I 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3180 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 10, 2009 Mr. Perriello introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor A BILL To establish the National Advisory Committee on Rural Education in the Department of Education.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the SCORE (Strengthening Community Opportunities through Rural Education) Act of 2009.

2.

Establishment

There is established in the Department of Education an advisory committee to be known as the National Advisory Committee on Rural Education (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the Advisory Committee).

3.

Functions

The Advisory Committee shall study the unique challenges faced by rural public school systems in providing elementary and secondary education, including whether and how any of the following factors affect those unique challenges: (1)Difficulty in attracting and retaining new teachers. (2)Deficient or inadequate school facilities and infrastructure. (3)Deficient or inadequate transportation infrastructure. (4)Difficulty in effectively incorporating information technology. (5)Decreasing number of recent postsecondary graduates returning to rural communities. (6)Limited and varied levels of funding.

4.

Composition

(a)

In general

The Advisory Committee shall be composed of 21 members who shall serve for the life of the Advisory Committee. (b)

Chair

The Secretary of Education (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the Secretary) or the designee of the Secretary shall be a member of the Advisory Committee and shall serve as the chair of the Advisory Committee. (c)

Secretary of Agriculture

The Secretary of Agriculture or the designee of the Secretary of Agriculture shall be a member of the Advisory Committee. (d)

Appointed members

(1)The chair shall appoint the other 19 members in a manner that ensures that the membership of the Advisory Committee is fairly balanced in terms of the points of view represented and the functions to be performed by the Advisory Committee. (2)Such members shall be selected from among experts on rural public school systems. For the purposes of this paragraph, the term experts on rural public school systems means any of the following: (A)Teachers from such school systems. (B)Administrators from such school systems. (C)Members of school boards for such school systems. (D)Other individuals with experience or qualifications that the Secretary determines relevant. (3)Not less than 1 member shall be an individual with expertise on incorporating and expanding the role of information technology in providing education in rural public school systems. (4)Not less than 1 member shall be an individual who is not a full-time or permanent part-time officer or employee of the Federal Government. (5)The chair shall fill a vacancy on the Advisory Committee in the same manner in which the original appointment was made.

5.

Bylaws and procedures

(a)

Meetings

The Advisory Committee shall meet at the call of a majority of the members of the Advisory Committee. (b)

Quorum

Eleven members of the Advisory Committee shall constitute a quorum but a lesser number may hold hearings. (c)

Members not To be considered Federal officers or employees

By reason of their service on the Advisory Committee, members of the Committee shall not be considered to be officers or employees of the Federal Government for purposes of any Federal law. (d)

Travel expenses

Each member may receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.

6.

Powers

(a)

In general

The Advisory Committee may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, take testimony, and receive evidence as the Advisory Committee determines appropriate. (b)

Members and agents

Any member or agent of the Advisory Committee may, if authorized by the Advisory Committee, take any action that the Advisory Committee is authorized to take by this section. (c)

Mails

The Advisory Committee may use the United States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and agencies of the United States. (d)

Contracts

To the extent or in the amounts provided in advance in appropriation Acts, the Advisory Committee may contract with and compensate government and private agencies or persons for supplies or services, without regard to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes. The Advisory Committee may not enter into a contract if the terms of the contract extend beyond the date the Advisory Committee terminates.

7.

Staff

On request of the Advisory Committee, the Secretary of Education shall detail, on a reimbursable basis, not more than 4 personnel of the Department of Education to the Advisory Committee to assist the Advisory Committee in carrying out this Act.

8.

Report

Two times each year, the Advisory Committee shall submit to the Congress and the President and publish a report that— (1)identifies the unique challenges faced by rural public school systems in providing elementary and secondary education; and (2)makes policy recommendations on a national effort to reform rural education by addressing or overcoming those challenges.

9.

Termination

The Advisory Committee shall terminate on the date that is 2 years after the effective date of this Act.

10.

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary, to remain available for the life of the Advisory Committee, such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.