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[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2705 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2705

 To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to provide assistance for 
    developing countries to promote quality basic education and to 
 establish the achievement of quality universal basic education in all 
     developing countries as an objective of United States foreign 
               assistance policy, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 29, 2011

  Mrs. Lowey (for herself and Mr. Reichert) introduced the following 
      bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to provide assistance for 
    developing countries to promote quality basic education and to 
 establish the achievement of quality universal basic education in all 
     developing countries as an objective of United States foreign 
               assistance policy, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Education for All Act of 2011''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Throughout the world, an alarming number of children 
        and youth are not receiving a basic education. According to the 
        Global Monitoring Report, approximately 67,000,000 children of 
        primary school age are not in school and tens of millions drop 
        out of school annually. Globally, progress is slowing, and if 
        current trends continue, there could be as many as 72,000,000 
        children of primary school age out of school in 2015. 
        Additionally, there were an estimated 74,000,000 adolescents 
        not enrolled in school and an estimated 130,000,000 youth (15 
        to 24 years old) who could not read and write in 2008.
            (2) Of the approximately 67,000,000 children of primary 
        school age and 74,000,000 adolescents of lower secondary school 
        age who were not in school in 2008, 53 percent were girls. The 
        proportion of out-of-school primary age girls is highest in 
        Arab states, Central Asia, South and West Asia, and sub-Saharan 
        Africa. Almost 43 percent of the world's out-of-school children 
        live in sub-Saharan Africa, and more than 40,000,000 live in 
        countries affected by conflict and fragility. A significant 
        number of such children have been orphaned or otherwise 
        negatively affected by HIV/AIDS while others have been victims 
        of child labor or human trafficking. Without access to quality 
        education, such children will not have the skills to contribute 
        to reconstruction and stabilization of their countries.
            (3) The final report of the National Commission on 
        Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (hereafter in this 
        section referred to as the ``Report'') concluded that education 
        that teaches tolerance, the dignity and value of each 
        individual, and respect for different beliefs must be a key 
        element in any global strategy to eliminate terrorism. The 
        Center for Strategic and International Studies' Commission on 
        Smart Power determined that ``education is the best hope of 
        turning young people away from violence and extremism''.
            (4) Extending the vision of educational opportunity 
        described in the Report to all developing countries, including 
        countries affected by armed conflict, is critical to achieve 
        the Education for All Goals and prevent the rise of violent 
        extremism worldwide.
            (5) The Report concluded that the United States Government 
        must offer an example of moral leadership in the world and 
        offer parents and their children a vision of the future that 
        emphasizes individual educational and economic opportunity.
            (6) The Report noted that the United Nations has rightly 
        equated ``literacy as freedom'', and while gains have been made 
        in Arab states in reducing the out-of-school population, an 
        estimated 28 percent of the adult population in the Arab 
        states, or 60,000,000 people, lack basic literacy or numeracy 
        skills needed in everyday life.
            (7) The Report concluded that ensuring educational 
        opportunity is essential to the efforts of the United States to 
        defeat global terrorism and recommended that the United States 
        Government ``should offer to join with other nations in 
        generously supporting [spending funds] . . . directly on 
        building and operating primary and secondary schools in those 
        Muslim states that commit to sensibly investing financial 
        resources in public education.''.
            (8) At the World Education Forum held in Dakar, Senegal, in 
        2000, the United States joined more than 180 other countries in 
        committing to the 6 Education For All goals, including quality 
        universal basic education.
            (9) Since the World Education Forum in 2000, the number of 
        children out of school has decreased at an average approximate 
        rate of 4,000,000 children per year. Despite this progress, the 
        goal of achieving quality universal basic education will not be 
        met, and 72,000,000 children may still be out of school by 
        2015, while millions of children in school are not acquiring 
        foundational skills in literacy and numeracy.
            (10) The United States Agency for International 
        Development's bilateral assistance helps to deliver a quality 
        basic education to 61,000,000 learners enrolled in United 
        States Government-supported primary schools around the world. 
        USAID has expertise in a number of key areas, including teacher 
        training, reaching marginalized groups and quality measurement 
        and has provided technical assistance to governments in order 
        to create sustainable educational systems.
            (11) Basic education is fundamental to development. No 
        country has reached sustained economic growth without achieving 
        near universal primary education. Quality education reduces 
        poverty and inequity, lays the foundation for sound governance, 
        civic participation, and strong institutions, and equips people 
        with the knowledge, skills, and self-reliance they need to 
        increase income and expand opportunities for employment.
            (12) Investing in girls' education delivers substantial 
        returns not only in educational attainment but also in 
        increasing women's and household incomes, delaying the start of 
        sexual activity, reducing infant mortality, increasing women's 
        political participation, spurring economic growth, and delaying 
        marriage.
            (13) Education can help to protect children in conflict 
        situations from physical harm, exploitation, and sexual abuse, 
        as well as to avoid the recruitment of children into armed 
        groups and gangs, and promote good governance and poverty 
        reduction. Additionally, every additional year of schooling for 
        males can reduce their risk of becoming involved in conflict by 
        20 percent.
            (14) In front line states, education remains a significant 
        challenge. Of the 67,000,000 children of primary school age who 
        are out of school, 28,000,000, or 42 percent, are in conflict-
        affected poor countries. In Yemen, nearly 80 percent of girls 
        are unlikely to enroll in school, and in Afghanistan, girls 
        average only 4 years of schooling.
            (15) Credible estimates indicate that approximately 
        $16,000,000,000 per year of financing assistance is necessary 
        for developing countries to achieve quality universal basic 
        education.
            (16) Multilateral mechanisms have been proven to marshal 
        significant resources to reach global development challenges. 
        Funds that are transparent, increase partnership and 
        coordination among governments, private sector, and civil 
        society, support national plans, are monitored for results, and 
        hold all stakeholders accountable have been effective at 
        providing resources to reach global challenges.

SEC. 3. ASSISTANCE TO ACHIEVE QUALITY UNIVERSAL BASIC EDUCATION.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 1 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act 
of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 
105 the following new section:

``SEC. 105A. ASSISTANCE TO ACHIEVE QUALITY UNIVERSAL BASIC EDUCATION.

    ``(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to ensure that 
the United States provides the resources and leadership to ensure a 
successful international effort to provide all children with a quality 
basic education in order to achieve the goal of quality universal basic 
education agreed to at the World Education Forum held in Dakar, 
Senegal, in 2000.
    ``(b) Policy.--It is the policy of the United States to work with 
other countries and international and civil society organizations in 
order to achieve quality universal basic education by--
            ``(1) assisting developing countries to provide all 
        children with a quality basic education, including through 
        strengthening host countries' educational systems;
            ``(2) assisting nongovernmental and multilateral 
        organizations working in developing countries to provide all 
        children with a quality basic education; and
            ``(3) promoting education as the foundation for 
        communities' development, including integrating entrepreneurial 
        and leadership training, disaster preparedness, conflict and 
        violence prevention and mitigation, disease prevention and 
        treatment, economic growth and agricultural activities, early 
        childhood development, and democracy promotion into holistic 
        assistance programs.
    ``(c) Principles.--In developing the policy referred to in 
subsection (b), the United States shall be guided by the following 
principles:
            ``(1) United states resources.--To lead a global commitment 
        to achieving quality universal basic education in developing 
        countries, including in countries affected by or emerging from 
        armed conflict or humanitarian crises, the United States shall 
        commit substantial new resources for education in developing 
        countries to expand access to quality educational opportunity 
        and inspire confidence in such countries that efforts to reform 
        education will receive adequate resources.
            ``(2) Integrated bilateral and multilateral approach to 
        sustainable development.--United States assistance shall 
        integrate bilateral and multilateral assistance modalities 
        within the strategy developed pursuant to subsection (e), to be 
        directly responsive to host country needs, capacity, and 
        commitment, and lead to sustainable development. The United 
        States should contribute on a multilateral basis in a manner 
        that leverages overall impact and best reinforces United States 
        bilateral aid efforts, which should remain central to United 
        States efforts in basic education. Bilateral and multilateral 
        assistance should be undertaken in close partnership with 
        nongovernmental organizations and other development partners, 
        including women-led groups.
            ``(3) United states assistance to multilateral education 
        initiatives.--The United States shall support multilateral 
        coordination and financing education initiatives, including the 
        Education for All Fast-Track Initiative or a multilateral 
        global fund for education. United States assistance shall build 
        upon its comparative advantages and proficiencies in basic 
        education programs, while leveraging the efforts of existing 
        country-level development partnerships. Multilateral mechanisms 
        should be aligned with globally established aid effectiveness 
        principles, including--
                    ``(A) alignment with recipient country priorities, 
                education plans, and planning processes;
                    ``(B) governance shared by donors, developing 
                country governments, and civil society;
                    ``(C) coordination among governments, multilateral 
                organizations, private sector, and civil society;
                    ``(D) mutual accountability between donors and 
                recipients for achieving measurable results in access 
                and quality;
                    ``(E) transparency with respect to financing, 
                policy decisions, and impact; and
                    ``(F) predictable, long-term funding disbursed in a 
                timely manner.
            ``(4) Other major donors.--The United States Government 
        should encourage other donors to contribute commensurate 
        amounts to support quality universal basic education, through 
        bilateral and multilateral mechanisms and to coordinate their 
        efforts with recipient countries, private entities, and other 
        donors, in line with the principles of the Paris Declaration.
            ``(5) Private sector and nongovernmental participation and 
        contributions.--United States efforts shall include explicit 
        strategies to encourage and integrate contributions of 
        strategic direction and financial resources from local and 
        international private sector and civil society organizations, 
        including organizations that represent teachers, students, and 
        parents, interested in supporting quality universal basic 
        education efforts.
            ``(6) School access, quality, and completion.--United 
        States assistance for basic education in developing countries 
        shall seek to expand access to quality schools and teachers for 
        all children, particularly marginalized and vulnerable groups, 
        including girls, children affected by or emerging from armed 
        conflict or humanitarian crises, children with disabilities, 
        children in remote or rural areas, including those that lack 
        access to safe water and sanitation, religious or ethnic 
        minorities, indigenous peoples, orphans and children impacted 
        by HIV/AIDS, child laborers, and victims of trafficking; to 
        promote gender equity; and to improve the quality of education, 
        including foundational skills in literacy and numeracy, in 
        order to increase the number of children completing and 
        benefitting from a basic education.
            ``(7) Coordination within the united states government.--
        The United States Government, led by the United States Agency 
        for International Development, shall support improved 
        coordination and collaboration among all departments and 
        agencies of the United States Government involved in providing 
        assistance for basic education to developing countries to 
        ensure efficient and effective use of the resources, including 
        efforts to provide a continuity of assistance for basic 
        education in humanitarian and other emergency situations.
            ``(8) Support for communities of learning.--United States 
        assistance shall support the coordination of development 
        assistance for the holistic development of communities, and 
        where appropriate and to the extent practicable, utilize 
        schools as the foundation for communities' development and 
        integrate assistance programs, including health and development 
        programs, nutrition and school feeding programs, sanitation and 
        hygiene education, adult literacy, leadership development, 
        prevention of school-related violence, community gardens, 
        entrepreneurial training, agricultural extension work, civic 
        education, and housing programs.
            ``(9) Coordination with national education plans and 
        economic development programs.--United States assistance for 
        basic education in developing countries shall be provided in 
        collaboration and coordination with, where possible, national 
        education plans, to reduce poverty and spur sustained economic 
        growth, including through the promotion of the value of 
        education and increasing community and family awareness of the 
        positive impact of education. The United States shall seek to 
        encourage developing countries to utilize schools as platforms 
        for the development of communities. Such assistance, to the 
        extent practicable, shall support programs and activities that 
        are appropriate for and meet the needs of the local and 
        indigenous cultures and carry out programs and activities 
        through implementation by country-based civil society 
        organizations that support national education plans.
            ``(10) Measuring outcomes.--United States assistance for 
        basic education in developing countries shall include 
        sufficient resources for monitoring and evaluating the 
        effectiveness and quality of basic education programs.
    ``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) HIV/AIDS.--The term `HIV/AIDS' has the meaning given 
        that term in section 104A(h).
            ``(2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        `appropriate congressional committees' means--
                    ``(A) the Committee on Appropriations and the 
                Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and
                    ``(B) the Committee on Appropriations and the 
                Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
                Representatives.
            ``(3) Basic education.--The term `basic education'--
                    ``(A) means an education, generally consisting of 
                completion of 9-10 years of schooling, including 
                efforts to improve early childhood development, primary 
                education, secondary education, literacy and numeracy 
                training, and life-skills training that prepares an 
                individual to be an active, productive member of 
                society and the workforce; and
                    ``(B) includes efforts to facilitate and support 
                the activities described in subparagraph (A), including 
                efforts to--
                            ``(i) build the institutional capacity of a 
                        country to manage basic education systems and 
                        measure results;
                            ``(ii) construct and rehabilitate schools;
                            ``(iii) train quality teachers;
                            ``(iv) increase parent and community 
                        involvement in schools;
                            ``(v) provide learning materials; and
                            ``(vi) develop curricula.
            ``(4) Education for all fast-track initiative.--The term 
        `Education for All Fast-Track Initiative' means the Fast-Track 
        Initiative launched in 2002 to mobilize donor resources and 
        accelerate progress toward the achievement of Education for 
        All, an international commitment to bring the benefits of basic 
        education to every individual.
            ``(5) National education plan.--The term `national 
        education plan' means a comprehensive national education plan 
        that--
                    ``(A) may be developed in accordance with the 
                provisions of the Education For All Fast-Track 
                Initiative; and
                    ``(B) includes explicit, credible strategies to 
                achieve quality universal basic education, including 
                strategies to--
                            ``(i) address key constraints to achieving 
                        universal basic education in the areas of 
                        policy, data, capacity, gender equity, and 
                        financing; and
                            ``(ii) coordinate priorities within the 
                        elements of basic education, such as early 
                        childhood development, primary education, and 
                        secondary education (delivered in formal and 
                        nonformal settings), and training in literacy, 
                        numeracy, and other basic skills, including 
                        life and leadership skills, for adults and out-
                        of-school youth, and priorities between basic 
                        education, workforce development, and higher 
                        education.
            ``(6) Psychosocial support.--The term `psychosocial 
        support' has the meaning given that term in section 135 
        (relating to assistance for orphans and other vulnerable 
        children).
            ``(7) Relevant executive branch agencies and officials.--
        The term `relevant executive branch agencies and officials' 
        means--
                    ``(A) the Department of State, the United States 
                Agency for International Development, the Department of 
                the Treasury, the Department of Labor, the Department 
                of Education, the Department of Health and Human 
                Services, the Department of Agriculture, and the 
                Department of Defense;
                    ``(B) the Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium 
                Challenge Corporation, the Coordinator of United States 
                Government Activities to Combat HIV/AIDS Globally, the 
                National Security Advisor, the Director of the Peace 
                Corps, and the National Economic Advisor; and
                    ``(C) any other department, agency, or official of 
                the United States Government that participates in 
                activities to promote quality universal basic education 
                pursuant to the authorities of such department, agency, 
                or official or pursuant to this Act.
            ``(8) INEE minimum standards.--The term `INEE Minimum 
        Standards' refers to standards for education developed by the 
        Inter-Agency Network on Education in Emergencies designed for 
        use in emergency response, emergency preparedness, and in 
        humanitarian advocacy, and applicable in a wide range of 
        situations, including natural disasters and armed conflicts.
    ``(e) Development and Implementation of a Comprehensive United 
States Strategy on Education for All.--
            ``(1) Strategy required.--The President shall develop a 
        comprehensive integrated strategy of the United States to 
        promote quality universal basic education that will--
                    ``(A) seek to expand access to basic education for 
                all children, particularly marginalized and vulnerable 
                groups, including girls, children affected by or 
                emerging from armed conflict or humanitarian crises, 
                children with disabilities, children in remote or rural 
                areas, religious or ethnic minorities, indigenous 
                peoples, orphans and children impacted by HIV/AIDS, 
                child laborers, and victims of trafficking, as well as 
                to promote gender equity; and
                    ``(B) improve the quality of basic education, 
                particularly as reflected in measurable learning 
                outcomes, as appropriate.
            ``(2) Elements.--The strategy required by paragraph (1) 
        shall be formulated and implemented in consideration of the 
        principles set forth in subsection (c) and shall--
                    ``(A) include specific objectives, indicators, 
                including indicators to measure learning outcomes, and 
                approaches to increase access and quality of basic 
                education in developing countries;
                    ``(B) seek to build capacity within developing 
                countries for basic education programs in order to make 
                progress toward the goal of achieving sustainable 
                development;
                    ``(C) outline how the United States Government will 
                ensure a transition and continuity of educational 
                activities in countries affected by or emerging from 
                armed conflict or humanitarian crises;
                    ``(D) assign priorities to relevant executive 
                branch agencies and officials;
                    ``(E) improve coordination and reduce duplication 
                among relevant executive branch agencies and officials, 
                foreign donor governments, and international 
                organizations at the global and country levels;
                    ``(F) project general levels of resources needed to 
                achieve the stated objectives;
                    ``(G) expand public-private partnerships in order 
                to leverage resources;
                    ``(H) target the activities of the United States to 
                leverage contributions from other bilateral donors to 
                provide quality universal basic education;
                    ``(I) support efforts to reduce the adverse impact 
                of HIV/AIDS on education systems, including by 
                equipping teachers with skills needed for HIV/AIDS 
                prevention and support for persons with, or affected 
                by, HIV/AIDS;
                    ``(J) promote gender equity and improve educational 
                opportunities for women and girls, and strive to ensure 
                safe schools, equal access, workforce opportunities, 
                leadership role development, and the preservation of 
                dignity and respect;
                    ``(K) support local actors to review curricula, 
                textbooks, and educational materials, with the goal of 
                incorporating content on peace, human rights, and 
                respect for diversity;
                    ``(L) work with governments of conflict-affected 
                states and governments assisting in preventing or 
                limiting conflict to limit the effects of conflict on 
                students, teachers, and schools and to promote and fund 
                inclusive, good-quality education; to establish respect 
                for schools as sanctuaries or zones of peace; to 
                develop mechanisms to protect threatened students, 
                teachers, and education personnel; and to develop ways 
                to rapidly reconstruct, repair, and resupply attacked 
                educational institutions and to support the 
                continuation of education in alternative places or via 
                alternative methods;
                    ``(M) adopt a `Communities of Learning' approach 
                that integrates, where appropriate and to the extent 
                practicable, school and educational programs with 
                health and development programs, nutrition and school 
                feeding programs, sanitation and hygiene education, 
                adult literacy, leadership development, prevention of 
                school-related violence, community gardens, 
                entrepreneurial training, agricultural extension work, 
                civic education, and housing programs; and
                    ``(N) maximize United States capabilities in the 
                areas of technical assistance and training.
            ``(3) Global development strategy.--The strategy required 
        by paragraph (1) should be included in any overall U.S. global 
        development strategy.
            ``(4) Requirement to consult.--In developing the strategy 
        required by paragraph (1), the President shall consult with--
                    ``(A) the appropriate congressional committees;
                    ``(B) relevant executive branch agencies and 
                officials; and
                    ``(C) nongovernmental organizations, including 
                organizations representing students, teachers, and 
                parents, and other development partners and individuals 
                who are involved in the promotion and implementation of 
                education assistance programs in developing countries.
            ``(5) Public comment.--The President shall provide an 
        opportunity for public comment on the strategy required by 
        paragraph (1).
            ``(6) Annual report.--Not later than 270 days after the 
        date of the enactment of the Education for All Act of 2011, the 
        President shall transmit to the appropriate congressional 
        committees a report setting forth the strategy required by 
        paragraph (1) and make the report available to the public.
    ``(f) Assistance To Develop and Implement National Education 
Plans.--
            ``(1) Assistance authorized.--The President is authorized 
        to provide funds and other assistance to assist foreign 
        countries to create the policies, processes, and infrastructure 
        to develop and implement national education plans, including 
        both interim and comprehensive plans, to allow all children of 
        such countries to access and complete a quality basic 
        education.
            ``(2) Priority and other requirements.--In providing 
        assistance under this subsection, the President shall give 
        priority to foreign countries in which there is the greatest 
        need and opportunity to expand universal access and to improve 
        the quality of basic education, and in which the assistance can 
        produce a substantial, measurable impact on children and 
        educational systems. Priority should also be considered in 
        countries where there are chronically underserved and 
        marginalized populations that must be reached in order to 
        achieve universal basic education.
            ``(3) Activities supported.--Assistance provided under this 
        subsection may be used to support efforts to expand access and 
        to improve the quality of basic education, including efforts--
                    ``(A) to ensure an adequate supply of trained 
                quality teachers and to build systems to provide 
                continuing support, training, and professional 
                development for all educators;
                    ``(B) to support the design and implementation of 
                effective, relevant curricula;
                    ``(C) to assist education authorities to improve 
                education management practices and systems;
                    ``(D) to promote the development and effective use 
                of systems for monitoring and evaluating student-
                learning outcomes;
                    ``(E) to provide adequate infrastructure;
                    ``(F) to eliminate fees for educational services, 
                including fees for tuition, uniforms, and materials as 
                part of a comprehensive education financing plan;
                    ``(G) to identify and replicate successful 
                interventions that improve access to and quality of 
                education;
                    ``(H) to build systems to ensure continuing 
                information collection, monitoring, and evaluation of 
                education services and financing;
                    ``(I) to ensure that schools are not incubators for 
                violent extremism;
                    ``(J) to provide human rights, gender equity, and 
                conflict-resolution education;
                    ``(K) to promote programs that teach civic 
                education and life skills;
                    ``(L) to take steps to make schools safe and secure 
                places where children and youth, including girls and 
                women, can learn without fear of violence, harassment, 
                or exploitation, including--
                            ``(i) promoting efforts at the national 
                        level to establish and enforce comprehensive 
                        legislation and strong policies against school-
                        related violence;
                            ``(ii) supporting efforts and providing 
                        resources to train all teachers and school 
                        administrators on school-related violence;
                            ``(iii) working to ensure the safety of 
                        students during their travel to and from 
                        schools and on school grounds;
                            ``(iv) improving school infrastructure to 
                        increase safety, such as by constructing 
                        separate latrines for boys and girls;
                            ``(v) carrying out programs for school and 
                        community participation on the unacceptability 
                        of violence;
                            ``(vi) providing counseling and support 
                        systems for students affected by school-related 
                        violence;
                            ``(vii) conducting national and baseline 
                        surveys to collect data on school-related 
                        violence, including against women and girls; 
                        and
                            ``(viii) providing programs that enable 
                        schools to continue providing education for the 
                        most poor or marginalized children, 
                        particularly adolescent girls, which includes 
                        flexible learning opportunities, accelerated 
                        and second chance classes, and opportunities 
                        that support leadership development;
                    ``(M) to work with communities to achieve equity in 
                schools and address gender norms to build support for 
                girls' education;
                    ``(N) to support other initiatives that have 
                demonstrated success in increasing access, improving 
                learning outcomes, and increasing educational 
                opportunities for the most disadvantaged populations, 
                including girls, children affected by or emerging from 
                armed conflict or humanitarian crises, children with 
                disabilities, children in remote or rural areas, 
                religious or ethnic minorities, indigenous peoples, 
                orphans and children impacted by HIV/AIDS, child 
                laborers, and victims of trafficking; and
                    ``(O) to carry out other activities to support a 
                Education for All Fast-Track Initiative or other 
                multilateral Educational for All initiatives, including 
                a multilateral global fund for education.
            ``(4) Additional activities supported for countries 
        affected by conflict or crises.--In addition to the activities 
        supported under paragraph (3), assistance provided under this 
        subsection under the headings `Development Assistance' and 
        `Economic Support Funds' to foreign countries or those parts of 
        the territories of foreign countries that are affected by or 
        emerging from armed conflict, humanitarian crises, or other 
        emergency situations may be used to support efforts--
                    ``(A) to ensure a continuity of educational 
                activities for all children as an essential 
                humanitarian need and that all relevant executive 
                branch agencies and officials collaborate and 
                coordinate to help provide this continuity;
                    ``(B) to ensure that education assistance of the 
                United States Government to countries in emergency 
                settings, including countries affected by or emerging 
                from armed conflict or humanitarian crises, shall be 
                informed by the Minimum Standards of the Inter-Agency 
                Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE Minimum 
                Standards);
                    ``(C) wherever possible, to reestablish formal or 
                provide support for formal and informal education 
                services, or to complement services that are available 
                to ensure that children are able to continue their 
                education and to protect children from physical harm, 
                psychological and social distress, recruitment into 
                armed groups, family separation, and abuses related to 
                their displacement;
                    ``(D) to promote the creation of out-of-school 
                programs and flexible-hour schooling in areas in which 
                security prevents students from attending regular 
                schools;
                    ``(E) to provide safe spaces, especially for girls, 
                with such facilities providing access to water, 
                sanitation, health-related education, psychosocial 
                support, and landmine awareness;
                    ``(F) to provide funding for temporary and 
                permanent education facility construction and minor 
                rehabilitation and equipping of educational structures;
                    ``(G) to provide essential educational services and 
                materials that assist in building systems to support, 
                train, and provide professional development for 
                educators; and
                    ``(H) to promote efforts to ensure the 
                reintegration of teachers and students in conflict, 
                whether refugees or internally displaced, into 
                educational systems, including regional approaches 
                where appropriate to coordinate and recognize the 
                educational efforts of these teachers and students and 
                other school systems.
    ``(g) Annual Report.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than January 31 of each year, 
        the President shall transmit to the appropriate congressional 
        committees a report on the implementation of this section for 
        the prior fiscal year and make the report available to the 
        public.
            ``(2) Report elements.--The report required by paragraph 
        (1) shall include--
                    ``(A) a description of efforts made by relevant 
                executive branch agencies and officials to implement 
                the strategy developed pursuant to subsection (e), with 
                a particular focus on the activities carried out under 
                this section;
                    ``(B) a description of the programs established by 
                each foreign country receiving assistance pursuant to 
                subsection (f) that provides a detailed explanation of 
                the extent to which the strategy developed pursuant to 
                subsection (e) and the assistance provided pursuant to 
                subsection (f) are contributing to the goal of quality 
                universal basic education in the foreign country; and
                    ``(C) a description of the extent to which each 
                foreign country selected to receive assistance pursuant 
                to subsection (f) meets the priority criteria specified 
                in subsection (f)(2).
            ``(3) Data.--Where possible, all data should be 
        disaggregated by sex and age.
    ``(h) Relationship to Other Laws.--The President shall exercise the 
authority provided in this section in accordance with other applicable 
law.
    ``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there are authorized to be appropriated to the President such sums as 
may be necessary for fiscal year 2012 and each subsequent fiscal 
year.''.
    (b) Technical Amendment.--Chapter 1 of part I of the Foreign 
Assistance Act of 1961, as amended by subsection (a), is further 
amended by redesignating the second section 135 (as added by section 
5(a) of the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005 (Public 
Law 109-121; 119 Stat. 2536)) as section 136.

SEC. 4. COORDINATOR OF UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT ACTIONS TO PROVIDE 
              BASIC EDUCATION ASSISTANCE.

    (a) Establishment of Position.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator of the United States 
        Agency for International Development shall designate an 
        individual to serve as the Coordinator of United States 
        Government Actions to Provide Basic Education Assistance 
        (hereinafter in this section referred to as the 
        ``Coordinator'').
            (2) Repeal.--Effective upon the date on which the 
        Administrator designates an individual to serve as Coordinator 
        pursuant to paragraph (1), section 664 (b) and (c) of division 
        J of Public Law 110-161 and section 7064(2) of division F of 
        Public Law 111-117 are repealed.
    (b) General Authorities.--The Coordinator, acting through such 
nongovernmental organizations (including organizations representing 
parents, teachers, and students, faith-based and community-based 
organizations) and relevant executive branch agencies and officials as 
may be necessary and appropriate to effect the purposes of this 
section, is authorized to coordinate the promotion of quality universal 
basic education.
    (c) Duties.--
            (1) In general.--The Coordinator shall have primary 
        responsibility for the oversight and coordination of all 
        resources and international activities of the United States 
        Government to promote quality universal basic education under 
        section 105A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (as added by 
        section 3(a) of this Act) or any other provision of law.
            (2) Specific duties.--The duties of the Coordinator shall 
        specifically include the following:
                    (A) Ensuring program and policy coordination among 
                relevant executive branch agencies and officials and 
                nongovernmental organizations, including coordination 
                of auditing, monitoring, and evaluation of all such 
                programs.
                    (B) Ensuring that relevant executive branch 
                agencies and officials undertake programs primarily in 
                those areas in which the agencies and officials have 
                the greatest expertise, technical capabilities, and 
                potential for success.
                    (C) Ensuring coordination of activities of relevant 
                executive branch agencies and officials in the field in 
                order to eliminate duplication.
                    (D) Pursuing coordination with other countries and 
                international organizations.
                    (E) Resolving policy, program, and funding disputes 
                among relevant executive branch agencies and officials.
                    (F) Ensuring due diligence criteria for all 
                recipients of funds to promote quality universal basic 
                education under section 105A of the Foreign Assistance 
                Act of 1961 or any other provision of law, and all 
                activities carried out with such funds, subject to the 
                coordination and appropriate monitoring, evaluation, 
                and audits carried out by the Coordinator necessary to 
                assess the measurable outcomes of such activities.
                    (G) Convening meetings, as appropriate, but at 
                least annually, of relevant executive branch agencies 
                and officials to evaluate progress in carrying out the 
                United States strategy developed pursuant to subsection 
                (e) of section 105A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 
                1961 (as added by section 3(a) of this Act) and 
                recommend future changes to the strategy based upon 
                such evaluation.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Basic education.--The term ``basic education'' has the 
        meaning given that term in subsection (d)(3) of section 105A of 
        the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (as added by section 3(a) of 
        this Act).
            (2) Relevant executive branch agencies and officials.--The 
        term ``relevant executive branch agencies and officials'' has 
        the meaning given that term in subsection (d)(7) of section 
        105A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (as added by section 
        3(a) of this Act).
    (e) Specification of Resources of Coordinator.--Not later than 90 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the President shall 
specify the necessary financial and personnel resources, including 
detailees, from funds appropriated pursuant to the authorization of 
appropriations under subsection (i) of section 105A of the Foreign 
Assistance Act of 1961 (as added by section 3(a) of this Act), that 
shall be assigned to and under the direct control of the Coordinator to 
establish and maintain the duties and supporting activities assigned to 
the Coordinator by this section.
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