154(b) for such year is at least $50,000,000. The
State may use such funds for such subgrants if such
amount is less than $50,000,000; and
(2) shall use the remainder of such funds to de-
velop, revise, expand, or implement an education im-
provement plan described in section 156.
(b) SUCCEEDING YEARS.—A State that receives assist-
ance under this title for any year after the first year of
participation shall—
(1) use at least 90 percent of such assistance in
each succeeding year to make subgrants—
(A) to local educational agencies, in accord-
ance with section 159(a), for the implementation
of the State improvement plan and of local im-
provement plans; and
(B) in accordance with section 159(b), to
improve educator preservice programs and for
professional development activities that are con-
sistent with the State improvement plan; and
(2) use the remainder of such assistance for State
activities designed to implement its improvement
plan, such as—
(A) supporting the development or adoption
of State content and student performance stand-
ards, State opportunity-to-learn standards, and
assessments linked to the standards, including
through consortia of States, and in conjunction
with the National Education Standards and Im-
provement Council established under part B of
title II of this Act;
(B) supporting the implementation of high-
performance management and organizational
strategies, such as site-based management, shared
decisionmaking, or quality management prin-
ciples, to promote effective implementation of
such plan;
(C) supporting the development and imple-
mentation, at the local educational agency and
school building level, of improved human re-
source development systems for recruiting, select-
ing, mentoring, supporting, evaluating, and re-
warding educators;
(D) providing special attention to the needs
of minority, limited-English proficient, disabled,
and female students, including instructional pro-
grams and activities that encourage such stu-
dents in elementary and secondary schools to as-
pire to enter post secondary education or train-
ing;
(E) supporting the development, at the
State or local level, of performance-based ac-
countability and incentive systems for schools;
(F) outreach related to education improve-
ment to parents, Indian tribal officials, class-
room teachers, related services personnel, and
other educators, and the public;
(G) providing technical assistance and other
services to increase the capacity of local edu-
cational agencies and schools to develop and im-
plement local systemic improvement plans, im-
plement new assessments, and develop curricula
consistent with the content and student perform-
ance standards of the State;
(H) promoting public magnet schools, pub-
lic ‘‘charter schools’’, and other mechanisms for
increasing choice among public schools; and
(I) collecting and analyzing data.
(c) LIMIT ON ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.—In each year,
a State may use not more than four percent of its annual
allotment under this title, or $100,000, whichever is greater,
for administrative expenses, not including the activities of
the panel established under section 156(b)(1).
SEC. 159. SUBGRANTS FOR LOCAL REFORM AND PROFES-
SIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
(a) SUBGRANTS
TO
LOCAL
EDUCATIONAL
AGEN-
CIES.—(1)(A) Each State educational agency shall make
subgrants to local educational agencies (or consortia of such
agencies) consistent with subsections (a)(1) and (b)(1)(A)
of section 158 through a competitive process.
(B) In making such subgrants, the State educational
agency shall award not less than 1 subgrant in each fiscal
year to an urban local educational agency and not less than
1 subgrant in each fiscal year to a rural local educational
agency, except that this provision shall not apply to the
District of Columbia. Rural local educational agencies may
include or be represented as a fiscal agent by an education
service agency.
(C) Each subgrant shall be for a project of sufficient
duration and of sufficient size, scope, and quality to carry
out the purpose of this title effectively.
(2) A local educational agency wishing to receive a
subgrant under this title for the purpose of developing a
comprehensive local plan shall submit an application to the
State educational agency. Such application shall contain
assurances that the local educational agency intends to de-
velop a plan that meets the requirements of this section.
(3) Each local educational agency wishing to receive
a subgrant for the purpose of implementing a plan under
this subsection shall submit a local plan to the State edu-
cational agency which—
(A) is developed by a broad-based panel that—
(i) is appointed by the local educational
agency and is representative of the diversity of
students and community with regard to race,
language, ethnicity, gender, disability, and socio-
economic characteristics and includes teachers,
parents, advocacy groups, school administrators,
business representatives, and others, as appro-
priate; and
(ii) shall, following the selection of its mem-
bers, establish the procedures regarding the oper-
ation of the panel, including the designation of
the chairperson;
(B) includes a comprehensive local plan for dis-
trictwide education improvement, directed at enabling
all students to meet the challenging content and stu-
dent performance standards of the State, including
specific goals and benchmarks, consistent with the
State improvement plan (either approved or under
development) and includes a strategy for—
(i) 
implementing 
opportunity-to-learn
standards;
(ii) improving teaching and learning;
(iii) improving governance and manage-
ment;
(iv) generating and strengthening parental
and community involvement; and
(v) expanding improvements throughout the
local educational agency;
(C) promotes the flexibility of local schools in de-
veloping plans which address the particular needs of
their school and community and are consistent with
the local plan;
(D) describes a process of broad-based commu-
nity participation in the development, implementa-
tion, and evaluation of the local plan;
(E) describes how the local educational agency
will encourage and assist schools to develop com-
prehensive school improvement plans that focus on
helping all students reach challenging content and
student performance standards and that address rel-
evant elements of the improvement plan of the local
educational agency identified in subparagraph (B);
(F) describes how the local educational agency
will implement specific programs aimed at ensuring
improvements in school readiness and the ability of
students to learn effectively at all grade levels by
identifying the most pressing needs facing students
and their families with regard to social services,
health care, nutrition, and child care, and by entering
into partnerships with public and private agencies to
increase the access of students and families to coordi-
nated services in a school setting or at a nearby site;
(G) describes how the subgrant will be used by
the local educational agency, and the procedures to be
used to make funds available to schools in accordance
with paragraph (6)(A);
(H) identifies, with an explanation, any State or
Federal requirements that the local educational agen-
cy believes impede educational improvement and that
such local educational agency requests be waived in
accordance with section 161 (such requests shall
promptly be transmitted to the Secretary by the State
educational agency); and
(I) contains such other information as the State
educational agency may reasonably require.
(4) A local educational agency which has approved a
local plan shall submit such plan to the State for approval
together with a description of modifications to such plan
and any comments from the local panel regarding such
plan.
(5) The panel appointed under paragraph (3)(A) shall,
after approval by the State educational agency of the appli-
cation of the local educational agency, monitor the imple-
mentation and effectiveness of the local improvement plan
in close consultation with teachers, related services person-
nel, principals, administrators, community members, and
parents from schools receiving funds under this title, to de-
termine if revisions to the local plan should be recommended
to the local educational agency. The panel shall make public
its findings.
(6)(A) A local educational agency that receives a
subgrant under this subsection shall—
(i) in the first year, use not more than 25 per-
cent of subgrant funds to develop a local improvement
plan or to implement any local educational activities
approved by the State educational agency which are
reasonably related to carrying out the State or local
improvement plans, and not less than 75 percent of
such funds to support individual school improvement
initiatives directly related to providing all students
in the school the opportunity to meet challenging
State content and student performance standards;
and
(ii) in subsequent years, use subgrant funds for
any activities approved by the State educational
agency which are reasonably related to carrying out
the State or local improvement plans, except that at
least 85 percent of such funds shall be made available
to individual schools to develop and implement com-
prehensive school improvement plans which are tai-
lored to meet the needs of their particular student
populations and are designed to help all students
meet challenging State content standards.
(B) At least 50 percent of the funds made available
by a local educational agency to individual schools under
this section in any fiscal year shall be made available to
schools with a special need for such assistance, as indicated
by a high number or percentage of students from low-income
families, low student achievement, or other similar criteria
developed by the local educational agency.
(C) A local educational agency may not use more than
five percent of its annual allotment under this Act for ad-
ministrative expenses.
(7) The State educational agency shall give priority
in awarding a subgrant to—
(A) a consortium of local educational agencies;
or
(B) a local educational agency that makes assur-
ances that funds will be used to assist a consortium
of schools that has developed a plan for school im-
provement.
(b) SUBGRANTS
FOR PRESERVICE TEACHER EDU-
CATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES.—
(1)(A) Each State educational agency shall make subgrants
to consortia of local educational agencies, institutions of
higher education, private nonprofit organizations, or com-
binations thereof, consistent with subsections (a)(1) and
(b)(1) of section 158 through a competitive, peer-reviewed
process to—
(i) improve preservice teacher education pro-
grams consistent with the State plan, including how
to work effectively with parents and the community;
and
(ii) support continuing, sustained professional
development activities for educators which will in-
crease student learning and are consistent with the
State plan.
(B)(i) In order to apply for a subgrant described in
subparagraph (A)(i), a consortium must include at least
one local educational agency and at least one institution
of higher education.
(ii) In order to apply for a subgrant described in sub-
paragraph (A)(ii), a consortium must include at least one
local educational agency.
(2) A consortium that wishes to receive a subgrant
under this subsection shall submit an application to the
State educational agency which—
(A) describes how the applicant will use the
subgrant to improve teacher preservice and school ad-
ministrator education programs or to implement edu-
cator professional development activities consistent
with the State plan;
(B) identifies the criteria to be used by the ap-
plicant to judge improvements in preservice education
or the effects of professional development activities
consistent with the State plan; and
(C) contains any other information that the
State educational agency determines is appropriate.
(3) A recipient of a subgrant under this subsection
shall use the subgrant funds for activities supporting—
(A) the improvement of preservice teacher edu-
cation and school administrator programs so that
such programs equip educators with the subject mat-
ter and pedagogical expertise necessary for preparing
all students to meet challenging standards; or
(B) the development and implementation of new
and improved forms of continuing and sustained pro-
fessional development opportunities for teachers, prin-
cipals, and other educators at the school or district
level that equip educators with such expertise, and
with other knowledge and skills necessary for leading
and participating in continuous education improve-
ment.
(4) A recipient may use the subgrant funds under this
subsection for costs related to release time for teachers to
participate in professional development activities.
(5) Professional development shall include related serv-
ices personnel as appropriate.
(6) In awarding subgrants under this subsection, the
State educational agency shall give priority to local edu-
cational agencies that form partnerships with collegiate
educators to establish professional development school sites.
(c) SPECIAL AWARD RULE.—(1) Each State edu-
cational agency shall award at least 50 percent of subgrant
funds under subsection (a) in each fiscal year to local edu-
cational agencies that have a greater percentage or number
of disadvantaged children than the statewide average per-
centage or number for all local educational agencies in the
State.
(2) The State educational agency may waive the re-
quirement of paragraph (1) if such State does not receive
a sufficient number of applications to comply with such
requirement.
SEC. 160. AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION AND TRAINING.
(a) INFORMATION AND TRAINING.—Proportionate to
the number of children in a State or in a local educational
agency who are enrolled in private elementary or secondary
schools—
(1) a State educational agency or local edu-
cational agency which uses funds under this title to
develop goals, content standards, curricular materials,
and assessments shall, upon request, make informa-
tion related to such goals, standards, materials, and
assessments available to private schools; and
(2) a State educational agency or local edu-
cational agency which uses funds under this title for
teacher and administrator training shall provide in
its plan for the training of teachers and administra-
tors in private schools located in the geographical
area served by such agency.
(b) WAIVER.—If, by reason of any provision of law,
a State or local educational agency is prohibited from pro-
viding for the equitable participation of teachers and ad-
ministrators from private schools in training programs as-
sisted with Federal funds provided under this title, or if
the Secretary determines that a State or local educational
agency has substantially failed or is unwilling to provide
for such participation, the Secretary shall waive such re-
quirements and shall arrange for the provision of training
consistent with State goals and content standards for such
teachers and administrators. Such waivers shall be subject
to consultation, withholding, notice, and judicial review in
accordance with section 1017 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965.
SEC. 161. WAIVERS OF STATUTORY AND REGULATORY RE-
QUIREMENTS.
(a) GENERAL.—(1) Except as provided in subsection
(c), the Secretary may waive any requirement of any stat-
ute listed in subsection (b) or of the regulations issued under
such statute for a State educational agency, local edu-
cational agency, or school that requests such a waiver—
(A) if, and only to the extent that, the Secretary
determines that such requirement impedes the ability
of the State, or of a local educational agency or school
in the State, to carry out the State or local education
improvement plan;
(B) if the State educational agency has waived,
or agrees to waive, similar requirements of State law;
and
(C) if, in the case of a Statewide waiver, the
State educational agency—
(i) provides all local educational agencies
and parent organizations in the State with no-
tice and an opportunity to comment on the pro-
posal of the State educational agency to seek a
waiver; and
(ii) submits the comments of such agencies
to the Secretary.
(2) To request a waiver, a State educational agency,
local educational agency, or school that receives funds under
this Act or a local educational agency that does not receive
funds under this Act but is undertaking school reform efforts
that meet the objectives of the State plan, shall submit an
application to the Secretary that includes—
(A) the identification of statutory or regulatory
requirements that are requested to be waived and the
goals that the State local educational agency or school
intends to achieve;
(B) a description of the action that the State has
undertaken to remove State statutory or regulatory
barriers identified in the applications of local edu-
cational agencies;
(C) a description of the goals of the waiver and
the expected programmatic outcomes if the request is
granted;
(D) the numbers and types of students to be im-
pacted by such waiver;
(E) a timetable for implementing a waiver; and
(F) the process the State will use to monitor, on
a biannual basis, the progress in implementing a
waiver.
(3) The Secretary shall act promptly on a waiver re-
quest and state in writing the reasons for granting or deny-
ing such request. If a waiver is granted, the Secretary must
also include the expected outcome of granting such waiver.
(4) The Secretary’s decision shall be—
(A) published in the Federal Register; and
(B) disseminated by the State educational agen-
cy to interested parties, including educators, parents,
students, advocacy and civil rights organizations,
other interested parties, and the public.
(5) Each such waiver shall be for a period not to exceed
three years. The Secretary may extend such period if the
Secretary determines that the waiver has been effective in
enabling the State or affected local educational agencies to
carry out reform plans.
(b) INCLUDED PROGRAMS.—The statutes subject to the
waiver authority of this section are as follows:
(1) Chapter 1 of title I of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965.
(2) Part A of chapter 2 of title I of the Elemen-
tary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
(3) The Dwight D. Eisenhower Mathematics and
Science Education Act (part A of title II of the Ele-
mentary and Secondary Education Act of 1965).
(4) The Emergency Immigrant Education Act of
1984 (part D of title IV of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965).
(5) The Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act
of 1986 (title V of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965).
(6) The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied
Technology Education Act.
(c) WAIVERS NOT AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary may
not waive any statutory or regulatory requirement of the
programs listed in subsection (b) relating to—
(1) maintenance of effort;
(2) comparability of services;
(3) the equitable participation of students and
professional staff in private schools;
(4) parental participation and involvement; or
(5) the distribution of funds to State or to local
educational agencies.
(d) TERMINATION OF WAIVERS.—The Secretary shall
periodically review the performance of any State, local edu-
cational agency, or school for which the Secretary has
granted a waiver and shall terminate the waiver if the per-
formance of the State, the local educational agency, or the
school in the area affected by the waiver has been inad-
equate to justify a continuation of the waiver.
SEC. 162. PROGRESS REPORTS.
(a) STATE REPORTS
TO
THE SECRETARY.—Each
State educational agency that receives funds under this title
shall annually report to the Secretary regarding—
(1) progress in meeting State goals and plans;
(2) proposed State activities for the succeeding
year; and
(3) in summary form, the progress of local edu-
cational agencies in meeting local goals and plans
and increasing student learning.
(b) SECRETARY’S REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—By April
30, 1996, and every two years thereafter, the Secretary shall
submit a report to the Committee on Education and Labor
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Labor and Human Resources of the Senate describing the
activities and outcomes of grants under—
(1) section 140 of this Act, including—
(A) a description of the purpose, uses, and
technical merit of assessments evaluated with
funds under such section; and
(B) an analysis of the impact of such as-
sessments on the performance of all students,
100
particularly students of different racial, gender,
ethnic, language groups, or individuals with dis-
abilities; and
(2) this title, including a description of the effect
of waivers granted under section 151.
SEC. 163. NATIONAL LEADERSHIP.
(a) ACTIVITIES AUTHORIZED.—From funds reserved
each year under section 154(a)(2)(A), the Secretary shall,
through the Office of Educational Research and Improve-
ment in accordance with the provisions of sections 405 and
406 of the General Education Provisions Act, directly or
through grants or contracts—
(1) provide technical assistance to States and
local educational agencies developing or implementing
school improvement plans, in a manner that ensures
that each such State has access to such assistance;
(2) gather data on, conduct research on, and
evaluate systemic education improvement, including
the programs authorized by this title;
(3) disseminate research findings and other in-
formation on systemic education improvement and
how it affects student learning;
(4) provide grants to tribal divisions of edu-
cation for coordination efforts between school reform
plans developed for schools funded by the Bureau of
101
Indian Affairs and public schools described in section
156(g)(5), including tribal activities in support of
plans; and
(5) support national demonstration projects that
unite local and State educational agencies, institu-
tions of higher education, government, business, and
labor in collaborative arrangements in order to make
educational improvements systemwide.
(b) RESERVATION OF FUNDS.—(1) The Secretary shall
use at least 50 percent of the funds reserved each year under
section 154(a)(2)(A) to make grants, consistent with the
provisions of section 159(a) that the Secretary finds appro-
priate, and provide technical and other assistance to urban
and rural local educational agencies with large numbers or
concentrations of students who are economically disadvan-
taged or who have limited English proficiency, to assist
such agencies in developing and implementing local school
improvement plans.
(2) The Secretary shall use not less than $1,000,000
of the funds reserved the first year under section
154(a)(2)(A) to survey coordinated services programs that
have been found to be successful in helping students and
families and improving student outcomes, and shall dis-
seminate information about such programs to schools that
plan to develop coordinated services programs.
102
SEC. 164. ASSISTANCE TO THE OUTLYING AREAS AND TO
THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.
(a) OUTLYING AREAS.—(1) Funds reserved for outly-
ing areas under section 154(a)(1)(A) shall be distributed
among such areas by the Secretary according to relative
need.
(2) The provisions of Public Law 95–134, permitting
the consolidation of grants to the insular areas, shall not
apply to funds received by such areas under this title.
(b) SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The funds reserved to the Sec-
retary of the Interior under section 154 shall be made
in a payment which shall be pursuant to an agree-
ment between the Secretary and the Secretary of the
Interior containing such assurances and terms as the
Secretary determines shall best achieve the provisions
of this section and this Act. The agreement shall, at
a minimum, contain assurances that—
(A) a panel, as set forth in paragraph (4)
of this subsection, shall be established;
(B) a reform and improvement plan, de-
signed to increase student learning and assist
students in meeting the National Education
Goals, meeting the requirements pertaining to
State improvement plans required in section 156
and providing for the fundamental restructuring
103
and improvement of elementary and secondary
education in schools funded by the Bureau, shall
be developed by such panel; and
(C) the provisions and activities required
under State improvement plans, including the
requirements for timetables for opportunity-to-
learn standards, shall be carried out in the same
time frames and under the same conditions stip-
ulated for the States in sections 155 and 156,
provided that for these purposes, the term ‘‘local
educational agencies’’ shall be interpreted to
mean ‘‘schools funded by the Bureau’’.
(2) VOLUNTARY
SUBMISSION.—The provisions
applicable to the States in section 123 of this Act
shall apply to the Bureau plan with regard to vol-
untary submission of standards and assessment sys-
tems to the National Education Standards and
Improvement Council for review and certification.
(3) PLAN SPECIFICS.—The reform and improve-
ment plan shall include, in addition to the require-
ments referenced above, specific provisions for—
(A) opportunity to learn standards pertain-
ing to residential programs and transportation
costs associated with programs located on or
104
near reservations or serving students in off-res-
ervation residential boarding schools;
(B) review and incorporation of the Na-
tional Education Goals and the voluntary na-
tional content, student performance, and oppor-
tunity-to-learn standards developed under part
B of title II of this Act, provided that such re-
view shall include the issues of cultural and lan-
guage differences; and
(C) provision for coordination of the efforts
of the Bureau with the efforts for school improve-
ment of the States and local educational agencies
in which the schools funded by the Bureau are
located, to include, but not be limited to, the de-
velopment of the partnerships outlined in section
156(g)(5) of the Act.
(4) PANEL.—To carry out the provisions of this
section, and to develop the plan for system-wide re-
form and improvement required under the agreement
required under paragraph (1), the Secretary of the
Interior shall establish a panel coordinated by the As-
sistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs.
Such panel shall consist of—
(A) the Director of the Office of Indian
Education Programs of the Bureau of Indian Af-
105
fairs and two heads of other divisions of such
Bureau as the Assistant Secretary shall des-
ignate;
(B) a designee of the Secretary of Edu-
cation; and
(C) a representative nominated by each of
the following:
(i) The organization representing the
majority of teachers and professional per-
sonnel in schools operated by the Bureau.
(ii) The organization representing the
majority 
of 
nonteaching 
personnel 
in
schools operated by the Bureau, if not the
same organization as in clause (i).
(iii) School administrators of schools
operated by the Bureau.
(iv) Education line officers located in
Bureau area or agency offices serving
schools funded by the Bureau.
(v) The organization representing the
majority of contract or grant schools funded
by the Bureau not serving students on the
Navajo reservation.
(vi) The organization representing the
majority of contract or grant schools funded
106
by the Bureau serving students on the Nav-
ajo reservation.
(vii) The organization representing the
school boards required by statute for schools
operated by the Bureau not serving students
on the Navajo reservation.
(viii) The organization representing
the school boards required by statute for
schools funded by the Bureau serving stu-
dents on the Navajo reservation.
Including the additional members required by para-
graph (5), a majority of the members of such panel
shall be from the entities designated under subpara-
graph (C).
(5) ADDITIONAL
MEMBERS.—In addition, the
members of the panel stipulated above shall designate
for full membership four additional members—
(A) one of whom shall be a representative of
a national organization which represents pri-
marily national Indian education concerns; and
(B) three of whom shall be chairpersons (or
their designees) of Indian tribes with schools
funded by the Bureau on their reservations
(other than those specifically represented by or-
ganizations referred to in paragraph (4)), pro-
107
vided that preference for no less than two of these
members shall be given to Indian tribes with a
significant number of schools funded by the Bu-
reau on their reservations, or with a significant
percentage of their children enrolled in schools
funded by the Bureau.
(c) BIA COST ANALYSIS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—(A) The Secretary of the Inte-
rior shall reserve from the first allotment made to the
Department of the Interior pursuant to section 154
an amount not to exceed $500,000 to provide, through
the National Academy of Sciences, for an analysis of
the costs associated with meeting the academic and
home-living/residential standards of the Bureau of In-
dian Affairs for each school funded by such Bureau.
The purpose of such analysis shall be to provide the
Bureau and the Panel with baseline data regarding
the current state of operations funded by the Bureau
and to provide a framework for addressing the imple-
mentation of opportunity-to-learn standards.
(B) The results of such analysis shall be re-
ported, in aggregate and school specific form, to the
chairpersons and ranking minority members of the
Committees on Education and Labor and Appropria-
tions of the House of Representatives and the Select
108
Committee on Indian Affairs and the Committee on
Appropriations of the Senate, and to the Secretary of
the Interior, the Secretary of Education (who shall
transmit the report to the proper entities under this
Act), and the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for
Indian Affairs, not later than 6 months after the date
of enactment of this Act.
(2) CONTENT.—Such analysis shall evaluate the
costs of providing a program in each school for the
next succeeding academic year and shall be based
on—
(A) the standards either published in the
Federal Register as having effect in schools oper-
ated by the Bureau on the date of enactment of
this Act or the standards incorporated into each
grant or contract in effect on such date with a
tribally controlled school funded under section
1128 of Public Law 95–561 (as amended);
(B) the best projections of student counts
and demographics, as provided by the Bureau
and as independently reviewed by the Academy;
and
(C) the pay and benefit schedules and other
personnel requirements for each school operated
109
by the Bureau, as existing on the date of enact-
ment.
(d) SECRETARY OF DEFENSE.—The Secretary shall
consult with the Secretary of Defense to ensure that, to the
extent practicable, the purposes of this title are applied to
the Department of Defense schools.
PART D—NATIONAL SKILL STANDARDS BOARD
SEC. 171. PURPOSE.
It is the purpose of this title to establish a National
Board to serve as a catalyst in stimulating the development
and adoption of a voluntary national system of skill stand-
ards and certification that will serve as a cornerstone of
the national strategy to enhance workforce skills, and that
can be used, consistent with Federal civil rights laws—
(1) by the Nation, to ensure the development of
a high skills, high quality, high performance
workforce, including the most skilled front-line
workforce in the world, and that will result in in-
creased productivity, economic growth and American
economic competitiveness;
(2) by industries, as a vehicle for informing
training providers and prospective employees of skills
necessary for employment;
110
(3) by employers, to assist in evaluating the skill
levels of prospective employees and to assist in the
training of current employees;
(4) by labor organizations, to enhance the em-
ployment security of workers by providing portable
credentials and skills;
(5) by workers, to obtain certifications of their
skills to protect against dislocation, to pursue career
advancement, and to enhance their ability to reenter
the workforce;
(6) by students and entry level workers, to deter-
mine the skill levels and competencies needed to be ob-
tained in order to compete effectively for high wage
jobs;
(7) by training providers and educators, to de-
termine appropriate training services to offer;
(8) by Government, to evaluate whether publicly-
funded training assists participants to meet skill
standards where they exist and thereby protect the in-
tegrity of public expenditures;
(9) to facilitate the transition to high perform-
ance work organizations;
(10) to increase opportunities for minorities and
women, including removing barriers to the entry of
women in non-traditional employment; and
111
(11) to facilitate linkages between other compo-
nents of the workforce investment strategy, including
school-to-work transition, secondary and postsecond-
ary vocational-technical education, and job training
programs.
SEC. 172. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL BOARD.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established a National
Skill Standards Board (in this title referred to as the
‘‘National Board’’).
(b) COMPOSITION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The National Board shall be
composed of 28 members, appointed in accordance
with paragraph (3), of whom—
(A) one member shall be the Secretary of
Labor;
(B) one member shall be the Secretary of
Education;
(C) one member shall be the Secretary of
Commerce;
(D) one member shall be the Chairperson of
the National Education Standards and Improve-
ment Council established pursuant to section
122(a);
(E) eight members shall be representatives
of small and large business and industry selected
112
from among individuals recommended by recog-
nized national business organizations and trade
associations;
(F) eight members shall be representatives of
organized labor selected from among individuals
recommended by recognized national labor fed-
erations; and
(G) eight members shall be representatives
from the following groups, with at least one
member from each group:
(i) Educational institutions.
(ii) Community-based organizations.
(iii) State and local governments.
(iv) 
Nongovernmental 
organizations
with a demonstrated history of successfully
protecting the rights of racial, ethnic and
religious minorities, women, persons with
disabilities or older persons.
(2) DIVERSITY
REQUIREMENTS.—The members
described in subparagraph (G) of paragraph (1) shall
have expertise in the area of education and training.
The members described in subparagraphs (E), (F),
and (G) of paragraph (1) shall—
(A) in the aggregate, represent a broad
cross-section of occupations and industries; and
113
(B) to the extent feasible, be geographically
representative of the United States and reflect
the racial, ethnic and gender diversity of the
United States.
(3) APPOINTMENT.—The membership of the Na-
tional Board shall be appointed as follows:
(A) Twelve members (four from each class of
members described in subparagraphs (E), (F),
and (G) of paragraph (1)) shall be appointed by
the President.
(B) Six members (two from each class of
members described in subparagraphs (E), (F),
and (G) of paragraph (1)) shall be appointed by
the Speaker of the House of Representatives, of
whom three members (one from each class of
members described in subparagraphs (E), (F),
and (G) of paragraph (1)) shall be selected from
recommendations made by the Majority Leader
of the House of Representatives and three mem-
bers (one from each class of members described in
subparagraphs (E), (F), and (G) of paragraph
(1)) shall be selected from recommendations
made by the Minority Leader of the House of
Representatives.
114
(C) Six members (two from each class of
members described in subparagraphs (E), (F),
and (G) of paragraph (1)) shall be appointed by
the President pro tempore of the Senate, of whom
three members (one from each class of members
described in subparagraphs (E), (F), and (G) of
paragraph (1)) shall be selected from rec-
ommendations made by the Majority Leader of
the Senate and three members (one from each
class of members described in subparagraphs (E),
(F), and (G) of paragraph (1)) shall be selected
from recommendations made by the Minority
Leader of the Senate.
(4) TERM.—Each member of the National Board
appointed under subparagraphs (E), (F), and (G) of
paragraph (1) shall be appointed for a term of 4
years, except that of the initial members of the Board
appointed under such paragraph—
(A) twelve members shall be appointed for a
term of 3 years (four from each class of members
described in subparagraphs (E), (F), and (G) of
paragraph (1)), of whom—
(i) two from each class shall be ap-
pointed in accordance with paragraph
(3)(A);
115
(ii) one from each such class shall be
appointed in accordance with paragraph
(3)(B); and
(iii) one from each such class shall be
appointed in accordance with paragraph
(3)(C); and
(B) twelve members shall be appointed for
a term of 4 years (four from each class of mem-
bers described in subparagraphs (E), (F), and
(G) of paragraph (1)), of whom—
(i) two from each such class shall be
appointed in accordance with paragraph
(3)(A);
(ii) one from each such class shall be
appointed in accordance with paragraph
(3)(B); and
(iii) one from each such class shall be
appointed in accordance with paragraph
(3)(C).
(c) CHAIRPERSON AND VICE CHAIRPERSONS.—
(1) CHAIRPERSON.—The National Board shall
biennially elect a Chairperson from among the mem-
bers of the National Board by a majority vote of such
members.
116
(2) VICE CHAIRPERSONS.—The National Board
shall annually elect 3 Vice Chairpersons (each rep-
resenting a different class of the classes of members
described in subparagraphs (E), (F), and (G) of sub-
section (b)(1)) from among its members appointed
under subsection (b)(3) by a majority vote of such
members, each of whom shall serve for a term of 1
year.
(d) COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES.—
(1) COMPENSATION.—Members of the National
Board who are not regular full-time employees or offi-
cers of the Federal Government shall serve without
compensation.
(2) EXPENSES.—The members of the National
Board shall receive travel expenses, including per
diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with sub-
chapter I of chapter 57, title 5, United States Code,
while away from their homes or regular places of
business in the performance of services for the Na-
tional Board.
(e) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND STAFF.—The Chair-
person of the National Board shall appoint an Executive
Director, who shall be compensated at a rate determined
by the National Board that shall not exceed the rate of pay
for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316
117
of title 5, United States Code, and who shall appoint such
staff as is necessary in accordance with title 5, United
States Code. Such staff shall include at least one individual
with expertise in measurement and assessment.
(f) AGENCY SUPPORT.—
(1) USE OF FACILITIES.—The National Board
may use the research, equipment, services and facili-
ties of any agency or instrumentality of the United
States with the consent of such agency or instrumen-
tality.
(2) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon the
request of the National Board, the head of any de-
partment or agency of the United States may detail
to the National Board, on a reimbursable basis, any
of the personnel of such department or agency to as-
sist the National Board in carrying out this title.
(g) CONFLICT OF INTEREST.—An individual who has
served as a member of the National Board may not have
any financial interest in an assessment and certification
system developed or endorsed under this title for a period
of three years after the termination of service of such indi-
vidual from the National Board.
SEC. 173. FUNCTIONS OF THE NATIONAL BOARD.
(a) IDENTIFICATION OF OCCUPATIONAL CLUSTERS.—
118
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), the
National Board, after extensive public review and
comment and study of the national labor market,
shall identify broad clusters of major occupations that
involve one or more than one industry in the United
States.
(2) PROCEDURES
FOR
IDENTIFICATION.—Prior
to identifying broad clusters of major occupations
under paragraph (1), the National Board shall—
(A) develop procedures for the identification
of such clusters;
(B) publish such procedures in the Federal
Register; and
(C) allow for extensive public review of and
comment on such procedures.
(b) VOLUNTARY PARTNERSHIPS TO DEVELOP STAND-
ARDS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—For each of the occupational
clusters identified pursuant to subsection (a), the Na-
tional Board shall encourage and facilitate the estab-
lishment of voluntary partnerships to develop a skill
standards system in accordance with subsection (d).
(2) REPRESENTATIVES.—Such voluntary part-
nerships shall include the full and balanced partici-
pation of—
119
(A) representatives of business and industry
who have expertise in the area of workforce skill
requirements, including representatives of large
and small employers, recommended by national
business organizations and trade associations
representing employers in the occupation or in-
dustry for which a standard is being developed,
and representatives of trade associations that
have received demonstration grants from the De-
partment of Labor or the Department of Edu-
cation to establish skill standards prior to the
enactment of this title;
(B) employee representatives who have ex-
pertise in the area of workforce skill require-
ments and who shall be—
(i) individuals recommended by recog-
nized national labor organizations rep-
resenting employees in the occupation or in-
dustry for which a standard is being devel-
oped; and
(ii) such other individuals who are
nonmanagerial employees with significant
experience and tenure in such occupation or
industry as are appropriate given the na-
120
ture and structure of employment in the oc-
cupation or industry;
(C) representatives of—
(i) educational institutions;
(ii) community-based organizations;
(iii) State and local agencies with ad-
ministrative control or direction over edu-
cation, vocational-technical education, or
employment and training;
(iv) other policy development organiza-
tions with expertise in the area of workforce
skill requirements; and
(v) 
non-governmental 
organizations
with a demonstrated history of successfully
protecting the rights of racial, ethnic, and
religious minorities, women, individuals
with disabilities, and older persons; and
(D) individuals with expertise in measure-
ment and assessment, including relevant experi-
ence in designing unbiased assessments and per-
formance-based assessments.
(3) EXPERTS.—The partnerships described in
paragraph (1) may also include such other individ-
uals who are independent, qualified experts in their
fields.
121
(c) RESEARCH, DISSEMINATION, 
AND
COORDINA-
TION.—In order to support the development of a skill stand-
ards system in accordance with subsection (d), the National
Board shall—
(1) conduct workforce research relating to skill
standards (including research relating to how to use
skill standards in compliance with civil rights laws)
and make such research available to the public, in-
cluding the partnerships described in subsection (b);
(2) identify and maintain a catalog of skill
standards used by other countries and by States and
leading firms and industries in the United States;
(3) serve as a clearinghouse to facilitate the shar-
ing of information on the development of skill stand-
ards and other relevant information among represent-
atives of occupations and industries identified pursu-
ant to subsection (a), the voluntary partnerships rec-
ognized pursuant to subsection (b), and among edu-
cation and training providers through such mecha-
nisms as the Capacity Building and Information and
Dissemination Network established under section
453(b) of the Job Training Partnership Act;
(4) develop a common nomenclature relating to
skill standards;
122
(5) encourage the development and adoption of
curricula and training materials for attaining the
skill standards developed pursuant to subsection (d)
that include structured work experiences and related
study programs leading to progressive levels of profes-
sional and technical certification and postsecondary
education;
(6) provide appropriate technical assistance; and
(7) facilitate coordination among voluntary
partnerships that meet the requirements of subsection
(b) to promote the development of a coherent national
system of voluntary skill standards.
(d) ENDORSEMENT OF SKILL STANDARDS SYSTEMS.—
(1) 
DEVELOPMENT
OF
ENDORSEMENT
CRI-
TERIA.—
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The National Board,
after extensive public consultation, shall develop
objective criteria for endorsing skills standards
systems relating to the occupational clusters
identified pursuant to subsection (a). Such cri-
teria shall, at a minimum, include the compo-
nents of a skill standards system described in
subparagraph (B). The endorsement criteria
shall be published in the Federal Register, and
updated as appropriate.
123
(B) COMPONENTS OF SYSTEM.—The compo-
nents of a skill standards systems shall include
the following:
(i) Voluntary skill standards, which at
a minimum—
(I) meet or exceed, to the extent
practicable, the highest standards used
in other countries and the highest
international standards;
(II) meet or exceed the highest ap-
plicable standards used in the United
States, including apprenticeship stand-
ards registered under the National Ap-
prenticeship Act;
(III) take into account content
and performance standards certified
pursuant to title II;
(IV) take into account the require-
ments of high performance work orga-
nizations;
(V) are in a form that allows for
regular updating to take into account
advances in technology or other devel-
opments within the occupational clus-
ter;
124
(VI) are formulated in such a
manner that promotes the portability
of credentials and facilitates worker
mobility within an occupational clus-
ter or industry and among industries;
and
(VII) are not discriminatory with
respect to race, color, gender, age, reli-
gion, ethnicity, disability, or national
origin, consistent with Federal civil
rights laws.
(ii) A voluntary assessment system and
certification of the attainment of skill
standards developed pursuant to subpara-
graph (A), which at a minimum—
(I) takes into account, to the ex-
tent practicable, methods of assessment
and certification used in other coun-
tries;
(II) utilizes a variety of evalua-
tion techniques, including, where ap-
propriate, oral and written evalua-
tions, portfolio assessments and per-
formance tests; and
126
pursuant to subparagraph (C) for inform-
ing the users of such standards and systems
of the requirements of relevant civil rights
laws.
(v) A system to periodically revise and
update the skill standards, and assessment
and certification systems developed pursu-
ant to this paragraph, which will take into
account changes in standards in other coun-
tries.
(2) ENDORSEMENT.—The National Board, after
extensive public review and comment, shall endorse
those skill standards systems relating to the occupa-
tional clusters identified pursuant to subsection (a)
that—
(A) meet the objective endorsement criteria
that are developed pursuant to paragraph (1);
and
(B) are submitted by partnerships that meet
the representation requirements of subsection
(b)(2).
(e) 
RELATIONSHIP
WITH
ANTIDISCRIMINATION
LAWS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this title shall be
construed to modify or affect any Federal or State
127
law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race,
religion, color, ethnicity, national origin, gender, age,
or disability.
(2) EVIDENCE.—The endorsement or absence of
an endorsement by the Board of a skill standard or
assessment and certification system under subsection
(d) shall not be used in any action or proceeding to
establish that the skill standard or assessment and
certification system conforms or does not conform to
the requirements of civil rights laws.
(f) COORDINATION WITH EDUCATION STANDARDS.—
The National Board shall establish cooperative arrange-
ments with the National Education Standards and Im-
provement Council to promote the coordination of the devel-
opment of skill standards under this title with the develop-
ment of content and performance standards under title II.
(g) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—From funds appropriated
pursuant to section 166(a), the Secretary of Labor
may award grants (including grants to the voluntary
partnerships in accordance with paragraph (2)) and
enter into contracts and cooperative arrangements
that are requested by the National Board for the pur-
poses of carrying out this title.
128
(2) GRANT
PROGRAMS
FOR
VOLUNTARY
PART-
NERSHIPS.—
(A) ELIGIBILITY
AND
APPLICATION.—Vol-
untary partnerships that meet the requirements
of subsection (b) shall be eligible to apply for a
grant under this subsection. Each such voluntary
partnership desiring a grant shall submit an ap-
plication to the National Board at such time, in
such manner, and accompanied by such informa-
tion as the National Board may reasonably re-
quire.
(B) REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION.—The
National Board shall review each application
submitted pursuant to subparagraph (A) in ac-
cordance with the objective criteria published
pursuant to subparagraph (C) and shall forward
each such application to the Secretary of Labor
accompanied by a recommendation for the ap-
proval or disapproval of each such application
by the Secretary.
(C) CRITERIA FOR REVIEW.—Prior to each
fiscal year, the National Board shall publish ob-
jective criteria to be used by the Board in re-
viewing applications under subparagraph (B).
(3) LIMITATION ON THE USE OF FUNDS.—
129
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not more than 20 per-
cent of the funds appropriated under section
166(a) for each fiscal year shall be used by the
National Board for the costs of administration.
(B) COSTS OF ADMINISTRATION DEFINED.—
For purposes of this paragraph, the term ‘‘costs
of administration’’ means costs relating to staff,
supplies, equipment, space, travel and per diem,
costs of conducting meetings and conferences,
and other related costs.
SEC. 174. DEADLINES.
Not later than December 31, 1996, the National Board
shall—
(1) identify occupational clusters pursuant to
section 163(a) representing a substantial portion of
the workforce; and
(2) promote the development of an initial set of
skill standards in accordance with section 163(d) for
such clusters.
SEC. 175. REPORTS.
The National Board shall submit to the President and
the Congress in each fiscal year a report on the activities
conducted under this title, including the extent to which
skill standards have been adopted by employers, training
providers, and other entities and the effectiveness of such
130
standards in accomplishing the purposes described in sec-
tion 161.
SEC. 176. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated $15,000,000 for fiscal year 1994 and such sums as
may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1995 through
1998 to carry out this title.
(b) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts appropriated pursuant
to subsection (a) shall remain available until expended.
SEC. 177. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this title, the following definitions
apply:
(1) COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS.—The
term ‘‘community-based organizations’’ means such
organizations as defined in section 4(5) of the Job
Training Partnership Act.
(2) 
EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTION.—The 
term
‘‘educational institution’’ means a high school, a vo-
cational school, and an institution of higher edu-
cation.
(3) SKILL STANDARD.—The term ‘‘skill stand-
ard’’ means the level of knowledge and competence re-
quired to successfully perform work-related functions
within an occupational cluster.
131
PART E—MISCELLANEOUS
SEC. 181. DEFINITIONS.
As used in this Act—
(1) the terms ‘‘all students’’ and ‘‘all children’’
mean students or children from a broad range of
backgrounds and circumstances, including disadvan-
taged students, students with diverse racial, ethnic,
and cultural backgrounds, American Indians, Alaska
Natives, Native Hawaiians, students with disabilities,
students with limited-English proficiency, migrant
children, school-aged children who have dropped out,
migrant children, and academically talented students;
(2) the term ‘‘assessment system’’ means meas-
ures of student performance which include at least 1
test, and may include other measures of student per-
formance, for a specific purpose and use which are
intended to evaluate the progress of all students in the
State toward learning the material in State content
standards in 1 or more subject areas;
(3) the terms ‘‘community’’, ‘‘public’’, and ‘‘ad-
vocacy group’’ are to be interpreted to include rep-
resentatives of organizations advocating for the edu-
cation of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Na-
tive Hawaiian children and Indian tribes;
132
(4) the term ‘‘content standards’’ means broad
descriptions of the knowledge and skills students
should acquire in a particular subject area;
(5) the term ‘‘Governor’’ means the chief execu-
tive of the State;
(6) the terms ‘‘local educational agency’’ and
‘‘State educational agency’’ have the meaning given
those terms in section 1471 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965;
(7) the term ‘‘opportunity-to-learn standards’’
means the criteria for, and the basis of, assessing the
sufficiency or quality of the resources, practices, and
conditions necessary at each level of the education
system (schools, local educational agencies, and
States) to provide all students with an opportunity to
learn the material in national or State content stand-
ards;
(8) the term ‘‘outlying areas’’ means Guam,
American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the Common-
wealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Palau
(until the effective date of the Compact of Free Asso-
ciation with the Government of Palau);
(9) the term ‘‘performance standards’’ means
concrete examples and explicit definitions of what
students have to know and be able to do to dem-
133
onstrate that they are proficient in the skills and
knowledge framed by content standards;
(10) the term ‘‘related services’’ has the same
meaning given such term under section 602(17) of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act;
(11) the term ‘‘school’’ means a school that is
under the authority of the State educational agency
and a local educational agency or, for the purpose of
carrying out section 164(b), a school that is operated
or funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs;
(12) the term ‘‘Secretary’’, except where used in
title IV, means the Secretary of Education; and
(13) except as otherwise provided, the term
‘‘State’’ means each of the 50 States, the District of
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and
each of the outlying areas.
SEC. 182. LIMITATIONS.
(a) ASSESSMENTS.—No funds provided under titles II
or III of this Act shall be used to undertake assessments
that will be used to make decisions regarding the gradua-
tion, grade promotion, or retention of students for five years
after the date of enactment of this Act.
(b) PUBLIC SCHOOL.—Nothing in this Act shall be
construed to authorize the use of funds under title III (ex-
134
cept as provided in section 160) to directly or indirectly
benefit any school other than a public school.
SEC. 183. ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS AC-
TIVITIES.
Section 421(h) of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and
Applied Technology Education Act (20 U.S.C. 2421(h)) is
amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ after ‘‘(h)’’; and
(2) by inserting at the end the following:
‘‘(2)(A) Notwithstanding any provision of section 406
of the General Education Provisions Act, the Commissioner
of Education Statistics may authorize a State educational
agency or a consortium of such agencies to use items and
data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress
for the purpose of evaluating a course of study related to
vocational education, if the Commissioner has determined,
in writing, that such use will not—
‘‘(i) result in the identification of characteristics
or performance of individual students or schools;
‘‘(ii) result in the ranking or comparing of
schools or local educational agencies;
‘‘(iii) be used to evaluate the performance of
teachers, principals, or other local educators for the
purpose of dispensing rewards or punishments; or
135
‘‘(iv) corrupt or harm the use and value of data
collected for the National Assessment of Educational
Progress.
‘‘(B) Not later than 60 days after making an author-
ization under subsection (a), the Commissioner shall submit
to the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of
Representatives and to the Committee on Labor and
Human Resources of the Senate, a report which contains—
‘‘(i) a copy of the request for such authorization;
‘‘(ii) a copy of the written determination under
subsection (a); and
‘‘(iii) a description of the details and duration
of such authorization.
‘‘(C) The Commissioner may not grant more than one
such authorization in any fiscal year and shall ensure that
the authorized use of items or data from the National As-
sessment is evaluated for technical merit and for its affect
on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The
results of such evaluations shall be promptly reported to the
committees specified in subparagraph (B).’’.
SEC. 184. COMPLIANCE WITH BUY AMERICAN ACT.
No funds appropriated pursuant to this Act may be
expended by an entity unless the entity agrees that in ex-
pending the assistance the entity will comply with sections
136
2 through 4 of the Act of March 3, 1993 (41 U.S.C. 10a–
10c, popularly known as the ‘‘Buy American Act’’).
SEC. 185. SENSE OF CONGRESS; REQUIREMENT REGARDING
NOTICE.
(a) PURCHASE OF AMERICAN-MADE EQUIPMENT AND
PRODUCTS.—In the case of any equipment or products that
may be authorized to be purchased with financial assistance
provided under this Act, it is the sense of the Congress that
entities receiving such assistance should, in expending the
assistance, purchase only American-made equipment and
products.
(b) NOTICE TO RECIPIENTS OF ASSISTANCE.—In pro-
viding financial assistance under this Act, the head of each
Federal agency shall provide to each recipient of the assist-
ance a notice describing the statement made in subsection
(a) by the Congress.
SEC. 186. PROHIBITION OF CONTRACTS.
If it has been finally determined by a court or Federal
agency that any person intentionally affixed a label bearing
a ‘‘Made in America’’ inscription, or any inscription with
the same meaning to any product sold in or shipped to the
United States that is not made in the United States, such
person shall be ineligible to receive any contract or sub-
contract made with funds provided pursuant to this Act,
pursuant to the debarment, suspension, and ineligibility
137
procedures described in section 9.400 through 9.409 of title
48, Code of Federal Regulations.
PART F—PARENTAL INFORMATION AND
RESOURCES
SEC. 191. PARENTAL INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary of Education is
authorized to make grants each year to nonprofit organiza-
tions for the purpose of providing training and information
to parents of children, aged birth to 5 years, and children
enrolled in participating schools and to individuals who
work with such parents to encourage a more effective work-
ing relationship with professionals in meeting the edu-
cational needs of children, aged birth to 5 years, and chil-
dren enrolled in participating schools.
(b) GRANTS.—Such grants shall—
(1) be designed to meet the unique training and
information needs of parents of children, aged birth
to 5 years, and children enrolled in participating
schools, particularly parents who are severely dis-
advantaged educationally or economically;
(2) be distributed geographically to the greatest
extent possible throughout all the States and give pri-
ority to grants which serve areas with high concentra-
tions of low-income families;
138
(3) be targeted to parents of children, aged birth
to 5 years, and children enrolled in participating
schools in rural, suburban, and urban areas;
(4) serve parents of low-income and minority
children, aged birth to 5 years, and children enrolled
in participating schools, including limited-English-
proficient children;
(5) be funded at a sufficient size, scope, and
quality to ensure that the program is adequate to
serve the parents in the area; and
(6) include funds to establish, expand, and oper-
ate Teachers as Parents programs.
SEC. 192. ELIGIBILITY.
(a) REPRESENTATION.—To receive a grant under sec-
tion 191, a nonprofit organization shall meet the following
requirements:
(1) Be governed by a board of directors in which
the membership includes, or be an organization that
represents the interests of, parents and establish a
special advisory committee in which the membership
includes—
(A) parents of children, aged birth to 5
years, and children enrolled in participating
schools; and
139
(B) representation of education profes-
sionals with expertise in improving services for
disadvantaged children.
(2) Provide that the parent and professional
membership of the board or special advisory commit-
tee is broadly representative of minority, low-income,
and other individuals and groups that have an inter-
est in compensatory education and family literacy.
(3) Demonstrate the capacity and expertise to
conduct effective training and information activities
for which a grant may be made.
(4) Network with clearinghouses, other organiza-
tions and agencies, and with other established na-
tional, State, and local parent groups representing
the full range of parents of children, aged birth to 5
years, and children enrolled in participating schools,
especially parents of low-income and minority chil-
dren.
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—The Board of Directors or spe-
cial governing committee of an organization receiving a
grant under this title shall meet at least once each calendar
quarter to review the parent training and information ac-
tivities for which the grant is made.
(c) GRANT RENEWAL.—Whenever an organization re-
quests the renewal of a grant under section 191 for a fiscal
140
year, the Board of Directors or the special advisory commit-
tee shall submit to the Secretary a written review of the
parent training and information program conducted by
such organization during the preceding fiscal year.
SEC. 193. USES OF FUNDS.
Grants received under this title may be used—
(1) for parent training and information pro-
grams that assist parents to—
(A) better understand their children’s edu-
cational needs;
(B) provide follow up support for their chil-
dren’s educational achievement;
(C) communicate more effectively with
teachers, counselors, administrators, and other
professional educators and support staff;
(D) participate in the design and provision
of assistance to students who are not making
adequate progress;
(E) obtain information about the range of
options, programs, services, and resources avail-
able at the national, State, and local levels to as-
sist parents of children, aged birth to 5 years,
and children enrolled in participating schools
and their parents;
141
(F) seek technical assistance regarding com-
pliance with the requirements of this Act and of
other Federal programs relevant to achieving the
goals of this Act;
(G) participate in State and local decision-
making;
(H) train other parents; and
(I) plan, implement, and fund activities
that coordinate the education of their children
with other Federal programs that serve such chil-
dren or their families;
(2) to include State or local educational person-
nel where such participation would further an objec-
tive of the program assisted by the grant; and
(3) to establish a parent training and informa-
tion center to carry out the activities in paragraphs
(1) and (2) and to represent parent interests at the
State level, including participation in the design of
the public outreach process described in section
156(b)(6), submitting recommendations concerning
State standards and plans, and commenting on pro-
posed waivers under this Act.
SEC. 194. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
The Secretary shall provide technical assistance, by
grant or contract, for the establishment, development, and
142
coordination of parent training and information programs
and centers.
SEC. 195. EXPERIMENTAL CENTERS.
After the establishment in each State of a parent train-
ing and information center, the Secretary shall provide for
the establishment of 5 additional experimental centers, 3
to be located in urban areas and 2 in rural areas where
there are large concentrations of poverty.
SEC. 196. REPORTS.
Not later than June 30, 1995, and not later than June
30 each succeeding year, the Secretary shall obtain data
concerning programs and centers assisted under this title,
including—
(1) the number of parents, including the number
of minority and limited-English-proficient parents,
who receive information and training;
(2) the types and modes of information or train-
ing provided; and
(3) the strategies used to reach and serve parents
of minority and limited-English-proficient children
and parents with limited literacy skills.
SEC. 197. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for
fiscal year 1994 and such sums as may be necessary for
each of the fiscal years 1995 through 1998.
143
TITLE 
II—EDUCATIONAL 
RE-
SEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND
DISSEMINATION EXCELLENCE
ACT
SEC. 201. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows with respect to improv-
ing education in the United States:
(1) A majority of public schools in the United
States are failing to adequately prepare their stu-
dents. To achieve the national education goals set
forth by the President and the governors of the States,
an overwhelming campaign for educational improve-
ment must be mounted in order to set in motion
many strategies and models designed to encourage
and support school restructuring. The Federal Gov-
ernment must support an extensive program of edu-
cational research, development, dissemination, rep-
lication and assistance to identify and support the
best responses for the challenges ahead. A significant
investment in attaining a deeper understanding of the
processes of learning and schooling and developing
new ideas holds the best hope of making a substantial
difference to the lives of every school and student in
the United States. The Office of Educational Research
and Improvement of the Department of Education
144
should be at the center of this campaign in order to
coordinate such efforts.
(2) The Federal role in educational research has
been 
closely 
identified 
with 
youths 
who 
are
socioeconomically disadvantaged, belong to a language
minority, or are disabled. However, in 1988, the Fed-
eral commitment to education was sufficient to serve
not more than—
(A) 1 out of every 5 low-income children in
need of preschool education;
(B) 2 out of every 5 children in need of re-
mediation;
(C) 1 out of every 4 children in need of bi-
lingual education; and
(D) 1 out of every 20 youths in need of job
training.
(3) The failure of the Federal Government to
adequately invest in educational research and devel-
opment has denied the Nation a sound foundation on
which to design school improvements, leading to a
history of faddism and failed experimentation result-
ing in a dearth of research in the area of education-
ally at-risk students. This situation is of particular
concern because at least half of the public school stu-
dents in 25 of the largest cities of the United States
145
are minority children, and demographers project that,
by 2005, almost all urban public school students will
be minority children or other children in poverty.
(4) The investment goal of the Federal research,
development, and dissemination function should be at
least 1 percent of the total amount of funds spent on
education nationally.
(5) Nationwide model programs and reliable
interventions should be demonstrated and replicated,
and for such purposes, programs should be established
to conduct research and evaluations, and to dissemi-
nate information.
(6) The Office of Educational Research and Im-
provement must develop a national dissemination
policy that will advance the goal of placing a na-
tional treasure chest of research results, models, and
materials at the disposal of the Nation’s education
decisionmakers.
(7) A National Educational Research Policy and
Priorities Board should be established to ensure that
an educational research and dissemination agenda is
developed and implemented without partisan political
interference.
(8) Existing research and development entities
should adopt expanded, proactive roles and new insti-
146
tutions must be created to promote knowledge develop-
ment necessary to accelerate the application of re-
search knowledge to high priority areas.
(9) Greater use should be made of existing tech-
nologies in efforts to improve the Nation’s educational
system, including efforts to disseminate research find-
ings.
(10) Minority educational researchers are inad-
equately represented throughout the Department of
Education, but particularly in the Office of Edu-
cational Research and Improvement. The Office there-
fore must assume a leadership position in the recruit-
ment, retention, and promotion of qualified minority
educational researchers.
(11) The coordination of the mission of the Office
of Educational Research and Improvement with that
of other components of the Department of Education
is critical. It must improve the coordination of the
educational research, development, and dissemination
function with those of other Federal agencies.
147
PART A—GENERAL PROVISIONS REGARDING OF-
FICE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND IM-
PROVEMENT
SEC. 211. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
Section 405 of the General Education Provisions Act
(20 U.S.C. 1221e) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT
‘‘SEC. 405. (a) DECLARATION OF POLICY REGARDING
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Congress declares it to
be the policy of the United States to provide to every
individual an equal opportunity to receive an edu-
cation of high quality regardless of race, color, reli-
gion, sex, age, disability, national origin, or social
class. Although the American educational system has
pursued this objective, it has not attained the objec-
tive. Inequalities of opportunity to receive high qual-
ity education remain pronounced. To achieve the goal
of quality education requires the continued pursuit of
knowledge about education through research, develop-
ment, improvement activities, data collection, syn-
thesis, technical assistance, and information dissemi-
nation. While the direction of American education re-
mains primarily the responsibility of State and local
governments, the Federal Government has a clear re-
sponsibility to provide leadership in the conduct and
148
support of scientific inquiry into the educational
process.
‘‘(2) MISSION OF OFFICE.—
‘‘(A) The mission of the Office of Edu-
cational Research and Improvement shall be to
provide national leadership in—
‘‘(i) expanding fundamental knowledge
and understanding of education;
‘‘(ii) promoting excellence and equity
in education; and
‘‘(iii) monitoring the state of edu-
cation.
‘‘(B) The mission of the Office shall be ac-
complished in collaboration with researchers,
teachers, school administrators, parents, stu-
dents, employers, and policymakers.
‘‘(b) PURPOSE AND STRUCTURE OF OFFICE.—
‘‘(1) 
IN
GENERAL.—The 
Secretary, 
acting
through the Office of Educational Research and Im-
provement, shall carry out the policies set forth in
subsection (a). In carrying out such policies, the Sec-
retary shall be guided by the priorities established by
the Board of Governors established in section 405A.
149
‘‘(2) ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE.—The Office
shall be administered by the Assistant Secretary and
shall include—
‘‘(A) the National Educational Research
Policy and Priorities Board established by sec-
tion 405A;
‘‘(B) the national research institutes estab-
lished by section 405B;
‘‘(C) the national education dissemination
system established by section 405C;
‘‘(D) the National Library of Education es-
tablished by section 405D;
‘‘(E) the National Center for Education
Statistics established by section 406; and
‘‘(F) such other units as the Secretary
deems appropriate to carry out the purposes of
the Office.
‘‘(3) PRIORITIES IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOP-
MENT.—The Office shall, in accordance with the pro-
visions of this section, seek to improve education in
the United States through concentrating the resources
of the Office on the following priority research and
development needs:
‘‘(A) The education of at-risk students.
150
‘‘(B) The education and development of
young children.
‘‘(C) Student achievement in elementary
and secondary school.
‘‘(D) Postsecondary education, libraries,
and lifelong learning for adults.
‘‘(E) The improvement of schools through
the restructuring and reform of school govern-
ance, policymaking, finance and management at
the State, local, school building, and classroom
level.
‘‘(c) APPOINTMENT OF EMPLOYEES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary may
appoint, for terms not to exceed three years (without
regard to the provisions of title 5 of the United States
Code governing appointment in the competitive serv-
ice) and may compensate (without regard to the pro-
visions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53
of such title relating to classification and General
Schedule pay rates) such scientific or technical em-
ployees of the Office as the Assistant Secretary consid-
ers necessary to accomplish its functions, provided
that—
‘‘(A) at least 60 days prior to the appoint-
ment of any such employee, public notice is
151
given of the availability of such position and an
opportunity is provided for qualified individuals
to apply and compete for such position;
‘‘(B) the rate of basic pay for such employ-
ees does not exceed the maximum rate of basic
pay payable for positions at GS–15, as deter-
mined in accordance with section 5376 of title 5,
United States Code;
‘‘(C) the appointment of such employee is
necessary to provide the Office with scientific or
technical expertise which could not otherwise be
obtained by the Office through the competitive
service; and
‘‘(D) the total number of such employees
does not exceed one-fifth of the number of full-
time, regular scientific or professional employees
of the Office.
‘‘(2) REAPPOINTMENT OF EMPLOYEES.—The As-
sistant Secretary may reappoint employees described
in paragraph (1) upon presentation of a clear and
convincing justification of need, for one additional
term not to exceed 3 years. All such employees shall
work on activities of the Office and shall not be reas-
signed to other duties outside the Office during their
term.
152
‘‘(d) AUTHORITY TO PUBLISH.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary is
authorized to prepare and publish such information,
reports, and documents as may be of value in carry-
ing out the purposes of sections 405 through 405D
without further clearance or approval by the Sec-
retary or any other office of the Department.
‘‘(2) QUALITY
ASSURANCE.—In carrying out
such authority, the Assistant Secretary shall—
‘‘(A) establish such procedures as may be
necessary to assure that all reports and publica-
tions issued by the Office are of the highest qual-
ity; and
‘‘(B) provide other offices of the Department
with an opportunity to comment upon any re-
port or publication prior to its publication when
its contents relate to matters for which such of-
fice has responsibility.
‘‘(e) BIENNIAL REPORT ON ACTIVITIES OF OFFICE.—
The Assistant Secretary shall transmit to the President and
the Congress by not later than December 30 of every other
year a biennial report which shall consist of—
‘‘(1) a description of the activities carried out by
and through each research institute during the fiscal
years for which such report is prepared and any rec-
153
ommendations and comments regarding such activi-
ties as the Assistant Secretary considers appropriate;
‘‘(2) a description of the activities carried out by
and through the national education dissemination
system established by section 405C during the fiscal
years for which such report is prepared and any rec-
ommendations and comments regarding such activi-
ties as the Assistant Secretary considers appropriate;
‘‘(3) such written comments and recommenda-
tions as may be submitted by the Board concerning
the activities carried out by and through each of the
institutes and the national education dissemination
system during the fiscal years for which such report
is prepared and how such activities relate to the Re-
search Policies and Priorities Plan developed by the
Board;
‘‘(4) a description of the coordination activites
undertaken pursuant to section 405(f) during the fis-
cal years for which such report is prepared;
‘‘(5) recommendations for legislative and admin-
istrative changes necessary to improve the coordina-
tion of all educational research, development, and dis-
semination activities carried out within the Federal
Government, particularly within the priority research
154
and development needs identified in section 405(b)(3);
and
‘‘(6) such additional comments, recommenda-
tions, and materials as the Assistant Secretary con-
siders appropriate.
‘‘(f) COORDINATION.—With the advice and assistance
of the Board, the Assistant Secretary shall establish and
maintain an ongoing program of activities designed to im-
prove the coordination of education research, development,
and dissemination and activities within the Department
and within the Federal Government, particularly within
the priority research and development needs identified in
section 405(b)(3), in order to—
‘‘(1) minimize duplication in education research,
development, and dissemination carried out by the
Federal Government;
‘‘(2) maximize the value of the total Federal in-
vestment in education research, development, and dis-
semination; and
‘‘(3) enable all entities engaged in education re-
search, development, and dissemination within the
Federal Government to interact effectively as partners
and take full advantage of the diverse resources and
proficiencies which each entity has available.
155
‘‘(g) ACTIVITIES REQUIRED WITH RESPECT TO CO-
ORDINATION.—In carrying out such program of coordina-
tion, the Assistant Secretary shall compile (and thereafter
regularly maintain) and make available a comprehensive
inventory of all education research, development, dissemi-
nation activities, and expenditures being carried out by the
Federal Government within the priority research and devel-
opment needs identified in section 405(b)(3).
‘‘(h) STANDARDS FOR CONDUCT AND EVALUATION OF
RESEARCH.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—In consultation with the
Board, the Assistant Secretary shall develop such
standards as may be necessary to govern the conduct
and evaluation of all research, development, and dis-
semination activities carried out by the Office to as-
sure that such activities meet the highest standards of
professional excellence. In developing such standards,
the Assistant Secetary shall review the procedures uti-
lized by the National Institutes of Health, the Na-
tional Science Foundation, and other Federal agen-
cies engaged in research and development and shall
also actively solicit recommendations from the the Na-
tional Academy of Sciences, the American Edu-
cational Research Association and members of the
general public.
156
‘‘(2) CONTENTS
OF
STANDARDS.—Such stand-
ards shall at a minimum—
‘‘(A) require that a system of peer review be
utilized by the Office—
‘‘(i) in reviewing and evaluating all
applications for grants and cooperative
agreements and bids for those contracts
which exceed $100,000;
‘‘(ii) in evaluating and assessing the
performance of all recipients of grants from
and cooperative agreements and contracts
with the Office; and
‘‘(iii) in reviewing and designating ex-
emplary and promising programs in ac-
cordance with section 405C(d);
‘‘(B)(i) specify the composition of peer re-
view panels, the criteria for the selection of mem-
bers of such panels, and describe the means by
which potential members shall be identified so as
to assure that such panels are broadly represent-
ative of individuals with expertise in matters
relevant to the purposes of each such panel;
‘‘(ii) prohibit the consideration of partisan
affiliation in the selection of any member of a
peer review panel;
157
‘‘(iii) describe the general procedures which
shall be used by each peer review panel in its op-
erations;
‘‘(iv) prohibit the participation by a mem-
ber of a peer review panel in the review of any
application in which such member has any fi-
nancial interest; and
‘‘(v) require that transcripts, minutes, and
other documents made available to or prepared
for or by a peer review panel will be available
for public inspection to the extent consistent with
the Freedom of Information Act, the Federal Ad-
visory Committee Act, the Privacy Act, and
other laws;
‘‘(C)(i) describe the procedures which shall
be utilized in evaluating applications for grants,
proposed cooperative agreements, and contract
bids;
‘‘(ii) specify the criteria and factors which
shall be considered in making such evaluations;
and
‘‘(iii) provide that any decision to fund a
grant, contract, or cooperative agreement out of
its order of ranking by a peer review panel shall
be first fully justified in writing and that copies
158
of such justification shall be transmitted to the
Board, unless such action is required by some
other provision of law;
‘‘(D)(i) describe the procedures which shall
be utilized in reviewing educational programs
which have been identified by or submitted to the
Secretary for evaluation in accordance with sec-
tion 405C(d); and
‘‘(ii) specify the criteria which shall be used
in recommending programs as exemplary and
promising; and
‘‘(E)(i) require that the performance of all
recipients of grants from and contracts and co-
operative agreements with the Office shall be pe-
riodically evaluated, both during and at the con-
clusion of their receipt of assistance;
‘‘(ii) describe the procedures and means by
which such evaluations shall be undertaken, in-
cluding—
‘‘(I) the frequency of such evaluations;
‘‘(II) the criteria, outcome measures,
and other factors which shall be taken into
account; and
‘‘(III) measures to assure that on-site
evaluations of performance shall be utilized
159
to the extent appropriate and whenever
practicable; and
‘‘(iii) provide that the results of such eval-
uations shall be taken into account prior to any
decision to continue, renew, or provide new fund-
ing to the entity being reviewed.
‘‘(3) PUBLICATION
AND
PROMULGATION
OF
STANDARDS.—
‘‘(A) The Assistant Secretary shall publish
proposed standards—
‘‘(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 pro-
posed standards, the Assistant Secretary shall so-
licit comments from interested members of the
160
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 standards 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 pub-
lic and professional involvement from the educational
field in the planning and carrying out of the Office’s
activities, including establishing teacher advisory
boards for any program office, program or project of
the Office as the Assistant Secretary deems necessary;
161
‘‘(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 col-
lected and reported by the Office shall be collected,
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 report or docu-
ment 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 Depart-
ment 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 Edu-
cational Research Policy and Priorities Board.
162
‘‘(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 improve-
ment 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, reli-
ability, and cost-effectiveness.
‘‘(6) The term ‘technical assistance’ means the
provision of external assistance to facilitate the adop-
tion or application of the knowledge gained from edu-
cational research and development and includes—
‘‘(A) problem analysis and diagnosis;
‘‘(B) assistance in finding, selecting, or de-
signing suitable solutions and approaches to
problems;
163
‘‘(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 transfer
of knowledge and products gained through research
and includes—
‘‘(A) the use of communication techniques to
increase awareness of such knowledge and prod-
ucts;
‘‘(B) the provision of comparative and eval-
uative information necessary to enable educators,
school administrators, and others to assess 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 dissemination
system’ means the activities carried out by the Office
164
of Reform Assistance and Dissemination established
by section 405C.
‘‘(9) The term ‘Office’ means the Office of Edu-
cational Research and Improvement established in
section 209 of the Department of Education Organi-
zation 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 section
405B, there is authorized to be appropriated
$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
165
Students, there are authorized to be appropriated
$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 appropriated
$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 fiscal
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 author-
ized to be appropriated $20,000,000 for fiscal
166
year 1995, and such sums as are necessary for
each of fiscal years 1996 and 1997.
‘‘(2) NATIONAL EDUCATION DISSEMINATION SYS-
TEM.—
‘‘(A)(i) For the purpose of carrying out sub-
sections (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 nec-
essary 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 (relating 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 sentence for a
fiscal year, the Secretary shall obligate not less
than 25 percent to carry out such purpose with
respect to rural areas (including schools funded
167
by the Bureau of Indian Affairs which are lo-
cated 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 au-
thorized to be appropriated $30,000,000 for fis-
cal year 1994, and such sums as are necessary
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 necessary for each
of the fiscal years 1996 and 1997.
‘‘(3) NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH POLICY
AND
PRIORITIES
BOARD.—Of the amounts appro-
priated under paragraphs (1) and (2) for any fiscal
year, the Secretary shall make available 2 percent 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 ap-
propriated under paragraph (1) or (2) for any fiscal
year, not less than 95 percent shall be expended to
168
carry out the purposes described in such paragraphs
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 insti-
tution, agency or organization for a period not to ex-
ceed five years for the purpose of conducting a State-
by-State poll to determine the perceptions of recent
graduates of secondary schools, their instructors in
institutions of higher education, parents of recent
such graduates, and employers of recent such grad-
uates on how well schools have prepared 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.’’.
169
SEC. 212. ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EDUCATIONAL RE-
SEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT.
Subsection (b) of section 202 of the Department of
Education Organization Act is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1)—
(A) by striking subparagraph (E); and
(B) by redesignating subparagraphs (F)
and (G) as subparagraphs (E) and (F), respec-
tively; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new para-
graph:
‘‘(3) There shall be in the Department an Assistant
Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement who
shall be—
‘‘(A) appointed by the President, by and with
the consent of the Senate; and
‘‘(B) selected in consultation with the National
Educational Research Policy and Priorities Board
from among individuals who—
‘‘(i) are distinguished educational research-
ers;
‘‘(ii) have proven management ability; and
‘‘(iii) have substantial knowledge of edu-
cation within the United States.’’.
170
SEC. 213. SAVINGS PROVISION.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, contracts
for the regional educational laboratories, education re-
sources information clearinghouses and research and devel-
opment centers assisted under section 405 of the General
Education Provisions Act on the date of the enactment of
this Act shall remain in effect until the termination date
of such contracts.
SEC. 214. EXISTING GRANTS AND CONTRACTS.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, grants
and contracts for the research and development centers as-
sisted under section 405 of the General Education Provi-
sions Act on the date of enactment of this Act shall remain
in effect until the termination date of such grants or con-
tracts, as the case may be, except that such grants and con-
tracts may be extended to implement the provisions of this
Act.
PART B—NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
POLICY AND PRIORITIES BOARD
SEC. 
221. 
ESTABLISHMENT 
WITHIN 
OFFICE 
OF 
EDU-
CATIONAL RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT.
Part A of the General Education Provisions Act (20
U.S.C. 1221e et seq.) is amended by inserting after section
405 the following new section:
171
‘‘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 Con-
gress 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 dissemination to
identify disciplines and areas of inquiry within the
priority research, development and dissemination
172
needs identified in section 405(b)(3) in which the
state of knowledge is insufficient and which warrant
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 resources
of the Office over the next 5-, 10-, and 15-year peri-
ods, including as priorities those areas of inquiry in
which further research, development and dissemina-
tion—
173
‘‘(A) is necessary to attain the goals for the
improvement of education identified in para-
graph (2);
‘‘(B) promises to yield the greatest practical
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 research
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
174
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 educational
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 sec-
ond year thereafter, the Assistant Secretary shall
publish a report specifying the proposed 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-
175
paragraph (A), the Assistant Secretary shall sub-
mit to the President and the Congress a report
specifying the research priorities of the Office
and any public comment and suggestions ob-
tained 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 Assist-
ant Secretary in carrying out the coordination activi-
ties described in section 405;
‘‘(2) make recommendations to the Assistant Sec-
retary of persons qualified to fulfill the responsibil-
ities of the Director for each research institute estab-
lished by section 405B after making special efforts to
identify qualified women and minorities and solicit-
ing and giving due consideration to recommendations
from professional associations and interested 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 Sec-
retary for the Office of Educational Research and Im-
provement; and
176
‘‘(4) review and approve standards for the con-
duct and evaluation of research developed by the As-
sistant Secretary pursuant to subsection (h) of section
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 Assistance and
Dissemination established by subsection (b) of section
405C which shall advise, assist, consult with and
make recommendations to the Assistant 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 con-
sist of 3 members of the Board and 6 additional
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 established.
‘‘(B) The Board shall assure that the mem-
bership of each subcommittee includes both edu-
cational researchers and persons who are knowl-
177
edgeable about the research, development and dis-
semination needs of practitioners, including
classroom teachers, school administrators, 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 assist in carry-
ing 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 gov-
ernment procedures;
‘‘(3) may arrange for the detail of staff personnel
and utilize the services and facilities of any agency
of the Federal Government;
‘‘(4) may enter into contracts, or make other ar-
rangements as may be necessary to carry out its func-
tions;
‘‘(5) may review any grant, contract, or coopera-
tive agreement made or entered into by the Office;
178
‘‘(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 excep-
tionally qualified to appraise the educational research
and development effort of the Nation and to establish
policies and priorities to govern future Federal invest-
ment in educational research, development, and dis-
semination.
‘‘(2) BROAD
REPRESENTATION.—Due consider-
ation shall be given to the gender, race, and ethnicity
179
of appointees to assure that the Board is broadly rep-
resentative 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 member
of the Board shall be considered a special Government
employee for the purposes of the Ethics in Govern-
ment 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 nom-
inated by the National Academy of Sciences and the
National Academy of Education (giving due consider-
ation to recommendations made by the American
Educational Research Association), including persons
who are among the leading authorities on early child-
hood education and the education of at-risk students;
‘‘(2) five shall be outstanding field-based profes-
sional educators;
‘‘(3) one shall be a Chief State School Officer;
‘‘(4) one shall be a local education agency school
superintendent or principal;
180
‘‘(5) one shall be a member of a State or local
board of education or Bureau of Indian Affairs-fund-
ed 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 ACAD-
EMY 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 Na-
tional 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 in-
dividuals for each of the positions on the Board
181
for which such organization has responsibility
for making nominations.
‘‘(2) REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL NOMINATIONS.—
In the event that the Secretary determines that none
of the individuals nominated by the National Acad-
emy of Sciences or the National Academy of Edu-
cation meets the qualifications for membership on the
Board specified in subsection (i), the Secretary may
request that such organization make additional nomi-
nations.
‘‘(k) NOMINATIONS FOR BOARD MEMBERSHIP.—Prior
to appointing any member of the Board, the Secretary shall
actively solicit and give due consideration to recommenda-
tions of persons qualified for membership on the board from
the National Education Association, the American Federa-
tion of Teachers, the National Parent-Teachers Association,
the American Library Association, the American Associa-
tion 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 Education Association, and
other education-related organizations and interested mem-
bers of the public.
182
‘‘(l) EX OFFICIO MEMBERS.—The ex officio, nonvoting
members of the Board shall include the Assistant Secretary
and may also include—
‘‘(1) the Director of Research for the Department
of Defense;
‘‘(2) the Director of Research for the Department
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.
183
‘‘(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, De-
velopment, 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 period
184
beginning on the date of the expiration of the 10th
year.
‘‘(o) MEETINGS OF BOARD.—
‘‘(1) INITIAL MEETING.—The Secretary shall en-
sure 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 meetings
of the Board.’’.
PART C—NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTES
SEC. 
231. 
ESTABLISHMENT 
WITHIN 
OFFICE 
OF 
EDU-
CATIONAL RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT.
Part A of the General Education Provisions Act, as
amended by section 221 of this Act, is amended by inserting
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-qual-
185
ity and rigorously evaluated research and development that
is capable of improving Federal, State, Indian tribal, and
local education policies and practices, there are established
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 Achieve-
ment.
‘‘(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 In-
stitute. Prior to making such appointment, the Assist-
ant Secretary shall solicit and give due consideration
to recommendations made by the Board of persons
qualfied to fulfill the position.
186
‘‘(2) TERM OF OFFICE.—The Director of each In-
stitute 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 In-
stitutes.
‘‘(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 cooper-
ative agreements with institutions of higher edu-
cation, regional educational laboratories, public
and private organizations, institutions, agencies,
and individuals, which may include—
‘‘(i) grants to support research and de-
velopment 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-
187
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 or-
ganizations, or by interstate agencies
established by compact which operate
subsidiary bodies established to conduct
postsecondary educational research 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 limited
to not more than 50 percent of the total
costs of the project;
‘‘(iii) meritorious unsolicited proposals
for educational research and related activi-
ties;
188
‘‘(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 grad-
uate students in the sciences, humanities,
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 Fel-
lowships, except that such amounts shall be
189
adjusted as necessary so as not to exceed
each fellow’s demonstrated level of need.
‘‘(2) SCOPE AND FOCUS OF ACTIVITIES.—In car-
rying out the purposes for which each Institute is es-
tablished, 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 reserv-
ing 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 develop-
ment centers;
‘‘(D) support and provide research informa-
tion that leads to policy formation for State leg-
islatures, State and local boards of education
190
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 re-
search developments.
‘‘(3) REQUIREMENTS REGARDING FINANCIAL AS-
SISTANCE.—No grant, contract, or cooperative agree-
ment 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 Register
or other appropriate means;
‘‘(B) it has been evaluated through peer re-
view in accordance with the standards developed
pursuant to subsection (h) of section 405;
191
‘‘(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 co-
operative 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 co-
operative agreement to support a research and
development center, all applications for such as-
sistance have been evaluated by independent ex-
perts according to standards and criteria which
include—
‘‘(i) whether applicants have assembled
a critical mass of high quality researchers
sufficient to achieve the mission of the cen-
ter;
‘‘(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 center;
192
‘‘(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 appro-
priateness of such primary researcher’s ex-
periences and expertise in the context of the
proposed center activities, and the adequacy
of such primary researcher’s time commit-
ment to achievement of the mission of the
center.
‘‘(4) BOARD
REVIEW
OF
CERTAIN
PROPOSED
GRANT AND CONTRACT ACTIONS.—The Assistant Sec-
retary may not solicit any contract bid or issue a re-
quest for proposals or applications for any grant or
cooperative agreement the amount of which exceeds
$500,000 in any single fiscal year or which exceeds
an aggregate amount of $1,000,000 for more than one
fiscal year unless the Board has had an opportunity
to review such proposed grant, contract, or coopera-
tive agreement action and to provide written com-
ments to the Assistant Secretary with respect to
whether—
193
‘‘(A) the purposes and scope of the proposed
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 RESEARCH-
ERS
AND
INSTITUTIONS.—The Assistant Secretary
shall establish and maintain initiatives and pro-
grams to increase the participation in the activities
of each Institute of groups of researchers and institu-
tions that have been historically underutilized in Fed-
eral educational research activities, including—
‘‘(A) researchers who are women, African-
American, Hispanic, American Indian and
Alaska Native, or other ethnic minorities;
‘‘(B) promising young or new researchers in
the field, such as postdoctoral students and re-
cently 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;
194
‘‘(D) institutions of higher education located
in rural areas; and
‘‘(E) institutions and researchers located in
States and regions of the Nation which have his-
torically received the least Federal support for
educational research and development.
‘‘(6) ADDITIONAL AUTHORITIES.—The Assistant
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 Insti-
tute;
‘‘(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.
195
‘‘(d) NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR THE EDUCATION OF
AT-RISK STUDENTS.—
‘‘(1) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds as follows:
‘‘(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 en-
tering ninth grade fail to graduate 4 years later
and many more students from high-poverty back-
grounds leave school with skills that are inad-
equate for today’s workplace. In 1988 the average
National Assessment of Educational Progress
(NAEP) reading score of white 17 year-olds was
approximately 20 points higher than that of Af-
rican-American 17 year-olds and 25 points high-
er than that of Hispanic 17 year-olds. None of
the existing Federal educational research and de-
velopment programs are adequately addressing
this obvious emergency.
‘‘(B) Rural schools enroll a disproportion-
ately large share of the Nation’s poor and at-risk
students and yet often lack the means to address
effectively the needs of these children. Intensive
efforts must be made to overcome the problems of
geographic isolation, declining population, inad-
196
equate financial resources and other impedi-
ments to the educational success of children re-
siding in rural areas.
‘‘(C) By the year 2000, an estimated 3.4
million school age children with limited English
language proficiency will be entering the school
system. The Federal Government must develop
effective policies and programs to address the
educational needs of this growing population of
children who are at increased risk for edu-
cational failure.
‘‘(D) An educational emergency exists in
those urban and rural areas where there are
large concentrations of children who live in pov-
erty. The numbers of educationally disadvan-
taged children will substantially increase by the
year 2020, when the number of impoverished
children alone will be 16.5 million, a 33 percent
increase over the 12.4 million children in pov-
erty in 1987.
‘‘(E) American Indian and Alaska Native
students are keenly at-risk of educational failure,
with demonstrated high dropout, illiteracy and
poverty rates, and cultural, linguistic, social and
geographic isolation. The estimated 400,000 In-
197
dian and Alaska Native student population from
over 500 Indian and Alaska Native tribes, is
small and scattered throughout remote reserva-
tions and villages in 32 States, and in off-res-
ervation rural and urban communities where In-
dians constitute but a small percentage of public
school student bodies. To meaningfully address
the special educational needs of this historically
under-served population, the existing research
and development system must be opened to In-
dian and Alaska Native people to identify needs
and design ways to address such needs.
‘‘(F) Minority scholars as well as institu-
tions and groups that have been historically com-
mitted to the improvement of the education of at-
risk students need to be more fully mobilized in
the effort to develop a new generation of pro-
grams, models, practices, and schools capable of
responding to the urgent needs of students who
are educationally at-risk.
‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—It shall be the purpose of the
Institute for the Education of At-Risk Students to
carry out a coordinated and comprehensive program
of research and development to provide nonpartisan,
research-based leadership to the Nation as it seeks to
198
improve educational opportunities for students who
are at-risk for educational failure, particularly chil-
dren who reside in inner city and rural areas, and
on Indian reservations, and children of limited Eng-
lish proficiency. Such program shall—
‘‘(A) undertake research necessary to pro-
vide a sound basis from which to identify, de-
velop, evaluate, and assist others to replicate and
adapt interventions, programs, and models
which promote greater achievement and edu-
cational success by at-risk students, such as—
‘‘(i) methods of instruction and edu-
cational practices (including community
services) which improve the achievement
and retention of at-risk students;
‘‘(ii) means by which parents and com-
munity resources and institutions (includ-
ing cultural institutions) can be utilized to
support and improve the achievement of at-
risk students;
‘‘(iii) the training of teachers and
other educational professionals and para-
professionals to work more effectively with
at-risk students;
199
‘‘(iv) the most effective uses of tech-
nology in the education of at-risk students;
‘‘(v) programs designed to promote
gender equity in schools that serve at-risk
students; and
‘‘(vi) methods of assessing the achieve-
ment of students which are sensitive to cul-
tural differences, provide multiple methods
of assessing student learning, support stu-
dent acquisition of higher order capabilities,
and enable identification of the effects of in-
equalities in the resources available to sup-
port the learning of children throughout the
Nation; and
‘‘(B) maximize the participation of those
schools and institutions of higher education that
serve the greatest number of at-risk students in
inner city and rural areas, and on Indian res-
ervations, including model collaborative pro-
grams between schools and school systems, insti-
tutions of higher education, cultural institutions,
and community organizations.
‘‘(3) COMPREHENSIVE
RESEARCH
PROGRAM.—
The Institute shall support a diverse and comprehen-
200
sive program of research and development which shall
include research related to the educational needs of—
‘‘(A) at-risk students who reside in urban
areas;
‘‘(B) at-risk students who reside in rural
areas;
‘‘(C) children with limited English lan-
guage proficiency; and
‘‘(D) Indian and Alaska Native students.
‘‘(4) CONSULTATION WITH INDIAN AND ALASKA
NATIVE EDUCATORS.—All research and development
activities supported by the Institute which relate to
the education of Indian and Alaska Native students
shall be developed in close consultation with Indian
and Alaska Native researchers and educators, tribally
controlled community colleges, tribal departments of
education, and others with expertise in the needs of
Indian and Native Alaska students.
‘‘(e) NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR INNOVATION IN EDU-
CATIONAL GOVERNANCE, FINANCE, POLICY-MAKING, AND
MANAGEMENT.—
‘‘(1) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds as follows:
‘‘(A) Many elementary and secondary
schools in the United States—
201
‘‘(i) are structured according to models
that are ineffective and rely on notions of
management and governance that may be
outdated or insufficient for the challenges of
the next century; and
‘‘(ii) are unsuccessful in equipping all
students with the knowledge and skills need-
ed to succeed as citizens and in the working
world.
‘‘(B) New approaches are needed in the gov-
ernance and management of elementary and sec-
ondary education with the United States at the
State, local, school building and classroom level.
‘‘(C) Not enough is known about the effects
of various systems of school governance and
management on student achievement to provide
sound guidance to policymakers as they pursue
school restructuring and reform.
‘‘(D) A concentrated Federal effort is needed
to support research, development, demonstration,
and evaluation of approaches to school govern-
ance, finance and management which promise to
improve education equity and excellence through-
out the Nation.
202
‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—It shall be the purpose of the
National Institute on Innovation in Educational
Governance, Finance, Policy-Making, and Manage-
ment to carry out a coordinated and comprehensive
program of research and development to provide non-
partisan, research-based leadership to the Nation as it
seeks to improve student achievement through school
restructuring and reform. Such program shall—
‘‘(A) undertake research necessary to pro-
vide a sound basis from which to identify, de-
velop and evaluate approaches in governance, fi-
nance, policy-making, and management at the
State, local, tribal, school building and classroom
level which promise to improve educational eq-
uity and excellence, such as—
‘‘(i) open enrollment programs, magnet
schools and other systems through which
parents may select the public schools and
educational programs in which their chil-
dren are enrolled;
‘‘(ii) innovative school design, includ-
ing lengthening the school day and the
school year, reducing class size and building
professional development into the weekly
school schedule;
203
‘‘(iii) effective approaches to organiz-
ing learning;
‘‘(iv) effective ways of grouping stu-
dents for learning so that a student is not
labeled or stigmatized in ways that may
impede such student’s achievement;
‘‘(v) effective approaches to organizing,
structuring, and financing vocational edu-
cation;
‘‘(vi) the provision of financial and
other rewards and incentives based on per-
formance to improve student achievement;
‘‘(vii) the use of regulatory flexibility
on the State or district level to promote in-
novation and school restructuring;
‘‘(viii) school-based management;
‘‘(ix) the restructuring of school finance
systems at the State and local level to pro-
mote greater equity in the distribution of
resources for education and to maximize the
allocation of such resources to support di-
rect learning;
‘‘(x) expanding the role of teachers in
policymaking and administration at the
school and district-wide level;
204
‘‘(xi) programs designed to increase the
involvement of parents and families in the
management and governance of schools and
the education of their children;
‘‘(xii) effective approaches to increas-
ing the representation of women and mi-
norities among leadership and management
positions in education;
‘‘(xiii) approaches to systemic reforms
involving the coordination of multiple poli-
cies of each level of government to promote
higher levels of student achievement;
‘‘(xiv) approaches to coordinated serv-
ices for children; and
‘‘(xv) policies related to school to work
transitions and preparing noncollege-bound
students; and
‘‘(B) undertake research and development
activities necessary to provide information on
the skills required for successful educational lead-
ership at the State, tribal, and local level and to
enhance the ability of school leaders and admin-
istrators to improve the educational environment
for all students.
205
‘‘(3) RESEARCH ON EDUCATIONAL CHOICE.—In
carrying out the duties of the Institute, the Assistant
Secretary shall conduct or support research on wheth-
er and to what extent the quality of education in the
United States would be improved by providing public
funds to parents for the costs of attendance of their
children at the elementary and secondary schools of
the parents’ choice.
‘‘(f) NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD
DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION.—
‘‘(1) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds as follows:
‘‘(A) The Nation has set as a goal that all
children should arrive at school ready to learn.
‘‘(B) Despite efforts to expand and improve
preschool programs, many children still reach
school age unprepared to benefit from formal
education programs.
‘‘(C) Early intervention for disadvantaged
children from conception to age five has been
shown to be a highly cost-effective strategy for re-
ducing later expenditures on a wide variety of
health, developmental, and educational problems
that often interfere with learning. Long-term
studies of the benefits of preschool education have
a demonstrated return on investment ranging
206
from three to six dollars for every one dollar
spent.
‘‘(D) The Federal government should play a
central role in providing research-based informa-
tion on early childhood education models which
enhance children’s development and ultimately
their success in school.
‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the National In-
stitute for Early Childhood Development and Edu-
cation is to carry out a comprehensive program of re-
search and development to provide nonpartisan, re-
search-based leadership to the Nation as it seeks to
improve early childhood development and education.
Such program shall identify, develop, evaluate, and
assist others to replicate sound policies and practices
that may include—
‘‘(A) social and educational development of
all infants, toddlers, and preschool children;
‘‘(B) the role of parents and the community
in promoting the successful social and edu-
cational development of children from birth to
age five;
‘‘(C) training and preparation of teachers
and other professional and paraprofessional pre-
school and child care workers;
207
‘‘(D) the structure and environment of early
childhood education and child care settings
which lead to improved social and educational
development;
‘‘(E) practices and approaches which sus-
tain the benefits of effective preschool and child
care programs;
‘‘(F) effective learning methods and curricu-
lum for early childhood learning, including ac-
cess to current materials in libraries;
‘‘(G) the importance of family literacy and
parental involvement in student learning;
‘‘(H) the impact that outside influences
have on learning, including television, and drug
and alcohol abuse; and
‘‘(I) methods for integrating learning in set-
tings other than the classroom, such as within
families and communities, with a special empha-
sis on character development and the value of
hard work.
‘‘(3) CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out
the activities of the Institute, the Assistant Secretary
shall—
208
‘‘(A) place special emphasis on the special
early childhood education needs of at-risk chil-
dren, children with disabilities, and girls; and
‘‘(B) ensure that its research and develop-
ment program provides information that can be
utilized in improving the major Federal early
childhood education programs, including Head
Start, Even Start, chapter 1 preschool programs,
and part H of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act, and Bureau of Indian Affairs
early childhood development programs.
‘‘(g) NATIONAL INSTITUTE
ON STUDENT ACHIEVE-
MENT.—
‘‘(1) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds as follows:
‘‘(A) The current achievement levels of stu-
dents in the Nation are far below those that
might indicate competency in challenging subject
matter in English, mathematics, science, history,
and geography and other areas, or across the
subject areas.
‘‘(B) Very few students demonstrate that
they can use their minds well. In recent assess-
ments, more students are gaining basic skills, yet
fewer are demonstrating a grasp of higher-level
applications of those skills.
209
‘‘(C) During the past 20 years, relatively
little has changed in how students are taught.
Despite much research suggesting better alter-
natives, classrooms are still dominated by text-
books, teacher lectures, and short-answer activity
sheets and unequal patterns of student attention.
‘‘(D) Despite progress in narrowing the
gaps, the differences in performance between
white students and their minority counterparts
remain unacceptably large. While progress has
been made in reducing the gender gap in mathe-
matics, it still remains at higher levels of prob-
lem solving. Too little progress has been made in
reducing gender performance gaps favoring
males in science and females in writing.
‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the National In-
stitute on Student Achievement is to carry out a co-
ordinated and comprehensive program of research
and development to provide research-based leadership
to the Nation as it seeks to improve student achieve-
ment in English, mathematics, science, history, geog-
raphy, and other subject areas and across the bound-
aries of the subject areas. Such program shall—
‘‘(A) identify, develop, and evaluate innova-
tive and exemplary methods to improve student
210
knowledge at all levels in English, mathematics,
science, history, geography, civics and govern-
ment, foreign languages, arts and humanities,
economics, and other subject areas, such as—
‘‘(i) student learning and assessment
in various subject matters;
‘‘(ii) the effects of organizational pat-
terns on the delivery of instruction, includ-
ing issues of grouping and tracking,
ungraded classrooms, and on the effects of
various pedagogies, including the issues of
technology in education;
‘‘(iii) the best methods of teacher prep-
aration;
‘‘(iv) methods to improve the process of
reading, the craft of writing, the growth of
reasoning skills, and the development of in-
formation-finding skills;
‘‘(v) enabling students to develop high-
er order thinking skills;
‘‘(vi) methods to teach effectively all
students in mixed-ability classrooms;
‘‘(vii) curriculum, instruction, and as-
sessment, in vocational education;
211
‘‘(viii) the impact and effectiveness of
Federal, State, and local efforts to provide
gender-fair educational opportunities to ele-
mentary and secondary students; and
‘‘(ix) programs, policies, approaches
which promote gender equity in elementary
and secondary education;
‘‘(B) conduct basic and applied research in
the areas of human learning, cognition, and per-
formance, including research and development on
the education contexts which promote excellence
in learning and instruction, and motivational
issues which provide a key to learning;
‘‘(C) identify, develop, and evaluate pro-
grams designed to enhance academic achievement
and narrow racial and gender performance gaps
in a variety of subject areas, including research
and development on methods of involving parents
in their children’s education and ways to involve
business, industry and other community part-
ners in promoting excellence in schools; and
‘‘(D) include a comprehensive, coordinated
program of research and development in the area
of assessment which—
‘‘(i) addresses such issues as—
212
‘‘(I) the validity, reliability, gen-
eralizability, fairness, costs, relative
merits, and most appropriate uses of
various approaches and methods of as-
sessing student learning and achieve-
ment;
‘‘(II) methods and approaches to
assessing student opportunities to learn
(including the quality of instruction
and the availability of resources nec-
essary to support learning) and evalu-
ating the quality of school environ-
ment;
‘‘(III) the design, development,
evaluation, and validation of model
performance-based and other alter-
native or innovative formats or uses of
assessments;
‘‘(IV) the impact of high-stakes
uses of assessment on student perform-
ance and motivation, narrowing of
curriculum, teaching practices, and
test integrity;
‘‘(V) the fairness and impact of
various methods of assessment on chil-
213
dren of different races, ethnicities, gen-
der, socioeconomic status, English lan-
guage proficiencies, and children with
other special needs;
‘‘(VI) standards of performance,
quality, and validity for various meth-
ods of assessment and the means by
which such standards should be devel-
oped;
‘‘(VII) current and emerging test-
ing practices of State and local edu-
cation agencies within the United
States, as well as other nations;
‘‘(VIII) the diverse effects, both in-
tended and unintended, of assessments
as actually used in the schools, includ-
ing effects on curriculum and instruc-
tion, effects on equity in the allocation
of resources and opportunities, effects
on equity of outcomes, effects on other
procedures and standards for judging
students and practitioners and possible
inflation of test scores;
‘‘(IX) identifying and evaluating
how students with limited English lan-
214
guage proficiency and students with
disabilities are included and accommo-
dated in the various assessment pro-
grams of State and local education
agencies; and
‘‘(X) the feasibility and validity
of comparing or equating the results of
different assessments;
‘‘(ii) reflects recommendations made by
the National Education Goals Panel (pro-
vided such panel has been authorized by
law);
‘‘(iii) complies with the ‘Standards for
Educational and Psychological Tests’ devel-
oped by the American Psychological Asso-
ciation, the National Council on Measure-
ment in Education, and the American Edu-
cational Research Association;
‘‘(iv) is consistent with the ‘Criteria
for Evaluation of Student Assessment Sys-
tems’ developed by the National Forum on
Assessment; and
‘‘(v) complies with the ‘Code of Fair
Testing Practices in Education’ developed
215
by the Joint Committee on Testing Prac-
tices.
For purposes of this subparagraph, the term ‘develop-
ment’ means the development of prototypes for the
purposes of research and evaluation.
‘‘(h) NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR POSTSECONDARY EDU-
CATION, LIBRARIES, AND LIFELONG LEARNING.—
‘‘(1) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds as follows:
‘‘(A) The American system of postsecondary
education is foremost in the world in its achieve-
ment of both academic excellence and equity in
access, but maintaining that preeminence re-
quires renewed efforts to strengthen the quality of
postsecondary education. Disappointing student
performance on achievement tests and licensure
examinations, declining rates of persistence and
completion among minorities, and other trou-
bling trends in the quality of postsecondary edu-
cation must be addressed by the Nation as part
of its overall drive to improve American edu-
cation.
‘‘(B) The need to improve our Nation’s eco-
nomic productivity to meet the competitive chal-
lenges of a new, international economy, coupled
with high levels of mobility in the United States
216
labor market and demographic changes in the
workforce, now demands more and higher quality
programs of learning and training in the Amer-
ican workplace.
‘‘(C) The more than 1,000,000 men and
women incarcerated in the Nation’s prisons and
jails are among the most severely educationally
disadvantaged in the United States, with high
rates of functional illiteracy and extremely low
levels of educational attainment. Since an esti-
mated 90 percent of these individuals are ex-
pected to be released by the end of the decade, the
Nation must act to assure that our correctional
system has the means to equip these Americans
with the knowledge and skills they will need to
participate productively in our society.
‘‘(D) The development of a ‘Nation of Stu-
dents’ capable of and committed to the pursuit
of formal and informal lifelong learning is essen-
tial to sustain both national and individual eco-
nomic success and to provide a nurturing envi-
ronment in which all children and youth can
learn and achieve. Historically the most effective
community resource for lifelong learning, the Na-
tion’s public library system must expand and re-
218
opment projects which are carried out jointly by
such entities;
‘‘(C) shall support research and develop-
ment in those areas of postsecondary education,
libraries, and lifelong learning which are not
being addressed sufficiently by other entities
within the Federal Government;
‘‘(D) may include basic and applied re-
search, development, replication, and evaluation
activities in such areas as—
‘‘(i) methods of assessing and evaluat-
ing individual, program, and institutional
performance;
‘‘(ii) the uses and applications of new
technologies to improve program effective-
ness and enhance student learning;
‘‘(iii) practices, policies, and programs
which address the unique needs of adult
learners, including—
‘‘(I) institutional and classroom
policies and practices at the post-
secondary level necessary to improve
matriculation, persistence, achievement
and graduation by students who are
economically 
disadvantaged, 
ethnic
219
and racial minorities, women, older,
working, and who have children;
‘‘(II) instructional practices and
programs which are effective in correc-
tional settings;
‘‘(III) new models of service deliv-
ery for public library systems which
expand opportunities for lifelong learn-
ing;
‘‘(IV) effective programs and ap-
proaches which promote greater access
to and success by minorities in post-
secondary programs which prepare
them for scientific, technical, teaching,
and health career fields;
‘‘(V) effective approaches to work-
based learning; and
‘‘(VI) the most effective training
methods for adults to upgrade edu-
cation and vocational skills;
‘‘(iv) the effectiveness of Historically
Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally-
Controlled Indian Community Colleges,
women’s colleges, and other special mission
institutions in fulfilling their mission of
220
providing access and equal opportunity in
higher education;
‘‘(v) the quality of higher education at
all levels and the roles and responsibilities
of regional and national accrediting agen-
cies in assuring the quality and relevance of
academic goals and objectives established by
institutions of higher education;
‘‘(vi) approaches to improving the pro-
ductivity of colleges, community colleges,
universities, and other postsecondary insti-
tutions;
‘‘(vii) financial barriers to postsecond-
ary educational opportunity, including—
‘‘(I) the role of Federal programs
authorized under title IV of the Higher
Education Act and State grant and
work programs in mitigating such bar-
riers;
‘‘(II) the impact of the rising total
cost of postsecondary education on ac-
cess to higher education; and
‘‘(III) the extent and impact of
student reliance on loans to meet the
costs of higher education;
221
‘‘(viii) opportunities for adults to con-
tinue their education beyond higher edu-
cation and graduate school, in the context of
lifelong learning and information-finding
skills; and
‘‘(ix) preparing students for a lifetime
of work, the ability to adapt through re-
training to the changing needs of the work
force and the ability to learn new tasks.
‘‘(3) INVOLVEMENT OF CERTAIN AGENCIES AND
ORGANIZATIONS.—In promoting coordination and
collaboration on research and development on issues
related to postsecondary education, libraries, and life-
long learning, the Institute shall, as appropriate, seek
the involvement of—
‘‘(A) within the Department of Education—
‘‘(i) the Office of Library Programs;
‘‘(ii) the Office of Correctional Edu-
cation;
‘‘(iii) the Office of Vocational and
Adult Education;
‘‘(iv) the National Institute on Disabil-
ity and Rehabilitation Research; and
‘‘(v) the Office of Postsecondary Edu-
cation;
222
‘‘(B) the National Institute for Literacy;
‘‘(C) the National Board for Professional
Teaching Standards;
‘‘(D) the Employment and Training Ad-
ministration of the Department of Labor;
‘‘(E) the Administration for Children and
Families within the Department of Health and
Human Services;
‘‘(F) the National Institutes of Health;
‘‘(G) the National Endowment for Human-
ities;
‘‘(H) the National Endowment for the Arts;
‘‘(I) the Bureau of Prisons of the Depart-
ment of Justice;
‘‘(J) the Department of Commerce;
‘‘(K) the Department of Defense; and
‘‘(L) the Office of Indian Education Pro-
grams of the Department of the Interior.
‘‘(4) In addition to the responsibilities described
in paragraph (2), the Assistant Secretary shall ensure
that the activities of the existing National Center on
Literacy are fully coordinated with those of the Na-
tional Institute for Literacy.
‘‘(i) COORDINATION OF RESEARCH ON CROSS-CUTTING
ISSUES.—The Assistant Secretary shall promote the coordi-
223
nation of research and development activities among the In-
stitutes established by subsection (a) to investigate those
cross-cutting disciplines and areas of inquiry, such as as-
sessment, the use of technology and the training of teachers
and school administrators, which are relevant to the mis-
sions of more than one of the Institutes. Such activities
shall—
‘‘(1) address cross-cutting disciplines and areas
of inquiry which have been proposed by the Assistant
Secretary and are consistent with the research prior-
ities identified by the Board;
‘‘(2) be carried out jointly (1) by any one of the
Institutes and—
‘‘(A) one (or more) of the Institutes;
‘‘(B) the National Center for Education
Statistics; or
‘‘(C) any research and development entity
administered by other offices of the Department
of Education or by any other Federal agency or
Department; and
‘‘(3) meet all the standards set by the Assistant
Secretary and the Board for other research and devel-
opment conducted by the Office.
‘‘(j) PROGRAM ON TEACHING AND TEACHER EDU-
CATION.—
224
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary, in
accordance with the requirements of this subsection,
shall undertake a comprehensive, coordinated pro-
gram of research in the area of teaching, teacher edu-
cation, and professional development.
‘‘(2) CERTAIN PURPOSES OF PROGRAM.—In car-
rying out the program established under paragraph
(1), the Assistant Secretary shall conduct, directly or
through grants and contracts, basic and applied re-
search and analytical activities to further knowledge
about, make recommendations, and improve—
‘‘(A) the ability of classroom teachers and
schools to assist new and diverse populations of
students in successfully assimilating into the
classroom environment;
‘‘(B) the working conditions of teachers and
other educational practitioners, which may in-
clude such topics as—
‘‘(i) teacher isolation;
‘‘(ii) professional resources available to
teachers;
‘‘(iii) continuing educational and pro-
fessional opportunities available to teachers;
‘‘(iv) physical facilities and equipment,
such as office space, telephone, computer ac-
225
cess, and fax machines and television cable
access available to teachers in the work en-
vironment;
‘‘(v) opportunities for teachers to share
information and resources with other teach-
ers and education professionals;
‘‘(vi) opportunities for advanced learn-
ing experience; and
‘‘(vii) the reduction of stress in the
teaching profession;
‘‘(C) institutional program renewal and in-
struction;
‘‘(D) restructuring of State certification of
teachers and teacher education standards; and
‘‘(E) assisting in the development of teacher
certification standards by Indian tribal depart-
ments of education.
‘‘(3) CERTAIN ACTIVITIES.—In carrying out the
program established under paragraph (1), the Assist-
ant Secretary—
‘‘(A) shall work with institutions of higher
education engaged in the preparation of teachers
and professional organizations of teacher edu-
cators and practitioners to encourage institu-
tional program renewal and restructuring;
228
‘‘(v) to deliver preservice and inservice
training for teachers, librarians, and school
administrators; and
‘‘(vi) to deliver and improve profes-
sional development and continuing edu-
cation programs;
‘‘(C) the cost and educational effectiveness of
technologies used in education;
‘‘(D) effective models and approaches for
providing the preservice and inservice training
and technical assistance necessary to enable
teachers, librarians, and school administrators,
cultural organizations, and others to use tech-
nology effectively in education;
‘‘(E) the identification of barriers to greater
use of technologies in education and potential
approaches to eradicating or mitigating such
barriers;
‘‘(F) methods and approaches which can be
utilized by teachers, school administrators, and
education policymakers, and educational pro-
grams in cultural institutions to evaluate the
quality and most appropriate uses of software
and other technologies designed for use in edu-
cation; and
229
‘‘(G) approaches to organizing and manag-
ing schools and classrooms to make the most ef-
fective use of technology in education; and
‘‘(2) shall be coordinated with related research
and development activities undertaken by the Office of
Special Education Programs, the National Science
Foundation, the Department of Defense, and other
Federal agencies.
‘‘(l) TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS.—
‘‘(1) TEMPORARY REORGANIZATIONS.—Upon the
enactment of the Educational Research, Development
and Dissemination Excellence Act, the Secretary shall
reorganize the research and development functions
and activities of the Office into administrative units
the purposes of which shall be the same as those for
each of the national research institutes established in
subsection (a). Such administrative units shall be re-
sponsible for planning and providing for the estab-
lishment of such institutes and shall cease to exist on
the dates upon which each of the relevant institutes
is established. The provisions of subsection (c) (relat-
ing to authorities and duties) shall apply to all ac-
tivities undertaken by each such administrative unit.
‘‘(2) DATES
FOR
ESTABLISHMENT
OF
INSTI-
TUTES.—The National Institute for the Education of
230
At-Risk Students, the National Institute for Innova-
tion in Educational Governance, Finance, Policy-
Making, and Management, the National Institute for
Early Childhood Development and Education, the
National Institute on Student Achievement, and the
National Institute on Postsecondary Education, Li-
braries, and Lifelong Learning shall each be estab-
lished effective October 1, 1994.’’.
PART D—NATIONAL EDUCATION DISSEMINATION
SYSTEM
SEC. 
241. 
ESTABLISHMENT 
WITHIN 
OFFICE 
OF 
EDU-
CATIONAL RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT.
Part A of the General Education Provisions Act, as
amended by section 231 of this Act, is amended by inserting
after section 405B the following new section:
‘‘NATIONAL EDUCATION DISSEMINATION SYSTEM
‘‘SEC. 405C. (a) IN GENERAL.—
‘‘(1) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds as follows:
‘‘(A) In order to improve the American edu-
cational system for all students, achieve the na-
tional education goals, and provide for greater
educational equity, policymakers, administra-
tors, teachers, and parents must have ready ac-
cess to the best information and methods avail-
able as a result of educational research and de-
velopment.
231
‘‘(B) The Office of Educational Research
and Improvement should have as one of its pri-
mary purposes the dissemination of such infor-
mation and methods in order to assist the na-
tional education reform effort.
‘‘(C) All current resources within the Office,
the Department, and other agencies that can help
accomplish this goal should be coordinated by the
Assistant Secretary so as to form a systematic
process to accomplish these objectives.
‘‘(D) Education research has the capacity to
improve teaching and learning in our Nation’s
schools, however, teachers need training in the
developmental skills necessary to translate re-
search into practice and to allow them to become
a cadre of knowledgeable practitioners and lead-
ers in educational improvement.
‘‘(E) Adequate linkages between research
and development providers and practitioners are
essential to ensuring that research on effective
practice is useful, disseminated and supported
with technical assistance to all educators, and
that all educators are partners in the research
and development process.
232
‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is
to—
‘‘(A) create a national system of dissemina-
tion, development, and educational improvement
in order to create, adapt, identify, validate, and
disseminate to educators, parents, and policy-
makers those educational programs that have po-
tential or have been shown to improve edu-
cational opportunities for all students; and
‘‘(B) empower and increase the capacity of
teachers to participate in the research and devel-
opment process.
‘‘(3) DEFINITION OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.—
For the purposes of this section, the term ‘educational
program’ includes educational policies, research find-
ings, practices, and products.
‘‘(b) ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There is established within
the Office an Office of Reform Assistance and Dis-
semination (in this section referred to as the ‘Dis-
semination Office’) through which the Secretary shall
carry out all functions and activities described in this
section.
‘‘(2) CERTAIN DUTIES.—The Dissemination Of-
fice shall—
233
‘‘(A) identify educational programs that
may merit being designated as exemplary or
promising educational programs;
‘‘(B) based solely on the educational merits
and promise of such programs, select those to be
designated as exemplary or promising;
‘‘(C) provide technical and financial assist-
ance to individuals and organizations in the
process of developing promising educational pro-
grams in the priority areas identified in section
405(b)(3), but who might not, without such as-
sistance, be able to complete necessary develop-
ment and assessment activities;
‘‘(D) nationally disseminate information re-
garding the exemplary and promising programs
to educators, parents, and policymakers through
a variety of means, including existing Depart-
ment activities, education associations and net-
works, and communication technologies;
‘‘(E) provide training and technical assist-
ance regarding the implementation and adoption
of such exemplary and promising programs by
interested entities; and
‘‘(F) carry out a program of research on
models for successful knowledge dissemination,
234
and utilization, and strategies for reaching edu-
cation policymakers, practitioners, and others
interested in education.
‘‘(3) ADDITIONAL DUTIES.—The Dissemination
Office shall carry out and contain the following func-
tions and activities:
‘‘(A) A process for the identification of edu-
cational programs that work.
‘‘(B) The educational resources information
clearinghouses.
‘‘(C) Dissemination through new tech-
nologies.
‘‘(D) Smartline.
‘‘(E) The regional educational laboratories.
‘‘(F) Teacher Research Dissemination Net-
work.
‘‘(G) The Goals 2000 Community Partner-
ships Program.
‘‘(H) The existing National Diffusion Net-
work and its Developer-Demonstrator and State
Facilitator projects.
‘‘(I) Such other programs or entities the
Secretary determines are consistent with the pur-
poses for which the Dissemination Office is es-
tablished.
235
‘‘(c) IDENTIFICATION OF PROGRAMS.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary
shall establish a process through which successful edu-
cational programs are actively sought out for possible
dissemination through the national educational dis-
semination system. Such process shall, at a mini-
mum, have the capability to—
‘‘(A) work closely with the research insti-
tutes, centers, regional educational laboratories,
the National Diffusion Network and its Devel-
oper-Demonstrator 
and 
State 
Facilitator
projects, learning grant institutions established
under the Goals 2000 Community Partnerships
Program, department-supported technical assist-
ance providers, and other entities to identify suc-
cessful educational programs at the regional,
State, local, or classroom level;
‘‘(B) review successful educational programs
supported by the Department through all of its
programs, including Chapter 1, Even Start,
Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of
1986, the Individuals With Disabilities Edu-
cation Act, Bilingual Education, Indian Edu-
cation, the Women’s Educational Equity Act,
and Adult and Vocational Education;
236
‘‘(C) 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 (particularly the Office of Indian
Education Programs), and any other appro-
priate Federal agency; and
‘‘(D) provide for an active outreach effort to
identify successful educational programs through
cooperative arrangements with State and local
education agencies, teachers and teacher organi-
zations, 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.
‘‘(2) PRIORITY PROGRAMS.—In carrying out this
subsection, the Secretary shall place a priority on
identifying programs, products, and practices related
to the priority research and development needs identi-
fied in section 405(b)(3).
‘‘(d) DESIGNATION OF EXEMPLARY AND PROMISING
PROGRAMS.—
237
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary, in
consultation with the Board, shall establish 1 or more
panels of appropriately qualified experts and practi-
tioners to—
‘‘(A) evaluate educational programs that
have been identified by the Secretary under sub-
section (c) or that have been submitted to the
Secretary for such evaluation by some other indi-
vidual or organization; and
‘‘(B) recommend to the Secretary programs
that should be designated as exemplary or prom-
ising educational programs.
‘‘(2) CONSIDERATIONS IN MAKING RECOMMENDA-
TIONS.—In determining whether an educational pro-
gram should receive a recommendation under para-
graph (1), a panel established under such paragraph
shall consider—
‘‘(A) whether, based on empirical data,
which may include but shall not be limited to
test results, the program is effective and should
thus be designated as exemplary and dissemi-
nated through the national dissemination sys-
tem; or
‘‘(B) whether there is sufficient evidence to
lead a panel of experts and practitioners to be-
238
lieve that the program shows promise for im-
proving student achievement and should thus be
designated as promising and disseminated
through the national dissemination system while
it 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 implemented at the State,
local, and classroom level.
‘‘(4) REQUIREMENTS REGARDING PANELS.—
‘‘(A) A panel shall not eliminate a program
from consideration under this subsection based
solely on the fact that it does not have one spe-
cific type of supporting data, such as test scores.
‘‘(B) The Assistant Secretary may not des-
ignate a program as exemplary or promising
unless a panel established under paragraph (1)
has recommended that the program be so des-
ignated.
‘‘(C) The Secretary shall establish such pan-
els under paragraph (1) as may be necessary to
ensure that each program identified or submitted
for evaluation is evaluated.
239
‘‘(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 em-
ployees of the United States. Members of panels
under paragraph (1) who are not employees of
the United States shall receive compensation for
each day engaged in carrying out the duties of
the panel as well as compensation for their ex-
penses.
‘‘(e) DISSEMINATION OF EXEMPLARY AND PROMISING
PROGRAMS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In order to ensure that pro-
grams identified as exemplary or promising are
available for adoption by the greatest number of
teachers, schools, local and State education agencies,
and Bureau of Indian Affairs-funded schools, the As-
sistant Secretary shall utilize the capabilities of—
‘‘(A) the education resources information
clearinghouses;
‘‘(B) Smartline;
‘‘(C) the regional educational laboratories;
‘‘(D) the National Diffusion Network;
‘‘(E) entities established under the Goals
2000 Community Partnerships Program;
240
‘‘(F) department-supported technical assist-
ance providers;
‘‘(G) the National Library of Education;
and
‘‘(H) other public and private nonprofit en-
tities, including existing education associations
and networks, that have the capability to assist
educators in adopting exemplary and promising
programs.
‘‘(2) 
REQUIREMENTS
FOR
ASSISTANT
SEC-
RETARY.—In carrying out paragraph (1), the Assist-
ant Secretary shall ensure that all such entities are—
‘‘(A) kept apprised of the availability of
specific programs for dissemination;
‘‘(B) provided technical assistance, if nec-
essary, to carry out this dissemination function;
and
‘‘(C) involved in the national education dis-
semination system as specified by law.
‘‘(f) EDUCATION RESOURCES INFORMATION CLEAR-
INGHOUSES.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary
shall establish a system of 16 education resource in-
formation clearinghouses having, at a minimum, the
functions and scope of work as the clearinghouses had
241
on the date of the enactment of the Educational Re-
search, Development, and Dissemination Excellence
Act.
‘‘(2) ADDITIONAL
FUNCTIONS.—In addition to
those functions already being carried out by the clear-
inghouses, such clearinghouses may—
‘‘(A) periodically produce interpretive sum-
maries, digests, and syntheses of the results and
findings of education-related research and devel-
opment; and
‘‘(B) contain and make available to users
information concerning those programs des-
ignated as exemplary and promising under sub-
section (c).
‘‘(3) COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES.—The Assist-
ant Secretary shall assure that the functions and ac-
tivities of such clearinghouses are coordinated with
the activities of the research institutes, the regional
educational laboratories, learning grant institutions,
other clearinghouses supported by the Department, the
National Diffusion Network, and other appropriate
entities within the Office and the Department.
‘‘(4) SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SEC-
RETARY.—To assure that the information provided
242
through such clearinghouses 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 Departments of Defense, Health and Human
Services, Interior, and other Federal agencies to
assure that all education-related reports, studies,
and other resources produced directly or by grant
or contract with the Federal Government are
made available to such clearinghouses; and
‘‘(C) devise an effective system for maximiz-
ing the identification, synthesis, and dissemina-
tion of information related to the needs of Indian
and Alaska Native children.
‘‘(5) COPYRIGHT PROHIBITED.—
‘‘(A) No clearinghouse or other entity re-
ceiving assistance 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
243
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 in-
clude any portion of the cost of collecting, orga-
nizing, or processing the information which is
disseminated.
‘‘(g) 
DISSEMINATION
THROUGH
NEW
TECH-
NOLOGIES.—
‘‘(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 dissemi-
nate research and development findings and other in-
formation which can be used to support educational
improvement.
‘‘(2) SOURCES
OF
MATERIALS
AND
RESEARCH
ABOUT TEACHING AND LEARNING FOR IMPROVING NA-
TIONWIDE EDUCATION (SMARTLINE).—
‘‘(A) ELECTRONIC NETWORK.—The Assist-
ant Secretary, acting through the Office of Re-
form Assistance and Dissemination, shall estab-
244
lish and maintain an electronic network which
shall, at a minimum, link—
‘‘(i) each office of the Department of
Education;
‘‘(ii) the research institutes established
by section 405B;
‘‘(iii) the National Center for Edu-
cation Statistics;
‘‘(iv) the National Library of Edu-
cation; and
‘‘(v) entities engaged in research, devel-
opment, dissemination, and technical assist-
ance under grant, contract, or cooperative
agreement with the Department of Edu-
cation.
‘‘(B) CERTAIN
REQUIREMENTS
FOR
NET-
WORK.—The network described in subparagraph
(A) shall—
‘‘(i) to the extent feasible, build upon
existing national, regional, and State elec-
tronic 
networks 
and 
support 
video,
telecomputing, and interactive communica-
tions;
245
‘‘(ii) at a minimum, have the capabil-
ity to support electronic mail and file
transfer services;
‘‘(iii) be linked to and accessible to
other users, including State and local edu-
cation agencies, institutions of higher edu-
cation, museums, libraries, and others
through the Internet and the National Re-
search and Education Network; and
‘‘(iv) be provided at no cost (excluding
the costs of necessary hardware) to the con-
tractors and grantees described in clause (v)
of subparagraph (A) and to educational in-
stitutions accessing such network through
the Internet and the National Research and
Education Network.
‘‘(C) INFORMATION
RESOURCES.—The As-
sistant Secretary, acting through the Office of
Reform Assistance and Dissemination, may
make available through the network described in
subparagraph (A)—
‘‘(i) information about grant and con-
tract assistance available through the de-
partment;
246
‘‘(ii) an annotated directory of current
research and development activities and
projects being undertaken with the assist-
ance of the Department;
‘‘(iii) information about publications
published by the Department and, to the ex-
tent feasible, the full text of such publica-
tions;
‘‘(iv) statistics and data published by
the National Center for Education Statis-
tics;
‘‘(v) syntheses of research and develop-
ment findings;
‘‘(vi) a directory of other education-re-
lated electronic networks and databases, in-
cluding information about the means by
which they may be accessed;
‘‘(vii) a descriptive listing of materials
and courses of instruction provided by tele-
communications partnerships assisted under
the Star Schools program;
‘‘(viii) resources developed by the
ERIC Clearinghouses;
247
‘‘(ix) education-related software (in-
cluding video) which is in the public do-
main;
‘‘(x) a listing of instructional mate-
rials available through telecommunications
to local education agencies through the Pub-
lic Broadcasting Service and State edu-
cational television networks; and
‘‘(xi) such other information and re-
sources the Assistant Secretary considers
useful and appropriate.
‘‘(D) 
EVALUATIONS
REGARDING
OTHER
FUNCTIONS
OF
NETWORK.—The Assistant Sec-
retary shall also undertake projects to test and
evaluate the feasibility of using the network de-
scribed in subparagraph (A) for—
‘‘(i) the submission of applications for
assistance to the Department; and
‘‘(ii) the collection of data and other
statistics through the National Center for
Education Statistics.
‘‘(E) TRAINING
AND
TECHNICAL
ASSIST-
ANCE.—The Assistant Secretary, acting through
the Office of Reform Assistance and Dissemina-
tion, shall—
248
‘‘(i) provide such training and tech-
nical assistance as may be necessary to en-
able the contractors and grantees described
in clause (v) of subparagraph (A) to par-
ticipate in the electronic network described
in such subparagraph; and
‘‘(ii) work with the National Science
Foundation to provide, upon request, assist-
ance to State and local education 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 obtaining access to the
Internet and the National Research and
Education Network.
‘‘(h) REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL LABORATORIES.—
‘‘(1) REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL LABORATORIES.—
The Assistant Secretary shall enter into contracts
with public or private nonprofit entities to establish
a networked system of 10 regional educational labora-
tories which serve the needs of each region of the Na-
tion in accordance with the provisions of this sub-
section. For the purposes of this subsection, the term
‘region’ means 1 of the 10 geographic regions set forth
249
in section 2(a) of part 707 of title 34, Code of Federal
Regulations (34 CFR 707.2(a)), as published in num-
ber 157 of volume 53 of the Federal Register on Au-
gust 15, 1988.
‘‘(2) DUTIES.—Each regional educational lab-
oratory receiving assistance under this subsection
shall, with such assistance, assist State education
agencies, intermediate education agencies, local school
districts, and schools funded by the Bureau of Indian
Affairs in implementing broad-based, systemic school
improvement strategies through the use of applied re-
search and development activities. The regional edu-
cational laboratories shall support such system-wide
reform efforts through—
‘‘(A) the development of a plan for identify-
ing needs and for serving the needs of the region
by conducting a continuing survey of the edu-
cational needs, strengths and weaknesses within
the region, including a process of open hearings
to solicit the views of schools, teachers, adminis-
trators, parents, local educational agencies, li-
brarians, and State educational agencies within
the region;
‘‘(B) the dissemination of information about
programs designated as exemplary and promis-
250
ing under subsection (c) and other appropriate
programs and practices;
‘‘(C) the provision of support and technical
assistance in—
‘‘(i) replicating and adapting such ex-
emplary and promising practices;
‘‘(ii) the development of high-quality,
challenging curriculum frameworks;
‘‘(iii) the development of valid, reliable,
fair systems of assessment which are based
upon State, local, or Bureau of Indian Af-
fairs-funded school curriculum frameworks
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 teach-
ing and learning;
‘‘(vi) the development of alternatives
for restructuring school finance systems to
promote greater equity in the distribution of
resources; and
251
‘‘(vii) the development of alternative
administrative structures which are more
conducive to planning, implementing, and
sustaining school reform and improved edu-
cational outcomes;
‘‘(D) the development of educational pro-
grams and practices that address State, regional,
or Indian tribal needs in relating to their school
reform efforts;
‘‘(E) facilitating communication between
educational experts, school officials, and teachers,
parents, and librarians, to enable such individ-
uals to assist schools to develop a plan to meet
the national education goals;
‘‘(F) bringing teams of experts together to
develop and implement school improvement
plans and strategies;
‘‘(G) the provision of training in—
‘‘(i) the field of education research and
related areas;
‘‘(ii) the use of new educational meth-
ods; and
‘‘(iii) the use of information-finding
methods, practices, techniques, and products
developed in connection with such training
252
for which the regional educational labora-
tory shall be authorized to support intern-
ships and fellowships and to provide sti-
pends; and
‘‘(H) the provision of support and technical
assistance 
(upon 
their 
request) 
to 
State
facilitators funded through the National Diffu-
sion Network.
‘‘(3) NETWORKING.—In order to improve the ef-
ficiency and effectiveness of the regional laboratories,
the governing boards of the ten regional laboratories
shall establish and maintain a network to—
‘‘(A) share information about the activities
each is carrying out;
‘‘(B) plan joint activities that would meet
the needs of multiple regions;
‘‘(C) create a strategic plan for the develop-
ment of activities 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.