What is the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act?

The Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA), passed in 1975, is a federal law that encourages Native American tribes in Washington to participate in self-governance and self-determination of their own communities. The law was created with the goal of reversing the U.S. government’s past policies of assimilation and termination, a system that had led to devastating consequences for many tribes in Washington and all over the country. Under this act, the tribes in Washington can control their own services, such as healthcare and education, that were formerly managed by the federal government. The intention of this Act was to empower tribes to take charge of their own funding and services, to decide their own rules and regulations, and to have a direct say in what programs they wanted to prioritize. The ISDEAA also established the Indian Health Service (IHS), which provides health care, social services, and economic assistance to Native Americans in Washington and all over the country. This act has also given tribes the right to own and develop their own lands and resources, which has helped to protect Native American culture, as well as the environment. Finally, this Act also established the Office of Indian Education, which works to ensure that Native American students have access to quality education that can prepare them for higher education and the workforce. The ISDEAA is an important law for Native American tribes in Washington, as it has helped to give them the resources and autonomy to better manage their own lives, resources, and culture.

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