[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 149 (Thursday, August 2, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37822-37823]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-16588]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

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


Notice of Establishment of the Bureau of Indian Education 
Standards, Assessments, and Accountability System Negotiated Rulemaking 
Committee; Notice of Meetings

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Establishment and notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Interior is establishing the Bureau of 
Indian Education (BIE) Standards, Assessments, and Accountability 
System Negotiated Rulemaking Committee (Committee). The Committee will 
advise the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) through the BIE and 
the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs on the development of 
regulations to fulfill the Secretary's responsibility to define 
standards, assessments, and accountability system consistent with ESEA 
section 1111, as amended, for schools funded by BIE 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 and the process for requesting a waiver for these 
definitions. This notice also announces the dates and locations of each 
of the public meetings of the Committee.

DATES: For a listing of the dates of each Committee meeting, refer to 
``Committee Meetings'' under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this 
notice.

ADDRESSES: For a listing of the locations of each Committee meeting, 
refer to ``Committee Meetings'' under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section 
of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Designated Federal Officer, Sue 
Bement, Education Program Specialist, Bureau of Indian Education, by 
any of the following methods:
    <bullet> (Preferred method) Email to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#92d0dbd7f1fdfffff7fce6e1d2f0fbf3bcf5fde4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="01434844626e6c6c646f7572416368602f666e77">[email protected]</span></a>;
    <bullet> Mail, hand-carry or use an overnight courier service to 
the Designated Federal Officer, Ms. Sue Bement, C/O The Office of 
Regulatory Affairs and Collaborative Action, 1001 Indian School Road 
NW, Suite 312, Albuquerque, NM 87104.
    <bullet> Telephone: (952) 851-5427.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On September 14, 2017, a notice in the Federal Register (82 FR 
43199) announced the U.S. Department of the Interior's intent to form a 
negotiated rulemaking committee under the Every Student Succeeds Act 
(ESSA), the Negotiated Rulemaking Act, and the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2). On April 17, 2018, a notice in the 
Federal Register (83 FR 16806) announced the proposed membership. The 
Committee will advise the Secretary through the BIE and the Assistant 
Secretary--Indian Affairs on the development of regulations to fulfill 
the Secretary's responsibility to define standards, assessments, and 
accountability system consistent with ESEA section 1111 (20 U.S.C. 
6311), as amended, for schools funded by BIE on a national, regional, 
or Tribal basis, as appropriate, taking into account the

[[Page 37823]]

unique circumstances and needs of such schools and the students served 
by such schools and the process for requesting a waiver for these 
definitions.
    The April 17, 2018, notice discussed the issues to be negotiated 
and the interest group representatives proposed as members of the 
Committee.
    The Secretary received additional proposed nominations in response 
to the April 17, 2018, notice and considered the nominations based on 
the qualifications outlined in the notice for approval. The nominees 
were approved to join the Committee and are included in this Federal 
Register Notice.

Committee Membership

    The two nominees were received for consideration following the 
April 17, 2018, Federal Register notice and will now be appointed to 
the Committee.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  Proposed committee
      Tribe(s) represented              members          Nominated by
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Navajo Nation...................  Genevieve Jackson.  Din[eacute] Bi
                                                       Olta School Board
                                                       Association, Inc.
Northwest Tribes................  Dr. Amy McFarland.  Chief Leschi
                                                       Schools.
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Committee Meetings

    Revised regulations must be put in place as soon as possible, thus 
the Committee will be expected to meet frequently within a short time 
frame. The BIE expects to have three in-person meetings and one 
teleconference, with each in-person meeting lasting three days in 
length. The BIE has dedicated resources required to: Ensure the 
Committee is able to conduct meetings; provide technical assistance; 
and provide any additional support required to fulfill the Committee's 
responsibilities. The meeting dates and locations are as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Date                       Time              Location
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, September 25, 2018       Begin at 8:30 a.m.  Bureau of Indian
 Through Thursday, September 27,   on September 25,    Affairs, Rocky
 2018.                             and end at 4:30     Mountain Regional
                                   p.m. on September   Office, Medicine
                                   27, 2018, local     Wheel Room--3rd
                                   time.               floor, 2021
                                                       Fourth Avenue
                                                       North Billings,
                                                       MT 59101.
Tuesday, October 30, 2018         Begin at 8:30 a.m.  Bureau of Indian
 Through Thursday, November 1,     on October 30,      Affairs,
 2018.                             and end at 4:30     Southwest
                                   p.m. on November    Regional Office,
                                   1, 2018, local      Pojoaque
                                   time.               Classroom #271,
                                                       2nd floor, 1011
                                                       Indian School
                                                       Road NW,
                                                       Albuquerque, NM
                                                       87104.
Tuesday, December 4, 2018         Begin at 8:30 a.m.  Office of Hearings
 Through Thursday, December 6,     on December 4,      & Appeals, 2nd
 2018.                             and end at 4:30     Floor Conference
                                   p.m. on December    Room, 801 N
                                   6, 2018, local      Quincy Street,
                                   time.               Arlington, VA
                                                       22203.
1/2-day Webinar, Spring 2019....  Begin at 11:30      Via
                                   a.m. and end at     Teleconference, 1
                                   2:30 p.m.,          (866) 818-9861,
                                   Eastern Time.       Participant code:
                                                       70319382, Refer
                                                       to BIE Negotiated
                                                       Rulemaking
                                                       Committee website
                                                       for additional
                                                       information.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Detailed information about Committee meetings, including detailed 
agendas, can be accessed at https://www.bie.edu/Resources/NRMC/index.htm.

Agenda for BIE Standards, Assessments, and Accountability System 
Negotiated Rulemaking Committee

    At the first meeting, the Committee will conduct introductions of 
members at the start of the meeting and will continue with the 
following items on the agenda:
    <bullet> Review and discussion of Committee Operations including 
operating protocols and decision-making criteria;
    <bullet> Overview and discussion of existing regulations (25 CFR 
part 30) implemented at BIE schools and an overview topic paper;
    <bullet> Overview and discussion of ESSA Section 8007(2) and ESEA 
Section 1111 and standards, assessments, and accountability topic 
papers;
    <bullet> Discussion of the Committee's tasks and approach to draft 
regulations including discussion of draft regulations, outline work; 
formation of subcommittees and tasks between the first and second 
meeting; and
    <bullet> Public comments.
    The second meeting will focus on edits to the draft preamble and 
the proposed rule, public comments, and reaffirm Committee tasks in 
preparation for the third meeting.
    The third meeting will focus on the draft proposed rule for 
publication, seek consensus on the draft, schedule government-to-
government consultations including what key information will be shared 
during consultation, and public comment.
    The final meeting, via WebEx, will review public comments received, 
discuss any substantive comments that will affect the proposed rule, 
and seek consensus on a recommended approach to addressing the 
comments. The final meeting will include a close-out discussion about 
the process.
    Written comments may be sent to the Designated Federal Officer 
listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section above. Before 
including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal 
identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your 
entire comment--including your personal identifying information--may be 
made publicly available at any time. While you can ask in your comment 
that the BIA withhold your personal identifying information from public 
review, the BIA cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.
    All meetings are open to the public; however, transportation, 
lodging, and means are the responsibility of the participating public.

    Authority:  The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, 
as amended, 20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.

    Dated: July 27, 2018.
John Tahsuda,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs, Exercising the 
Authority of the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2018-16588 Filed 8-1-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4337-15-P


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