[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 99 (Wednesday, May 22, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23580-23581]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-10718]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[192A2100DD/AAKC001030/ A0A501010.999900 253G]


Johnson-O'Malley Program

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Tribal consultation and opportunity for public 
comment.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) will conduct 
consultations on which source can provide the most applicable and 
accurate data for a preliminary report on the number of eligible Indian 
students served, or potentially served, by entities eligible for 
participation in the Johnson-O'Malley (JOM) Supplemental Indian 
Education Program. The sources under consideration are: The Bureau of 
the Census, the National Center for Education Statistics, or the Office 
of Indian Education of the Department of Education. The preliminary 
report will reflect an initial determination regarding the eligible 
Indian student count for the purposes of calculating formula 
allocations for programs under the JOM Act of 1934, as amended by the 
JOM Supplemental Indian Education Program Modernization Act (JOM 
Modernization Act). BIE is also interested in determining the interest 
of Tribes, State and local educational agencies, and Alaska Native 
organizations of entering into JOM contracts.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 22, 2019. See the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for dates and locations of the 
consultation sessions.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to: Bureau of Indian Education, ATTN: JOM 
Comments, C/O Angela Barnett, Program Manager, 1011 Indian School Road 
NW, Suite 332, Albuquerque, NM

[[Page 23581]]

87104. Or email comments to: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Angela Barnett, Program Specialist, 
Bureau of Indian Education; telephone (405) 605-6051 ext. 302; email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The JOM Act of 1934 was enacted to subsidize 
education, medical services, and other social services provided to 
Indians living within the borders of states and territories. Today, JOM 
funding is used to support programs designed to meet the specialized 
and unique educational and cultural needs of eligible Indian students, 
including programs that supplement existing school programming 
operational supports.
    The JOM Modernization Act, Public Law 115-404, enacted December 31, 
2018, directs the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to conduct an 
accurate and comprehensive student count for the purposes of 
calculating formula allocations for programs under the JOM Act and for 
other purposes. The JOM Modernization Act also requires the Secretary 
to make an initial determination of the number of eligible Indian 
students served, or potentially served, by each eligible entity. In 
accordance with the JOM Modernization Act, the BIE will use the most 
applicable and accurate data (from the fiscal year preceding the fiscal 
year for which the initial determination is to be made) from one of the 
following sources:
    1. Bureau of the Census;
    2. National Center for Education Statistics; or
    3. Office of Indian Education of the Department of Education.
    The BIE would like feedback on which of these three sources can 
provide the most accurate data for use in the preliminary report. To 
obtain this feedback, BIE is announcing Tribal consultation sessions 
and the opportunity for eligible entities and interested parties to 
provide input. Eligible entities include existing JOM contractors and 
potential JOM contractors, including States, public school districts, 
tribal organizations, Indian corporations, and previously private 
schools. Interested parties include, but are not limited to, JOM Indian 
Education Committee members, Tribal organizations, employees of public 
schools serving American Indian students, urban Indian communities, 
Indian school boards, parents, and student organizations.
    BIE is also interested in determining the interest of Tribes, State 
and local educational agencies, and Alaska Native organizations of 
entering into JOM contracts.
    BIE will conduct a telephonic consultation session and will accept 
both oral and written comments. The first hour of the session is 
reserved for Tribal leaders and their representatives to provide input. 
The rest of the time is open to eligible parties and any other 
interested parties who would like to provide input, as follows:
    June 21, 2019.
    1 p.m.-3 p.m. MDT.
    Please visit & join the meeting space from your computer, tablet, 
or smartphone.
    https://www.gotomeet.me/valerietodacheene/jom-consultation-m-lesky.
    Call-in number: (312) 757-3121.
    Passcode: 843-649-541.
    You can find additional information at the BIE JOM web page at: 
https://www.bie.edu/JOM/. The BIE strongly recommends that anyone 
planning to attend a consultation session first review the preliminary 
data located on BIE's web page, to best engage in meaningful dialogue.
    At the conclusion of the consultations, BIE will publish the 
preliminary report and announce its availability in the Federal 
Register. Following publication of the preliminary report, BIE will 
again seek feedback for consideration in preparing the final report.

    Dated: May 7, 2019.
Tara Sweeney,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2019-10718 Filed 5-21-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4337-15-P