PI29 INDIAN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

INDIAN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ALBUQUERQUE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT 2025-26 SCHOOL YEAR

It is the intent of the Albuquerque Public School District (APS) that all Native American children of school age have equal access to all programs, services, and activities offered within the school district as specified in the Board of Education’s policy IH9 Indian Education. It is the purpose of the Indian Policies and Procedures (IPP) to establish a framework for a shared involvement and relationship with all Tribes and Nations, and within the State of New Mexico, the Navajo Nation and the Pueblos of Acoma, Cochiti, Isleta, Jemez, Laguna, Nambé, Ohkay Owingeh, Picuris, Pojoaque, Sandia, San Felipe, San Ildefonso, Santa Ana, Santa Clara, Santo Domingo, Taos, Tesuque, Zia, Zuni and the Jicarilla and Mescalero Apache Nations. For the purpose of the Impact Aid application, Tohajiilee (Canoncito Navajo), Acoma, Cochiti, Isleta, Jemez, Laguna, Sandia, San Felipe, Santa Ana, Santo Domingo, and Zia are within a 50-mile radius of the school district.

APS Board of Education Policy The IH9 states: INDIAN EDUCATION states: The Board of Education of the Albuquerque Public Schools recognizes the importance of Native American students maintaining their traditions and values while obtaining educational skills to enable them to be responsible and productive students and members of society. The Board of Education works to ensure educational opportunities for all students, including Native American students. The Board of Education shall foster cooperation and maintain an open line of communication with Tribal governments whose jurisdictional boundaries include areas within the Albuquerque Public Schools’ boundaries to verify, in accordance with state and federal law, which Tribes agree with Albuquerque Public Schools’ Indian Education policies and procedures. The

Superintendent, or designee, shall draft appropriate Procedural Directives to implement this policy and ensure compliance with state and federal Indian Education laws.

To this end, the Albuquerque Public School District will consult with local Tribal officials and parents of Native American children in the planning and development of Indian Policies and Procedures (IPPs), general education programs, and activities. Consultation meetings with Tribal Officials and parents of Native American children are ongoing.

These policies and procedures will be reviewed annually, and revisions will be made within 90 days of the determination of the changes. When data indicates that Native American students do not participate on an equal basis with non-Native American students in the educational programs of the District, or that Native American students are not making progress that is in alignment with the APS Goals and Guardrails and Strategic Plan, the Indian Parent Committee and Tribal Leaders will:

• Recommend a plan to the APS Superintendent or Board; or

• Make suggestions to the APS Superintendent or Board to modify the educational programs or provide services in order to attain equal participation in alignment with the district's Goals and Guardrails and Strategic Plan.

In addition, it is APS’s intent in adopting these IPPS to comply fully with all requirements of federal and state law, including Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, the New Mexico Indian Education Act, NMSA 1978.

This IPP provides guidance in establishing a mutually beneficial relationship between the District and the Tribes and upholds the best practices of collaborative accountability and responsibility for the identification of priority programs and services for the support of the academic, social, and educational needs of Native American children.

ATTESTATIONS

The Albuquerque Public School District attests that it has established Indian Policies and Procedures (IPPs) as required in section 7004 of the Impact Aid law for any

children claimed who reside on eligible Indian lands. The IPP has been adequately disseminated to the Tribes and parents of children residing on eligible Indian lands. A copy of the current policies and procedures was attached to the FY 2021 Impact Aid application.

The Albuquerque Public School District attests that it will provide a copy of the written responses in an executive summary to include comments, concerns, and recommendations received from Tribal leaders and parents of Native American children. The Indian Policies and Procedures consultation process will be the method for dissemination of these responses to Tribal leaders and parents of Native American children prior to the submission of the FY2025 Impact Aid application.

INDIAN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

The following Indian Policies and Procedures become effective upon the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education's approval.

POLICY 1:

The Albuquerque Public Schools will disseminate relevant applications, evaluations, program plans and information related to the LEA’s education program and activities with sufficient advance notice to allow tribes and parents of Native American children the opportunity to review and make recommendations. [34 CFR 22.94(a)(1)]

Procedure 1:

The APS Superintendent and/or Senior Director of the Indian Education Department will meet multiple times annually with Tribal officials, parents of Native American children, and district staff. The purpose of these meetings will be to inform and/or address comments and concerns regarding Native American children’s equal participation in the education programs of the District.

Generally, the following meetings will occur annually:

• APS’ Indian Parent Committee’s monthly meetings.

• APS’ Indian Education Committee’s quarterly meetings.

• APS will hold a public hearing on Title VII Indian Policies and Procedures in the fall of each year. Other meetings may be requested or organized

by the Indian Parent Committee, Tribal Officials, or parents of Native American children.

• Tribal Leaders Consultation Summits (one in the fall and one in the spring of each year).

• The monthly Impact Aid/IPP meetings.

• The Impact Aid Public Hearing is held each fall to review the IPP, source checks, and the application.

The District Administrator/designee will, as soon as reasonably possible after such information becomes available, but not later than one business week in advance of any meeting, email to Native American parents and Tribal officials a copy of the following materials whose jurisdictional boundaries include areas within the boundaries of APS or which has entered into an agreement with APS to provide education to children of that Tribe and parents of Native American students who attend APS:

• Impact Aid/Title VII FY 2022 application; The completed Title VII Application will be available to Tribal officials whose jurisdictional boundaries include areas within a 50-mile radius of APS boundaries, and a summary will be prepared for all parents of Native American students who attend APS in conjunction with the Title VII public hearing, which is usually held in the spring of each year. The Impact Aid application and related fiscal information, including budgets and expenditures, will be reported during the monthly Impact Aid IPP meetings with Tribal Leaders.

• The Indian Parent Committee and APS Indian Education Department will review parent and student surveys prior to the preparation of the Impact Aid – Title VII application. Information regarding this input will be discussed at the public hearing for the new Title VII application at the public hearing in the fall of each

year. It is expected that Impact Aid Applications will list the following tribes: Acoma, Cochiti, Isleta, Jemez, Laguna, Sandia, San Felipe, Santa Ana, Santo Domingo, Zia, and Tohajiilee (Canoncito Navajo) (All within a 50-mile radius of the school district).

• Evaluation of all educational programs. Review of new or continuing programs is an ongoing process of the Superintendent and Board of Education. Agendas will be available for review on the District and the Indian Education website. The Tribal Education Status Report (TESR) will be provided at the fall Tribal Summit.

• Plans for education programs the District intends to initiate or eliminate. Plans are presented prior to completion and submittal of the Johnson O’ Malley and Title VI applications and during a public hearing for each application.

• Assessment data for Native American students and non-Native American students in the District can be accessed on the district website from the Office of Strategic Analysis & Program Research. Another data information specific to Native American students is the Tribal Education Status Report (TESR), which is found on the APS Indian Education Department and the New Mexico Public Education websites. The TESR is emailed to all tribal administration departments across the nation whose members are enrolled in the school district.

• Parents of Native American children, Tribal officials, and the public are given notice of all meetings related to equal participation or the content of the educational program by including information about meeting times and locations through the Parent Messenger, an automated messaging system for the district as well as other communication tools such as the Indian Education webpage and email. The location, date, and time of any meeting described above are posted in the same manner as a legally posted Board of Education meeting.

• Adequate time and opportunity will be provided for Tribal officials, the Indian Parent Committee, and the parents of Native American students who attend APS to present views and comments regarding the disseminated documents to the APS Indian Education Department, including during the Bi-Annual Tribal Leader’s Summit. A Board of Education meeting will be held, usually in the fall of each year, for the discussion of the disseminated material as part of a regular Board of Education agenda. Tribal officials and parents of Native American students who attend APS will be notified at least ten (10) business days prior to the meeting. Meeting notice will be posted in the APS District Office, district website at https://www.aps.edu/indian-education, and will be emailed to Tribal officials and Tribal Education Department of any tribe whose jurisdictional boundaries include areas within the APS boundaries, or which has entered into an agreement with APS to provide education to children of that tribe.

• The Albuquerque Public School District will conduct an annual spring Tribal Leader’s Consultation Summit to disseminate information and seek timely input regarding the following educational programs (including, but not limited to): Title I, Part A, Title 1, Part C, Title 1, Part D, Title II, Part A, Title II Part a, Title IV, Part A, Title IV, Part B Title Vim Part A, subpart 1, Title VII-Impact Aid programs, and Johnson O’Malley programming. In addition, the district will provide reports on Native American children designated as special education with an Individual Education Plan (IEP).

• Information on Consultation will be prepared and disseminated two weeks in advance of the fall and spring Tribal Leader’s consultation summits. Public hearings are held in the spring of each year, one month prior to the due date of the Johnson O’Malley application and the Title VI application. The public hearings are announced via the district website. Copies of the proposed applications are made available to interested parties. In addition, representatives from the District and Indian Education Committee will schedule meetings with the Tribal Leaders and parents twice a year (one in the fall and one in the spring) to disseminate information and to seek input.

• Parents of Native American children, Tribal officials, the Indian Education Committee, and any other interested persons can review assessment data to help develop or modify educational programs and services, allowing for the participation of Native American students on an equal basis in the District.

• Native American student data which includes; plans and procedures for school and transportation safety, graduation, and dropout rates by Tribes with more than 10 members, graduation and promotion requirements, attendance and truancy reports and rates, education programs specifically for Native American students, enrollment data, suspension/expulsion rate, and disciplinary policies will be made accessible on the district’s dashboard along with available data for all APS students. The data gathered on APS Native American students will be shared during the bi-annual Tribal Leaders Consultation Summit, which is held in the fall and spring.

• Minutes and agenda from the Indian Parent Committee meetings and the Indian Education Committee meeting will be posted on the District Indian Education website for parents and Tribal officials to review. This will allow for ongoing dissemination of information.

• Minutes and agenda from the monthly Impact Aid IPP meetings are posted on the District Indian Education website for parents and Tribal officials to review. Tribal leaders are notified 10 business days prior to upcoming meetings via the district email.

POLICY 2:

The Albuquerque Public School District will provide an opportunity for the Tribal Leaders and parents of Native American children to provide their views on the District’s educational programs and activities, including recommendations on the needs of their children and on how the District may help their children realize the benefits of the educational programs and activities.

Procedure 2:

(i) Notify Tribes and the parents of Native American children of the opportunity to submit comments and recommendations, considering the Tribe’s preference for method of communication. APS will solicit information from Tribal officials and parents of Native American students attending APS regarding Native American views, including views about the frequency, location, and time of meetings.

Comments are always encouraged and should be directed to the Senior Director of the APS Indian Education Department.

At the APS Board of Education meeting described in the procedure for dissemination of materials above, members of the Native American community will be afforded the opportunity to comment and suggest alternatives to the regularly scheduled times, locations, and frequency of pertinent meetings.

The Senior Director of the APS Indian Education Department will assist in coordinating meetings related to; Title VII – Impact Aid, Title VI, Title I, Title II, Title III, Title IV, Johnson O’Malley, as well as the Tribal Leader’s Consultation Summits (2 times a year), public hearings, and ongoing monthly and annual meetings related to the education of Native American students attending district schools. The APS Indian Education Department will provide an opportunity for Native American tribes and parents of Native American students who attend APS to provide direct input to the Senior Director of the Indian Education Department of APS. Additionally:

• Collaborate with the Indian Education Parent Committee to hold meetings for the purpose of hearing and addressing concerns of parents of Native American children regarding the District’s educational programs and activities.

• Ensure meeting agendas are posted, and all meetings are open to the public, allowing for tribal officials as well as parents of Native American children the opportunity to submit comments and recommendations.

• Attendance at community meetings, as scheduled in each of the respective Pueblos and Tohajiilee, to listen to concerns and issues and provide an opportunity for input by Pueblo Governors, Navajo Nation officials, parents, and students on the district’s educational programs and the school improvement process. The agenda will be developed in coordination between the Tribes and the school district.

• Input gathered during the Tribal leaders and community meetings will be documented through notes and/or minutes. A plan, action, and/or follow-up will be developed to address any workable

modifications/solutions, implement them, and report out at the next Tribal leaders meeting and community meeting. And,

• The APS Indian Education Department will conduct annual needs assessment surveys required to meet federal guidelines.

(ii) Modify the method of and time for soliciting Native American views, if necessary, to ensure the maximum participation of tribes and parents of Native American children.

In addition to issuing the public notices required by the Open Meetings Act, APS will notify Tribal officials, parents of Native American students who attend APS, the IPC, and Tribal Education Departments of the location and times of meetings in the same manner as the January APS Board of Education meeting. Notice will be posted on the APS District website, parent messenger, and will also be sent via e-mail to Tribal officials and the Tribal Education Departments.

The District and Indian Education Committee representatives will schedule meetings with the 11 impacted Pueblos and Tohajiilee to discuss ongoing programming goals, and all other tribes represented will receive a meeting invitation and copies of documents shared with the 11 impacted communities mentioned above.

POLICY 3:

The Albuquerque Public School District will annually assess the extent to which Native American children participate on an equal basis with non-Native Americans in the District’s education program and activities.

Procedure 3:

APS will actively consult with and regularly involve the IPC, as well as interested Tribal officials, and parents of Native American students who attend APS, in the planning and development of educational programs.

With adherence to the restrictions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and parental consent, the district will review school educational data and evaluations with Pueblo Governors or other appropriate tribal officials in parent

advisory committee meetings and other forums regarding the participation ratios of Native American students in district educational programs and services. The following data is captured annually in the summer and fall and reported in the Tribal Education Status Report during the spring Tribal Leaders Consultation Summit.

• Academic performance and attendance.

• Graduation rates, dropout rates, standardized test results, both formative and summative, disaggregated by Tribe/ethnicity/special needs students, enrollment, and plans for improvement.

• Disciplinary actions: truancy rates, expulsions, and suspensions (disaggregated by disciplinary infraction and by Pueblo; bullying, substance/alcohol, etc.).

• Academic services: participation rates and types of services.

• Special education services and data on the number of Native American students in special education and the number of students who enter and exit the program by the end of the academic year.

• Detailed financial reports (Title VII separate budget entitled Impact Aid expenditures, and cash carry-over) during Monthly Impact Aid meetings.

• Academic Counseling: commitment to provide individual credit analysis

• Transfers of Native American students are transported from the neighboring communities

• List of extracurricular activities, including, but not limited to, sports, student government, and clubs

• Report and copies of the annual report (Tribal Education Status Report) will be provided to Tribal education departments and Tribal leadership in all Tribes represented in the District.

An annual parent survey is developed to obtain input and recommendations on educational programs and services in regard to equal participation by Native American students. The annual survey is conducted in the spring of each year. Results of the

Surveys are shared with Tribes and parents during the fall Tribal Leaders summit, the monthly Impact Aid meetings, and via the Indian Education website.

The Title VII application will be available for review by the tribal communities impacted by the Title VII applications, the IPC, and other interested members of the Native American community at least 10 business days prior to the annual public meeting generally held in the fall.

At the fall Board of Education meeting, a discussion will be held regarding the participation rates of Native American students in the district’s educational programs and services. The IPC and interested parents of the APS Native American students and Tribal officials will review assessment data to make recommendations on the development or modification of educational programs or services so as to provide Native American students with more access to equal participation. These findings and recommendations will be presented to the Board of Education in March or as required by federal guidelines.

POLICY 4:

The Albuquerque Public School District will modify the IPP if necessary, based upon the results of any assessment or input described in this document.

Procedure 4:

The District, Tribal Education Directors, Indian Education Committee, Tribal leaders, and the district Indian Education Department will review the changes to the IPP as needed throughout the year. The changes to the IPP will be agreed upon by the District, Tribal Leaders of the 11 impacted communities, Tribal Education Directors, the Indian Education Committee, and the Indian Parent Committee.

The Albuquerque Public School District’s Board of Education, during a duly scheduled meeting, will review and discuss the modifications to the Indian Policies and Procedures (IPP) by the impacted communities and tribal leaders.

The Albuquerque Public School District will notify parents of Native American children, tribal officials, and the general public of the changes to the Indian Policies and Procedures via email, web posting, and Parent Messenger. The IPP will be

available on the district Indian Education website, with an invitation to review to parents via Parent Messenger.

• APS will obtain signatures of approval by the 11 impacted Pueblo Governors and the Navajo Official or tribal designee verifying tribal agreement to the IPP pursuant to the NMSA 1978, 22-23A-1, et. Seq., NMAC Title 6, Chapter 35, Part 2, 6.35.2. NMAC regulations.

After review and changes, the document will be forwarded to the Albuquerque Public School Board of Education for approval and adoption. The 11 impacted communities’ Tribal Leadership (Pueblo Governors and Navajo Officials) and Tribal Education Directors will be provided with an approved copy of the IPP.

The finalized IPP will be immediately available for review on the district Indian Education website. The changes will become effective upon Board approval in the fall of each year.

POLICY 5:

The Albuquerque Public School District will respond at least annually in writing to comments and recommendations made by Tribes or parents of Native American children, and disseminate the responses to the Tribal Education Departments, Tribal Officials, and parents of Native American children prior to the submission of the IPP in January by the LEA.

Procedure 5:

The Albuquerque Public School District will respond annually in writing to comments and recommendations made by the Indian Education Committee, Indian Parent Committee, Tribal officials, or parents of Native American children, and disseminate the responses to all parties via email, web posting, and Parent Messenger prior to the submission of the IPP in January by the District.

POLICY 6:

The Albuquerque Public School District will annually provide a copy of the current Indian Policies and procedures to the 23 New Mexico tribes via email, web posting, and Parent Messenger.

On March 5, 2026, there were 124 tribes represented in the APS district.

Administrative Position:

• Deputy Superintendent Leadership and Learning

• Chief Equity and Engagement

Department Director:

• Senior Director of Indian Education

References:

Legal Ref:

• 34 CFR 222.94

• NMSA 1978, 22-23A-1

• NMAC Title 6, Chapter 35, Part 2, 6.35.2

Board Policy Cross Ref:

• IH9 Indian Education

• IH Instructional Program

NSBA/NEPN Classification:

Reviewed: December 2, 2020

Revised: December 2, 2020

Reviewed: September 6, 2023

Revised: September 20, 2023

Reviewed: September 2024

Revised: September 2024

Reviewed: March 18, 2026

Revised: March 18, 2026