Title 20EducationRelease 119-73

§9578 Scientific or technical employees

Title 20 › Chapter CHAPTER 76— - EDUCATION RESEARCH, STATISTICS, EVALUATION, INFORMATION, AND DISSEMINATION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - EDUCATION SCIENCES REFORM › Part Part F— - General Provisions › § 9578

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Director can hire scientific or technical staff for up to 6-year terms and pay them outside the usual federal hiring and pay rules. Before hiring, the job must be announced to the public at least 30 days earlier and people must be allowed to apply. Pay for these hires cannot go above the maximum GS–15 rate as set in section 5376 of title 5, except that no more than 7 of them may be paid up to Executive Schedule Level III. The Director must have strong, clear evidence that the hire is needed to get expertise that the Institute could not get through regular competitive hiring. The total number of these hires cannot exceed 40 people or one-fifth of the Institute’s full-time, regular scientific or professional staff, whichever is greater. Those hired this way must work only on the Institute’s (or its offices, boards, committees, or centers’) activities and cannot be moved to other duties outside those units during their term.

Full Legal Text

Title 20, §9578

Education — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Director may appoint, for terms not to exceed 6 years (without regard to the provisions of title 5 governing appointment in the competitive service) and may compensate (without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates) such scientific or technical employees to carry out the functions of the Institute or the office, board, committee, or center, respectively, if—
(1)at least 30 days prior to the appointment of any such employee, public notice is given of the availability of such position and an opportunity is provided for qualified individuals to apply and compete for such position;
(2)the rate of basic pay for such employees does not exceed the maximum rate of basic pay payable for positions at GS–15, as determined in accordance with section 5376 of title 5, except that not more than 7 individuals appointed under this section may be paid at a rate that does not exceed the rate of basic pay for level III of the Executive Schedule;
(3)the appointment of such employee is necessary (as determined by the Director on the basis of clear and convincing evidence) to provide the Institute or the office, board, committee, or center with scientific or technical expertise which could not otherwise be obtained by the Institute or the office, board, committee, or center through the competitive service; and
(4)the total number of such employees does not exceed 40 individuals or ⅕ of the number of full-time, regular scientific or professional employees of the Institute, whichever is greater.
(b)All employees described in subsection (a) shall work on activities of the Institute or the office, board, committee, or center, and shall not be reassigned to other duties outside the Institute or the office, board, committee, or center during their term.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

GS–15, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), is contained in the General Schedule, which is set out under section 5332 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. Level III of the Executive Schedule, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), is set out in section 5314 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

References to Maximum Rate Under 5 U.S.C. 5376For reference to maximum rate under section 5376 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, see section 2(d)(3) of Pub. L. 110–372, set out as an

Effective Date

of 2008 Amendment note under section 5376 of Title 5.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

20 U.S.C. § 9578

Title 20Education

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73