[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 9 (Thursday, January 13, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2417-2421]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-705]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Request for Nominations of Members To Serve on the Bureau of 
Indian Affairs Advisory Board for Exceptional Education

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of request for nominations.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Bureau of 
Indian Affairs (BIA), Office of Indian Education Programs (OIEP), 
requests nominations of individuals to serve on the BIA Advisory Board 
for Exceptional Education (Advisory Board). The BIA/OIEP will consider 
nominations received in response to this Request for Nominations. The 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section provides committee and membership 
criteria, and the membership nomination form.

DATES: Submit nominations on or before February 14, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Please submit nomination applications to Gloria Yepa, 
Supervisory Education Specialist, BIA, OIEP, Center For School 
Improvement, 500 Gold

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Avenue, SW., Post Office Box 1088, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87103-1088.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gloria Yepa, Supervisory Education 
Specialist, Office of Indian Education Programs, Center for School 
Improvement, (505) 248-7541.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Advisory Board was established in 
accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, 
5 U.S.C, Appendix 2, Section 10(a)(b). The following provides 
information about the committee objective and duties, membership, 
miscellaneous, nomination information, and membership nomination form.

Objective and Duties

    (a) Members of the Advisory Board provide guidance, advice and 
recommendations with respect to special education and related services 
for children with disabilities in BIA funded schools in accordance with 
the requirements of IDEA;
    (b) Provides advice and recommendations for the coordination of 
services within the BIA and with other local, State and Federal 
agencies;
    (c) Provides advice and recommendations on a broad range of policy 
issues dealing with the provision of educational services to American 
Indian children with disabilities;
    (d) Serves as an advocate for American Indian students with special 
education needs by providing advice and recommendations regarding best 
practices, effective program coordination strategies, and 
recommendations for improved educational programming;
    (e) Provides advice and recommendations for the preparation of 
information required to be submitted to the Secretary of Education 
under section 611(i)(2)(D) of IDEA;
    (f) Provides advice and recommends policies concerning effective 
inter/intra-agency collaboration, including modifications to 
regulations, and the elimination of barriers to inter/intra-agency 
programs and activities; and
    (g) Reports to the BIA/OIEP Lead Supervisory Education Specialist 
for special education.

Membership

    (a) The Board will be composed of 15 members. The Assistant 
Secretary--Indian Affairs may provide the Secretary of the Interior 
recommendations for the Chairperson, however, the Secretary of the 
Interior will appoint the chairperson and other board members. Members 
will serve for a term of 2 years from the date of their appointment. 
The Secretary may remove members from the Board at any time at his/her 
discretion.
    (b) As required by the IDEA under section 611(i)(5), the Board will 
be composed of individuals involved in or concerned with the education 
and provision of services to Indian children with disabilities. The 
Board composition will reflect a broad range of viewpoints and will 
include at least one member representing each of the following 
interests: Indian persons with disabilities, teachers of children with 
disabilities, Indian parents or guardians of children with 
disabilities, service providers, State Education Officials, Local 
Education Officials, State Interagency Coordinating Councils (for 
states having Indian reservations), tribal representatives or tribal 
organization representatives, and BIA employees concerned with the 
education of children with disabilities.

Miscellaneous

    (a) Members of the Board will not receive compensation, but will be 
reimbursed for travel, subsistence and other necessary expenses 
incurred in the performance of their duties consistent with the 
provisions of 5 U.S.C. Chapter 57.
    (b) A member may not participate in matters that will directly 
affect, or appear to affect, the financial interests of the member or 
the member's spouse or minor children, unless authorized by the 
Designated Federal Official (DFO). Compensation from employment does 
not constitute a financial interest of the member so long as the matter 
before the committee will not have a special or distinct effect on the 
member or the member's employer, other than as part of a class. The 
provisions of this paragraph do not affect any other statutory or 
regulatory ethical obligations to which a member may be subject.
    (c) The Committee meets at least twice a year, budget permitting, 
but additional meetings may be held as deemed necessary by the 
Assistant Secretary or DFO.
    (d) All Committee meetings are open to the public in accordance 
with the FACA regulations.

Nomination Information

    (a) Nominations are requested from individuals, organizations, and 
federally recognized tribes, as well as from State Directors of Special 
Education (within the 23 states in which BIA funded schools are 
located) concerned with the education of Indian children with 
disabilities as described above.
    (b) Nominees should have expertise and knowledge of the issues and/
or needs of American Indian children with disabilities. Such knowledge 
and expertise are needed to provide advice and recommendations to the 
BIA/OIEP regarding the needs of American Indian children with 
disabilities.
    (c) A summary of the candidates' qualifications (resume or 
curriculum vitae) must be included with the nomination application. 
Nominees must have the ability to participate in Advisory Committee 
meetings, Committee assignments, participate in teleconference calls, 
and to work in groups.
    (d) The Department of the Interior is committed to equal 
opportunity in the workplace and seeks diverse Committee membership, 
but is bound by the Indian Preference Act of 1990, 25 U.S.C. 472.

Membership Nomination Form

    The membership nomination form is attached to this notice. The 
nomination form may also be downloaded from the OIEP's Web site at 
http://www.ENAN.BIA.EDU.

    Dated: December 22, 2004.
David W. Anderson,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.

Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Indian Education Programs Advisory 
Board for Exceptional Education Membership Nomination Form

Nomination Information

    A. Nominations are requested from individuals, organizations, and 
federally recognized tribes, as well as from State Directors of Special 
Education (within the 23 states in which BIA funded schools are 
located) concerned with the education of Indian children with 
disabilities.
    B. Nominees should have expertise and knowledge of the issues and/
or needs of American Indian children with disabilities. Such knowledge 
and expertise are needed to provide advice and recommendations to the 
BIA/OIEP regarding the needs of American Indian children with 
disabilities.
    C. A summary of the candidates' qualifications (resume or 
curriculum vitae) must be included with the nomination application. 
Nominees must have the ability to participate in Advisory Committee 
meetings, Committee assignments, participate in teleconference calls, 
and to work in groups.
    D. The Department of the Interior is committed to equal opportunity 
in the workplace and seeks diverse Committee membership, however, is 
bound by the

[[Page 2419]]

Indian Preference Act of 1990 (25 U.S.C. 472).

Objective and Duties

    A. The Committee provides guidance, advice and recommendations with 
respect to special education and related services for children with 
disabilities in BIA funded schools in accordance with the requirements 
of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
    B. The Committee provides advice and recommendations for the 
coordination of services within the BIA and with other local, State and 
Federal agencies.
    C. The Committee provides advice and recommendations on a broad 
range of policy issues dealing with the provision of educational 
services to American Indian children with disabilities.
    D. The Committee serves as an advocate for American Indian students 
with special education needs by providing advice and recommendations 
regarding best practices, effective program coordination strategies, 
and recommendations for improved educational programming.
    E. The Committee provides advice and recommendations for the 
preparation of information required to be submitted to the Secretary of 
Education.
    F. The Committee provides advice and recommends policies concerning 
effective inter/intra-agency collaboration, including modifications to 
regulations, and the elimination of barriers to inter/intra-agency 
programs and activities.
    G. The Committee reports to the Lead Supervisory Education 
Specialist.

Membership

    A. The Board will be composed of 15 members. The Assistant 
Secretary--Indian Affairs may provide the Secretary of the Interior 
recommendations for the Chairperson. The Secretary of the Interior as 
required by IDEA will appoint all board members. Board members will 
serve for a term of 2 years from the date of their appointment. The 
Secretary may remove members from the Board at any time at his/her 
discretion.
    B. As required by IDEA under section 611(i)(5), 111 Stat. 59, the 
Board will be composed of individuals involved in or concerned with the 
education and provision of services to Indian children with 
disabilities. The Board composition will reflect a broad range of 
viewpoints and will include at least one member representing each of 
the following interests: Indian persons with disabilities, teachers of 
children with disabilities, Indian parents or guardians of children 
with disabilities, service providers, State Education Officials, Local 
Education Officials, State Interagency Coordinating Councils (for 
states having Indian reservations), tribal representatives or tribal 
organization representatives, and BIA employees concerned with the 
education of children with disabilities.
    C. Members of the Board will not receive compensation, but will be 
reimbursed for travel, subsistence and other necessary expenses 
incurred in the performance of their duties consistent with the 
provisions of 5 U.S.C. Chapter 57.
    D. A member may not participate in matters that will directly 
affect, or appear to affect, the financial interests of the member or 
the member's spouse or minor children, unless authorized by the 
Designated Federal Official (DFO). Compensation from employment does 
not constitute a financial interest of the member so long as the matter 
before the committee will not have a special or distinct effect on the 
member or the member's employer, other than as part of a class. The 
provisions of this paragraph do not affect any other statutory or 
regulatory ethical obligations to which a member may be subject.
    E. The Committee meets at least twice a year, budget permitting, 
but additional meetings may be held as deemed necessary by the 
Assistant Secretary or DFO.

BILLING CODE 4310-6W-P

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[FR Doc. 05-705 Filed 1-12-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-6W-C