National Indian Education Association (NIEA)

National Indian Education Association (NIEA)
Name	National Indian Education Association
Abbreviation	NIEA
Formation	1969
Type	Nonprofit, advocacy
Headquarters	Portland, Oregon
Region served	United States

National Indian Education Association (NIEA) The National Indian Education Association is an American nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 1969 to support Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian education. It brings together educators, tribal leaders, policymakers, and community members to address issues affecting students from diverse Indigenous nations across the United States. NIEA engages with federal agencies, tribal governments, and civil rights organizations to influence policy and practice.

History

NIEA was formed during a period of activism that included events such as the American Indian Movement, the Occupation of Alcatraz, the Red Power movement, the Native American Rights Fund, and the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act; early participants included educators influenced by leaders associated with the National Congress of American Indians, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act debates, and the Johnson O'Malley Act discussions. In the 1970s and 1980s NIEA worked alongside organizations like the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Office of Indian Education, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and tribal education departments from nations such as the Navajo Nation, the Cherokee Nation, and the Sioux nations to expand programs similar to those advocated by the Indian Education Act proponents. During the 1990s and 2000s NIEA interacted with policymakers involved in the No Child Left Behind Act, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and the Every Student Succeeds Act, while collaborating with advocacy groups such as the National Indian Law Library and the Native American Rights Fund to address legal and cultural issues. More recent decades have seen NIEA partnering with institutions like the Smithsonian Institution, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Ford Foundation, and tribal colleges including those in the American Indian Higher Education Consortium network.

Mission and Activities

NIEA's mission emphasizes support for educators and students from nations including the Hopi Tribe, the Ojibwe, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the Pueblo of Zuni, and the Tlingit through services that intersect with federal offices like the U.S. Department of Education and agencies such as the Administration for Native Americans. Activities include professional development similar to programs offered by the National Education Association, curriculum initiatives paralleling work by the Library of Congress and the National Archives, and cultural preservation efforts that align with projects at the National Museum of the American Indian, the American Folklife Center, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Governance and Leadership

NIEA is governed by a board and executive structure featuring educators, tribal officials, and administrators drawn from communities represented by entities such as the Metropolitan Education Commission, the Alaska Federation of Natives, the Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada, and university programs including those at University of Arizona, University of New Mexico, and Arizona State University. Leadership has engaged with national figures and advisors connected to institutions like the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development, the Native American Rights Fund, and the American Indian Higher Education Consortium; board decisions have been informed by consultations with tribal councils from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, the Crow Tribe, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

Programs and Initiatives

NIEA implements teacher preparation and student support programs that mirror collaborations seen with the Tribal Colleges and Universities Program, the Head Start model in Native communities, and scholarship initiatives akin to those supported by the American Indian College Fund. Initiatives include language revitalization projects resonant with efforts at the Māori language revival counterparts, place-based curriculum development comparable to the work of the National Council for the Social Studies, and STEM outreach similar to programs by the National Science Foundation and the Smithsonian Science Education Center.

Conferences and Events

NIEA organizes an annual convention and conference that attracts participants from tribes such as the Blackfeet Nation, the Shoshone, the Choctaw Nation, and the Chippewa Cree Tribe, along with representatives from institutions including Princeton University, University of California, Berkeley, Columbia University, and Stanford University. These events feature panels resembling symposia at the American Educational Research Association, workshops modeled after the Teach For America training, poster sessions like those at the Association of American Colleges and Universities, and cultural showcases comparable to programming at the National Museum of the American Indian.

Partnerships and Advocacy

NIEA partners with national organizations including the National Indian Health Board, the League of United Latin American Citizens, the National Congress of American Indians, and labor organizations such as the American Federation of Teachers to advocate before entities like the United States Congress and federal departments including the U.S. Department of Education. The association has submitted testimony and policy recommendations in contexts involving legislation such as the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and collaborates with foundations like the Gates Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation on research and program support.

Impact and Criticism

NIEA has been credited with raising visibility for Indigenous student needs among bodies like the U.S. Department of Education, influencing programs at the Bureau of Indian Education, and supporting the careers of educators from institutions such as Haskell Indian Nations University and Sitting Bull College. Critics have challenged aspects of NIEA's approaches, citing debates similar to those around bilingual education controversies, tensions documented in interactions between tribal sovereignty advocates within the National Congress of American Indians and federal policy makers, and disputes over resource allocation akin to controversies involving the Johnson O'Malley Act and federal funding streams. Ongoing dialogue involves partners from the Native American Rights Fund, academic researchers at University of Minnesota and University of Washington, and community stakeholders from urban Indian organizations such as the Native American Connections group.

Category:Native American organizations in the United States