---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 9605"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "9605"
heading: "Regional advisory committees"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/9605"
units:
  - "Chapter 76 — Education Research, Statistics, Evaluation, Information, and Dissemination"
  - "Subchapter II — Educational Technical Assistance"
---

# §9605. Regional advisory committees

- (a) **Establishment—** Beginning in 2004, the [Secretary](/usc/20/9501.md?p=21) shall establish a regional advisory committee for each region described in [section 9564(b) of this title](/usc/20/9564.md?p=b).
- (b) **Membership—**
  - (1) **Composition—** The membership of each regional advisory committee shall—
    - (A) not exceed 25 members;
    - (B) contain a balanced representation of [States](/usc/20/9501.md?p=22) in the region; and
    - (C) include not more than one representative of each [State educational agency](/usc/20/9501.md?p=1-A) geographically located in the region.
  - (2) **Eligibility—** The membership of each regional advisory committee may include the following:
    - (A) Representatives of [local educational agencies](/usc/20/9501.md?p=1-A), including rural and urban [local educational agencies](/usc/20/9501.md?p=1-A).
    - (B) Representatives of institutions of higher education, including individuals representing university-based education research and university-based research on subjects other than education.
    - (C) Parents.
    - (D) Practicing educators, including classroom teachers, principals, administrators, school [board](/usc/20/9501.md?p=4) members, and other local school officials.
    - (E) Representatives of business.
    - (F) Researchers.
  - (3) **Recommendations—** In choosing individuals for membership on a regional advisory committee, the [Secretary](/usc/20/9501.md?p=21) shall consult with, and solicit recommendations from, the chief executive officers of [States](/usc/20/9501.md?p=22), chief [State](/usc/20/9501.md?p=22) school officers, and education stakeholders within the applicable region.
  - (4) **Special rule—**
    - (A) **Total number—** The total number of members on each committee who are selected under subparagraphs [(A)](#b-2-A), [(C)](#b-2-C), and [(D)](#b-2-D) of paragraph (2), collectively, shall exceed the total number of members who are selected under [paragraph (1)(C)](#b-1-C) and subparagraphs [(B)](#b-2-B), [(E)](#b-2-E), and [(F)](#b-2-F) of paragraph (2), collectively.
    - (B) **Dissolution—** Each regional advisory committee shall be dissolved by the [Secretary](/usc/20/9501.md?p=21) after submission of such committee’s report described in [subsection (c)(2)](#c-2) to the [Secretary](/usc/20/9501.md?p=21), but each such committee may be reconvened at the discretion of the [Secretary](/usc/20/9501.md?p=21).
- (c) **Duties—** Each regional advisory committee shall advise the [Secretary](/usc/20/9501.md?p=21) on the following:
  - (1) An educational needs assessment of its region (using the results of the assessment conducted under [subsection (d)](#d)), in order to assist in making decisions regarding the regional educational priorities.
  - (2) Not later than 6 months after the committee is first convened, a report based on the assessment conducted under [subsection (d)](#d).
- (d) **Regional assessments—** Each regional advisory committee shall—
  - (1) assess the educational needs within the region to be served;
  - (2) in conducting the assessment under [paragraph (1)](#d-1), seek input from chief executive officers of [States](/usc/20/9501.md?p=22), chief [State](/usc/20/9501.md?p=22) school officers, educators, and parents (including through a process of open hearings to solicit the views and needs of schools (including public charter schools), teachers, administrators, members of the regional educational laboratory governing [board](/usc/20/9501.md?p=4), parents, [local educational agencies](/usc/20/9501.md?p=1-A), librarians, businesses, [State educational agencies](/usc/20/9501.md?p=1-A), and other customers (such as adult education programs) within the region) regarding the need for the activities described in [section 9564 of this title](/usc/20/9564.md) and [section 9602 of this title](/usc/20/9602.md) and how those needs would be most effectively addressed; and
  - (3) submit the assessment to the [Secretary](/usc/20/9501.md?p=21) and to the [Director](/usc/20/9501.md?p=9) of the [Institute](/usc/20/9501.md?p=14) of Education Sciences, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the [Secretary](/usc/20/9501.md?p=21) may require.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–279, title II, § 206, Nov. 5, 2002, 116 Stat. 1979; Pub. L. 108–446, title II, § 203, Dec. 3, 2004, 118 Stat. 2803.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2004—Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 108–446 substituted “Institute” for “Academy”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Termination of Advisory Committees

Advisory committees established after Jan. 5, 1973, to terminate not later than the expiration of the 2-year period beginning on the date of their establishment, unless, in the case of a committee established by the President or an officer of the Federal Government, such committee is renewed by appropriate action prior to the expiration of such 2-year period, or in the case of a committee established by the Congress, its duration is otherwise provided for by law. See section 1013 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.