About the National Fund
The National Fund for Excellence in American Indian Education (also referred to as "The National Fund") is a Congressionally chartered 501(c)(3) foundation that supports the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and its 183+ schools. Amid a rapidly shifting federal landscape, the National Fund is advancing a bold, Indigenous-centered vision for Native education—maintaining strategic alignment with BIE leadership, Tribal Nations, and federal and foundation partners while seizing key moments to drive sustainable, community-led impact.
We will not rest until BIE students thrive — grounded in their language, culture, and academic and holistic wellbeing.
Our Vision
Schools within the BIE are a legacy and current manifestation of the federal government’s trust and treaty obligation to provide the citizens of Tribal nations with a quality education. We see a practical roadmap for re-imagining Native education through Indigenous leadership and systems changes that prioritize student and community needs.
Culture & Well-Being
Language Immersion
Behavioral Health
Food & Agriculture
Innovation & Sovereignty
Student Success
Teacher Training & Development
School Models & Services
Improved Infrastructure
Optimizing BIE’s Physical Footprint
Emergent Technology
Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) Schools Demographics
In the 2018-2022 school years, the majority of the BIE schools (66%) are located in three states, including Arizona, New Mexico, and South Dakota. (1)
BIE currently serves 42,000 students in 183 schools - located on 64 reservations across 23 states. It includes day schools and boarding schools - the majority of which are day schools. About one-third of BIE schools are K-8, one-third are K-12, and another one-third are K-6. (2)
Approximately 3,500 teachers, professional staff, principals, and other school administrators work in BIE-operated schools. (3)
Sources: 1) BIE Schools and Peripheral Dormitories and Students: Number and Percentage, by State, Average: SY2018-2019 to SY2021-2022; 2) BIE Schools and Students; 3) Tony Dearman, Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Bureau of Indian Education, U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor - Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education and the Committee on Natural Resources - Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States, June 28, 2022.
