H. R. 1—404
basis, to State educational agencies, local educational agencies,
or both, to implement activities described in subsection (b).
‘‘(d) CENTER FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary (after consultation with
experts in the field of the education of gifted and talented
students) shall establish a National Research Center for the
Education of Gifted and Talented Children and Youth through
grants to, or contracts with, one or more institutions of higher
education or State educational agencies, or a combination or
consortium of such institutions and agencies and other public
or private agencies and organizations, for the purpose of car-
rying out activities described in subsection (b).
‘‘(2) DIRECTOR.—The National Center shall be headed by
a Director. The Secretary may authorize the Director to carry
out such functions of the National Center as may be agreed
upon through arrangements with institutions of higher edu-
cation, State educational agencies, local educational agencies,
or other public or private agencies and organizations.
‘‘(3) FUNDING.—The Secretary may use not more than 30
percent of the funds made available under this subpart for
fiscal year 2001 to carry out this subsection.
‘‘(e) COORDINATION.—Scientifically based research activities
supported under this subpart—
‘‘(1) shall be carried out in consultation with the Office
of Educational Research and Improvement to ensure that such
activities are coordinated with and enhance the research and
development activities supported by such Office; and
‘‘(2) may include collaborative scientifically based research
activities which are jointly funded and carried out with such
Office.
‘‘SEC. 5465. PROGRAM PRIORITIES.
‘‘(a) GENERAL PRIORITY.—In carrying out this subpart, the Sec-
retary shall give highest priority to programs and projects designed
to develop new information that—
‘‘(1) improves the capability of schools to plan, conduct,
and improve programs to identify and serve gifted and talented
students; and
‘‘(2) assists schools in the identification of, and provision
of services to, gifted and talented students (including economi-
cally disadvantaged individuals, individuals with limited
English proficiency, and individuals with disabilities) who may
not be identified and served through traditional assessment
methods.
‘‘(b) SERVICE PRIORITY.—The Secretary shall ensure that not
less than 50 percent of the applications approved under section
5464(a)(2) in a fiscal year address the priority described in sub-
section (a)(2).
‘‘SEC. 5466. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
‘‘(a) PARTICIPATION
OF
PRIVATE
SCHOOL
CHILDREN
AND
TEACHERS.—In making grants and entering into contracts under
this subpart, the Secretary shall ensure, where appropriate, that
provision is made for the equitable participation of students and
teachers in private nonprofit elementary schools and secondary
schools, including the participation of teachers and other personnel
in professional development programs serving such students.
H. R. 1—405
‘‘(b) REVIEW, DISSEMINATION, AND EVALUATION.—The Secretary
shall—
‘‘(1) use a peer review process in reviewing applications
under this subpart;
‘‘(2) ensure that information on the activities and results
of programs and projects funded under this subpart is dissemi-
nated to appropriate State educational agencies, local edu-
cational 
agencies, 
and 
other 
appropriate 
organizations,
including nonprofit private organizations; and
‘‘(3) evaluate the effectiveness of programs under this sub-
part in accordance with section 9601, in terms of the impact
on students traditionally served in separate gifted and talented
programs and on other students, and submit the results of
such evaluation to Congress not later than 2 years after the
date of enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
‘‘(c) PROGRAM OPERATIONS.—The Secretary shall ensure that
the programs under this subpart are administered within the
Department by a person who has recognized professional qualifica-
tions and experience in the field of the education of gifted and
talented students and who shall—
‘‘(1) administer and coordinate the programs authorized
under this subpart;
‘‘(2) serve as a focal point of national leadership and
information on the educational needs of gifted and talented
students and the availability of educational services and pro-
grams designed to meet such needs;
‘‘(3) assist the Assistant Secretary for Educational Research
and Improvement in identifying research priorities that reflect
the needs of gifted and talented students; and
‘‘(4) shall disseminate, and consult on, the information
developed under this subpart with other offices within the
Department.
‘‘Subpart 7—Star Schools Program
‘‘SEC. 5471. SHORT TITLE.
‘‘This subpart may be cited as the ‘Star Schools Act’.
‘‘SEC. 5472. PURPOSES.
‘‘The purposes of this subpart are the following:
‘‘(1) To encourage improved instruction in mathematics,
science, and foreign languages as well as other subjects (such
as literacy skills and vocational education).
‘‘(2) To serve underserved populations, including disadvan-
taged, illiterate, limited English proficient populations, and
individuals with disabilities through a Star Schools program
under which grants are made to eligible telecommunication
partnerships to enable such partnerships—
‘‘(A) to develop, construct, acquire, maintain, and
operate telecommunications audio and visual facilities and
equipment;
‘‘(B) to develop and acquire educational and instruc-
tional programming; and
‘‘(C) to obtain technical assistance for the use of such
facilities and instructional programming.
H. R. 1—406
‘‘SEC. 5473. GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
‘‘(a) AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary, in conjunction with the
Office of Educational Technology, is authorized to make grants,
in accordance with the provisions of this subpart, to eligible entities
to pay the Federal share of the cost of the following:
‘‘(1) Development, construction, acquisition, maintenance,
and operation of telecommunications facilities and equipment.
‘‘(2) Development and acquisition of live, interactive
instructional programming.
‘‘(3) Development and acquisition of preservice and
inservice teacher training programs based on established
research regarding teacher-to-teacher mentoring, and ongoing,
in-class instruction.
‘‘(4) Establishment of teleconferencing facilities and
resources for making interactive training available to teachers.
‘‘(5) Obtaining technical assistance.
‘‘(6) Coordination of the design and connectivity of tele-
communications networks to reach the greatest number of
schools.
‘‘(b) DURATION AND AMOUNT.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—A grant under this section may not
exceed—
‘‘(A) 5 years in duration (subject to subsection (c));
and
‘‘(B) $10,000,000 in any single fiscal year.
‘‘(c) RENEWAL.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Grants awarded under subsection (a)
may be renewed for a single additional period of 3 years.
‘‘(2) CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY.—In order to be eligible to
receive a grant renewal under this subsection, a grant recipient
shall demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the Secretary, in an
addendum to its application submitted under section 5474,
that the grant recipient will—
‘‘(A) continue to provide services in the subject areas
and geographic areas assisted with funds received under
this subpart for the previous grant period; and
‘‘(B) use all grant funds received under this subpart
for the 3 year renewal period to provide expanded services
by—
‘‘(i) increasing the number of students, schools,
or school districts served by the courses of instruction
assisted under this part in the previous fiscal year;
‘‘(ii) providing new courses of instruction; and
‘‘(iii) serving new populations of underserved
individuals, such as children or adults who are dis-
advantaged, have limited English proficiency, are
individuals with disabilities, are illiterate, or lack sec-
ondary school diplomas or their recognized equivalent.
‘‘(3) SUPPLEMENT, NOT SUPPLANT.—Grant funds received
under this subsection shall be used to supplement, and not
supplant, services provided by the grant recipient under this
subpart in the previous fiscal year.
‘‘(d) RESERVATIONS.—
‘‘(1) INSTRUCTIONAL
PROGRAMMING.—At least 25 percent
of the funds made available to the Secretary for any fiscal
year under this subpart shall be used for the cost of instruc-
tional programming.
H. R. 1—407
‘‘(2) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY ASSISTANCE.—At least 50
percent of the funds available in any fiscal year under this
subpart shall be used for the cost of facilities, equipment,
teacher training or retraining, technical assistance, or program-
ming, for local educational agencies that are eligible to receive
assistance under part A of title I.
‘‘(e) FEDERAL SHARE.—
‘‘(1) AMOUNT.—The Federal share of the cost of projects
funded under this section shall not exceed the following
amounts:
‘‘(A) 75 percent for the first and second years for which
an eligible telecommunications partnership receives a grant
under this subpart.
‘‘(B) 60 percent for the third and fourth such years.
‘‘(C) 50 percent for the fifth such year.
‘‘(2) REDUCTION OR WAIVER.—The Secretary may reduce
or waive the corresponding non-Federal share under paragraph
(1) upon a showing of financial hardship.
‘‘(f) REQUIRED LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY PARTICIPATION.—
The Secretary is authorized to make a grant under this section
to any eligible entity, if at least one local educational agency is
participating in the proposed program.
‘‘(g) ASSISTANCE OBTAINING SATELLITE TIME.—The Secretary
may assist recipients of grants made under this section in acquiring
satellite time, where appropriate, as economically as possible.
‘‘SEC. 5474. APPLICATIONS.
‘‘(a) SUBMISSION.—Each eligible entity that desires to receive
a grant under section 5473 shall submit an application to the
Secretary, at such time, in such manner, and containing or accom-
panied by such information as the Secretary may reasonably
require.
‘‘(b) CONTENTS.—An application submitted under subsection (a)
shall include each of the following:
‘‘(1) A description of how the proposed program will assist
all students to have an opportunity to meet challenging State
academic achievement standards, how such program will assist
State and local educational reform efforts, and how such pro-
gram will contribute to creating a high-quality system of edu-
cational development.
‘‘(2) A description of the telecommunications facilities and
equipment and technical assistance for which assistance is
sought, which may include—
‘‘(A) the design, development, construction, acquisition,
maintenance, and operation of State or multistate edu-
cational telecommunications networks and technology
resource centers;
‘‘(B) microwave, fiber optics, cable, and satellite trans-
mission equipment or any combination thereof;
‘‘(C) reception facilities;
‘‘(D) satellite time;
‘‘(E) production facilities;
‘‘(F) other telecommunications equipment capable of
serving a wide geographic area;
‘‘(G) the provision of training services to instructors
who will be using the facilities and equipment for which