The General Accounting Office issued this report at the behest of four Senators. It offers the first close look we've ever seen at the federal government's own two "school systems," the one run by the Interior Department's Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) with 47,000 pupils and the one run by the Defense Department (DOD) with 108,000 students. There is bad news in the former case, good news in the latter. In the GAO's words, "The academic achievement of many BIA students...is far below the performance of students in public schools [although] estimated per-pupil expenditures...are generally higher than for public schools nationally.... The academic achievement of DOD students...generally exceeds that of elementary and secondary students nationwide.... Estimated per-pupil expenditures at DOD schools located overseas were higher than expenditures for those located in the U.S.... [which] are much closer to national per-pupil expenditures." There's considerably more detail on both systems, particularly dealing with student achievement, teacher qualifications, access to technology, and physical facilities (which apparently are dreadfully dilapidated in many BIA schools). It's written in typical "just the facts" GAO style. And it includes comments by both federal agencies involved: brief thanks from DOD and a lengthy rejoinder from BIA (on which the GAO comments). If you'd like to see it, you'll find a PDF at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d01934.pdf. Hard copies are available from the GAO at P.O. Box 37050, Washington, DC 20013 or 202-512-6000.
