H. R. 1804—134
facilitators, regional educational 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 objec-
tives and requirements of this subsection; and
(B) provide evidence of support for the application from
local elected officials, the State educational agency, the
local educational 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 succeeding year in such 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 DIS-
TRICT.—Not more than one grant under this subsection shall
be awarded within a single congressional district.
(11) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE; EVALUATIONS.—In administer-
ing 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 com-
prehensive community-wide 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 sub-
section to assist with the development and implementation
of the comprehensive community-wide plan for educational
improvement;
(C) provide for an independent evaluation of the activi-
ties assisted under this subsection, including—
(i) the impact of the Goals 2000 Community Part-
nerships program on children and families within each
community, including effects on the extent of edu-
cational achievement, rates of school retention and
completion, and enrollment in postsecondary edu-
cational programs; and
(ii) whether an intensified effort to apply and uti-
lize educational research within a limited geographic
area significantly improves student learning and
achievement; and
H. R. 1804—135
(D) plan for the expansion of the Goals 2000 Commu-
nity Partnerships program throughout the remainder of
the United States beginning in fiscal year 1999.
(j) TEACHER RESEARCH DISSEMINATION DEMONSTRATION PRO-
GRAM.—
(1) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that—
(A) education research, including research funded by
the Office, is not having the impact on the schools of
the United States that such research should;
(B) relevant education research and resulting solutions
are not being adequately disseminated to and used by
the teachers that need such research and solutions;
(C) there are insufficient linkages between the research
and development centers assisted under this section, the
regional educational laboratories described in subsection
(h), the National Diffusion Network State facilitators, the
Educational Resources Information Center Clearinghouses,
the comprehensive technical assistance centers assisted
under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965, 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 little time to plan or
engage in a professional dialogue with peers about strate-
gies for improved learning;
(E) teachers do not have direct access to information
systems or networks;
(F) teachers have little control over what inservice
education teachers will be offered; and
(G) individual teachers are not encouraged to move
beyond the walls of their school buildings to identify and
use outside resources.
(2) ESTABLISHMENT.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary is authorized to make
grants to, and enter into contracts or cooperative agree-
ments with, public and private agencies and organizations,
including institutions of higher education, the regional edu-
cation laboratories, and the research and development cen-
ters, or consortia thereof—
(i) to develop and carry out projects that dem-
onstrate effective strategies for helping elementary and
secondary education teachers, in both urban and rural
areas, become knowledgeable about, assist in the
design and use of, and use, education research, includ-
ing education research carried out under this section;
and
(ii) to develop, implement, and evaluate models
for creation of teacher research dissemination net-
works.
(B) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants and entering into
contracts and cooperative agreements under subparagraph
(A) the Secretary shall give priority to entities that have
received Federal funds for research and dissemination.
(3) APPLICATIONS.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—An entity desiring to receive assist-
ance under this subsection shall submit an application
to the Secretary in such form, at such time, and containing
H. R. 1804—136
such information and assurances as the Secretary may
require.
(B) CONTENTS.—Each such application shall describe
how the project described in the application—
(i) was developed with the active participation of
elementary and secondary school teachers;
(ii) will include the continuing participation of
elementary and secondary school teachers in the
management of the project;
(iii) is organized around one or more significant
research topics;
(iv) will involve collaboration with entities that
have received Federal funds for research and dissemi-
nation; and
(v) will sustain over time teacher research dissemi-
nation networks after Federal funding for such net-
works terminates.
(4) USE OF FUNDS.—Funds provided under this subsection
may be used—
(A) to train elementary and secondary education teach-
ers (particularly new teachers) about the sources of edu-
cation research findings, including research findings
available through activities supported by the Office, and
how to access and use such findings to improve the quality
of instruction;
(B) to develop simple formats, both administrative and
technological, that allow elementary and secondary edu-
cation teachers easy access to and use of education research
findings;
(C) to share strategies and materials;
(D) to support professional networks;
(E) to survey teacher needs in the areas of research
and development; and
(F) for other activities designed to support elementary
and secondary education teachers in becoming knowledge-
able about, assisting in the design of, and using, edu-
cational research.
(5) STIPENDS.—The Secretary may provide for the payment
of such stipends (including allowances for subsistence and other
expenses for elementary and secondary teachers), as the Sec-
retary determines to be appropriate, to teachers participating
in the projects authorized under this subsection.
(6) COORDINATION.—Recipients of funds under this sub-
section shall, to the greatest extent possible, coordinate their
activities with related activities under the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965.
(7) REPORT.—The Secretary shall, within 5 years of the
date of enactment of this Act, submit to the Congress a report
on the effectiveness of activities assisted under this subsection.
PART E—NATIONAL LIBRARY OF EDUCATION
SEC. 951. ESTABLISHMENT 
WITHIN 
OFFICE 
OF 
EDUCATIONAL
RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established within the Department
of Education a National Library of Education (hereafter in this
H. R. 1804—137
section referred to as the ‘‘Library’’), which shall be maintained
by the Department of Education as a governmental activity.
(b) FUNCTIONS OF LIBRARY.—The functions of the Library are—
(1) to provide a central location within the Federal Govern-
ment for information about education;
(2) to provide comprehensive reference services on matters
related to education to employees of the Department of Edu-
cation and its contractors and grantees, other Federal employ-
ees, 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) MISSION.—The mission of the Library shall be to—
(1) become a principal center for the collection, preserva-
tion, and effective utilization of the research and other informa-
tion related to education and to the improvement of educational
achievement;
(2) strive to ensure widespread access to the Library’s
facilities and materials, coverage of all education issues and
subjects, and quality control;
(3) have an expert library staff; and
(4) use modern information technology that holds the poten-
tial to link major libraries, schools, and educational centers
across the United States into a network of national education
resources.
(d) 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 pro-
duced by the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Serv-
ices, and other Federal departments and agencies;
(3) services and resources available to the public through
the Office, including the Educational Resources Information
Center 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 exper-
tise 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 tele-
phone number through which public inquiries to the Library may
be made.
(e) COMPREHENSIVE REFERENCE SERVICES.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—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
of Education and such Department’s contractors and grantees,
other Federal employees, and members of the general public.
Such services may include—
(A) specialized subject searches;
(B) search and retrieval of electronic databases;