[117th Congress Public Law 335]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[[Page 136 STAT. 6143]]
Public Law 117-335
117th Congress
An Act
To establish a Native American language resource center in furtherance
of the policy set forth in the Native American Languages
Act. <<NOTE: Jan. 5, 2023 - [S. 989]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Native American
Language Resource Center Act of 2022.>>
SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 20 USC 6301 note.>> SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Native American Language Resource
Center Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. <<NOTE: 20 USC 7457.>> NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE RESOURCE
CENTERS.
(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to further align the
resources provided by the Department of Education with the policies set
forth in the Native American Languages Act (25 U.S.C. 2901 et seq.)
through establishment of a program within the Department of Education to
support 1 or more Native American language resource centers.
(b) <<NOTE: Grants. Contracts.>> In General.--The Secretary of
Education is authorized to make a grant to, or enter into a contract
with, an eligible entity for the purpose of--
(1) establishing, strengthening, and operating a Native
American language resource center; and
(2) staffing the center with individuals with relevant
expertise and experience, including staff who speak American
Indian and Alaska Native languages and the Native Hawaiian
language and have worked in language education in the American
Indian and Alaska Native languages and the Native Hawaiian
language in a preschool, elementary school, secondary school,
adult education, or higher education program.
(c) Authorized Activities.--The Native American language resource
center established under subsection (b) shall carry out activities to--
(1) improve the capacity to teach and learn Native American
languages;
(2) further Native American language use and acquisition;
(3) preserve, protect, and promote the rights and freedom of
Native Americans to use, practice, and develop Native American
languages in furtherance of--
(A) the policies set forth in the Native American
Languages Act (25 U.S.C. 2901 et seq.); and
(B) the United States trust responsibility to Native
American communities;
(4) address the effects of past discrimination and ongoing
inequities experienced by Native American language speakers;
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(5) support the revitalization and reclamation of Native
American languages; and
(6) support the use of Native American languages as a medium
of instruction for a wide variety of age levels, academic
content areas, and types of schools, including Native American
language medium education.
(d) Additional Authorized Activities.--The Native American language
resource center established under subsection (b) may also carry out
activities--
(1) to encourage and support the use of Native American
languages within educational systems in the same manner as other
world languages, including by encouraging State educational
agencies, local educational agencies, and institutions of higher
education to offer Native American language courses the same
full academic credit as courses in other world languages;
(2) <<NOTE: Assessments.>> to support the development,
adoption, and use of educational outcome metrics aligned with
the Native American language of instruction, including
assessments, qualifications, and processes based on promising
practices in Native American language medium education;
(3) to provide assistance to Native American language
programs seeking Federal resources;
(4) to encourage and support teacher preparation programs
that prepare teachers to teach Native American languages and to
use Native American languages as a medium of instruction,
including by disseminating promising practices and developing
pedagogical programming and through appropriate alternative
pathways to teacher certification;
(5) to provide information and resources--
(A) on promising practices in the use and
revitalization of Native American languages in Native
American communities, including use in educational
institutions; and
(B) for the use of technology in school and
community-based Native American language programs to
support the retention, use, and teaching of Native
American languages;
(6) to support the use of distance learning technologies and
training for parents, students, teachers, and learning support
staff associated with Native American language programs,
including--
(A) the compilation and curation of digital
libraries and other online resources for Native American
languages, except that any materials collected by the
center shall only be materials provided by a Native
American language program or Native American community;
(B) the development of optional distance learning
curricula appropriate for preschool, elementary school,
secondary school, adult education, and postsecondary
education;
(C) pedagogical training for Native American
language teachers; and
(D) other efforts necessary to continue Native
American language acquisition through distance learning;
(7) to provide technical assistance for Native American
communities and school systems to develop Native American
language medium education programs in preschool, elementary
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school, secondary school, or adult education programs conducted
through the medium of Native American languages;
(8) to support Native American language programs and Native
American communities in--
(A) accessing international best practices,
resources, and research in indigenous language
revitalization; and
(B) gathering and sharing technical assistance,
promising practices, and experiences;
(9) for the operation of intensive programs, including
summer institutes, to train Native American language speakers,
to provide professional development, and to improve Native
American language instruction through preservice and in-service
language training for teachers; and
(10) that otherwise support the Native American language
resource center established under subsection (b) to carry out
the activities required in subsection (c).
(e) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) ESEA definitions.--The terms ``elementary school'',
``local educational agency'', ``secondary school'', and ``State
educational agency'' have the meanings given the terms in
section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) an institution of higher education;
(B) an entity within an institution of higher
education with dedicated expertise in Native American
language and culture education; or
(C) a consortium that includes 1 or more
institutions of higher education or 1 or more entities
described in subparagraph (B).
(3) Institution of higher education.--The term ``institution
of higher education'' has the meaning given the term in section
101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).
(4) Native american; native american language.--The terms
``Native American'' and ``Native American language'' have the
meanings given those terms in section 103 of the Native American
Languages Act (25 U.S.C. 2902).
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(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section, $3,000,000 for each fiscal year.
Approved January 5, 2023.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 989:
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SENATE REPORTS: No. 117-46 (Comm. on Indian Affairs).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 168 (2022):
Dec. 19, considered and passed Senate.
Dec. 21, 22, considered and passed House.
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