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

                                                 Union Calendar No. 120

103d CONGRESS

  1st Session

                               H. R. 856

                          [Report No. 103-209]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                             August 2, 1993

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

                                                 Union Calendar No. 120
103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 856

                          [Report No. 103-209]

 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

                             August 2, 1993

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]
    [For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on 
                           February 4, 1993]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Educational 
Research, Development, and Dissemination Excellence Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.

 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.
Sec. 104. Existing grants and contracts.

  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.

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. 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 designed to encourage and 
        support school restructuring. 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.

 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, synthesis, technical 
        assistance, 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 Board of Governors 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 Library of Education 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 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 Assistant 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 Assistant 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 at 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 Assistant 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) Biennial Report on Activities of Office.--The Assistant 
Secretary shall transmit to the President and the Congress by not later 
than December 30 of every other year a biennial report which shall 
consist of--
            ``(1) a description of the activities carried out by and 
        through each research institute during the fiscal years for 
        which such report is prepared and any recommendations and 
        comments regarding such activities as the Assistant Secretary 
        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 years for which such report 
        is prepared and any recommendations and comments regarding such 
        activities as the Assistant 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 years for which such 
        report is prepared and how such activities relate to the 
        Research Policies and Priorities Plan developed by the Board;
            ``(4) a description of the coordination activities 
        undertaken pursuant to section 405(f) during the fiscal years 
        for which such report is prepared;
            ``(5) recommendations for legislative and administrative 
        changes necessary to improve the coordination of all 
        educational 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
            ``(6) such additional comments, recommendations, and 
        materials as the Assistant Secretary considers appropriate.
    ``(f) Coordination.--With the advice and assistance of the Board, 
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 Assistant Secretary 
shall 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).
    ``(h) Standards for Conduct and Evaluation of Research.--
            ``(1) In general.--In consultation with the Board, the 
        Assistant Secretary shall develop such standards as may be 
        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 Assistant Secretary 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 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 those contracts which 
                        exceed $100,000;
                            ``(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 Assistant Secretary shall publish 
                proposed standards--
                            ``(i) which meet the requirements of 
                        subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph 
                        (2) not later than 1 year after the date of the 
                        enactment of the Educational Research, 
                        Development, and Dissemination Excellence Act;
                            ``(ii) which meet the requirements of 
                        paragraph (2)(D) not later than 2 years after 
                        such date; and
                            ``(iii) which meet the requirements of 
                        subparagraph (E) of paragraph (2) not later 
                        than 3 years after such date;
                    ``(B) Following the publication of such proposed 
                standards, the Assistant Secretary shall solicit 
                comments from 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 which may have been received, the 
                Assistant Secretary shall transmit such standards to 
                the Board for its review and approval.
                    ``(C) Upon the approval of the Board, the Assistant 
                Secretary shall transmit final standards to the 
                Secretary which meet the requirements of the particular 
                subparagraphs of paragraph (2) for which they were 
                developed. Such standards shall be binding upon all 
                activities carried out with funds appropriated under 
                section 405.
    ``(i) Additional Responsibilities of the Assistant Secretary.--In 
carrying out the activities and programs of the Office, the Assistant 
Secretary shall--
            ``(1) be guided by the Research Priorities Plan developed 
        by the Board;
            ``(2) ensure that there is broad and regular public and 
        professional involvement from the educational field in the 
        planning and carrying out of the Office's activities, including 
        establishing teacher advisory boards for any program office, 
        program or project of the Office as the Assistant Secretary 
        deems necessary;
            ``(3) ensure that the selection of research topics and the 
        administration of the program are free from undue partisan 
        political influence; and
            ``(4) ensure that all statistics and other data collected 
        and reported by the Office shall be collected, cross-tabulated, 
        analyzed, and reported by sex within race or ethnicity and 
        socioeconomic status whenever feasible (and when such data 
        collection or analysis is not feasible, ensure that the 
        relevant report or document includes an explanation as to why 
        such data collection or analysis is not feasible).
    ``(j) 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.
            ``(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 technical assistance 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.
    ``(k) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            ``(1) National institutes.--
                    ``(A) For the purpose of carrying out section 405B, 
                there is authorized to be appropriated $37,000,000 for 
                fiscal year 1994.
                    ``(B) 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 1995, 
                and such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal years 
                1996 and 1997.
                    ``(C) 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 fiscal years 1996 and 1997.
                    ``(D) For the purpose of carrying out the 
                provisions of section 405B relating to the National 
                Institute for Innovation in Educational Governance, 
                Finance, Policy-Making, and Management, there are 
                authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 for fiscal 
                year 1995, and such sums as are necessary for each of 
                fiscal years 1996 and 1997.
                    ``(E) For the purpose of carrying out the 
                provisions of section 405B relating to the National 
                Institute for Early Childhood Development and 
                Education, there are authorized to be appropriated 
                $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1995, and such sums as are 
                necessary for each of fiscal years 1996 and 1997.
                    ``(F) For the purpose of carrying out the 
                provisions of section 405B relating to the National 
                Institute of Postsecondary Education, Libraries, and 
                Lifelong Learning, there are authorized to be 
                appropriated $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1995, and such 
                sums as are 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 $22,000,000 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 purpose of carrying out subsection 
                (h) of section 405C (relating to regional educational 
                laboratories), there are authorized to be appropriated 
                $37,000,000 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 (including schools 
                funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs which are 
                located in rural areas).
                    ``(C) For the purpose of carrying out subsection 
                (j) of section 405C (relating to the teacher research 
                dissemination network) 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.
                    ``(D) For the purpose of carrying out subsection 
                (i) of section 405C (relating to the Goals 2000 
                Community Partnerships 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 
        fiscal year 1995 or any fiscal year thereafter unless the Board 
        has been appointed in accordance with section 405A.
            ``(6) Grant authorized.--From the amounts appropriated 
        under paragraph (1) for fiscal year 1995, the Secretary is 
        authorized, in accordance with the provisions of this 
        paragraph, to award a grant of not more than $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 new 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.

SEC. 104. EXISTING GRANTS AND CONTRACTS.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, grants and contracts 
for the research and development centers assisted under section 405 of 
the General Education Provisions Act on the date of enactment of this 
Act shall remain in effect until the termination date of such grants or 
contracts, as the case may be, except that such grants and contracts 
may be extended to implement the provisions of this Act.

  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 Research 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 review and approve 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, evaluate, and publicly comment 
        upon, the implementation of its recommended priorities and 
        policies by the Department and the Congress.
    ``(c) Research Priorities Plan.--In cooperation with the Assistant 
Secretary, 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, cultural leaders, 
        parents, and others throughout the Nation through such means as 
        periodic regional forums;
            ``(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) set forth specific objectives which can be 
                expected to be achieved as a result of a Federal 
                investment in the priorities set forth in the plan;
                    ``(B) 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
                    ``(C) 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 6 months after the first 
                meeting of the Board and October 1 of every second year 
                thereafter, the Assistant Secretary shall publish a 
                report specifying the proposed research priorities of 
                the Office 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 Assistant Secretary shall submit to the President 
                and the Congress a report specifying the research 
                priorities of the Office and any public comment and 
                suggestions obtained under such subparagraph.
    ``(e) Additional Responsibilities of the Board.--It shall also be 
the responsibility of the Board to--
            ``(1) provide advice and assistance to the Assistant 
        Secretary in carrying out the coordination activities described 
        in section 405;
            ``(2) make recommendations to the Assistant 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;
            ``(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; and
            ``(4) review and approve standards for the conduct and 
        evaluation of research developed by the Assistant Secretary 
        pursuant to subsection (h) of section 405.
    ``(f) 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 Reform 
        Assistance and Dissemination 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.
    ``(g) 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.
    ``(h) 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.
    ``(i) Secretarial Appointments.--The Board shall consist of 18 
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 and the National Academy of Education 
        (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) five shall be outstanding field-based professional 
        educators;
            ``(3) one shall be a Chief State School Officer;
            ``(4) one shall be a local education agency school 
        superintendent or principal;
            ``(5) one shall be a member of a State or local board of 
        education or Bureau of Indian Affairs-funded school board;
            ``(6) one shall be a professional librarian, school library 
        media specialist, library administrator, or library science 
        educator;
            ``(7) one shall be a parent with extensive experience in 
        promoting parental involvement in education; and
            ``(8) one shall be an individual from business and industry 
        with significant experience in promoting private sector 
        involvement in education.
    ``(j) Requirements for Nominations by the National Academy of 
Sciences and the National Academy of Education.--
            ``(1) In general.--In making nominations for the members of 
        the Board described in subsection (i)(1), the National Academy 
        of Sciences and the National Academy of Education--
                    ``(A) may not nominate any individual who is an 
                elected officer or employee of such organizations; and
                    ``(B) shall each nominate not less than 5 
                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 the National Academy of Sciences or the National 
        Academy of Education meets the qualifications for membership on 
        the Board specified in subsection (i), the Secretary may 
        request that such organization make additional nominations.
    ``(k) Nominations for Board Membership.--Prior to appointing any 
member of the Board, the Secretary shall actively solicit and give due 
consideration to recommendations of persons qualified for membership on 
the board from the National Education Association, the American 
Federation of Teachers, the National Parent-Teachers Association, the 
American Library Association, the American Association of School 
Administrators, the National Association of State Boards of Education, 
the National Indian School Board Association, the Association of 
Community Tribal Schools, the National Indian Education Association, 
and other education-related organizations and interested members of the 
public.
    ``(l) Ex Officio Members.--The ex officio, nonvoting members of the 
Board shall include the Assistant Secretary and may also include--
            ``(1) the Director of Research for the Department of 
        Defense;
            ``(2) the Director of Research for the Department of Labor;
            ``(3) the Director of the National Science Foundation;
            ``(4) the Director of the National Institutes of Health;
            ``(5) the chair of the National Endowment for the Arts;
            ``(6) the chair of the National Endowment for the 
        Humanities;
            ``(7) the Librarian of Congress; and
            ``(8) the Director of the Office of Indian Education 
        Programs of the Department of the Interior.
    ``(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 5 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 the 
                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) 5 years for each of 6 members of 
                        the Board.
            ``(3) Prohibition on certain consecutive terms.--An 
        individual who has been a member of the Board for 10 
        consecutive years shall thereafter be ineligible for 
        appointment during the 5-year period beginning on the date of 
        the expiration of the 10th year.
    ``(o) Meetings of Board.--
            ``(1) Initial meeting.--The Secretary shall ensure that the 
        first meeting of the Board is held not later than May 15, 1994.
            ``(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, Indian tribal, 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, Policy-Making, 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 
        Assistant 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 Assistant 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 renewable term of 3 years.
            ``(3) Reporting.--Each Director shall report directly to 
        the Assistant Secretary regarding the activities of the 
        Institute and shall work with the other directors to promote 
        research syntheses across the Institutes.
    ``(c) Authorities and Duties.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary 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, 
                which may include--
                            ``(i) grants to support 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, 
                                which may also include development 
                                activities; and
                                    ``(III) established by institutions 
                                of higher education, by institutions of 
                                higher education in consortium 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, Bureau of Indian Affairs-funded school, 
                        or tribal department of education, in concert 
                        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 Assistant 
                        Secretary, 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, American Indian and Alaska 
                Native, 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 Assistant 
        Secretary 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);
                    ``(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 one-third of the amounts available to each 
                Institute in any fiscal year to support such research 
                and development centers;
                    ``(D) support and provide research information that 
                leads to policy formation for State legislatures, State 
                and local boards of education and other policy and 
                governing bodies, to assist such entities in 
                identifying and developing effective policies to 
                promote student achievement and school improvement; and
                    ``(E) coordinate the Institute's activities with 
                the activities of the regional educational laboratories 
                and with other educational service organizations in 
                designing the Institute's research agenda and projects 
                in order to increase the responsiveness of such 
                Institute to the needs of teachers and the educational 
                field and to bring research findings directly into 
                schools to ensure greatest access at the local level to 
                the latest research developments.
            ``(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 or other appropriate 
                means;
                    ``(B) it has been evaluated through peer review in 
                accordance with the standards developed pursuant to 
                subsection (h) of section 405;
                    ``(C) it will be evaluated in accordance with the 
                standards developed pursuant to subsection (h) of 
                section 405;
                    ``(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); and
                    ``(E) in the case of a grant, contract, or 
                cooperative agreement to support a research and 
                development center, all applications for such 
                assistance have been evaluated by independent experts 
                according to standards and criteria which include--
                            ``(i) whether applicants have assembled a 
                        critical mass of high quality researchers 
                        sufficient to achieve the mission of the 
                        center;
                            ``(ii) whether the proposed organizational 
                        structure and arrangements will facilitate 
                        achievement of the mission of the center;
                            ``(iii) whether there is a substantial 
                        staff commitment to the work of the center;
                            ``(iv) whether the directors and staff will 
                        devote adequate time to center activities; and
                            ``(v) review of the contributions of 
                        primary researchers (other than researchers at 
                        the proposed center) to evaluate the 
                        appropriateness of such primary researcher's 
                        experiences and expertise in the context of the 
                        proposed center activities, and the adequacy of 
                        such primary researcher's time commitment to 
                        achievement of the mission of the center.
            ``(4) Board review of certain proposed grant and contract 
        actions.--The Assistant 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 the Board has had an opportunity to review such proposed 
        grant, contract, or cooperative agreement action and to provide 
        written comments to the Assistant Secretary with respect to 
        whether--
                    ``(A) the purposes and scope of the proposed action 
                are consistent with the Research Priorities Plan; and
                    ``(B) the methodology and approach of the proposed 
                action are sound and adequate to achieve its stated 
                objectives.
            ``(5) Historically underutilized researchers and 
        institutions.--The Assistant Secretary shall establish and 
        maintain initiatives and programs to increase the participation 
        in the activities of each Institute of groups of researchers 
        and institutions that have been historically underutilized in 
        Federal educational research activities, including--
                    ``(A) researchers who are women, African-American, 
                Hispanic, American Indian and Alaska Native, 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, 
                tribally controlled community colleges, 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 Assistant Secretary--
                    ``(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 use, with their consent, the services, 
                equipment, personnel, information, and facilities of 
                other Federal, State, or local public agencies, with or 
                without reimbursement therefor;
                    ``(C) may accept voluntary and uncompensated 
                services; and
                    ``(D) may accept unconditional gifts made to the 
                Office 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) American Indian and Alaska Native students 
                are keenly at-risk of educational failure, with 
                demonstrated high dropout, illiteracy and poverty 
                rates, and cultural, linguistic, social and geographic 
                isolation. The estimated 400,000 Indian and Alaska 
                Native student population from over 500 Indian and 
                Alaska Native tribes, is small and scattered throughout 
                remote reservations and villages in 32 States, and in 
                off-reservation rural and urban communities where 
                Indians constitute but a small percentage of public 
                school student bodies. To meaningfully address the 
                special educational needs of this historically under-
                served population, the existing research and 
                development system must be opened to Indian and Alaska 
                Native people to identify needs and design ways to 
                address such needs.
                    ``(F) 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 on Indian reservations, and children of limited English 
        proficiency. Such program shall--
                    ``(A) undertake research necessary to provide a 
                sound basis from which to 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, such as--
                            ``(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 (including cultural 
                        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;
                            ``(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, and on Indian reservations, including 
                model collaborative programs between schools and 
                schools systems, institutions of higher education, 
                cultural institutions, and community organizations.
            ``(3) Comprehensive research program.--The Institute shall 
        support a diverse and comprehensive program of research and 
        development which shall include research related to the 
        educational needs of--
                    ``(A) at-risk students who reside in urban areas;
                    ``(B) at-risk students who reside in rural areas;
                    ``(C) children with limited English language 
                proficiency; and
                    ``(D) Indian and Alaska Native students.
            ``(4) Consultation with indian and alaska native 
        educators.--All research and development activities supported 
        by the Institute which relate to the education of Indian and 
        Alaska Native students shall be developed in close consultation 
        with Indian and Alaska Native researchers and educators, 
        tribally controlled community colleges, tribal departments of 
        education, and others with expertise in the needs of Indian and 
        Native Alaska students.
    ``(e) National Institute for Innovation in Educational Governance, 
Finance, Policy-Making, 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 National 
        Institute on Innovation in Educational Governance, Finance, 
        Policy-Making, 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, finance, policy-
                making, and management at the State, local, tribal, 
                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) innovative school design, including 
                        lengthening the school day and the school year, 
                        reducing class size and building professional 
                        development into the weekly school schedule;
                            ``(iii) effective approaches to organizing 
                        learning;
                            ``(iv) effective ways of grouping students 
                        for learning so that a student is not labeled 
                        or stigmatized in ways that may impede such 
                        student's achievement;
                            ``(v) effective approaches to organizing, 
                        structuring, and financing vocational 
                        education;
                            ``(vi) the provision of financial and other 
                        rewards and incentives based on performance to 
                        improve student achievement;
                            ``(vii) the use of regulatory flexibility 
                        on the State or district level to promote 
                        innovation and school restructuring;
                            ``(viii) school-based management;
                            ``(ix) the restructuring of school finance 
                        systems at the State and local level to promote 
                        greater equity in the distribution of resources 
                        for education and to maximize the allocation of 
                        such resources to support direct learning;
                            ``(x) expanding the role of teachers in 
                        policymaking and administration at the school 
                        and district-wide level;
                            ``(xi) programs designed to increase the 
                        involvement of parents and families in the 
                        management and governance of schools and the 
                        education of their children;
                            ``(xii) effective approaches to increasing 
                        the representation of women and minorities 
                        among leadership and management positions in 
                        education;
                            ``(xiii) approaches to systemic reforms 
                        involving the coordination of multiple policies 
                        of each level of government to promote higher 
                        levels of student achievement;
                            ``(xiv) approaches to coordinated services 
                        for children; and
                            ``(xv) 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, 
                tribal, and local level and to enhance the ability of 
                school leaders and administrators to improve the 
                educational environment for all students.
            ``(3) Research on educational choice.--In carrying out the 
        duties of the Institute, the Assistant Secretary shall conduct 
        or support research on whether and to what extent the quality 
        of education in the United States would be improved by 
        providing public funds to parents for the costs of attendance 
        of their children at the elementary and secondary schools of 
        the parents' choice.
    ``(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 carry out a 
        comprehensive program of research and development to provide 
        nonpartisan, research-based leadership to the Nation as it 
        seeks to improve early childhood development and education. 
        Such program shall identify, develop, evaluate, and assist 
        others to replicate sound policies and practices that may 
        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;
                    ``(E) practices and approaches which sustain the 
                benefits of effective preschool and child care 
                programs;
                    ``(F) effective learning methods and curriculum for 
                early childhood learning, including access to current 
                materials in libraries;
                    ``(G) the importance of family literacy and 
                parental involvement in student learning;
                    ``(H) the impact that outside influences have on 
                learning, including television, and drug and alcohol 
                abuse; and
                    ``(I) methods for integrating learning in settings 
                other than the classroom, such as within families and 
                communities, with a special emphasis on character 
                development and the value of hard work.
            ``(3) Certain requirements.--In carrying out the activities 
        of the Institute, the Assistant Secretary 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, and Bureau of Indian 
                Affairs early childhood development programs.
    ``(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 to improve student knowledge at 
                all levels in English, mathematics, science, history, 
                geography, civics and government, foreign languages, 
                arts and humanities, economics, and other subject 
                areas, such as--
                            ``(i) student learning and assessment in 
                        various subject matters;
                            ``(ii) 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;
                            ``(iii) the best methods of teacher 
                        preparation;
                            ``(iv) methods to improve the process of 
                        reading, the craft of writing, the growth of 
                        reasoning skills, and the development of 
                        information-finding skills;
                            ``(v) enabling students to develop higher 
                        order thinking skills;
                            ``(vi) methods to teach effectively all 
                        students in mixed-ability classrooms;
                            ``(vii) curriculum, instruction, and 
                        assessment, in vocational education;
                            ``(viii) the impact and effectiveness of 
                        Federal, State, and local efforts to provide 
                        gender-fair educational opportunities to 
                        elementary and secondary students; and
                            ``(ix) programs, policies, approaches which 
                        promote gender equity in elementary and 
                        secondary education;
                    ``(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;
                    ``(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; and
                    ``(D) include a comprehensive, coordinated program 
                of research and development in the area of assessment 
                which--
                            ``(i) addresses such issues as--
                                    ``(I) the validity, reliability, 
                                generalizability, fairness, costs, 
                                relative merits, and most appropriate 
                                uses of various approaches and methods 
                                of assessing student learning and 
                                achievement;
                                    ``(II) 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 environment;
                                    ``(III) the design, development, 
                                evaluation, and validation of model 
                                performance-based and other alternative 
                                or innovative formats or uses of 
                                assessments;
                                    ``(IV) the impact of high-stakes 
                                uses of assessment on student 
                                performance and motivation, narrowing 
                                of curriculum, teaching practices, and 
                                test integrity;
                                    ``(V) 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;
                                    ``(VI) standards of performance, 
                                quality, and validity for various 
                                methods of assessment and the means by 
                                which such standards should be 
                                developed;
                                    ``(VII) current and emerging 
                                testing practices of State and local 
                                education agencies within the United 
                                States, as well as other nations;
                                    ``(VIII) 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;
                                    ``(IX) 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; and
                                    ``(X) the feasibility and validity 
                                of comparing or equating the results of 
                                different assessments;
                            ``(ii) reflects recommendations made by the 
                        National Education Goals Panel (provided such 
                        panel has been authorized by law);
                            ``(iii) complies 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;
                            ``(iv) is consistent with the `Criteria for 
                        Evaluation of Student Assessment Systems' 
                        developed by the National Forum on Assessment; 
                        and
                            ``(v) complies with the `Code of Fair 
                        Testing Practices in Education' developed by 
                        the Joint Committee on Testing Practices.
        For purposes of this subparagraph, the term `development' means 
        the development of prototypes for the purposes of research and 
        evaluation.
    ``(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;
                    ``(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;
                                    ``(V) effective approaches to work-
                                based learning; and
                                    ``(VI) the most effective training 
                                methods for adults to upgrade education 
                                and vocational skills;
                            ``(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;
                            ``(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) approaches to improving the 
                        productivity of colleges, community colleges, 
                        universities, and other postsecondary 
                        institutions;
                            ``(vii) 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;
                            ``(viii) opportunities for adults to 
                        continue their education beyond higher 
                        education and graduate school, in the context 
                        of lifelong learning and information-finding 
                        skills; and
                            ``(ix) preparing students for a lifetime of 
                        work, the ability to adapt through retraining 
                        to the changing needs of the work force and the 
                        ability to learn new tasks.
            ``(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 National Endowment for the Arts;
                    ``(I) the Bureau of Prisons of the Department of 
                Justice;
                    ``(J) the Department of Commerce;
                    ``(K) the Department of Defense; and
                    ``(L) the Office of Indian Education Programs of 
                the Department of the Interior.
            ``(4) In addition to the responsibilities described in 
        paragraph (2), the Assistant Secretary shall ensure that the 
        activities of the existing National Center on Literacy are 
        fully coordinated with those of the National Institute for 
        Literacy.
    ``(i) Coordination of Research on Cross-Cutting Issues.--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 Assistant Secretary 
        and the Board for other research and development conducted by 
        the Office.
    ``(j) Program on Teaching and Teacher Education.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary, in accordance 
        with the requirements of this subsection, shall undertake a 
        comprehensive, coordinated program of research in the area of 
        teaching, teacher education, and professional development.
            ``(2) Certain purposes of program.--In carrying out the 
        program established under paragraph (1), the Assistant 
        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, which may include such 
                topics as--
                            ``(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;
                    ``(D) restructuring of State certification of 
                teachers and teacher education standards; and
                    ``(E) assisting in the development of teacher 
                certification standards by Indian tribal departments of 
                education.
            ``(3) Certain activities.--In carrying out the program 
        established under paragraph (1), the Assistant Secretary--
                    ``(A) shall 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) may 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) shall 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.
    ``(k) 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. Such program--
            ``(1) may support basic and applied research and 
        development, analysis, evaluation in the area of the uses and 
        applications of technology to education, including--
                    ``(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;
                            ``(v) to deliver preservice and inservice 
                        training for teachers, librarians, and school 
                        administrators; and
                            ``(vi) to deliver and improve professional 
                        development and continuing education programs;
                    ``(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, cultural organizations, 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, and educational programs in cultural 
                institutions to evaluate the quality and most 
                appropriate uses of software and other technologies 
                designed for use in education; and
                    ``(G) approaches to organizing and managing schools 
                and classrooms to make the most effective use of 
                technology in education; and
            ``(2) 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.
    ``(l) 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.--The National 
        Institute for the Education of At-Risk Students, the National 
        Institute for Innovation in Educational Governance, Finance, 
        Policy-Making, and Management, the National Institute for Early 
        Childhood Development and Education, the National Institute on 
        Student Achievement, and the National Institute on 
        Postsecondary Education, Libraries, and Lifelong Learning shall 
        each be established effective October 1, 1994.''.

           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 educational 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 regional educational laboratories.
                    ``(F) Teacher Research Dissemination Network.
                    ``(G) The Goals 2000 Community Partnerships 
                Program.
                    ``(H) The existing National Diffusion Network and 
                its Developer-Demonstrator and State Facilitator 
                projects.
                    ``(I) 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 Assistant 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 Goals 2000 
                Community Partnerships Program, department-supported 
                technical assistance providers, 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, 
                Indian 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, the 
                Department of the Interior (particularly the Office of 
                Indian Education Programs), 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 Assistant 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 
        Assistant Secretary 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 Assistant 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 two-thirds of the membership of 
                a panel established under paragraph (1) 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, local and State 
        education agencies, and Bureau of Indian Affairs-funded 
        schools, the Assistant 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 Goals 2000 
                Community Partnerships Program;
                    ``(F) department-supported technical assistance 
                providers;
                    ``(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 assistant secretary.--In carrying 
        out paragraph (1), the Assistant 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 Assistant Secretary shall establish 
        a system of 16 education resource information clearinghouses 
        having, at a minimum, the 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 may--
                    ``(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 Assistant 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;
                    ``(B) establish cooperative agreements with the 
                Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services, 
                Interior, 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; and
                    ``(C) devise an effective system for maximizing the 
                identification, synthesis, and dissemination of 
                information related to the needs of Indian and Alaska 
                Native children.
            ``(5) Copyright prohibited.--
                    ``(A) No clearinghouse or other entity receiving 
                assistance under this subsection may copyright or 
                otherwise charge a royalty or other fee that--
                            ``(i) is for the use or redissemination of 
                        any database, index, abstract, report, or other 
                        information produced with assistance under this 
                        subsection; and
                            ``(ii) exceeds the incremental cost of 
                        disseminating such information.
                    ``(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), the 
                incremental cost of dissemination does not include any 
                portion of the cost of collecting, organizing, or 
                processing the information which is disseminated.
    ``(g) Dissemination Through New Technologies.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary is authorized to 
        award grants or contracts 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 educational 
        improvement.
            ``(2) Sources of materials and research about teaching and 
        learning for improving nationwide education (smartline).--
                    ``(A) 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--
                            ``(i) each office of the Department of 
                        Education;
                            ``(ii) the research institutes established 
                        by section 405B;
                            ``(iii) the National Center for Education 
                        Statistics;
                            ``(iv) the National Library of Education; 
                        and
                            ``(v) entities engaged in research, 
                        development, dissemination, and technical 
                        assistance under grant, contract, or 
                        cooperative agreement with the Department of 
                        Education.
                    ``(B) Certain requirements for network.--The 
                network described in subparagraph (A) shall--
                            ``(i) to the extent feasible, build upon 
                        existing national, regional, and State 
                        electronic networks and support video, 
                        telecomputing, and interactive communications;
                            ``(ii) at a minimum, have the capability to 
                        support electronic mail and file transfer 
                        services;
                            ``(iii) 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
                            ``(iv) be provided at no cost (excluding 
                        the costs of necessary hardware) to the 
                        contractors and grantees described in clause 
                        (v) of subparagraph (A) and to educational 
                        institutions accessing such network through the 
                        Internet and the National Research and 
                        Education Network.
                    ``(C) Information resources.--The Assistant 
                Secretary, acting through the Office of Reform 
                Assistance and Dissemination, may make available 
                through the network described in subparagraph (A)--
                            ``(i) information about grant and contract 
                        assistance available through the department;
                            ``(ii) an annotated directory of current 
                        research and development activities and 
                        projects being undertaken with the assistance 
                        of the Department;
                            ``(iii) information about publications 
                        published by the Department and, to the extent 
                        feasible, the full text of such publications;
                            ``(iv) statistics and data published by the 
                        National Center for Education Statistics;
                            ``(v) syntheses of research and development 
                        findings;
                            ``(vi) a directory of other education-
                        related electronic networks and databases, 
                        including information about the means by which 
                        they may be accessed;
                            ``(vii) a descriptive listing of materials 
                        and courses of instruction provided by 
                        telecommunications partnerships assisted under 
                        the Star Schools program;
                            ``(viii) resources developed by the ERIC 
                        Clearinghouses;
                            ``(ix) education-related software 
                        (including video) which is in the public 
                        domain;
                            ``(x) a listing of instructional materials 
                        available through telecommunications to local 
                        education agencies through the Public 
                        Broadcasting Service and State educational 
                        television networks; and
                            ``(xi) such other information and resources 
                        the Assistant Secretary considers useful and 
                        appropriate.
                    ``(D) 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 subparagraph (A) for--
                            ``(i) the submission of applications for 
                        assistance to the Department; and
                            ``(ii) the collection of data and other 
                        statistics through the National Center for 
                        Education Statistics.
                    ``(E) Training and technical assistance.--The 
                Assistant Secretary, acting through the Office of 
                Reform Assistance and Dissemination, shall--
                            ``(i) provide such training and technical 
                        assistance as may be necessary to enable the 
                        contractors and grantees described in clause 
                        (v) of subparagraph (A) to participate in the 
                        electronic network described in such 
                        subparagraph; and
                            ``(ii) work with the National Science 
                        Foundation to provide, upon request, assistance 
                        to State and local education agencies, the 
                        Department of the Interior's Office of Indian 
                        Education Programs, tribal departments of 
                        education, State library agencies, libraries, 
                        museums, and other educational institutions in 
                        obtaining access to the Internet and the 
                        National Research and Education Network.
    ``(h) Regional Educational Laboratories.--
            ``(1) Regional educational laboratories.--The Assistant 
        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.
            ``(2) Duties.--Each regional educational laboratory 
        receiving assistance under this subsection shall, with such 
        assistance, assist State education agencies, intermediate 
        education agencies, local school districts, and schools funded 
        by the Bureau of Indian Affairs 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 development of a plan for identifying 
                needs and for serving the needs of the region by 
                conducting a continuing survey of the educational 
                needs, strengths and weaknesses within the region, 
                including a process of open hearings to solicit the 
                views of schools, teachers, administrators, parents, 
                local educational agencies, librarians, and State 
                educational agencies within the region;
                    ``(B) the dissemination of information about 
                programs designated as exemplary and promising under 
                subsection (c) and other appropriate programs and 
                practices;
                    ``(C) 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, local, or Bureau of Indian Affairs-
                        funded school 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 to improve teaching and 
                        learning;
                            ``(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;
                    ``(D) the development of educational programs and 
                practices that address State, regional, or Indian 
                tribal needs in relating to their school reform 
                efforts;
                    ``(E) facilitating communication between 
                educational experts, school officials, and teachers, 
                parents, and librarians, to enable such individuals to 
                assist schools to develop a plan to meet the national 
                education goals;
                    ``(F) bringing teams of experts together to develop 
                and implement school improvement plans and strategies;
                    ``(G) the provision of training in--
                            ``(i) the field of education research and 
                        related areas;
                            ``(ii) the use of new educational methods; 
                        and
                            ``(iii) the use of information-finding 
                        methods, practices, techniques, and products 
                        developed in connection with such training for 
                        which the regional educational laboratory shall 
                        be authorized to support internships and 
                        fellowships and to provide stipends; and
                    ``(H) the provision of support and technical 
                assistance (upon their request) to State facilitators 
                funded through the National Diffusion Network.
            ``(3) 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.
            ``(4) Additional duties.--Each regional education 
        laboratory receiving assistance under this subsection shall 
        carry out the following activities:
                    ``(A) Collaborate with the Institutes established 
                under section 405B in order to--
                            ``(i) maximize the use of research 
                        conducted through the Institutes in the work of 
                        such laboratory;
                            ``(ii) keep the Institutes apprised of the 
                        work of the regional educational laboratories 
                        in the field; and
                            ``(iii) inform the Institutes about 
                        additional research needs identified in the 
                        field.
                    ``(B) Consult with the State educational agencies 
                and library agencies in the region in developing the 
                plan for serving the region.
                    ``(C) Develop strategies to utilize schools as 
                critical components in reforming education and 
                revitalizing rural communities in the United States.
                    ``(D) Report and disseminate information on 
                overcoming the obstacles faced by rural educators and 
                rural schools.
                    ``(E) 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.
            ``(5) 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 
                Assistant Secretary and 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, local education 
                agencies, or Bureau of Indian Affairs-funded schools 
                which may require special assistance from the 
                laboratory.
            ``(6) Evaluations.--The Assistant Secretary shall provide 
        for periodic, independent evaluations of each of the 
        laboratories in carrying out the duties described in paragraph 
        (1) in accordance with the standards developed by the Assistant 
        Secretary and 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.
            ``(7) 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 and in the publication of the Department of 
        Commerce known as the Commerce Business Daily.
            ``(8) Application for assistance.--Each application for 
        assistance under this subsection shall--
                    ``(A) cover not less than 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.
            ``(9) 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.
            ``(10) Advance payment system.--Each regional educational 
        laboratory shall participate in the advance payment system at 
        the Department of Education.
    ``(i) Goals 2000 Community Partnerships Program.--
            ``(1) Purpose.--The purpose of the Goals 2000 Community 
        Partnerships program is to improve the quality of learning and 
        teaching in the Nation's most impoverished urban and rural 
        communities by supporting sustained collaborations between 
        universities, schools, businesses, and communities which apply 
        and utilize the results of educational research and 
        development.
            ``(2) Grants for goals 2000 community partnerships.--The 
        Assistant Secretary is authorized to make grants to eligible 
        entities to support the establishment of Learning Grant 
        Institutions and District Education Agents and the activities 
        authorized under this subsection within eligible communities.
            ``(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) in which not less than one-half of 
                        the school-age children have family incomes 
                        which are below the poverty line, as determined 
                        by the 1990 United States Census, participation 
                        in the National School Lunch program, or other 
                        current, reliable data concerning family 
                        income.
            ``(4) Goals 2000 community partnerships.--Each learning 
        grant institution receiving assistance under this subsection 
        shall establish a Goals 2000 community partnership to carry out 
        the activities authorized under this subsection. Such 
        partnership--
                    ``(A) shall include the participation of one or 
                more local educational agencies, institutions of higher 
                education, community-based organizations, parents, 
                teachers, and the business community;
                    ``(B) may include the participation of human, 
                social service and health care agencies, Head Start and 
                child care agencies, libraries, museums, employment and 
                training agencies, and the State educational agency or 
                tribal department of education; and
                    ``(C) shall be broadly representative of all 
                segments of the community in which the activities will 
                be carried out.
            ``(5) Comprehensive goals 2000 plan.--Each Goals 2000 
        Community Partnership shall develop a comprehensive plan for 
        assuring educational success and high achievement 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) focus on helping all students reach 
                challenging content and student performance standards;
                    ``(D) be consistent with the State and local plan 
                for system-wide education improvement developed 
                pursuant to the Goals 2000: Educate America Act;
                    ``(E) establish a comprehensive community-wide plan 
                for achieving such goals; and
                    ``(F) develop a means for measuring the progress of 
                the community in meeting such goals for improvement.
            ``(6) Implementation of community-wide plan.--Each Goals 
        2000 Community Partnership shall, utilizing the District 
        Education Agent, provide assistance in implementing the 
        community-wide plan for educational improvement by--
                    ``(A) supporting innovation, restructuring, and 
                continuous improvement in educational practice by--
                            ``(i) disseminating information throughout 
                        the community about exemplary and promising 
                        educational programs, practices, products, and 
                        policies;
                            ``(ii) evaluating the effectiveness of 
                        federally funded educational programs within 
                        the community and identifying changes in such 
                        programs which are likely to improve student 
                        achievement;
                            ``(iii) identifying, selecting and 
                        replicating exemplary and promising educational 
                        programs, practices, products, and policies in 
                        both in- and out-of-school settings;
                            ``(iv) applying educational research to 
                        solve specific problems in the classroom, home 
                        and community which impede learning and student 
                        achievement; and
                            ``(v) supporting research and development 
                        by teachers, school administrators, and other 
                        practitioners which promise to improve teaching 
                        and learning and the organization of schools;
                    ``(B) improving the capacity of educators, school 
                administrators, child care providers and other 
                practitioners to prepare all students to reach 
                challenging standards and to attain the goals set out 
                in the comprehensive community-wide plan through such 
                means as--
                            ``(i) the training of prospective and 
                        novice teachers (including preschool and early 
                        childhood educators) in a school setting under 
                        the guidance of master teachers and teacher 
                        educators;
                            ``(ii) training and other activities to 
                        promote the continued learning and professional 
                        development of experienced teachers, related 
                        services personnel, and school administrators 
                        to assure that they develop the subject matter 
                        and pedagogical expertise needed to prepare all 
                        students to reach challenging standards;
                            ``(iii) training and other activities to 
                        increase the ability of prospective, novice, 
                        and experienced teachers to teach effectively 
                        at-risk students, students with disabilities, 
                        students with limited English language 
                        proficiency, and students from diverse cultural 
                        backgrounds; and
                            ``(iv) programs to enhance teaching and 
                        classroom management skills, including school-
                        based management skills, of novice, 
                        prospective, and experienced teachers;
                    ``(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.
            ``(7) Additional requirements.--In carrying out its 
        responsibilities under this subsection, each partnership 
        receiving assistance under this subsection shall--
                    ``(A) 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;
                    ``(B) 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
                    ``(C) 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.
            ``(8) Application for grants.--Any eligible entity desiring 
        a grant under this subsection shall submit an application to 
        the Assistant Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
        accompanied by such information as the Assistant 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.
            ``(9) 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 
                with the greatest percentage of school-age children in 
                families with poverty-level incomes;
                    ``(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 Assistant 
                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.
            ``(10) Limitation of one grant per congressional 
        district.--Not more than one grant shall be awarded within a 
        single congressional district.
            ``(11) Technical assistance; evaluations.--In administering 
        the program authorized under this subsection, the Assistant 
        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 Goals 2000 
                        Community Partnerships 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 Goals 2000 
                Community Partnerships program throughout the remainder 
                of the Nation beginning in fiscal year 1998.
    ``(j) Teacher Research Dissemination Network.--
            ``(1) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
                    ``(A) education research, including research funded 
                by the Office, is not having the impact on the Nation's 
                schools that such research should;
                    ``(B) relevant education research and resulting 
                solutions are not being adequately disseminated to the 
                teachers that need such research and solutions;
                    ``(C) there are not enough linkages between the 
                research and development centers assisted under this 
                section, the regional educational laboratories 
                described in subsection (k), the National Diffusion 
                Network State facilitators, the Education Resources 
                Information Clearinghouses, and the public schools, to 
                ensure that research on effective practice is 
                disseminated and technical assistance provided to all 
                teachers;
                    ``(D) the average teacher has almost no time to 
                plan or engage in a professional dialogue with such 
                teacher's peers about strategies for improving 
                learning;
                    ``(E) teachers do not have direct access to 
                information systems or networks;
                    ``(F) teachers have little control over what in-
                service education teachers will be offered; and
                    ``(G) individual teachers are not encouraged to 
                move beyond the walls of their classrooms to identify 
                and use outside resources.
            ``(2) 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 (3).
                    ``(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, teachers, and students 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.
            ``(3) Program activities.--
                    ``(A) Each regional partnership described in 
                paragraph (2)(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;
                            ``(v) enhance the ability of teachers to 
                        evaluate and choose effective education 
                        programs and curricula; and
                            ``(vi) 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, fellowships, 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 paragraph (3)(F).
            ``(4) 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 and school enrollment 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.
            ``(5) Independent evaluation.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Assistant Secretary 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, including any career 
                plan changes of participating teachers.
                    ``(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.
    ``(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, to the 
extent feasible, 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 5 years; and
            ``(3) be paid at not less than the minimum rate of basic 
        pay payable for GS-15 of the General Schedule.
    ``(g) Task Force.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary shall appoint a 
        task force of librarians, scholars, teachers, parents, and 
        school leaders (hereafter in this paragraph referred to as the 
        `Task Force') to provide advice on the establishment of the 
        Library.
            ``(2) Preparation of plan.--The Task Force shall prepare a 
        workable plan to establish the Library and to implement the 
        requirements of this section.
            ``(3) Certain authorities.--The Task Force may identify 
        other activities and functions for the Library to carry out, 
        except that such functions shall not be carried out until the 
        Library is established and has implemented the requirements of 
        this section.
            ``(4) Report.--The Task Force shall prepare and submit to 
        the Assistant Secretary not later than 6 months after the first 
        meeting of the Task Force a report on the activities of the 
        Library.
    ``(h) 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.
    ``(i) Collection Development Policy.--Not later than 180 days after 
the enactment of the Educational Research, Development, and 
Dissemination Excellence Act, the Assistant Secretary 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.
    ``(j) 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.''.
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