§6512. Coordination of Federal, State, and local administration

(a) Program assistance manual

The Secretary shall, not later than six months after the publication of final regulations under this subchapter, prepare and distribute to State educational agencies, State agencies operating programs under parts C and D of this subchapter, and local educational agencies, and shall make available to parents and other interested individuals, organizations, and agencies, a manual for this subchapter to-

(1) assist such agencies in-

(A) enhancing the quality, increasing the depth, or broadening the scope of activities for programs under this subchapter;

(B) applying for program funds under this subchapter; and

(C) meeting the program objectives under this subchapter;

(2) assist State educational agencies in achieving proper and efficient administration of programs funded under this subchapter;

(3) assist parents to become involved in the planning for, and implementation and evaluation of, programs and projects under this subchapter; and

(4) ensure that officers and employees of the Department, including officers and employees of the Secretary and officers and employees of the Department charged with auditing programs carried on under this subchapter, uniformly interpret, apply, and enforce requirements under this subchapter throughout the United States.

(b) Contents of policy manual

The policy manual shall, with respect to programs carried out under this subchapter, contain descriptions, statements, procedural and substantive rules, opinions, policy statements and interpretations and indices to and amendments of the foregoing, and in particular, whether or not such descriptions, statements, procedural and substantive rules, opinions, policy statements and interpretations and indices are required under section 552 of title 5 to be published or made available. The manual shall include-

(1) a statement of the requirements applicable to the programs carried out under this subchapter, including such requirements contained in this subchapter, the General Education Provisions Act [20 U.S.C. 1221 et seq.], other applicable statutes, and regulations issued under the authority of such statutes;

(2) an explanation of the purpose of each requirement and its interrelationship with other applicable requirements; and

(3) model forms and instructions developed by the Secretary for use by State and local educational agencies, at the discretion of such agencies, including, application forms, application review checklists, and instruments for monitoring programs under this subchapter.

(c) Response to inquiries

The Secretary shall respond with written guidance not later than 90 days after any written request (return receipt requested) from a State or local educational agency regarding a policy, question, or interpretation under this subchapter is received. In the case of a request from a local educational agency, such agency is required to address its request to the State educational agency first.

(Pub. L. 89–10, title I, §1602, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title I, §101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3610 .)

References in Text

The General Education Provisions Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), is title IV of Pub. L. 90–247, Jan. 2, 1968, 81 Stat. 814 , as amended, which is classified generally to chapter 31 (§1221 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1221 of this title and Tables.