WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of the Interior this past week unveiled a sweeping new strategy for Native education while simultaneously approving a long-delayed California water project, marking a dual push by the Trump administration to drive measurable outcomes in both classrooms and critical infrastructure.
On January 20, Interior released a new Strategic Direction for the Bureau of Indian Education, laying out a performance-driven roadmap through 2030 aimed at improving student outcomes, strengthening Native language and culture, and tightening operational effectiveness across Bureau-funded schools. The plan emphasizes tribal sovereignty and local control, favoring flexible, community-led approaches over standardized federal programming.
The strategy builds on reforms launched during President Donald J. Trump’s first term that Interior says delivered sharp gains in student achievement. High school graduation rates at Bureau-funded schools climbed from 51 percent in 2015 to 79 percent in 2025, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. The new framework establishes clear performance indicators to continue that trajectory over the next five years.
Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Billy Kirkland said the Bureau is focused on accountability and results, pointing to higher graduation rates, academic growth, and expanded education options as evidence of progress. Bureau of Indian Education Director Tony L. Dearman said the plan strengthens partnerships with tribal communities while setting clear expectations for student success in culturally grounded learning environments.
Three days later, on January 23, Interior marked the one-year anniversary of President Trump’s water supply directive by approving the Record of Decision for the Sites Reservoir Project in Northern California. The action authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation to fund up to 25 percent of the cost of the 1.5 million acre-foot off-stream reservoir, to be built west of the Sacramento River near Maxwell.
Designed to capture excess water during wet periods for use in dry years, the project is intended to bolster long-term water reliability for communities, agriculture, and the environment. Interior said the decision reflects the administration’s push to expand water supply and reduce regulatory delays under Executive Order 14181.
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said the approval demonstrates a shift toward faster, results-driven federal water policy. Interior reported that streamlined operations tied to the executive order delivered more than 200,000 acre-feet of additional water to the Central Valley Project within a year, enough to supply more than 500,000 people annually. In 2025 alone, more than 180,000 additional acre-feet were made available compared with the prior year, with another 39,000 acre-feet captured during late December and early January storms.
Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Andrea Travnicek said the Record of Decision clears the way for construction of a project that has undergone years of technical study, public input, and coordination with state, local, and tribal partners.
Interior officials said both actions reflect a broader administration strategy to pair measurable performance goals with accelerated decision-making, whether in education systems serving Native students or infrastructure projects intended to stabilize water supplies and support economic resilience.
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