§ 2903. — Declaration of policy.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 25USC2903]
TITLE 25--INDIANS
CHAPTER 31--NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGES
Sec. 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.
(Pub. L. 101-477, title I, Sec. 104, Oct. 30, 1990, 104 Stat. 1155.)
