§ 7544 — Program Authorized

(1) The Secretary is authorized to make grants to, or enter into contracts with— (A) Alaska Native organizations with experience operating programs that fulfill the purposes of this part; (B) Alaska Native organizations that do not have the experience described in subparagraph (A) but are in partnership with— (i) a State educational agency or a local educational agency; or (ii) an Alaska Native organization that operates a program that fulfills the purposes of this part; (C) an entity located in Alaska, and predominately governed by Alaska Natives, that does not meet the definition of an Alaska Native organization under this part but— (i) has experience operating programs that fulfill the purposes of this part; and (ii) is granted an official charter or sanction, as described in the definition of a tribal organization under section 5304 of title 25, from at least one Alaska Native tribe or Alaska Native organization to carry out programs that meet the purposes of this part. (2) Activities provided through the programs carried out under this part shall include the following: (A) The development and implementation of plans, methods, strategies, and activities to improve the educational outcomes of Alaska Natives. (B) The collection of data to assist in the evaluation of the programs carried out under this part. (3) Activities provided through programs carried out under this part may include the following: (A) The development of curricula and programs that address the educational needs of Alaska Native students, including the following: (i) Curriculum materials that are culturally informed and reflect the cultural diversity, languages, history, or the contributions of Alaska Native people, including curricula intended to preserve and promote Alaska Native culture. (ii) Instructional programs that make use of Alaska Native languages and cultures. (iii) Networks that develop, test, and disseminate best practices and introduce successful programs, materials, and techniques to meet the educational needs of Alaska Native students in urban and rural schools. (B) Training and professional development activities for educators, including the following: (i) Pre-service and in-service training and professional development programs to prepare teachers to develop appreciation for, and understanding of, Alaska Native history, cultures, values, and ways of knowing and learning in order to effectively address the cultural diversity and unique needs of Alaska Native students and improve the teaching methods of educators. (ii) Recruitment and preparation of Alaska Native teachers. (iii) Programs that will lead to the certification and licensing of Alaska Native teachers, principals, other school leaders, and superintendents. (C) Early childhood and parenting education activities designed to improve the school readiness of Alaska Native children, including— (i) the development and operation of home visiting programs for Alaska Native preschool children, to ensure the active involvement of parents in their children’s education from the earliest ages; (ii) training, education, and support, including in-home visitation, for parents and caregivers of Alaska Native children to improve parenting and caregiving skills (including skills relating to discipline and cognitive development, reading readiness, observation, storytelling, and critical thinking); (iii) family literacy services; (iv) activities carried out under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.); (v) programs for parents and their infants, from the prenatal period of the infant through age 3; (vi) early childhood education programs; and (vii) native language immersion within early childhood education programs, Head Start, or preschool programs. (D) The development and operation of student enrichment programs, including programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics that— (i) are designed to prepare Alaska Native students to excel in such subjects; (ii) provide appropriate support services to enable such students to benefit from the programs; and (iii) include activities that recognize and support the unique cultural and educational needs of Alaska Native children and incorporate appropriately qualified Alaska Native elders and other tradition bearers. (E) Research and data collection activities to determine the educational status and needs of Alaska Native children and adults and other such research and evaluation activities related to programs funded under this part. (F) Activities designed to enable Alaska Native students served under this part to meet the challenging State academic standards or increase the graduation rates of Alaska Native students, such as— (i) remedial and enrichment programs; (ii) culturally based education programs, such as— (I) programs of study and other instruction in Alaska Native history and ways of living to share the rich and diverse cultures of Alaska Natives among Alaska Native youth and elders, non-Native students and teachers, and the larger community; (II) instructing Alaska Native youth in leadership, communication, and Alaska Native culture, arts, history, and languages; (III) intergenerational learning and internship opportunities to Alaska Native youth and young adults; (IV) providing cultural immersion activities aimed at Alaska Native cultural preservation; (V) native language instruction and immersion activities, including native language immersion nests or schools; (VI) school-within-a-school model programs; and (VII) preparation for postsecondary education and career planning; and (iii) comprehensive school or community-based support services, including services that— (I) address family instability and trauma; and (II) improve conditions for learning at home, in the community, and at school. (G) Student and teacher exchange programs, cross-cultural immersion programs, and culture camps designed to build mutual respect and understanding among participants. (H) Education programs for at-risk urban Alaska Native students that are designed to improve academic proficiency and graduation rates, use strategies otherwise permissible under this part, and incorporate a strong data collection and continuous evaluation component. (I) Strategies designed to increase the involvement of parents in their children’s education. (J) Programs and strategies that increase connections between and among schools, families, and communities, including positive youth-adult relationships, to— (i) promote the academic progress and positive development of Alaska Native children and youth; and (ii) improve conditions for learning at home, in the community, and at school. (K) Career preparation activities to enable Alaska Native children and adults to prepare for meaningful employment, including programs providing mentoring, training, and apprenticeship activities. (L) Support for the development and operational activities of regional vocational schools in rural areas of Alaska to provide students with necessary resources to prepare for skilled employment opportunities. (M) Regional leadership academies that demonstrate effectiveness in building respect and understanding, and fostering a sense of Alaska Native identity in Alaska Native students to promote their pursuit of and success in completing higher education or career training. (N) Other activities, consistent with the purposes of this part, to meet the educational needs of Alaska Native children and adults. (b) There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $31,453,000 for each of fiscal years 2017 through 2020.