Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE): Office of Indian Education (OIE)::Indian Education Discretionary Grant Programs: Native American Language Education Program, Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.415B | ED GRANTS 112823 001

Native American Language Education Program (84.415B) - FAQs

1) What is the Native American Language Education Program (Assistance Listing Number 84.415B)?

The Native American Language Education Program (84.415B) is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Education. It is administered through the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), Office of Indian Education (OIE), and is intended to strengthen and expand Native American and Alaska Native language instruction in elementary and secondary education settings.

2) What is the overall purpose of this grant opportunity?

The program is designed to support school-based language instruction where a Native American or Alaska Native language is used as the primary language of instruction. The goal is to strengthen and expand language-based education models that support cultural continuity, community goals, and student opportunities and outcomes in Native communities.

3) Is this program focused on teaching the language as a class, or using the language to teach other subjects?

This opportunity is centered on using the Native language as the main medium for teaching and learning in school, rather than treating the language only as a standalone elective, enrichment class, or add-on activity.

4) What types of schools or grade levels does the program support?

The program supports elementary and secondary education settings. The summary emphasizes schools where the Native language is used as the primary language of instruction, including schools that already use that model and schools seeking to implement or expand it.

5) What federal office is offering and administering this grant?

The grant is offered by the U.S. Department of Education and administered through OESE, Office of Indian Education (OIE).

6) Is this a competitive grant?

Yes. This is a discretionary (competitive) grant, meaning eligible applicants compete for a limited number of awards and must follow Department of Education discretionary grant procedures.

7) How many awards does the notice anticipate making?

The synopsis anticipates making about four awards.

8) What is the maximum (ceiling) award amount?

The award ceiling is not specified in the provided summary. Applicants are expected to rely on the official Federal Register notice for complete details.

9) What was the application closing date for this competition?

The closing date listed in the summary was March 7, 2024.

10) Where do applicants find the full and official requirements for applying?

The authoritative source is the official Federal Register application notice. The public posting is described as a high-level synopsis, and applicants are expected to use the Federal Register notice for the full requirements.

11) What kinds of details are only available in the Federal Register notice?

According to the summary, the Federal Register notice contains the full competition requirements, including how to apply, any priorities that may apply, required forms, performance measures, selection criteria, and submission instructions. It is also where applicants will find any pre-application steps, formatting rules, required narrative elements, allowable activities and costs, and reporting expectations.

12) Does the opportunity mention any application instructions outside the Federal Register notice?

Yes. The summary points applicants to the Department’s Revised Common Instructions for Applicants (published December 7, 2022) for directions on obtaining and submitting an application. The Federal Register notice remains the controlling source for competition-specific rules.

13) What does "language as primary language of instruction" mean in the context of this grant?

Based on the summary, it means the Native American or Alaska Native language is used as the main language for delivering instruction in the school setting, not only taught as a separate subject. The program is aimed at comprehensive, school-based models where instruction is delivered primarily in the Native language.

14) What is the connection to the Native American Languages Act of 1990?

The opportunity is explicitly tied to the Native American Languages Act of 1990, which recognizes and promotes the rights and freedoms of Native peoples to use, practice, maintain, and revitalize their languages.

15) Who is eligible to apply?

The summary lists a broad set of eligible applicant types, including:

• Indian Tribes
• Tribal Colleges and Universities
• Tribal education agencies
• Local educational agencies (LEAs), including public charter schools that qualify as LEAs under state law
• Bureau of Indian Education-operated schools
• Alaska Native Regional Corporations (as defined in federal statute)
• Private, tribal, or Alaska Native nonprofit organizations
• Non-tribal for-profit organizations

16) Can an applicant apply as part of a group or partnership?

Yes. Eligible entities may apply alone or as part of a consortium. The summary notes this can help communities combine strengths across partners (for example, a tribe partnering with a local school district, a tribal education agency, and a nonprofit language organization).

17) What is the key eligibility focus across different applicant types?

The central eligibility thread described in the summary is the ability to plan for and carry out a program that develops and maintains, or improves and expands, instruction using a Native American or Alaska Native language as the primary language of instruction in one or more elementary or secondary schools.

18) Are for-profit organizations allowed to apply?

Yes. The summary explicitly includes non-tribal for-profit organizations among the eligible applicant types, as long as they meet the program’s focus on supporting Native language primary-instruction programs.

19) Are charter schools eligible?

Charter schools may be eligible if they qualify as local educational agencies (LEAs) under state law, as indicated in the summary.

20) Does the summary specify the exact allowable activities or costs?

No. The summary indicates applicants must consult the Federal Register notice for allowable activities and costs, along with the required narrative elements and other competition-specific rules.

21) Does the summary describe how applications will be scored or selected?

Not in detail. It states that selection criteria, any applicable priorities, and performance measures are provided in the official Federal Register notice.

22) What kinds of reporting or performance expectations are mentioned?

The summary notes that performance measures and reporting expectations exist and that the Federal Register notice is where applicants will find the specific requirements.

23) What is the main practical takeaway for potential applicants?

The key takeaway from the summary is that the program supports comprehensive, school-based language revitalization through instruction delivered primarily in a Native American or Alaska Native language, and it is open to a range of eligible tribal and educational entities that can demonstrate the capacity and plan to implement, expand, or strengthen that model.