[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 60 (Friday, March 27, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17352-17353]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06550]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[201A2100DD/AAKC001030/A0A501010.999900 253G]


Agency Plan To Implement the Standards, Assessments, and 
Accountability System

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of consultations.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) will conduct 
consultations to obtain oral and written comments on the draft BIE 
Agency Plan, for implementation the Secretary of the Interior's 
(Secretary) responsibility to establish requirements for standards, 
assessments, and an accountability system for BIE-funded schools.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 8, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. 
ET. See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice for dates 
and locations of consultation sessions.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to [email protected] with ``DRAFT BIE 
AGENCY PLAN COMMENTS'' in the email subject line.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Juanita Mendoza, Special Assistant, 
Bureau of Indian Education; phone (202) 208-3559 or email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 10, 2019, BIE published a proposed 
rule to govern how the Secretary will establish requirements for 
standards, assessments, and accountability system for BIE-funded 
schools consistent with Section 1111 of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act 
(ESSA), on a national, regional, or Tribal basis, as appropriate, 
taking into account the unique circumstances and needs of such schools 
and the students served by such schools. See 84 FR 26785. The final 
rule published in the Federal Register on March 26, 2020. The Agency 
Plan is a Consolidated State Plan aligned to the U.S. Department of 
Education Consolidated State Plan Template.
    BIE's Agency Plan is intended to provide details on how the BIE 
should implement the requirements for standards, assessments, and 
accountability system for BIE-funded schools. As such, during 
consultation BIE seeks input from Indian Tribes, school boards, 
parents, Indian organizations, and other interested parties regarding 
best practices for school improvement and support to lowest performing 
schools as well as the overall vision for improving outcomes for BIE-
funded school students as defined in 25 CFR part 30. BIE also seeks 
input regarding those parts of the draft BIE Agency Plan that have not 
been established as requirements through the final rule.
    Further, BIE would appreciate input regarding long-term goals and 
annual meaningful differentiation and identification of schools 
(comprehensive support and improvement activities and targeted support 
and improvement activities), and any other suggestions that would 
improve BIE's delivery of high-quality educational services and 
supports to students at BIE funded schools.

[[Page 17353]]

    BIE will conduct five consultation sessions through telephonic 
webinar. Three sessions are designated for Tribal representatives or 
the designee, and two sessions are designated for school boards, 
parents, teachers, and other public stakeholders. BIE will accept both 
oral and written comments. The following table lists dates and 
consultation teleconference webinar registration information. After 
registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing 
information about joining the meeting.

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          For:                           Dates                       Time (EDT)             To join webinar:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tribes..................  April 27, April 29, and May 1.....  5 p.m.-7 p.m............  Register in advance for
                                                                                         this meeting: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/u5cqcu6qqDkjJn6abe59TkT9PrgTFD2lSQ 9PrgTFD2lSQ.
                                                                                        After registering, you
                                                                                         will receive a
                                                                                         confirmation email
                                                                                         containing information
                                                                                         about joining the
                                                                                         meeting.
Public..................  April 28 and April 30.............  5 p.m.-7 p.m............  Register in advance for
                                                                                         this meeting: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/vJAkfu-orj0p-N3KKnwHEc3yqPDeViMrFA N3KKnwHEc3yqPDeViMrFA.
                                                                                        After registering, you
                                                                                         will receive a
                                                                                         confirmation email
                                                                                         containing information
                                                                                         about joining the
                                                                                         meeting.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Tribal consultation presentation and background information on 
the U.S. Department of Education Consolidated State Plan Template is 
available at www.bie.edu/tribalconsultations. The BIE strongly 
recommends reviewing the BIE's web page prior to attending a 
consultation session or submitting written comments in order to for 
provide for meaningful feedback.

Public Comment Availability

    Written comments, including names and addresses of respondents, 
will be available for public review at the location listed in the 
ADDRESSES section of this notice, during regular business hours, 8 a.m. 
to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for Federal holidays. 
Before including your address, telephone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, be aware that 
your entire comment--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.

Tara Sweeney,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2020-06550 Filed 3-26-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4337-15-P