Technology for Excellence in Education Act

Summary: TABLE OF CONTENTS: 
     Title I:  National Leadership for Educational Technology 
     Title II:  State Planning Grants 
     Title III:  Local Challenge Grants 
     Title IV:  Miscellaneous Programs 
Technology for Excellence in Education Act - 
Title I:  National Leadership for Educational Technology
 - Directs the Secretary of Education to appoint a Director of Educational Technology within the Department of Education, with specified duties. 
Title II:  State Planning Grants
 - Authorizes the Secretary to make one-time competitive grants to State educational agencies (SEAs), according to a specified allotment formula, for:  (1) a comprehensive, long-term State educational technology plan; and (2) competitive subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to implement such plan strategies. 
Authorizes appropriations. 
Title III:  Local Challenge Grants
 - Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to SEAs for use by LEAs of three-year competitive demonstration grants to implement State technology plans.  Gives priority to demonstration programs that:  (1) provide access to quality educational technology to disadvantaged urban and rural areas; and (2) may be replicated in other areas nationwide. 
Reserves certain funds for the Director to disseminate effective models of the use of high-quality educational technology on a national basis. 
Sets certain matching funds requirements. 
Authorizes appropriations. 
Title IV:  Miscellaneous Programs
 - Makes acquisition and use of, and training for, educational technology authorized activities for existing Federal education programs, through various amendments to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, Indian Education Act of 1988, Head Start Act, Head Start Transition Project Act, Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Act, and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Technology for Excellence in 
Education Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    (a) In General.--The terms used in this Act, unless otherwise 
specified, shall have the same meaning given to such terms by section 
1471 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
    (b) Additional Definitions.--For the purposes of this Act--
            (1) the term ``Director'' means the Director of Educational 
        Technology as established in title I of this Act; and
            (2) the term ``educational technology'' includes closed 
        circuit television systems, public telecommunications entities, 
        cable television, satellite, copper and fiber optic 
        transmission, computer hardware and software, video and audio 
        laser, and CD ROM disc, video and audio tapes, and other 
        technologies related to educational services.

        TITLE I--NATIONAL LEADERSHIP FOR EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

SEC. 101. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this title are--
            (1) to establish a national agenda for the use of 
        technology in education to assist all students in attaining 
        world-class academic standards as a means to increasing 
        academic achievement and learning and reaching the National 
        Education Goals;
            (2) to assure that all children in the United States start 
        school ready to learn;
            (3) to increase the high school graduation rate to at least 
        90 percent;
            (4) to provide all students the opportunity to demonstrate 
        competency in challenging subject matter in core areas and 
        ensure that all students learn to use their minds well;
            (5) to increase the mathematics and science achievement of 
        all students;
            (6) to provide the opportunity for all adult Americans to 
        achieve literacy;
            (7) to ensure that every school in the United States is 
        free of drugs and violence and will offer a disciplined 
        environment conducive to learning;
            (8) to coordinate Federal programs--whose support already 
        accounts for 50 percent of all funds used by schools to 
        purchase software, integrated learning systems, and hardware--
        that provide for the development, purchase, or use of 
        technology in education, including programs administered by the 
        Department of Education and those administered by other Federal 
        Departments;
            (9) to develop national standards and guidelines for State 
        and local educational agencies to guide future projects and 
        coordinate existing projects to ensure the compatibility of 
        education-related computer and telecommunications networks on a 
        national level; and
            (10) to permit funds distributed to the States and 
        localities under existing Federal programs to be used for 
        education-related technology purposes.

SEC. 102. DIRECTOR OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY.

    The Secretary shall appoint a Director of Educational Technology 
within the Department of Education. The Director shall be compensated 
at an annual rate of not less than a level GS-15 employee under section 
5332 of title 5, United States Code.

SEC. 103. DUTIES OF DIRECTOR.

    (a) Duties.--The duties of the Director of Educational Technology 
are--
            (1) to provide national leadership regarding the use of 
        technology in education at all levels in achieving the National 
        Education Goals, including--
                    (A) submission of an annual report to Congress 
                regarding education-related technology use and 
                recommendations for the continuation of current and the 
                development of future uses of technology to achieve the 
                National Education Goals;
                    (B) promotion of the use of technology to achieve 
                the National Education Goals in programs that receive 
                Federal assistance, particularly programs under 
                chapters 1 and 2 of title I and title II of the 
                Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965;
                    (C) the development of support programs designed to 
                increase the access of all children, particularly 
                disadvantaged children from rural and urban poverty 
                areas, to high-level learning through the use of 
                quality technologies; and
                    (D) the support of research, development, 
                evaluation, and dissemination of educational 
                technologies;
            (2) to provide a mechanism for coordinating existing 
        Federal programs across agencies to encourage joint funding, 
        planning, and implementation of projects;
            (3) to provide a mechanism for the development of standards 
        and guidelines for State and local educational agencies in 
        conjunction with industry to ensure the compatibility of 
        educational computer and telecommunications networks on a 
        national level; and
            (4) to provide support and training programs to educators 
        in the use of technology to help obtain the National Education 
        Goals.

                    TITLE II--STATE PLANNING GRANTS

SEC. 201. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this title are--
            (1) to ensure that State educational agencies have a clear, 
        long-term strategic plan for incorporating the use of 
        technology in education; and
            (2) to allow States which have developed a State technology 
        plan to allocate planning funds to local educational agencies 
        to implement strategies developed in such plan.

SEC. 202. STATE PLANNING GRANTS.

    The Secretary of Education is authorized to provide a one-time 
competitive grant to State educational agencies 50 percent of which 
shall be allocated in accordance with the relative amount the State 
received under chapter 1 of title 1 of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 for the preceding fiscal year and 50 percent of 
which shall be allocated in accordance with the relative amount the 
State received under part A of chapter 2 of title I of the Elementary 
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 for the preceding fiscal year.

SEC. 203. AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.

    (a) State Plans.--A State educational agency which receives a grant 
under this title shall not later than 1 year after receipt of funds 
under this title undertake public hearings and complete a comprehensive 
State plan which includes--
            (1) overall strategic goals for the use of technology in 
        education at all levels within the State;
            (2) a 5-year standards and assessment process to measure 
        progress toward the goals in paragraph (1);
            (3) a follow-up 10-year standards and assessment process to 
        measure progress toward the goals in paragraph (1);
            (4) guidelines for local educational agencies for the 
        incorporation of educational technology into institutions of 
        education at all levels;
            (5) a plan for the dissemination and sharing of information 
        to local educational agencies about innovative and cost-
        effective uses of educational technology;
            (6) a plan for training educational personnel in the use of 
        technology in the classroom;
            (7) a coordination plan providing mechanisms for the use of 
        educational technology to assist existing and future education 
        reform efforts at both the State and local levels; and
            (8) a plan to leverage public and private support for the 
        funding and provision of educational technology in a cost-
        effective manner to institutions of education at all levels.
    (b) Demonstration Subgrants.--States that have completed the State 
technology plan under subsection (a) may allocate funds received under 
this section as competitive subgrants to local educational agencies to 
implement strategies in such plan following the procedures in title III 
of this Act.

SEC. 204. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for fiscal year 
1994 and such sums for fiscal years 1995-1999 to carry out the purposes 
of this title.

                   TITLE III--LOCAL CHALLENGE GRANTS

SEC. 301. PURPOSE.

    The purposes of this title are--
            (1) to challenge local communities to incorporate quality, 
        innovative educational technology in their education systems at 
        all levels; and
            (2) to provide practical models of educational technology 
        as provided for in the goals and guidelines under the State 
        plans required in title II of this Act.

SEC. 302. GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES.

    (a) In General.--(1) The Secretary is authorized to provide grants 
to State educational agencies for the use by local educational agencies 
of 3-year competitive demonstration grants to implement State 
technology plans.
    (2) Such grants may be awarded only to States which have completed 
the State technology plan required by title II of this Act. The 
Secretary may waive this requirement if a State has a plan in place 
which meets the criteria established in title II of this Act.
    (3) The State shall give priority consideration to demonstration 
programs that provide access to quality educational technology to 
disadvantaged urban and rural areas.
    (4) The State shall give priority consideration to demonstration 
programs that may be replicated in other areas throughout the Nation.
    (b) Dissemination of Model Programs.--The Secretary shall reserve 
not more than 5 percent of the funds authorized under this title to 
allow the Director of Educational Technology to disseminate effective 
models of the use of high-quality educational technology on a national 
basis.
    (c) Matching Requirement.--(1) The Federal share under this title 
may not exceed--
            (A) 100 percent of the total cost of a program for the 
        first year for which a State receives funds under this title;
            (B) 85 percent of the total cost of a program for the 
        second year for which a State receives funds under this title;
            (C) 60 percent of the total cost of a program for the third 
        year for which a State receives funds under this title;
            (D) 45 percent of the total cost of a program for the 
        fourth year for which a State receives funds under this title; 
        and
            (E) 33 percent of the total cost of a program for the fifth 
        and any succeeding year for which a State receives funds under 
        this title.
    (2) The remaining cost may be provided in cash or in kind, fairly 
evaluated, and may be obtained from any source other than funds made 
available for programs under this title.

SEC. 303. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 for fiscal year 
1994 and such sums as may be necessary to carry out the projects under 
this title for each of the fiscal years 1995 through 1999.

                    TITLE IV--MISCELLANEOUS PROGRAMS

SEC. 401. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this title is to make the acquisition, use, and 
training of educational technology a permissible activity for existing 
Federal education programs.

SEC. 402. ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION.

    The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 is amended--
            (1) in section 1011(a)(2)--
                    (A) by inserting ``, including computers, distance 
                learning equipment, software, and other applications of 
                educational technology related to the instructional 
                program'' after ``instructional materials''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``, including training in the use 
                of educational technologies related to the 
                instructional program'' before ``and, as appropriate''.
            (2) in section 1054(b), by inserting ``, including the use 
        of educational technology'' after ``instructional programs'';
            (3) in section 1202(a)(1), by inserting ``which includes 
        educational technology,'' after ``equipment'';
            (4) in section 1242(a), by inserting ``which includes 
        educational technology,'' after ``equipment'';
            (5) in section 1531(b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (2), by striking ``computer 
                software and hardware for instructional use'' and 
                inserting ``educational technology related to the 
                improvement of instruction and learning,''
                    (B) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``, including 
                training in the use of educational technology'' after 
                ``training'';
            (6) in section 2006(b) by striking subparagraph (C) and 
        inserting the following:
            ``(C) the purchase of, and training in the use of, 
        educational technology related to the instruction of 
        mathematics and science;''; and
            (7) in section 2015(e)--
                    (A) in the heading, by striking ``Computers''; and
                    (B) in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), by striking 
                ``computers'' each place it appears and inserting 
                ``educational technology''.

SEC. 403. INDIAN EDUCATION.

    The Indian Education Act of 1988 is amended in section 
5321(c)(1)(A)(iii) by inserting ``, including educational technology'' 
after ``equipment''.

SEC. 404. AMENDMENTS RELATING TO HEAD START PROGRAMS.

    (a) Amendments to the Head Start Act.--The Head Start Act (42 
U.S.C. 9831-9852) is amended--
            (1) in section 637 by adding at the end the following:
            ``(12) The term `educational technology' has the meaning 
        given such term in section 2(b) of the Excellence in Education 
        Act.'',
            (2) in section 640(a)(2)(C) by inserting ``(including 
        training in the use of educational technology related to 
        educational services)'' after ``training'',
            (3) in section 641(d)(2) by inserting ``(including 
        educational services that use educational technology)'' after 
        ``services'', and
            (4) in section 648(d) by inserting ``and educational 
        technology'' after ``electronic media''.
    (b) Amendment to the Head Start Transition Project Act.--Section 
136(a)(3) of the Head Start Transition Project Act (42 U.S.C. 
9855d(a)(3)) is amended by inserting ``and the use of educational 
technology related to educational services'' before the semicolon at 
the end.

SEC. 405. VOCATIONAL EDUCATION.

    Section 235(c)(2) of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied 
Technology Act is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``and educational 
        technology training'' after ``instructional aids''; and
            (2) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``, including 
        educational technology training'', after ``inservice 
        training''.

SEC. 406. INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT.

    (a) State Plans.--Section 613(a)(3)(B)(iii) of the Individuals with 
Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1413(a)(3)(B)(iii)) is amended by 
striking ``technology.'' and inserting the following: ``technology, 
including training in the use of educational technology related to the 
instructional program;''.
    (b) Grants for Personnel Training.--Section 631(c) of the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1431(c)) is 
amended by striking ``assistive and instructional technology'' and 
inserting the following: ``assistive, instructional and other 
educational technology,''.
    (c) Financial Assistance.--Section 661(a) of the Individuals with 
Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1461(a)) is amended in each of 
paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) by striking ``assistive technology,'' 
each place such term appears and inserting ``assistive technology, 
educational technology,''.