25 U.S.C. § 2903 : US Code - Section 2903: Declaration of policy

Search 25 U.S.C. § 2903 : US Code - Section 2903: Declaration of policy

It is the policy of the United States to -
(1) preserve, protect, and promote the rights and freedom of
Native Americans to use, practice, and develop Native American
languages;
(2) allow exceptions to teacher certification requirements for
Federal programs, and programs funded in whole or in part by the
Federal Government, for instruction in Native American languages
when such teacher certification requirements hinder the
employment of qualified teachers who teach in Native American
languages, and to encourage State and territorial governments to
make similar exceptions;
(3) encourage and support the use of Native American languages
as a medium of instruction in order to encourage and support -
(A) Native American language survival,
(B) educational opportunity,
(C) increased student success and performance,
(D) increased student awareness and knowledge of their
culture and history, and
(E) increased student and community pride;
(4) encourage State and local education programs to work with
Native American parents, educators, Indian tribes, and other
Native American governing bodies in the implementation of
programs to put this policy into effect;
(5) recognize the right of Indian tribes and other Native
American governing bodies to use the Native American languages as
a medium of instruction in all schools funded by the Secretary of
the Interior;
(6) fully recognize the inherent right of Indian tribes and
other Native American governing bodies, States, territories, and
possessions of the United States to take action on, and give
official status to, their Native American languages for the
purpose of conducting their own business;
(7) support the granting of comparable proficiency achieved
through course work in a Native American language the same
academic credit as comparable proficiency achieved through course
work in a foreign language, with recognition of such Native
American language proficiency by institutions of higher education
as fulfilling foreign language entrance or degree requirements;
and
(8) encourage all institutions of elementary, secondary and
higher education, where appropriate, to include Native American
languages in the curriculum in the same manner as foreign
languages and to grant proficiency in Native American languages
the same full academic credit as proficiency in foreign
languages.