Call To Action: ED Tribal Consultation on FY 2026 Grantmaking Priorities
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) will conduct a Tribal Consultation on Fiscal Year 2026 grantmaking priorities for the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE). The consultation will take place on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, from 2:30–5:30 p.m. ET via ZoomGov.
The purpose of this consultation is to gather meaningful input from American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities to ensure Tribal leaders’ perspectives inform the design of future grant programs. ED has stated its commitment to honoring the federal trust responsibility, as established in the U.S. Constitution, treaties, executive orders, and court decisions. The Office of Indian Education (OIE) will conduct the session, facilitated by ED’s Tribal Consultation Official.
The consultation will focus on three programs:
- Native American Career and Technical Education Program (NACTEP): OCTAE anticipates holding a new FY 2026 competition with an estimated $17 million for new awards to support career and technical education.
- State Tribal Education Partnership (STEP) Program: ED anticipates congressional direction for FY 2026 funding to strengthen Tribal Educational Agencies and build capacity for Tribes to coordinate education programs.
- Native American Languages (NAL) Program: ED anticipates congressional direction for FY 2026 funding to support the maintenance and expansion of Native American language immersion programs.
ED is also inviting input on proposed Secretarial Supplemental Priorities such as evidence-based literacy, education choice, returning education to Tribes, and advancing artificial intelligence in education, and their potential application to NACTEP, STEP, and NAL. Additional consultation questions address apprenticeships, direct assistance to students, and the potential consolidation of programs under Public Law 102-477.
Registration and Written Comments
- To participate, Tribal leaders must register individually through ZoomGov: Register here. Once registered, attendees will receive a unique access link.
- Written public comments may be submitted to [email protected]. The comment period is open now and closes at 11:59 p.m. ET on September 26, 2025.
Tribes may designate information shared during consultation as “sensitive” and request non-disclosure, though certain federal laws may require disclosure. This consultation is a closed press event.
For additional information, questions may be directed to [email protected]