President's Commission on Educational Resource Equity

Executive Order 13190 of Janaury 15, 2001

President's Commission on Educational Resource
Equity

By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, including the Federal Advisory Committee Act,
as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), it is hereby ordered as
follows:

Section 1. Policy. A quality education is essential to
the success of every child in the 21st century and to
the continued strength and prosperity of our Nation.
Our Nation has embraced the goal of promoting high
educational standards for all children and increasing
accountability in education. Although we know it is
crucial that all children have access to the
educational resources and opportunity necessary to
achieve high standards, long-standing gaps in access to
educational resources exist, including disparities
based on race and ethnicity. These gaps limit the
ability of individuals, as well as our Nation, to reach
their full potential. Therefore, it is the policy of
this Administration that our Nation undertake
appropriate steps to understand fully the current
status of resource equity in education and to identify
and implement strategies at the local, State, and
national levels that will ensure that all students have
a full and equal opportunity to succeed.

Sec. 2. Establishment. To carry out this policy, there
is established the “President's Commission on
Educational Resource Equity” (Commission). The
Commission shall be composed of not more than 13
members appointed by the President from the public and
private sectors. The members may include current and
former Federal, State, and local government officials,
corporate and foundation leaders, recognized education
and civil rights experts, educational practitioners,
and others with experience and expertise in educational
resource equity. The President shall designate from
among the Commission members such official or officials
to be chairperson or chairpersons, as he shall deem
appropriate.

Sec. 3. Duties and Commission Report. (a) The
Commission shall collect and review information about
the current status of gaps in the availability of
educational resources, including the underlying causes
and effects of such resource gaps. The Commission
shall, as appropriate, invite experts and communities
to provide information and guidance in furtherance of
their duties.

    (b) Not later than August 31, 2001, the Commission
shall prepare and submit a report for the President and
the Congress on the issue of resource equity in
education. The report shall include, but not be limited
to:

(i) An analysis of the status of resource equity in education with regard
to such factors as finances, staff, facilities, instructional programs, and
support services, taking into account, as appropriate, differences in costs
and needs for different students and communities;

(ii) An analysis of how resource gaps in education affect the success of
individuals and our Nation;

(iii) An examination of the effectiveness of targeted Federal resources
toward disadvantaged students and low-income schools as compared with the
provision of State and local resources toward disadvantaged students and
low-income schools;

(iv) A summary of best practices with regard to overcoming gaps in the
availability of educational resources; and

(v) Short- and long-term recommendations for educational policy makers,
including local, State, and Federal officials, to achieve resource equity
in education.

Sec. 4. Administration, Compensation, and Termination.
(a) The Department of Education shall, to the extent
permitted by law, provide administrative support and
funding for the Commission.

    (b) Members of the Commission shall serve without
compensation, but while engaged in the work of the
Commission, members appointed from among private
citizens of the United States shall be allowed travel
expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as
authorized by law for persons serving intermittently in
the Government service (5 U.S.C. 5701-5707) to the
extent funds are available for such purposes.
    (c) The functions of the President under the
Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, except that
of reporting to the Congress, that are applicable to
the Commission, shall be performed by the Department of
Education in accordance with the guidelines that have
been issued by the Administrator of General Services.
    (d) The chairperson (or chairpersons) may from time
to time prescribe such rules, procedures, and policies
relating to the activities of the Commission as are not
inconsistent with law or with the provisions of this
order.
    (e) The Commission shall terminate 30 days after
submitting its final report, unless extended by the
President.

    (Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    January 15, 2001.