[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 140 (Monday, July 22, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47827-47828]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-18460]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Tribal Consultation on ``No Child Left Behind Act''

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of tribal consultation meetings.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of the Interior gives notice that the Bureau of 
Indian Affairs (BIA) will conduct regional consultation meetings to 
obtain oral and written comments prior to establishing a Negotiated 
Rulemaking Committee under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 for 
negotiation of proposed regulations under the Act. Tribal officials, 
parents, teachers, administrators, educators at Bureau schools, and 
school board members of tribes served by Bureau-funded schools are 
encouraged to attend the meetings and submit written comments.

DATES: The meeting dates are August 9, 2002 through September 9, 2002, 
for all locations listed. All meetings will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 
6 p.m. (local time) or when all meeting participants have the 
opportunity to make comments. Comments are due on or before September 
15, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Send or hand-deliver written comments to William Mehojah, 
Jr., Director, Office of Indian Education Programs, Bureau of Indian 
Affairs, MS

[[Page 47828]]

3512-MIB, 1849 C St., NW., Washington, DC 20240. Send facsimile 
submissions to (202) 273-0030.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dalton Henry, Office of Indian 
Education Programs, Bureau of Indian Affairs, MS 3512-MIB, 1849 C St., 
NW., Washington, DC 20240. Telephone: (202) 208-5820.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Public 
Law 107-110, authorizes the Department to promulgate several 
regulations using negotiated rulemaking. The purpose of the regional 
consultation meetings is to allow tribal officials, parents, teachers, 
administrators, educators at Bureau schools, and school board members 
of tribes served by Bureau-funded schools to provide guidance to the 
Secretary on the content of the regulations. As part of providing 
guidance to the Secretary, the meetings are intended to identify 
interests and define issues for recommendations for negotiated 
rulemaking under the Act and under the Negotiated Rulemaking Act and 
the Federal Advisory Committee Act.
    This consultation will cover six sections of the Act that provide 
for negotiated rulemaking regarding Bureau-funded schools. The 
Committee will develop recommendations for proposed regulations that 
will:
    (1) Under Section 1124--establish separate geographic attendance 
areas for each Bureau-funded school;
    (2) Under Section 1127--establish a formula for determining the 
minimum annual amount of funds necessary to fund each Bureau-funded 
school;
    (3) Under Section 1130--establish a system for the direct funding 
and support of all Bureau-funded schools under the formula established 
under Section 1127;
    (4) Under Section 1136--establish guidelines to ensure the 
constitutional and civil rights of Indian students regarding the right 
to privacy, freedom of religion and expression, and due process in 
connection with disciplinary actions (suspension and expulsion);
    (5) Under Section 1043--establish a method for the administration 
of grants under the Tribally Controlled Schools Act of 1988, as amended 
by Section 1043; and
    (6) Under Section 1116(g)--define ``Adequate Yearly Progress'' 
which is the essential measurement for determining that schools are 
providing quality education.
    A third-party neutral facilitator will facilitate each consultation 
meeting. Interpreters will be available, as needed.
    The results of this consultation will provide guidance to the 
negotiated rulemaking committee. The Committee, in its advisory 
capacity, will develop recommendations for the Secretary for proposed 
regulations to be published by June 2003.

                                                Meeting Schedule
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Dates                           Location                Local contact             Phone No.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
August 9, 2002........................  Tuba City, AZ............  Mike Luther..............      (928) 283-2218
August 12, 2002.......................  Shiprock, NM.............  Lester Hudson............      (505) 368-3400
August 13, 2002.......................  Chinle, AZ...............  Beverly Crawford.........      (928) 674-5131
August 14, 2002.......................  Window Rock, AZ..........  Winnifred Peters.........      (928) 729-7251
August 15, 2002.......................  Ft. Wingate, NM..........  Bea Woodward.............      (505) 786-6150
August 16, 2002.......................  Albuquerque, NM..........  Ben Atencio..............      (505) 346-2431
August 19, 2002.......................  Bismarck, ND.............  Loretta Delong...........      (701) 477-3463
August 21, 2002.......................  Minneapolis, MN..........  Terry Portra.............      (612) 713-4400
August 23, 2002.......................  Pierre, SD...............  Norma Tibbitts...........      (605) 867-1306
                                                                   Cherie Farlee............      (605) 964-8722
August 26, 2002.......................  Philadelphia, MS.........  LaVonna Weller...........      (202) 208-7952
August 28, 2002.......................  Phoenix, AZ..............  Joe Frazier..............      (520) 361-3510
August 30, 2002.......................  Portland, OR.............  John Reimer..............      (503) 872-2743
September 5, 2002.....................  Oklahoma City, OK........  Joy Martin...............      (405) 605-6051
September 9, 2002.....................  Washington, DC...........  Ed Parisien..............      (505) 248-6955
                                                                   Rod Young................      (202) 208-6175
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Comments, including names, street addresses, and other contact 
information from commenters, will be available for public review at the 
address listed under the ADDRESSES section during regular business 
hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. EDT), Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays. If you do not want your name or address or other 
information available to the public, you must state this prominently at 
the beginning of your comment. We will honor your request to the extent 
allowable by law. We will make available for public inspection in their 
entirety all submissions from organizations or businesses, and from 
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of 
organizations or businesses.

    Dated: July 16, 2002.
Neal A. McCaleb,
Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 02-18460 Filed 7-19-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-6W-P