The Senate Indian Affairs Committee held an oversight hearing this morning on Indian education.

The hearing came after the release of Indian Country's report card. It showed that Native American students in grades 4 and 8 are behind left behind on reading and math tests.

The hearing also came amid the Bush administration's reorganization of education programs at the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Tribes in the North and South Dakota are opposing the reduction of services at the reservation level.

The full webcast can be viewed here. For witness testimony, see here

The witness list was as follows:
Panel 1
MR. JIM CASON
Associate Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior
Accompanied by: MR. KEVIN SKENANDORE, Acting Director, Office of Indian Education Programs, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C.

MS. DARLA MARBURGER
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education
Accompanied by: MS. CATHIE CAROTHERS, Acting Director of the Office of Indian Education,
MR. THOMAS CORWIN, Director, Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Vocational Analysis Budget Service

Panel 2
MR. RYAN WILSON
President, National Indian Education Association

MR. IVAN SMALL
Board Secretary, National Association of Federally Impacted Schools, and Superintendent Ft. Peck School District

MS. BETH KIRSCH
Series Producer � Between the Lions, WGBH
Accompanied by: MR. BERNIE TEBA, Native American Liaison, New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department, Santa Fe, New Mexico

DR. DAVID GIPP
President, United Tribes Technical College The hearing will be the committee's second on education during the 109th Congress. The first was held June 16, 2005, when the Bush administration came under fire for its commitment to Indian children.

Hearing Documents/Info:
Oversight Hearing on Indian Education (SCIA)

Relevant Links:
Senate Indian Affairs Committee - http://indian.senate.gov
Sen. John McCain - http://mccain.senate/gov

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