FR Doc E8-5485[Federal Register: March 19, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 54)]
[Notices]
[Page 14781]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19mr08-44]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
National Technical Advisory Council; Notice of Establishment and
Call for Nominations
AGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of Establishment of the National Technical Advisory
Council.
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SUMMARY: The Secretary announces her intention to establish the
National Technical Advisory Council. The Federal Advisory Committee Act
(Pub. L. 92-463 as amended; 5 U.S.C. Appendix 2) (FACA) will govern the
Committee.
Purpose: In order to help ensure that the Department is making
sound technical decisions related to the approval of State-designed
standards, assessments, and accountability systems under Title I of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the National Technical Advisory
Council (NTAC) shall advise the Secretary of Education and the
Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education (Assistant
Secretary) on the design and implementation of standards, assessments,
and accountability systems consistent with Federal statutes and
regulations.
The NTAC shall consist of no more than 15 members. The members
shall be experts in assessment and accountability and shall consist of
academicians, researchers, and national, state, and local policymakers.
At least one-third of the members must have experience working in or
with State educational agencies or local educational agencies. Members
will be appointed by the Secretary to terms of no more than three (3)
years, and initial terms shall be staggered.
The Secretary seeks nominations from the public for members to
serve on the NTAC. A submission for a nomination for membership on the
NTAC must include the nominee's contact information and information
regarding the nominee's qualifications, such as a resume, current or
recent positions, or research undertaken related to educational
assessment and accountability. To submit a nomination, send an e-mail
to oese@ed.gov with the subject ``NTAC'' or respond in writing to
Patrick Rooney, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and
Secondary Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202.
The period for nominations will close three weeks from the date of this
notice.
The Assistant Secretary shall appoint a Designated Federal Officer
for the Council. The DFO, in consultation with the NTAC Chair, will set
the agenda for the NTAC and schedule meetings on an as-needed basis but
at least twice a year. Meetings will be open to the public except as
may be determined otherwise by the Secretary. At the request of the
Chair, the DFO may create sub-councils consisting of at least three (3)
members of the NTAC to provide guidance on an ad-hoc basis to the
Assistant Secretary. The sub-councils' recommendations will be reviewed
by the full Council before being submitted to the Assistant Secretary.
In lieu of an annual report, following each meeting of the full
NTAC or a sub-council of the NTAC, a summary of the proceedings will be
prepared by the Department and then reviewed by the Council, and, upon
approval of the Council, submitted to the Assistant Secretary. The
reports will be made available to the public. The report shall, at a
minimum, contain the topics discussed, a summary of the discussion, and
recommendations for the Department, including research to be
undertaken.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick Rooney, U.S. Department
of Education, Washington, DC 20202, Telephone: (202) 401-0113.
Dated: March 13, 2008.
Margaret Spellings,
Secretary of Education.
[FR Doc. E8-5485 Filed 3-18-08; 8:45 am]
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