[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 88 (Tuesday, May 8, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26145-26149]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-8769]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


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

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Education, Interior.

ACTION: Request for nominations.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act and the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA), the 
Bureau of Indian Education requests nominations of individuals to serve 
on the Advisory Board for Exceptional Education (Advisory Board). The 
Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) will consider nominations received in 
response to this Request for Nominations, as well as other sources. The 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for this notice provides committee 
and membership criteria.

DATES: Nomination applications must be received on or before June 30, 
2007.

ADDRESSES: Please submit nomination applications to Gloria Yepa, 
Supervisory Education Specialist, Bureau of Indian Education, 
Albuquerque Service Center, Division of Performance and Accountability, 
P.O. Box 1088, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87103-1088, Telephone 505-563-
5264.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gloria Yepa, Supervisory Education 
Specialist, at the above listed address, Telephone 505-563-5264.

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.

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 Bureau-funded schools in accordance 
with the requirements of IDEIA of 2004.
    (b) The Advisory Board will:
    (1) Provide advice and recommendations for the coordination of 
services within the BIE and 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 section 611(h)(2)(D).
    (5) Provide advice and recommend policies concerning effective 
inter/intra-agency collaboration, including modifications to 
regulations, and the elimination of barriers to inter/intra-agency 
programs and activities.
    (6) Report and direct all correspondence to the Assistant 
Secretary-Indian Affairs through the Director, BIE with a courtesy copy 
to the Designated Federal Official (DFO).

Membership

    (a) As required by IDEIA of 2004, section 611(h)(6), the Advisory 
Board shall be composed of 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 board members will be appointed by the 
Secretary of the Interior. Advisory Board members shall serve staggered 
terms of 2 years or 3 years from the date of their appointment.

Miscellaneous

    (a) Members of the Advisory Board will not receive compensation, 
but will

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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 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-Indian Affairs or DFO.
    (d) All Committee meetings are open to the public in accordance 
with the Federal Advisory Committee Act regulations.

Nomination Information

    (a) We are seeking nominations from individuals, organizations, and 
federally recognized tribes, as well as from State Directors of Special 
Education (within the 23 states in which Bureau-funded schools are 
located) concerned with the education of Indian children with 
disabilities as described above. We will consider self-nominations as 
well as those submitted by a tribe or organization.
    (b) Nominees should have expertise and knowledge of the issues and/
or needs of American Indian children with disabilities. This knowledge 
and expertise are needed to provide advice and recommendations to BIE 
regarding the needs of American Indian children with disabilities.
    (c) Each application must include a copy of the form, printed with 
this notice and a summary of the candidate's qualifications 
(r[eacute]sum[eacute] or curriculum vitae). Nominees must have the 
ability to attend Advisory Committee meetings, carry out Committee 
assignments, participate in teleconference calls, and work in groups.
    (d) The Department of the Interior is committed to equal 
opportunity in the workplace and seeks diverse Committee membership. 
The Indian Preference Act of 1990 (25 U.S.C. 472) applies to selection 
of members.

    Dated: April 29, 2007.
Carl J. Artman,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.

Bureau of Indian Education 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 Bureau 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 
Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) regarding the needs of American Indian 
children with disabilities.
    C. A summary of the candidate's qualifications 
(r[eacute]sum[eacute] or curriculum vitae) must be included with the 
nomination application. Nominees must have the ability to (1) attend 
Advisory Committee meetings, (2) carry out committee assignments, (3) 
participate in teleconference calls, and (4) work in groups.
    D. The Department of the Interior is committed to equal opportunity 
in the workplace and seeks diverse Committee membership; however, the 
Department is also bound by the Indian Preference Act of 1990 (25 
U.S.C. 472).

Objective and Duties

    A. The Advisory Board provides 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 IDEIA of 2004.
    B. The Advisory Board provides advice and recommendations for the 
coordination of services within the BIE and with other local, State, 
and Federal agencies.
    C. The Advisory Board 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 Advisory Board 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 Advisory Board provides advice and recommendations for the 
preparation of information required to be submitted to the Secretary of 
Education.
    F. The Advisory Board 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 Advisory Board reports and directs all correspondence to the 
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs through the Director of the Bureau 
of Indian Education with a courtesy copy to the Designated Federal 
Official (DFO).

Membership

    A. The Advisory Board shall be composed of 15 members. The 
Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs may provide the Secretary of the 
Interior recommendations for the Chairperson. However all advisory 
board members will be appointed by the Secretary of the Interior as 
required. Advisory Board members shall serve staggered terms of two 
years or three years from the date of their appointment. The Secretary 
may remove members from the Advisory Board at any time at his/her 
discretion.
    B. As required by the IDEIA of 2004, the Advisory Board will be 
composed of individuals involved in or concerned with the education and 
provision of services to Indian children 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: 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 Advisory 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. 5703.
    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 DFO. 
Compensation from employment does not constitute a

[[Page 26147]]

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 Advisory Board meets at least twice a year, budget 
permitting, but additional meetings may be held as deemed necessary by 
the Assistant Secretary or DFO.
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 [FR Doc. E7-8769 Filed 5-7-07; 8:45 am]
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