FACACLASSIC

Note: An Annual Comprehensive Review, as required by §7 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, is conducted each year on committee data entered for the previous fiscal year (referred to as the reporting year). The data for the reporting year is not considered verified until this review is complete and the data is moved to history for an agency/department. See the Data From Previous Years section at the bottom of this page for the committee’s historical, verified data.

Details on agency responses to committee recommendations can be found under the Performance Measures section for each committee in the fields “Agency Feedback” and “Agency Feedback Comment.”

DOI - 5317 - Bureau of Indian Affairs Advisory Board for Exceptional Children - Statutory (Congress Created)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	Bureau of Indian Affairs Advisory Board for Exceptional Children	Agency Name	Department of the Interior
Fiscal Year	2025	Committee Number	5317
Original Establishment Date	6/4/1997	Committee Status	Chartered
Actual Termination Date		Committee URL	https://www.bie.edu/landing-page/special-education
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	15
Terminated This FY	No	Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	Education Specialist
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix	Ms.
Current Charter Date	1/8/2025	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	Jennifer
Date Of Renewal Charter	1/8/2027	Designated Federal Officer Middle Name	L.
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Davis
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Suffix	M.Ed.
Specific Termination Authority		Designated Federal Officer Phone*	(202) 860-7845 (Mobile)
Establishment Authority*	Statutory (Congress Created)	Designated Federal Officer Fax*	(602) 265-0293
Specific Establishment Authority*	P.L.108-466, The Individuals with Disability Education Improvement Act, Part B, Section 611(h)(6)	Designated Federal Officer Email*	jennifer.davis@bie.edu
Effective Date Of Authority*	12/3/2004
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	Non Scientific Program Advisory Board

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Continue
Legislation to Terminate Required	Not Applicable
Legislation Status	Not Applicable
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) Advisory Board for Exceptional Children (Board) typically meets three to four times per year to review and discuss various BIE documents and processes, Special Education (SPED) Integrated Monitoring Process; SPED 616 and 618 data, SPP/APR Indicator data performance, Office of SPED Programs (OSEP) official monitoring reports; U.S. Department of Education (DOE) reports; Indian School Equalization Program data; and the BIE Reorganization Plan, BIE Strategic Direction, SPED Policy & Procedures Handbook, SPED Coordinated Services Plan. As a stakeholder, the Board provides input and receives comments from parents, Tribal Education Departments, Tribally Controlled School personnel, Bureau Operated School personnel, BIE departments, and other stakeholders and other interested individuals interested in improving services for students with disabilities by receiving comments during the Board meetings. The Board uses information obtained from the various resources to advise and offer recommendations to improve services for students with disabilities and to support the BIE in carrying out the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004.
How is membership balanced?*	Public Law 108-446, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA) establishes the membership requirements. As required by the Act, the Advisory Board is composed of 15 individuals involved in or concerned with the education and provisions of services to Indian children with disabilities. The Advisory Board composition reflects a broad range of viewpoints and includes at least one member representing each of the following interests: Indian persons with disabilities; Teachers of children with disabilities; Indian parents/guardians of children with disabilities; Service providers; State Education Officials; Local education officials; State inter-agency coordinating councils (for states having Indian reservations); Tribal representatives or tribal organization representatives and BIE/BIA employees concerned with the education of children with disabilities.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	The Advisory Board typically meets 2-4 times per year.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	The Advisory Board is required under Public Law 108-446, Individuals with Disability Education Act; and it is necessary to gain input and advice from individuals concerned with ensuring special education services and related services are provided to children with disabilities throughout the BIE education system; and meaningful student participation is achieved and student academic achievement progress is being met.
Why close or partially close meetings?	The Advisory Board meetings are open to the general public.
Recommendation Remarks	During FY2024, the Board had 4 meetings.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	No	Action Reorganize Priorities*	No
Outcome Trust In Government	Yes	Action Reallocate Resources	No
Outcome Major Policy Changes	No	Action Issued New Regulations	No
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	No	Action Proposed Legislation	No
Outcome Effective Grant Making	No	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	No
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	Yes	Action Other	No
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	Yes	Action Comment	Not Applicable
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	No	Grants Review*	No
Outcome Other	Yes	Number Of Grants Reviewed	0
Outcome Comment	The Advisory Board is established to carry out the provision of Public Law 108-446, Section 611, Paragraphs: (A) (B) (C) (D) (E), the Individuals Disability Education Act (IDEA).	Number Of Grants Recommended	0
Cost Savings*	Under $100,000	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended	$0.00
Cost Savings Comment	The BIE had 4 meetings for FY 2024. Three meetings were virtual/and in-person. Two meetings were kept to 2-days. The June 2024 meeting was a one-day virtual meeting for all board members and others involved. No travel expenses were involved reducing costs, and personal/work time to attend the meeting. Also, 3 board members consistently (out of the 14 total members) opted to attend virtually which also reduced expenses. The BIE continues to use a hired a contractor, reducing the time the DFO had to dedicate to administrative work and reporting. The contractor completes all travel planning for the board members, meeting site arrangements and set up, and report writing for the minutes and the annual report. One contractor consistently attend to help virtually, while two contractors are onsite assisting with the technology, note taking and report writing.	Grants Review Comment	No grants were reviewed.
Number Of Recommendations*	107	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	For FY 2024, the Board made four recommendations. I. The Board continues to have significant and ongoing concern regarding support for the active recruitment, hiring, and retention of special educators and related service providers for BIE funded schools. II. Stakeholder Learning and Leadership - The Board acknowledges the importance of being a lifelong learner and the need to provide opportunities to strengthen and enhance individual knowledge, learning, leadership, and empowerment for the benefit of educating students receiving IDEA services. The stakeholder partnership is a shared responsibility to create a collaborative and inclusive learning environment. Specifically, the Board recommends the listed supports for the following: a. School Personnel i. Learning opportunities for general educators, special educators, and other school personnel, students and families. Some topics to be included may be autism and student-driven IEPs; Behavior intervention/management professional development; Learning needs for all and among all special education staff, residential staff, and related services; Social/emotional needs of students; Mental/health/trauma/wellness professional development for staff and students; Accessing student behavioral support; Trauma-healing for Residential Boarding Schools; and Section 504 compared to IDEA services. ii. Investigate how the IEP process can include a focus on traditional culture, language, and working with the students and provide training with a focus on collaborating with students and their families. iii. Ongoing research on the effects of COVID and assistance in appropriately determining IDEA eligibility for services versus lack of instruction. b. Parent/Guardian Empowerment i. Regional/local trainings and support for parents/guardians on special education topics that may include: Section 504 compared to IDEA services; IDEA disabilities; IDEA evaluation process and eligibility; Procedural safeguards; Community involvement and organizational resources for parents; IEP and its components (such as Least Restrictive Environment); Parent roles and rights; Student-driven IEPs; and Identify and eliminate barriers to parent engagement. III. BIE Responsibilities and Accountability i. Finalize IDEA Policy and Procedure for BIE Funded Schools with training to assist the Tribally Controlled Schools with the development of their own policies and procedures ii. Plan of action and accountability for making change with maintaining student-centered iii. What resources does a BIE Funded School utilize when it does not have the staff required to complete a student’s IDEA evaluation or to provide the IEP defined services. iv. Timely communication between BIE and schools and school systems v. Accurate data through requiring all schools to submit data vi. Technical assistance provided to schools that are not meeting the indicators IV. Transition and Post-Graduation i. Providing resources to high school students who have an IEP who want to go on to higher education. ii. Student leadership iii. Transition-Developing relationships with vocational rehabilitation and adult service providers iv. Increased awareness of resources and opportunities for post-school life	Access Agency Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	30.00%	Access Committee Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	40.0%	Access GSA FACA Website	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	30.00%	Access Publications	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	58.0%	Access Other	No
Agency Feedback*	Yes	Access Comment	Individuals may contact the Designated Federal Officer, Jennifer Davis at jennifer.davis@bie.edu or (202) 860-7845 (mobile). The Advisory Board section can be found within the BIE website at www.bie.edu using this link: https://www.bie.edu/landing-page/special-education
Agency Feedback Comment*	The BIE works closely with the advisory board and is very responsive to the board needs. The BIE is present (BIE Central Office, Division of Performance & Accountability) for each board meeting and provides feedback and input for topics requested by the board throughout the year and also provides input for the annual report. For FY 2024 the BIE provided input and feedback to the Board during the four board meetings. The BIE supports the Board and ensures that various BIE personnel (the Director, supervisors, and Education Specialists from various departments) respond to questions and supports the various BIE offices that are included in the published agendas. BIE personnel present the Board with various reports and answer questions from the Board. Feedback from BIE can be found in the Board's meeting minutes. All Board minutes, annual reports and other important documents are located in the BIE website located at https://www.bie.edu/landing-page/special-education.	Narrative Description*	The Advisory Board conducted four Board meetings during FY2024. Within the 2024 Annual Report, 4 priority areas are provided: (1) The Board continues to have significant and ongoing concern regarding support for the active recruitment, hiring, and retention of special educators and related service providers for BIE funded schools. (This is a continue priority from FY 2023 and for prior years. The pandemic (COVID) certainly spiked the negative impacted for all schools nationwide (not only BIE funded schools), and all schools continue to struggle to hire and maintain special educators and related service providers) (2) Stakeholder Learning and Leadership - The Board acknowledges the importance of being a lifelong learner and the need to provide opportunities to strengthen and enhance individual knowledge, learning, leadership, and empowerment for the benefit of educating students receiving IDEA services. The stakeholder partnership is a shared responsibility to create a collaborative and inclusive learning environment. Specifically, the Board recommends supports for School Personnel and Parent/Guardian Empowerment. (3) BIE Responsibilities and Accountability; and (4) Transition and Post-Graduation

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*		1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*
2. Payments to Federal Members*		2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*
3. Payments to Federal Staff*		3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*
4. Payments to Consultants*		4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*		5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*		6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*		7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*		8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*
10. Other Costs		10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*
11. Total Costs	$0.00	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$0.00
Date Cost Last Modified	2/19/2025 10:50 AM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*		Est Cost Remarks
Cost Remarks

Interest Areas

Category Area Civil Rights Children Disabled Equal Opportunity Minorities Native Americans Data Data Quality Education Education Schools and Academic Institutions Training Government Federal Government State Government Tribal Government Health Physical Fitness Justice Juvenile Justice Prevention Labor Employment Job Training Workforce and Occupations Rehabilitation Rehabilitation and Disability

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