Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 116 Part 3.djvu/357

 PUBLIC LAW 107-279—NOV. 5, 2002 116 STAT. 1949 (1) To advise and consult with the Director on the poHcies of the Institute. (2) To consider and approve priorities proposed by the Director under section 115 to guide the work of the Institute. (3) To review and approve procedures for technical and scientific peer review of the activities of the Institute. (4) To advise the Director on the establishment of activities to be supported by the Institute, including the general areas of research to be carried out by the National Center for Education Research. (5) To present to the Director such recommendations as it may find appropriate for— (A) the strengthening of education research; and (B) the funding of the Institute. (6) To advise the Director on the funding of applications for grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements for research, after the completion of peer review. (7) To review and regularly evaluate the work of the Institute, to ensure that scientifically valid research, development, evaluation, and statistical analysis are consistent with the standards for such activities under this title. (8) To advise the Director on ensuring that activities conducted or supported by the Institute are objective, secular, neutral, and nonideological and are free of partisan political influence and racial, cultural, gender, or regional bias. (9) To solicit advice and information from those in the educational field, particularly practitioners and researchers, to recommend to the Director topics that require long-term, sustained, systematic, programmatic, and integrated research efforts, including knowledge utilization and wide dissemination of research, consistent with the priorities and mission of the Institute. (10) To advise the Director on opportunities for the participation in, and the advancement of, women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in education research, statistics, and evaluation activities of the Institute. (11) To recommend to the Director ways to enhance strategic partnerships and collaborative efforts among other Federal and State research agencies. (12) To recommend to the Director individuals to serve as Commissioners of the National Education Centers. (c) COMPOSITION. — (1) VOTING MEMBERS. —The Board shall have 15 voting members appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. (2) ADVICE.— The President shall solicit advice regarding individuals to serve on the Board from the National Academy of Sciences, the National Science Board, and the National Science Advisor. (3) NONVOTING EX OFFICIO MEMBERS.— The Board shall have the following nonvoting ex officio members: (A) The Director of the Institute of Education Sciences. (B) Each of the Commissioners of the National Education Centers. (C) The Director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (D) The Director of the Census.

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