ARPA-ED Act

Summary: ARPA-ED Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to reserve up to 30% of amounts appropriated for the Investing in Innovation Fund under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to establish and carry out the objectives of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Education (ARPA-ED).  Requires the Secretary to appoint to the ARPA-ED, for terms of up to four years, individuals who have expertise in carrying out the Agency's objectives. Requires the ARPA-ED to: (1) identify and promote advances in learning, fundamental and applied sciences, and engineering that may be translated into new learning technologies; (2) develop, test, and evaluate new learning technologies and related processes; and (3) accelerate transformational technological advances in education. Directs the Secretary to award grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, or cash prizes to, or enter into other transactions with, public or private entities in pursuit of these objectives. Directs the Secretary to: (1) convene an advisory panel to provide the Secretary and the ARPA-ED with advice in making those awards or entering into those transactions; (2) obtain independent, periodic, and rigorous evaluations of the ARPA-ED's effectiveness; and (3) disseminate information to education practitioners on effective practices and technologies developed through the ARPA-ED.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``ARPA-ED'' Act.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECT AGENCY-
              EDUCATION.

    (a) Program Established.--From the amounts appropriated for section 
14007 of division A of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 
2009 (Public Law 111-5), the Secretary of Education may reserve up to 
30 percent to--
            (1) establish and carry out the Advanced Research Projects 
        Agency-Education (in this Act referred to as ``ARPA-ED'') to--
                    (A) identify and promote advances in learning, 
                fundamental and applied sciences, and engineering that 
                may be translated into new learning technologies;
                    (B) develop, test, and evaluate new learning 
                technologies and related processes; and
                    (C) accelerate transformational technological 
                advances in education;
            (2) convene an advisory panel under subsection (d); and
            (3) carry out the evaluation and dissemination requirements 
        under subsection (e).
    (b) Appointments.--
            (1) Director.--ARPA-ED shall be under the direction of the 
        Director of ARPA-ED, who shall be appointed by the Secretary.
            (2) Qualified individuals.--The Secretary shall appoint, 
        for a term of not more than 4 years, qualified individuals who 
        represent scientific, engineering, professional, and other 
        personnel with expertise in carrying out the activities 
        described in this section to positions in ARPA-ED, at rates of 
        compensation determined by the Secretary, without regard to the 
        provisions of title 5, United States Code, except that such 
        rates of compensation shall not to exceed the rate for level I 
        of the Executive Schedule under section 5312 of such title.
    (c) Functions of ARPA-ED.--Upon consultation with the advisory 
panel convened under subsection (d), the Secretary shall select public 
and private entities to carry out the activities described in 
subsection (a)(1) by--
            (1) awarding such entities grants, contracts, cooperative 
        agreements, or cash prizes; or
            (2) entering into such other transactions with such 
        entities as the Secretary may prescribe in regulations.
    (d) Advisory Panel.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall convene an advisory 
        panel to advise and consult with the Secretary, Director, and 
        the qualified individuals appointed under subsection (b)(2) 
        on--
                    (A) ensuring that the awards made and transaction 
                entered into under subsection (c) are consistent with 
                the purposes described in subsection (a)(1); and
                    (B) ensuring the relevance, accessibility, and 
                utility of such awards and transactions to education 
                practitioners.
            (2) Appointment of members.--The Secretary shall appoint 
        the following qualified individuals to serve on the advisory 
        panel:
                    (A) Education practitioners.
                    (B) Experts in technology.
                    (C) Specialists in rapid gains in student 
                achievement and school turnaround.
                    (D) Specialists in personalized learning.
                    (E) Researchers, including at least one 
                representative from a comprehensive center established 
                under 203 of the Educational Technical Assistance Act 
                of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 9602) or the regional laboratories 
                system established under section 174 of the Education 
                Sciences Reform Act (20 U.S.C. 9564).
                    (F) Other individuals with expertise who will 
                contribute to the overall rigor and quality of ARPA-ED.
            (3) Applicability of faca.--The Federal Advisory Committee 
        Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the panel convened under 
        this subsection and any appointee to such panel shall not be 
        considered an ``employee'' under section 2105 of title 5, 
        United States Code.
    (e) Evaluation and Dissemination.--
            (1) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall obtain independent, 
        periodic, and rigorous evaluation of--
                    (A) the effectiveness of the processes ARPA-Ed is 
                using to achieve the purposes described in subsection 
                (a)(1);
                    (B) the relevance, accessibility, and utility of 
                the awards made and transactions entered into under 
                subsection (c) to education practitioners; and
                    (C) the effectiveness of the projects carried out 
                through such awards and transactions, using evidence 
                standards developed in consultation with the Institute 
                of Education Sciences, and the suitability of such 
                projects for further investment or increased scale.
            (2) Dissemination and use.--The Secretary shall disseminate 
        information to education practitioners, including teachers, 
        principals, and local and State superintendents, on effective 
        practices and technologies developed under ARPA-ED, as 
        appropriate, through--
                    (A) the comprehensive centers established under 203 
                of the Educational Technical Assistance Act of 2002 (20 
                U.S.C. 9602);
                    (B) the regional laboratories system established 
                under section 174 of the Education Sciences Reform Act 
                (20 U.S.C. 9564); and
                    (C) such other means as the Secretary determines to 
                be appropriate.
    (f) Administrative Requirements.--Notwithstanding section 437(d) of 
the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232(d)), the Secretary 
shall establish such processes as may be necessary for the Secretary to 
manage and administer ARPA-ED, which are not constrained by other 
Department-wide administrative requirements that may prevent ARPA-ED 
from carrying out the purposes described in subsection (a)(1).
    (g) Definitions.--For purposes of this Act:
            (1) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
        Department of Education.
            (2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
        ARPA-ED.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.