Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)

The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) provides educational opportunities to advance the cultural and economic well-being of American Indians and Alaskan Natives. 

- Bureau of Indian Education

Summary

The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) provides educational opportunities to advance the cultural and economic well-being of American Indians and Alaskan Natives. They provide these educational services to approximately 42,000 American Indian students. These students attend one of the 183 Bureau-funded schools across 64 reservations and 23 states. Of the 183 schools, 55 schools are operated by the BIE and 128 schools are tribally controlled under BIE contracts or grants. In addition to these 183 schools, the BIE operates two post-secondary institutions: Haskell Indian Nations University and the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute.

BIE’s mission is to "provide quality education opportunities from early childhood through life in accordance with a tribe’s needs for cultural and economic well-being, in keeping with the wide diversity of Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages as distinct cultural and governmental entities. Further, the BIE is to manifest consideration of the whole person by taking into account the spiritual, mental, physical, and cultural aspects of the individual within his or her family and tribal or village context."

Important Legislation

Snyder Act of 1921

Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975

Education Amendments Act of 1978

Learn more from the Bureau of Indian Education.