Inspector General criticizes federal agency for maintenance at Indian schools

Bureaucracy, neglect causing hazards in tribal schools

Federally funded Indian schools are failing to manage their deferred maintenance programs, leading to delays in maintenance and health and safety risks, according to a review of records by the Department of Interior’s Office of Inspector General.

Deferred maintenance at Bureau of Indian Education schools is marred by funding delays, limited project management capacity, unreliable work order data and a system that categorized routine operational duties as deferred maintenance. The review found work orders for deferred maintenance that had not been completed more than two decades after they were approved.

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“The poor condition of BIE school facilities is a longstanding concern,” the report, which was published Tuesday, concluded.

The Bureau of Indian Education funds 183 elementary and secondary schools in 23 states. Of those, 128 are controlled by tribal governments. The schools educate tens of thousands of students. The OIG reviewed the deferred maintenance processes at 10 schools.

In South Dakota, there are 22 schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Education, 19 of which are controlled by tribal governments.

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