Roll Call - August 21, 2026

Two students at Dennehotso Boarding School in Dennehotso, Arizona sit together at a desk and review an assignment.

BIE’s next Town Hall will focus on wellness! This session will explore the importance of wellness as a foundation for student success, highlight school-led wellness initiatives that create supportive learning environments, and elevate the student perspective through a dedicated panel featuring voices from BIE classrooms.

Haskell Indian Nations University began an exciting volleyball season on August 20, and the team kicked off preparations with a fun and energetic media day. Players enjoyed taking official photos, filming social media videos, showcasing their uniforms, practicing skills, and building team spirit.

The 2026 roster is a strong blend of returning talent and new players ready to make an impact. With proven production from veteran athletes and fresh energy from new additions, Haskell Volleyball looks forward to a competitive and inspiring season on the court.

Cheyenne Eagle Butte School started the new school year with excitement, positivity, and strong community spirit. Students and staff across the K–12 campus brought incredible energy to the first day, making it a memorable start to the year.

At the North Campus, the school made sure its youngest learners felt welcomed and celebrated. A special visit from Spider Man and a Bronc Rider created a fun and unforgettable experience for children beginning their first day. Their excitement and enthusiasm helped set a warm tone for their educational journey. On the high school campus, one student made a standout entrance by arriving in a sharp suit and tie, impressing everyone with style and confidence.

Everyone at Cheyenne Eagle Butte School contributing to a positive and successful start. The school looks forward to a year filled with learning, growth, and many more wonderful moments!

Lower Brule Schools in began the new school year with energy, teamwork, and strong community engagement. Staff spent two full days participating in training sessions designed to prepare classrooms, strengthen instructional strategies, and ensure a positive start for all K–12 students.

On the evening before school began, the district hosted an open house for families at both the elementary and middle/high school campuses. From 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., students and families toured classrooms, met teachers, asked questions, and reconnected with the school community. The event created a welcoming start and helped students feel ready and excited for their first day.

Lower Brule is looking forward to an excellent school year full of family engagement and success!

As we gear up for a new school year, we’re looking for back‑to‑school content to feature in the BIE Weekly. Please share the moments, projects, and events that help kick off your year on a strong note!

We’d love to highlight:

• First‑day photos and welcome‑back activities
• Classroom setups, bulletin boards, and creative learning spaces
• Any 250th‑related projects or commemorations planned for the fall
• Back‑to‑school nights, community events, or cultural celebrations
• Student art, writing, or videos that reflect the excitement of a new year

Your contributions help us showcase the incredible work happening across our schools. Please send in your content so we can celebrate and share your stories!

Please include a brief description with each photo and ensure students pictured have the appropriate media release on file. Your stories help keep our communities connected and inspired!

The Bureau of Indian Education Branch of Facilities Management successfully hosted two in‑person Summer Maximo and Project Development Trainings in July 2026, providing hands‑on learning and collaboration for school facility personnel across the BIE system.

Held in Flagstaff, Arizona, and Bismarck, North Dakota, the trainings brought together 179 participants representing 91 schools, including 93 attendees from Navajo schools at the Flagstaff location. Participants worked directly with their school data, received continuous on-site support from BIE and contractor staff, and completed their FY27 Project Prioritization Intake Sheets to improve accuracy and planning for upcoming facility needs.

Survey results showed fantastic participant satisfaction:

• 89% rated the training Excellent or Very Good
• 87% reported moderate to significant improvement in using Maximo
• 95% agreed hands‑on exercises improved their understanding

These sessions strengthened technical skills and built meaningful working relationships across the BIE facilities community. Attendees shared best practices, discussed challenges, and identified future workforce development needs — including mentorship, ongoing training, and support for recruitment and retention.

The success of the 2026 Summer Trainings demonstrates BIE’s commitment to building a stronger, more capable facilities management workforce and ensuring schools have the tools and knowledge needed to serve students and communities effectively.

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) will conduct two Tribal Consultations on the Interagency Implementation of ED’s Fiscal Year 2027 Grantmaking Priorities and Fiscal Year 2028 Budget Priorities in coordination with the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI). On Thursday, August 27, 2026, from 2:30-5:30 p.m. ET, the Departments will consult on ED’s FY 2027 grantmaking priorities. On Friday, August 28, 2026, from 2:30-5:30 p.m. ET, the Departments will consult on ED’s FY 2028 Budget Request to the President.

The purpose of these consultations is to receive meaningful input from American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities to ensure that Tribal leader views inform the implementation of both topics within the current interagency framework. Each Department remains committed to upholding the federal trust responsibility as set forth in the Constitution of the United States, Treaties, Executive Orders, and decisions of the U.S. Courts. Both consultations will be conducted by the Office of Indian Education (OIE) and facilitated by the Tribal Consultation Official for ED.

The BIE Chief Academic Office is sharing three new guidance documents focusing on personal wireless devices and artificial intelligence.

Please note that these documents are being provided strictly as guidance, not as mandatory policy. You have complete flexibility to use these documents in their entirety, adopt specific portions that fit your school, or not use them at all based on the unique needs of your community.

• The first document outlines a vision for personal wireless devices to reduce digital distractions and support student mental health.
• The second document provides a framework for staff to use artificial intelligence safely while protecting student data and Tribal sovereignty.
• The third document guides student artificial intelligence use to ensure it remains a supportive tool rather than a replacement for active learning.

Linked above are the complete texts for each framework along with a short video providing a high-level overview of the contents.

Please reach out via email to biecao@bie.edu if you have any questions or need support discussing how these concepts might look on your campus.

The Division of Performance and Accountability is beginning the 2026–2027 school year with McKinney-Vento professional development opportunities. Each session is designed for different school staff who play an important role in identifying and supporting students experiencing homelessness. Whether staff are new to McKinney-Vento or would benefit from a refresher, these opportunities are intended to strengthen BIE's collective efforts to identify, connect, and support students experiencing homelessness.

Join the BIE NASIS team for an enriching in‑person Native American Student Information System training designed to strengthen user skills and expand confidence with NASIS tools. Whether you choose the Premium path — covering areas like Online Registration, Campus Learning Suite, Workflow, Voice Messenger 2.0, and the Insights Dashboard — or the General NASIS track with essentials such as User Security, Census, Attendance, Scheduling, Course Setup, and Data Validation Reports, each session empowers participants to better support their schools.

NASIS System Administrators, Registrars, School Counselors, Education Specialists, and School Administrators are encouraged to register for one of the upcoming sessions in Blaine, MN (September 15–17), or Albuquerque, NM (November 17–19).

Reach out to Ask-NASIS@bie.edu with any questions.

Join the BIE School Operations Division Finance Team for a series of virtual lunchtime trainings on best practices for school financial professionals. Topics are wide-ranging, from inventory logs and submitting UDO certifications to year-end memos and researching transactions. These sessions will take place on Thursdays from July 2026 through April 2027.

Supporting schools with their new resource, the Strategic Transformation of Education initiative launched a Monthly School Website Help Desk on the second Thursday of each month at 3 p.m. EST. The one-hour call features a short training topic, such as a new feature, content strategy, or FAQs, followed by an open session for problem-solving and answering questions.