§ 7824 — Consolidated Set-aside For Department Of The Interior Funds

(1) The Secretary shall transfer to the Department of the Interior, as a consolidated amount for covered programs, the Indian education programs under part A of subchapter VI, and the education for homeless children and youth program under subtitle B of title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act [42 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.], the amounts allotted to the Department of the Interior under those programs. (A) The Secretary and the Secretary of the Interior shall enter into an agreement, consistent with the requirements of the programs specified in paragraph (1), for the distribution and use of those program funds under terms that the Secretary determines best meet the purposes of those programs. (B) The agreement shall— (i) set forth the plans of the Secretary of the Interior for the use of the amount transferred and the achievement measures to assess program effectiveness, including program objectives; and (ii) be developed in consultation with Indian tribes. (b) The Department of the Interior may use not more than 1.5 percent of the funds consolidated under this section for its costs related to the administration of the funds transferred under this section. (1) For the purposes of part A of subchapter I, the Secretary of Interior, in consultation with the Secretary, if the Secretary of the Interior requests the consultation, using a negotiated rulemaking process to develop regulations for implementation no later than the 2017-2018 academic year, shall define the standards, assessments, and accountability system consistent with section 6311 of this title, for the schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Education on a national, regional, or tribal basis, as appropriate, taking into account the unique circumstances and needs of such schools and the students served by such schools. (2) The tribal governing body or school board of a school funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs may waive, in part or in whole, the requirements established pursuant to paragraph (1) where such requirements are determined by such body or school board to be inappropriate. If such requirements are waived, the tribal governing body or school board shall, within 60 days, submit to the Secretary of Interior a proposal for alternative standards, assessments, and an accountability system, if applicable, consistent with section 6311 of this title, that takes into account the unique circumstances and needs of such school or schools and the students served. The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary shall approve such standards, assessments, and accountability system unless the Secretary determines that the standards, assessments, and accountability system do not meet the requirements of section 6311 of this title, taking into account the unique circumstances and needs of such school or schools and the students served. (3) The Secretary of Interior and the Secretary shall, either directly or through a contract, provide technical assistance, upon request, to a tribal governing body or school board of a school funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs that seeks a waiver under paragraph (2).