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1 1 (October 17, 2023)

handle is hein.crs/govenfg0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service Inforrning th egisIatjved d atersice1914 Postsecondary Education of Native Americans Since the nation's early years, the United States of America has enacted federal policies intended to provide educational opportunities to Indian peoples. The federal government maintains and supports its trust relationship with Indian tribes through various postsecondary education programs and initiatives. The trust relationship is a responsibility derived from federal statutes, treaties, court decisions, executive actions, and the Constitution (which assigns authority over federal-Indian relations to Congress). The provision of postsecondary education opportunities for tribal members is one manifestation of that relationship. This In Focus reviews college enrollment patterns and educational attainment levels of Native Americans and federal programs that support Indian postsecondary attainment. Postsecondary Access and Completion Although data are not available on Indian educational achievement nationally, the achievements of American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) students are reported. Persons who identify their race/ethnicity as AIAN may not be members of federally recognized Indian tribes, and not all members of such tribes may identify as AIAN. According to the most recently published statistics of the U.S. Census Bureau (Census), as shown in Figure 1, postsecondary enrollment and completion rates when examined by race/ethnicity are lowest for persons who identified as AIAN and Pacific Islander in 2022. Such rates are highest for persons who identified as Asian or White, not Hispanic. Figure I. Educational Attainment for the Population 25 Years and Over Who have Completed High School, by Race/Ethnicity, 2022 Sorted by percentage of degree completers Race/ethnicity Pacific Isla H White, not H pa 00 20% 40% 00% b8% 100% ' Degree Completers U Some Postsecondary Enrollment Source: Table prepared by CRS using U.S. Census Bureau, Sex by Educational Attainment for the Population 25 Years and Over, Updated October 17, 2023 American Community Survey, ACS I-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, Table series B15002, 2022 (accessed on October 6, 2023). Notes: AIAN is American Indian/Alaska Native. The percentage of high school completers ages 25 and up who had enrolled in postsecondary education at some time was lowest for persons who identified as AIAN (60%), Pacific Islander (58%), and Hispanic (62%). The data also indicate that the percentage of high school completers ages 25 and up who completed a postsecondary degree (associate's or higher degree) at some time was lowest for persons who identified as AIAN (33%) and Pacific Islander (32%). Federal Programs and Support The federal government provides support to help members of federally recognized tribes (Indians) access and complete higher education. Two major mechanisms that primarily or exclusively support tribal members are funding for tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) and federal aid for Indian students. TCUs include federally operated or established institutions and tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs). FY2023 appropriations for the programs discussed in this section are presented in Table 1. TCUs and Indian students are eligible for and benefit from general federal educational assistance programs. For example, Indian students may be eligible to receive Pell Grants as a result of their financial status and not because they are members of federally recognized tribes. The following aid programs are specific to TCUs and Indian students. Federally Operated or Established Institutions The federal government operates two postsecondary institutions for tribal members and established one for the preservation of tribal culture. The federal government, through the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), owns, operates, and funds two postsecondary institutions for tribal members-Haskell Indian Nations University in Kansas and the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI) in New Mexico. Haskell is a four-year liberal arts university with approximately 700 undergraduates in fall 2022. SIPI, a two-year college with almost 300 students in fall 2022, primarily awards associate's degrees in liberal arts, business, and education. Both institutions charge no tuition, and Haskell charged less than $500 annually in fees in academic year (AY) 2022- 2023. The Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in New Mexico is an independent, multi-tribal nonprofit higher education institution for Native Americans dedicated to the

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