expand access to safe learning environments, in-
cluding by breaking down the specific barriers to 
basic education for women and girls, ensure con-
tinuity of education, including in conflict set-
tings, measurably improve teacher skills and 
learning outcomes, and support the engagement 
of parents in the education of their children to 
help partner countries ensure that all children, 
including marginalized children and other vul-
nerable groups, have access to and benefit from 
quality basic education; and 
‘‘(C) promote education as a foundation for 
sustained economic growth and development 
within a comprehensive assistance strategy that 
places partner countries on a trajectory toward 
graduation from assistance provided under this 
section with clearly defined benchmarks of suc-
cess that are used as requirements for related 
procurement vehicles, such as grants, contracts, 
and cooperative agreements; and 
‘‘(D) monitor and evaluate the effectiveness 
and quality of basic education programs in part-
ner countries. 
‘‘(3) PRINCIPLES.—In carrying out the policy 
referred to in paragraph (2), the United States shall 
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be guided by the following principles of aid effective-
ness: 
‘‘(A) 
ALIGNMENT.—Assistance 
provided 
under this section to support programs and ac-
tivities under this subsection shall be aligned 
with and advance United States foreign policy 
and economic interests. 
‘‘(B) COUNTRY OWNERSHIP.—To the great-
est extent practicable, assistance provided under 
this section to support programs and activities 
under this subsection should be aligned with and 
support the national education plans and coun-
try development strategies of partner countries, 
including activities that are appropriate for and 
meet the needs of local and indigenous cultures. 
‘‘(C) COORDINATION.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Assistance provided 
under this section to support programs and 
activities under this subsection should be co-
ordinated with and leverage the unique ca-
pabilities and resources of local and na-
tional governments in partner countries, 
other donors, multilateral institutions, the 
private sector, and nongovernmental and 
civil society organizations, including faith- 
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based organizations and organizations that 
represent teachers, students, and parents. 
‘‘(ii) MULTILATERAL
PROGRAMS
AND 
INITIATIVES.—Assistance 
provided 
under 
this section to support programs and activi-
ties under this subsection should be coordi-
nated with and support proven multilateral 
education programs and financing mecha-
nisms, which may include the Global Part-
nership for Education, that demonstrate 
commitment 
to 
efficiency, 
effectiveness, 
transparency, and accountability. 
‘‘(D) EFFICIENCY.—The President shall seek 
to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of as-
sistance provided under this section to support 
programs and activities under this subsection by 
coordinating the related efforts of relevant Execu-
tive branch agencies and officials. 
‘‘(E) EFFECTIVENESS.—Programs and ac-
tivities supported under this subsection— 
‘‘(i) shall be consistent with the policies 
and principles set forth in this subsection; 
‘‘(ii) shall be designed to achieve spe-
cific, measurable goals and objectives that 
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are directly related to the provision of basic 
education (as defined in this section); and 
‘‘(iii) shall include appropriate targets, 
metrics, and indicators that— 
‘‘(I) move a country along the 
path to graduation from assistance 
provided under this subsection; and 
‘‘(II) can be applied with reason-
able consistency across such programs 
and activities to measure progress and 
outcomes. 
‘‘(F) 
TRANSPARENCY
AND
ACCOUNT-
ABILITY.—Programs and activities supported 
under this subsection shall be subject to rigorous 
monitoring and evaluation, which may include 
impact evaluations, the results of which shall be 
made publically available in a fully searchable, 
electronic format. 
‘‘(4) PRIORITY
AND
OTHER
REQUIREMENTS.— 
The President shall ensure that assistance provided 
under this section to support programs and activities 
under this subsection is aligned with the foreign pol-
icy and economic interests of the United States and, 
subject to such alignment, priority is given to devel-
oping countries in which— 
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‘‘(A) there is the greatest need and oppor-
tunity to expand access to basic education and 
to improve learning outcomes, including for 
marginalized and vulnerable groups, particu-
larly women and girls to ensure gender parity in 
basic education, or populations affected by con-
flict or crisis; and 
‘‘(B) such assistance can produce a substan-
tial, measurable impact on children and edu-
cational systems.’’. 
SEC. 4. COMPREHENSIVE INTEGRATED UNITED STATES 
STRATEGY TO PROMOTE BASIC EDUCATION. 
(a) STRATEGY REQUIRED.—Not later than October 1, 
2017, the President shall submit to the appropriate congres-
sional committees a comprehensive United States strategy 
to be carried out during fiscal years 2018 through 2022 to 
promote quality basic education in partner countries by— 
(1) seeking to equitably expand access to basic 
education for all children, particularly marginalized 
children and vulnerable groups; and 
(2) measurably improving the quality of basic 
education and learning outcomes. 
(b) REQUIREMENT TO CONSULT.—In developing the 
strategy required under subsection (a), the President shall 
consult with— 
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