[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 154 (Wednesday, August 11, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48661-48662]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-19800]


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

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Equity and Excellence Commission

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights.

ACTION: Notice of Establishment of the Equity and Excellence 
Commission.

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Secretary of Education (Secretary) announces the 
establishment of the Equity and Excellence Commission (Equity 
Commission or Commission). The Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) 
(Pub. L. 92-463, as amended; 5 U.S.C.A., Appendix 2) shall govern the 
Equity Commission.
    Purpose: The Secretary is establishing the Commission in order to 
collect information, analyze issues, and obtain broad public input 
regarding how the Federal government can increase educational 
opportunity by improving school funding equity. The Commission will 
also make recommendations for restructuring school finance systems to 
achieve equity in the distribution of educational resources and further 
student performance, especially for the students at the lower end of 
the achievement gap. The Commission will examine the disparities in 
meaningful educational opportunities that give rise to the achievement 
gap, with a focus on systems of finance, and recommend appropriate ways 
in which Federal policies could address such disparities.
    In order to achieve this purpose, the Commission will collect and 
analyze information related to the issues described above, including 
information and comment from members of the public. To this end, the 
Commission will conduct no fewer than four (4) town hall meetings in 
different parts of the country, in addition to convening at such other 
times as the Commission deems appropriate, to gather information and 
will utilize other means of outreach to encourage and facilitate a 
public discussion of the issues. Approximately fifteen (15) months 
after the appointment of the members, the Commission will submit a 
report to the Secretary outlining its findings and any recommendations. 
The Commission's report will address, at a minimum, the following:
     Options for how Federal, State, and local governments 
could establish funding systems to ensure that all students receive 
equal educational opportunities.
     The cost of education in different settings, with 
consideration of students' educational needs, school needs, and 
variations in geography.

The Secretary will share a copy of the report with Congress through the 
United States Senate Committees on Appropriations and on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions and the United States House of 
Representatives Committees on Appropriations and on Education and 
Labor.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: U.S. Department of Education, White 
House

[[Page 48662]]

Liaison Office, Washington, DC 20202, telephone: (202) 401-3677.
    The official version of this document is the document published in 
the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of 
the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available 
on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.

    Dated: August 5, 2010.
Arne Duncan,
Secretary of Education.
[FR Doc. 2010-19800 Filed 8-10-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P