(a) Responsibilities of Secretary.--The Secretary shall-
(1) cooperate with, and (directly or by grant or contract) furnish technical assistance necessary to, a State in matters relating to--
(A) the education of children with disabilities; and (B) carrying out this part; and (2) provide short-term training programs and institutes.
(b) Prohibition Against Federal Mandates, Direction, or Control.--
Nothing in this title shall be construed to authorize an officer or employee of the Federal Government to mandate, direct, or control a State, local educational agency, or school's specific instructional content, academic achievement standards and assessments, curriculum, or program of instruction.
(c) Confidentiality.--The Secretary shall take appropriate action, in accordance with section 444 of the General Education Provisions Act, to ensure the protection of the confidentiality of any personally identifiable data, information, and records collected or maintained by the Secretary and by State educational agencies and local educational agencies pursuant to this part.
(d) Personnel.--The Secretary is authorized to hire qualified personnel necessary to carry out the Secretary's duties under subsection (a), under 20 USC 1418, and under subpart 4 of part D, without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, relating to appointments in the competitive service and without regard to chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and general schedule pay rates, except that no more than 20 such personnel shall be employed at any time.
(e) <
(1) a model IEP form; (2) a model individualized family service plan (IFSP) form; (3) a model form of the notice of procedural safeguards described in 20 USC 1415(d); and (4) a model form of the prior written notice described in subsections (b)(3) and (c)(1) of 20 USC 1415 that is consistent with the requirements of this part and is sufficient to meet such requirements.
(Amended by P.L. 108-446, Sec. 617.)