§ 3412 — Principal Officers

(1) There shall be in the Department a Deputy Secretary of Education who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. During the absence or disability of the Secretary, or in the event of a vacancy in the office of the Secretary, the Deputy Secretary shall act as Secretary. The Secretary shall designate the order in which other officials of the Department shall act for and perform the functions of the Secretary during the absence or disability of both the Secretary and Deputy Secretary or in the event of vacancies in both of those offices. (A) The Deputy Secretary shall have responsibility for the conduct of intergovernmental relations of the Department, including assuring (i) that the Department carries out its functions in a manner which supplements and complements the education policies, programs, and procedures of the States and the local school systems and other instrumentalities of the States, and (ii) that appropriate officials of the Department consult with individuals responsible for making policy relating to education in the States and the local school systems and other instrumentalities of the States concerning differences over education policies, programs, and procedures and concerning the impact of the rules and regulations of the Department on the States and the local school systems and other instrumentalities of the States. (B) Local education authorities may inform the Deputy Secretary of any rules or regulations of the Department which are in conflict with another rule or regulation issued by any other Federal department or agency or with any other office of the Department. If the Deputy Secretary determines, after consultation with the appropriate Federal department or agency, that such a conflict does exist, the Deputy Secretary shall report such conflict or conflicts to the appropriate Federal department or agency together with recommendations for the correction of the conflict. (1) There shall be in the Department— (A) an Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education; (B) an Assistant Secretary for Postsecond­ary Education; (C) an Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education; (D) an Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; (E) an Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights; and (F) a General Counsel. (2) Each of the Assistant Secretaries and the General Counsel shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. (3) There shall be in the Department, a Special Assistant for Gender Equity who shall be appointed by the Secretary. The Special Assistant shall promote, coordinate, and evaluate gender equity programs, including the dissemination of information, technical assistance, and coordination of research activities. The Special Assistant shall advise the Secretary and Deputy Secretary on all matters relating to gender equity. (4) There shall be in the Department a Director of the Institute of Education Sciences who shall be appointed in accordance with section 114(a) of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 [20 U.S.C. 9514(a)] and perform the duties described in that Act [20 U.S.C. 9501 et seq.]. (c) There shall be in the Department an Inspector General appointed in accordance with chapter 4 of title 5. (d) There may be in the Department an Under Secretary of Education who shall perform such functions as the Secretary may prescribe. The Under Secretary shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. (e) There shall be in the Department four additional officers who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Notwithstanding the previous sentence, the appointments of individuals to serve as the Assistant Secretary for Management shall not be subject to the advice and consent of the Senate. The officers appointed under this subsection shall perform such functions as the Secretary shall prescribe, including— (1) congressional relations functions; (2) public information functions, including the provision, through the use of the latest technologies, of useful information about education and related opportunities to students, parents, and communities; (3) functions related to monitoring parental and public participation in programs where such participation is required by law, and encouraging the involvement of parents, students, and the public in the development and implementation of departmental programs; (4) management and budget functions; (5) planning, evaluation, and policy development functions, including development of policies to promote the efficient and coordinated administration of the Department and its programs and to encourage improvements in education; and (6) functions related to encouraging and promoting the study of foreign languages and the study of cultures of other countries at the elementary, secondary, and postsecondary levels. (f) Whenever the President submits the name of an individual to the Senate for confirmation as an officer of the Department under this section, the President shall state the particular functions of the Department such individual will exercise upon taking office. (g) Each officer of the Department established under this section shall report directly to the Secretary and shall, in addition to any functions vested in or required to be delegated to such officer, perform such additional functions as the Secretary may prescribe. (h) The Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education, in addition to performing such functions as the Secretary may prescribe, shall have responsibility for coordination of all literacy related programs and policy initiatives in the Department. The Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education shall assist in coordinating the related activities and programs of other Federal departments and agencies. (1) There shall be in the Department a Liaison for Community and Junior Colleges, who shall be an officer of the Department appointed by the Secretary. (2) The Secretary shall appoint, not later than 6 months after July 23, 1992, as the Liaison for Community and Junior Colleges a person who— (A) has attained an associate degree from a community or junior college; or (B) has been employed in a community or junior college setting for not less than 5 years. (3) The Liaison for Community and Junior Colleges shall— (A) serve as principal advisor to the Secretary on matters affecting community and junior colleges; (B) provide guidance to programs within the Department dealing with functions affecting community and junior colleges; and (C) work with the Federal Interagency Committee on Education to improve coordination of— (i) the outreach programs in the numerous Federal departments and agencies that administer education and job training programs; (ii) collaborative business education partnerships; and (iii) education programs located in, and regarding, rural areas.