What is an IEC?

The Indian Education Committee (IEC) consists of parents who have children in the school district who are verified as Johnson O'Malley (JOM) eligible. JOM students are those whose blood quantum equals at least 1/4 degree or more from a Federally Recognized Tribe who are age three to grade twelve. For eligibility, the blood quantum can be combined to equal 1/4 degree. A selected number of parents are elected to sit on the IEC and is based off their By-Laws. Any parent or interested person can attend these meetings as they are open to the public. This parent committee holds the voting rights and oversees how the monies for JOM are expended each year, with the guidance from the Tribal Education Advocate (TEA). Each expenditure must meet with the top priorities from the Parent Needs Assessment (survey) that is conducted annually of only eligible parents of JOM verified students. The TEAs attend each IEC meeting regularly but are not voting member of this committee. 

What is JOM?

The Johnson-O'Malley Program is authorized by the Johnson-O'Malley Act of 1934 and the implementing regulations are provided in Part 273 of Title 25 of the Code of Federal Regulations. As amended, this Act authorizes contracts for the education of eligible Indian students enrolled in public schools and previously private schools. This local program is operated under an educational plan, approved by the BIE, which contains educational objectives to address the needs of the eligible American Indian and Alaska Native students. The Johnson-O'Malley Supplemental Indian Education Program Modernization Act (JOM Modernization Act) became Public Law 115-404 on December 31, 2018.

Johnson O’Malley programs offered to American Indian and Alaska Native students vary and may include such programs as culture, language, academics and dropout prevention.  

Johnson-O’Malley funds under this program may not be used for capital expenditures. Eligible applicants are tribal organizations, Indian corporations, school districts or States with eligible American Indian and Alaska Native children attending their schools or public school districts that have established Indian Education Committees to approve supplementary support programs that benefit American Indian and Alaska Native students. Eligible American Indian and Alaska Native students are enrolled members of a federally recognized tribe or at least one-fourth or more degree of Indian blood descendant of a member of a federally recognized Indian tribal government eligible for services from the Bureau. In addition, eligibility requires these children be between age 3 through grades 12, with priority given to children residing on or near an Indian reservation. 

The JOM funds that the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) receive are housed within the Tribal Education Department. Each IEC has an established budget, based on student count, and the Education Advocates are responsible for assisting the IEC in making sure their expenditures are aligned with the top priorities from the Parent Needs Assessment survey.  

The NJOMA Purpose

The National Johnson-O'Malley Association, Inc. was formed as a nonprofit, educational organization for the following purposes:

  • To create an effective forum for discussion of educational and related matters of mutual concern among the members of the educational community.
  • To mutually develop standards of educational excellence for Indian students served by the educational programs within the United States.
  • To maintain appropriate lines of communication and collaborative efforts with other public, private, tribal and federal educators and educational programs.
  • To maintain formal liaisons with Tribal, State and Federal governmental agencies and other educational organizations, including but not limited to National Congress of American Indians, National Indian Education Association and other alliance organizations.
  • To advocate for Johnson-O'Malley (JOM) Programs and the rights of Indian children from 3 years old through twelfth grade.
  • If you would like to learn more about NJOMA visit: www.njoma.com