253
‘‘(4) ADDITIONAL DUTIES.—Each regional edu-
cation laboratory receiving assistance under this sub-
section shall carry out the following activities:
‘‘(A) Collaborate with the Institutes estab-
lished under section 405B in order to—
‘‘(i) maximize the use of research con-
ducted through the Institutes in the work of
such laboratory;
‘‘(ii) keep the Institutes apprised of the
work of the regional educational labora-
tories in the field; and
‘‘(iii) inform the Institutes about addi-
tional 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 edu-
cators and rural schools.
‘‘(E) Identify successful educational pro-
grams that have either been developed by such
254
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 edu-
cation development and dissemination system.
‘‘(5) CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out
its responsibilities, each regional educational labora-
tory shall—
‘‘(A) establish a governing board that—
‘‘(i) is the sole entity that—
‘‘(I) guides and directs the labora-
tory 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 develop-
ment 
needs 
identified 
in 
section
405(b)(3); and
‘‘(ii) reflects a balanced representation
of the States in the region, as well as the in-
255
terests and concerns of regional constitu-
encies;
‘‘(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 in-
stitutes established under section 405C, the Na-
tional Diffusion Network, and its Developer
Demonstrator and State Facilitator projects,
learning grant institutions and district edu-
cation agents assisted under subsection (i), the
ERIC Clearinghouses, and other entities engages
in technical assistance and dissemination activi-
ties 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 de-
livery in areas of sparse populations, and any
special initiatives being undertaken by State, in-
termediate, local education agencies, or Bureau
256
of Indian Affairs-funded schools which may re-
quire 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 de-
scribed in paragraph (1) in accordance with the
standards developed by the Assistant Secretary and
the Board and transmit the results of such evalua-
tions to the relevant committees of the Congress, the
Board, and the appropriate regional educational lab-
oratory board.
‘‘(7) INVITATION REGARDING COMPETITION FOR
AWARDS OF ASSISTANCE.—Prior to awarding a grant
or entering into a contract under this section, the Sec-
retary 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 ap-
plication 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 sub-
section; and
257
‘‘(C) contain such additional information
as the Secretary may reasonably require.
‘‘(9) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—No regional edu-
cational laboratory receiving assistance under this
subsection shall, by reason of the receipt of that assist-
ance, be ineligible to receive any other assistance from
the Department as authorized by law.
‘‘(10) ADVANCE
PAYMENT
SYSTEM.—Each re-
gional educational laboratory shall participate in the
advance payment system at the Department of Edu-
cation.
‘‘(i) GOALS 2000 COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PRO-
GRAM.—
‘‘(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 sup-
porting sustained collaborations between universities,
schools, businesses, and communities which apply and
utilize the results of educational research and develop-
ment.
‘‘(2) GRANTS FOR GOALS 2000 COMMUNITY PART-
NERSHIPS.—The Assistant Secretary is authorized to
make grants to eligible entities to support the estab-
lishment of Learning Grant Institutions and District
258
Education Agents and the activities authorized under
this subsection within eligible communities.
‘‘(3) DEFINITION OF ELIGIBLE ENTITY AND ELI-
GIBLE
COMMUNITY.—For the purposes of this sub-
section:
‘‘(A) The term ‘eligible entity’ includes any
institution of higher education, regional edu-
cation laboratory, National Diffusion Network
project, national research and development cen-
ter, public or private nonprofit corporation, or
any consortium thereof that—
‘‘(i) has demonstrated experience, ex-
pertise and commitment in serving the edu-
cational needs of at-risk students; and
‘‘(ii) is, by virtue of its previous ac-
tivities, 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 geo-
graphically distinct area (such as a school dis-
trict, school attendance area, ward, precinct or
259
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 deter-
mined 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 au-
thorized under this subsection. Such partnership—
‘‘(A) shall include the participation of one
or more local educational agencies, institutions
of higher education, community-based organiza-
tions, parents, teachers, and the business commu-
nity;
‘‘(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,
260
and the State educational agency or tribal de-
partment of education; and
‘‘(C) shall be broadly representative of all
segments of the community in which the activi-
ties 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 commu-
nity. 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 de-
veloped 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.
261
‘‘(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, prac-
tices, products, and policies;
‘‘(ii) evaluating the effectiveness of fed-
erally funded educational programs within
the community and identifying changes in
such programs which are likely to improve
student achievement;
‘‘(iii) identifying, selecting and rep-
licating exemplary and promising edu-
cational programs, practices, products, and
policies in both in and out-of-school set-
tings;
‘‘(iv) applying educational research to
solve specific problems in the classroom,
262
home and community which impede learn-
ing and student achievement; and
‘‘(v) supporting research and develop-
ment 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 set-
ting under the guidance of master teachers
and teacher educators;
‘‘(ii) training and other activities to
promote the continued learning and profes-
sional development of experienced teachers,
related services personnel, school adminis-
trators to assure that they develop the
subject matter and pedagogical expertise
263
needed to prepare all students to reach chal-
lenging 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 pro-
ficiency, 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 inte-
grated system of service delivery to children from
birth through age 18 and their families by facili-
tating linkages and cooperation among—
‘‘(i) local education agencies;
‘‘(ii) health and social services agencies
and providers;
‘‘(iii) juvenile justice and criminal jus-
tice agencies;
‘‘(iv) providers of employment train-
ing; and
264
‘‘(v) child care, Head Start, and other
early childhood agencies; and
‘‘(D) mobilizing the resources of the commu-
nity in support of student learning and high
achievement by facilitating effective partnerships
and collaboration among—
‘‘(i) local education agencies;
‘‘(ii) postsecondary educational insti-
tutions;
‘‘(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—
265
‘‘(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 signifi-
cant experience and expertise in the field of edu-
cation in—
‘‘(i) addressing the needs of at-risk stu-
dents; 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 imple-
ment the community-wide plan under the direc-
tion of the District Education Agent; and
‘‘(C) coordinate its activities and work co-
operatively with the National Diffusion Network
State facilitators, regional laboratories, and
other components of the Office to utilize most ef-
fectively Federal research, development, and dis-
semination resources in implementing the com-
munity-wide plan.
‘‘(8) APPLICATION
FOR
GRANTS.—Any eligible
entity desiring a grant under this subsection shall
submit an application to the Assistant Secretary at
266
such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such
information as the Assistant Secretary may reason-
ably require. Each such application shall—
‘‘(A) include a comprehensive plan for meet-
ing the objectives and requirements of this sub-
section; and
‘‘(B) provide evidence of support for the ap-
plication 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 fund-
ing 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
267
‘‘(C) an amount equal to not less than
$1,000,000 per year.
‘‘(10) LIMITATION OF ONE GRANT PER CONGRES-
SIONAL 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 di-
rectly or through grant or contract with an eligible
nonprofit agency—
‘‘(A) upon request, provide technical assist-
ance to eligible entities to assist in the develop-
ment of a comprehensive plan to meet the re-
quirements of this subsection and in the prepara-
tion of applications for assistance;
‘‘(B) regularly provide technical assistance
to learning grant institutions receiving assist-
ance under this subsection to assist with the de-
velopment and implementation of the commu-
nity-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 Com-
munity Partnerships program on children
268
and families within each community, in-
cluding (but not limited to) effects on the
extent of educational achievement, rates of
school retention and completion, and enroll-
ment in program postsecondary educational
programs; and
‘‘(ii) whether an intensified effort to
apply and utilize educational research with-
in 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 begin-
ning in fiscal year 1998.
‘‘(j) TEACHER
RESEARCH
DISSEMINATION
NET-
WORK.—
‘‘(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 result-
ing solutions are not being adequately dissemi-
nated to the teachers that need such research and
solutions;
269
‘‘(C) there are not enough linkages between
the research and development centers assisted
under this section, the regional educational lab-
oratories described in subsection (k), the Na-
tional Diffusion Network State facilitators, the
Education 
Resources 
Information 
Clearing-
houses, and the public schools, to ensure that re-
search 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 improv-
ing 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 labora-
tories, in partnership with 1 or more institu-
tions of higher education in each State of its re-
270
gion, 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, pro-
fessional teacher organizations, and other quali-
fied 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 equi-
table manner and shall provide assistance on the
basis of the number of schools, teachers, and stu-
dents in each regional educational laboratory re-
gion 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 pro-
viding training to teachers relevant to the needs
and problems of the schools and school districts
271
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 find-
ings 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 edu-
cation;
‘‘(iii) enable teachers to become ac-
tively involved in the applied research and
development process;
‘‘(iv) provide teachers the ability to be-
come 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 pro-
grams and curricula; and
272
‘‘(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 subpara-
graph (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 knowl-
edge and guidance in using the existing
educational improvement services and re-
sources funded by the United States Depart-
ment of Education and other major research
organizations, including the products and
work of the regional educational labora-
tories, professional teacher organizations,
the National Diffusion Network, institutions
of higher education, the Educational Re-
search Information Centers, National Re-
search Centers, National Research Insti-
tutes, State Departments of Education, local
education agencies, and other nonprofit or-
273
ganizations participating in the improve-
ment 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 Edu-
cation, 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 re-
sponsible 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
274
agents participating in such program during the
school year with—
‘‘(i) opportunities to meet with other
teacher change agents to exchange experi-
ences;
‘‘(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 im-
prove the development and dissemination of
information.
‘‘(E) The regional partnership program
may support educational improvement and re-
form activities such as—
‘‘(i) training in applied research meth-
odologies;
‘‘(ii) assistance in conducting applied
research;
‘‘(iii) teacher research sabbaticals;
‘‘(iv) video conferencing for additional
training in order to reduce travel time and
expenses;
275
‘‘(v) training in developing and imple-
menting effective teacher in-service training;
‘‘(vi) training in change management,
including 
strategies 
for 
restructuring
schools, building local capacity, and gen-
erally 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.—Teach-
er change agents shall, during the school year—
‘‘(i) meet with other teachers and dis-
trict or school site teacher teams to provide
other teachers with knowledge about how to
acquire information regarding education re-
search findings and best practices, includ-
ing what resources are available from the
Department of Education and how to ob-
tain products and technical services from
the Department;
‘‘(ii) meet with the National Diffusion
Network State Facilitator to coordinate and
276
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 organiza-
tions, 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 improve-
ments as desired, and provide follow-up ac-
tivities throughout a 2-year period to ensure
the successful adaptation and implementa-
tion of such programs in local schools; and