‘‘(i) which meet the requirements of
subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of para-
graph (2) not later than 1 year after the
date of the enactment of the Educational
Research, Development, and Dissemination
Excellence Act;
‘‘(ii) which meet the requirements of
paragraph (2)(D) not later than 2 years
after such date; and
‘‘(iii) which meet the requirements of
subparagraph (E) of paragraph (2) not
later than 3 years after such date;
‘‘(B) Following the publication of such
proposed standards, the Assistant Secretary
shall solicit comments from interested members
of the public with respect to such proposed
standards for a period of not more than 120
days. After giving due consideration to any
comments which may have been received, the
Assistant Secretary shall transmit such stand-
ards to the Board for its review and approval.
‘‘(C) Upon the approval of the Board, the
Assistant Secretary shall transmit final stand-
ards to the Secretary which meet the require-
ments of the particular subparagraphs of para-
graph (2) for which they were developed. Such
standards shall be binding upon all activities
carried out with funds appropriated under sec-
tion 405.
‘‘(i) ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ASSIST-
ANT SECRETARY.—In carrying out the activities and pro-
grams of the Office, the Assistant Secretary shall—
‘‘(1) be guided by the Research Priorities Plan
developed by the Board;
‘‘(2) ensure that there is broad and regular
public and professional involvement from the edu-
cational field in the planning and carrying out of the
Office’s activities, including establishing teacher ad-
visory boards for any program office, program or
project of the Office as the Assistant Secretary
deems necessary;
‘‘(3) ensure that the selection of research topics
and the administration of the program are free from
undue partisan political influence; and
‘‘(4) ensure that all statistics and other data
collected and reported by the Office shall be col-
lected, cross-tabulated, analyzed, and reported by
sex within race or ethnicity and socioeconomic status
whenever feasible (and when such data collection or
analysis is not feasible, ensure that the relevant re-
port or document includes an explanation as to why
such data collection or analysis is not feasible).
‘‘(j) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section and
sections 405A through 405D:
‘‘(1) The term ‘Assistant Secretary’ means the
Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and
Improvement established by section 202 of the De-
partment of Education Organization Act.
‘‘(2) The term ‘at-risk student’ means a student
who, because of limited English proficiency, poverty,
geographic location, or educational or economic dis-
advantage, faces a greater risk of low educational
achievement and has greater potential for dropping
out of school.
‘‘(3) The term ‘Board’ means the National
Educational Research Policy and Priorities Board.
‘‘(4) The term ‘educational research’ includes
basic and applied research, development, planning,
surveys, assessments, evaluations, investigations, ex-
periments, and demonstrations in the field of edu-
cation and other fields relating to education.
‘‘(5) The term ‘development’—
‘‘(A) means the systematic use, adaptation,
and transformation of knowledge and under-
standing gained from research to create alter-
natives, policies, products, methods, practices,
or materials which can contribute to the im-
provement of educational practice; and
‘‘(B) includes the design and development
of prototypes and the testing of such prototypes
for the purposes of establishing their feasibility,
reliability, and cost-effectiveness.
‘‘(6) The term ‘technical assistance’ means the
provision of external assistance to facilitate the
adoption or application of the knowledge gained
from educational research and development and in-
cludes—
‘‘(A) problem analysis and diagnosis;
‘‘(B) assistance in finding, selecting, or de-
signing suitable solutions and approaches to
problems;
‘‘(C) training in the installation and imple-
mentation of products, programs, policies, prac-
tices, or technologies; and
‘‘(D) such other assistance as may be nec-
essary to encourage the adoption or application
of such knowledge.
‘‘(7) The term ‘dissemination’ means the trans-
fer of knowledge and products gained through re-
search and includes—
‘‘(A) the use of communication techniques
to increase awareness of such knowledge and
products;
‘‘(B) the provision of comparative and
evaluative information necessary to enable edu-
cators, school administrators, and others to as-
sess and make informed judgments about the
relevance and usefulness of such knowledge and
products in specific settings; and
‘‘(C) the provision of technical assistance
needed to adapt, apply, and utilize such knowl-
edge and products in specific educational set-
tings.
‘‘(8) The term ‘national education dissemina-
tion system’ means the activities carried out by the
Office of Reform Assistance and Dissemination es-
tablished by section 405C.
‘‘(9) The term ‘Office’ means the Office of
Educational Research and Improvement established
in section 209 of the Department of Education Or-
ganization Act.
‘‘(10) The term ‘national research institute’
means an institute established in section 405B.
‘‘(11) The terms ‘United States’ and ‘State’ in-
clude the District of Columbia and the Common-
wealth of Puerto Rico.
‘‘(k) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—
‘‘(1) NATIONAL INSTITUTES.—
‘‘(A) For the purpose of carrying out sec-
tion 405B, there is authorized to be appro-
priated $37,000,000 for fiscal year 1994.
‘‘(B) For the purpose of carrying out the
provisions of section 405B relating to the Na-
tional Institute for Student Achievement, there
are authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000
for fiscal year 1995, and such sums as are nec-
essary for each of fiscal years 1996 and 1997.
‘‘(C) For the purpose of carrying out the
provisions of section 405B relating to the Na-
tional Institute for the Education of At-Risk
Students, there are authorized to be appro-
priated $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1995, and
such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal
years 1996 and 1997.
‘‘(D) For the purpose of carrying out the
provisions of section 405B relating to the Na-
tional Institute for Innovation in Educational
Governance, Finance, Policy-Making, and Man-
agement, there are authorized to be appro-
priated $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1995, and
such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal
years 1996 and 1997.
‘‘(E) For the purpose of carrying out the
provisions of section 405B relating to the Na-
tional Institute for Early Childhood Develop-
ment and Education, there are authorized to be
appropriated $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1995,
and such sums as are necessary for each of fis-
cal years 1996 and 1997.
‘‘(F) For the purpose of carrying out the
provisions of section 405B relating to the Na-
tional Institute of Postsecondary Education, Li-
braries, and Lifelong Learning, there are au-
thorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 for fis-
cal year 1995, and such sums as are necessary
for each of fiscal years 1996 and 1997.
‘‘(2) NATIONAL
EDUCATION
DISSEMINATION
SYSTEM.—
‘‘(A)(i) For the purpose of carrying out
subsections (b)(2) through (g) of section 405C,
there 
are 
authorized 
to 
be 
appropriated
$22,000,000 for fiscal year 1994, and such
sums as are necessary for each of the fiscal
years 1995 through 1997.
‘‘(ii) Of the amount appropriated under
clause (i) for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall
make available not less than $7,175,000 to
carry out subsection (f) of section 405C (relat-
ing to clearinghouses).
‘‘(B) For the purpose of carrying out sub-
section (h) of section 405C (relating to regional
educational laboratories), there are authorized
to be appropriated $37,000,000 for fiscal year
1994, and such sums as are necessary for each
of the fiscal years 1995 through 1997. Of the
amounts appropriated under the preceding sen-
tence for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall obli-
gate not less than 25 percent to carry out such
purpose with respect to rural areas (including
schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs
which are located in rural areas).
‘‘(C) For the purpose of carrying out sub-
section (j) of section 405C (relating to the
teacher research dissemination network) there
are authorized to be appropriated $30,000,000
for fiscal year 1994, and such sums as are nec-
essary for each of the fiscal years 1995 through
1997.
‘‘(D) For the purpose of carrying out sub-
section (i) of section 405C (relating to the
Goals 2000 Community Partnerships program),
there 
are 
authorized 
to 
be 
appropriated
$30,000,000 for fiscal year 1994, $50,000,000
for fiscal year 1995, and such sums as are nec-
essary for each of the fiscal years 1996 and
1997.
‘‘(3) NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH POL-
ICY AND PRIORITIES BOARD.—Of the amounts ap-
propriated under paragraphs (1) and (2) for any fis-
cal year, the Secretary shall make available 2 per-
cent of such amounts, or $1,000,000, whichever is
less, to the Board for the purpose of carrying out
section 405A.
‘‘(4) ALLOCATIONS FOR GRANTS, COOPERATIVE
AGREEMENTS, AND
CONTRACTS.—Of the amounts
appropriated under paragraph (1) or (2) for any fis-
cal year, not less than 95 percent shall be expended
to carry out the purposes described in such para-
graphs through grants, cooperative agreements, or
contracts.
‘‘(5) LIMITATIONS
ON
APPROPRIATIONS.—No
amounts are authorized to be appropriated under
paragraph (1) or (2) for fiscal year 1995 or any fis-
cal year thereafter unless the Board has been ap-
pointed in accordance with section 405A.
‘‘(6) GRANT AUTHORIZED.—From the amounts
appropriated under paragraph (1) for fiscal year
1995, the Secretary is authorized, in accordance
with the provisions of this paragraph, to award a
grant of not more than $5,000,000 to a public or
private institution, agency or organization for a pe-
riod not to exceed five years for the purpose of con-
ducting a State-by-State poll to determine the per-
ceptions of recent graduates of secondary schools,
their instructors in institutions of higher education,
parents of recent such graduates, and employers of
recent such graduates on how well schools have pre-
pared students for further education or employment.
The grant shall be awarded on a competitive basis
and shall be matched on a two-to-one basis, with the
Federal Government contributing one-third of the
total costs of the poll.’’.
‘‘NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH POLICY AND
PRIORITIES BOARD
‘‘SEC. 405A. (a) IN GENERAL.—There is established
within the Office a National Educational Research Policy
and Priorities Board (hereafter in this section referred to
as the ‘Board’).
‘‘(b) FUNCTIONS.—It shall be the responsibility of
the Board, acting through the Assistant Secretary—
‘‘(1) to determine priorities that should guide
the work of the Office and provide guidance to the
Congress in its oversight of the Office;
‘‘(2) to review and approve standards for the
conduct and evaluation of all research, development,
and dissemination carried out under the auspices of
the Office pursuant to sections 405 through 405C;
and
‘‘(3) to regularly review, evaluate, and publicly
comment upon, the implementation of its rec-
ommended priorities and policies by the Department
and the Congress.
‘‘(c) RESEARCH PRIORITIES PLAN.—In cooperation
with the Assistant Secretary, the Board shall—
‘‘(1) survey and assess the state of knowledge
in education research, development and dissemina-
tion to identify disciplines and areas of inquiry with-
in the priority research, development and dissemina-
tion needs identified in section 405(b)(3) in which
the state of knowledge is insufficient and which war-
rant further investigation, taking into account the
views of both education researchers and practicing
educators;
‘‘(2) consult with the National Education Goals
Panel and other authorities on education to identify
national priorities for the improvement of education;
‘‘(3) actively solicit recommendations from edu-
cation researchers, teachers, school administrators,
cultural leaders, parents, and others throughout the
Nation through such means as periodic regional fo-
rums;
‘‘(4) provide recommendations for the develop-
ment, maintenance, and assurance of a strong infra-
structure for education, research, and development
in the United States; and
‘‘(5) on the basis of such recommendations, de-
velop a research priorities program which shall rec-
ommend priorities for the investment of the re-
sources of the Office over the next 5-, 10-, and 15-
year periods, including as priorities those areas of
inquiry in which further research, development and
dissemination—
‘‘(A) is necessary to attain the goals for
the improvement of education identified in
paragraph (2);
‘‘(B) promises to yield the greatest prac-
tical benefits to teachers and other educators in
terms of improving education; and
‘‘(C) will not be undertaken in sufficient
scope or intensity by the other Federal and
non-Federal entities engaged in education re-
search and development.
‘‘(d) CONTENTS OF PLAN—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The research and priorities
plan described in subsection (c) shall, at a mini-
mum—
‘‘(A) set forth specific objectives which can
be expected to be achieved as a result of a Fed-
eral investment in the priorities set forth in the
plan;
‘‘(B) include recommendations with respect
to research and development on cross-cutting is-
sues which should be carried out jointly by 2 or
more of the research institutes; and
‘‘(C) include an evaluative summary of the
educational research and development activities
undertaken by the Federal government during
the preceding 2 fiscal years which shall de-
scribe—
‘‘(i) what has been learned as a result
of such activities;
‘‘(ii) how such new knowledge or un-
derstanding extends or otherwise relates to
what had been previously known or under-
stood;
‘‘(iii) the implications of such new
knowledge or understanding for edu-
cational practice and school reform; and
‘‘(iv) any development, reform, and
other assistance activities which have uti-
lized such knowledge or understanding and
the effects of such efforts.
‘‘(2) REPORT.—
‘‘(A) Not later than 6 months after the
first meeting of the Board and October 1 of
every second year thereafter, the Assistant Sec-
retary shall publish a report specifying the pro-
posed research priorities of the Office and allow
a 60-day period beginning on the date of the
publication of the report for public comment
and suggestions.
‘‘(B) Not later than 90 days after the expi-
ration of the 60-day period referred to in sub-
paragraph (A), the Assistant Secretary shall
submit to the President and the Congress a re-
port specifying the research priorities of the Of-
fice and any public comment and suggestions
obtained under such subparagraph.
‘‘(e) 
ADDITIONAL
RESPONSIBILITIES
OF
THE
BOARD.—It shall also be the responsibility of the Board
to—
‘‘(1) provide advice and assistance to the As-
sistant Secretary in carrying out the coordination
activities described in section 405;
‘‘(2) make recommendations to the Assistant
Secretary of persons qualified to fulfill the respon-
sibilities of the Director for each research institute
established by section 405B after making special ef-
forts to identify qualified women and minorities and
soliciting and giving due consideration to rec-
ommendations from professional associations and in-
terested members of the public;
‘‘(3) advise and make recommendations to the
President with respect to individuals who are quali-
fied to fulfill the responsibilities of the Assistant
Secretary for the Office of Educational Research
and Improvement; and
‘‘(4) review and approve standards for the con-
duct and evaluation of research developed by the As-
sistant Secretary pursuant to subsection (h) of sec-
tion 405.
‘‘(f) STANDING SUBCOMMITTEES.—
‘‘(1) 
ESTABLISHMENT; 
FUNCTIONS.—The
Board shall establish a standing subcommittee for
each of the Institutes established by subsection (a)
of section 405B and for the Office of Reform Assist-
ance and Dissemination established by subsection
(b) of section 405C which shall advise, assist, con-
sult with and make recommendations to the Assist-
ant Secretary, the Board, the Director of such entity
and the Congress on matters related to the activities
carried out by and through such entities.
‘‘(2) COMPOSITION.—
‘‘(A) Each standing subcommittee shall
consist of 3 members of the Board and 6 addi-
tional individuals appointed by the Board who
have significant experience in and knowledge of
the disciplines relevant to the purposes of the
entity for which the subcommittee is estab-
lished.
‘‘(B) The Board shall assure that the
membership of each subcommittee includes both
educational researchers and persons who are
knowledgeable about the research, development
and dissemination needs of practitioners, in-
cluding classroom teachers, school administra-
tors, and members of State or local boards of
education.
‘‘(g) POWERS OF THE BOARD.—In carrying out its
functions, powers, and responsibilities, the Board—
‘‘(1) shall, without regard to the provisions of
title 5, United States Code, relating to the appoint-
ment and compensation of officers or employees of
the United States, appoint a director to be paid at
a rate not to exceed the rate of basic pay payable
for level V of the Executive Schedule who shall as-
sist in carrying out and managing the activities of
the Board and perform such other functions the
Board determines to be necessary and appropriate;
‘‘(2) shall hire its own staff through routine
government procedures;
‘‘(3) may arrange for the detail of staff person-
nel and utilize the services and facilities of any agen-
cy of the Federal Government;
‘‘(4) may enter into contracts, or make other
arrangements as may be necessary to carry out its
functions;
‘‘(5) may review any grant, contract, or cooper-
ative agreement made or entered into by the Office;
‘‘(6) may, to the extent otherwise permitted by
law, obtain directly from any department or agency
of the United States such information as it deems
necessary to carry out its responsibilities;
‘‘(7) may convene workshops and conferences,
collect data, and establish subcommittees which may
be composed of members of the Board and
nonmember consultants (including employees of the
Department) with expertise in the particular area
addressed by such subcommittees; and
‘‘(8) shall establish such rules and procedures
to govern its operations as it considers appropriate,
to the extent otherwise permitted by law.
‘‘(h) MEMBERSHIP IN GENERAL.—
‘‘(1) QUALIFICATIONS.—The members of the
Board shall be eminent persons who, by virtue of
their training, experience, and background, are ex-
ceptionally qualified to appraise the educational re-
search and development effort of the Nation and to
establish policies and priorities to govern future Fed-
eral investment in educational research, develop-
ment, and dissemination.
‘‘(2) BROAD REPRESENTATION.—Due consider-
ation shall be given to the gender, race, and eth-
nicity of appointees to assure that the Board is
broadly representative of the diversity of the Nation.
‘‘(3) LIMITATION.—A voting member of the
Board may not serve on any other governing or advi-
sory board within the Department of Education.
‘‘(4) CONFLICT OF INTEREST.—A voting mem-
ber of the Board shall be considered a special Gov-
ernment employee for the purposes of the Ethics in
Government Act of 1978.
‘‘(i) SECRETARIAL
APPOINTMENTS.—The Board
shall consist of 18 members appointed by the Secretary.
Of the members of the Board—
‘‘(1) seven shall be appointed from among re-
searchers in the field of education who have been
nominated by the National Academy of Sciences and
the National Academy of Education (giving due con-
sideration to recommendations made by the Amer-
ican Educational Research Association), including
persons who are among the leading authorities on
early childhood education and the education of at-
risk students;
‘‘(2) five shall be outstanding field-based pro-
fessional educators;
‘‘(3) one shall be a Chief State School Officer;
‘‘(4) one shall be a local education agency
school superintendent or principal;
‘‘(5) one shall be a member of a State or local
board of education or Bureau of Indian Affairs-
funded school board;
‘‘(6) one shall be a professional librarian, school
library media specialist, library administrator, or li-
brary science educator;
‘‘(7) one shall be a parent with extensive experi-
ence in promoting parental involvement in education;
and
‘‘(8) one shall be an individual from business
and industry with significant experience in promot-
ing private sector involvement in education.
‘‘(j) REQUIREMENTS FOR NOMINATIONS BY THE NA-
TIONAL ACADEMY
OF SCIENCES
AND
THE NATIONAL
ACADEMY OF EDUCATION.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In making nominations for
the members of the Board described in subsection
(i)(1), the National Academy of Sciences and the
National Academy of Education—
‘‘(A) may not nominate any individual who
is an elected officer or employee of such organi-
zations; and
‘‘(B) shall each nominate not less than 5
individuals for each of the positions on the
Board for which such organization has respon-
sibility for making nominations.
‘‘(2) REQUEST
FOR
ADDITIONAL
NOMINA-
TIONS.—In the event that the Secretary determines
that none of the individuals nominated by the Na-
tional Academy of Sciences or the National Academy
of Education meets the qualifications for member-
ship on the Board specified in subsection (i), the
Secretary may request that such organization make
additional nominations.
‘‘(k) NOMINATIONS
FOR BOARD MEMBERSHIP.—
Prior to appointing any member of the Board, the Sec-
retary shall actively solicit and give due consideration to
recommendations of persons qualified for membership on
the board from the National Education Association, the
American Federation of Teachers, the National Parent-
Teachers Association, the American Library Association,
the American Association of School Administrators, the
National Association of State Boards of Education, the
National Indian School Board Association, the Association
of Community Tribal Schools, the National Indian Edu-
cation Association, and other education-related organiza-
tions and interested members of the public.
‘‘(l) EX
OFFICIO
MEMBERS.—The ex officio,
nonvoting members of the Board shall include the Assist-
ant Secretary and may also include—
‘‘(1) the Director of Research for the Depart-
ment of Defense;
‘‘(2) the Director of Research for the Depart-
ment of Labor;
‘‘(3) the Director of the National Science Foun-
dation;
‘‘(4) the Director of the National Institutes of
Health;
‘‘(5) the chair of the National Endowment for
the Arts;
‘‘(6) the chair of the National Endowment for
the Humanities;
‘‘(7) the Librarian of Congress; and
‘‘(8) the Director of the Office of Indian Edu-
cation Programs of the Department of the Interior.
‘‘(m) CHAIR.—The Board shall select a Chair from
among its appointed members who shall serve for a renew-
able term of 2 years.
‘‘(n) TERMS OF OFFICE.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graphs (2) and (3), the term of office of each voting
member of the Board shall be 5 years.
‘‘(2) EXCEPTIONS.—
‘‘(A) Any individual appointed to fill a va-
cancy occurring on the Board prior to the expi-
ration of the term for which the predecessor of
the individual was appointed shall be appointed
for the remainder of the term. A vacancy shall
be filled in the same manner in which the origi-
nal appointment was made.
‘‘(B) The terms of office of the members
of the Board who first take office after the date
of the enactment of the Educational Research,
Development, and Dissemination Excellence Act
shall, as designated by a random selection proc-
ess at the time of appointment, be as follows:
‘‘(i) 2 years for each of 6 members of
the Board.
‘‘(ii) 3 years for each of 6 members of
the Board.
‘‘(iii) 5 years for each of 6 members
of the Board.
‘‘(3) PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN CONSECUTIVE
TERMS.—An individual who has been a member of
the Board for 10 consecutive years shall thereafter
be ineligible for appointment during the 5-year pe-
riod beginning on the date of the expiration of the
10th year.
‘‘(o) MEETINGS OF BOARD.—
‘‘(1) INITIAL
MEETING.—The Secretary shall
ensure that the first meeting of the Board is held
not later than May 15, 1994.
‘‘(2) SUBSEQUENT
MEETINGS.—The Board
shall meet quarterly, at the call of the Chair, and
when at least one-third of the members of the Board
make a written request to meet.
‘‘(3) QUORUM.—A majority of the Board shall
constitute a quorum.
‘‘(4) OPEN MEETINGS.—The Government in the
Sunshine Act (5 U.S.C. 552b) shall apply to meet-
ings of the Board.’’.
TITLE III—NATIONAL RESEARCH
INSTITUTES
SEC. 
301. 
ESTABLISHMENT 
WITHIN 
OFFICE 
OF 
EDU-
CATIONAL RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT.
Part A of the General Education Provisions Act, as
amended by section 201 of this Act, is amended by insert-
ing after section 405A the following new section:
‘‘NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTES
‘‘SEC. 405B. (a) ESTABLISHMENT OF INSTITUTES.—
In order to fulfill the research and development purposes
of the Office, and to carry out, in accordance with the
standards established by the Board, a program of high-
quality and rigorously evaluated research and development
that is capable of improving Federal, State, Indian tribal,
and local education policies and practices, there are estab-
lished within the Office the following institutes:
‘‘(1) The National Institute for the Education
of At-Risk Students.
‘‘(2) The National Institute for Innovation in
Educational Governance, Finance, Policy-Making,
and Management.
‘‘(3) The National Institute for Early Childhood
Development and Education.
‘‘(4) 
The 
National 
Institute 
on 
Student
Achievement.
‘‘(5) The National Institute on Postsecondary
Education, Libraries, and Lifelong Education.
‘‘(b) DIRECTORS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each Institute established
by subsection (a) shall be headed by a Director who
shall be appointed by the Assistant Secretary from
among persons who have significant experience and
expertise in the disciplines relevant to the purposes
of such Institute. Prior to making such appointment,
the Assistant Secretary shall solicit and give due
consideration to recommendations made by the
Board of persons qualified to fulfill the position.
‘‘(2) TERM OF OFFICE.—The Director of each
Institute shall serve for a renewable term of 3 years.
‘‘(3) REPORTING.—Each Director shall report
directly to the Assistant Secretary regarding the ac-
tivities of the Institute and shall work with the other
directors to promote research syntheses across the
Institutes.
‘‘(c) AUTHORITIES AND DUTIES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary is
authorized to conduct research, development, dem-
onstration, and evaluation activities to carry out the
purposes for which such Institute was established—
‘‘(A) directly;
‘‘(B) through grants, contracts, and coop-
erative agreements with institutions of higher
education, regional educational laboratories,
public and private organizations, institutions,
agencies, and individuals, which may include—
‘‘(i) grants to support research and
development centers which are—
‘‘(I) awarded competitively for a
period of not less than 6 and not
more than 10 years;
‘‘(II) funded at not less than
$2,000,000 annually in order to sup-
port a full range of basic research, ap-
plied research and dissemination ac-
tivities, which may also include devel-
opment activities; and
‘‘(III) established by institutions
of higher education, by institutions of
higher education in consortium with
public agencies or private nonprofit
organizations, or by interstate agen-
cies established by compact which op-
erate subsidiary bodies established to
conduct postsecondary educational re-
search and development;
‘‘(ii) public-private research partner-
ships established by a State or local edu-
cation agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs-
funded school, or tribal department of edu-
cation, in concert with a private organiza-
tion and a team of educational researchers,
for which the Federal share shall be lim-
ited to not more than 50 percent of the
total costs of the project;
‘‘(iii) meritorious unsolicited proposals
for educational research and related activi-
ties;
‘‘(iv) proposals that are specifically in-
vited or requested by the Assistant Sec-
retary, on a competitive basis; and
‘‘(v) dissertation grants, awarded for
a period of not more than 2 years and in
a total amount not to exceed $20,000 to
graduate students in the sciences, human-
ities, and the arts to support research by
such scholars in the field of education;
‘‘(C) through the provision of technical as-
sistance; and
‘‘(D) through the award of fellowships to
support graduate study in educational research
by qualified African-American, Hispanic, Amer-
ican Indian and Alaska Native, and other indi-
viduals from groups which have been tradition-
ally underrepresented in the field of educational
research which shall—
‘‘(i) be awarded on the basis of merit
for a period of 3 years; and
‘‘(ii) provide stipends to each fellow in
an amount which shall be set at a level of
support comparable to that provided by the
National Science Foundation Graduate
Fellowships, except that such amounts
shall be adjusted as necessary so as not to
exceed each fellow’s demonstrated level of
need.
‘‘(2) SCOPE
AND
FOCUS
OF
ACTIVITIES.—In
carrying out the purposes for which each Institute is
established, the Assistant Secretary shall—
‘‘(A) maintain an appropriate balance be-
tween applied and basic research;
‘‘(B) significantly expand the role of field-
initiated research in meeting the Nation’s edu-
cation research and development needs by re-
serving not less than 15 percent of the amounts
available to each Institute in any fiscal year to
support field-initiated research described in
clauses (iii) through (v) of paragraph (1);
‘‘(C) provide for and maintain a stable
foundation of long-term research and develop-
ment on core issues and concerns conducted
through university-based research and develop-
ment centers by reserving not less than one-
third of the amounts available to each Institute
in any fiscal year to support such research and
development centers;
‘‘(D) support and provide research infor-
mation that leads to policy formation for State
legislatures, State and local boards of education
and other policy and governing bodies, to assist
such entities in identifying and developing effec-
tive policies to promote student achievement
and school improvement; and
‘‘(E) coordinate the Institute’s activities
with the activities of the regional educational
laboratories and with other educational service
organizations in designing the Institute’s re-
search agenda and projects in order to increase
the responsiveness of such Institute to the
needs of teachers and the educational field and
to bring research findings directly into schools
to ensure greatest access at the local level to
the latest research developments.
‘‘(3) REQUIREMENTS
REGARDING
FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE.—No grant, contract, or cooperative
agreement may be made under this section unless—
‘‘(A) sufficient notice of the availability of,
and opportunity to compete for, assistance has
first been provided to potential applicants
through notice published in the Federal Reg-
ister or other appropriate means;
‘‘(B) it has been evaluated through peer
review in accordance with the standards devel-
oped pursuant to subsection (h) of section 405;
‘‘(C) it will be evaluated in accordance with
the standards developed pursuant to subsection
(h) of section 405;
‘‘(D) in the case of a grant, contract, or
cooperative agreement which exceeds $500,000
for a single fiscal year or $1,000,000 for more
than one fiscal year, the Secretary has complied
with the requirements of paragraph (4); and
‘‘(E) in the case of a grant, contract, or
cooperative agreement to support a research
and development center, all applications for
such assistance have been evaluated by inde-
pendent experts according to standards and cri-
teria which include—
‘‘(i) whether applicants have assem-
bled a critical mass of high quality re-
searchers sufficient to achieve the mission
of the center;
‘‘(ii) whether the proposed organiza-
tional structure and arrangements will fa-
cilitate achievement of the mission of the
center;
‘‘(iii) whether there is a substantial
staff commitment to the work of the cen-
ter;
‘‘(iv) whether the directors and staff
will devote adequate time to center activi-
ties; and
‘‘(v) review of the contributions of pri-
mary researchers (other than researchers
at the proposed center) to evaluate the ap-
propriateness of such primary researcher’s
experiences and expertise in the context of
the proposed center activities, and the ade-
quacy of such primary researcher’s time
commitment to achievement of the mission
of the center.
‘‘(4) BOARD
REVIEW
OF
CERTAIN
PROPOSED
GRANT
AND
CONTRACT
ACTIONS.—The Assistant
Secretary may not solicit any contract bid or issue
a request for proposals or applications for any grant
or cooperative agreement the amount of which ex-
ceeds $500,000 in any single fiscal year or which ex-
ceeds an aggregate amount of $1,000,000 for more
than one fiscal year unless the Board has had an op-
portunity to review such proposed grant, contract, or
cooperative agreement action and to provide written
comments to the Assistant Secretary with respect to
whether—
‘‘(A) the purposes and scope of the pro-
posed action are consistent with the Research
Priorities Plan; and
‘‘(B) the methodology and approach of the
proposed action are sound and adequate to
achieve its stated objectives.
‘‘(5) 
HISTORICALLY
UNDERUTILIZED
RE-
SEARCHERS
AND
INSTITUTIONS.—The Assistant
Secretary shall establish and maintain initiatives and
programs to increase the participation in the activi-
ties of each Institute of groups of researchers and
institutions that have been historically underutilized
in Federal educational research activities, includ-
ing—
‘‘(A) researchers who are women, African-
American, Hispanic, American Indian and Alas-
ka Native, or other ethnic minorities;
‘‘(B) promising young or new researchers
in the field, such as postdoctoral students and
recently appointed assistant or associate profes-
sors;
‘‘(C) historically black colleges and univer-
sities, tribally controlled community colleges,
and other institutions of higher education with
large numbers of minority students;
‘‘(D) institutions of higher education lo-
cated in rural areas; and
‘‘(E) institutions and researchers located
in States and regions of the Nation which have
historically received the least Federal support
for educational research and development.
‘‘(6) ADDITIONAL
AUTHORITIES.—The Assist-
ant Secretary—
‘‘(A) may obtain (in accordance with sec-
tion 3109 of title 5 but without regard to the
limitation in such section on the period of serv-
ice) the services of experts or consultants with
scientific or professional qualifications in the
disciplines relevant to the purposes of such In-
stitute;
‘‘(B) may use, with their consent, the serv-
ices, equipment, personnel, information, and fa-
cilities of other Federal, State, or local public
agencies, with or without reimbursement there-
for;
‘‘(C) may accept voluntary and uncompen-
sated services; and
‘‘(D) may accept unconditional gifts made
to the Office to support its activities.
‘‘(d) NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR THE EDUCATION OF
AT-RISK STUDENTS.—
‘‘(1) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds as fol-
lows:
‘‘(A) The rate of decline in our urban
schools is escalating at a rapid pace. Student
performance in most inner city schools grows
worse each year. At least half of all students
entering ninth grade fail to graduate 4 years
later and many more students from high-pov-
erty backgrounds leave school with skills that
are inadequate for today’s workplace. In 1988
the average National Assessment of Edu-
cational Progress (NAEP) reading score of
white 17 year-olds was approximately 20 points
higher than that of African-American 17 year-
olds and 25 points higher than that of Hispanic
17 year-olds. None of the existing Federal edu-
cational research and development programs