​​National Indian Education StudyStudy Overview

The National Indian Education Study (NIES) is designed to describe the condition of education for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students in the United States. The study provides educators, policymakers, and the public with information about the academic performance in reading and mathematics of AI/AN fourth- and eighth-graders as well as their exposure to Native American culture.

Conducted in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2015, and 2019, NIES provides data on a nationally representative sample of American Indian and Alaska Native students in public, private, Department of Defense, and Bureau of Indian Education funded schools. It is a reliable source of data on American Indian and Alaska Native students, especially for educators, administrators, and policymakers who address the educational needs of students.

The study is sponsored by the Office of Indian Education (OIE) and conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for the U.S. Department of Education. A Technical Review Panel​, whose members included American Indian and Alaska Native educators and researchers from across the country, helped design the study.

NIES is authorized under Executive Order 13592, Improving American Indian and Alaska Native Educational Opportunities and Strengthening Tribal Colleges and Universities, which was issued in 2011 to improve education efforts for American Indian and Alaska Native students nationwide.

An additional aspect of the study was conducted through a survey to explore the educational experiences of fourth- and eighth-grade American Indian and Alaska Native students based on responses to the NIES student, teacher, and school questionnaires. The survey focused on the integration of Native language and culture into school and classroom activities.

Download a copy of the National Indian Education Study: 2019.