Indigenous Students Excel through Parity Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9935 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9935

  To improve the Indian School Equalization Formula of the Bureau of
               Indian Education, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 23, 2026

  Ms. Stansbury (for herself and Mr. Guest) introduced the following
  bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

  To improve the Indian School Equalization Formula of the Bureau of
               Indian Education, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Indigenous Students Excel through
Parity Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are to study--
            (1) the resources that Bureau-funded schools need to
        provide competitive salaries and benefits to recruit and retain
        high-quality teachers, administrators, and all school staff;
            (2) funding and other resources needed by the Bureau of
        Indian Education to ensure that students attending Bureau-
        funded schools receive a high-quality education; and
            (3) potential revenue sources to bring Bureau of Indian
        Education funding, resources, and salaries into parity with
        other school systems.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary''
        means the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs.
            (2) Bureau-funded school.--The term ``Bureau-funded
        school'' has the meaning given the term in section 1141 of the
        Education Amendments of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 2021).
            (3) Indian school equalization formula.--The term ``Indian
        School Equalization Formula'' means the Indian School
        Equalization Formula described in subparts B and C of part 39
        of title 25, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor
        regulations).
            (4) Indian school equalization program.--The term ``Indian
        School Equalization Program'' means the Indian School
        Equalization Program described in part 39 of title 25, Code of
        Federal Regulations (or successor regulations).
            (5) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' means any
        Indian or Alaska Native Tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village,
        or other community included on the most recent list published
        by the Secretary under section 104 of the Federally Recognized
        Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131).
            (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
        of the Interior.
            (7) Tribally controlled school.--The term ``tribally
        controlled school'' has the meaning given the term in section
        5212 of the Tribally Controlled Schools Act of 1988 (25 U.S.C.
        2511).

SEC. 4. INDIAN SCHOOL EQUALIZATION FORMULA STUDY.

    (a) Study Required.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
        enactment of this Act, and in accordance with paragraph (3),
        the Secretary, in coordination with the Assistant Secretary and
        the Director of the Bureau of Indian Education, shall carry out
        a study relating to updating the Indian School Equalization
        Formula, including by completing the process of developing
        alternative methods for the equitable distribution of the
        Indian School Equalization Formula, with consideration given to
        the factors described in paragraph (2).
            (2) Factors described.--The factors referred to in
        paragraph (1) are the following:
                    (A) Ensuring that the Indian School Equalization
                Formula provides sufficient funding to adequately fund
                Bureau-funded schools, including--
                            (i) schools operated by the Bureau of
                        Indian Education; and
                            (ii) tribally controlled schools.
                    (B) The highest rate of basic compensation, which
                shall be equal to the higher of--
                            (i) the highest quartile or average State-
                        by-State salaries for school teachers,
                        principals, other leadership positions, and all
                        school staff at public schools that are not
                        Bureau-funded schools; and
                            (ii) the rate of basic compensation for
                        teacher and teaching positions in the
                        Department of Defense as determined under the
                        Defense Department Overseas Teachers Pay and
                        Personnel Practices Act (20 U.S.C. 901 et
                        seq.).
            (3) Requirements.--In carrying out the study of the Indian
        School Equalization Formula under paragraph (1), the Secretary
        shall--
                    (A) ensure that an updated Indian School
                Equalization Formula provides sufficient funding to
                fully support salaries for school teachers, principals,
                other leadership positions, and all school staff at a
                rate commensurate with salaries of non-Bureau of Indian
                Education teachers, principals, other leadership
                positions, and all school staff described in clauses
                (i) and (ii) of paragraph (2)(B);
                    (B) consider the weights or ratios related to--
                            (i) tribally controlled schools;
                            (ii) schools with fewer than 100 students;
                        and
                            (iii) schools located in rural areas; and
                    (C) ensure that, in an updated Indian School
                Equalization Formula, that Havasupai Elementary School
                is awarded an additional cost factor of 12.5 Weighted
                Student Unit (as defined in section 39.2 of title 25,
                Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor
                regulation)).
    (b) Report.--The Secretary, in coordination with the Assistant
Secretary and the Director of the Bureau of Indian Education, and in
consultation with national organizations representing Indian Tribes and
students attending Bureau-funded schools, shall submit to Congress and
make publicly available to Indian Tribes a report describing--
            (1) the adequacy of the Indian School Equalization Formula
        and the Indian School Equalization Program in fulfilling the
        needs of Bureau-funded schools and tribally controlled schools;
        and
            (2) recommendations for increasing or modifying factors to
        improve the Indian School Equalization Formula.

SEC. 5. STUDY OF REVENUE RESOURCES.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Secretary, in coordination with the Assistant Secretary and the
Director of the Bureau of Indian Education, shall carry out a study to
identify potential revenue sources to bring Bureau-funded schools into
parity with other schools.
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