in New Mexico and Arizona, the real remote locations that are
    really struggling.
        The same way with the schools that we represent that are
    located in South Dakota and North Dakota. We find that they are
    really struggling with distance learning even though they are
    feeling that that is the way that they would like to go because
    it is safer at this time, but it has been difficult to ensure
    that they have operational abilities to do distance learning
    just because of the remoteness.
        I also am a part of the Rural Task Force Committee with the
    American Federation of Teachers, and this is something that we
    discuss quite often to represent broadband access in rural
    America.
        Mr. Soto. Thanks.
        Mr. Witte, your response on the state of broadband.
        Mr. Witte. It is a real challenge in rural South Dakota. In
    Lower Brule, we struggled with this as well.
        We did secure the 2.5 gigahertz Spectrum broadband through
    the FCC, and we are currently installing routers in our homes,
    as I speak. So, we have probably about a third of our community
    connected at this point, and we have about two-thirds
    remaining.
        Eventually, I believe the tribe will be able to connect,
    but it is a challenge, and it is something that I think we will
    have remedied hopefully in the future.
        For us, we did not have a one-to-one program going into the
    spring. So, this is kind of new for our students to have those
    laptops and devices at home, too.
        Mr. Soto. Thank you. I yield back to Mr. Stauber.
        Mr. Stauber. Mr. Chair?
        Mr. Gallego. Yes.
        Mr. Stauber. May I ask a question? OK. Thank you very much,
    Mr. Chair.
        I have a couple in my second round of questions. This is
    for Ms. Parton.
        Thank you for participating today. As a pro-labor
    Republican in the public sector and a union member myself, I
    always seek dialogue with the brothers and sisters in labor.
        As you may know, Minnesota has some of the highest Native
    populations of any state in the Union. Minnesota sadly has some
    of the nation's worst educational achievement gaps, according
    to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
        According to a McKinsey study, COVID-related shutdowns of
    schools will only further exasperate these existing achievement
    gaps between white and minority students.
        Articles and studies agree with this. The closure of
    schools disproportionately affects low-income and minority
    students.
        Therefore, Ms. Parton, do you agree that to close these
    achievement gaps, we need students in schools so our Native
    children are not left behind?
        Ms. Parton. Yes, sir, I do agree with that, but not at the
    expense of the health and well-being of the students and the
    employees.
        I also am a very big believer in basic skills. That is the
    whole foundation of a lot of the reasons why Native students
    fall behind, and I think that is what the focus should be on
    during this difficult time in our society today.
        Mr. Stauber. Thank you, Ms. Parton.
        Ms. Yanan, if you are unaware, my wife Jodie and I are
    blessed to have a son with Down's Syndrome, and I am fortunate
    to have firsthand knowledge of the issues as well. We have sat
    in on many IEP meetings with our child at Duluth Dansol High
    School.
        Therefore, thank you for your advocacy on a topic so near
    and dear to my heart.
        However, I could not imagine the difficulties of managing
    my son's IEP during COVID. We do not have the training of the
    crucial staff helping with the IEP.
        These cannot be done over Zoom or over the phone. We need
    these students in the classrooms to get the individualized
    attention they need.
        We also know this is happening in Indian Country. In my
    district, the Nay Ah Shing School controlled by the Mille Lacs
    Band told me firsthand that individualized delivery of special
    education services suffered further under COVID-19.
        Therefore, Ms. Yanan, do you agree with the BIE at least
    that our Native students with IEPs should not be denied the
    attention they need, just like my son received the attention he
    received?
        Ms. Yanan. Thank you, Congressman.
        I do agree that students with disabilities need
    individualized attention. I think that the services are so
    individualized that it needs to be an individualized
    determination that includes the parents.
        And I think that is where the Bureau is failing to properly
    communicate and consult with parents and families about the
    services for their children.
        As you know from your own experience, the IEP team works
    best where there is true partnership between the school staff
    and parents. When schools are not communicating effectively
    with parents, the students lose out.
        Mr. Stauber. I agree with you. IEPs have to be mutually and
    collectively designed with the parents in mind because, as you
    know, the parents are the biggest advocates for the children.
    So, I appreciate that.
        My last question is for Mr. Witte.
        Mr. Witte, thank you for bringing a firsthand perspective
    to the Committee today that the Nay Ah Shing School, operated
    by the Mille Lacs, has increased transportation needs and is
    now driving out to deliver much needed school meals.
        These crucial and important measures unfortunately put
    further strain on the banned budget. Therefore, it is helpful
    that students can use their hybrid models to at least get into
    the physical classroom a few days a week, lowering the strain
    on transportation budgets.
        Would your students being physically in schools, at least
    at the beginning, be helpful in easing these costs?
        Mr. Witte. We have been feeding our students from the
    beginning of the virus primarily with the USDA SAC lunch type
    program. We deliver those meals to the homes and suburbans.
    Roughly about 20 square miles is our transportation need.
        There are some increased costs. It may be a little bit of
    an advantage as far as cost factor, but for the safety of our
    children, our local tribe has decided to go with our hybrid
    model, which can allude to your special education question.
        We are bringing our special needs students in for the time
    that is in their IEPs, so it has been modified for one-to-one
    instructions. We are bringing every student in for 1 hour a
    week minimal to work with them.
        So, we have a hybrid approach.
        Mr. Stauber. And the hybrid approach, as far as delivering
    of the meals, is easing that cost on the budget, correct?
        Mr. Witte. Yes. We can compensate some of those meals as
    they come in for those meeting times.
        Mr. Stauber. Yes. Thank you all very much. Your testimony
    was important for us to hear.
        I yield back to you, Mr. Chair.
        Mr. Gallego. Thank you, Representative Stauber, for your
    questions.
        And since there are no other Members of the Minority,
    should you come up with a question in the process of this
    second round, please just give me a heads up so I can recognize
    you.
        I have a question for Director Yanan.
        You previously called on BIE to provide schools and parents
    with more comprehensive guidance on schools' responsibilities
    to write special education and related services during the
    pandemic. To date, has BIE done so, so far?
        Ms. Yanan. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        What we are hearing from parents is that in some cases some
    schools have started trying to have meetings and trying to
    start having the discussion regarding providing compensatory
    services for the springtime when services stopped, but we have
    only heard from one family that has actually started receiving
    those compensatory services.
        The major issue we are hearing from families is the lack of
    communication. We have one family that reported receiving a
    text at 7:58 in the morning directing her son to get on a Zoom
    call with his class that morning, and she didn't have the
    technology and the platform ready on any sort of device.
        So, the lack of preparation and the lack of communication
    with families is a serious issue.
        Mr. Gallego. And has Director Tony Dearman or any other BIE
    or BIA officials reached out to your organization to respond to
    your concerns and parents' concerns?
        Ms. Yanan. No, but frankly, Mr. Chairman, I have been
    trying to address these issues with the Bureau for over 25
    years, and I have never gotten response from the Bureau about
    addressing problems or creating solutions. So, their lack of
    response didn't necessarily surprise me.
        Mr. Gallego. Well, I would hope that they would have some
    urgency right now. Thank you, Ms. Yanan.
        I would now like to move on to Representative Haaland if
    you have a second round of questions.
        Ms. Haaland. Thank you, Chairman. Thank you very much.
        Yes, I will go to Mr. Witte please.
        Mr. Witte, the BIA's ``Return to Learn'' guidance focuses
    on returning to the physical classroom. How feasible is it to
    re-open schools in your community on September 16?
        Are you hearing concerns from school leaders, educators,
    tribes, parents, or community members regarding the re-opening?
        Mr. Witte. As a tribal grant school, we re-opened this
    week, Tuesday, September 8. So, our timeline is a little
    different.
        So far, we have re-opened in the hybrid model, which I
    described earlier, where we are going to be bringing students
    in an hour a week. Other than that there will be distance
    learning.
        It is going fairly well, but the biggest hurdle that we
    have is the broadband issue, so we are hoping to get that
    remedied here soon.
        But as far as the spread in South Dakota, as I said in my
    testimony, it is increasing dramatically over the last couple
    of weeks. Our tribal officials don't feel like it is safe to
    bring kids in in large groups at this time.
        Ms. Haaland. So, would you say that the biggest concern you
    have at this point is the broadband internet service or is it
    the coronavirus itself?
        Mr. Witte. Well, I think both of those are large concerns
    because if it wasn't for the coronavirus, we would have the
    kids in person.
        Because of that fact, we are relying on broadband internet
    service, so they are kind of hand in hand. I think one leads to
    the other.
        Ms. Haaland. Thank you so much.
        My next question will be for Ms. Yanan.
        In your testimony, you note that students are re-entering
    the classroom this fall after a long break from studies during
    which many have cared for and lost family and friends,
    contributing to mental health needs.
        The BIA has indicated that the Bureau intends to reserve $8
    million for direct mental and behavioral health support for BIE
    funded schools from CARES Act funds.
        Has the BIE shared any details regarding their plans for
    this funding?
        Ms. Yanan. Not to my knowledge. From what we are hearing
    from families and from what we have been able to find from
    publicly available documents, the ``Return to Learn'' plan has
    a section on mental and behavioral health, but there is very
    little detail.
        And what we are hearing from families is there has been no
    contact with them regarding these issues.
        Ms. Haaland. Thank you.
        And based off the Interior's decision to re-open in-person
    learning as soon as possible and oversight of basic COVID
    issues impacting Native students, do you think there is a
    general disconnect between the Interior and what is actually
    happening in tribal communities?
        Ms. Yanan. Yes. I think that, again, the lack of
    communication, the lack of input from parents, we have heard
    from some parents that neither their schools nor the Bureau
    asked for any input or asked them how they felt about re-
    opening.
        And then because any information is just on the website,
    the school website and Bureau website, a lot of parents just
    don't know what is happening. They don't know what to
    anticipate for the upcoming school year, and they don't know
    how their children are going to be educated.
        Ms. Haaland. Thank you so much for that answer.
        Chairman, I will yield back my time.
        Mr. Gallego. Thank you, Representative Haaland.
        And I believe we do not have any other questions. I am just
    going to double check to make sure. I am going to scroll
    through right now. If anyone has a question, please give me a
    wave.
        Representative Soto, are you OK? Excellent.
        Ranking Member Stauber, are you OK?
        Mr. Stauber. Yes, I am. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for
    holding this important hearing. I appreciate it.
        Mr. Gallego. Thank you, Mr. Stauber, for also attending. I
    thank the other Committee members as well as the witnesses. I
    would like to thank you for your insightful testimony and the
    Members for their questions.
        As stated before, the members of the Committee may have
    some additional questions for the witnesses, and we will ask
    you to respond to these in writing.
        Under Committee Rule 3(o), members of the Committee must
    submit witness questions within 3 business days following the
    hearing, and the hearing record will be held open for 10
    business days for these responses.
        If there is no further business, without objection, the
    Committee stands adjourned. Thank you all.

        [Whereupon, at 4:33 p.m., the Subcommittee was adjourned.]

                [ADDITIONAL MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD]

                            Statement for the Record
                           Bureau of Indian Education
                        U.S. Department of the Interior

        Thank you for the opportunity to provide a statement on behalf of
    the Department of the Interior (Department) regarding the Bureau of
    Indian Education's (BIE) reopening guidance for the 2020-2021 school
    year. The BIE's Return to Learn! plan provides BIE leaders and school
    personnel with guidance on reopening criteria that follows current
    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations,
    provides flexibility for local conditions, and makes recommendations on
    distance learning platforms. The Return to Learn! plan, as well as
    other reopening guidance and resources, can be found on the BIE website
    at bie.edu and on the reopening webpage at https://
    returntolearn.bie.edu/.

        The Department appreciates the opportunity to provide this
    statement.

                                     ______

                                Return to Learn!

                               BIE REOPENING PLAN

                             2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR

    [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T1453.001

        .epsFull Report available at:

        returntolearn.bie.edu/sites/default/files/2020-08/Return-To-Learn-
    Plan.pdf

                                     ______

    Submission for the Record by Rep. Stauber

                            Statement for the Record
                     The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Indians
                                       by
                        Chief Executive Melanie Benjamin

        Mr. Chairman and honorable members of the Subcommittee, I am
    pleased to provide this statement on behalf of the Mille Lacs Band of
    Ojibwe regarding the reopening of our tribal schools during the COVID-
    19 pandemic.
        Our BIE-funded tribal schools include Abinoojiyaag (K-5) and Nay Ah
    Shing (6-12), which are located in District I of our reservation near
    Mille Lacs Lake, and the Pine Grove Leadership Academy in District III,
    which is east of Hinckley, Minnesota, and about 80 miles from District
    I. Collectively, these three schools are referred to as ``Nay Ah Shing
    School System'', or NASS. We are a small school system and service
    about a third of the reservation school-age population. Our schools
    have a focus on Ojibwe language and culture, which is what keeps our
    students wanting to attend NASS. Language programs are presently funded
    by the Band. We also have a two-year BIE grant to support native
    language development.
        Planning for this 2020-2021 school year has been exceptionally
    challenging during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the safety of our
    students, staff and community has been paramount. On our reservation so
    far, 15 Band Members have tested positive for COVID-19 that the Band is
    aware of, and three Band Members have passed away due to COVID-19.
    However, our health staff have reason to believe there are
    significantly more cases of COVID-19 in our community that have gone
    untested.
        In our Anishinaabe communities, our households are often multi-
    generational, with children and grandchildren living with elders. When
    a child is exposed to COVID-19, our elders who are in high-risk groups
    are in grave danger.
        With these concerns in the forefront, our education staff have
    spent the majority of the summer planning for our 2020-2021 Academic
    year. Our first day of classes will be September 16th, and
    we will be offering two models--a Hybrid option that combines in-person
    learning at school with Distance/Remote learning from home and a 100%
    Remote/Distance Learning option. Currently, 51 families have opted for
    the Hybrid learning option and 23 families have opted for Remote/
    Distance learning. However, our student count is at 183 and, as of
    today, many families remain undecided about which option they prefer.
    These families are likely to make their decision at our Open House
    scheduled for Friday, September 11.
        The Band received a BIE Cares Grant for our schools based on
    student enrollment. These funds are being used to make the building and
    classrooms safe. Our schools have been provided with and fitted for
    sensor thermometers, glass partitions, water fountain and bathroom
    updates and planning for social distancing on buses.
        NASS staff have also devoted significant time over the summer
    developing a plan for 100% Distance Learning should the school need to
    close due to a COVID-19 outbreak.
    BIE Guidance:
        With the topic of examining guidance provided by the BIE to tribes
    in reopening during a pandemic, generally speaking, we have received
    outstanding support from BIE staff and officials in developing our
    reopening plan and have an excellent working relationship with the BIE.
    Regarding BIE guidance provided, we understand there to have been two
    primary communications, or guidance, provided to tribes. On August 6,
    Assistant Secretary Tara Sweeney signed a ``Dear Tribal Leader Letter''
    on the topic of BIE school reopening which was sent to me as Chief
    Executive. Within this letter, Assistant Secretary Sweeney announced
    that all BIE-controlled schools would open for school on September 16
    for in-person learning at brick-and-mortar school sites. However, she
    added that that tribally-controlled BIE Schools would not be required
    to follow this guidance, but were advised to use the guidance to the
    greatest extent possible.
        A second communication arrived in early-mid August, when the BIE
    released a comprehensive reopening plan for tribal schools to use as a
    template for reopening safely. This plan was extremely well-done, and
    over-all our school administrators were very impressed with the
    guidance provided.
        Realistically, however, the plan would require significant budget
    increases in order for our schools to have adopted it in its entirety.
    Our financial state of being under-funded did not coincide with cost of
    implementing the BIE plan. However, BIA officials also emphasized in
    teleconferences that the BIE plan was only a model, and that there is
    no one-size-fits all approach for BIE schools. We were advised that
    tribes should take our own locally determined needs into consideration
    first and develop our own reopening plan based on local guidance as
    determined through our unique needs.
        Additionally, it would have been helpful to receive the BIE
    reopening plan earlier in the summer, but we also understand the
    constraints BIE is working under and the reality of bureaucratic delays
    that are always a factor when dealing with the approval processes at
    the Central Office in Washington D.C. However, as the first tribe in
    the United States to sign a Self-Governance compact in 1990 with the
    Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe has a long
    history of doing things our own way and organizing services around our
    unique, locally determined needs and priorities. While we always
    appreciate advice, assistance, information and expertise provided by
    the federal agencies, we are accustomed to taking action to resolve our
    challenges versus waiting for instructions from federal agencies.
        In fact, our Nay Ah Shing School first opened in the early 1975
    after students experiencing overt racism walked out of the local public
    school, and asked the Band government to open a reservation school.
    Former Chief Executive Arthur Gahbow and our other elected officials
    responded immediately by opening a school in our community center and
    then constructing a building after-the-fact which eventually became
    part of the federal Indian Education programming at that time.
        I also want to point out that Mille Lacs was well-prepared for
    distance learning during the pandemic as a result of having pioneered a
    hybrid distance learning program in 2016 at our Pine Grove Leadership
    Academy. Pine Grove was a charter school in District III of our
    reservation, which the Band eventually took over as a tribal school
    funded by tribally-generated dollars. With funding limitations, we
    wanted Pine Grove to become part of the BIE system but there was a
    moratorium on new school expansion within the BIE system. We worked
    closely with Chairwoman Betty McCollum, of the House Appropriations
    Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies to get
    language through Congress that allowed for a waiver of the moratorium
    if a tribe could show that it already had a facility and infrastructure
    to deliver distance learning as a satellite school of the tribe's BIE
    school.
        Mille Lacs was the first tribe in the Nation to achieve the waiver,
    and Pine Grove became part of the BIE system as a satellite school of
    Nay Ah Shing. We continued to offer on-site learning at Pine Grove, but
    were able to add distance learning for our students through
    technological connections with Nay Ah Shing instructors. So we may have
    been advantaged over other tribes with regard to implementing distance
    learning for several years already, on a small scale.
    Unmet Funding Needs:
        While we appreciate BIE CARES Act funding received to date, we have
    numerous needs that have gone unfunded that we expect may negatively
    impact student, staff and community safety.
    (1) Distance Learning Teaching/Curriculum Specialists
        Currently, our school day will end at 1:00 in order to provide
    teachers the time to deliver instruction to students who have chosen
    Distance Learning. Our teachers would have more time to deliver classes
    with a longer school day if the Band were able to hire additional
    teaching staff who could devote their time to develop and deliver
    distance learning curriculum. This would require additional funds.
    Currently, our teaching staff will have to simultaneously deliver
    distance learning while they are still learning distance learning
    techniques and the associated technological knowledge required for
    delivering distance learning, as well as having to create distance
    learning curriculum. While our teaching staff are extremely committed
    and outstanding teachers, we are very concerned about teacher burnout
    and potentially losing teaching staff.
    (2) Transportation
        Our transportation dollars took a big hit with the closing of
    schools in March. While students were not being transported, we devoted
    transportation resources to delivering two meals a day, in addition to
    student supplies, to students at their homes. With stops at every home,
    this significantly increased the miles driven on a daily basis.
    Further, when we do start transporting students, our plan for social
    distancing on buses will require at least two additional staff on each
    bus to scan the temperature of each child prior to getting on the bus
    and to enforce social distance seating. Social distance seating also
    means we will require additional buses and drivers. Until we are able
    to provide additional busses, our staff have taken on the duty of
    picking up children with our smaller vans, again adding to their
    responsibilities without compensation that bus drivers would otherwise
    receive.
    (3) Our Operation and Maintenance
        Our Operation and Maintenance staff have been focused on making the
    building safe. As noted above, all areas of the schools have been
    redesigned, as funds will allow, to accommodate safety measures.
    However, to meet social distancing guidelines, we need more classroom
    space to keep the student/classroom ratio at no more than 10 students-
    per-classroom so as to keep our students safe and healthy. We are
    currently at capacity at Abinoojiyaag School (K-5) and Pine Grove (K-
    6). Classroom space is costly to construct, even temporarily. We need
    additional funding for this.
    (4) Special Education
        Students with IEP's and those with learning disabilities have been
    the most challenging to serve during the COVID-19 pandemic. The
    individualized delivery of the curriculum to our special education
    students has suffered. An ideal special education teacher student ratio
    would be less than 5 students per teacher. Also due to COVID-19, it has
    not been possible for paraprofessionals to work safely one-on-one with
    students while social-distancing. This is another critical area that is
    very underfunded and requires additional funding in order to provide
    the necessary level of education.
    (5) Student Socialization and Mental Health
        Mental health for students and teachers during COVID-19 is a major
    concern. We have only one social worker at our school, which has always
    been a concern due to opioid or other substance abuse related
    dysfunction among many of our families. Students residing in
    dysfunctional environments depend on the mental health support
    available on a daily basis at our schools. We are concerned that some
    students who need these services will go without that support while in
    a home-school living environment. In the past, we were able to have
    mental health personnel from our Reservation clinic right in the
    school. Additional mental health funds would allow us to bring on
    additional staff or emergency contractors to help our students who need
    this support and nurturing.
    (6) Food Service
        Food Service is funded partially by Minnesota State funds and the
    remainder from Mille Lacs Band tribally-generated revenue. Individual
    meal preparation for home delivery over the summer has been a hard hit
    on our food service budget and more federal funds are needed.
    (7) Older Students and Completion of High School Program
        This year, our after-school activities will include a program to
    assist students who dropped out and want to complete their high school
    education program. We were funded for the 2019-2020 school year, but
    need additional funding to continue through the 2020-2021 school year.
    Currently, we have five students who are returning after a year or two
    of absence.
    Conclusions
        Mr. Chairman, re-opening our schools confronts us with
    unprecedented challenges. Each of them is costly. None of us can afford
    to short-change the education of our children and youth. We will need
    the financial and technical support of the federal government to soften
    the damage to the next generation of Band members. We ask that you work
    with our Congressman, Pete Stauber, in a bipartisan effort to make re-
    opening work safely for our students.

                                     [all]