---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 7920"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "7920"
heading: "Consultation with the Governor"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/7920"
units:
  - "Chapter 70 — Strengthening and Improvement of Elementary and Secondary Schools"
  - "Subchapter VIII — General Provisions"
  - "Part F — Uniform Provisions"
  - "Subpart 2 — other provisions"
---

# §7920. Consultation with the Governor

- (a) **In general—** A [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) shall consult in a timely and meaningful manner with the Governor, or appropriate officials from the Governor’s office, in the development of [State](/usc/20/7171.md?p=b-6) plans under subchapters I and II and [section 7842 of this title](/usc/20/7842.md).
- (b) **Timing—** The consultation described in [subsection (a)](#a) shall include meetings of officials from the [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) and the Governor’s office and shall occur—
  - (1) during the development of such plan; and
  - (2) prior to submission of the plan to the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46).
- (c) **Joint signature authority—** A Governor shall have 30 days prior to the [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) submitting the [State](/usc/20/7171.md?p=b-6) plan under subchapter I or II or [section 7842 of this title](/usc/20/7842.md) to the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) to sign such plan. If the Governor has not signed the plan within 30 days of delivery by the [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) to the Governor, the [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) shall submit the plan to the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) without such signature.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–10, title VIII, § 8540, as added Pub. L. 114–95, title VIII, § 8032, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2118.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective Dec. 10, 2015, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see section 5 of Pub. L. 114–95, set out as an Effective Date of 2015 Amendment note under section 6301 of this title.