MONDAY, MARCH 25, 1985. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WITNESSES LAWRENCE F. DAVENPORT, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FRANK A. RYAN, DIRECTOR, INDIAN EDUCATION PROGRAMS, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAKIM KHAN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, INDIAN EDUCATION PROGRAMS, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SALLY H. CHRISTENSEN, DIRECTOR BUDGET SERVICE, OFFICE OF PLANNING, BUDGET AND EVALUATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Mr. YATES. Miss Reporter, show the hearing as coming to order. This is the hearing on the fiscal year 1986 budget request for Indian Education. Appearing in support of that budget is Mr. Davenport, who is the Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education; accompanied by Mr. Frank A. Ryan, Director, Indian Education programs; Mr. Hakim Khan, Deputy Director, for Indian Education programs; and Sally H. Christensen, Director Budget Service, Office of Planning, Budget and Evaluation. Is that of HHS? MS. CHRISTENSEN. No, sir, that is the Department of Education. Mr. YATES. That shows you just how long I have been up here. Ms. CHRISTENSEN. This is the one program Mr. YATES. Now we have a biography of Mr. Ryan that will go into the record at this point. [The biography of Mr. Ryan follows:] Name: Frank Anthony Ryan. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Position: Director, Indian Education Programs. Birthplace and date: Hays, Montana, August 22, 1948. Education: Yale College, New Haven, Connecticut, 1971, A.B.; Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1977, J.D.; Harvard Graduate School of Education, 1982, Ed.M. Experience Present: Director, Indian Education Programs. 1983-1985: Director, Personnel Resources Management-Education. 1982-1983: Director, Organizational Performance Service-Education. 1981-1982: Director, Indian Education Programs. 1976-1981: Lecturer on Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education. 1974-1976: Consultant, American Indian Policy Review Commission-U.S. Con gress. 1973-1974: Special Assistant to Director, Economic Development Administration. (227) 1972-1973: Senior Associate, Thomas H. Miner and Associates, Chicago, Illinois. 1971-1972: State Economic Development Specialist, Office of Governor, Montana. 1968-1969: Director Nagoya School: TEC Corp., Nagoya, Japan. OPENING STATEMENT Mr. YATES. Mr. Davenport, your statement may go into the record. Mr. DAVENPORT. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. YATES. We would be glad to hear you tell us about the subject of Indian Education. Mr. DAVENPORT. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will just give a brief summary. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, we appreciate this opportunity to appear before you to discuss the 1986 budget request for the Indian Education programs. We are requesting $67,292,000 for fiscal year 1986, $112,000 less than the fiscal year 1985 appropriation. This request recognizes the urgent need to curtail expenditures and control the Federal deficit while maintaining the Federal Government's commitment to provide an equal educational opportunity for American Indians. At the FY 1986 request level, no major changes in budget policy, program strategy, or funding distribution are proposed from this year's activities. The only change will be a modest decrease for program administration. Mr. Chairman, my colleagues and I will be happy to respond to any questions you may have. [The statement for the record follows:] DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Statement by the Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education on Indian Education Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee: We appreciate this opportunity to appear before you to discuss the 1986 budget request for the Indian Education programs. We are requesting $67,292,000 for fiscal year 1986, $112,000 less than the 1985 appropriation. This request recognizes the urgent need to curtail expenditures and control the Federal deficit while maintaining the Federal government's commitment to provide equal educational opportunity for American Indians. At the 1986 request level, no major changes in budget policy, program strategy, or funding distribution are proposed from this year's activities. The only change will be a modest decrease for program administration. The Indian Education program will continue to collect and analyze information on the educational needs of Indians and the operating effectiveness of our program to use in developing a 1987 legislative proposal. Grants to LEAs and Indian-controlled Schools (Part A) Part A is by far the largest component of the Indian Education Act, reaching the majority of the Nation's Indian students in elementary and secondary schools. The budget request in 1986 for Part A programs is $50,323,000, the same as the 1985 appropriation. Under this part of the Act, $45,913,000 in formula grants is targeted toward providing supplemental assistance to public school districts where more than 80 percent of all Indian children are educated. It is anticipated that Part A formula grants will be made to about 1,066 public school districts enrolling approximately 312,500 students and to 51 BIA contract schools enrolling 9,300 students. This level of supplemental support will provide an average grant award of $41,104 and an average expenditure per student of $143. Within broad guidelines, these school districts may spend their grant monies for whatever activities they believe will best serve the special educational and culturally related academic needs of the Indian children enrolled in their schools. Local control is further strengthened by the statutory requirement that Indian parent committees be involved in designing, as well as approving the plans and the budgets for the Part A projects. In addition to the formula program, $4,410,000 of the Part A funds is set aside to support discretionary grants to Indian-controlled schools located on or near reservations. Since most of these schools receive basic support from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, these awards are for projects generally of a supplemental, enrichment nature and include such activities as remedial instruction, academic skills improvement, dropout prevention, instruction in tribal heritage, or programs for the gifted. In 1986 it is estimated that the Department of Education will make 30 enrichment grants to Indian-controlled schools serving about 5,300 students. This would provide an average award of $147,000 and an average expenditure per student of $832. Special Programs for Indian Students (Part B) This budget also requests $11,760,000 for the eight programs that comprise Part B and that are designed to increase educational opportunities and improve educational quality for Indian children. These programs assist Indian people to gain the credentials and resources they need for careers in education and other professions. They also encourage planning and developmental efforts that can result in improved curricula and other programs for all Indian children. Towards these ends, we will provide Part B funds for service projects for Indian children, planning, pilot, and demonstration projects, programs that help Indian people enter professional careers not only in education, but in other critical fields as well, and for resource and evaluation centers that are working to upgrade the quality of our Indian Education programs. Each of these programs will be continued at their 1985 levels. An estimated 66 discretionary grants will be made, approximately 211 fellowships will be awarded, and five resource and evaluation centers will be funded. Special Programs for Indian Adults (Part C) Under Part C of the Act, $2,940,000 is requested to support basic education programs for Indian adults. This program seeks to find and serve traditionally hard to reach Indians - both those in remote areas on reservations and those in isolated pockets of poverty within our cities. Through Part C programs Indian adults of all ages have the opportunity to learn to read and write, improve their basic skills, become better informed consumers, earn high school equivalency diplomas, and generally enhance their employability and become more productive citizens. No major changes in program strategy or funding distribution from the 1985 appropriation levels are proposed in 1986. An estimated 22 discretionary grants will be awarded under the two programs in Part C and approximately |