---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 7441"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "7441"
heading: "Improvement of educational opportunities for Indian children and youth"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/7441"
units:
  - "Chapter 70 — Strengthening and Improvement of Elementary and Secondary Schools"
  - "Subchapter VI — Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native Education"
  - "Part A — Indian Education"
  - "Subpart 2 — special programs and projects to improve educational opportunities for indian children"
---

# §7441. Improvement of educational opportunities for Indian children and youth

- (a) **Purpose—**
  - (1) **In general—** It is the purpose of this section to support projects to develop, test, and demonstrate the effectiveness of services and programs to improve educational opportunities and achievement of [Indian](/usc/20/7491.md?p=3) children and youth.
  - (2) **Coordination—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) shall take the necessary actions to achieve the coordination of activities assisted under this subpart with—
    - (A) other programs funded under this chapter; and
    - (B) other Federal programs operated for the benefit of [Indian](/usc/20/7491.md?p=3) children and youth.
- (b) **Eligible entities—** In this section, the term “[eligible entity](/usc/20/6631.md?p=b-1)” means a [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49), [local educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=30-A), [Indian](/usc/20/7491.md?p=3) tribe, [Indian](/usc/20/7491.md?p=3) organization, federally supported [elementary school](/usc/20/7801.md?p=19) or [secondary school](/usc/20/7801.md?p=45) for [Indian](/usc/20/7491.md?p=3) students, a Tribal College or University (as defined in [section 1059c(b) of this title](/usc/20/1059c.md?p=b)), or a consortium of such entities.
- (c) **Grants authorized—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) shall award grants to [eligible entities](/usc/20/6631.md?p=b-1) to enable such entities to carry out activities that meet the purpose of this section, including—
  - (1) innovative programs related to the educational needs of educationally disadvantaged [Indian](/usc/20/7491.md?p=3) children and youth;
  - (2) educational services that are not available to such children and youth in sufficient quantity or quality, including remedial instruction, to raise the achievement of [Indian](/usc/20/7491.md?p=3) children in one or more of the subjects of English, mathematics, science, foreign languages, art, history, and geography;
  - (3) bilingual and bicultural programs and projects;
  - (4) special health and nutrition services, and other related activities, that address the special health, social, and psychological problems of [Indian](/usc/20/7491.md?p=3) children and youth;
  - (5) special compensatory and other programs and projects designed to assist and encourage [Indian](/usc/20/7491.md?p=3) children and youth to enter, remain in, or reenter school, and to increase the rate of [high school](/usc/20/7801.md?p=28) graduation for [Indian](/usc/20/7491.md?p=3) children and youth;
  - (6) comprehensive guidance, counseling, and testing services;
  - (7) [early childhood education programs](/usc/20/7801.md?p=16) that are effective in preparing young children to make sufficient academic growth by the end of grade 3, including kindergarten and pre-kindergarten programs, family-based preschool programs that emphasize school readiness, screening and referral, and the provision of services to [Indian](/usc/20/7491.md?p=3) children and youth with disabilities;
  - (8) partnership projects between [local educational agencies](/usc/20/7801.md?p=30-A) and institutions of higher education that allow [secondary school](/usc/20/7801.md?p=45) students to enroll in courses at the postsecondary level to aid such students in the transition from secondary to postsecondary education;
  - (9) partnership projects between schools and local businesses for career preparation programs designed to provide [Indian](/usc/20/7491.md?p=3) youth with the knowledge and skills such youth need to make an effective transition from school to a high-skill career;
  - (10) programs designed to encourage and assist [Indian](/usc/20/7491.md?p=3) students to work toward, and gain entrance into, institutions of higher education;
  - (11) [family literacy services](/usc/20/7801.md?p=24);
  - (12) activities that recognize and support the unique cultural and educational needs of [Indian](/usc/20/7491.md?p=3) children and youth, and incorporate [traditional leaders](/usc/20/7491.md?p=4);
  - (13) high-quality [professional development](/usc/20/7801.md?p=42) of teaching professionals and [paraprofessionals](/usc/20/7801.md?p=37); or
  - (14) other services that meet the purpose described in this section.
- (d) **Grant requirements and applications—**
  - (1) **Grant requirements—**
    - (A) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) may make multiyear grants under [subsection (c)](#c) for the planning, development, pilot operation, or demonstration of any activity described in [subsection (c)](#c) for a period not to exceed 5 years.
    - (B) **Priority—** In making multiyear grants described in this paragraph, the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) shall give priority to entities submitting applications that present a plan for combining two or more of the activities described in [subsection (c)](#c) over a period of more than 1 year.
    - (C) **Progress—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) shall award grants for an initial period of not more than 3 years and may renew such grants for not more than an additional 2 years if the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) determines that the [eligible entity](/usc/20/6631.md?p=b-1) has made substantial progress in carrying out the activities assisted under the grant in accordance with the application submitted under [paragraph (3)](#d-3) and any subsequent modifications to such application.
  - (2) **Dissemination grants—**
    - (A) **In general—** In addition to awarding the multiyear grants described in [paragraph (1)](#d-1), the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) may award grants under [subsection (c)](#c) to [eligible entities](/usc/20/6631.md?p=b-1) for the dissemination of exemplary materials or programs assisted under this section.
    - (B) **Determination—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) may award a dissemination grant described in this paragraph if, prior to awarding the grant, the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) determines that the material or program to be disseminated—
      - (i) has been adequately reviewed;
      - (ii) has demonstrated educational merit; and
      - (iii) can be replicated.
  - (3) **Application—**
    - (A) **In general—** Any [eligible entity](/usc/20/6631.md?p=b-1) that desires to receive a grant under this section shall submit an application to the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) at such time and in such manner as the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) may reasonably require.
    - (B) **Contents—** Each application submitted to the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) under [subparagraph (A)](#d-3-A), other than an application for a dissemination grant under [paragraph (2)](#d-2), shall contain—
      - (i) a description of how [parents](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38) and family of [Indian](/usc/20/7491.md?p=3) children and representatives of [Indian](/usc/20/7491.md?p=3) tribes have been, and will be, involved in developing and implementing the activities for which assistance is sought;
      - (ii) assurances that the applicant will participate, at the request of the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46), in any national evaluation of activities assisted under this section;
      - (iii) information demonstrating that the proposed program is an [evidence-based](/usc/20/7801.md?p=21-A) program, where applicable, which may include a program that has been modified to be culturally appropriate for students who will be served;
      - (iv) a description of how the applicant will incorporate the proposed activities into the ongoing school program involved once the grant period is over; and
      - (v) such other assurances and information as the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) may reasonably require.
- (e) **Administrative costs—** Not more than 5 percent of the funds provided to a grantee under this subpart for any fiscal year may be used for administrative purposes.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–10, title VI, § 6121, formerly title VII, § 7121, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title VII, § 701, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1919; renumbered title VI, § 6121, and amended Pub. L. 114–95, title VI, §§ 6001(a), (b)(1), 6002(k), Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2046, 2054.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 6121 of Pub. L. 89–10 was renumbered section 5101 and is classified to section 7305 of this title.

### Amendments

2015—Pub. L. 114–95, § 6002(k)(1), substituted “Improvement of educational opportunities for Indian children and youth” for “Improvement of educational opportunities for Indian children” in section catchline.

Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 114–95, § 6002(k)(2)(A), inserted “and youth” after “Indian children”.

Subsec. (a)(2)(B). Pub. L. 114–95, § 6002(k)(2)(B), substituted “Indian children and youth” for “American Indian and Alaska Native children”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 114–95, § 6002(k)(3), substituted “a Tribal College or University (as defined in section 1059c(b) of this title)” for “Indian institution (including an Indian institution of higher education)”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 114–95, § 6002(k)(4), added subsec. (c) and struck out former subsec. (c) which related to grants authorized, consisting of pars. (1) and (2).

Subsec. (d)(1)(C). Pub. L. 114–95, § 6002(k)(5)(A), substituted “award grants for an initial period of not more than 3 years and may renew such grants for not more than an additional 2 years if the Secretary determines” for “make a grant payment for a grant described in this paragraph to an eligible entity after the initial year of the multiyear grant only if the Secretary determines”.

Subsec. (d)(3)(B)(i). Pub. L. 114–95, § 6002(k)(5)(B)(i), substituted “parents and family of Indian children” for “parents of Indian children”.

Subsec. (d)(3)(B)(iii). Pub. L. 114–95, § 6002(k)(5)(B)(ii), substituted “information demonstrating that the proposed program is an evidence-based program” for “information demonstrating that the proposed program for the activities is a scientifically based research program”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2015 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 114–95 effective Dec. 10, 2015, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see section 5 of Pub. L. 114–95, set out as a note under section 6301 of this title.