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American Affairs (WHCNAA), established by Executive Order 13647 of June 26, 2013 (Establishing the White House Council on Native American Affairs).

(b) The Initiative shall consult and collaborate with Tribal Nations; Alaska Native Entities; TCUs; and State, Tribal, and local educational departments and agencies to advance educational equity, excellence, and economic opportunity for Native Americans by focusing on the following policy goals:

(i) increasing the understanding of systemic causes of educational challenges faced by Native American students and working across agencies to address those challenges;

(ii) supporting and improving data collection related to Native American students and the implementation of evidence-based strategies to increase the participation and success of Native American students in all levels of education and prepare them for careers and civic engagement;

(iii) increasing the percentage of Native American children and families who participate in high-quality early childhood programs and services that promote healthy development and learning, prepare Native American children for success in school, and affirm the cultural and linguistic identity of Native American children;

(iv) ensuring that all Native American students have access to excellent teachers, school leaders, and other professionals, including by supporting efforts to improve the recruitment, preparation, development, and retention of qualified, diverse teachers, school leaders, and other professionals who understand Native American students’ lived experiences and can effectively meet their students’ academic, social, and emotional needs, particularly in partnership with TCUs;

(v) breaking down barriers that impede the access of higher education institutions that serve Native American students, such as TCUs, to Federal funding, and strengthening the capacity of those institutions to participate in Federal programs and partnerships;

(vi) ensuring that the unique indigenous, cultural, educational, traditional ecological knowledge, and Native language needs of Native American students are met;

(vii) exploring policies to expand and support career and technical education, job training, and other career-building programs for Native American students and workers; and

(viii) furthering Tribal sovereignty by supporting efforts to build the capacity of Tribal educational agencies and TCUs to provide high-quality education services to Native American students.

(c) In working to fulfill its mission and objectives, the Initiative shall, consistent with applicable law:

(i) engage in regular, meaningful, and robust consultation with Tribal Nations regarding Native American education and related issues, in accordance with the Presidential Memorandum of January 26, 2021 (Tribal Consultation and Strengthening Nation-to-Nation Relationships);

(ii) identify and promote evidence-based best practices that can provide Native American students with a rigorous and well-rounded education in safe and healthy environments, as well as access to support services, that will improve their educational, professional, economic, and civic opportunities;

(iii) advance and coordinate efforts to ensure equitable opportunities for Native American students in the wake of the COVID–19 pandemic, including recovering learning losses and addressing other challenges—academic, financial, social, emotional, mental health, or career development—brought on or exacerbated by the COVID–19 pandemic;

(iv) encourage and develop Federal partnerships with public, private, philanthropic, and nonprofit entities to improve access to educational equity, excellence, and economic opportunity for Native Americans;