Joyce Silverthorne, Director of the Office of Indian Education, will consult with tribal leaders in Lincoln, Calif., on Friday, May 18, to get feedback on education matters affecting American Indians.
The consultation is an effort aligned with President Obama’s Nov. 5, 2009 Presidential Memorandum and Executive Order 13175, which directs agencies to develop a plan of action for providing regular and meaningful consultation and strengthening of government-to-government relationships with Indian tribes. Silverthorne, serving as a U.S. Department of Education representative, will discuss the Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. Departments of Education and Interior with tribal leaders. The Memorandum aims to expand educational opportunities and improve academic achievement for American Indian and Alaska Native students. She will also provide updates on efforts in Congress to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Act.