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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Descriptions

15.042:  Indian School Equalization Program

Popular Name:  ISEP

Objectives:  To provide funding for primary and secondary education.

PROGRAM AND AWARD	FINANCIAL AND INFORMATION CONTACTS
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS	FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO.
APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS	INFORMATION CONTACTS
RELATED PROGRAMS	ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS
PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS	POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS

15.042 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:  Federally Recognized Indian Tribes or tribal organizations currently served by a Bureau of Indian Affairs funded school.

Beneficiary Eligibility:  Children between the ages of 5 and 21 who are a member of or are at least a one-fourth degree Indian blood descendant of a member of an Indian tribe which is eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States through the Bureau of Indian Affairs to Indians because of their status as Indians.

Credentials/Documentation:  Written evidence of approval of the application by the tribal governing body of the students served by or to be served by the school. "Tribal governing body" means the tribal governing body or tribal governing bodies that represent at least 90 percent of the students served by such school.

15.042 APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination:  An applicant should consult the Agency/Area Education Program Administrator who will provide technical assistance. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:  To become a contract school, applications should be developed in accordance with 25 CFR Part 900. To become a grant school, applications should be developed in accordance with 25 USC 2501 et.seq.

Award Procedure:  The Agency/Area Education Program Administrator will ensure the application is complete and forward the application to the Director, Office of Indian Education Programs, with a recommendation for approval/disapproval.

Deadlines:  Schools must submit their applications and a copy of the tribe's approval of the application by March 1. Evidence that all administrative systems are in place such as accounting, personnel and property must be submitted by July 1.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:  Applications for contract schools will be processed within 90 days; applications for grant schools will be processed within 180 days after the date the application is submitted to the Agency/Area Education Program Administrator.

Appeals:  An unsuccessful applicant may request an informal conference with the deciding official, or may appeal the denial of the application to the Interior Board of Indian Appeals, or may bring suit in U.S. District Court. Full appeal procedures are found in 25 CFR, Part 900.

Renewals:  Awards are made annually and are renewed automatically based on satisfactory performance by the grantee.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals:  Applicants meeting eligibility criteria are funded.

Examples of Funded Projects:  ISEP funds are used to provide basic education and residential programs to Indian students not served by public or sectarian schools.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  The estimated range is $129,000 to $5,890,000. The average is $1,325,000 per school.

15.042 RELATED PROGRAMS:

• 15.043 Indian Child and Family Education;
• 15.044 Indian Schools: Student Transportation;
• 15.045 Assistance for Indian Children with Severe Disabilities.

15.042 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

15.042 FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO:

Federal Agency:  BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Type of Assistance:  Direct Payments for Specified Use.

Obligations:  (Total Available for Awards) FY 99 $167,773,253; FY 00 est $174,000,000; and FY 01 est $183,700,000.

Budget Account Number:  14-2100-0-1-501.

Authorization:  Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, Public Law 93-638, as amended, 25 U.S.C. 450 et seq.; Indian Education Amendments of 1978, Public Law 95-561, 25 U.S.C. 2001 et seq.; Tribally Controlled Schools Act, 25 U.S.C. 2501 et seq.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature:  25 CFR 39; 25 CFR 45; 25 CFR 900.

15.042 INFO CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:  See Education Line Officers' addresses in Appendix IV of the Catalog.

Headquarters Office:  Office of Indian Education Programs, Bureau of Indian Affairs, MS 3512 MIB, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240. Contact: Joe Herrin. Phone (202) 208-7658. Use the same number for FTS.

(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)

15.042 ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:  About ninety-nine percent of the ISEP funds will be allocated in accordance with the ISEP formula contained in 25 CFR 39. One percent of the funds shall be reserved for the Director's discretion.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:  Funds may be paid in advance, are awarded annually on an indefinite basis based on performance, and remain with the Self Determination contractor or grantee until spent.

Uses and Use Restrictions:  Funds may be used for the education of Indian children in BIA funded schools. Funds may not be used for construction.

15.042 POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:  Annual Financial Report, Narrative Report, and a program evaluation by an impartial third party such as an accrediting agency.

Audits:  For awards made under this program, grantees are responsible for obtaining audits in accordance with the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 (31 U.S.C. 7501 et. seq.).

Records:  Financial records must be retained for three years from the date of submission of the single audit report. Procurement records must be retained for three years from the date of final payment. Property records must be retained for three years from the date of disposition, replacement, or transfer. Records pertaining to any litigation, audit exceptions or claims must be retained until the dispute has been resolved.