H. R. 6—365
‘‘(2) identify educational programs and practices for possible
dissemination throughout the State and Nation;
‘‘(3) promote and facilitate teacher networks throughout
the State;
‘‘(4) develop and implement an aggressive outreach plan
for reaching the local educational agencies and schools receiving
priority under section 13401; and
‘‘(5) provide such other outreach, coordination, and dissemi-
nation services as may be necessary to achieve the purposes
of this title.
‘‘(g) NATIONAL DIFFUSION NETWORK EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS AND
PROMISING PRACTICES SYSTEM.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall develop a system
of validating effective programs and promising practices for
dissemination through the National Diffusion Network. Such
system may include exemplary programs funded through any
office of the Department, the National Science Foundation,
or other Federal agencies and shall be coordinated, aligned
with, and administered by, the Office of Reform Assistance
and Dissemination established under section 941(b) of the
Educational 
Research, 
Development, 
Dissemination, 
and
Improvement Act of 1994.
‘‘(2) PRIORITY.—The Secretary shall give priority to identify-
ing, validating, and disseminating effective schoolwide projects,
programs addressing the needs of high poverty schools, and
programs with the capacity to offer high-quality, sustained
technical assistance. The Office of Educational Research and
Improvement Office of Reform Assistance and Dissemination
shall also administer a grant program for the purpose of
dissemination and the provision of technical assistance regard-
ing such system.
‘‘(3) PRIORITY OF SERVICES.—The National Diffusion Net-
work State Facilitators shall give priority in providing the
services described in this section to—
‘‘(A) schoolwide program under section 1114; and
‘‘(B) local educational agencies and Bureau-funded
schools with the highest percentages or numbers of children
in poverty.
‘‘SEC. 13202. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
‘‘For the purpose of carrying out this part, there are authorized
to be appropriated $25,000,000 for fiscal year 1995 and such sums
as may be necessary for each of the four succeeding fiscal years.
‘‘PART C—EISENHOWER REGIONAL MATHE-
MATICS AND SCIENCE EDUCATION CONSOR-
TIA
‘‘SEC. 13301. PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—
‘‘(1) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary, in consultation
with the Director of the National Science Foundation, is author-
ized to award grants or contracts to eligible entities to enable
such entities to establish and operate regional mathematics
and science education consortia for the purpose of—
H. R. 6—366
‘‘(A) disseminating exemplary mathematics and science
education instructional materials; and
‘‘(B) providing technical assistance for the implementa-
tion of teaching methods and assessment tools for use
by elementary and secondary school students, teachers and
administrators.
‘‘(2) NUMBER.—The Secretary, in accordance with the provi-
sions of this section, shall award at least one grant or contract
to an eligible entity in each region.
‘‘(3) SPECIAL RULE.—In any fiscal year, if the amount made
available pursuant to section 13308 is less than $4,500,000,
then the Secretary may waive the provisions of paragraph
(2) and award grants or contracts of sufficient size, scope,
and quality to carry out this section.
‘‘(4) DESIGNATION.—Each regional consortium assisted
under this section shall be known as an ‘Eisenhower regional
consortium’.
‘‘(b) GRANT TERM
AND REVIEW.—Grants or contracts under
this part shall be awarded for a period of not more than five
years and shall be reviewed before the end of the 30-month period
beginning on the date the grant or contract is awarded. Grants
or contracts under this part shall be awarded before the end of
the 12-month period beginning on the date of the enactment of
an Act making appropriations to carry out this part.
‘‘(c) AMOUNT.—In awarding grants or contracts under this part,
the Secretary shall ensure that there is a relatively equal distribu-
tion of the funds made available among the regions, except that
the Secretary may award additional funds to a regional consortium
on the basis of population and geographical conditions of the region
being served.
‘‘SEC. 13302. USE OF FUNDS.
‘‘Funds provided under this part may be used by a regional
consortium, under the direction of a regional board established
under section 13304, to—
‘‘(1) work cooperatively with the other regional consortia,
the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse for Science and Mathe-
matics Education established under section 2102(b) and feder-
ally funded technical assistance providers to more effectively
accomplish the activities described in this section;
‘‘(2) assist, train and provide technical assistance to class-
room teachers, administrators, and other educators to identify,
implement, assess or adapt the instructional materials, teach-
ing methods and assessment tools described in section
13301(a)(1);
‘‘(3) provide for the training of classroom teachers to enable
such teachers to instruct other teachers, administrators, and
educators in the use of the instructional materials, teaching
methods and assessment tools described in section 13301(a)(1)
in the classroom;
‘‘(4) when necessary, provide financial assistance to enable
teachers and other educators to attend and participate in the
activities of the regional consortium;
‘‘(5) implement programs and activities designed to meet
the needs of groups that are underrepresented in, and under-
served by, mathematics and science education;
H. R. 6—367
‘‘(6) assist State and local educational agencies in identify-
ing science equipment needs and help such agencies or consortia
thereof assess the need for and desirability of regional mathe-
matics and science academies;
‘‘(7) develop and disseminate early childhood education
mathematics and science instructional materials;
‘‘(8) disseminate information regarding informal mathe-
matics and science education activities and programs offered
by Federal agencies and private or public agencies and institu-
tions within the region;
‘‘(9) collect data on activities assisted under this part in
order to evaluate the effectiveness of the activities of the
regional consortia;
‘‘(10) identify exemplary teaching practices and materials
from within the region and communicate such practices and
materials to the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse for Mathe-
matics and Science Education;
‘‘(11) communicate, on a regular basis, with entities within
the region who are delivering services to students and teachers
of mathematics and science;
‘‘(12) assist in the development and evaluation of State
and regional plans and activities that hold promise of bringing
about systemic reform in student performance in mathematics
and science; and
‘‘(13) increase the use of informal education entities (such
as science technology centers, museums, libraries, Saturday
academies, and 4H programs) for educational purposes to
expand student knowledge and understanding.
‘‘SEC. 13303. APPLICATION AND REVIEW.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Each eligible entity desiring a grant or con-
tract under this part shall submit an application to the Secretary
at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such additional
information as the Secretary may reasonably require. Each such
application shall—
‘‘(1) demonstrate that the eligible entity has demonstrated
expertise in the fields of mathematics and science education;
‘‘(2) demonstrate that the eligible entity shall implement
and disseminate mathematics and science education instruc-
tional materials, teaching methods, and assessment tools
through a consortium of the region’s mathematics and science
education organizations and agencies;
‘‘(3) demonstrate that the eligible entity shall carry out
the functions of the regional consortium;
‘‘(4) demonstrate that emphasis will be given to programs
and activities designed to meet the needs of groups that are
underrepresented in, and underserved by, mathematics and
science education;
‘‘(5) demonstrate that the business community in the region
served by the regional consortium will play an integral role
in designing and supporting the regional consortium’s work;
‘‘(6) demonstrate that the eligible entity will consider the
resources of telecommunications partnerships assisted under
the Star Schools Program Assistance Act (as such Act was
in effect on the day preceding the date of enactment of the
Improving America’s Schools Act of 1994) in carrying out the
provisions of this part, where appropriate; and
H. R. 6—368
‘‘(7) assure that the entity will conduct its activities and
supervise its personnel in a manner that effectively ensures
compliance with the copyright laws of the United States under
title 17, United States Code.
‘‘(b) APPROVAL OF APPLICATION.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall approve or dis-
approve applications submitted pursuant to subsection (a) in
accordance with the criteria and procedures established under
paragraph (2).
‘‘(2) PROCEDURES
AND
CRITERIA.—The Secretary shall
develop procedures and criteria designed to ensure that grants
or contracts are competitively awarded on the basis of merit
determined under a peer review process.
‘‘(3) NATIONAL PANEL.—(A) The Secretary, in consultation
with the Director, shall establish a national panel, or to the
extent necessary, panels, to submit to the Secretary rec-
ommendations for awards of grants or contracts under this
part. The Secretary shall appoint the members of such panel
or panels.
‘‘(B) Each panel appointed under subparagraph (A) shall
include participation, to the extent feasible, from each region.
‘‘SEC. 13304. REGIONAL BOARDS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Each eligible entity receiving a grant or
contract under this part shall establish a regional board to oversee
the administration and establishment of program priorities for the
regional consortium established by such eligible entity. Such
regional board shall be broadly representative of the agencies and
organizations participating in the regional consortium.
‘‘(b) PROHIBITION
ON USE
OF FEDERAL FUNDS.—No Federal
funds may be used for the establishment or operation of a regional
board required by subsection (a), except that at the discretion
of a regional board, Federal funds may be used to provide assistance
such as travel and accommodations for board members who could
not otherwise afford to participate as members of the board.
‘‘SEC. 13305. PAYMENTS; FEDERAL SHARE; NON-FEDERAL SHARE.
‘‘(a) PAYMENTS.—The Secretary shall pay to each eligible entity
having an application approved under section 13303 the Federal
share of the cost of the activities described in the application.
‘‘(b) FEDERAL SHARE.—For the purpose of subsection (a), the
Federal share shall be 80 percent.
‘‘(c) NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—The non-Federal share of the cost
of activities described in the application submitted under section
13303 may be in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated. At least 10
percent of such non-Federal share shall be from sources other
than the Federal Government, or State or local government.
‘‘SEC. 13306. EVALUATION.
‘‘(a) EVALUATION REQUIRED.—The Secretary, through the Office
of Educational Research and Improvement and in accordance with
section 14701, shall collect sufficient data on, and evaluate the
effectiveness of, the activities of each regional consortium.
‘‘(b) ASSESSMENT.—The evaluations described in paragraph (1)
shall include an assessment of the effectiveness of the regional
consortium in meeting the needs of the schools, teachers, adminis-
trators and students in the region.