National Johnson-O'Malley Association
9524 East 81st Street, Suite B-1581
Tulsa, OK 74133
(918) 442-4154 – Cell (Main Number)
(918) 304-0200 – Conference Registration
(918) 984-9850 – Office (message only)
(918) 984-9851 – Fax
njoma1994@gmail.com
The National Johnson-O'Malley Association was formed as a nonprofit, educational organization for the following purposes:
- To create an effective forum for discussion of educational and related matters of mutual concern among the members of the educational community.
- To mutually develop standards of educational excellence for Indian students served by the educational programs within the United States.
- To maintain appropriate lines of communication and collaborative efforts with other public, private, tribal and federal educators and educational programs.
- To maintain formal liaisons with Tribal, State and Federal governmental agencies and other educational organizations, including but not limited to National Congress of American Indians, National Indian Education Association and other alliance organizations.
- To advocate for Johnson-O'Malley Programs and the rights of Indian children from 3 years old through twelfth grade.
NJOMA Bylaws
NJOMA Resolutions
BIE JOM Guidebook (Published in 2025)
The NJOMA Purpose (listed below)
2025 NJOMA Resolutions (listed below)
2022 NJOMA Letter of Support
May 16, 2022 Letter addressed to Honorable Bryan Newland, Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Tony Dearman, Director of Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)
- Re: Support to Include a Request to Congress in the FY 2024 Bureau of Indian Education Budget Justification to Authorize Forward Funding of the Johnson - O'Malley Program
Contact Info
The NJOMA Purpose
RESOLUTION NUMBER - NJOMA 2025-02
TITLE: A RESOLUTION OF THE NATIONAL JOHNSON-O’MALLEY ASSOCIATION
REQUESTING THAT JOM FUNDING MECHANISMS BE MODIFIED TO BE PART OF MANDATORY SPENDING AND FORWARD FUNDED
WHEREAS: The National Johnson-O’Malley Association (NJOMA) is the collective voice of over 1.2 million Native American students and their parents/guardians nationwide who are currently eligible to receive Johnson-O’Malley services; and
WHEREAS: The National Johnson-O'Malley Association declares that the academic, culture, Native languages, mental, social, spiritual and physical well-being of our Johnson-O’Malley (JOM) students and parents/guardians are our highest priority; and
WHEREAS: Our JOM students will one day be our tribal leaders and must be given maximum opportunities to bring about positive change; and
WHEREAS: The Johnson-O’Malley (JOM) Act, originally passed in 1934, is a federally funded program designed to support the educational needs of American Indian and Alaska Native students attending eligible schools and through priority allocation to tribes. The program provides supplemental financial assistance to eligible contractors, which includes eligible tribes, tribal organizations, and school districts to enhance educational opportunities for Native students; and
WHEREAS: JOM is a longstanding and important component of the federal trust responsibility of the United States government to Native Nations; and
WHEREAS: Since JOM is a component of the federal trust responsibility it should be made part of the mandatory budget and should be forward funded like other similar educational funding programs; and
WHEREAS: On May 16, 2022, the National Johnson-O’Malley Association submitted a letter of Support to Include a Request to Congress in the FY 2024 Bureau of Indian Education Budget Justification to Authorize Forward Funding of the Johnson O’Malley Program to Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Affairs Bryan Newland and Director of Bureau of Indian Education Tony Dearman; and
WHEREAS: Advocacy is still needed to authorize forward funding for JOM and make JOM funding part of the mandatory funding budget; and
WHEREAS: JOM funds are currently paid on a reimbursement basis and are part of discretionary funding. These mechanisms create uncertainty in funding and thereby diminish the sustainability and efficacy of educational programs that receive JOM funds; and
WHEREAS: If eligible contractors, which includes eligible tribes, tribal organizations, and school districts, do not have certainty of funding, eligible contractors cannot create sustainable educational programs for children. This creates a stop/start situation where gains in learning are seen initially, but then when funds are subsequently reduced, delayed or interrupted then these essential educational programs are changed or dropped. The learning gains are then interrupted and stunted. This is also where our students start falling through the cracks at even greater rates. This funding pattern (historical and current underfunding and government shutdown or other delays in funding) is one of the biggest reasons why we haven't been able to make meaningful or significant improvements to the conclusions reached in the Merrion Report and Kennedy Report that the education provided to Native students is deplorable and a national travesty; and
WHEREAS: These funding changes impact Native students the most because our kids are the most at risk given historical and current underfunding of astronomical proportions, recent interruption of learning due to COVID, not to mention joblessness, poverty and unsafe and traumatic home lives in our communities, and now government shutdown; and
WHEREAS: The vast majority of schools in Indian Country are located on reservation land, which means that unlike other public schools there are little to no property tax revenues (a state function) - so there is no cushion or way to make up the loss of federal funds that are delayed or withdrawn; and
WHEREAS: JOM forward funding refers to the allocation of program funds in advance of the upcoming fiscal year. This approach ensures that funding is available before the start of the school year, allowing for better planning, resource allocation, and program implementation. Forward funding helps address potential delays in budget approvals and appropriations, ensuring that students receive uninterrupted support; and
WHEREAS: JOM is currently part of discretionary funding. Each year Congress appropriates the funds annually. Mandatory funding is entitlement spending that is on-going and does not require annual approval. With mandatory funding, JOM funds would not be caught up in delays associated with the continuing resolution process or potential government shutdown scenarios and funds could be dispersed at the beginning of each school year with certainty on July 1st; and
WHEREAS: The Key Benefits of making JOM funds part of mandatory funding and forward funded are as follows:
- Stability and Predictability: Eligible contractors, which includes eligible tribes, tribal organizations, and school districts, can plan programs with confidence, knowing funds are secured before the academic year begins.
- Timely Implementation: Eligible contractors, which includes eligible tribes, tribal organizations, and school districts, can immediately implement educational programs, purchase materials, and hire personnel without waiting for fund disbursement delays.
- Enhanced Educational Support: Enables consistent delivery of cultural and linguistic programs, tutoring, counseling, and other academic services tailored to Native students' needs.
- Funding Eligibility & Administration: Allows for multi-year planning, sustainability and improvement of long-term educational outcomes.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: that making JOM forward funded and part of mandatory spending are crucial mechanisms that will ensure Native students receive timely and continuous educational support. By providing funds in advance without the need for discretionary yearly approval, JOM funded educational programs can foster a more stable learning environment and help bridge educational gaps for American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: that Congress modify JOM funding mechanisms such that JOM funds are part of the mandatory spending package and are forward funded.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: that this resolution shall be the policy of NJOMA until is withdrawn or modified by any subsequent resolution.
RESOLUTION NUMBER - NJOMA 2025-01
TITLE: A RESOLUTION OF THE NATIONAL JOHNSON-O’MALLEY ASSOCIATION
SUPPORTING FULLY FUNDING JOM TO REFLECT UPDATED STUDENT COUNTS
WHEREAS: The National Johnson-O’Malley Association (NJOMA) is the collective voice of over 1.2 million Native American students and their parents/guardians nationwide who are currently eligible to receive Johnson-O’Malley services; and
WHEREAS: The National Johnson-O’Malley Association declares that the academic, culture, Native languages, mental, social, spiritual and physical well-being of our Johnson-O’Malley (JOM) students and parents/guardians are our highest priority; and
WHEREAS: Our JOM students will one day be our tribal leaders and must be given maximum opportunities to bring about positive change; and
WHEREAS: The National JOM Association supports the clarification of the 25 CFR 273.12 Eligible Students as required in the Johnson-O’Malley Supplemental Education Modernization Act (P.L. 115-404); and
WHEREAS: the United States Congress (Congress) passed U.S.C 5301, the Johnson-O’Malley Supplemental Indian Education Program Modernization Act, which mandated an updated student count for Johnson-O’Malley (JOM) program purposes as the last JOM student count was conducted in 1995 which concluded that there were 272,102 eligible students while the per-pupil funding was at $125; and
WHEREAS: for School Year 2025-2026, the updated JOM student count is 317,102 which is an increase of 45,000 eligible JOM students while the per-pupil spending for JOM for fiscal year 2024 was $64; and
WHEREAS: the updated JOM student count is a critical step forward in measuring the full impact of JOM programs but the JOM Modernization Act does not come with a corresponding increase in funding which means many JOM contractors will receive less funding than they have in the past due to the appropriated JOM funding not increasing; and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: that the National Johnson-O’Malley Association urges congress to increase the current and future per-pupil funding of JOM to be a minimum of $263 per eligible student which is the adjusted rate of 1995’s $125 per-pupil rate.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: that this resolution shall be the policy of NJOMA until is withdrawn or modified by any subsequent resolution.
RESOLUTION NUMBER - NJOMA 2024-03
TITLE: A RESOLUTION OF THE NATIONAL JOHNSON-O’MALLEY ASSOCIATION
SUPPORTING THE CLARIFICATION OF THE DEFINITION OF AN ELIGIBLE NATIVE AMERICAN/ALASKAN NATIVE STUDENT
WHEREAS: The National JOM Association is the collective voice of over 1.2 million Native American students and their parents/guardians nationwide who are currently eligible to receive Johnson-O’Malley services; and
WHEREAS: The National Johnson-O’Malley Association declares that the academic, culture, Native languages, social, physical, spiritual and mental well-being of our Johnson-O’Malley (JOM) students and parents/guardians are our highest priority; and
WHEREAS: Our JOM students will one day be our tribal leaders and must be given maximum opportunities to bring about positive change; and
WHEREAS: The National JOM Association supports the clarification of the 25 CFR 273.12 Eligible Students as required in the Johnson-O’Malley Supplemental Education Modernization Act (P.L. 115-404); and
WHEREAS: The 1986 Ninth Circuit Federal District Court’s ruling in Diane Zarr vs. Earl Barlow, 800 F.2d 1484 (9th Cir. 1986) the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 1986, issued a program guidance memorandum, which remains in force today, directing contractors to use “Indian students are eligible for benefits of a JOM Contract if they are of ¼ or more degree of Indian blood or are recognized by the Secretary as being eligible for Bureau services.”; and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: The National Johnson-O’Malley Association will support efforts to update 25 CFR 273.12 that clarify program guidance and Regulations as assigned by the Johnson-O’Malley Supplemental Education Modernization Act (P.L. 115-404); and
WHEREAS: The undercounting does a serious disservice to AIAN students and the programs designed to help them succeed.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: The National Johnson-O’Malley Association membership fully supports the definition of Eligible Student to be codified in 25 CFR 273.12 that defines an eligible student as:
- One who is an enrolled member of a Federally recognized Tribe,
- Or has a link to a Tribal [vlember (through descendancy) that is within a certain proximity, meaning, the student has at least one parent or grandparent (living or deceased) who is a member of a Federally Recognized Tribe.
- Or collectively qualifies for membership/citizenship in two or more federally recognized tribes.
RESOLUTION NUMBER - NJOMA 2023-02
TITLE: A RESOLUTION OF THE NATIONAL JOHNSON-O’MALLEY ASSOCIATION RECOGNIZING
THE TRUST RESPONSIBILITY OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE EDUCATION AND OTHER SERVICES IN INDIAN COUNTRY
WHEREAS: The National Johnson-O’Malley Association (NJOMA) is the collective voice of over 1.2 million Native American students and their parents/guardians nationwide who are currently eligible to receive Johnson-O’Malley services; and
WHEREAS: The National Johnson-O’Malley Association declares that the academic, culture, Native languages, social, physical, spiritual and mental well-being of our Johnson-O’Malley (JOM) students and parents/guardians are our highest priority; and
WHEREAS: Our JOM students will one day be our tribal leaders and must be given maximum opportunities to bring about positive change; and
WHEREAS: the Johnson O’Malley Act (JOM) and its’ amendments, is existing federal policy; and
WHEREAS: the NJOMA does continue to recognize the federal trust responsibility of the US government to Native Nations and Tribes is the hallmark of its advocacy efforts.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: that the NJOMA continues to recognize the significance of the federal trust responsibility of the US government in advocating for eligible JOM students and reminds the US government to hold to their trust responsibility; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: that the NJOMA shall include the issue of federal trust responsibility in all of its documents and advocacy efforts moving forward.
RESOLUTION NUMBER - NJOMA 2022-03
TITLE: A RESOLUTION OF THE NATIONAL JOHNSON-O’MALLEY ASSOCIATION
SUPPORTING "SECTION 310 JOHNSON-O'MALLEY FUNDING"
WHEREAS: The National Johnson-O’Malley Association (NJOMA) is the collective voice of over 1.2 million Native American students and their parents/guardians nationwide who are currently eligible to receive Johnson-O’Malley services; and
WHEREAS: The National Johnson-O’Malley Association declares that the academic, culture, Native languages, social, physical, spiritual and mental well-being of our Johnson-O’Malley (JOM) students and parents/guardians are our highest priority; and
WHEREAS: Our JOM students will one day be our tribal leaders and must be given maximum opportunity to bring about positive change; and
WHEREAS: In 2019, the Honoring Promises to Native Nations Act was introduced to Congress which would address chronic underfunding and barriers to sovereignty in Indian Country; and
WHEREAS: The National JOM Association supports the amendment to
- “Section 310 Johnson-O’Malley Funding,
- In General – There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior to carry out the Act of April 16, 1934 (48 Stat. 596, chapter 147; 25 U.S.C. 5342 et seq.) (commonly known as the ‘Johnson-O’Malley Act’), and there is appropriated, out of any monies in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $240,086,800 for fiscal year 2023 and each fiscal year thereafter.
- Adjustment. – The amount made available under subsection (a) for fiscal year 2024 and each year thereafter shall be increased annually to reflect whichever of the following changes would result in a greater amount:
- The change in the number of eligible students who are served or potentially served by a contracting party (as defined in subsection (a) of section 7 of the Act of April 16, 1934 (48 Stat. 596, chapter 147; 25 U.S.C. 5348)), as determined under subsection (b) of that section.
- An annual increase of 6 percent.”
- The change in the number of eligible students who are served or potentially served by a contracting party (as defined in subsection (a) of section 7 of the Act of April 16, 1934 (48 Stat. 596, chapter 147; 25 U.S.C. 5348)), as determined under subsection (b) of that section.
- In General – There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior to carry out the Act of April 16, 1934 (48 Stat. 596, chapter 147; 25 U.S.C. 5342 et seq.) (commonly known as the ‘Johnson-O’Malley Act’), and there is appropriated, out of any monies in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $240,086,800 for fiscal year 2023 and each fiscal year thereafter.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: The National Johnson-O’Malley Association membership fully supports congressional legislative amendment to SECTION 310 JOHNSON O’MALLEY FUNDING to be added in to the legislative record.
RESOLUTION NUMBER - NJOMA 2017-03
TITLE: A RESOLUTION OF THE NATIONAL JOHNSON-O’MALLEY ASSOCIATION
SUPPORTING ANNUAL REPORTING AND CONFERRING WITH UNITED STATES CONGRESS
WHEREAS: The National Johnson-O’Malley Association (NJOMA) is the collective voice of over 1.2 million Native American students and their parents/guardians nationwide who are currently eligible to receive Johnson-O’Malley services; and
WHEREAS: The National Johnson-O'Malley Association declares that the academic, culture, Native languages, mental, social, spiritual and physical well-being of our Johnson-O’Malley (JOM) students and parents/guardians are our highest priority; and
WHEREAS: Our JOM students will one day be our tribal leaders and must be given maximum opportunities to bring about positive change; and
WHEREAS: The United States Congress may not be fully informed of positive impacts and outstanding achievements of the supplemental education programs provided by Johnson-O’Malley funds; and
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: The National Johnson-O’Malley Association is recognized as a National organization that maintains formal liaisons with Tribal, State, and Federal governmental agencies and other educational organizations including, but not limited to, National Congress of American Indians, National Indian Education Association, and other alliance organizations and assists with annual reports to the US Congress documenting JOM results, accomplishments, and achievements to help substantiate continued annual funding; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: The Board of Directors of the National Johnson-O’Malley Association shall be available to travel, confer, and collaborate annually with Congressional representatives in Washington, D.C. and to establish a shared vision for future Johnson-O’Malley supplemental educational programs.