Indigenous Students Excel through Parity Act of 2026

This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior, working with the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs and the Director of the Bureau of Indian Education, to study updating the Indian School Equalization Formula within one year. The study would look at funding for Bureau-funded and tribally controlled schools, including staff salaries set to match the higher of state public school salary levels or Department of Defense overseas teacher pay. It would also consider funding weights for tribally controlled, small, and rural schools, and give Havasupai Elementary School an added cost factor of 12.5 Weighted Student Units in an updated formula. The Secretary would report findings and recommendations to Congress and Indian Tribes, and separately study possible revenue sources to bring Bureau-funded schools into parity with other schools.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Melanie A. Stansbury Democrat sponsor
• 2 cosponsors