[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 154 (Wednesday, August 11, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 48662]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-19798]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Equity and Excellence Commission
AGENCY: Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education.
ACTION: Request for Nominations to Serve on the Equity and Excellence
Commission.
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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Education (Secretary) invites interested
parties to submit nominations for individuals to serve on the Equity
and Excellence Commission.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Equity and Excellence Commission (Equity
Commission or Commission) will be established by the Secretary of
Education and governed by the provisions of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (FACA) (Pub. L. 92-463, as amended; 5 U.S.C.A., Appendix
2). The Commission will collect information, analyze issues, and obtain
broad public input regarding how the Federal government can increase
educational opportunity by improving school funding equity. The
Commission will also make recommendations for restructuring school
finance systems to achieve equity in the distribution of educational
resources and further student performance, especially for the students
at the lower end of the achievement gap. The Commission will examine
the disparities in meaningful educational opportunities that give rise
to the achievement gap, with a focus on systems of finance, and
recommend appropriate ways in which Federal policies could address such
disparities.
The Commission will submit a report to the Secretary outlining its
findings and any recommendations. The Secretary will share a copy of
this report with Congress through the United States Senate Committees
on Appropriations and on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the
United States House of Representatives Committees on Appropriations and
on Education and Labor.
The Commission will be composed of approximately 15 members,
including persons who have knowledge of and expertise in systems of
school finance, taxes, or civil rights. The Secretary intends that at
least one-third of the members will have experience working in or with
State educational agencies or local educational agencies. The
Commission will also include ex officio members from the Department,
including, but not limited to, the Deputy Secretary, the General
Counsel, and the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights.
Nomination Process: Any interested person or organization may
nominate one or more qualified individuals for membership. If you would
like to nominate an individual or yourself for appointment to the
Commission, please submit the following information to the Department's
White House Liaison Office:
A copy of the nominee's resume;
A cover letter that provides the reason(s) for nominating
the individual; and
Contact information for the nominee (name, title, and
business address, phone number, fax number, and e-mail address).
In addition, the cover letter must state that the nominee (if you
are nominating someone other than yourself) has agreed to be nominated
and is willing to serve on the Commission. Nominees will be appointed
based on:
Technical qualifications, professional experience, and
demonstrated knowledge of issues related to systems of school finance,
taxes, and civil rights; and
Demonstrated experience, integrity, impartiality, and good
judgment.
The Secretary will appoint members for the life of the Commission,
which will span approximately 15 months. Any member appointed to fill a
vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the full term for which
the member's predecessor was appointed will be appointed for the
remainder of such term.
Members will serve without compensation. However, members may
receive reimbursement for travel expenses for attending Commission
meetings, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by
the Federal travel regulations.
These members will serve as Special Government Employees (SGEs)
and, as SGEs, will be chosen for their individual expertise,
qualifications, and experience; they will provide advice and make
recommendations based on their independent judgment and will not be
speaking for or representing the views of any nongovernmental
organization or recognizable group of persons.
DATES: Nominations for individuals to serve on the Commission must be
submitted (postmarked, if sending by mail; submitted electronically; or
received, if hand-delivered) by September 10, 2010.
ADDRESSES: You may submit nominations, including attachments, by any of
the following methods:
Electronically: Send to: [email protected] (specify
in the e-mail subject line, ``Equity Commission Nomination'').
Mail, express delivery, hand delivery, messenger, or
courier service: Submit one copy of the documents listed above to the
following address: U.S. Department of Education, White House Liaison
Office, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 7C109, Washington, DC 20202,
Attn: Karen Akins.
For questions, contact Karen Akins, White House Liaison Office, at
(202) 401-3677, at (202) 205-0723 (fax), or via e-mail at
[email protected].
Dated: August 5, 2010.
Arne Duncan,
Secretary of Education.
[FR Doc. 2010-19798 Filed 8-10-10; 8:45 am]
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