the educational interests in the region
served by the regional entity and are
selected jointly by the officials speci-
fied in subclause (I) and the Gov-
ernors of each State within the region,
including the following:
(aa) Representatives of local
educational agencies, including
representatives 
of 
local 
edu-
cational agencies serving urban
and rural areas.
(bb) Representatives of in-
stitutions of higher education.
(cc) Parents.
(dd) Practicing educators,
including 
classroom 
teachers,
principals, and administrators.
(ee) Representatives of busi-
ness.
(ff) 
Policymakers, 
expert
practitioners, 
and 
researchers
with knowledge of, and experi-
ence using, the results of re-
search, evaluation, and statistics.
(ii) SPECIAL RULE.—In the case of a
State in which the Governor has the pri-
mary responsibility under State law for ele-
mentary and secondary education in the
State, the Governor shall consult with the
State educational agency in selecting addi-
tional members of the regional contract
board under clause (i)(II).
(C) DUTIES.—The regional contract board
shall—
(i) oversee, guide, and direct the re-
gional entity’s performance of its contract
awarded under this section, subject to the
Secretary’s ultimate authority to enforce
the contract;
(ii) ensure that the activities of the re-
gional entity under this section monitor
and address the educational needs of the
region, on an ongoing basis;
(iii) ensure that the regional entity at-
tains and maintains a high standard of
quality in the performance of its activities,
consistent with the standards established
under section 204(b); and
(iv) ensure that the regional entity
carries out its duties in a manner that pro-
motes progress toward reforming schools
and educational systems.
(D) ACCEPTANCE
OF
OTHER
ASSIST-
ANCE.—Each regional contract board may ac-
cept gifts, in-kind contributions, services, or
other assistance to facilitate its activities.
(E) BOARD
REPORT.—The regional con-
tract board shall submit to the regional entity,
for inclusion in the entity’s annual report under
paragraph (4), the following:
(i) A summary of the board’s activi-
ties during the preceding year.
(ii) A description of how well the re-
gional entity is meeting the educational
needs of the region.
(iii) Any other information the Sec-
retary may require.
(c) APPLICATION.—
(1) SUBMISSION.—Each regional entity seeking
a contract under this section shall submit an appli-
cation at such time, in such manner, and containing
such additional information as the Secretary may
reasonably require.
(2) PLAN.—Each application submitted under
paragraph (1) shall contain a 5-year plan for car-
rying out the activities described in subsection (b) in
a manner that addresses the priorities established
under section 204(a) and addresses the needs of all
States (and to the extent practicable, of local edu-
cational agencies) within the region, on an ongoing
basis.
(3) ELIGIBLE
APPLICANTS.—Contracts under
this section may be made with private or public, for-
profit or nonprofit research organizations, institu-
tions, agencies, institutions of higher education, or
partnerships among such entities, or individuals,
with the demonstrated ability or capacity to carry
out the activities described in subsection (b), which
may include regional entities that carried out activi-
ties under the Educational Research, Development,
Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994 (as
such Act existed on the day before the date of enact-
ment of this Act) and title XIII of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (as such title
existed on the day before the date of enactment of
the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law
107–110)).
(4) OUTREACH.—In conducting competitions
for contracts under this section, the Secretary
shall—
(A) actively encourage potential applicants
to compete for such awards by making widely
available information and technical assistance
relating to the competition; and
(B) seek input from Governors, chief State
school officers, educators, and parents regard-
ing the need for applied research, dissemina-
tion, training, technical assistance, and develop-
ment activities authorized by this title in the re-
gions to be served and how those educational
needs would be addressed most effectively.
(5) OBJECTIVES AND INDICATORS.—Before en-
tering into a contract under this section, the Sec-
retary shall design specific objectives and measur-
able indicators, using the results of the survey con-
ducted under section 203(d), to be used to assess
the particular programs or initiatives, and ongoing
progress and performance, of the regional entities, in
order to ensure that the educational needs of the re-
gion are being met and that the latest and best re-
search and proven practices are being carried out as
part of school improvement efforts.
(d) AUTHORITY.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—To carry out the activities
described in subsection (b), the Secretary shall—
(A)(i) enter into contracts for a 5-year pe-
riod with at least two regional entities for each
region described in subsection (a)(2), of which
at least one shall be a nonprofit entity;
(ii) ensure that the primary duties of at
least one regional entity shall include activities
described in subsection (b)(1)(A); and
(iii) ensure that the primary duties of at
least one regional entity shall include activities
described 
in 
subsections 
(b)(1)(C) 
and
(b)(1)(D); and
(B) ensure that the regional entities have
strong and effective governance, organization,
management, and administration, and employ
qualified staff.
(2) COORDINATION.—In order to ensure coordi-
nation and prevent unnecessary duplication of activi-
ties among the regions, the Secretary shall—
(A) share information about the activities
of each regional entity with each other regional
entity and with the Department, including the
Director of the Academy of Education Sciences
and the National Board for Education Sciences;
(B) create a strategic plan for ensuring
that each regional entity increases collaboration
and resource-sharing in such activities;
(C) where appropriate, ensure that the ac-
tivities of each regional entity also serve na-
tional interests; and
(D) ensure that each of the regional enti-
ties funded under this title coordinates its ac-
tivities with the activities of the other regional
entities.
(e) CONTINUATION.—In order to carry out this title
and facilitate the transition to regional entities, the
Secretary—
(1) shall continue the existing awards of the re-
gional educational laboratories established under sec-
tion 941(h) of the Educational Research, Develop-
ment, Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994
(as such provision existed on the day before the date
of enactment of this Act), the Eisenhower Regional
Mathematics and Science Education Consortia es-
tablished under part M of such Act (as such part ex-
isted on the day before the date of enactment of this
Act), and the Regional Technology in Education
Consortia under section 3141 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (as such section
existed on the day before the date of enactment of
the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law
107–110)), for the duration of those existing awards
in accordance with the terms and agreements of
such awards; and
(2) may extend for no more than 2 years the
awards of the Comprehensive Regional Assistance
Centers established under part K of the Educational
Research, Development, Dissemination, and Im-
provement Act of 1994 (as such part existed on the
day before the date of enactment of this Act).
SEC. 203. REGIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish
a regional advisory committee for each region described
in section 202(a)(2).
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—
(1) COMPOSITION.—The membership of each
regional advisory committee shall—
(A) not exceed 25 members;
(B) contain a balanced representation of
States in the region; and
(C) include not more than one representa-
tive of each State educational agency geographi-
cally located in the region.
(2) ELIGIBILITY.—The membership of each re-
gional advisory committee may include the following:
(A) Representatives of local educational
agencies, including rural and urban local edu-
cational agencies.
(B) Representatives of institutions of high-
er education, including individuals representing
university-based education research and univer-
sity-based research on subjects other than edu-
cation.
(C) Parents.
(D) Practicing educators, including class-
room 
teachers, 
principals, 
administrators,
school board members, and other local school
officials.
(E) Representatives of business.
(F) Researchers.
(3) RECOMMENDATIONS.—In choosing individ-
uals for membership on a regional advisory com-
mittee, the Secretary shall consult with, and solicit
recommendations from, the Governors, chief State
school officers, and education stakeholders within
the applicable region.
(4) SPECIAL RULE.—The total number of mem-
bers on each committee who are selected under sub-
paragraphs (A), (C), and (D) of paragraph (2), col-
lectively, shall exceed the total number of members
who are selected under paragraph (1)(C) and sub-
paragraphs (B), (E), and (F) of paragraph (2), col-
lectively.
(c) DUTIES.—Each regional advisory committee shall
advise the Secretary on the following:
(1) The educational needs of its region (using
the results of the survey conducted under subsection
(d)), in order to assist in making decisions regarding
the priorities established under section 204(a) and
the priorities established under section 116 of the
Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002.
(2) The quality of the applications submitted
under section 202(c).
(3) The quality of the regional entity’s perform-
ance of its contract.
(d) REGIONAL SURVEYS.—Each regional advisory
committee shall—