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[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 856 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 856

 To improve education in the United States by promoting excellence in 
      research, development, and the dissemination of information.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 4, 1993

    Mr. Owens (for himself and Mr. Ford of Michigan) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
                                 Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To improve education in the United States by promoting excellence in 
      research, development, and the dissemination of information.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Educational Research, Development, 
and Dissemination Excellence Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds as follows with respect to improving education 
in the United States:
            (1) A majority of public schools in the United States are 
        failing to adequately prepare their students. School 
        restructuring alone will not allow the United States to achieve 
        the national education goals set forth by the President and the 
        governors of the States. An overwhelming campaign for 
        educational improvement must be mounted in order to set in 
        motion many strategies and models simultaneously. The Federal 
        Government must support an extensive program of educational 
        research, development, dissemination, replication and 
        assistance to identify and support the best responses for the 
        challenges ahead. A significant investment in attaining a 
        deeper understanding of the processes of learning and schooling 
        and developing new ideas holds the best hope of making a 
        substantial difference to the lives of every school and student 
        in the United States. The Office of Educational Research and 
        Improvement of the Department of Education should be at the 
        center of this campaign in order to coordinate such efforts.
            (2) The Federal role in educational research has been 
        closely identified with youths who are socioeconomically 
        disadvantaged, belong to a language minority, or are disabled. 
        However, in 1988, the Federal commitment to education was 
        sufficient to serve not more than--
                    (A) 1 out of every 5 low-income children in need of 
                preschool education;
                    (B) 2 out of every 5 children in need of 
                remediation;
                    (C) 1 out of every 4 children in need of bilingual 
                education; and
                    (D) 1 out of every 20 youths in need of job 
                training.
            (3) The failure of the Federal Government to adequately 
        invest in educational research and development has denied the 
        Nation a sound foundation on which to design school 
        improvements, leading to a history of faddism and failed 
        experimentation resulting in a dearth of research in the area 
        of educationally at-risk students. This situation is of 
        particular concern because at least half of the public school 
        students in 25 of the largest cities of the United States are 
        minority children, and demographers project that, by 2005, 
        almost all urban public school students will be minority 
        children or other children in poverty.
            (4) The investment goal of the Federal research, 
        development, and dissemination function should be at least 1 
        percent of the total amount of funds spent on education 
        nationally.
            (5) Nationwide model programs and reliable interventions 
        should be demonstrated and replicated, and for such purposes, 
        programs should be established to conduct research and 
        evaluations, and to disseminate information.
            (6) The Office of Educational Research and Improvement must 
        develop a national dissemination policy that will advance the 
        goal of placing a national treasure chest of research results, 
        models, and materials at the disposal of the Nation's education 
        decisionmakers.
            (7) A National Educational Research Policy and Priorities 
        Board should be established to ensure that an educational 
        research and dissemination agenda is developed and implemented 
        without partisan political interference.
            (8) Existing research and development entities should adopt 
        expanded, proactive roles and new institutions must be created 
        to promote knowledge development necessary to accelerate the 
        application of research knowledge to high priority areas.
            (9) Greater use should be made of existing technologies in 
        efforts to improve the Nation's educational system, including 
        efforts to disseminate research findings.
            (10) Minority educational researchers are inadequately 
        represented throughout the Department of Education, but 
        particularly in the Office of Educational Research and 
        Improvement. The Office therefore must assume a leadership 
        position in the recruitment, retention, and promotion of 
        qualified minority educational researchers.
            (11) The coordination of the mission of the Office of 
        Educational Research and Improvement with that of other 
        components of the Department of Education is critical. It must 
        improve the coordination of the educational research, 
        development, and dissemination function with those of other 
        Federal agencies.

SEC. 3. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Table of contents.
 TITLE I--GENERAL PROVISIONS REGARDING OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH 
                            AND IMPROVEMENT

Sec. 101. General provisions.
Sec. 102. Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement.
Sec. 103. Savings provision.February 4, 1993
  TITLE II--NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH POLICY AND PRIORITIES BOARD

Sec. 201. Establishment within Office of Educational Research and 
                            Improvement.
                TITLE III--NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTES

Sec. 301. Establishment within Office of Educational Research and 
                            Improvement.
           TITLE IV--NATIONAL EDUCATION DISSEMINATION SYSTEM

Sec. 401. Establishment within Office of Educational Research and 
                            Improvement.
                 TITLE V--NATIONAL LIBRARY OF EDUCATION

Sec. 501. Establishment within Office of Educational Research and 
                            Improvement.
            TITLE VI--LEADERSHIP FOR EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

Sec. 601. Leadership for educational technology.

 TITLE I--GENERAL PROVISIONS REGARDING OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH 
                            AND IMPROVEMENT

SEC. 101. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

    Section 405 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 
1221e) is amended to read as follows:

            ``office of educational research and improvement

    ``Sec. 405. (a) Declaration of Policy Regarding Educational 
Opportunity.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Congress declares it to be the 
        policy of the United States to provide to every individual an 
        equal opportunity to receive an education of high quality 
        regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, 
        national origin, or social class. Although the American 
        educational system has pursued this objective, it has not 
        attained the objective. Inequalities of opportunity to receive 
        high quality education remain pronounced. To achieve the goal 
        of quality education requires the continued pursuit of 
        knowledge about education through research, development, 
        improvement activities, data collection, and information 
        dissemination. While the direction of American education 
        remains primarily the responsibility of State and local 
        governments, the Federal Government has a clear responsibility 
        to provide leadership in the conduct and support of scientific 
        inquiry into the educational process.
            ``(2) Mission of office.--
                    ``(A) The mission of the Office of Educational 
                Research and Improvement shall be to provide national 
                leadership in--
                            ``(i) expanding fundamental knowledge and 
                        understanding of education;
                            ``(ii) promoting excellence and equity in 
                        education; and
                            ``(iii) monitoring the state of education.
                    ``(B) The mission of the Office shall be 
                accomplished in collaboration with researchers, 
                teachers, school administrators, parents, students, 
                employers, and policymakers.
    ``(b) Purpose and Structure of Office.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the Office 
        of Educational Research and Improvement, shall carry out the 
        policies set forth in subsection (a). In carrying out such 
        policies, the Secretary shall be guided by the priorities 
        established by the National Educational Research Policy and 
        Priorities Board established in section 405A.
            ``(2) Administrative structure.--The Office shall be 
        administered by the Assistant Secretary and shall include--
                    ``(A) the National Educational Research Policy and 
                Priorities Board established by section 405A;
                    ``(B) the national research institutes established 
                by section 405B;
                    ``(C) the national education dissemination system 
                established by section 405C;
                    ``(D) the National Education Research Library 
                established by section 405D;
                    ``(E) the National Center for Education Statistics 
                established by section 406; and
                    ``(F) such other units as the Secretary deems 
                appropriate to carry out the purposes of the Office.
            ``(3) Priorities in research and development.--The Office 
        shall, in accordance with the provisions of this section, seek 
        to improve education in the United States through concentrating 
        the resources of the Office on the following priority research 
        and development needs:
                    ``(A) The education of at-risk students.
                    ``(B) The education and development of young 
                children.
                    ``(C) Student achievement in core subject areas 
                through elementary and secondary school.
                    ``(D) Postsecondary education, libraries, and 
                lifelong learning for adults.
                    ``(E) The improvement of schools through the 
                restructuring and reform of school governance, 
                policymaking, finance and management at the State, 
                local, school building, and classroom level.
    ``(c) Appointment of Employees.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary may appoint, for terms not 
        to exceed three years (without regard to the provisions of 
        title 5 of the United States Code 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 of the Office as 
        the Secretary considers necessary to accomplish its functions, 
        provided that--
                    ``(A) at least 60 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;
                    ``(B) the rate of basic pay for such employees does 
                not exceed the maximum rate of basic pay payable for 
                positions above GS-15, as determined in accordance with 
                section 5376 of title 5, United States Code;
                    ``(C) the appointment of such employee is necessary 
                to provide the Office with scientific or technical 
                expertise which could not otherwise be obtained by the 
                Office through the competitive service; and
                    ``(D) the total number of such employees does not 
                exceed one-fifth of the number of full-time, regular 
                scientific or professional employees of the Office.
            ``(2) Reappointment of employees.--The Secretary may 
        reappoint employees described in paragraph (1) upon 
        presentation of a clear and convincing justification of need, 
        for one additional term not to exceed 3 years. All such 
        employees shall work on activities of the Office and shall not 
        be reassigned to other duties outside the Office during their 
        term.
    ``(d) Authority to Publish.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary is authorized to 
        prepare and publish such information, reports, and documents as 
        may be of value in carrying out the purposes of sections 405 
        through 405D without further clearance or approval by the 
        Secretary or any other office of the Department.
            ``(2) Quality assurance.--In carrying out such authority, 
        the Assistant Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) establish such procedures as may be necessary 
                to assure that all reports and publications issued by 
                the Office are of the highest quality; and
                    ``(B) provide other offices of the Department with 
                an opportunity to comment upon any report or 
                publication prior to its publication when its contents 
                relate to matters for which such office has 
                responsibility.
    ``(e) Annual Report on Activities of Office.--The Secretary, acting 
through the Assistant Secretary, shall transmit to the President and 
the Congress by not later than December 30 of each year an annual 
report which shall consist of--
            ``(1) a description prepared by the Director of each 
        research institute of the activities carried out by and through 
        such institute during the fiscal year for which such report is 
        prepared and any recommendations and comments regarding such 
        activities as the Director considers appropriate;
            ``(2) a description of the activities carried out by and 
        through the national education dissemination system established 
        by section 405C during the fiscal year for which such report is 
        prepared and any recommendations and comments regarding such 
        activities as the Secretary considers appropriate;
            ``(3) such written comments and recommendations as may be 
        submitted by the Board concerning the activities carried out by 
        and through each of the institutes and the national education 
        dissemination system during the fiscal year for which such 
        report is prepared and how such activities relate to the 
        Research Policies and Priorities Plan developed by the Board;
            ``(4) a report on the personnel of the Office which shall 
        set forth the number of employees of the Office, provide 
        information concerning the gender, race, and civil service 
        classification of such employees, and describe any personnel 
        vacancies or projected future personnel needs of the Office;
            ``(5) a description of any technical or other assistance 
        the Office has provided to the New American Schools Development 
        Corporation (a nonprofit private organization incorporated 
        under the law of the State of Virginia) during the fiscal year 
        for which such report is prepared and an estimate of the 
        aggregate cost (in cash or in kind) to the Federal Government 
        of such assistance; and
            ``(6) such additional comments, recommendations, and 
        materials that the Secretary considers appropriate.
    ``(f) Coordination.--With the advice and assistance of the Board, 
the Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary, shall establish 
and maintain an ongoing program of activities designed to improve the 
coordination of education research, development, and dissemination and 
activities within the Department and within the Federal Government, 
particularly within the priority research and development needs 
identified in section 405(b)(3), in order to--
            ``(1) minimize duplication in education research, 
        development, and dissemination carried out by the Federal 
        Government;
            ``(2) maximize the value of the total Federal investment in 
        education research, development, and dissemination; and
            ``(3) enable all entities engaged in education research, 
        development, and dissemination within the Federal Government to 
        interact effectively as partners and take full advantage of the 
        diverse resources and proficiencies which each entity has 
        available.
    ``(g) Activities Required With Respect to Coordination.--In 
carrying out such program of coordination, the Secretary shall--
            ``(1) not later than 12 months following the date of the 
        enactment of the Educational Research, Development, and 
        Dissemination Excellence Act, make a report to the President 
        and the appropriate committees of Congress which shall identify 
        administrative and legislative changes necessary to improve the 
        coordination of education research, development, and 
        dissemination activities within the Department of Education, 
        particularly within the priority research and development needs 
        identified in section 405(b)(3), and to enable greater 
        interaction among all entities engaged in such activities, 
        including (but not limited to)--
                    ``(A) State facilitators and other entities 
                supported by the National Diffusion Network;
                    ``(B) evaluation assistance centers and 
                multifunctional source centers established by the 
                Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Language 
                Affairs;
                    ``(C) research and development entities 
                administered by the Office of Special Education 
                programs;
                    ``(D) the National Center for Research in 
                Vocational Education;
                    ``(E) regional centers established under section 
                5135 of the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 
                1986;
                    ``(F) chapter 1 technical assistance centers;
                    ``(G) the research institutes established by 
                section 405B;
                    ``(H) national education research centers;
                    ``(I) the Women's Educational Equity Act Publishing 
                Center;
                    ``(J) the Desegregation Assistance Centers;
                    ``(K) the Office for Civil Rights dissemination 
                activities; and
                    ``(L) the national education dissemination system 
                established by section 405C; and
            ``(2) not later than two years following the date of the 
        enactment of the Educational Research, Development, and 
        Dissemination Act--
                    ``(A) compile (and thereafter regularly maintain) 
                and make available a comprehensive inventory of all 
                education research, development, dissemination 
                activities, and expenditures being carried out by the 
                Federal Government within the priority research and 
                development needs identified in section 405(b)(3); and
                    ``(B) make a report to the President and the 
                appropriate committees of the Congress which shall 
                identify administrative and legislative changes 
                necessary to improve the coordination of all education 
                research, development, and dissemination activities 
                carried out within the Federal Government, particularly 
                within the priority research and development needs 
                identified in section 405(b)(3), and to enable greater 
                interaction and exchange of information among all 
                entities engaged in such activities, including--
                            ``(i) the Department of Defense;
                            ``(ii) the Department of Health and Human 
                        Services;
                            ``(iii) the Department of Agriculture;
                            ``(iv) the Department of Energy;
                            ``(v) the Department of Housing and Urban 
                        Development;
                            ``(vi) the Department of the Interior;
                            ``(vii) the Department of Justice;
                            ``(viii) the Department of Labor;
                            ``(ix) the Department of Transportation;
                            ``(x) the Department of Veterans Affairs;
                            ``(xi) the Environmental Protection Agency;
                            ``(xii) the National Aeronautics and Space 
                        Administration;
                            ``(xiii) the Smithsonian Institution;
                            ``(xiv) the White House Office of Science 
                        and Technology Policy; and
                            ``(xv) the National Science Foundation.
    ``(h) Definitions.--For purposes of this section and sections 405A 
through 405D:
            ``(1) The term `Assistant Secretary' means the Assistant 
        Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement established 
        by section 202 of the Department of Education Organization Act.
            ``(2) The term `at-risk student' means a student who, 
        because of limited English proficiency, poverty, geographic 
        location, or educational or economic disadvantage, faces a 
        greater risk of low educational achievement and has greater 
        potential for dropping out of school.
            ``(3) The term `Board' means the National Educational 
        Research Policy and Priorities Board established by section 
        405A.
            ``(4) The term `educational research' includes basic and 
        applied research, development, planning, surveys, assessments, 
        evaluations, investigations, experiments, and demonstrations in 
        the field of education and other fields relating to education.
            ``(5) The term `development'--
                    ``(A) means the systematic use, adaptation, and 
                transformation of knowledge and understanding gained 
                from research to create alternatives, policies, 
                products, methods, practices, or materials which can 
                contribute to the improvement of educational practice; 
                and
                    ``(B) includes the design and development of 
                prototypes and the testing of such prototypes for the 
                purposes of establishing their feasibility, 
                reliability, and cost-effectiveness.
            ``(6) The term `technical assistance' means the provision 
        of external assistance to facilitate the adoption or 
        application of the knowledge gained from educational research 
        and development and includes--
                    ``(A) problem analysis and diagnosis;
                    ``(B) assistance in finding, selecting, or 
                designing suitable solutions and approaches to 
                problems;
                    ``(C) training in the installation and 
                implementation of products, programs, policies, 
                practices, or technologies; and
                    ``(D) such other assistance as may be necessary to 
                encourage the adoption or application of such 
                knowledge.
            ``(7) The term `dissemination' means the transfer of 
        knowledge and products gained through research and includes--
                    ``(A) the use of communication techniques to 
                increase awareness of such knowledge and products;
                    ``(B) the provision of comparative and evaluative 
                information necessary to enable educators, school 
                administrators, and others to assess and make informed 
                judgments about the relevance and usefulness of such 
                knowledge and products in specific settings; and
                    ``(C) the provision of support needed to adapt, 
                apply, and utilize such knowledge and products in 
                specific educational settings.
            ``(8) The term `national education dissemination system' 
        means the activities carried out by the Office of Reform 
        Assistance and Dissemination established by section 405C.
            ``(9) The term `Office' means the Office of Educational 
        Research and Improvement established in section 209 of the 
        Department of Education Organization Act.
            ``(10) The term `national research institute' means an 
        institute established in section 405B.
            ``(11) The terms `United States' and `State' include the 
        District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
    ``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            ``(1) National institutes.--
                    ``(A)(i) For the purpose of carrying out section 
                405B, there is authorized to be appropriated 
                $37,000,000 for fiscal year 1994.
                    ``(ii) For the purpose of carrying out section 405B 
                (other than the provisions of such section relating to 
                the National Institute for the Education of At-Risk 
                Students), there is authorized to be appropriated 
                $36,000,000 for fiscal year 1995.
                    ``(iii) For the purpose of carrying out the 
                provisions of section 405B relating to the National 
                Institute for the Education of At-Risk Students, there 
                are authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 for 
                fiscal year 1995, and such sums as are necessary for 
                each of the fiscal years 1996 and 1997.
                    ``(B) For the purpose of carrying out the 
                provisions of section 405B relating to the National 
                Institute for Innovation in Educational Governance and 
                Management, there are authorized to be appropriated 
                $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1996, and such sums as may 
                be necessary for fiscal year 1997.
                    ``(C) For the purpose of carrying out the 
                provisions of section 405B relating to the National 
                Institute for Early Childhood Education, there are 
                authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 for fiscal 
                year 1996 and such sums as may be necessary for fiscal 
                year 1997.
                    ``(D) For the purpose of carrying out the 
                provisions of section 405B relating to the National 
                Institute for Student Achievement, there are authorized 
                to be appropriated $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1996 and 
                such sums as may be made necessary for fiscal year 
                1997.
                    ``(E) For the purpose of carrying out the 
                provisions of section 405B relating to the National 
                Institute for Postsecondary Education, Libraries, and 
                Lifelong Learning, there are authorized to be 
                appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of 
                fiscal years 1996 and 1997.
            ``(2) National education dissemination system.--
                    ``(A)(i) For the purpose of carrying out 
                subsections (b)(2) through (g) of section 405C, there 
                are authorized to be appropriated $17,000,000 for 
                fiscal year 1994, and such sums as are necessary for 
                each of the fiscal years 1995 through 1997.
                    ``(ii) Of the amount appropriated under clause (i) 
                for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall make available 
                not less than $7,175,000 to carry out subsection (f) of 
                section 405C (relating to clearinghouses).
                    ``(B) For the purposes of carrying out subsection 
                (h) of section 405C (relating to SMARTLINE), there are 
                authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for fiscal 
                year 1994, and such sums as are necessary for each of 
                the fiscal years 1995 through 1997.
                    ``(C) For the purposes of carrying out subsection 
                (i) of section 405C (relating to electronic 
                networking), there are authorized to be appropriated 
                $10,000,000 for fiscal year 1994, and such sums as are 
                necessary for each of the fiscal years 1995 through 
                1997.
                    ``(D) For the purpose of carrying out subsection 
                (j) of section 405C (relating to regional educational 
                laboratories), there are authorized to be appropriated 
                $36,000,000 for fiscal year 1994, and such sums as are 
                necessary for each of the fiscal years 1995 through 
                1997. Of the amounts appropriated under the preceding 
                sentence for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall 
                obligate not less than 25 percent to carry out such 
                purpose with respect to rural areas.
                    ``(E) For the purpose of carrying out subsection 
                (l) of section 405C (relating to the regional 
                partnerships) there are authorized to be appropriated 
                $30,000,000 for fiscal year 1994, and such sums as are 
                necessary for each of the fiscal years 1995 through 
                1997.
                    ``(F) For the purpose of carrying out subsection 
                (i) of section 405C (relating to the America 2000 
                Communities Special Assistance program), there are 
                authorized to be appropriated $30,000,000 for fiscal 
                year 1994, $50,000,000 for fiscal year 1995, and such 
                sums as are necessary for each of the fiscal years 1996 
                and 1997.
            ``(3) National educational research policy and priorities 
        board.--Of the amounts appropriated under paragraphs (1) and 
        (2) for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall make available 2 
        percent of such amounts, or $1,000,000, whichever is less, to 
        the Board for the purpose of carrying out section 405A.
            ``(4) Allocations for grants, cooperative agreements, and 
        contracts.--Of the amounts appropriated under paragraph (1) or 
        (2) for any fiscal year, not less than 95 percent shall be 
        expended to carry out the purposes described in such paragraphs 
        through grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts.
            ``(5) Limitations on appropriations.--No amounts are 
        authorized to be appropriated under paragraph (1) or (2) for 
        any fiscal year unless the Board has been appointed in 
        accordance with section 405A not later than 180 days after the 
        date of the enactment of the Educational Research, Development, 
        and Dissemination Excellence Act.
            ``(6) Restrictions on appropriations.--No funds 
        appropriated under paragraphs (1) and (2) for any fiscal year 
        may be used to support--
                    ``(A) research and development activities in the 
                area of student assessment except those activities 
                which are carried out in accordance with subsection (i) 
                of section 405B;
                    ``(B) the development of content or student 
                performance standards unless specifically authorized by 
                law; or
                    ``(C) the development of curricular frameworks by 
                State education agencies or other entities except 
                through the provision of support and technical 
                assistance by the regional laboratories in accordance 
                with subsection (h) of section 405C.
            ``(7) Grant required.--From the amounts appropriated under 
        paragraph (1) for fiscal year 1994, the Secretary shall, in 
        accordance with the provisions of this paragraph, award a grant 
        of $5,000,000 to a public or private institution, agency or 
        organization for a period not to exceed five years for the 
        purpose of conducting a State-by-State poll to determine the 
        perceptions of recent graduates of secondary schools, their 
        instructors in institutions of higher education, parents of 
        recent such graduates, and employers of recent such graduates 
        on how well schools have prepared students for further 
        education or employment. The grant shall be awarded on a 
        competitive basis and shall be matched on a two-to-one basis, 
        with the Federal Government contributing one-third of the total 
        costs of the poll.''.

SEC. 102. ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT.

    Subsection (b) of section 202 of the Department of Education 
Organization Act is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) by striking subparagraph (E); and
                    (B) by redesignating subparagraphs (F) and (G) as 
                subparagraphs (E) and (F), respectively; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following paragraph:
    ``(3) There shall be in the Department an Assistant Secretary for 
Educational Research and Improvement who shall be--
            ``(A) appointed by the President, by and with the consent 
        of the Senate; and
            ``(B) selected in consultation with the National 
        Educational Research Policy and Priorities Board from among 
        individuals who--
                    ``(i) are distinguished educational researchers;
                    ``(ii) have proven management ability; and
                    ``(iii) have substantial knowledge of education 
                within the United States.''.

SEC. 103. SAVINGS PROVISION.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, contracts for the 
regional educational laboratories, education resources information 
clearinghouses and research and development centers assisted under 
section 405 of the General Education Provisions Act on the date of the 
enactment of this Act shall remain in effect until the termination date 
of such contracts.

  TITLE II--NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH POLICY AND PRIORITIES BOARD

SEC. 201. ESTABLISHMENT WITHIN OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND 
              IMPROVEMENT.

    Part A of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1221e et 
seq.) is amended by inserting after section 405 the following new 
section:

      ``national educational research policy and priorities board

    ``Sec. 405A. (a) In General.--There is established within the 
Office a National Educational Policy and Priorities Board (hereafter in 
this section referred to as the `Board').
    ``(b) Functions.--It shall be the responsibility of the Board, 
acting through the Assistant Secretary--
            ``(1) to determine priorities that should guide the work of 
        the Office and provide guidance to the Congress in its 
        oversight of the Office;
            ``(2) to establish standards for the conduct and evaluation 
        of all research, development, and dissemination carried out 
        under the auspices of the Office pursuant to sections 405 
        through 405C; and
            ``(3) to regularly review and evaluate the implementation 
        of its recommended priorities and policies by the Department 
        and the Congress.
    ``(c) Research Priorities Plan.--The Board shall--
            ``(1) survey and assess the state of knowledge in education 
        research, development and dissemination to identify disciplines 
        and areas of inquiry within the priority research, development 
        and dissemination needs identified in section 405(b)(3) in 
        which the state of knowledge is insufficient and which warrant 
        further investigation, taking into account the views of both 
        education researchers and practicing educators;
            ``(2) consult with the National Education Goals Panel and 
        other authorities on education to identify national priorities 
        for the improvement of education;
            ``(3) actively solicit recommendations from education 
        researchers, teachers, school administrators, parents, and 
        others throughout the Nation by convening periodic regional 
        forums and through other means;
            ``(4) provide recommendations for the development, 
        maintenance, and assurance of a strong infrastructure for 
        education, research, and development in the United States; and
            ``(5) on the basis of such recommendations, develop a 
        research priorities program which shall recommend priorities 
        for the investment of the resources of the Office over the next 
        5-, 10-, and 15-year periods, including as priorities those 
        areas of inquiry in which further research, development and 
        dissemination--
                    ``(A) is necessary to attain the goals for the 
                improvement of education identified in paragraph (2);
                    ``(B) promises to yield the greatest practical 
                benefits to teachers and other educators in terms of 
                improving education; and
                    ``(C) will not be undertaken in sufficient scope or 
                intensity by the other Federal and non-Federal entities 
                engaged in education research and development.
    ``(d) Contents of Plan--
            ``(1) In general.--The research and priorities plan 
        described in subsection (c) shall, at a minimum--
                    ``(A) include goals for expenditures by the Office 
                within the recommended priority areas;
                    ``(B) set forth specific objectives which can be 
                expected to be achieved as a result of such 
                expenditure;
                    ``(C) within each priority area, include 
                recommendations as to the relative distribution of 
                resources among and within the research institutes, 
                national education dissemination system, and other 
                entities engaged in education research and development;
                    ``(D) include recommendations with respect to 
                research and development on cross-cutting issues which 
                should be carried out jointly by 2 or more of the 
                research institutes; and
                    ``(E) include an evaluative summary of the 
                educational research and development activities 
                undertaken by the Federal Government during the 
                preceding 2 fiscal years which shall describe--
                            ``(i) what has been learned as a result of 
                        such activities;
                            ``(ii) how such new knowledge or 
                        understanding extends or otherwise relates to 
                        what had been previously known or understood;
                            ``(iii) the implications of such new 
                        knowledge or understanding for educational 
                        practice and school reform; and
                            ``(iv) any development, reform, and other 
                        assistance activities which have utilized such 
                        knowledge or understanding and the effects of 
                        such efforts.
            ``(2) Report.--
                    ``(A) Not later than October 1 of fiscal year 1994 
                and of every second fiscal year thereafter, the 
                Secretary shall publish a report specifying the 
                proposed research priorities of the Board and allow a 
                60-day period beginning on the date of the publication 
                of the report for public comment and suggestions.
                    ``(B) Not later than 90 days after the expiration 
                of the 60-day period referred to in subparagraph (A), 
                the Secretary shall submit to the President and the 
                Congress a report specifying the research priorities of 
                the Board and any public comment and suggestions 
                obtained under such subparagraph.
    ``(e) Standards for Conduct and Evaluation of Research.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Board shall develop such standards 
        as it deems necessary to govern the conduct and evaluation of 
        all research, development, and dissemination activities carried 
        out by the Office to assure that such activities meet the 
        highest standards of professional excellence. In developing 
        such standards, the Board shall review the procedures utilized 
        by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science 
        Foundation, and other Federal agencies engaged in research and 
        development and shall also actively solicit recommendations 
        from the Secretary, the National Academy of Sciences, the 
        American Educational Research Association and members of the 
        general public.
            ``(2) Contents of standards.--Such standards shall at a 
        minimum--
                    ``(A) require that a system of peer review be 
                utilized by the Office--
                            ``(i) in reviewing and evaluating all 
                        applications for grants and cooperative 
                        agreements and bids for contracts;
                            ``(ii) in evaluating and assessing the 
                        performance of all recipients of grants from 
                        and cooperative agreements and contracts with 
                        the Office; and
                            ``(iii) in reviewing and designating 
                        exemplary and promising programs in accordance 
                        with section 405C(d);
                    ``(B)(i) specify the composition of peer review 
                panels, the criteria for the selection of members of 
                such panels, and describe the means by which potential 
                members shall be identified so as to assure that such 
                panels are broadly representative of individuals with 
                expertise in matters relevant to the purposes of each 
                such panel;
                    ``(ii) prohibit the consideration of partisan 
                affiliation in the selection of any member of a peer 
                review panel;
                    ``(iii) describe the general procedures which shall 
                be used by each peer review panel in its operations;
                    ``(iv) prohibit the participation by a member of a 
                peer review panel in the review of any application in 
                which such member has any financial interest; and
                    ``(v) require that transcripts, minutes, and other 
                documents made available to or prepared for or by a 
                peer review panel will be available for public 
                inspection to the extent consistent with the Freedom of 
                Information Act, the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 
                the Privacy Act, and other laws;
                    ``(C)(i) describe the procedures which shall be 
                utilized in evaluating applications for grants, 
                proposed cooperative agreements, and contract bids;
                    ``(ii) specify the criteria and factors which shall 
                be considered in making such evaluations; and
                    ``(iii) provide that any decision to fund a grant, 
                contract, or cooperative agreement out of its order of 
                ranking by a peer review panel shall be first fully 
                justified in writing and that copies of such 
                justification shall be transmitted to the Board, unless 
                such action is required by some other provision of law;
                    ``(D)(i) describe the procedures which shall be 
                utilized in reviewing educational programs which have 
                been identified by or submitted to the Secretary for 
                evaluation in accordance with section 405C(d); and
                    ``(ii) specify the criteria which shall be used in 
                recommending programs as exemplary and promising; and
                    ``(E)(i) require that the performance of all 
                recipients of grants from and contracts and cooperative 
                agreements with the Office shall be periodically 
                evaluated, both during and at the conclusion of their 
                receipt of assistance;
                    ``(ii) describe the procedures and means by which 
                such evaluations shall be undertaken, including--
                            ``(I) the frequency of such evaluations;
                            ``(II) the criteria, outcome measures, and 
                        other factors which shall be taken into 
                        account; and
                            ``(III) measures to assure that on-site 
                        evaluations of performance shall be utilized to 
                        the extent appropriate and whenever 
                        practicable; and
                    ``(iii) provide that the results of such 
                evaluations shall be taken into account prior to any 
                decision to continue, renew, or provide new funding to 
                the entity being reviewed.
            ``(3) Publication and promulgation of standards.--
                    ``(A) The Board shall publish proposed standards--
                            ``(i) which meet the requirements of 
                        subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph 
                        (2) not later than 1 year following the 
                        convening of the first meeting of the Board;
                            ``(ii) which meet the requirements of 
                        paragraph (2)(D) not later than 2 years 
                        following the convening of the first meeting of 
                        the Board; and
                            ``(iii) which meet the requirements of 
                        subparagraph (E) of paragraph (2) not later 
                        than 3 years following the convening of the 
                        first meeting of the Board; and
                    ``(B) Following the publication of such proposed 
                standards, the Board shall solicit comments from the 
                Secretary and interested members of the public with 
                respect to such proposed standards for a period of not 
                more than 120 days. After giving due consideration to 
                any comments it may have received, the Board shall 
                approve and transmit to the Secretary final standards 
                which meet the requirements of the particular 
                subparagraphs of paragraph (2) for which they were 
                developed.
    ``(f) Additional Responsibilities of the Board.--It shall also be 
the responsibility of the Board to--
            ``(1) provide advice and assistance to the Secretary in 
        carrying out the coordination activities described in section 
        405;
            ``(2) make nominations to the Secretary of persons 
        qualified to fulfill the responsibilities of the Director for 
        each research institute established by section 405B after 
        making special efforts to identify qualified women and 
        minorities and soliciting and giving due consideration to 
        recommendations from professional associations and interested 
        members of the public; and
            ``(3) advise and make recommendations to the President with 
        respect to individuals who are qualified to fulfill the 
        responsibilities of the Assistant Secretary for the Office of 
        Educational Research and Improvement.
    ``(g) Standing Subcommittees.--
            ``(1) Establishment; functions.--The Board shall establish 
        a standing subcommittee for each of the Institutes established 
        by subsection (a) of section 405B and for the Office of 
        Dissemination and School Improvement established by subsection 
        (b) of section 405C which shall advise, assist, consult with 
        and make recommendations to the Assistant Secretary, the Board, 
        the Director of such entity and the Congress on matters related 
        to the activities carried out by and through such entities.
            ``(2) Composition.--
                    ``(A) Each standing subcommittee shall consist of 3 
                members of the Board and 6 additional individuals 
                appointed by the Board who have significant experience 
                in and knowledge of the disciplines relevant to the 
                purposes of the entity for which the subcommittee is 
                established.
                    ``(B) The Board shall assure that the membership of 
                each subcommittee includes both educational researchers 
                and persons who are knowledgeable about the research, 
                development and dissemination needs of practitioners, 
                including classroom teachers, school administrators, 
                and members of State or local boards of education.
    ``(h) Powers of the Board.--In carrying out its functions, powers, 
and responsibilities, the Board--
            ``(1) shall, without regard to the provisions of title 5, 
        United States Code, relating to the appointment and 
        compensation of officers or employees of the United States, 
        appoint a director to be paid at a rate not to exceed the rate 
        of basic pay payable for level V of the Executive Schedule who 
        shall assist in carrying out and managing the activities of the 
        Board and perform such other functions the Board determines to 
        be necessary and appropriate;
            ``(2) shall hire its own staff through routine government 
        procedures;
            ``(3) may arrange for the detail of staff personnel and 
        utilize the services and facilities of any agency of the 
        Federal Government;
            ``(4) may enter into contracts, or make other arrangements 
        as may be necessary to carry out its functions;
            ``(5) may review any grant, contract, or cooperative 
        agreement made or entered into by the Office;
            ``(6) may, to the extent otherwise permitted by law, obtain 
        directly from any department or agency of the United States 
        such information as it deems necessary to carry out its 
        responsibilities;
            ``(7) may convene workshops and conferences, collect data, 
        and establish subcommittees which may be composed of members of 
        the Board and nonmember consultants (including employees of the 
        Department) with expertise in the particular area addressed by 
        such subcommittees; and
            ``(8) shall establish such rules and procedures to govern 
        its operations as it considers appropriate, to the extent 
        otherwise permitted by law.
    ``(i) Membership in General.--
            ``(1) Qualifications.--The members of the Board shall be 
        eminent persons who, by virtue of their training, experience, 
        and background, are exceptionally qualified to appraise the 
        educational research and development effort of the Nation and 
        to establish policies and priorities to govern future Federal 
        investment in educational research, development, and 
        dissemination.
            ``(2) Broad representation.--Due consideration shall be 
        given to the gender, race, and ethnicity of appointees to 
        assure that the Board is broadly representative of the 
        diversity of the Nation.
            ``(3) Limitation.--A voting member of the Board may not 
        serve on any other governing or advisory board within the 
        Department of Education.
            ``(4) Conflict of interest.--A voting member of the Board 
        shall be considered a special Government employee for the 
        purposes of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.
    ``(j) Secretarial Appointments.--The Board shall consist of 20 
members appointed by the Secretary. Of the members of the Board--
            ``(1) seven shall be appointed from among researchers in 
        the field of education who have been nominated by the National 
        Academy of Sciences (giving due consideration to 
        recommendations made by the American Educational Research 
        Association), including persons who are among the leading 
        authorities on early childhood education and the education of 
        at-risk students;
            ``(2) four shall be classroom teachers, no fewer than 2 of 
        whom continue to work regularly in the classroom, appointed 
        from among outstanding teachers nominated by the American 
        Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association, the 
        National Association for the Education of Young Children, and 
        the National Head Start Association;
            ``(3) one shall be a Chief State School Officer, appointed 
        from among those nominated by the Council of Chief State School 
        Officers;
            ``(4) one shall be a local education agency school 
        superintendent or principal, appointed from among those 
        nominated by the American Association of School Administrators, 
        the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and 
        the National Association of Secondary School Principals;
            ``(5) one shall be a member of a State or local board of 
        education, appointed from among those nominated by the National 
        School Boards Association and the National Association of State 
        Boards of Education;
            ``(6) one shall be a professional librarian, school library 
        media specialist, library administrator, or library science 
        educator, appointed from among those nominated by the American 
        Library Association and the Association of Research Libraries;
            ``(7) one shall be a parent with extensive experience in 
        promoting parental involvement in education, appointed from 
        among those nominated by the National Parent-Teachers 
        Association, the National Committee for Citizens in Education, 
        and the National Coalition of Title I/Chapter 1 Parents;
            ``(8) one shall be an individual from the nonprofit 
        foundation community, appointed from among those individuals 
        nominated by the Spencer Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of 
        New York, and other foundations which have been involved 
        consistently and significantly in efforts to improve education;
            ``(9) two shall be individuals from business and industry 
        with significant experience in promoting private sector 
        involvement in education, appointed from among those nominated 
        by the Committee for Economic Development, the National 
        Alliance of Business, the Chamber of Commerce, the Business 
        Roundtable, Black Business Council, and the United States 
        Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; and
            ``(10) one shall be a State Governor who shall be appointed 
        from among those individuals nominated by the National 
        Governors Association and the National Education Goals Panel.
    ``(k) Requirements for Nominations.--
            ``(1) In general.--In making nominations for members of the 
        Board, each organization described in subsection (j)--
                    ``(A) may not nominate any individual who is an 
                elected officer or employee of such organization; and
                    ``(B) shall nominate not less than 3 individuals 
                for each of the positions on the Board for which such 
                organization has responsibility for making nominations.
            ``(2) Request for additional nominations.--In the event 
        that the Secretary determines that none of the individuals 
        nominated by an organization meet the qualifications for 
        membership on the Board specified in subsection (i), the 
        Secretary may request that such organization make additional 
        nominations.
    ``(l) Ex Officio Members.--The ex officio, nonvoting members of the 
Board shall be as follows:
            ``(1) The Secretary.
            ``(2) The Assistant Secretary.
            ``(3) The Director of Research for the Department of 
        Defense.
            ``(4) The Director of Research for the Department of Labor.
            ``(5) The Director of the National Science Foundation.
            ``(6) The Director of the National Institutes of Health.
            ``(7) The Director of the National Endowment for the Arts.
            ``(8) The Director of the National Endowment for the 
        Humanities.
            ``(9) The Librarian of Congress.
    ``(m) Chair.--The Board shall select a Chair from among its 
appointed members who shall serve for a renewable term of 2 years.
    ``(n) Terms of Office.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and 
        (3), the term of office of each voting member of the Board 
        shall be 4 years.
            ``(2) Exceptions.--
                    ``(A) Any individual appointed to fill a vacancy 
                occurring on the Board prior to the expiration of the 
                term for which the predecessor of the individual was 
                appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of the 
                term. A vacancy shall be filled in the same manner in 
                which the original appointment was made.
                    ``(B) The terms of office of the members of the 
                Board who first take office after the date of enactment 
                of the Educational Research, Development, and 
                Dissemination Excellence Act shall, as designated by a 
                random selection process at the time of appointment, be 
                as follows:
                            ``(i) 2 years for each of 6 members of the 
                        Board.
                            ``(ii) 3 years for each of 6 members of the 
                        Board.
                            ``(iii) 4 years for each of 8 members of 
                        the Board.
            ``(3) Prohibition on certain consecutive terms.--An 
        individual who has been a member of the Board for 8 consecutive 
        years shall thereafter be ineligible for appointment during the 
        2-year period beginning on the date of the expiration of the 
        8th year.
    ``(o) Meetings of Board.--
            ``(1) Initial meeting.--The Secretary shall ensure that the 
        first meeting of the Board is held not later than the 
        expiration of the 180-day period beginning on the date of the 
        enactment of the Educational Research, Development, and 
        Dissemination Excellence Act.
            ``(2) Subsequent meetings.--The Board shall meet quarterly, 
        at the call of the Chair, and when at least one-third of the 
        members of the Board make a written request to meet.
            ``(3) Quorum.--A majority of the Board shall constitute a 
        quorum.
            ``(4) Open meetings.--The Government in the Sunshine Act (5 
        U.S.C. 552b) shall apply to meetings of the Board.''.

                TITLE III--NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTES

SEC. 301. ESTABLISHMENT WITHIN OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND 
              IMPROVEMENT.

    Part A of the General Education Provisions Act, as amended by 
section 201 of this Act, is amended by inserting after section 405A the 
following new section:

                     ``national research institutes

    ``Sec. 405B. (a) Establishment of Institutes.--In order to fulfill 
the research and development purposes of the Office, and to carry out, 
in accordance with the standards established by the Board, a program of 
high-quality and rigorously evaluated research and development that is 
capable of improving Federal, State, and local education policies and 
practices, there are established within the Office the following 
institutes:
            ``(1) The National Institute for the Education of At-Risk 
        Students.
            ``(2) The National Institute for Innovation in Educational 
        Governance, Finance, and Management.
            ``(3) The National Institute for Early Childhood 
        Development and Education.
            ``(4) The National Institute on Student Achievement.
            ``(5) The National Institute on Postsecondary Education, 
        Libraries, and Lifelong Education.
    ``(b) Directors.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each Institute established by subsection 
        (a) shall be headed by a Director who shall be appointed by the 
        Secretary from among persons who have significant experience 
        and expertise in the disciplines relevant to the purposes of 
        such Institute. Prior to making such appointment, the Secretary 
        shall solicit and give due consideration to recommendations 
        made by the Board of persons qualfied to fulfill the position.
            ``(2) Term of office.--The Director of each Institute shall 
        serve for a term of 4 years. With respect to the annual rate of 
        basic pay payable for the position of Director of any of such 
        Institutes, such position shall be a position to which level IV 
        of the Executive Schedule applies for purposes of section 5315 
        of title 5, United States Code.
    ``(c) Authorities and Duties.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the 
        Director of each Institute, is authorized to conduct research, 
        development, demonstration, and evaluation activities to carry 
        out the purposes for which such Institute was established--
                    ``(A) directly;
                    ``(B) through grants, contracts, and cooperative 
                agreements with institutions of higher education, 
                regional educational laboratories, public and private 
                organizations, institutions, agencies, and individuals, 
                including--
                            ``(i) research and development centers 
                        which are--
                                    ``(I) awarded competitively for a 
                                period of not less than 6 and not more 
                                than 10 years;
                                    ``(II) funded at not less than 
                                $2,000,000 annually in order to support 
                                a full range of basic research, applied 
                                research and dissemination activities; 
                                and
                                    ``(III) established by institutions 
                                of higher education, by institutions of 
                                higher education in consort with public 
                                agencies or private nonprofit 
                                organizations, or by interstate 
                                agencies established by compact which 
                                operate subsidiary bodies established 
                                to conduct postsecondary educational 
                                research and development;
                            ``(ii) public-private research partnerships 
                        established by a State or local education 
                        agency in consort with a private organization 
                        and a team of educational researchers, for 
                        which the Federal share shall be limited to not 
                        more than 50 percent of the total costs of the 
                        project;
                            ``(iii) meritorious unsolicited proposals 
                        for educational research and related 
                        activities;
                            ``(iv) proposals that are specifically 
                        invited or requested by the Director, on a 
                        competitive basis; and
                            ``(v) dissertation grants, awarded for a 
                        period of not more than 2 years and in a total 
                        amount not to exceed $20,000 to graduate 
                        students in the sciences, humanities, and the 
                        arts to support research by such scholars in 
                        the field of education;
                    ``(C) through the provision of technical 
                assistance; and
                    ``(D) through the award of fellowships to support 
                graduate study in educational research by qualified 
                African-American, Hispanic, and other individuals from 
                groups which have been traditionally underrepresented 
                in the field of educational research which shall--
                            ``(i) be awarded on the basis of merit for 
                        a period of 3 years; and
                            ``(ii) provide stipends to each fellow in 
                        an amount which shall be set at a level of 
                        support comparable to that provided by the 
                        National Science Foundation Graduate 
                        Fellowships, except that such amounts shall be 
                        adjusted as necessary so as not to exceed each 
                        fellow's demonstrated level of need.
            ``(2) Scope and focus of activities.--In carrying out the 
        purposes for which each Institute is established, the 
        Secretary, acting through the Director of each Institute, 
        shall--
                    ``(A) maintain an appropriate balance between 
                applied and basic research;
                    ``(B) significantly expand the role of field-
                initiated research in meeting the Nation's education 
                research and development needs by reserving not less 
                than 15 percent of the amounts available to each 
                Institute in any fiscal year to support field-initiated 
                research described in clauses (iii) through (v) of 
                paragraph (1); and
                    ``(C) provide for and maintain a stable foundation 
                of long-term research and development on core issues 
                and concerns conducted through university-based 
                research and development centers by reserving not less 
                than 30 percent of the amounts available to each 
                Institute in any fiscal year to support such research 
                and development centers.
            ``(3) Requirements regarding financial assistance.--No 
        grant, contract, or cooperative agreement may be made under 
        this section unless--
                    ``(A) sufficient notice of the availability of, and 
                opportunity to compete for, assistance has first been 
                provided to potential applicants through notice 
                published in the Federal Register and other means;
                    ``(B) it has been recommended after peer review in 
                accordance with the standards issued by the Board;
                    ``(C) it will be evaluated in accordance with the 
                standards issued by the Board; and
                    ``(D) in the case of a grant, contract, or 
                cooperative agreement which exceeds $500,000 for a 
                single fiscal year or $1,000,000 for more than one 
                fiscal year, the Secretary has complied with the 
                requirements of paragraph (4).
            ``(4) Board review of certain proposed grant and contract 
        actions.--
                    ``(A) The Secretary may not solicit any contract 
                bid or issue a request for proposals or applications 
                for any grant or cooperative agreement the amount of 
                which exceeds $500,000 in any single fiscal year or 
                which exceeds an aggregate amount of $1,000,000 for 
                more than one fiscal year unless--
                            ``(i) at least 30 days prior to the next 
                        scheduled meeting of the Board, a description 
                        of the proposed grant, contract, or cooperative 
                        agreement action has been transmitted to the 
                        Board, including an explanation of how the 
                        proposed action relates to the Research 
                        Priorities Plan developed by the Board under 
                        section 405A(c); and
                            ``(ii) the Board has reviewed the proposed 
                        action and made a written determination that--
                                    ``(I) the purposes and scope of the 
                                proposed action are consistent with the 
                                Research Priorities Plan; and
                                    ``(II) the methodology and approach 
                                of the proposed action are sound and 
                                adequate to achieve its stated 
                                objectives.
                    ``(B) The Board shall review and act upon each 
                proposed action which has been transmitted by the 
                Secretary in accordance with clause (i) of subparagraph 
                (A) at the next meeting of the Board which follows the 
                transmittal by the Secretary. In the event that the 
                Board fails to review and act upon any proposed action 
                at such meeting, the requirements of clause (ii) of 
                such subparagraph shall not apply with respect to such 
                proposed action.
            ``(5) Historically underutilized researchers and 
        institutions.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of 
        each Institute, shall establish and maintain initiatives and 
        programs to increase the participation in the activities of 
        each Institute of groups of researchers and institutions who 
        have been historically underutilized in Federal educational 
        research activities, including--
                    ``(A) researchers who are women, African-American, 
                Hispanic, or other ethnic minorities;
                    ``(B) promising young or new researchers in the 
                field, such as postdoctoral students and recently 
                appointed assistant or associate professors;
                    ``(C) historically black colleges and universities 
                and other institutions of higher education with large 
                numbers of minority students;
                    ``(D) institutions of higher education located in 
                rural areas; and
                    ``(E) institutions and researchers located in 
                States and regions of the Nation which have 
                historically received the least Federal support for 
                educational research and development.
            ``(6) Additional authorities.--The Secretary, acting 
        through the Director of each Institute--
                    ``(A) may obtain (in accordance with section 3109 
                of title 5 but without regard to the limitation in such 
                section on the period of service) the services of 
                experts or consultants with scientific or professional 
                qualifications in the disciplines relevant to the 
                purposes of such Institute;
                    ``(B) may not, notwithstanding any other provision 
                of law, appoint, and employ any person in a position 
                excepted from the competitive service under Schedule C;
                    ``(C) may use, with their consent, the services, 
                equipment, personnel, information, and facilities of 
                other Federal, State, or local public agencies, with or 
                without reimbursement therefor;
                    ``(D) may accept voluntary and uncompensated 
                services; and
                    ``(E) may accept unconditional gifts made to the 
                institute to support its activities.
    ``(d) National Institute for the Education of At-Risk Students.--
            ``(1) Findings.--The Congress finds as follows:
                    ``(A) The rate of decline in our urban schools is 
                escalating at a rapid pace. Student performance in most 
                inner city schools grows worse each year. At least half 
                of all students entering ninth grade fail to graduate 4 
                years later and many more students from high-poverty 
                backgrounds leave school with skills that are 
                inadequate for today's workplace. In 1988 the average 
                National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 
                reading score of white 17 year-olds was approximately 
                20 points higher than that of African-American 17 year-
                olds and 25 points higher than that of Hispanic 17 
                year-olds. None of the existing Federal educational 
                research and development programs are adequately 
                addressing this obvious emergency.
                    ``(B) Rural schools enroll a disproportionately 
                large share of the Nation's poor and at-risk students 
                and yet often lack the means to address effectively the 
                needs of these children. Intensive efforts must be made 
                to overcome the problems of geographic isolation, 
                declining population, inadequate financial resources 
                and other impediments to the educational success of 
                children residing in rural areas.
                    ``(C) By the year 2000, an estimated 3.4 million 
                school age children with limited English language 
                proficiency will be entering the school system. The 
                Federal Government must develop effective policies and 
                programs to address the educational needs of this 
                growing population of children who are at increased 
                risk for educational failure.
                    ``(D) An educational emergency exists in those 
                urban and rural areas where there are large 
                concentrations of children who live in poverty. The 
                numbers of educationally disadvantaged children will 
                substantially increase by the year 2020, when the 
                number of impoverished children alone will be 16.5 
                million, a 33 percent increase over the 12.4 million 
                children in poverty in 1987.
                    ``(E) Minority scholars as well as institutions and 
                groups that have been historically committed to the 
                improvement of the education of at-risk students need 
                to be more fully mobilized in the effort to develop a 
                new generation of programs, models, practices, and 
                schools capable of responding to the urgent needs of 
                students who are educationally at-risk.
            ``(2) Purpose.--It shall be the purpose of the Institute 
        for the Education of At-Risk Students to carry out a 
        coordinated and comprehensive program of research and 
        development to provide nonpartisan, research-based leadership 
        to the Nation as it seeks to improve educational opportunities 
        for students who are at-risk for educational failure, 
        particularly children who reside in inner city and rural areas 
        and children of limited English proficiency. Such program shall 
        undertake research necessary to provide a sound basis from 
        which to--
                    ``(A) identify, develop, evaluate, and assist 
                others to replicate and adapt interventions, programs, 
                and models which promote greater achievement and 
                educational success by at-risk students, including (but 
                not limited to)--
                            ``(i) methods of instruction and 
                        educational practices (including community 
                        services) which improve the achievement and 
                        retention of at-risk students;
                            ``(ii) means by which parents and community 
                        resources and institutions can be utilized to 
                        support and improve the achievement of at-risk 
                        students;
                            ``(iii) the training of teachers and other 
                        educational professionals and paraprofessionals 
                        to work more effectively with at-risk students;
                            ``(iv) the most effective uses of 
                        technology in the education of at-risk 
                        students; and
                            ``(v) programs designed to promote gender 
                        equity in schools that serve at-risk students; 
                        and
                            ``(vi) methods of assessing the achievement 
                        of students which are sensitive to cultural 
                        differences, provide multiple methods of 
                        assessing student learning, support student 
                        acquisition of higher order capabilities, and 
                        enable identification of the effects of 
                        inequalities in the resources available to 
                        support the learning of children throughout the 
                        Nation; and
                    ``(B) maximize the participation of those schools 
                and institutions of higher education that serve the 
                greatest number of at-risk students in inner city and 
                rural areas, including model collaborative programs 
                between schools and schools systems, institutions of 
                higher education, and community organizations.
    ``(e) National Institute for Innovation in Educational Governance, 
Finance and Management.--
            ``(1) Findings.--The Congress finds as follows:
                    ``(A) Many elementary and secondary schools in the 
                United States--
                            ``(i) are structured according to models 
                        that are ineffective and rely on notions of 
                        management and governance that may be outdated 
                        or insufficient for the challenges of the next 
                        century; and
                            ``(ii) are unsuccessful in equipping all 
                        students with the knowledge and skills needed 
                        to succeed as citizens and in the working 
                        world.
                    ``(B) New approaches are needed in the governance 
                and management of elementary and secondary education 
                with the United States at the State, local, school 
                building and classroom level.
                    ``(C) Not enough is known about the effects of 
                various systems of school governance and management on 
                student achievement to provide sound guidance to 
                policymakers as they pursue school restructuring and 
                reform.
                    ``(D) A concentrated Federal effort is needed to 
                support research, development, demonstration, and 
                evaluation of approaches to school governance, finance 
                and management which promise to improve education 
                equity and excellence throughout the Nation.
            ``(2) Purpose.--It shall be the purpose of the Institute on 
        Innovation in Educational Governance, Finance, and Management 
        to carry out a coordinated and comprehensive program of 
        research and development to provide nonpartisan, research-based 
        leadership to the Nation as it seeks to improve student 
        achievement through school restructuring and reform. Such 
        program shall--
                    ``(A) undertake research necessary to provide a 
                sound basis from which to identify, develop and 
                evaluate approaches in governance and management at the 
                State, local, school building and classroom level which 
                promise to improve educational equity and excellence, 
                such as--
                            ``(i) open enrollment programs, magnet 
                        schools and other systems through which parents 
                        may select the public schools and educational 
                        programs in which their children are enrolled;
                            ``(ii) the provision of financial and other 
                        rewards and incentives based on performance to 
                        improve student achievement;
                            ``(iii) the use of regulatory flexibility 
                        on the State or district level to promote 
                        innovation and school restructuring;
                            ``(iv) school-based management;
                            ``(v) the restructuring of school finance 
                        systems at the State and local level to promote 
                        greater equity in the distribution of resources 
                        for education;
                            ``(vi) expanding the role of teachers in 
                        policymaking and administration at the school 
                        and district-wide level;
                            ``(vii) programs designed to increase the 
                        involvement of parents and families in the 
                        management and governance of schools and the 
                        education of their children;
                            ``(viii) effective approaches to increasing 
                        the representation of women and minorities 
                        among leadership and management positions in 
                        education;
                            ``(ix) approaches to systemic reforms 
                        involving the coordination of multiple policies 
                        of each level of government to promote higher 
                        levels of student achievement;
                            ``(x) approaches to coordinated services 
                        for children; and
                            ``(xi) policies related to school to work 
                        transitions and preparing noncollege-bound 
                        students; and
                    ``(B) undertake research and development activities 
                necessary to provide information on the skills required 
                for successful educational leadership at the State and 
                local level and to enhance the ability of school 
                leaders and administrators to improve the educational 
                environment for all students.
    ``(f) National Institute for Early Childhood Development and 
Education.--
            ``(1) Findings.--The Congress finds as follows:
                    ``(A) The Nation has set as a goal that all 
                children should arrive at school ready to learn.
                    ``(B) Despite efforts to expand and improve 
                preschool programs, many children still reach school 
                age unprepared to benefit from formal education 
                programs.
                    ``(C) Early intervention for disadvantaged children 
                from conception to age five has been shown to be a 
                highly cost-effective strategy for reducing later 
                expenditures on a wide variety of health, 
                developmental, and educational problems that often 
                interfere with learning. Long-term studies of the 
                benefits of preschool education have a demonstrated 
                return on investment ranging from three to six dollars 
                for every one dollar spent.
                    ``(D) The Federal Government should play a central 
                role in providing research-based information on early 
                childhood education models which enhance children's 
                development and ultimately their success in school.
            ``(2) Purpose.--The purpose of the National Institute for 
        Early Childhood Development and Education is to support basic 
        and applied research, compile existing research, develop 
        effective models, offer in-depth technical assistance, and to 
        otherwise assist States and communities in developing sound 
        early childhood education policies and practices that include--
                    ``(A) social and educational development of all 
                infants, toddlers, and preschool children;
                    ``(B) the role of parents and the community in 
                promoting the successful social and educational 
                development of children from birth to age five;
                    ``(C) training and preparation of teachers and 
                other professional and paraprofessional preschool and 
                child care workers;
                    ``(D) the structure and environment of early 
                childhood education and child care settings which lead 
                to improved social and educational development; and
                    ``(E) practices and approaches which sustain the 
                benefits of effective preschool and child care 
                programs.
            ``(3) Certain requirements.--In carrying out its mission, 
        the Institute shall--
                    ``(A) place special emphasis on the special early 
                childhood education needs of at-risk children, children 
                with disabilities, and girls; and
                    ``(B) ensure that its research and development 
                program provides information that can be utilized in 
                improving the major Federal early childhood education 
                programs, including Head Start, Even Start, chapter 1 
                preschool programs, and part H of the Individuals with 
                Disabilities Education Act.
    ``(g) National Institute on Student Achievement.--
            ``(1) Findings.--The Congress finds as follows:
                    ``(A) The current achievement levels of students in 
                the Nation are far below those that might indicate 
                competency in challenging subject matter in English, 
                mathematics, science, history, and geography and other 
                areas, or across the subject areas.
                    ``(B) Very few students demonstrate that they can 
                use their minds well. In recent assessments, more 
                students are gaining basic skills, yet fewer are 
                demonstrating a grasp of higher-level applications of 
                those skills.
                    ``(C) During the past 20 years, relatively little 
                has changed in how students are taught. Despite much 
                research suggesting better alternatives, classrooms are 
                still dominated by textbooks, teacher lectures, and 
                short-answer activity sheets and unequal patterns of 
                student attention.
                    ``(D) Despite progress in narrowing the gaps, the 
                differences in performance between white students and 
                their minority counterparts remain unacceptably large. 
                While progress has been made in reducing the gender gap 
                in mathematics, it still remains at higher levels of 
                problem solving. Too little progress has been made in 
                reducing gender performance gaps favoring males in 
                science and females in writing.
            ``(2) Purpose.--The purpose of the National Institute on 
        Student Achievement is to carry out a coordinated and 
        comprehensive program of research and development to provide 
        research-based leadership to the Nation as it seeks to improve 
        student achievement in English, mathematics, science, history, 
        geography, and other subject areas and across the boundaries of 
        the subject areas. Such program shall--
                    ``(A) identify, develop, and evaluate innovative 
                and exemplary methods of instruction and classroom 
                management in a variety of subject areas, including 
                (but not limited to)--
                            ``(i) research and development on student 
                        learning and assessment in various subject 
                        matters;
                            ``(ii) research and development on the 
                        effects of organizational patterns on the 
                        delivery of instruction, including issues of 
                        grouping and tracking, ungraded classrooms, and 
                        on the effects of various pedagogies, including 
                        the issues of technology in education; and
                            ``(iii) research and development on the 
                        best methods of teacher preparation;
                    ``(B) conduct basic and applied research in the 
                areas of human learning, cognition, and performance, 
                including research and development on the education 
                contexts which promote excellence in learning and 
                instruction, and motivational issues which provide a 
                key to learning; and
                    ``(C) identify, develop, and evaluate programs 
                designed to enhance academic achievement and narrow 
                racial and gender performance gaps in a variety of 
                subject areas, including research and development on 
                methods of involving parents in their children's 
                education and ways to involve business, industry and 
                other community partners in promoting excellence in 
                schools.
    ``(h) National Institute for Postsecondary Education, Libraries, 
and Lifelong Learning.--
            ``(1) Findings.--The Congress finds as follows:
                    ``(A) The American system of postsecondary 
                education is foremost in the world in its achievement 
                of both academic excellence and equity in access, but 
                maintaining that preeminence requires renewed efforts 
                to strengthen the quality of postsecondary education. 
                Disappointing student performance on achievement tests 
                and licensure examinations, declining rates of 
                persistence and completion among minorities, and other 
                troubling trends in the quality of postsecondary 
                education must be addressed by the Nation as part of 
                its overall drive to improve American education.
                    ``(B) The need to improve our Nation's economic 
                productivity to meet the competitive challenges of a 
                new, international economy, coupled with high levels of 
                mobility in the United States labor market and 
                demographic changes in the workforce, now demands more 
                and higher quality programs of learning and training in 
                the American workplace.
                    ``(C) The more than 1,000,000 men and women 
                incarcerated in the Nation's prisons and jails are 
                among the most severely educationally disadvantaged in 
                the United States, with high rates of functional 
                illiteracy and extremely low levels of educational 
                attainment. Since an estimated 90 percent of these 
                individuals are expected to be released by the end of 
                the decade, the Nation must act to assure that our 
                correctional system has the means to equip these 
                Americans with the knowledge and skills they will need 
                to participate productively in our society.
                    ``(D) The development of a `Nation of Students' 
                capable of and committed to the pursuit of formal and 
                informal lifelong learning is essential to sustain both 
                national and individual economic success and to provide 
                a nurturing environment in which all children and youth 
                can learn and achieve. Historically the most effective 
                community resource for lifelong learning, the Nation's 
                public library system must expand and restructure its 
                delivery of services to take full advantage of the 
                potential of new information technologies to meet the 
                needs of learning communities.
            ``(2) Purpose.--The purpose of the National Institute for 
        Postsecondary Education, Libraries, and Lifelong Learning is to 
        promote greater coordination of Federal research and 
        development on issues related to adult learning and to carry 
        out a program of research and development in adult learning to 
        provide nonpartisan, research-based leadership to the Nation as 
        it seeks to improve libraries, postsecondary education, and 
        lifelong learning throughout the United States. Such program--
                    ``(A) shall promote greater coordination, 
                cooperation, and interaction among entities within the 
                Federal Government which support research and 
                development related to postsecondary education, 
                libraries, and lifelong learning;
                    ``(B) shall enable greater collaboration among 
                entities within the Federal Government which support 
                research and development related to postsecondary 
                education, libraries, and lifelong learning by 
                supporting research and development projects which are 
                carried out jointly by such entities;
                    ``(C) shall support research and development in 
                those areas of postsecondary education, libraries, and 
                lifelong learning which are not being addressed 
                sufficiently by other entities within the Federal 
                Government; and
                    ``(D) may include basic and applied research, 
                development, replication, and evaluation activities in 
                such areas as--
                            ``(i) methods of assessing and evaluating 
                        individual, program, and institutional 
                        performance;
                            ``(ii) the uses and applications of new 
                        technologies to improve program effectiveness 
                        and enhance student learning;
                            ``(iii) practices, policies, and programs 
                        which address the unique needs of adult 
                        learners, including--
                                    ``(I) institutional and classroom 
                                policies and practices at the 
                                postsecondary level necessary to 
                                improve matriculation, persistence, 
                                achievement and graduation by students 
                                who are economically disadvantaged, 
                                ethnic and racial minorities, women, 
                                older, working, and who have children;
                                    ``(II) instructional practices and 
                                programs which are effective in 
                                correctional settings;
                                    ``(III) new models of service 
                                delivery for public library systems 
                                which expand opportunities for lifelong 
                                learning;
                                    ``(IV) effective programs and 
                                approaches which promote greater access 
                                to and success by minorities in 
                                postsecondary programs which prepare 
                                them for scientific, technical, 
                                teaching, and health career fields; and
                                    ``(V) effective approaches to work-
                                based learning;
                            ``(iv) the effectiveness of Historically 
                        Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally-
                        Controlled Indian Community Colleges, women's 
                        colleges, and other special mission 
                        institutions in fulfilling their mission of 
                        providing access and equal opportunity in 
                        higher education; and
                            ``(v) the quality of higher education at 
                        all levels and the roles and responsibilities 
                        of regional and national accrediting agencies 
                        in assuring the quality and relevance of 
                        academic goals and objectives established by 
                        institutions of higher education;
                            ``(vi) financial barriers to postsecondary 
                        educational opportunity, including--
                                    ``(I) the role of Federal programs 
                                authorized under title IV of the Higher 
                                Education Act and State grant and work 
                                programs in mitigating such barriers;
                                    ``(II) the impact of the rising 
                                total cost of postsecondary education 
                                on access to higher education; and
                                    ``(III) the extent and impact of 
                                student reliance on loans to meet the 
                                costs of higher education.
            ``(3) Involvement of certain agencies and organizations.--
        In promoting coordination and collaboration on research and 
        development on issues related to postsecondary education, 
        libraries, and lifelong learning, the Institute shall, as 
        appropriate, seek the involvement of--
                    ``(A) within the Department of Education--
                            ``(i) the Office of Library Programs;
                            ``(ii) the Office of Correctional 
                        Education;
                            ``(iii) the Office of Vocational and Adult 
                        Education;
                            ``(iv) the National Institute on Disability 
                        and Rehabilitation Research; and
                            ``(v) the Office of Postsecondary 
                        Education;
                    ``(B) the National Institute for Literacy;
                    ``(C) the National Board for Professional Teaching 
                Standards;
                    ``(D) the Employment and Training Administration of 
                the Department of Labor;
                    ``(E) the Administration for Children and Families 
                within the Department of Health and Human Services;
                    ``(F) the National Institutes of Health;
                    ``(G) the National Endowment for Humanities;
                    ``(H) the Bureau of Prisons of the Department of 
                Justice;
                    ``(I) the Department of Commerce; and
                    ``(J) the Department of Defense.
            ``(4) Additional responsibilities.--In addition to the 
        responsibilities described in paragraph (2), the Institute 
        shall be responsible for managing the existing contract for the 
        National Center on Literacy and assuring that the activities of 
        such center are fully coordinated with those of the National 
        Institute for Literacy.
    ``(i) Research on Assessment.--The Secretary, acting through the 
Assistant Secretary, shall undertake a comprehensive, coordinated 
program of research and development in the area of assessment in 
accordance with the requirements of this subsection. Such program shall 
comply with the following:
            ``(1)(A) The program shall be carried out by--
                    ``(i) each of the Institutes established by this 
                section; and
                    ``(ii) a research and development center which 
                shall be jointly funded by all of the Institutes.
            ``(B) Such center shall--
                    ``(i) conduct basic and applied research and engage 
                in development, analysis, and evaluation in the area of 
                assessment of student achievement;
                    ``(ii) coordinate the research and development 
                activities in the area of assessment undertaken by each 
                of the Institutes; and
                    ``(iii) working cooperatively with the regional 
                educational laboratories, provide technical assistance 
                to State and local education agencies in the design, 
                development, and implementation of new forms of 
                assessment.
            ``(2) The program shall include research and development in 
        the following areas:
                    ``(A) The validity, reliability, generalizability, 
                fairness, costs, relative merits, and most appropriate 
                uses of various approaches and methods of assessing 
                student learning and achievement.
                    ``(B) Methods and approaches to assessing student 
                opportunities to learn (including the quality of 
                instruction and the availability of resources necessary 
                to support learning) and evaluating the quality of 
                school environments.
                    ``(C) The design, development, evaluation, and 
                validation of model performance-based and other 
                alternative or innovative formats or uses of 
                assessments.
                    ``(D) The impact of high-stakes uses of assessment 
                on student performance and motivation, narrowing of 
                curriculum, teaching practices, and test integrity.
                    ``(E) The fairness and impact of various methods of 
                assessment on children of different races, ethnicities, 
                gender, socioeconomic status, English language 
                proficiencies, and children with other special needs.
                    ``(F) Standards of performance, quality, and 
                validity for various methods of assessment and the 
                means by which such standards should be developed.
                    ``(G) Current and emerging testing practices of 
                State and local education agencies within the United 
                States, as well as other nations.
                    ``(H) The diverse effects, both intended and 
                unintended, of assessments as actually used in the 
                schools, including effects on curriculum and 
                instruction, effects on equity in the allocation of 
                resources and opportunities, effects on equity of 
                outcomes, effects on other procedures and standards for 
                judging students and practitioners and possible 
                inflation of test scores.
                    ``(I) Identifying and evaluating how students with 
                limited English language proficiency and students with 
                disabilities are included and accommodated in the 
                various assessment programs of State and local 
                education agencies.
                    ``(J) The feasibility and validity of comparing or 
                equating the results of different assessments.
            ``(3) The program shall--
                    ``(A) reflect recommendations made by the National 
                Education Goals Panel (provided such panel has been 
                authorized by law);
                    ``(B) comply with the `Standards for Educational 
                and Psychological Tests' developed by the American 
                Psychological Association, the National Council on 
                Measurement in Education, and the American Educational 
                Research Association;
                    ``(C) be consistent with the `Criteria for 
                Evaluation of Student Assessment Systems' developed by 
                the National Forum on Assessment; and
                    ``(D) comply with the `Code of Fair Testing 
                Practices in Education' developed by the Joint 
                Committee on Testing Practices.
For purposes of this subsection, the term `development' means the 
development of prototypes for the purposes of research and evaluation.
    ``(j) Coordination of Research on Cross-Cutting Issues.--The 
Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary, shall promote the 
coordination of research and development activities among the 
Institutes established by subsection (a) to investigate those cross-
cutting disciplines and areas of inquiry, such as assessment, the use 
of technology and the training of teachers and school administrators, 
which are relevant to the missions of more than one of the Institutes. 
Such activities shall--
            ``(1) address cross-cutting disciplines and areas of 
        inquiry which have been proposed by the Assistant Secretary and 
        are consistent with the research priorities identified by the 
        Board;
            ``(2) be carried out jointly (1) by any one of the 
        Institutes and--
                    ``(A) one (or more) of the Institutes;
                    ``(B) the National Center for Education Statistics; 
                or
                    ``(C) any research and development entity 
                administered by other offices of the Department of 
                Education or by any other Federal agency or Department; 
                and
            ``(3) meet all the standards set by the Board for other 
        research and development conducted by the Office.
    ``(k) Program on Teaching and Teacher Education.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the 
        Assistant Secretary, in accordance with the requirements of 
        this subsection, shall undertake a comprehensive, coordinated 
        program of research in the area of teaching and teacher 
        education to be carried out by each of the Institutes 
        established by this section, including through research centers 
        and field-initiated grants.
            ``(2) Certain purposes of program.--In carrying out the 
        program established under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 
        conduct, directly or through grants and contracts, basic and 
        applied research and analytical activities to further knowledge 
        about, make recommendations, and improve--
                    ``(A) the ability of classroom teachers and schools 
                to assist new and diverse populations of students in 
                successfully assimilating into the classroom 
                environment;
                    ``(B) the working conditions of teachers and other 
                educational practitioners, including but not limited to 
                the topics of--
                            ``(i) teacher isolation;
                            ``(ii) professional resources available to 
                        teachers;
                            ``(iii) continuing educational and 
                        professional opportunities available to 
                        teachers;
                            ``(iv) physical facilities and equipment, 
                        such as office space, telephone, computer 
                        access, and fax machines and television cable 
                        access available to teachers in the work 
                        environment;
                            ``(v) opportunities for teachers to share 
                        information and resources with other teachers 
                        and education professionals;
                            ``(vi) opportunities for advanced learning 
                        experience; and
                            ``(vii) the reduction of stress in the 
                        teaching profession;
                    ``(C) institutional program renewal and 
                instruction; and
                    ``(D) restructuring of State certification of 
                teachers and teacher education standards.
            ``(3) Certain activities.--In carrying out the program 
        established under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) work with institutions of higher education 
                engaged in the preparation of teachers and professional 
                organizations of teacher educators and practitioners to 
                encourage institutional program renewal and 
                restructuring;
                    ``(B) conduct, directly or through grants and 
                contracts research on--
                            ``(i) effective and reflective teaching for 
                        the preparation and continuing education of 
                        teachers;
                            ``(ii) the use of computing and multi-made 
                        technology to advance the understanding and 
                        abilities of teacher educators and classroom 
                        teachers;
                            ``(iii) the development and appraisal of 
                        curriculum and curriculum materials for the 
                        initial and continuing education of teachers 
                        and teacher educators; and
                            ``(iv) strengthening the evaluation and 
                        dissemination of information on programs for 
                        continuing professional education and renewal 
                        of those who educate teachers for initial or 
                        advanced licensure or certification; and
                    ``(C) work with the national regional education 
                laboratories, the ERIC clearinghouses, national 
                education research library, and the national center for 
                education statistics to maximize information available, 
                to prevent unnecessary duplication of efforts and 
                resources, and to ensure the results of the centers 
                work are widely available.
    ``(l) Research on Educational Technology.--The Assistant Secretary 
shall undertake a comprehensive, coordinated program of research and 
development in the area of the uses and applications of technology in 
education in accordance with the requirements of this subsection. Such 
program shall meet the following requirements:
            ``(1) The program shall be carried out by each of the 
        Institutes established by this section and a research and 
        development center which shall be jointly funded by all of the 
        Institutes. Such center shall--
                    ``(A) conduct basic and applied research and engage 
                in development, analysis, evaluation in the area of the 
                uses and applications of technology to education; and
                    ``(B) coordinate the research and development 
                activities in the area of the uses and applications of 
                technology to education undertaken by each of the 
                Institutes;
            ``(2) The program shall include basic and applied research, 
        development, policy analysis, and evaluation in the following 
        areas:
                    ``(A) The capabilities of current and emerging 
                technologies and their possible uses in education.
                    ``(B) The uses and applications of technology--
                            ``(i) to improve instruction within all 
                        content areas in the school curriculum;
                            ``(ii) to educate more effectively at-risk 
                        students and other students with special needs;
                            ``(iii) to improve education in rural 
                        communities and other remote areas;
                            ``(iv) to improve the assessment of student 
                        learning and achievement; and
                            ``(v) to deliver preservice and inservice 
                        training for teachers, librarians, and school 
                        administrators.
                    ``(C) The cost and educational effectiveness of 
                technologies used in education.
                    ``(D) Effective models and approaches for providing 
                the preservice and inservice training and technical 
                assistance necessary to enable teachers, librarians, 
                and school administrators and others to use technology 
                effectively in education.
                    ``(E) The identification of barriers to greater use 
                of technologies in education and potential approaches 
                to eradicating or mitigating such barriers.
                    ``(F) Methods and approaches which can be utilized 
                by teachers, school administrators, and education 
                policymakers to evaluate the quality and most 
                appropriate uses of software and other technologies 
                designed for use in education.
                    ``(G) Approaches to organizing and managing schools 
                and classrooms to make the most effective use of 
                technology in education.
            ``(3) The program shall be coordinated with related 
        research and development activities undertaken by the Office of 
        Special Education Programs, the National Science Foundation, 
        the Department of Defense, and other Federal agencies.
    ``(m) Transitional Provisions.--
            ``(1) Temporary reorganizations.--Upon the enactment of the 
        Educational Research, Development and Dissemination Excellence 
        Act, the Secretary shall reorganize the research and 
        development functions and activities of the Office into 
        administrative units the purposes of which shall be the same as 
        those for each of the national research institutes established 
        in subsection (a). Such administrative units shall be 
        responsible for planning and providing for the establishment of 
        such institutes and shall cease to exist on the dates upon 
        which each of the relevant institutes is established. The 
        provisions of subsection (c) (relating to authorities and 
        duties) shall apply to all activities undertaken by each such 
        administrative unit.
            ``(2) Dates for establishment of institutes.--
                    ``(A) The National Institute for the Education of 
                At-Risk Students shall be established effective October 
                1, 1994.
                    ``(B) The National Institute for Early Childhood 
                Development and Education, the National Institute for 
                Innovation in Educational Governance and Management, 
                the National Institute for Student Achievement, and the 
                National Institute on Postsecondary Education, 
                Libraries, and Lifelong Learning shall each be 
                established effective October 1, 1995.''.

           TITLE IV--NATIONAL EDUCATION DISSEMINATION SYSTEM

SEC. 401. ESTABLISHMENT WITHIN OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND 
              IMPROVEMENT.

    Part A of the General Education Provisions Act, as amended by 
section 301 of this Act, is amended by inserting after section 405B the 
following new section:

               ``national education dissemination system

    ``Sec. 405C. (a) In General.--
            ``(1) Findings.--The Congress finds as follows:
                    ``(A) In order to improve the American educational 
                system for all students, achieve the national education 
                goals, and provide for greater educational equity, 
                policymakers, administrators, teachers, and parents 
                must have ready access to the best information and 
                methods available as a result of educational research 
                and development.
                    ``(B) The Office of Educational Research and 
                Improvement should have as one of its primary purposes 
                the dissemination of such information and methods in 
                order to assist the national education reform effort.
                    ``(C) All current resources within the Office, the 
                Department, and other agencies that can help accomplish 
                this goal should be coordinated by the Assistant 
                Secretary so as to form a systematic process to 
                accomplish these objectives.
                    ``(D) Education research has the capacity to 
                improve teaching and learning in our Nation's schools, 
                however, teachers need training in the developmental 
                skills necessary to translate research into practice 
                and to allow them to become a cadre of knowledgeable 
                practitioners and leaders in educational improvement.
                    ``(E) Adequate linkages between research and 
                development providers and practitioners are essential 
                to ensuring that research on effective practice is 
                useful, disseminated and supported with technical 
                assistance to all educators, and that all educators are 
                partners in the research and development process.
            ``(2) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to--
                    ``(A) create a national system of dissemination, 
                development, and school improvement in order to create, 
                adapt, identify, validate, and disseminate to 
                educators, parents, and policymakers those educational 
                programs that have potential or have been shown to 
                improve educational opportunities for all students; and
                    ``(B) empower and increase the capacity of teachers 
                to participate in the research and development process.
            ``(3) Definition of educational program.--For the purposes 
        of this section, the term `educational program' includes 
        educational policies, research findings, practices, and 
        products.
    ``(b) Establishment of Office.--
            ``(1) In general.--There is established within the Office 
        an Office of Reform Assistance and Dissemination (in this 
        section referred to as the `Dissemination Office') through 
        which the Secretary shall carry out all functions and 
        activities described in this section.
            ``(2) Certain duties.--The Dissemination Office shall--
                    ``(A) identify educational programs that may merit 
                being designated as exemplary or promising educational 
                programs;
                    ``(B) based solely on the educational merits and 
                promise of such programs, select those to be designated 
                as exemplary or promising;
                    ``(C) provide technical and financial assistance to 
                individuals and organizations in the process of 
                developing promising educational programs in the 
                priority areas identified in section 405(b)(3), but who 
                might not, without such assistance, be able to complete 
                necessary development and assessment activities;
                    ``(D) nationally disseminate information regarding 
                the exemplary and promising programs to educators, 
                parents, and policymakers through a variety of means, 
                including existing Department activities, education 
                associations and networks, and communication 
                technologies;
                    ``(E) provide training and technical assistance 
                regarding the implementation and adoption of such 
                exemplary and promising programs by interested 
                entities; and
                    ``(F) carry out a program of research on models for 
                successful knowledge dissemination and utilization and 
                strategies for reaching education policymakers, 
                practitioners, and others interested in education.
            ``(3) Additional duties.--The Dissemination Office shall 
        carry out and contain the following functions and activities:
                    ``(A) A process for the identification of 
                educational programs that work.
                    ``(B) The educational resources information 
                clearinghouses.
                    ``(C) Dissemination through new technologies.
                    ``(D) Smartline.
                    ``(E) The Electronic Networking and Resource-
                Sharing for School Improvement program.
                    ``(F) The regional educational laboratories.
                    ``(G) Regional Partnerships for Teacher Change 
                Agents.
                    ``(H) The America 2000 Communities Special 
                Assistance Program.
                    ``(I) The existing National Diffusion Network and 
                its Developer-Demonstrator and State Facilitator 
                projects.
                    ``(J) Such other programs or entities the Secretary 
                determines are consistent with the purposes for which 
                the Dissemination Office is established.
    ``(c) Identification of Programs.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a process 
        through which successful educational programs are actively 
        sought out for possible dissemination through the national 
        educational dissemination system. Such process shall, at a 
        minimum, have the capability to--
                    ``(A) work closely with the research institutes, 
                centers, regional educational laboratories, the 
                National Diffusion Network and its Developer-
                Demonstrator and State Facilitator projects, learning 
                grant institutions established under the America 2000 
                Communities Special Assistance program, technical 
                assistance centers established under chapter 1 of the 
                Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Women's 
                Educational Equity Act Publishing Center, and other 
                entities to identify successful educational programs at 
                the regional, State, local, or classroom level;
                    ``(B) review successful educational programs 
                supported by the Department through all of its 
                programs, including Chapter 1, Even Start, Drug-Free 
                Schools and Communities Act of 1986, the Individuals 
                With Disabilities Education Act, Bilingual Education, 
                the Women's Educational Equity Act, and Adult and 
                Vocational Education;
                    ``(C) through cooperative agreements, review for 
                possible inclusion in the system educational programs 
                administered by the Departments of Health and Human 
                Services (particularly the Head Start program), Labor 
                and Defense, the National Science Foundation, and any 
                other appropriate Federal agency; and
                    ``(D) provide for an active outreach effort to 
                identify successful educational programs through 
                cooperative arrangements with State and local education 
                agencies, teachers and teacher organizations, 
                curriculum associations, foundations, private schools, 
                institutions of higher education, and other entities 
                that could enhance the ability of the Secretary to 
                identify programs for possible inclusion in the 
                dissemination system.
            ``(2) Priority programs.--In carrying out this subsection, 
        the Secretary shall place a priority on identifying programs, 
        products, and practices related to the priority research and 
        development needs identified in section 405(b)(3).
    ``(d) Designation of Exemplary and Promising Programs.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
        Board, shall establish 1 or more panels of appropriately 
        qualified experts and practitioners to--
                    ``(A) evaluate educational programs that have been 
                identified by the Secretary under subsection (c) or 
                that have been submitted to the Secretary for such 
                evaluation by some other individual or organization; 
                and
                    ``(B) recommend to the Secretary programs that 
                should be designated as exemplary or promising 
                educational programs.
            ``(2) Considerations in making recommendations.--In 
        determining whether an educational program should receive a 
        recommendation under paragraph (1), a panel established under 
        such paragraph shall consider--
                    ``(A) whether, based on empirical data, which may 
                include but shall not be limited to test results, the 
                program is effective and should thus be designated as 
                exemplary and disseminated through the national 
                dissemination system; or
                    ``(B) whether there is sufficient evidence to lead 
                a panel of experts and practitioners to believe that 
                the program shows promise for improving student 
                achievement and should thus be designated as promising 
                and disseminated through the national dissemination 
                system while it continues to be evaluated.
            ``(3) Requirement regarding approval of programs.--In 
        seeking out programs for approval under paragraph (2), the 
        Dissemination Office shall seek programs that may be 
        implemented at the State, local, and classroom level.
            ``(4) Requirements regarding panels.--
                    ``(A) A panel shall not eliminate a program from 
                consideration under this subsection based solely on the 
                fact that it does not have one specific type of 
                supporting data, such as test scores.
                    ``(B) The Secretary may not designate a program as 
                exemplary or promising unless a panel established under 
                paragraph (1) has recommended that the program be so 
                designated.
                    ``(C) The Secretary shall establish such panels 
                under paragraph (1) as may be necessary to ensure that 
                each program identified or submitted for evaluation is 
                evaluated.
                    ``(D) Not less than \2/3\ of the membership of a 
                panel established under paragraph shall consist of 
                individuals who are not officers or employees of the 
                United States. Members of panels under paragraph (1) 
                who are not employees of the United States shall 
                receive compensation for each day engaged in carrying 
                out the duties of the panel as well as compensation for 
                their expenses.
    ``(e) Dissemination of Exemplary and Promising Programs.--
            ``(1) In general.--In order to ensure that programs 
        identified as exemplary or promising are available for adoption 
        by the greatest number of teachers, schools, and local and 
        State education agencies, the Secretary shall utilize the 
        capabilities of--
                    ``(A) the education resources information 
                clearinghouses;
                    ``(B) Smartline;
                    ``(C) the regional educational laboratories;
                    ``(D) the National Diffusion Network;
                    ``(E) entities established under the America 2000 
                Communities Special Assistance Program;
                    ``(F) technical assistance centers established 
                under Chapter 1 of the Elementary and Secondary 
                Education Act;
                    ``(G) the National Library of Education; and
                    ``(H) other public and private nonprofit entities, 
                including existing education associations and networks, 
                that have the capability to assist educators in 
                adopting exemplary and promising programs.
            ``(2) Requirements for secretary.--In carrying out 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall ensure that all such 
        entities are--
                    ``(A) kept apprised of the availability of specific 
                programs for dissemination;
                    ``(B) provided technical assistance, if necessary, 
                to carry out this dissemination function; and
                    ``(C) involved in the national education 
                dissemination system as specified by law.
    ``(f) Education Resources Information Clearinghouses.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a system 
        of 16 education resource information clearinghouses having, at 
        a minimum, the same functions and scope of work as the 
        clearinghouses had on the date of the enactment of the 
        Educational Research, Development, and Dissemination Excellence 
        Act.
            ``(2) Additional functions.--In addition to those functions 
        already being carried out by the clearinghouses, such 
        clearinghouses shall--
                    ``(A) periodically produce interpretive summaries, 
                digests, and syntheses of the results and findings of 
                education-related research and development; and
                    ``(B) contain and make available to users 
                information concerning those programs designated as 
                exemplary and promising under subsection (c).
            ``(3) Coordination of activities.--The Secretary shall 
        assure that the functions and activities of such clearinghouses 
        are coordinated with the activities of the research institutes, 
        the regional educational laboratories, learning grant 
        institutions, other clearinghouses supported by the Department, 
        the National Diffusion Network, and other appropriate entities 
        within the Office and the Department.
            ``(4) Special responsibilities of the secretary.--To assure 
        that the information provided through such clearinghouses is 
        fully comprehensive, the Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) require that all reports, studies, and other 
                resources produced directly or by grant or contract 
                with the Department of Education are made available to 
                clearinghouses; and
                    ``(B) establish cooperative agreements with the 
                Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services, and 
                other Federal agencies to assure that all education-
                related reports, studies, and other resources produced 
                directly or by grant or contract with the Federal 
                Government are made available to such clearinghouses.
            ``(5) Copyright prohibited.--No clearinghouse or other 
        entity receiving assistance under this subsection may copyright 
        or otherwise charge a royalty or other fee for the use or 
        redissemination of any database, index, abstract, report, or 
        other information produced with assistance under this 
        subsection.
    ``(g) Dissemination Through New Technologies.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary is authorized to 
        award grants in accordance with this subsection to support the 
        development of materials, programs, and resources which utilize 
        new technologies and techniques to synthesize and disseminate 
        research and development findings and other information which 
        can be used to support school and classroom improvement. Such 
        grants shall be limited to not more than 50 percent of the 
        total cost of developing such materials.
            ``(2) Requirements.--In carrying out this subsection, the 
        Assistant Secretary shall assure that--
                    ``(A) grants are awarded to support a diverse range 
                of technologies, including, but not limited to, CD-ROM, 
                interactive video discs, personal computer software, 
                and public broadcasting, cable, fiber, and satellite 
                programming;
                    ``(B) both formative and summative evaluations are 
                undertaken as part of each development project;
                    ``(C) the information and other resources 
                disseminated as part of each development project have 
                been evaluated and validated as part of the 
                identification process described in subsections (c) and 
                (d) of this section; and
                    ``(D) priority in awarding grants is given to--
                            ``(i) development projects which provide 
                        information and other resources related to 
                        effective approaches to educating at-risk 
                        students;
                            ``(ii) development projects which provide 
                        information and other resources that parents, 
                        in particular, will find useful in a manner and 
                        format which is readily accessible and easy to 
                        understand; and
                            ``(iii) a national multimedia, television-
                        based project directed to homes, schools, 
                        libraries, and after-school programs which 
                        demonstrates and disseminates effective ways to 
                        motivate and improve reading comprehension and 
                        writing coherence of elementary age students in 
                        high poverty areas.
    ``(h) Sources of Materials and Research About Teaching and Learning 
for Improving Nationwide Education (Smartline).--
            ``(1) Electronic network.--The Assistant Secretary, acting 
        through the Office of Reform Assistance and Dissemination, 
        shall establish and maintain an electronic network which shall, 
        at a minimum, link--
                    ``(A) each office of the Department of Education;
                    ``(B) the research institutes established by 
                section 405B;
                    ``(C) the National Center for Education Statistics;
                    ``(D) the National Library of Education; and
                    ``(E) entities engaged in research, development, 
                dissemination, and technical assistance under grant, 
                contract, or cooperative agreement with the Department 
                of Education, including--
                            ``(i) the ERIC Clearinghouses;
                            ``(ii) national research and development 
                        centers;
                            ``(iii) the regional educational 
                        laboratories;
                            ``(iv) National Diffusion Network State 
                        Facilitators;
                            ``(v) Chapter 1 Technical Assistance 
                        Centers;
                            ``(vi) research and development entities 
                        supported by the Office of Special Education 
                        programs;
                            ``(vii) evaluation assistance centers and 
                        multifunctional resource centers administered 
                        by the Office of Bilingual Education and 
                        Minority Language Affairs;
                            ``(viii) the National Center for Research 
                        in Vocational Education;
                            ``(ix) the Desegregation Assistance 
                        Centers; and
                            ``(x) regional centers established under 
                        section 5135 of the Drug-Free Schools and 
                        Communities Act of 1986.
            ``(2) Certain requirements for network.--The network 
        described in paragraph (1) shall--
                    ``(A) to the extent feasible, build upon existing 
                national, regional, and State electronic networks;
                    ``(B) at a minimum, have the capability to support 
                electronic mail and file transfer services;
                    ``(C) be linked to and accessible to other users, 
                including State and local education agencies, 
                institutions of higher education, museums, libraries, 
                and others through the Internet and the National 
                Research and Education Network; and
                    ``(D) be provided at no cost (excluding the costs 
                of necessary hardware) to the contractors and grantees 
                described in subparagraph (E) of paragraph (1) and to 
                educational institutions accessing such network through 
                the Internet and the National Research and Education 
                Network;
            ``(3) Information resources.--The Assistant Secretary, 
        acting through the Office of Reform Assistance and 
        Dissemination, shall make available through the network 
        described in paragraph (1) the following--
                    ``(A) information about grant and contract 
                assistance available through the department;
                    ``(B) an annotated directory of current research 
                and development activities and projects being 
                undertaken with the assistance of the Department;
                    ``(C) information about publications published by 
                the Department and, to the extent feasible, the full 
                text of such publications;
                    ``(D) statistics and data published by the National 
                Center for Education Statistics;
                    ``(E) syntheses of research and development 
                findings;
                    ``(F) a directory of other education-related 
                electronic networks and databases, including 
                information about the means by which they may be 
                accessed;
                    ``(G) a descriptive listing of materials and 
                courses of instruction provided by telecommunications 
                partnerships assisted under the Star Schools program;
                    ``(H) resources developed by the ERIC 
                Clearinghouses;
                    ``(I) education-related software which is in the 
                public domain; and
                    ``(J) such other information and resources the 
                Assistant Secretary considers useful and appropriate.
            ``(4) Evaluations regarding other functions of network.--
        The Assistant Secretary shall also undertake projects to test 
        and evaluate the feasibility of using the network described in 
        paragraph (1) for--
                    ``(A) the submission of applications for assistance 
                to the Department; and
                    ``(B) the collection of data and other statistics 
                through the National Center for Education Statistics.
            ``(5) Software interfaces; intelligent gateways.--
                    ``(A) Upon the completion of the study required by 
                subparagraph (B), the Assistant Secretary is authorized 
                to support the development of 1 or more software 
                interfaces or intelligent gateways which can be used to 
                access and search multiple education-related databases 
                simultaneously in order to improve access to current 
                information about teaching and learning by education 
                researchers, teachers, librarians, administrators, 
                parents, community members, and policymakers.
                    ``(B) The Assistant Secretary shall provide for the 
                conduct of an independent study of the feasibility and 
                costs associated with developing and maintaining the 
                software interfaces described in subparagraph (A). Such 
                study shall--
                            ``(i) identify a variety of options and 
                        strategies for the development and operation of 
                        such interfaces;
                            ``(ii) identify the extent to which such 
                        interfaces are needed by various segments of 
                        the educational community, including education 
                        researchers, teachers, librarians, 
                        policymakers, school administrators, parents, 
                        and others;
                            ``(iii) estimate the costs associated with 
                        developing and maintaining such interfaces;
                            ``(iv) identify possible roles for the 
                        private sector in the development of such 
                        interfaces; and
                            ``(v) determine whether such interfaces 
                        would be developed in the absence of Federal 
                        assistance.
                The Assistant Secretary shall submit copies of the 
                study required by this subparagraph to the appropriate 
                authorizing and appropriations committees of the 
                Congress.
            ``(6) Training and technical assistance.--The Assistant 
        Secretary, acting through the Office of Reform Assistance and 
        Dissemination, shall--
                    ``(A) provide such training and technical 
                assistance as may be necessary to enable the 
                contractors and grantees described in subparagraph (E) 
                of paragraph (1) to participate in the electronic 
                network described in paragraph (1);
                    ``(B) provide, through the regional laboratories 
                and other means, technical assistance to State 
                education agencies in the development of the electronic 
                networking plans described in subsection (h); and
                    ``(C) work with the National Science Foundation to 
                provide, upon request, assistance to State and local 
                education agencies, State library agencies, libraries, 
                museums, and other educational institutions in 
                obtaining access to the Internet and the National 
                Research and Education Network.
    ``(i) Electronic Networking and Resource-Sharing for School 
Improvement.--
            ``(1) Authority for grants.--The Assistant Secretary is 
        authorized, in accordance with the provisions of this 
        subsection, to make grants to State educational agencies for 
        the purposes of expanding and improving the use of electronic 
        networking and resource-sharing among educational institutions, 
        educators, school administrators, and parents throughout the 
        Nation. Such grants shall be used to--
                    ``(A) develop comprehensive plans to enable 
                participation in electronic networking and resource-
                sharing, as well as access to the Smartline resources 
                described in subsection (h), by all educational 
                institutions within the State by the year 2000; and
                    ``(B) carry out the provisions of such plans, 
                giving first priority to those activities which are 
                necessary to enable access and use of electronic 
                networking and resource-sharing by local education 
                agencies within the state which have the greatest 
                number or percentage of chapter 1 eligible students.
            ``(2) Certain requirements for plans.--Each such plan 
        shall--
                    ``(A) provide for the development of an electronic 
                network to enable greater information and resource-
                sharing among educational institutions within the State 
                which shall--
                            ``(i) to the extent feasible, build upon 
                        existing electronic networks;
                            ``(ii) be linked to and accessible to other 
                        users through the Internet and the National 
                        Research and Education Network;
                            ``(iii) enable networking among public and 
                        school libraries and be consistent with State 
                        plan for interlibrary cooperation and resource-
                        sharing under title III of the Library Services 
                        and Construction Act;
                            ``(iv) be available to all educational 
                        institutions within the State by the year 2000; 
                        and
                            ``(v) enable access to the network 
                        established by the Assistant Secretary under 
                        paragraph (1) of subsection (h) and the 
                        information resources made available through 
                        such network;
                    ``(B) be developed through a broadly participatory 
                process which shall include consultation with technical 
                experts, State and local educational policymakers, 
                teachers, librarians, school administrators, parents, 
                the business community, representatives of institutions 
                of higher education, and community-based organizations;
                    ``(C) identify potential uses for the network and 
                the information resources available through such 
                network by educational institutions within the State, 
                including how such resources may be used to support 
                learning in the classroom;
                    ``(D) establish standards and a governance 
                structure for such network;
                    ``(E) identify professional development and 
                technical support activities necessary to ensure that 
                the personnel of educational institutions within the 
                State have the skills necessary to participate fully 
                and effectively in the electronic network;
                    ``(F) identify strategies and activities necessary 
                to promote use of and participating in such network by 
                parents;
                    ``(G) set out a schedule for the implementation of 
                the plan; and
                    ``(H) estimate the costs of implementing the plan 
                and identify resources, including assistance available 
                through other Federal programs, to meet such costs.
            ``(3) Contingent authority regarding implementation.--If a 
        State education agency already has a plan which meets the 
        requirements of paragraph (2), such State education agency may 
        use assistance provided under this subsection to support the 
        implementation of such plan.
            ``(4) Award of grants.--
                    ``(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the 
                Assistant Secretary shall award grants under this 
                subsection to each State having an application approved 
                under paragraph (5) in an amount which bears the same 
                relationship to the amount appropriated to carry out 
                this subsection as the amount such State received under 
                chapter 1 of title I of the Elementary and Secondary 
                Education Act of 1965 bears to the amount received 
                under such chapter by all States.
                    ``(B) No State shall receive a grant pursuant to 
                subparagraph (A) in an amount which is less than 
                $100,000.
            ``(5) Application for grant.--Each State desiring a grant 
        under this subsection shall submit to the Assistant Secretary 
        an application at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by 
        such information as the Assistant Secretary may reasonably 
        require.
            ``(6) Duration of grant.--Grants awarded under this 
        subsection shall be for a period of 1 year, which may be 
        renewable for an additional 2 years.
            ``(7) Definition.--For the purposes of this subsection, the 
        term `educational institution' includes State and local 
        education agencies, institutions of higher education, 
        libraries, museums, and education-related private foundations, 
        community-based organizations which provide or support 
        educational services, and education-related professional 
        associations.
    ``(j) Regional Educational Laboratories.--
            ``(1) Findings.--The Congress finds as follows:
                    ``(A) Rural America contains more than 56,000,000 
                residents, making up 23 percent of the Nation's 
                population. Increasingly, life in many parts of rural 
                America has become a struggle for survival. The stark 
                realities of poverty, lack of jobs, isolation and 
                scarce community resources are challenging idyllic 
                rural myths. Rural schools, in many rural communities 
                the center of rural community life and well-being, are 
                facing neglect, constant budget cutting, and community 
                upheavals.
                    ``(B) Rural America suffers from the highest 
                unemployment rates in the United States, and a rate of 
                poverty that is growing twice as fast as that found in 
                metropolitan areas.
                    ``(C) One in 4 rural children lives in poverty 
                compared to 1 in 5 children nationwide.
                    ``(D) More than 6,600,000 students attend 22,412 
                rural schools, of which 75 percent have fewer than 400 
                students.
                    ``(E) Approximately 24 percent of America's public 
                school teachers are employed in rural schools. Teachers 
                in these schools tend to be mostly white, young, less 
                experienced, and less likely to have completed an 
                advanced degree compared to their counterparts in 
                nonrural areas.
                    ``(F) Educators in rural settings often feel 
                isolated, constrained by small budgets, and frustrated 
                by high staff turnover. Geographically cut off from 
                other educators and educational institutions, rural 
                educators often miss the professional interactions and 
                development opportunities that help motivate and renew 
                their urban and suburban counterparts.
            ``(2) Regional educational laboratories.--The Secretary 
        shall enter into contracts with public or private nonprofit 
        entities to establish a networked system of 10 regional 
        educational laboratories which serve the needs of each region 
        of the Nation in accordance with the provisions of this 
        subsection. For the purposes of this subsection, the term 
        `region' means 1 of the 10 geographic regions set forth in 
        section 2(a) of part 707 of title 34, Code of Federal 
        Regulations (34 CFR 707.2(a)), as published in number 157 of 
        volume 53 of the Federal Register on August 15, 1988.
            ``(3) Duties.--Each regional educational laboratory 
        receiving assistance under this subsection shall assist State 
        education agencies, intermediate education agencies, and local 
        school districts in implementing broad-based, systemic school 
        improvement strategies through the use of applied research and 
        development activities. The regional educational laboratories 
        shall support such system-wide reform efforts through--
                    ``(A) the dissemination of information about 
                programs designated as exemplary and promising under 
                subsection (C) and other appropriate programs and 
                practices;
                    ``(B) the provision of support and technical 
                assistance in--
                            ``(i) replicating and adapting such 
                        exemplary and promising practices;
                            ``(ii) the development of high-quality, 
                        challenging curriculum frameworks;
                            ``(iii) the development of valid, reliable, 
                        fair systems of assessment which are based upon 
                        State or local curriculum frameworks and 
                        reflect recent advances in the field of 
                        educational assessment
                            ``(iv) the improvement of professional 
                        development strategies to assure that all 
                        teachers are prepared to teach a challenging 
                        curriculum;
                            ``(v) expanding and improving the use of 
                        technology in education;
                            ``(vi) the development of alternatives for 
                        restructuring school finance systems to promote 
                        greater equity in the distribution of 
                        resources; and
                            ``(vii) the development of alternative 
                        administrative structures which are more 
                        conducive to planning, implementing, and 
                        sustaining school reform and improved 
                        educational outcomes;
                    ``(C) the development of educational programs and 
                practices that address State or regional needs in 
                relating to their school reform efforts; and
                    ``(D) the provision of support and technical 
                assistance (upon their request) to State facilitators 
                funded through the National Diffusion Network.
            ``(4) Networking.--In order to improve the efficiency and 
        effectiveness of the regional laboratories, the governing 
        boards of the ten regional laboratories shall establish and 
        maintain a network to--
                    ``(A) share information about the activities each 
                is carrying out;
                    ``(B) plan joint activities that would meet the 
                needs of multiple regions;
                    ``(C) create a strategic plan for the development 
                of activities undertaken by the laboratories to reduce 
                redundancy and increase collaboration and resource-
                sharing in such activities; and
                    ``(D) otherwise devise means by which the work of 
                the individual laboratories could serve national, as 
                well as regional, needs.
            ``(5) Additional duties.--Each regional education 
        laboratory receiving assistance under this subsection shall 
        carry out the following activities:
                    ``(A) Contribute to a fuller understanding of rural 
                education and schools in the economic and cultural life 
                of rural communities.
                    ``(B) Develop strategies to utilize schools as 
                critical components in reforming education and 
                revitalizing rural communities in the United States.
                    ``(C) Report and disseminate information on 
                overcoming the obstacles faced by rural educators and 
                rural schools.
                    ``(D) Identify successful educational programs that 
                have either been developed by such laboratory in 
                carrying out its functions or that have been developed 
                or used by others within the region served by the 
                laboratory and make such information available to the 
                Secretary and the network of regional laboratories so 
                that they may be considered for inclusion in the 
                national education development and dissemination 
                system.
            ``(6) Certain requirements.--In carrying out its 
        responsibilities, each regional educational laboratory shall--
                    ``(A) establish a governing board that--
                            ``(i) is the sole entity that--
                                    ``(I) guides and directs the 
                                laboratory in carrying out the 
                                provisions of this subsection and 
                                satisfying the terms and conditions of 
                                the contract award; and
                                    ``(II) determines the regional 
                                agenda of the laboratory, consistent 
                                with the priority research and 
                                development needs identified in section 
                                405(b)(3); and
                            ``(ii) reflects a balanced representation 
                        of the States in the region, as well as the 
                        interests and concerns of regional 
                        constituencies;
                    ``(B) comply with the standards established by the 
                Board under section 405A;
                    ``(C) coordinate its activities, collaborate, and 
                regularly exchange information with the institutes 
                established under section 405C, the National Diffusion 
                Network, and its Developer Demonstrator and State 
                Facilitator projects, learning grant institutions and 
                district education agents assisted under subsection 
                (i), the ERIC Clearinghouses, and other entities 
                engages in technical assistance and dissemination 
                activities which are supported by other Offices of the 
                Department of Education; and
                    ``(D) allocate its 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, or local education 
                agencies which may require special assistance from the 
                laboratory.
            ``(7) Evaluations.--The Secretary shall provide for 
        periodic, independent evaluations of each of the laboratories 
        in carrying out the duties described in paragraph (2) in 
        accordance with the standards developed by the Board and 
        transmit the results of such evaluations to the relevant 
        committees of the Congress, the Board, and the appropriate 
        regional educational laboratory board.
            ``(8) Invitation regarding competition for awards of 
        assistance.--Prior to awarding a grant or entering into a 
        contract under this section, the Secretary shall invite 
        applicants, including the existing regional educational 
        laboratories, to compete for such award through notice in the 
        Federal Register.
            ``(9) Application for assistance.--Each application for 
        assistance under this subsection shall--
                    ``(A) cover a 5-year period;
                    ``(B) describe how the applicant would carry out 
                the activities required by this subsection; and
                    ``(C) contain such additional information as the 
                Secretary may reasonably require.
            ``(10) Rule of construction.--No regional educational 
        laboratory receiving assistance under this subsection shall, by 
        reason of the receipt of that assistance, be ineligible to 
        receive any other assistance from the Department as authorized 
        by law.
    ``(k) America 2000 Communities Special Assistance Program.--
            ``(1) Purpose.--The purpose of the American 2000 
        communities special assistance program is to provide targeted 
        field-based, technical assistance to the Nation's most 
        impoverished urban and rural communities to enable them to 
        achieve the national education goals and other objectives for 
        educational improvement through the continuous, intensified 
        application and utilization of the results of educational 
        research.
            ``(2) Grants for learning grant institutions and district 
        education agents.--The Secretary is authorized to make grants 
        in accordance with this subsection to eligible entities for the 
        establishment of Learning Grant Institutions and District 
        Education Agents within eligible communities to administer the 
        America 2000 communities special assistance program.
            ``(3) Definition of eligible entity and eligible 
        community.--For the purposes of this subsection:
                    ``(A) The term `eligible entity' includes any 
                institution of higher education, regional education 
                laboratory, National Diffusion Network project, 
                national research and development center, public or 
                private nonprofit corporation, or any consortium 
                thereof that--
                            ``(i) has demonstrated experience, 
                        expertise and commitment in serving the 
                        educational needs of at-risk students; and
                            ``(ii) is, by virtue of its previous 
                        activities, knowledgeable about the unique 
                        needs and characteristics of the community to 
                        be served.
                    ``(B) The term `eligible community' means a unit of 
                general purpose local government (such as a city, 
                township, or village), a nonmetropolitan county, tribal 
                village, or a geographically distinct area (such as a 
                school district, school attendance area, ward, precinct 
                or neighborhood), or any group of such entities that--
                            ``(i) has a population of not less than 
                        200,000 and not more than 300,000; and
                            ``(ii) is located within one of the 50 
                        congressional districts with the lowest median 
                        family income as determined by poverty indices 
                        established by 1990 United States Census.
            ``(4) Comprehensive america 2000 plan.--Each Learning Grant 
        Institution receiving assistance under this subsection shall 
        assist in the development of a comprehensive America 2000 plan 
        for assuring educational success for all students in the 
        community. Each such plan shall--
                    ``(A) adopt the 6 national educational goals;
                    ``(B) identify additional needs and goals for 
                educational improvement within the community;
                    ``(C) establish a comprehensive community-wide plan 
                for achieving such goals; and
                    ``(D) develop a means for measuring the progress of 
                the community in meeting such goals for improvement.
            ``(5) Implementation of community-wide plan.--Each learning 
        grant institution receiving assistance under this subsection 
        shall, utilizing the District Education Agent, provide 
        assistance in implementing the community-wide plan for 
        educational improvement by--
                    ``(A) disseminating information throughout the 
                community about exemplary and promising educational 
                programs, practices, products, and policies;
                    ``(B) assisting teachers, school administrators, 
                other educational personnel, parents and others in--
                            ``(i) tracking educational programs within 
                        the community which receive Federal financial 
                        assistance and identifying changes in such 
                        programs which are likely to improve student 
                        achievement;
                            ``(ii) identifying, selecting and 
                        replicating exemplary and promising educational 
                        programs, practices, products, and policies in 
                        both in and out-of-school settings; and
                            ``(iii) applying educational research to 
                        solve specific problems in the classroom, home 
                        and community which impede learning and student 
                        achievement;
                    ``(C) promoting the development of an integrated 
                system of service delivery to children from birth 
                through age 18 and their families by facilitating 
                linkages and cooperation among--
                            ``(i) local education agencies;
                            ``(ii) health and social services agencies 
                        and providers;
                            ``(iii) juvenile justice and criminal 
                        justice agencies;
                            ``(iv) providers of employment training; 
                        and
                            ``(v) child care, Head Start, and other 
                        early childhood agencies; and
                    ``(D) mobilizing the resources of the community in 
                support of student learning and high achievement by 
                facilitating effective partnerships and collaboration 
                among--
                            ``(i) local education agencies;
                            ``(ii) postsecondary educational 
                        institutions;
                            ``(iii) public libraries;
                            ``(iv) parents;
                            ``(v) community-based organizations, 
                        neighborhood associations, and other civic and 
                        community organizations;
                            ``(vi) child care, Head Start, and other 
                        early childhood agencies;
                            ``(vii) churches, synagogues and other 
                        religious institutions;
                            ``(viii) labor organizations; and
                            ``(ix) business and industry.
            ``(6) Additional requirements for learning grant 
        institutions.--In carrying out its responsibilities under this 
        subsection, each learning grant institution receiving 
        assistance under this subsection shall--
                    ``(A) convene and regularly consult with an 
                advisory board that is broadly representative of the 
                community, including public and private elementary and 
                secondary school teachers and administrators, parents, 
                librarians, college and university faculty and 
                administrators, Head Start and child care agencies, 
                labor, business, local elected officials, and community 
                leaders;
                    ``(B) cooperate with the local education agency 
                and, to the extent appropriate, the State education 
                agency;
                    ``(C) appoint a District Education Agent who shall 
                be responsible, on a full-time basis, for directing the 
                implementation of the community-wide plan. Such 
                individual shall have significant experience and 
                expertise in the field of education in--
                            ``(i) addressing the needs of at-risk 
                        students; and
                            ``(ii) conducting educational research and 
                        promoting the application of the results of 
                        such research to educational practice;
                    ``(D) provide for such other professional and 
                support personnel as may be necessary to implement the 
                community-wide plan under the direction of the District 
                Education Agent; and
                    ``(E) coordinate its activities and work 
                cooperatively with the National Diffusion Network State 
                facilitators, regional laboratories, and other 
                components of the Office to utilize most effectively 
                Federal research, development, and dissemination 
                resources in implementing the community-wide plan.
            ``(7) Application for grants.--Any eligible entity desiring 
        a grant under this subsection shall submit an application to 
        the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by 
        such information as the Secretary may reasonably require. Each 
        such application shall--
                    ``(A) include a comprehensive plan for meeting the 
                objectives and requirements of this subsection; and
                    ``(B) provide evidence of support for the 
                application from local elected officials, the State 
                education agency, the local education agency, parents, 
                local community leaders, businesses, and other 
                appropriate organizations.
            ``(8) Priority in making grants; duration and amount of 
        grant.--Each grant made under this subsection shall be--
                    ``(A) awarded on a competitive basis, with first 
                priority given to those applications from communities 
                within congressional districts with the lowest median 
                family income;
                    ``(B) made for a 5-year period, with funding for 
                the second and each successive year in this period 
                conditioned upon a determination by the Secretary that 
                the grant recipient has complied with the conditions of 
                the grants during the previous year; and
                    ``(C) an amount equal to not less than $1,000,000 
                per year.
            ``(9) Requirement regarding certain congressional 
        districts.--Not more and not less than one grant shall be 
        awarded within each of the 50 congressional districts with the 
        lowest median family income.
            ``(10) Contingent authority regarding applications from 
        chief state school officer.--In the event that no eligible 
        entity submits an application to provide services under this 
        subsection to an eligible community within one year after 
        appropriations become available to fund such application, the 
        Secretary shall permit and encourage the chief State school 
        officer of the State in which the eligible community is located 
        to submit an application under this subsection to provide 
        services to such community. Such application shall provide for 
        the carrying out of the program described in paragraphs (4) 
        through (6) by the State education agency in conjunction with 
        an eligible entity and shall otherwise meet all the 
        requirements of this subsection.
            ``(11) Technical assistance; evaluations.--In administering 
        the program authorized under this subsection, the Secretary 
        shall, either directly or through grant or contract with an 
        eligible nonprofit agency--
                    ``(A) upon request, provide technical assistance to 
                eligible entities to assist in the development of a 
                comprehensive plan to meet the requirements of this 
                subsection and in the preparation of applications for 
                assistance;
                    ``(B) regularly provide technical assistance to 
                learning grant institutions receiving assistance under 
                this subsection to assist with the development and 
                implementation of the community-wide plan for 
                educational improvement;
                    ``(C) provide for an independent evaluation of the 
                activities assisted under this subsection, including--
                            ``(i) the impact of the America 2000 
                        communities special assistance program on 
                        children and families within each community, 
                        including (but not limited to) effects on the 
                        extent of educational achievement, rates of 
                        school retention and completion, and enrollment 
                        in program postsecondary educational programs; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) whether an intensified effort to 
                        apply and utilize educational research within a 
                        limited geographic area significantly improves 
                        student learning and achievement; and
                    ``(D) plan for the expansion of the America 2000 
                communities special assistance program throughout the 
                remainder of the Nation beginning in fiscal year 1998.
    ``(l) Regional Partnerships for Teacher Change Agents.--
            ``(1) Program authorized.--
                    ``(A) The Assistant Secretary shall enter into 
                contracts with regional educational laboratories, in 
                partnership with 1 or more institutions of higher 
                education in each State of its region, the National 
                Diffusion Network, and other entities with demonstrated 
                experience, expertise, and commitment in the areas of 
                teacher research or teacher professional development, 
                such as the national research and development centers, 
                professional teacher organizations, and other qualified 
                organizations and associations, in the region to carry 
                out activities described in paragraph (2).
                    ``(B) The Assistant Secretary shall enter into 
                contracts under this subsection in an equitable manner 
                and shall provide assistance on the basis of the number 
                of schools in each regional educational laboratory 
                region with attention given to populations with special 
                needs and the increased cost burden of service delivery 
                in regions of sparse population.
                    ``(C) Contracts under this subsection shall be 
                awarded for a period of not less than 3 years.
            ``(2) Program activities.--
                    ``(A) Each regional partnership described in 
                paragraph (1)(A) entering into a contract under this 
                subsection shall carry out programs of providing 
                training to teachers relevant to the needs and problems 
                of the schools and school districts where teachers, who 
                participate in the programs, serve. The purpose of such 
                programs shall be to--
                            ``(i) educate teachers on how to acquire 
                        information about education research findings 
                        and best practices;
                            ``(ii) provide teachers with current 
                        education research and development theory, 
                        skills, and practice as shall enable them to 
                        modify, design, develop, and adapt such 
                        findings and practices to effect local district 
                        and classroom outcomes that improve education;
                            ``(iii) enable teachers to become actively 
                        involved in the applied research and 
                        development process;
                            ``(iv) provide teachers the ability to 
                        become leaders in the utilization of applied 
                        research and to become active participants in 
                        the Federal research and development 
                        partnership; and
                            ``(v) facilitate collaboration between the 
                        teacher change agent and the National Diffusion 
                        Network State facilitator.
                    ``(B) Teachers that participate in training 
                assisted under this subsection shall be known as 
                ``teacher change agents''.
                    ``(C) The program described in subparagraph (A) 
                shall provide teacher change agents with training 
                during the summer and at such other times as agreed to 
                by the district, which shall--
                            ``(i) give teacher change agents knowledge 
                        and guidance in using the existing educational 
                        improvement services and resources funded by 
                        the United States Department of Education and 
                        other major research organizations, including 
                        the products and work of the regional 
                        educational laboratories, professional teacher 
                        organizations, the National Diffusion Network, 
                        institutions of higher education, the 
                        Educational Research Information Centers, 
                        National Research Centers, National Research 
                        Institutes, State Departments of Education, 
                        local education agencies, and other nonprofit 
                        organizations participating in the improvement 
                        of education;
                            ``(ii) provide teacher change agents with 
                        indepth knowledge about a number of products, 
                        programs, and processes developed by entities 
                        described in clause (i) that the teacher change 
                        agents judge most relevant to the needs of the 
                        district or districts they will serve;
                            ``(iii) inform teacher change agents about 
                        government programs, including, but not 
                        limited, to programs in government agencies 
                        other than the Department of Education, which 
                        offer research opportunities and funding; and
                            ``(iv) provide teacher change agents with 
                        instruction in technical assistance skills in 
                        order to increase their capacity to aid 
                        district and school site teacher teams 
                        responsible for leading school improvement 
                        activities at the district and school site 
                        level.
                    ``(D) The school year activities described in 
                subparagraph (A) shall provide teacher change agents 
                participating in such program during the school year 
                with--
                            ``(i) opportunities to meet with other 
                        teacher change agents to exchange experiences;
                            ``(ii) additional training or assistance as 
                        needed or requested;
                            ``(iii) updates in education research, 
                        application, and findings; and
                            ``(iv) opportunities to provide feedback 
                        into the educational research infrastructure 
                        regarding needed research and ways to improve 
                        the development and dissemination of 
                        information.
                    ``(E) The regional partnership program may support 
                educational improvement and reform activities such as--
                            ``(i) training in applied research 
                        methodologies;
                            ``(ii) assistance in conducting applied 
                        research;
                            ``(iii) teacher research sabbaticals;
                            ``(iv) video conferencing for additional 
                        training in order to reduce travel time and 
                        expenses;
                            ``(v) training in developing and 
                        implementing effective teacher in-service 
                        training;
                            ``(vi) training in change management, 
                        including strategies for restructuring schools, 
                        building local capacity, and generally 
                        strengthening the culture of schools so that 
                        schools are conducive and supportive of change, 
                        including training in interpersonal and 
                        leadership skills; and
                            ``(vii) training in the appropriate use of 
                        technology to assist classroom teachers.
                    ``(F) Teacher responsibilities.--Teacher change 
                agents shall, during the school year--
                            ``(i) meet with other teachers and district 
                        or school site teacher teams to provide other 
                        teachers with knowledge about how to acquire 
                        information regarding education research 
                        findings and best practices, including what 
                        resources are available from the Department of 
                        Education and how to obtain products and 
                        technical services from the Department;
                            ``(ii) meet with the National Diffusion 
                        Network State Facilitator to coordinate and not 
                        duplicate efforts in the dissemination of 
                        exemplary educational programs;
                            ``(iii) help interested schools identify 
                        resources needed to address the school's needs 
                        and act as liaison between the school and the 
                        appropriate resource entities, such as regional 
                        educational laboratories, centers, national 
                        institutes, institutions of higher education, 
                        professional teacher organizations, scholars, 
                        consultants, and other schools and school 
                        districts that may be of assistance;
                            ``(iv) teach other teachers how to use the 
                        products, programs, and processes in which the 
                        teacher was trained pursuant to paragraph 
                        (2)(C)(II);
                            ``(v) work with other teachers and teacher 
                        teams to adapt identified exemplary practices, 
                        programs, and research results to implement 
                        school site or classroom improvements as 
                        desired, and provide follow-up activities 
                        throughout a 2-year period to ensure the 
                        successful adaptation and implementation of 
                        such programs in local schools; and
                            ``(vi) inform teachers about how they can 
                        obtain Federal research funding, fellowships, 
                        and sabbaticals.
                    ``(G) Application.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Each regional 
                        partnership desiring a contract under this 
                        subsection shall submit to the Secretary an 
                        application at such time, in such manner, and 
                        accompanied by such information as the 
                        Assistant Secretary may reasonably require.
                            ``(ii) Contents.--Each application 
                        described in clause (i) shall--
                                    ``(I) contain a plan acceptable to 
                                affected States and local education 
                                agencies for conducting the program to 
                                be assisted under this section;
                                    ``(II) contain assurances that the 
                                partnership requirements are fulfilled;
                                    ``(III) contain assurances that 
                                both district and school site teacher 
                                teams will be established to work in 
                                conjunction with the teacher change 
                                agent;
                                    ``(IV) contain a plan for the 
                                selection of district and school site 
                                teacher team participants and others as 
                                deemed appropriate by the teacher 
                                change agent and the regional 
                                partnership;
                                    ``(V) contain assurances that the 
                                regional partnership, in conjunction 
                                with the participating school 
                                districts, shall provide each teacher 
                                change agent with a stipend for the 
                                entire calendar year commensurate with 
                                such teacher's salary and travel 
                                expenses, to permit a teacher to 
                                participate in such program without 
                                incurring loss of income;
                                    ``(VI) contain assurances that each 
                                teacher change agent participating in 
                                the program shall receive an award of 
                                not more than $10,000 to be used by 
                                such teacher during the school year of 
                                such teacher's participation to 
                                purchase materials, support, and 
                                coordinate with other teachers or site 
                                teacher teams in the school district;
                                    ``(VII) contain assurances that 
                                such regional partnerships shall 
                                provide not more than $5,000 to each 
                                school district or group of school 
                                districts having an individual from 
                                such district or districts 
                                participating in the program assisted 
                                under this section for each of the 2 
                                years following such participation to 
                                enable such school district or 
                                districts to continue efforts to 
                                improve dissemination of effective 
                                practices and programs within the 
                                district or districts;
                                    ``(VIII) contain assurances that 
                                representatives of State educational 
                                agencies, intermediate educational 
                                agencies, teacher centers, teacher 
                                educators at institutions of higher 
                                education, and school district in-
                                service or curriculum specialists will 
                                be eligible to participate in the 
                                program assisted under this section if 
                                such individuals pay the cost of their 
                                participation; and
                                    ``(IX) contain an assurance that 
                                such regional partnership shall permit 
                                a teacher to participate in the program 
                                only after such partnership determines 
                                that the teacher will be afforded a 
                                full opportunity by the district to 
                                perform such teacher's responsibilities 
                                described in subparagraph (2)(F).
            ``(3) Teacher selection and eligibility.--
                    ``(A) Nomination.--Teacher participants in the 
                program assisted under this subsection shall be 
                nominated by their peers at the school district level.
                    ``(B) Eligibility.--Each school district or group 
                of school districts desiring to have teachers from such 
                district or districts participate in the program 
                assisted under this subsection shall provide the 
                regional partnership with the names of such teachers, 
                and an indication of the type of issues or problems on 
                which each such teacher would like to receive 
                information and training.
                    ``(C) Selection.--
                            ``(i) Teacher participants shall be 
                        selected by the regional partnerships in 
                        consultation with the State educational 
                        agencies in the region. Teacher participants 
                        shall be selected in such a manner so as to 
                        ensure an equitable representation of such 
                        teachers by State within the region.
                            ``(ii) The number of teachers selected each 
                        year shall be determined in accordance with the 
                        amount of funding received by the regional 
                        partnership.
            ``(4) Independent evaluation.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Board shall provide for an 
                independent evaluation of the program assisted under 
                this subsection to determine the net impact and cost 
                effectiveness of the program and the reactions of 
                teachers and school districts participating in such 
                program.
                    ``(B) Date.--The evaluation described in 
                subparagraph (A) shall be submitted to the Congress 
                within 6 months after the completion of the third year 
                of the program.
                    ``(C) Funding.--The Assistant Secretary may reserve 
                not more than $250,000 of the amount appropriated under 
                section 405(i)(2)(E) to carry out the evaluation 
                described in this paragraph.''.

                 TITLE V--NATIONAL LIBRARY OF EDUCATION

SEC. 501. ESTABLISHMENT WITHIN OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND 
              IMPROVEMENT.

    Part A of the General Education Provisions Act, as amended by 
section 401 of this Act, is amended by inserting after section 405C the 
following new section:

                    ``national library of education

    ``Sec. 405D. (a) In General.--There is established within the 
Office a National Library of Education (hereafter in this section 
referred to as the `Library'), which shall be maintained as a 
governmental activity. The Office shall carry out this section acting 
through the Library.
    ``(b) Functions of Library.--The functions of the Library are--
            ``(1) to provide a central location within the Federal 
        Government for information about education;
            ``(2) to provide comprehensive reference services on 
        matters related to education to employees of the Department of 
        Education and its contractors and grantees, other Federal 
        employees, and members of the public; and
            ``(3) to promote greater cooperation and resource sharing 
        among providers and repositories of education information in 
        the United States.
    ``(c) One-Stop Information and Referral Service.--The Library shall 
establish and maintain a central information and referral service to 
respond to telephonic, mail and electronic and other inquiries from the 
public concerning--
            ``(1) programs and activities of the Department of 
        Education;
            ``(2) publications produced by the Department of Education 
        and, to the extent feasible, education related publications 
        produced by the Departments of Labor, Health and Human 
        Services, and other Federal agencies;
            ``(3) services and resources available to the public 
        through the Office, including the ERIC Clearinghouses, the 
        research institutes, and the national education dissemination 
        system;
            ``(4) statistics and other information produced by the 
        National Center for Education Statistics; and
            ``(5) referrals to additional sources of information and 
        expertise about educational issues which may be available 
        through educational associations and foundations, the private 
        sector, colleges and universities, libraries and bibliographic 
        databases.
The Library shall maintain and actively publicize a toll-free telephone 
number through which public inquiries to the Library may be made.
    ``(d) Comprehensive Reference Services.--The Library shall provide 
for the delivery of a full range of reference services on subjects 
related to education to employees of the Department and its contractors 
and grantees, other Federal employees, and members of the general 
public. Such services may include--
            ``(1) specialized subject searches;
            ``(2) search and retrieval of electronic databases;
            ``(3) document delivery by mail and facsimile transmission;
            ``(4) research counseling, bibliographic instruction, and 
        other training services;
            ``(5) interlibrary loan services; and
            ``(6) selective dissemination of information services.
The Library shall first give priority in the provision of reference 
services to requests made by employees of the Department.
    ``(e) Cooperation and Resource Sharing.--The Library shall promote 
greater cooperation and resource sharing among libraries and archives 
with significant collections in the area of education through such 
means as--
            ``(1) the establishment of information and resource sharing 
        networks among such entities;
            ``(2) the development of a national union list of education 
        journals held by education libraries throughout the United 
        States;
            ``(3) the development of directories and indexes to 
        textbook and other specialized collections held by education 
        libraries throughout the United States; and
            ``(4) cooperative efforts to preserve, maintain and promote 
        access to items of special historical value or interest.
    ``(f) Administration.--The Library shall be administered by an 
Executive Director who shall--
            ``(1) be appointed by the Assistant Secretary from among 
        persons with significant training or experience in library and 
        information science;
            ``(2) serve for a renewable term of 4 years; and
            ``(3) be paid at not less than the minimum rate of basic 
        pay payable for GS-15 of the General Schedule.
    ``(g) Transfer of Functions.--There are hereby transferred to the 
Library all functions of--
            ``(1) the Department of Education Research Library;
            ``(2) the Department of Education Reference Section; and
            ``(3) the Department of Education Information Branch.
    ``(h) Collection Development Policy.--Not later than 180 days after 
the enactment of the Educational Research, Development, and 
Dissemination Excellence Act, the Executive Director shall promulgate a 
comprehensive collection development policy to govern the Library's 
operations, acquisitions, and services to users. Such collection 
development policy shall--
            ``(1) be consistent with the functions of the Library set 
        out in subsection (b);
            ``(2) emphasize the acquisition and maintenance of a 
        comprehensive collection of reference materials; and
            ``(3) avoid unnecessary duplication by putting a priority 
        on meeting the information needs of the Library's users through 
        cooperation and resource-sharing with other entities with 
        significant collections in the field of education.
    ``(i) Arrearage and Preservation.--On the basis of the collection 
development policy promulgated under subsection (h), the Executive 
Director shall develop a multiyear plan which shall set forth goals and 
priorities for actions needed to--
            ``(1) eliminate within 3 years the arrearage of uncataloged 
        books and other materials in the Library's collections; and
            ``(2) respond effectively and systematically to the 
        preservation needs of the Library's collections, relying, 
        whenever possible, upon cooperative efforts with other 
        institutions to preserve and maintain the usability of books 
        and materials in the Library's collections.''.

            TITLE VI--LEADERSHIP FOR EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

SEC. 601. LEADERSHIP FOR EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY.

    The Secretary of Education shall promote and facilitate the 
expansion of an improvements in the use of technology in education 
throughout the Nation. In carrying out such responsibility, the 
Secretary shall--
            (1) designate a single official within the Department who 
        shall be responsible for coordinating all activities of the 
        Department and interagency initiatives which relate to the use 
        of technology in education;
            (2) ensure that each program administered by the Department 
        incorporates the full and effective use of technology to 
        achieve its objectives;
            (3) work with the Federal Communications Commission, 
        National Science Foundation, Department of Commerce and other 
        Federal, State, and local government agencies to assure that 
        national telecommunication policies address the needs and goals 
        of educational agencies;
            (4) work with the Department of Defense and other Federal 
        agencies to facilitate the adaptation and transfer of education 
        and training software developed by such agencies for use by 
        educational institutions throughout the Nation;
            (5) support and encourage cooperative efforts to develop 
        compatibility and other technical standards for technology used 
        by educational agencies through the Federal Coordinating 
        Council for Science, Engineering and Technology and other 
        means;
            (6) promote partnerships between business and education 
        which will expand and improve the use of technology in 
        education;
            (7) assure that there are sufficient personnel with the 
        Department with expertise in the uses and applications of 
        technology in education;
            (8) report biennially to the appropriate authorizing 
        committees of the Congress on the activities undertaken in 
        fulfilling the requirements of this paragraph; and
            (9) in consultation with the National Science Foundation, 
        the Department of Commerce, and other agencies and utilizing 
        the advice of nationally recognized experts, recommend to the 
        President and the Congress a national educational technology 
        policy which will maximize the most effective uses of 
        educational technology to promote student learning and school 
        improvement.

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