The BIE oversees some 183 elementary and secondary schools with 46,000 students on or near reservations in 23 states. Image: Mark Gomez/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffThe Bureau of Indian Education “has taken commendable steps in recent years” to address management problems that resulted on its being put on GAO’s high-risk list in 2017 but “continues to face persistent management weaknesses,” the GAO has said in House testimony.
A witness told a Natural Resources subcommittee that since 2013 GAO has issued 24 reports and testimonies and made 38 recommendations to BIE related to the agency’s support and oversight of schools. “Key problem areas with BIE’s support and oversight have been school spending, special education, school safety and construction, distance learning, and administrative support for schools,” a statement said.
“For example, in 2024 GAO found that nearly half of COVID-19 spending made with purchase cards at BIE schools involved transactions at elevated risk for fraud or misuse, but BIE did not provide evidence that it had investigated any of these purchases,” it said.
GAO credited the agency with taking actions toward 28 of the recommendations, including those focused on school safety and construction. The BIE further has “demonstrated strong and sustained leadership commitment to addressing its weaknesses and developed action plans that define sound approaches to following through on corrective measures,” the statement said.
However, remaining challenges include building staff capacity for supporting and overseeing schools, monitoring corrective measures, and demonstrating sustained progress in resolving high-risk issues, it said.
The BIE oversees some 183 elementary and secondary schools with 46,000 students on or near reservations in 23 states.
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