H. R. 1804—121
(E) provide training and technical assistance regarding
the implementation and adoption of exemplary and promis-
ing programs by interested entities;
(F) carry out a program of research on models for
successful knowledge dissemination, and utilization, and
strategies for reaching education policymakers, practition-
ers, and others interested in education;
(G) develop the capacity to connect schools and teachers
seeking information with the relevant regional educational
laboratories assisted under subsection (h), the National
Diffusion Network, the Institutes assisted under this sec-
tion, and the Educational Resources Information Center
Clearinghouses; and
(H) provide a biennial report to the Secretary regarding
the types of information, products, and services that teach-
ers, schools, and school districts have requested and have
determined to be most useful, and describe future plans
to adapt Department of Education products and services
to address the needs of the users of such information,
products, and services.
(3) ADDITIONAL DUTIES.—The Dissemination Office shall
carry out a process for the identification of educational pro-
grams that work, dissemination through electronic networking
and new technologies and the functions and activities performed
by the following:
(A) The Educational Resources Information Center
Clearinghouses.
(B) The regional educational laboratories.
(C) The Teacher Research Dissemination Demonstra-
tion Program.
(D) The Goals 2000 Community Partnerships Program.
(E) The existing National Diffusion Network and its
Developer-Demonstrator and State Facilitator projects.
(F) Such other programs, activities, or entities the
Secretary determines are consistent with purposes for
which the Dissemination Office is established.
(c) IDENTIFICATION
OF PROGRAMS.—The Assistant Secretary
shall coordinate a process through which successful educational
programs are actively sought out for possible dissemination through
the national educational dissemination system. Such process shall,
at a minimum, have the capability to—
(1) work closely with the Institutes, research and develop-
ment centers, regional educational laboratories, the National
Diffusion Network and its Developer-Demonstrator and State
Facilitator projects, learning grant institutions established
under the Goals 2000 Community Partnerships Program,
Department of Education-supported technical assistance provid-
ers, and other entities to identify successful educational pro-
grams at the regional, State, local, or classroom level;
(2) review successful educational programs supported by
the Department of Education through all of its programs;
(3) through cooperative agreements, review for possible
inclusion in the system educational programs administered by
the Departments of Health and Human Services (particularly
the Head Start program), Labor, and Defense, the National
Science Foundation, the Department of the Interior (particu-
H. R. 1804—122
larly the Office of Indian Education Programs), and any other
appropriate Federal agency; and
(4) provide for an active outreach effort to identify success-
ful educational programs through cooperative arrangements
with State and local education agencies, teachers and teacher
organizations, curriculum associations, foundations, private
schools, institutions of higher education, and other entities
that could enhance the ability of the Secretary to identify
programs for possible inclusion in the dissemination system.
(d) DESIGNATION OF EXEMPLARY AND PROMISING PROGRAMS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary, in consultation
with the Board, shall establish 1 or more panels of appropriately
qualified experts and practitioners to—
(A) evaluate educational programs that have been
identified by the Secretary under subsection (c) or that
have been submitted to the Secretary for such evaluation
by some other individual or organization; and
(B) recommend to the Secretary programs that should
be designated as exemplary or promising educational pro-
grams.
(2) CONSIDERATIONS
IN
MAKING
RECOMMENDATIONS.—In
determining whether an educational program should receive
a recommendation under paragraph (1), a panel established
under such paragraph shall consider—
(A) whether, based on empirical data, which may
include test results, the program is effective and should
be designated as exemplary and disseminated through the
national dissemination system; or
(B) whether there is sufficient evidence to lead a panel
of experts and practitioners to believe that the program
shows promise for improving student achievement and
should be designated as promising and disseminated
through the national dissemination system while the pro-
gram continues to be evaluated.
(3) REQUIREMENT REGARDING APPROVAL OF PROGRAMS.—
In seeking out programs for approval under paragraph (2),
the Assistant Secretary shall seek programs that may be imple-
mented at the State, local, and classroom level.
(4) REQUIREMENTS REGARDING PANELS.—
(A) A panel shall not eliminate a program from consid-
eration under this subsection based solely on the fact that
the program does not have one specific type of supporting
data, such as test scores.
(B) The Assistant Secretary may not designate a pro-
gram as exemplary or promising unless a panel established
under paragraph (1) has recommended that the program
be so designated.
(C) The Secretary shall establish such panels under
paragraph (1) as may be necessary to ensure that each
program identified or submitted for evaluation is evaluated.
(D) Not less than 2⁄3 of the membership of a panel
established under paragraph (1) shall consist of individuals
who are not officers or employees of the United States.
Members of panels under paragraph (1) who are not
employees of the United States shall receive compensation
for each day they are engaged in carrying out the duties
of the panel as well as compensation for their expenses.
H. R. 1804—123
(e) DISSEMINATION OF EXEMPLARY AND PROMISING PROGRAMS.—
In order to ensure that programs identified as exemplary or promis-
ing are available for adoption by the greatest number of teachers,
schools, local and State education agencies, and Bureau-funded
schools, the Assistant Secretary shall utilize the capabilities of—
(1) the Educational Resources Information Center Clearing-
houses;
(2) electronic networking;
(3) the regional educational laboratories;
(4) the National Diffusion Network;
(5) entities established under the Goals 2000 Community
Partnerships Program;
(6) department-supported technical assistance providers;
(7) the National Library of Education; and
(8) other public and private nonprofit entities, including
existing education associations and networks, that have the
capability to assist educators in adopting exemplary and
promising programs.
(f) EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER CLEARING-
HOUSES.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary shall establish
a system of 16 clearinghouses having, at a minimum, the func-
tions and scope of work as the clearinghouses had on the
day preceding the date of the enactment of this title. The
Assistant Secretary shall establish for the clearinghouses a
policy for the abstraction from, and inclusion in, the Edu-
cational Resources Information Center Clearinghouses system
for books, periodicals, reports, and other materials related to
education.
(2) ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS.—In addition to those functions
carried out by the clearinghouses on the day preceding the
date of the enactment of this title, such clearinghouses may—
(A) 
periodically 
produce 
interpretive 
summaries,
digests, and syntheses of the results and findings of edu-
cation-related research and development; and
(B) contain and make available to users information
concerning those programs designated as exemplary and
promising under subsection (d).
(3) COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES.—The Assistant Secretary
shall assure that the functions and activities of such clearing-
houses are coordinated with the activities of the Institutes,
the regional educational laboratories, learning grant institu-
tions, other clearinghouses supported by the Department of
Education, the National Diffusion Network, and other appro-
priate entities within the Office and such Department.
(4) SPECIAL
RESPONSIBILITIES
OF
THE
SECRETARY.—To
assure that the information provided through such clearing-
houses is fully comprehensive, the Secretary shall—
(A) require that all reports, studies, and other
resources produced directly or by grant or contract with
the Department of Education are made available to
clearinghouses;
(B) establish cooperative agreements with the Depart-
ments of Defense, Health and Human Services, Interior,
and other Federal departments and agencies to assure
that all education-related reports, studies, and other
resources produced directly or by grant from or contract
H. R. 1804—124
with the Federal Government are made available to such
clearinghouses; and
(C) devise an effective system for maximizing the
identification, synthesis, and dissemination of information
related to the needs of Indian and Alaska Native children.
(5) COPYRIGHT PROHIBITED.—
(A) No clearinghouse or other entity receiving assist-
ance under this subsection may copyright or otherwise
charge a royalty or other fee that—
(i) is for the use or redissemination of any
database, index, abstract, report, or other information
produced with assistance under this subsection; and
(ii) exceeds the incremental cost of disseminating
such information.
(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), the incremental
cost of dissemination does not include any portion of the
cost of collecting, organizing, or processing the information
which is disseminated.
(g) DISSEMINATION THROUGH NEW TECHNOLOGIES.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary is authorized
to award grants or contracts in accordance with this subsection
to support the development of materials, programs, and
resources which utilize new technologies and techniques to
synthesize and disseminate research and development findings
and other information which can be used to support educational
improvement.
(2) ELECTRONIC NETWORKING.—
(A) ELECTRONIC NETWORK.—The Assistant Secretary,
acting through the Office of Reform Assistance and
Dissemination, shall establish and maintain an electronic
network which shall, at a minimum, link—
(i) each office of the Department of Education;
(ii) the Institutes established by section 931;
(iii) the National Center for Education Statistics;
(iv) the National Library of Education; and
(v) entities engaged in research, development,
dissemination, and technical assistance under grant
from, or contract, or cooperative agreement with, the
Department of Education.
(B) CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS FOR NETWORK.—The net-
work described in subparagraph (A) shall—
(i) to the extent feasible, build upon existing
national, regional, and State electronic networks and
support video, telecomputing, and interactive commu-
nications;
(ii) at a minimum, have the capability to support
electronic mail and file transfer services;
(iii) be linked to and accessible to other users,
including State and local education agencies, institu-
tions of higher education, museums, libraries, and oth-
ers through the Internet and the National Research
and Education Network; and
(iv) be provided at no cost (excluding the costs
of necessary hardware) to the contractors and grantees
described in clause (v) of subparagraph (A) and to
educational 
institutions 
accessing 
such 
network
H. R. 1804—125
through the Internet and the National Research and
Education Network.
(C) INFORMATION
RESOURCES.—The Assistant Sec-
retary, acting through the Office of Reform Assistance and
Dissemination, may make available through the network
described in subparagraph (A)—
(i) information about grant and contract assistance
available through the Department of Education;
(ii) an annotated directory of current research and
development activities and projects being undertaken
with the assistance of the Department of Education;
(iii) information about publications published by
the Department of Education and, to the extent fea-
sible, the full text of such publications;
(iv) statistics and data published by the National
Center for Education Statistics;
(v) 
syntheses 
of 
research 
and 
development
findings;
(vi) a directory of other education-related electronic
networks and databases, including information about
the means by which such networks and databases may
be accessed;
(vii) a descriptive listing of materials and courses
of instruction provided by telecommunications partner-
ships assisted under the Star Schools program;
(viii) resources developed by the Educational
Resources Information Center Clearinghouses;
(ix) education-related software (including video)
which is in the public domain;
(x) a listing of instructional materials available
through telecommunications to local education agencies
through the Public Broadcasting Service and State edu-
cational television networks; and
(xi) such other information and resources the
Assistant Secretary considers useful and appropriate.
(D) EVALUATIONS
REGARDING
OTHER
FUNCTIONS
OF
NETWORK.—The Assistant Secretary shall also undertake
projects to test and evaluate the feasibility of using the
network described in subparagraph (A) for—
(i) the submission of applications for assistance
to the Department of Education; and
(ii) the collection of data and other statistics
through the National Center for Education Statistics.
(E) TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Assist-
ant Secretary, acting through the Office of Reform Assist-
ance and Dissemination, shall—
(i) provide such training and technical assistance
as may be necessary to enable the contractors and
grantees described in clause (v) of subparagraph (A)
to participate in the electronic network described in
such subparagraph; and
(ii) work with the National Science Foundation
to provide, upon request, assistance to State and local
educational agencies, the Department of the Interior’s
Office of Indian Education Programs, tribal depart-
ments of education, State library agencies, libraries,
museums, and other educational institutions in obtain-
H. R. 1804—126
ing access to the Internet and the National Research
and Education Network.
(h) REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL LABORATORIES
FOR RESEARCH,
DEVELOPMENT, DISSEMINATION, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—
(1) REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL LABORATORIES.—The Assistant
Secretary shall enter into contracts with public or private non-
profit entities to establish a networked system of not less than
10 and not more than 12 regional educational laboratories
which serve the needs of each region of the United States
in accordance with the provisions of this subsection. The
amount of assistance allocated to each laboratory by the Assist-
ant Secretary shall reflect the number of local educational
agencies and the number of school-age children within the
region served by such laboratory, as well as the cost of providing
services within the geographic area encompassed by the region.
(2) REGIONS.—The regions served by the regional edu-
cational laboratories shall be the 10 geographic regions in exist-
ence on the day preceding the date of the enactment of this
title, except that in fiscal year 1996, the Assistant Secretary
may support not more than 2 additional regional educational
laboratories serving regions not in existence on the day preced-
ing the date of enactment of this Act, provided that—
(A) the amount appropriated for the regional edu-
cational laboratories in fiscal year 1996 exceeds the amount
appropriated for the regional educational laboratories in
fiscal year 1995 by not less than $2,000,000;
(B) each such additional regional laboratory shall be
supported by not less than $2,000,000 annually;
(C) the creation of any such additional laboratory
region is announced at the time of the announcement of
the competition for contracts for all regional educational
laboratories;
(D) the creation of a regional educational laboratory
that involves the combination or subdivision of a region
or regions in existence on the day preceding the date of
enactment of this Act in which States in 1 such region
are combined with States in another such region does not
result in any region in existence on such date permanently
becoming part of a larger region, nor result in any such
region permanently subsuming another region, nor creates
within the continental United States a region that is
smaller than 4 contiguous States, nor partitions a region
in existence on the day preceding the date of the enactment
of this Act to include less than 4 contiguous States included
in the region on the day preceding the date of enactment
of this Act;
(E) the Assistant Secretary has published a notice in
the Federal Register inviting the public, for a period of
not less than 60 days, to make recommendations with
respect to the creation of 1 or 2 additional regional edu-
cational laboratories;
(F) the Assistant Secretary has solicited and received
letters of support for the creation of any new region from
the Chief State School Officers and State boards of edu-
cation in each of the contiguous States that would be
included in such new region.
H. R. 1804—127
(3) DUTIES.—Each regional educational laboratory receiving
assistance under this section shall promote the implementation
of broad-based systemic school improvement strategies and
shall have as such laboratory’s central mission and primary
function to—
(A) develop and disseminate educational research prod-
ucts and processes to schools, teachers, local educational
agencies, State educational agencies, librarians, and schools
funded by the Bureau, as appropriate, and through such
development and dissemination, and provide technical
assistance, to help all students meet standards;
(B) develop a plan for identifying and serving the needs
of the region by conducting a continuing survey of the
educational needs, strengths, and weaknesses within the
region, including a process of open hearings to solicit the
views of schools, teachers, administrators, parents, local
educational agencies, librarians, and State educational
agencies within the region;
(C) provide technical assistance to State and local edu-
cational agencies, school boards, schools funded by the
Bureau, as appropriate, State boards of education, schools,
and librarians;
(D) facilitate school restructuring at the individual
school level, including technical assistance for adapting
model demonstration grant programs to each school;
(E) serve the educational development needs of the
region by providing education research in usable forms
in order to promote school improvement and academic
achievement and to correct educational deficiencies;
(F) facilitate communication between educational
experts, school officials, and teachers, parents, and librar-
ians, to enable such individuals to assist schools to develop
a plan to meet the National Education Goals;
(G) provide training in—
(i) the field of education research and related
areas;
(ii) the use of new educational methods; and
(iii) the use of information-finding methods, prac-
tices, techniques, and products developed in connection
with such training for which the regional educational
laboratory may support internships and fellowships
and provide stipends;
(H) use applied educational research to assist in solving
site-specific problems and to assist in development activi-
ties;
(I) conduct applied research projects designed to serve
the particular needs of the region only in the event that
such quality applied research does not exist as determined
by the regional education laboratory or the Department
of Education;
(J) collaborate and coordinate services with other tech-
nical assistance providers funded by the Department of
Education;
(K) provide support and technical assistance in—
(i) replicating and adapting exemplary and promis-
ing practices;
H. R. 1804—128
(ii) the development of high-quality, challenging
curriculum frameworks;
(iii) the development of valid, reliable assessments
which are linked to State, local, or Bureau-funded con-
tent and student performance standards and reflect
recent advances in the field of educational assessment;
(iv) the improvement of professional development
strategies to assure that all teachers are prepared
to teach a challenging curriculum;
(v) expanding and improving the use of technology
in education to improve teaching and learning;
(vi) the development of alternatives for restructur-
ing school finance systems to promote greater equity
in the distribution of resources; and
(vii) the development of alternative administrative
structures which are more conducive to planning,
implementing, and sustaining school reform and
improved educational outcomes; and
(L) bring teams of experts together to develop and
implement school improvement plans and strategies.
(4) NETWORKING.—In order to improve the efficiency and
effectiveness of the regional laboratories, the governing boards
of the regional laboratories shall establish and maintain a
network to—
(A) share information about the activities each labora-
tory is carrying out;
(B) plan joint activities that would meet the needs
of multiple regions;
(C) create a strategic plan for the development of activi-
ties undertaken by the laboratories to reduce redundancy
and increase collaboration and resource-sharing in such
activities; and
(D) otherwise devise means by which the work of the
individual laboratories could serve national, as well as
regional, needs.
(5) ADDITIONAL DUTIES.—Each regional education labora-
tory receiving assistance under this subsection shall carry out
the following activities:
(A) Collaborate with the Institutes established under
section 931 in order to—
(i) maximize the use of research conducted through
the Institutes in the work of such laboratory;
(ii) keep the Institutes apprised of the work of
the regional educational laboratory in the field; and
(iii) inform the Institutes about additional research
needs identified in the field.
(B) Consult with the State educational agencies and
library agencies in the region in developing the plan for
serving the region.
(C) Develop strategies to utilize schools as critical
components in reforming education and revitalizing rural
communities in the United States.
(D) Report and disseminate information on overcoming
the obstacles faced by rural educators and rural schools.
(E) Identify successful educational programs that have
either been developed by such laboratory in carrying out
such laboratory’s functions or that have been developed
H. R. 1804—129
or used by others within the region served by the laboratory
and make such information available to the Secretary and
the network of regional laboratories so that such programs
may be considered for inclusion in the national education
dissemination system.
(6) CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out its respon-
sibilities, each regional educational laboratory shall—
(A) establish a governing board that—
(i) reflects a balanced representation of the States
in the region, as well as the interests and concerns
of regional constituencies, and that includes teachers
and education researchers;
(ii) is the sole entity that—
(I) guides and directs the laboratory in carry-
ing out the provisions of this subsection and
satisfying the terms and conditions of the contract
award;
(II) determines the regional agenda of the lab-
oratory;
(III) engages in an ongoing dialogue with the
Assistant Secretary concerning the laboratory’s
goals, activities, and priorities; and
(IV) determines at the start of the contract
period, subject to the requirements of this section
and in consultation with the Assistant Secretary,
the mission of the regional educational laboratory
for the duration of the contract period;
(iii) ensures that the regional educational labora-
tory attains and maintains a high level of quality in
the laboratory’s work and products;
(iv) establishes standards to ensure that the
regional educational laboratory has strong and effective
governance, organization, management, and adminis-
tration, and employs qualified staff;
(v) directs the regional educational laboratory to
carry out the laboratory’s duties in a manner as will
make progress toward achieving the National Edu-
cation Goals and reforming schools and educational
systems; and
(vi) conducts a continuing survey of the educational
needs, strengths, and weaknesses within the region,
including a process of open hearings to solicit the views
of schools and teachers.
(B) Comply with the standards developed by the Assist-
ant Secretary and approved by the Board under section
912.
(C) Coordinate its activities, collaborate, and regularly
exchange information with the Institutes established under
section 941, the National Diffusion Network, and its Devel-
oper-Demonstrator and State Facilitator projects, learning
grant institutions and district education agents assisted
under subsection (i), the Educational Resources Information
Center Clearinghouses, and other entities engaged in tech-
nical assistance and dissemination activities which are sup-
ported by other offices of the Department of Education.
(D) Allocate the regional educational laboratory’s
resources to and within each State in a manner which