**TITLE II---EDUCATIONAL TECHNICAL**

**ASSISTANCE**

**SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.**

This title may be cited as the ''Educational Technical Assistance Act of
2002''.

**SEC. 202. DEFINITIONS.**

In this title:

\(1\) IN GENERAL.---The terms ''local educational agency'' and ''State
educational agency'' have the meanings given those terms in section 9101
of the Elementary and Secondary Education

Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).

\(2\) SECRETARY.---The term ''Secretary'' means the Secretary of
Education.

**SEC. 203. COMPREHENSIVE CENTERS.**

\(a\) AUTHORIZATION.---

\(1\) IN GENERAL.---Subject to paragraph (2), beginning in fiscal year
2004, the Secretary is authorized to award not less than 20 grants to
local entities, or consortia of such entities, with demonstrated
expertise in providing technical assistance and professional development
in reading, mathematics, science, and technology, especially to
low-performing schools and districts, to establish comprehensive
centers.

\(2\) REGIONS.---In awarding grants under paragraph (1), the
Secretary---

\(A\) shall ensure that not less than 1 comprehensive center is
established in each of the 10 geographic regions served by the regional
educational laboratories established under section 941(h) of the
Educational Research, Development, Dissemination, and Improvement Act of
1994 (as H. R. 3801---37

such provision existed on the day before the date of enactment of this
Act); and

\(B\) after meeting the requirements of subparagraph (A), shall
consider, in awarding the remainder of the grants, the school-age
population, proportion of economically disadvantaged students, the
increased cost burdens of service delivery in areas of sparse
population, and the number of schools identified for school improvement
(as described in section 1116(b) of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6316(b)) in the population served by
the local entity or consortium of such entities.

\(b\) ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS.---

\(1\) IN GENERAL.---Grants under this section may be made with research
organizations, institutions, agencies, institutions of higher education,
or partnerships among such entities, or individuals, with the
demonstrated ability or capacity to carry out the activities described
in subsection (f), including regional

entities that carried out activities under the Educational Research,
Development, Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994 (as such Act
existed on the day before the date of enactment of this Act) and title
XIII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (as such
title existed on the day before the date of enactment of the No Child
Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107--110)).

\(2\) OUTREACH.---In conducting competitions for grants under this
section, the Secretary shall actively encourage potential applicants to
compete for such awards by making widely available information and
technical assistance relating to the competition.

\(3\) OBJECTIVES AND INDICATORS.---Before awarding a grant under this
section, the Secretary shall design specific objectives and measurable
indicators, using the results of the assessment conducted under section
206, to be used to assess the particular programs or initiatives, and
ongoing progress and performance,

of the regional entities, in order to ensure that the educational needs
of the region are being met and that the latest and best research and
proven practices are being carried out as part of school improvement
efforts.

\(c\) APPLICATION.---

\(1\) SUBMISSION.---Each local entity, or consortium of such entities,
seeking a grant under this section shall submit an application at such
time, in such manner, and containing such additional information as the
Secretary may reasonably require.

\(2\) PLAN.---Each application submitted under paragraph (1) shall
contain a 5-year plan for carrying out the activities described in this
section in a manner that addresses the priorities established under
section 207 and addresses the needs of all States (and to the extent
practicable, of local educational agencies) within the region to be
served by the comprehensive center, on an ongoing basis.

\(d\) ALLOCATION.---Each comprehensive center established under this
section shall allocate such center's resources to and within each State
in a manner which reflects the need for assistance, taking into account
such factors as the proportion of economically disadvantaged students,
the increased cost burden of service

delivery in areas of sparse populations, and any special initiatives
being undertaken by State, intermediate, local educational agencies, H.
R. 3801---38 or Bureau-funded schools, as appropriate, which may require
special assistance from the center.

\(e\) SCOPE OF WORK.---Each comprehensive center established under this
section shall work with State educational agencies, local educational
agencies, regional educational agencies, and schools in the region where
such center is located on school improvement activities that take into
account factors such as the proportion of economically disadvantaged
students in the region, and give priority to---

\(1\) schools in the region with high percentages or numbers of students
from low-income families, as determined under section 1113(a)(5) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6313(a)(5)),
including such schools in rural and urban areas, and schools receiving
assistance under

title I of that Act (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.);

\(2\) local educational agencies in the region in which high percentages
or numbers of school-age children are from low income families, as
determined under section 1124(c)(1)(A) of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6333(c)(1)(A)), including such local
educational agencies in rural

and urban areas; and

\(3\) schools in the region that have been identified for school
improvement under section 1116(b) of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6316(b)).

\(f\) ACTIVITIES.---

\(1\) IN GENERAL.---A comprehensive center established under this
section shall support dissemination and technical assistance activities
by---

\(A\) providing training, professional development, and technical
assistance regarding, at a minimum---

\(i\) the administration and implementation of programs under the
Elementary and Secondary Education

Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.);

\(ii\) the use of scientifically valid teaching methods and assessment
tools for use by teachers and administrators in, at a minimum---

\(I\) the core academic subjects of mathematics, science, and reading or
language arts;

\(II\) English language acquisition; and

\(III\) education technology; and

\(iii\) the facilitation of communication between education experts,
school officials, teachers, parents, and

librarians, as appropriate; and

\(B\) disseminating and providing information, reports, and publications
that are usable for improving academic achievement, closing achievement
gaps, and encouraging and sustaining school improvement (as described in
section 1116(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 6316(b))), to schools, educators, parents, and policymakers
within the region in which the center is located; and

\(C\) developing teacher and school leader inservice and preservice
training models that illustrate best practices in the use of technology
in different content areas.

\(2\) COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION.---Each comprehensive center
established under this section shall coordinate its activities,
collaborate, and regularly exchange information with H. R. 3801---39 the
regional educational laboratory in the region in which the center is
located, the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional
Assistance, the Office of the Secretary, the State service agency, and
other technical assistance providers in the region.

\(g\) COMPREHENSIVE CENTER ADVISORY BOARD.---

\(1\) ESTABLISHMENT.---Each comprehensive center established under this
section shall have an advisory board that shall support the priorities
of such center.

\(2\) DUTIES.---Each advisory board established under paragraph

\(1\) shall advise the comprehensive center---

\(A\) concerning the activities described in subsection (d);

\(B\) on strategies for monitoring and addressing the educational needs
of the region, on an ongoing basis;

\(C\) on maintaining a high standard of quality in the performance of
the center's activities; and

\(D\) on carrying out the center's duties in a manner that promotes
progress toward improving student academic achievement.

\(3\) COMPOSITION.---

\(A\) IN GENERAL.---Each advisory board shall be composed

of---

\(i\) the chief State school officers, or such officers' designees or
other State officials, in each State served

by the comprehensive center who have primary responsibility under State
law for elementary and secondary education in the State; and

\(ii\) not more than 15 other members who are representative of the
educational interests in the region

served by the comprehensive center and are selected jointly by the
officials specified in clause (i) and the

chief executive officer of each State served by the comprehensive
center, including the following:

\(I\) Representatives of local educational agencies and regional
educational agencies, including

representatives of local educational agencies serving urban and rural
areas.

\(II\) Representatives of institutions of higher education.

\(III\) Parents.

\(IV\) Practicing educators, including classroom teachers, principals,
and administrators.

\(V\) Representatives of business.

\(VI\) Policymakers, expert practitioners, and researchers with
knowledge of, and experience

using, the results of research, evaluation, and statistics.

\(B\) SPECIAL RULE.---In the case of a State in which the chief
executive officer has the primary responsibility

under State law for elementary and secondary education in the State, the
chief executive officer shall consult, to the extent permitted by State
law, with the State educational agency in selecting additional members
of the board under subparagraph (A)(i).

\(h\) REPORT TO SECRETARY.---Each comprehensive center established under
this section shall submit to the Secretary an annual H. R. 3801---40
report, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information

as the Secretary may require, which shall include the following:

\(1\) A summary of the comprehensive center's activities during the
preceding year.

\(2\) A listing of the States, local educational agencies, and schools
the comprehensive center assisted during the preceding year.

**SEC. 204. EVALUATIONS.**

The Secretary shall provide for ongoing independent evaluations by the
National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance of the
comprehensive centers receiving assistance under this title, the results
of which shall be transmitted to the appropriate congressional
committees and the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences. Such
evaluations shall include an analysis of the services provided under
this title, the extent to which each of the comprehensive centers meets
the objectives of its respective

plan, and whether such services meet the educational needs of State
educational agencies, local educational agencies, and schools in the
region.

**SEC. 205. EXISTING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS.**

The Secretary shall continue awards for the support of the Eisenhower
Regional Mathematics and Science Education Consortia established under
part M of the Educational Research, Development,

Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994 (as such part existed on the
day before the date of enactment of this Act), the Regional Technology
in Education Consortia under section 3141 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (as such section existed on the day
before the date of enactment of the

No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107--110)), and the
Comprehensive Regional Assistance Centers established under part K of
the Educational Research, Development, Dissemination,

and Improvement Act of 1994 (as such part existed on the day before the
date of enactment of this Act), in accordance with the terms of such
awards, until the comprehensive centers authorized under section 203 are
established.

**SEC. 206. REGIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES.**

\(a\) ESTABLISHMENT.---Beginning in 2004, the Secretary shall establish
a regional advisory committee for each region described in section
174(b) of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002.

\(b\) MEMBERSHIP.---

\(1\) COMPOSITION.---The membership of each regional advisory committee
shall---

\(A\) not exceed 25 members;

\(B\) contain a balanced representation of States in the region; and

\(C\) include not more than one representative of each State educational
agency geographically located in the

region.

\(2\) ELIGIBILITY.---The membership of each regional advisory committee
may include the following:

\(A\) Representatives of local educational agencies,

including rural and urban local educational agencies. H. R. 3801---41

\(B\) 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 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 shall consult with, and
solicit recommendations from, the chief executive officers of States,
chief State 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), (C), and (D) of paragraph (2),
collectively, shall exceed the total number of members who are selected
under paragraph (1)(C) and subparagraphs (B), (E), and (F) of paragraph
(2), collectively.

\(B\) DISSOLUTION.---Each regional advisory committee shall be dissolved
by the Secretary after submission of such committee's report described
in subsection (c)(2) to the Secretary, but each such committee may be
reconvened at the discretion of the Secretary.

\(c\) DUTIES.---Each regional advisory committee shall advise the
Secretary on the following:

\(1\) An educational needs assessment of its region (using the results
of the assessment conducted under subsection (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).

\(d\) 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), seek input from
chief executive officers of States, chief State 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, parents, local educational agencies,
librarians,

businesses, State educational agencies, and other customers (such as
adult education programs) within the region) regarding the need for the
activities described in section 174 of the Education Sciences Reform Act
of 2002 and section 203 of this title and how those needs would be most
effectively addressed; and

\(3\) submit the assessment to the Secretary and to the Director of the
Academy of Education Sciences, at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Secretary may require. H. R.
3801---42

**SEC. 207. PRIORITIES.**

The Secretary shall establish priorities for the regional educational
laboratories (established under section 174 of the Education Sciences
Reform Act of 2002) and comprehensive centers (established

under section 203 of this title) to address, taking onto account the
regional assessments conducted under section 206 and other relevant
regional surveys of educational needs, to the extent the Secretary deems
appropriate.