[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 115 (Thursday, June 14, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27795-27797]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-12805]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[189A2100DD/AAKC001030/A0A501010.999900 253G]


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

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

[[Page 27796]]


ACTION: Notice of request for nominations.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act and the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA), the Bureau 
of Indian Education (BIE) requests nominations of individuals to serve 
on the Advisory Board for Exceptional Children (Advisory Board). There 
will be eight positions available. Advisory Board members shall serve a 
staggered term of two years or three years from the date of their 
appointment. The BIE will consider nominations received in response to 
this request for nominations, as well as other sources.
    The SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice provides 
committee and membership criteria.

DATES: Please submit nominations by July 16, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Please submit nominations to Ms. Jennifer Davis, Designated 
Federal Officer (DFO), Bureau of Indian Education, Division of 
Performance and Accountability, 2600 N Central Ave., Suite 800, 
Phoenix, AZ 85004, Telephone (602) 265-1592 or (480) 777-7986; Fax to 
(602) 265-0293.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Jennifer Davis, DFO, at the above 
listed address and telephone number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Advisory Board was established in 
accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463. 
The following provides information about the Committee, the membership 
and the nomination process.

1. Objective and Duties

    (a) Members of the Advisory Board will provide guidance, advice and 
recommendations with respect to special education and related services 
for children with disabilities in BIE-funded schools in accordance with 
the requirements of IDEA;
    (b) The Advisory Board will: (1) Provide advice and recommendations 
for the coordination of services within the BIE and with other local, 
State and Federal agencies; (2) Provide advice and recommendations on a 
broad range of policy issues dealing with the provision of educational 
services to American Indian children with disabilities; (3) Serve as 
advocates 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; (4) Provide advice and 
recommendations for the preparation of information required to be 
submitted to the Secretary of Education under 20 U.S.C. 1411 (h)(2); 
(5) Provide advice and recommend policies concerning effective inter/
intra agency collaboration, including modifications to regulations, and 
the elimination of barriers to inter- and intra-agency programs and 
activities; and (6) Will report and direct all correspondence to the 
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs through the Director, BIE with a 
courtesy copy to the Designated Federal Officer (DFO).

2. Membership

    (a) Pursuant to 20 U.S.C. 1411(h)(6), the Advisory Board will be 
composed of up to 15 individuals involved in or concerned with the 
education and provision of services to Indian infants, toddlers, 
children, and youth with disabilities. The Advisory Board composition 
will reflect a broad range of viewpoints and will include at least one 
member representing each of the following interests: Indians 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 other 
members representing the various divisions and entities of the BIE. (b) 
The Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs may provide the Secretary of 
the Interior recommendations for the chairperson; however, the 
chairperson and other Advisory Board members will be appointed by the 
Secretary of the Interior. Advisory Board members shall serve staggered 
terms of two years or three years from the date of their appointment.

3. Miscellaneous

    (a) Members of the Advisory Board will not receive compensation, 
but will be reimbursed for travel, including subsistence, and other 
necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties in the 
same manner as persons employed intermittently in Government Service 
under 5 U.S.C. 5703. (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 appropriate ethics official. 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 Advisory Board meets at least twice a year, budget permitting, but 
additional meetings may be held as deemed necessary by the Assistant 
Secretary--Indian Affairs or the DFO. (d) All Advisory Board meetings 
are open to the public in accordance with the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act regulations.

4. 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 BIE-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 BIE 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, which can be found on the Bureau of Indian 
Education website. Nominees must have the ability to attend Advisory 
Board meetings, carry out Advisory Board assignments, participate in 
teleconference calls, and work in groups. (d) The Department of the 
Interior is committed to equal opportunities in the workplace and seeks 
diverse Committee membership, which is bound by Indian Preference Act 
of 1990 (25 U.S.C. 472).

5. Basis for Nominations

    If you wish to nominate someone for appointment to the Advisory 
Board, please do not make the nomination until the person has agreed to 
have his or her name submitted to the BIE for this purpose.

6. Nomination Application

    Please fill out the application form completely and include a copy 
of the nominee's resume or curriculum vitae. The membership nomination 
form can be found on the BIE website at http://www.bie.edu/Programs/SpecialEd/AdvisoryBoard/index.htm.

7. Information Collection

    This collection of information is authorized by OMB Control Number

[[Page 27797]]

1076-0179, ``Solicitation of Nominations for the Advisory Board for 
Exceptional Children.'' Before including your address, phone number, 
email address, or other personal identifying information in your 
nomination, please be aware that your entire nomination, including your 
personal identifying information, may be made publicly available at any 
time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so.

    Dated: June 7, 2018.
John Tahsuda,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs, Exercising the 
Authority of the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2018-12805 Filed 6-13-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4337-15-P