Idaho Department of Education

Many tribes call Idaho home. However, Idaho has five federally recognized tribes who retain ancestral homelands.

• Coeur d’ Alene Tribe, Plummer
• Kootenai Tribe, Bonners Ferry
• Nez Perce Tribe, Lapwai
• Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, Fort Hall
• Shoshone-Paiute Tribes, Owyhee, Nevada (The Shoshone-Paiute Tribes straddle the Nevada and Idaho borders.)

Tribal sovereignty refers to tribes' inherent and full legal right to govern themselves, define their own membership, manage tribal property, and regulate tribal business and domestic relations; it further recognizes the existence of a government-to-government relationship between such tribes and the federal government. No outside source is needed to legitimate their powers or actions. Each tribe exercises its own tribal sovereignty (TLC).

The federal Indian trust responsibility is a legal obligation under which the United States “has charged itself with moral obligations of the highest responsibility and trust” toward Indian tribes. It is also a legally enforceable fiduciary obligation on the part of the United States to protect tribal treaty rights, lands, assets, and resources, as well as a duty to carry out the mandates of federal law with respect to American Indians. In several cases discussing the trust responsibility, the Supreme Court has used language suggesting that it entails legal duties, moral obligations, and the fulfillment of understandings and expectations that have arisen over the entire course of the relationship between the United States and the federally recognized tribes (BIA).

Congress has recognized the right of tribes to have a greater say over the development and implementation of federal programs and policies that directly impact them and their tribal members. It did so by enacting two major pieces of legislation that together embodies the important concepts of tribal self-determination and self-governance. Through these laws, Congress accorded tribal governments the authority to administer themselves the programs and services usually administered by the BIA for their tribal members. It also upheld the principle of tribal consultation, whereby the federal government consults with tribes on federal actions, policies, rules or regulations that will directly affect them (BIA).

No. Most services, such as health care, are present day manifestations of treaty rights in exchange for land and are partly based on the trust responsibilities of the government. Per capita and scholarships are supported by individual tribal enterprises (NCAI).

There are 567 sovereign tribes; they are also referred to as nations, bands, pueblos, communities, and villages. There are 334 reservations located across 35 states, not all tribes have a reservation (NCAI).

American Indian generally refers to Indigenous tribes of the continental United States. The term Native Americans refers to all native peoples (NCAI). The most appropriate term is to use is the tribe’s name.

Johanna J. Jones, Coordinator, Office of Indian Education

There are different types of programs that school districts and tribal contractors can operate. These programs should be created based on the needs of the eligible Indian students. Eligibility is determined by a needs assessment that the parent committee and/or the contractor conduct. The amount of Johnson-O'Malley funds available to the contractor will determine which programs can be reasonably and successfully implemented.

Johnson-O'Malley funds are used to support existing programs (supplemental) and are not used to replace programs provided by another funding resource (supplanting).

Supplemental Programs
These are programs that support existing programs or are adding to existing programs in the public schools.

Supplanting Programs
Supplanting means creating programs using Johnson-O'Malley funds that the school should already be providing from their regular budget. Johnson-O'Malley funds cannot be used to replace funds that should be provided for existing programs. Supplanting is not legal in Johnson-O'Malley programs.

Examples of types of programs using Johnson O'Malley funds are:

• Career Development Counseling — Activities designed to create a greater interest in school that results in scholastic improvement.
• Cultural Activities — Funds to enhance educational programs with cultural activities in the form of art, music, literature, history enrichment projects, field trips, and speakers. Local community members are frequently asked to provide direction to the schools in this area.
• Head Start/Kindergarten Enrichment — Funds identified for this service are utilized in a variety of ways such as staff, supplies, and equipment. Johnson O'Malley funds are especially appreciated at this level because of the limited resources available.
• Home School Coordinator — It is important to have a good relationship between the home and school. The coordinator is employed to help keep with communication efforts.
• Indian Education Committee — Funds to assist the Indian Education Committee in carrying out duties.
• Parent Committee Activities — Funds budgeted for this activity enable members of the Parent Committee to participate in training and attend educational workshops and provide opportunities to share information with other Johnson-O'Malley programs.
• Teacher Aide — Assists teachers with skill reinforcement.
• Tutors/Teacher Aides — Tutors provide one to one assistance to students needing special attention.