Even with a 1990s-era building moratorium still in effect, BIA, which is part of the Dept. of Interior, received a helping hand in its mission from the Clinton and Bush administrations and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. BIA’s construction and maintenance budget tripled from $90 million in 1999 to a peak of $323 million in 2002 and now hovers around $150 million.
Alternative project delivery project delivery methods helped open many schools in time for classes. BIA’s planning and construction process for schools traditionally took a long time, lasting seven years or more from design to completion. Some delays were unique to the agency. Tribal communities often demand input on the architecture so that it reflects their cultural heritage. And BIA school projects entail an unusually high amount of infrastructure work due to remote work sites, adding $25 per sq ft or more to the total cost, say BIA officials.