Through these laws, the federal government relinquished their dominance over the tribal schools, allowing the Native Americans to establish their own curriculum and guidelines for educating students. During congressional discussions on the act, the goal of allowing tribal schools to determine the path needed to meet the unique learning needs of Native American children was determined to be the primary goal of the new law.
Additional facets of the act encompass the commitment of the United States government to provide support and resources to foster the success of tribal schools. As a part of the act signed into law by President Ronald Reagan, funding for the National Advisory Council and a fellowship program for Native American children would continue to be available for future generations of tribal students.
While the Tribal Controlled School Act transferred the power of educating students, the United States government remained the funding source for the Bureau of Indian Affairs tribal school districts. The act governs school both on and near reservation lands. Tribal schools administrators and educators can offer cultural classes, as well as native language and customs courses as a part of the school curriculum.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs was bestowed with the power to establish school district boards to ensure that the level of education at tribal schools meets or exceeds the levels of education at public schools in the United States. Federal education dollars flow to the Bureau of Indian Affairs for distribution to the school boards for the purpose of student education, staff salaries and building maintenance. Tribal schools are separated into elementary, middle and high school buildings. Depending upon the pupil population, multiple grade levels may be housed at the same educational complex. Educational standards are measured by the tribal school accrediting committee, which allows the state to offer accreditation to the learning institutions. The Bureau of Indian Affairs must report progress and accreditation status to both the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Education in Washington D.C.
Many tribal schools would not appear different from traditional public schools at first glance. School sports, academic contests and student activity groups are present on almost all campuses. While education is the primary goal of tribal schools, a concerted community improvement mission is also visible, due in part to the Tribal Controlled Schools Act. Parenting classes for both teens and adults; summer educational and social programming; suicide prevention and drug prevention education, and summer food program help to ensure that students and their families are served year around by the tribal school system.