A bill to amend the Goals 2000: Educate America Act to eliminate the National Education Standards and Improvement Council and requirements concerning opportunity-to-learn standards, to limit the authority of the Secretary of Education to review and approve State plans, to permit certain local educational agencies to receive funding directly from the Secretary of Education, and for other purposes.

Summary: Amends the Goals 2000:  Educate America Act (Goals 2000) to eliminate the National Education Standards and Improvement Council (the Council). 
Eliminates the requirement that the National Education Goals Panel review and approve model or national content standards, national student performance standards, or national opportunity-to-learn standards.  Terminates funding for:  (1) the Council; (2) opportunity-to-learn development grants; and (3) assessment development and evaluation grants. 
Revises Goals 2000 provisions for State improvement plans to eliminate Federal requirements with respect to:  (1) the composition, duties, and procedures of the broad-based State panel which is to develop such plans in cooperation with the State educational agency and the Governor; (2) establishment of opportunity-to-learn standards and strategies; and (3) peer review and approval by the Secretary of Education of such plans and their amendments.  Revises provisions for the Secretary's review of State educational agency applications for Goals 2000 funds to eliminate certain conditions of approval. 
Revises provisions for Goals 2000 subgrants for local reform and professional development to eliminate certain requirements with respect to local panel appointments, composition, and procedures in developing local plans. 
Authorizes the Secretary to bypass any State that does not participate in the Goals 2000 program and use its allotment to award competitive grants to local educational agencies in such State with applications approved by the Secretary. 
Makes technical and conforming amendments to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, the General Education Provisions Act, and the Education Amendments of 1978.

SECTION 1. ELIMINATION OF THE NATIONAL EDUCATION STANDARDS AND 
              IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL AND OPPORTUNITY-TO-LEARN STANDARDS.

    The Goals 2000: Educate America Act (20 U.S.C. 5801 et seq.) is 
amended--
            (1) by repealing part B of title II (20 U.S.C. 5841 et 
        seq.);
            (2) by redesignating parts C and D of title II (20 U.S.C. 
        5861 et seq. and 5871 et seq.) as parts B and C, respectively, 
        of title II; and
            (3) in section 241 (20 U.S.C. 5871)--
                    (A) in subsection (a), by striking ``(a) National 
                Education Goals Panel.--''; and
                    (B) by striking subsections (b) through (d).

SEC. 2. STATE AND LOCAL EDUCATION SYSTEMIC IMPROVEMENT.

    (a) Panel Composition; Opportunity-To-Learn Standards; and 
Submission of Plan to the Secretary for Approval.--
            (1) State improvement plan.--Section 306 of the Goals 2000: 
        Educate America Act (20 U.S.C. 5886) is amended--
                    (A) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
    ``(b) Plan Development.--A State improvement plan under this title 
shall be developed by a broad-based State panel in cooperation with the 
State educational agency and the Governor.'';
                    (B) by striking subsection (d);
                    (C) by striking subsection (n);
                    (D) by amending subsection (p) to read as follows:
    ``(p) Amendments to Plan.--Each State educational agency shall 
periodically review its State improvement plan and revise such plan, as 
appropriate.''; and
                    (E) by striking subsection (q).
            (2) Secretary's review of applications.--Section 307 of 
        such Act (20 U.S.C. 5887) is amended--
                    (A) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
    ``(a) First Year.--The Secretary shall approve the State 
educational agency's first year application under section 305(b) if the 
Secretary determines that such application meets the requirements of 
this title.''; and
                    (B) in subsection (b), by striking ``(1)(A)'' and 
                all that follows through ``(B) the Secretary'' and 
                inserting ``(1) the Secretary''.
    (b) Local Panel Composition.--Section 309(a)(3)(A) of such Act (20 
U.S.C. 5889(a)(3)(A)) is amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking 
        ``that--'' and inserting a semicolon; and
            (2) by striking clauses (i) and (ii).
    (c) Local Bypass.--Section 304 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 5884) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(e) Local Bypass.--
            ``(1) Local grants authorized.--Notwithstanding any other 
        provision of law, if a State does not participate in the 
        program authorized under this title, the Secretary is 
        authorized to use the allotment such State would have received 
        under this section to award grants, through a competitive 
        process, to local educational agencies in such State that have 
        applications approved under paragraph (2).
            ``(2) Application required.--Each local educational agency 
        described in paragraph (1) desiring a grant under such 
        paragraph shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
        time, in such manner and accompanied by such information, as 
        the Secretary may require. Each such application shall contain 
        assurances that the local educational agency will develop a 
        local improvement plan that meets such requirements applicable 
        to a State educational agency under section 306, and will meet 
        such other requirements applicable to a State educational 
        agency under this title, as the Secretary determines are 
        appropriately applied to a local educational agency under this 
        subsection.''.

SEC. 3. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    (a) Goals 2000: Educate America Act.--
            (1) The table of contents for the Goals 2000: Educate 
        America Act is amended, in the items relating to title II--
                    (A) by striking the items relating to part B;
                    (B) by striking ``Part C'' and inserting ``Part 
                B''; and
                    (C) by striking ``Part D'' and inserting ``Part 
                C''.
            (2) Section 2 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 5801) is amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (4)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 
                        ``and'' after the semicolon;
                            (ii) by striking subparagraph (C); and
                            (iii) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as 
                        subparagraph (C); and
                    (B) in paragraph (6)--
                            (i) by striking subparagraph (C); and
                            (ii) by redesignating subparagraphs (D) 
                        through (F) as subparagraphs (C) through (E), 
                        respectively.
            (3) Section 3(a) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 5802) is amended--
                    (A) by striking paragraph (7); and
                    (B) by redesignating paragraphs (8) through (14) as 
                paragraphs (7) through (13), respectively.
            (4) Section 201(3) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 5821(3)) is 
        amended by striking ``, voluntary national student 
        performance'' and all that follows through ``such Council'' and 
        inserting ``and voluntary national student performance 
        standards''.
            (5) Section 202(j) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 5822(j)) is 
        amended by striking ``, student performance, or opportunity-to-
        learn'' and inserting ``or student performance''.
            (6) Section 203 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 5823) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a)--
                            (i) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3);
                            (ii) by redesignating paragraphs (4) 
                        through (6) as paragraphs (2) through (4), 
                        respectively; and
                            (iii) by amending paragraph (2) (as 
                        redesignated by clause (ii)) to read as 
                        follows:
            ``(2) review voluntary national content standards and 
        voluntary national student performance standards;''; and
                    (B) in subsection (b)(1)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A), by inserting 
                        ``and'' after the semicolon;
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``; 
                        and'' and inserting a period; and
                            (iii) by striking subparagraph (C).
            (7) Section 204(a)(2) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 5824(a)(2)) is 
        amended--
                    (A) by striking ``voluntary national opportunity-
                to-learn standards,''; and
                    (B) by striking ``described in section 213(f)''.
            (8) Section 304(a)(2) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 5884(a)(2)) is 
        amended--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by adding ``and'' after 
                the semicolon;
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``; and'' and 
                inserting a period; and
                    (C) by striking subparagraph (C).
            (9) Section 306(o) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 5886(o)) is 
        amended by striking ``State opportunity-to-learn standards or 
        strategies,''.
            (10) Section 308 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 5888) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (b)(2)--
                            (i) in the matter preceding clause (i) of 
                        subparagraph (A), by striking ``State 
                        opportunity-to-learn standards,''; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
                        ``including--'' and all that follows through 
                        ``part B of title II;'' and inserting 
                        ``including through consortia of States;''; and
                    (B) in subsection (c), by striking ``306(b)(1)'' 
                and inserting ``306(b)''.
            (11) Section 312(b) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 5892(b)) is 
        amended--
                    (A) by striking paragraph (1); and
                    (B) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as 
                paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively.
            (12) Section 314(a)(6)(A) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 
        5894(a)(6)(A)) is amended by striking ``certified by the 
        National Education Standards and Improvement Council and''.
            (13) Section 315 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 5895) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (b)--
                            (i) in paragraph (1)(C), by striking ``, 
                        including the requirements for timetables for 
                        opportunity-to-learn standards,'';
                            (ii) by striking paragraph (2);
                            (iii) by redesignating paragraphs (3) 
                        through (5) as paragraphs (2) through (4), 
                        respectively;
                            (iv) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking 
                        ``paragraph (4) of this subsection'' and 
                        inserting ``paragraph (3)'';
                            (v) in paragraph (2) (as redesignated by 
                        clause (iii))--
                                    (I) by striking subparagraph (A);
                                    (II) by redesignating subparagraphs 
                                (B) and (C) as subparagraphs (A) and 
                                (B), respectively; and
                                    (III) in subparagraph (A) (as 
                                redesignated by subclause (II)) by 
                                striking ``, voluntary natural student 
                                performance standards, and voluntary 
                                natural opportunity-to-learn standards 
                                developed under part B of title II of 
                                this Act'' and inserting ``and 
                                voluntary national student performance 
                                standards'';
                            (vi) in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3) 
                        (as redesignated by clause (iii)), by striking 
                        ``paragraph (5),'' and inserting ``paragraph 
                        (4),''; and
                            (vii) in paragraph (4) (as redesignated by 
                        clause (ii)), by striking ``paragraph (4)'' 
                        each place it appears and inserting ``paragraph 
                        (3)'';
                    (B) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) of 
                subsection (c)(2)--
                            (i) by striking ``subsection (b)(4)'' and 
                        inserting ``subsection (b)(3)''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``and to provide a 
                        framework for the implementation of 
                        opportunity-to-learn standards or strategies''; 
                        and
                    (C) in subsection (f), by striking ``subsection 
                (b)(4)'' each place it appears and inserting 
                ``subsection (b)(3)''.
            (14)(A) Section 316 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 5896) is 
        repealed.
            (B) The table of contents for such Act is amended by 
        striking the item relating to section 316.
            (15) Section 317 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 5897) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (d)(4), by striking ``promote the 
                standards and strategies described in section 
                306(d),''; and
                    (B) in subsection (e)--
                            (i) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``and'' 
                        after the semicolon;
                            (ii) by striking paragraph (3); and
                            (iii) by redesignating paragraph (4) as 
                        paragraph (3).
            (16) Section 503 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 5933) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (b)--
                            (i) in paragraph (1)--
                                    (I) in the matter preceding 
                                subparagraph (A), by striking ``28'' 
                                and inserting ``27'';
                                    (II) by striking subparagraph (D); 
                                and
                                    (III) by redesignating 
                                subparagraphs (E) through (G) as 
                                subparagraphs (D) through (F), 
                                respectively;
                            (ii) in paragraphs (2), (3), and (5), by 
                        striking ``subparagraphs (E), (F), and (G)'' 
                        each place it appears and inserting 
                        ``subparagraphs (D), (E), and (F)'';
                            (iii) in paragraph (2), by striking 
                        ``subparagraph (G)'' and inserting 
                        ``subparagraph (F)'';
                            (iv) in paragraph (4), by striking ``(C), 
                        and (D)'' and inserting ``and (C)''; and
                            (v) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
                        (A) of paragraph (5), by striking 
                        ``subparagraph (E), (F), or (G)'' and inserting 
                        ``subparagraph (D), (E), or (F)''; and
                    (B) in subsection (c)--
                            (i) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking 
                        ``subparagraph (E)'' and inserting 
                        ``subparagraph (D)''; and
                            (ii) in paragraph (2), by striking 
                        ``subparagraphs (E), (F), and (G)'' and 
                        inserting ``subparagraphs (D), (E), and (F)''.
            (17) Section 504 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 5934) is amended--
                    (A) by striking subsection (f); and
                    (B) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection 
                (f).
    (b) Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.--
            (1) Section 1111 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (b)(8)(B), by striking ``(which 
                may include opportunity-to-learn standards or 
                strategies developed under the Goals 2000: Educate 
                America Act)'';
                    (B) in subsection (f), by striking ``opportunity-
                to-learn standards or strategies,'';
                    (C) by striking subsection (g); and
                    (D) by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection 
                (g).
            (2) Section 1116 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 6317) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (c)--
                            (i) in paragraph (2)(A)(i), by striking all 
                        beginning with ``, which may'' through ``Act''; 
                        and
                            (ii) in paragraph (5)(B)(i)--
                                    (I) in subclause (VI), by inserting 
                                ``and'' after the semicolon;
                                    (II) in subclause (VII), by 
                                striking ``; and'' and inserting a 
                                period; and
                                    (III) by striking subclause (VIII); 
                                and
                    (B) in subsection (d)--
                            (i) in paragraph (4)(B), by striking all 
                        beginning with ``, and may'' through ``Act''; 
                        and
                            (ii) in paragraph (6)(B)(i)--
                                    (I) by striking subclause (IV); and
                                    (II) by redesignating subclauses 
                                (V) through (VIII) as subclauses (IV) 
                                through (VII), respectively.
            (3) Section 1501(a)(2)(B) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 
        6491(a)(2)(B)) is amended--
                    (A) by striking clause (v); and
                    (B) by redesignating clauses (vi) through (x) as 
                clauses (v) through (ix), respectively.
            (4) Section 10101(b)(1)(A)(i) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 
        8001(b)(1)(A)(i)) is amended by striking ``and opportunity-to-
        learn standards or strategies for student learning''.
            (5) Section 14701(b)(1)(B)(v) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 
        8941(b)(1)(B)(v)) is amended by striking ``the National 
        Education Goals Panel,'' and all that follows through 
        ``assessments)'' and inserting ``and the National Education 
        Goals Panel''.
    (c) General Education Provisions Act.--Section 428 of the General 
Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1228b), as amended by section 237 
of the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-382), is 
amended by striking ``the National Education Standards and Improvement 
Council,''.
    (d) Education Amendments of 1978.--Section 1121(b) of the Education 
Amendments of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 2001(b)), as amended by section 381 of 
the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-382), is 
amended by striking ``213(a)'' and inserting ``203(a)(2)''.