Bureau of Indian Education Snapshot

On March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), which provided the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) with $756 million to support the needs of DOI programs, bureaus, Indian Country, and the Insular Areas. As part of the CARES Act, the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) received $69 million from the DOI to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to the CARES Act funding appropriated directly to the DOI, the CARES Act’s Education Stabilization Fund required the U.S. Department of Education to set aside $153.75 million for programs operated or funded by the BIE, in consultation with the Secretary of Interior. The CARES Act money will provide much-needed assistance for Indian schools. This report provides a snapshot of the BIE’s funding and planned expenditures.