---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 9544"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "9544"
heading: "Performance of duties"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/9544"
units:
  - "Chapter 76 — Education Research, Statistics, Evaluation, Information, and Dissemination"
  - "Subchapter I — Education Sciences Reform"
  - "Part C — National Center for Education Statistics"
---

# §9544. Performance of duties

- (a) **Grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements—** In carrying out the duties under this part, the Statistics Commissioner,[^1] may award grants, enter into contracts and cooperative agreements, and provide [technical assistance](/usc/20/9501.md?p=23).
- (b) **Gathering information—**
  - (1) **Sampling—** The Statistics Commissioner may use the statistical method known as sampling (including random sampling) to carry out this part.
  - (2) **Source of information—** The Statistics Commissioner may, as appropriate, use information collected—
    - (A) from [States](/usc/20/9548.md), [local educational agencies](/usc/20/1003.md?p=11), public and private [schools](/usc/20/5802.md?p=a-11), preschools, institutions of higher education, vocational and adult education programs, libraries, administrators, teachers, students, the general public, and other individuals, organizations, agencies, and institutions (including information collected by [States](/usc/20/9548.md) and [local educational agencies](/usc/20/1003.md?p=11) for their own use); and
    - (B) by other offices within the [Institute](/usc/20/9101.md?p=6) and by other Federal [departments](/usc/20/9501.md?p=7), agencies, and instrumentalities.
  - (3) **Collection—** The Statistics Commissioner may—
    - (A) enter into interagency agreements for the collection of statistics;
    - (B) arrange with any agency, organization, or institution for the collection of statistics; and
    - (C) assign employees of the Statistics Center to any such agency, organization, or institution to assist in such collection.
  - (4) **Technical assistance and coordination—** In order to maximize the effectiveness of [Department](/usc/20/9501.md?p=7) efforts to serve the educational needs of children and youth, the Statistics Commissioner shall—
    - (A) provide [technical assistance](/usc/20/9501.md?p=23) to the [Department](/usc/20/9501.md?p=7) offices that gather data for statistical purposes; and
    - (B) coordinate with other [Department](/usc/20/9501.md?p=7) offices in the collection of data.
- (c) **Duration—** Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements under this section may be awarded, on a competitive basis, for a period of not more than 5 years, and may be renewed at the discretion of the Statistics Commissioner for an additional period of not more than 5 years.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. The comma probably should not appear.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–279, title I, § 154, Nov. 5, 2002, 116 Stat. 1960.)