Calendar No. 231
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1804
AN ACT
To improve learning and teaching by providing a
national framework for education reform; to pro-
mote the research, consensus building, and sys-
temic changes needed to ensure equitable edu-
cational opportunities and high levels of edu-
cational achievement for all American students;
to provide a framework for reauthorization of all
Federal education programs; to promote the de-
velopment and adoption of a voluntary national
system of skill standards and certifications; and
for other purposes.
OCTOBER 18 (legislative day, OCTOBER 13), 1993
Received; read twice and placed on the calendar
II
Calendar No. 231
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1804
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
OCTOBER 18 (legislative day, OCTOBER 13), 1993
Received; read twice and place on the calendar
AN ACT
To improve learning and teaching by providing a national
framework for education reform; to promote the research,
consensus building, and systemic changes needed to en-
sure equitable educational opportunities and high levels
of educational achievement for all American students;
to provide a framework for reauthorization of all Federal
education programs; to promote the development and
adoption of a voluntary national system of skill standards
and certifications; and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Goals 2000: Educate
America Act’’.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to provide a framework
for meeting the National Education Goals established by
title I of this Act by—
(1) promoting coherent, nationwide, systemic
education reform;
(2) improving the quality of learning and teach-
ing in the classroom and in the workplace;
(3) defining appropriate and coherent Federal,
State, and local roles and responsibilities for edu-
cation reform and lifelong learning;
(4) establishing valid, reliable, and fair mecha-
nisms for—
(A) building a broad national consensus on
American education reform;
(B) assisting in the development and cer-
tification of high-quality, internationally com-
petitive content and student performance stand-
ards;
(C) assisting in the development and cer-
tification of opportunity-to-learn standards; and
(D) assisting in the development and cer-
tification of high-quality assessment measures
that reflect the internationally competitive con-
tent and student performance standards;
(5) supporting new initiatives at the Federal,
State, local, and school levels to provide equal edu-
cational opportunity for all students to meet high
standards and to succeed in the world of employ-
ment and civic participation;
(6) providing a framework for the reauthoriza-
tion of all Federal education programs by—
(A) creating a vision of excellence and eq-
uity that will guide all Federal education and
related programs;
(B) providing for the establishment of
high-quality, internationally competitive content
and student performance standards that all stu-
dents will be expected to achieve;
(C) providing for the establishment of high
quality, internationally competitive opportunity-
to-learn standards that all States, local edu-
cational agencies, and schools should achieve;
(D) encouraging and enabling all State
educational agencies and local educational agen-
cies to develop comprehensive improvement
plans that will provide a coherent framework
for the implementation of reauthorized Federal
education and related programs in an inte-
grated fashion that effectively educates all chil-
dren enabling them to participate fully as work-
ers, parents, and citizens; and
(E) providing resources to help individual
schools, including those serving students with
high needs, develop and implement comprehen-
sive improvement plans;
(7) stimulating the development and adoption
of a voluntary national system of skill standards and
certification to serve as a cornerstone of the national
strategy to enhance workforce skills; and
(8) assisting every elementary and secondary
school that receives funds under this Act to actively
involve parents and families in supporting the aca-
demic work of their children at home and in provid-
ing parents with skills to advocate for their children
at school.
TITLE I—NATIONAL EDUCATION
GOALS
SEC. 101. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this title is to establish national edu-
cation goals.
SEC. 102. NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS.
The Congress declares that the National Education
Goals are the following:
(1) SCHOOL
READINESS.—(A) By the year
2000, all children in America will start school ready
to learn.
(B) The objectives for this goal are that—
(i) all children will have access to high-
quality and developmentally appropriate pre-
school programs that help prepare children for
school;
(ii) every parent in America will be a
child’s first teacher and devote time each day to
helping his or her preschool child learn, and
parents will have access to the training and
support they need; and
(iii) all children will receive the nutrition
and health care needed to arrive at school with
healthy minds and bodies, and to maintain the
mental alertness necessary to be prepared to
learn, and the number of low-birthweight babies
will be significantly reduced through enhanced
prenatal health systems.
(2) SCHOOL
COMPLETION.—(A) By the year
2000, the high school graduation rate will increase
to at least 90 percent.
(B) The objectives for this goal are that—
(i) the Nation must dramatically reduce its
dropout rate, and 75 percent of those students
who do drop out will successfully complete a
high school degree or its equivalent; and
(ii) the gap in high school graduation rates
between American students from minority back-
grounds and their non-minority counterparts
will be eliminated.
(3) STUDENT
ACHIEVEMENT
AND
CITIZEN-
SHIP.—(A) By the year 2000, all students will leave
grades 4, 8, and 12 having demonstrated com-
petency over challenging subject matter including
English, mathematics, science, foreign languages,
civics and government, arts, history, and geography,
and every school in America will ensure that all stu-
dents learn to use their minds well, so they may be
prepared for responsible citizenship, further learn-
ing, and productive employment in our modern econ-
omy.
(B) The objectives for this goal are that—
(i) the academic performance of all stu-
dents at the elementary and secondary level will
increase significantly in every quartile, and the
distribution of minority students in each level
will more closely reflect the student population
as a whole;
(ii) the percentage of all students who
demonstrate the ability to reason, solve prob-
lems, apply knowledge, and write and commu-
nicate effectively will increase substantially;
(iii) all students will be involved in activi-
ties that promote and demonstrate good citizen-
ship, community service, and personal respon-
sibility;
(iv) all students will have access to phys-
ical education and health education to ensure
they are healthy and fit;
(v) the percentage of all students who are
competent in more than one language will sub-
stantially increase; and
(vi) all students will be knowledgeable
about the diverse cultural heritage of this Na-
tion and about the world community.
(4) TEACHER EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT.—(A) By the year 2000, the Na-
tion’s teaching force will have access to programs for
the continued improvement of their professional
skills and the opportunity to acquire the knowledge
and skills needed to instruct and prepare all Amer-
ican students for the next century.
(B) The objectives of this goal are that—
(i) every State will establish opportunity-
to-learn standards and create an integrated
strategy to attract, recruit, prepare, retrain,
and support the continued professional develop-
ment of teachers, administrators, and other
educators, so that there is a highly talented
workforce of professional educators to teach
challenging standards;
(ii) subgrants for preservice teacher edu-
cation and professional development activity will
be made to local educational agencies, institu-
tions of higher education, private nonprofit or-
ganizations, or consortia of such organizations,
to support continuing, sustained, professional
development activities for all educators; and
(iii) partnerships shall be established,
whenever possible, between local educational
agencies, institutions of higher education, local
labor, business, and professional associations to
provide and support programs for the profes-
sional development of educators, particularly in
the area of emerging new technologies in edu-
cation.
(5) MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE.—(A) By the
year 2000, United States students will be first in the
world in mathematics and science achievement.
(B) The objectives for this goal are that—
(i) math and science education, including
the metric system of measurement, will be
strengthened throughout the system, especially
in the early grades;
(ii) the number of teachers with a sub-
stantive 
background 
in 
mathematics 
and
science, including the metric system of meas-
urement, will increase by 50 percent; and
(iii) the number of United States under-
graduate and graduate students, especially
women and minorities, who complete degrees in
mathematics, science, and engineering will in-
crease significantly.
(6) ADULT LITERACY AND LIFELONG LEARN-
ING.—(A) By the year 2000, every adult American
will be literate and will possess the knowledge and
skills necessary to compete in a global economy and
exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
(B) The objectives for this goal are that—
(i) every major American business will be
involved in strengthening the connection be-
tween education and work;
(ii) all workers will have the opportunity to
acquire the knowledge and skills, from basic to
highly technical, needed to adapt to emerging
new technologies, work methods, and markets
through public and private educational, voca-
tional, technical, workplace, or other programs;
(iii) the number of quality programs, in-
cluding those at libraries, that are designed to
serve more effectively the needs of the growing
number of part-time and midcareer students
will increase substantially;
(iv) the proportion of those qualified stu-
dents, especially minorities, who enter college,
who complete at least two years, and who com-
plete their degree programs will increase sub-
stantially;
(v) the proportion of college graduates who
demonstrate an advanced ability to think criti-
cally, communicate effectively, and solve prob-
lems will increase substantially; and
(vi) schools, in implementing comprehen-
sive parent involvement programs, will offer
more adult literacy, parent training and life-
long learning opportunities to improve the ties
between home and school, and enhance parents’
work and home lives.
(7) SAFE, 
DISCIPLINED, 
AND
DRUG-FREE
SCHOOLS.—(A) By the year 2000, every school in
America will be free of drugs and violence and will
offer a disciplined environment conducive to learn-
ing.
(B) The objectives for this goal are that—
(i) every school will implement a firm and
fair policy on use, possession, and distribution
of drugs and alcohol;
(ii) parents, businesses, and community or-
ganizations will work together to ensure the
rights of students to study in a safe and secure
environment that is free of drugs and crime;
(iii) every school district will develop a
comprehensive K–12 drug and alcohol preven-
tion education program. Drug and alcohol cur-
ricula should be taught as an integral part of
health education. In addition, community-based
teams should be organized to provide all stu-
dents and teachers with needed support; and
(iv) every school district will develop and
implement a policy to ensure that all schools
are free of weapons and violence.
(8) SCHOOL AND HOME PARTNERSHIP.—(A) By
the year 2000, every school and home will engage in
partnerships that will increase parental involvement
and participation in promoting the social, emotional,
and academic growth of children.
(B) The objectives for this goal are that—
(i) every State will develop policies to as-
sist local schools and local educational agencies
to establish programs for increasing partner-
ships that respond to the varying needs of par-
ents and the home, including parents of chil-
dren who are disadvantaged, bilingual, or dis-
abled;
(ii) every school will actively engage par-
ents and families in a partnership which sup-
ports the academic work of children at home
and shared educational decisionmaking at
school;
(iii) every home will be responsible for cre-
ating an environment of respect for education
and providing the physical and emotional sup-
port needed for learning; and
(iv) parents and families will help to en-
sure that schools are adequately supported and
will hold schools and teachers to high standards
of accountability.
TITLE II—NATIONAL EDUCATION
REFORM, 
LEADERSHIP,
STANDARDS, 
AND 
ASSESS-
MENTS
PART A—NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANEL
SEC. 201. PURPOSE.
It is the purpose of this part to establish a bipartisan
mechanism for—
(1) building a national consensus for education
improvement;
(2) reporting on progress toward achieving the
National Education Goals; and
(3) reviewing the voluntary national content
and student performance standards and opportunity-
to-learn standards certified by the National Edu-
cation Standards and Improvement Council, as well
as the criteria for their certification, and the criteria
for the certification of State assessments by the Na-
tional Education Standards and Improvement Coun-
cil with the option of disapproving such standards
and criteria not later than 60 days after receipt
from such Council.
SEC. 202. NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANEL.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the ex-
ecutive branch a National Education Goals Panel (referred
to in this Act as the ‘‘Goals Panel’’) to advise the Presi-
dent, the Secretary, and the Congress.
(b) COMPOSITION.—The Goals Panel shall be com-
posed of eighteen members (referred to in this part as
‘‘members’’), including—
(1) two members appointed by the President;
(2) eight members who are Governors, three of
whom shall be from the same political party as the
President and five of whom shall be of the opposite
political party of the President, appointed by the
Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the National
Governors’ Association, with each appointing rep-
resentatives of his or her respective political party,
in consultation with each other;
(3) four Members of Congress appointed as fol-
lows—
(A) one member appointed by the majority
leader of the Senate from among the Members
of the Senate;
(B) one member appointed by the minority
leader of the Senate from among the Members
of the Senate;
(C) one member appointed by the majority
leader of the House of Representatives from
among the Members of the House of Represent-
atives; and
(D) one member appointed by the minority
leader of the House of Representatives from
among the Members of the House of Represent-
atives; and
(4) four members of State legislatures ap-
pointed by the President of the National Conference
of State Legislatures, of whom not more than two
may be of the same political party as the President
of the United States.
(c) SPECIAL APPOINTMENT RULES.—(1) The mem-
bers appointed pursuant to subsection (b)(2) shall be ap-
pointed as follows:
(A) If the Chairperson of the National Gov-
ernors’ Association is from the same political party
as the President, the Chairperson shall appoint three
individuals and the Vice Chairperson shall appoint
five individuals.
(B) If the Chairperson of the National Gov-
ernors’ Association is from the opposite political
party as the President, the Chairperson shall ap-
point five individuals and the Vice Chairperson shall
appoint three individuals.
(2) If the National Governors’ Association has ap-
pointed a panel that meets the requirements of subsections
(b) and (c), except for the requirements of subsection
(b)(4), prior to the date of enactment of this title, then
the members serving on such panel shall be deemed to be
in compliance with subsections (b) and (c) and shall not
be required to be reappointed pursuant to such sub-
sections.
(3) To the extent feasible, the membership of the
Goals Panel shall be geographically representative and re-
flect the racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of the United
States.
(d) TERMS.—The terms of service of members shall
be as follows:
(1) Members appointed under subsection (b)(1)
shall serve at the pleasure of the President.
(2) Members appointed under subsection (b)(2)
shall serve a two-year term, except that the initial
appointments under such paragraph shall be made
to ensure staggered terms with one-half of such
members’ terms concluding every two years.
(3) Members appointed under subsection (b) (3)
and (4) shall serve a term of two years.
(e) DATE OF APPOINTMENT.—The initial members
shall be appointed not later than sixty days after the date
of enactment of this Act.
(f) INITIATION.—The Goals Panel may begin to carry
out its duties under this part when ten members of the
Goals Panel have been appointed.
(g) VACANCIES.—A vacancy on the Goals Panel shall
not affect the powers of the Goals Panel, but shall be filled
in the same manner as the original appointment.
(h) TRAVEL.—Each member may be allowed travel
expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as au-
thorized by section 5703 of title 5, United States Code,
for each day the member is engaged in the performance
of duties away from the home or regular place of business
of the member.
(i) CHAIRPERSON.—From among the members, the
President shall appoint the Chairperson who shall serve
a one-year term and shall alternate between political par-
ties.
(j) CONFLICT OF INTEREST.—A member of the Goals
Panel who is an elected official of a State which has devel-
oped content, student performance, or opportunity-to-
learn standards may not participate in Goals Panel consid-
eration of such standards.
(k) EX OFFICIO MEMBER.—If the President has not
appointed the Secretary of Education as 1 of the 2 mem-
bers he appoints pursuant to subsection (b)(1), then the
Secretary shall serve as a nonvoting ex officio member of
the Goals Panel.
SEC. 203. DUTIES.
(a) DUTIES.—The Goals Panel shall—
(1) report to the President, the Secretary, and
the Congress regarding the progress the Nation and
the States are making toward achieving the National
Education Goals established under title I of this Act,
including issuing an annual report;
(2) report on State opportunity-to-learn stand-
ards and the progress of States in meeting such
standards;
(3) review, after taking into consideration the
public comments received pursuant to section 216,
with the option of disapproving by a two-thirds ma-
jority vote of the full membership not later than 60
days after receipt of the—
(A) criteria developed by the National
Education Standards and Improvement Council
for the certification of content and student per-
formance standards, assessments, and oppor-
tunity-to-learn standards; and
(B) voluntary national content and student
performance standards and opportunity-to-learn
standards certified by the National Education
Standards and Improvement Council;
(4) report on promising or effective actions
being taken at the national, State, and local levels,
in the public and private sectors, to achieve the Na-
tional Education Goals; and
(5) help build a nationwide, bipartisan consen-
sus for the reforms necessary to achieve the Na-
tional Education Goals.
(b) REPORT.—(1) The Goals Panel shall annually
prepare and submit to the President, the Secretary, the
appropriate committees of Congress, and the Governor of
each State a report that shall—
(A) report on the progress of the United States
toward achieving the National Education Goals;
(B) identify actions that should be taken by
Federal, State, and local governments to enhance
progress toward achieving the National Education
Goals and State opportunity-to-learn standards; and
(C) report on State opportunity-to-learn stand-
ards and the progress of States in meeting such
standards.
(2) Reports shall be presented in a form, and include
data, that is understandable to parents and the general
public.
SEC. 204. POWERS OF THE GOALS PANEL.
(a) HEARINGS.—(1) The Goals Panel shall, for the
purpose of carrying out this part, conduct such hearings,
sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony,
and receive such evidence, as the Goals Panel considers
appropriate.
(2) In carrying out this part, the Goals Panel shall
conduct hearings to receive reports, views, and analyses
of a broad spectrum of experts and the public on the es-
tablishment of voluntary national content and student per-
formance standards, assessments, and opportunity-to-
learn standards.
(b) INFORMATION.—The Goals Panel may secure di-
rectly from any department or agency of the United States
information necessary to enable the Goals Panel to carry
out this part. Upon request of the Chairperson of the
Goals Panel, the head of a department or agency shall
furnish such information to the Goals Panel to the extent
permitted by law.
(c) POSTAL SERVICES.—The Goals Panel may use
the United States mail in the same manner and under the
same conditions as other departments and agencies of the
United States.
(d) USE OF FACILITIES.—The Goals Panel may, with
consent, use the research, equipment, services, and facili-
ties of any agency or instrumentality of the United States,
or of any State or political subdivision thereof.
(e) ADMINISTRATIVE
ARRANGEMENTS
AND
SUP-
PORT.—(1) The Secretary shall provide to the Goals
Panel, on a reimbursable basis, such administrative sup-
port services as the Goals Panel may request.
(2) The Secretary shall, to the extent appropriate,
and on a reimbursable basis, make contracts and other
arrangements that are requested by the Goals Panel to
help it compile and analyze data or carry out other func-
tions necessary to the performance of such responsibilities.
SEC. 205. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.
(a) MEETINGS.—The Goals Panel shall meet on a
regular basis, as necessary, at the call of the Chairperson
of the Goals Panel or a majority of its members.
(b) QUORUM.—A majority of the members shall con-
stitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
(c) VOTING.—No individual may vote, or exercise any
of the powers of a member, by proxy.
(d) PUBLIC ACCESS.—The Goals Panel shall ensure
public access to its proceedings (other than proceedings,
or portions of proceedings, relating to internal personnel
and management matters) and make available to the pub-
lic, at reasonable cost, transcripts of such proceedings.
SEC. 206. DIRECTOR AND STAFF; EXPERTS AND CONSULT-
ANTS.
(a) DIRECTOR.—The Chairperson of the Goals Panel
shall, without regard to the provisions of title 5, United
States Code, relating to the appointment and compensa-
tion 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.
(b) APPOINTMENT
AND PAY
OF EMPLOYEES.—
(1)(A) The Director may appoint not more than four addi-
tional employees to serve as staff to the Goals Panel with-
out regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code,
governing appointments in the competitive service.
(B) The employees appointed under paragraph (1)(A)
may be paid without regard to the provisions of chapter
51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title relating
to classification and General Schedule pay rates, but shall
not be paid a rate that exceeds the maximum rate of basic
pay payable for GS–15 of the General Schedule.
(2) The Director may appoint additional employees
to serve as staff to the Goals Panel consistent with title
5, United States Code.
(c) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Goals Panel
may procure temporary and intermittent services of ex-
perts and consultants under section 3109(b) of title 5,
United States Code.
(d) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon the re-
quest of the Goals Panel, the head of any department or
agency of the United States may detail any of the person-
nel of such agency to the Goals Panel to assist the Goals
Panel in its duties under this part.
SEC. 207. EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSESSMENT.
(a) GENERAL.—(1) The Goals Panel shall support
the work of its Resource and Technical Planning Groups
on School Readiness (referred to in this section as the
Groups) to improve the methods of assessing the readiness
of children for school that would lead to alternatives to
currently used norm-referenced early childhood assess-
ments.
(2) The Groups shall—
(A) create clear guidelines regarding the na-
ture, functions, and uses of early childhood assess-
ments, including a model of school readiness that
addresses a broad range of early childhood devel-
opmental needs;
(B) monitor and evaluate early childhood as-
sessments, including the ability of existing assess-
ments to provide valid information on the readiness
of children for school; and
(C) monitor and report on the long-term collec-
tion of data on the status of young children to im-
prove policy and practice, including the need for new
sources of data necessary to assess the broad range
of early childhood developmental needs.
(b) ADVICE.—The Groups shall advise and assist the
Congress, the Secretary, the Goals Panel, and others re-
garding how to improve the assessment of young children
and how such assessments can improve services to chil-
dren.
(c) REPORT.—The Goals Panel shall provide reports
on the work of the Groups to the Congress, the Secretary,
and the public.
PART B—NATIONAL EDUCATION STANDARDS
AND IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL
SEC. 211. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this part is to establish a mechanism
to—
(1) certify and regularly review voluntary na-
tional content and student performance standards
that define what all students should know and be
able to do;
(2) certify content and student performance
standards submitted by States on a voluntary basis,
if such standards are of equal or higher quality to
the voluntary national content and student perform-
ance standards certified by the National Education
Standards and Improvement Council;
(3) certify and regularly review voluntary na-
tional opportunity-to-learn standards that describe
the conditions of teaching and learning necessary for
all students to have a fair opportunity to achieve the
knowledge and skills described in the voluntary na-
tional content and student performance standards
certified by the National Education Standards and
Improvement Council;
(4) certify opportunity-to-learn standards sub-
mitted by States on a voluntary basis, if such stand-
ards are of equal or higher quality as compared with
the voluntary national opportunity-to-learn stand-
ards; and
(5) certify assessment systems submitted by
States on a voluntary basis, if such systems are
aligned with State content standards certified by the
National Education Standards and Improvement
Council and if such systems are valid, reliable, and
consistent with relevant, nationally recognized, pro-
fessional and technical standards for assessment
when used for their intended purposes.
SEC. 212. NATIONAL EDUCATION STANDARDS AND IM-
PROVEMENT COUNCIL.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the ex-
ecutive branch a National Education Standards and Im-
provement Council (referred to in this title as the
‘‘Council’’).
(b) COMPOSITION.—The Council shall be composed
of twenty members (referred to in this part as ‘‘mem-
bers’’) who shall be appointed as follows:
(1) 8 members (2 from each of subparagraphs
(A) through (D) of subsection (c)(1)) shall be ap-
pointed by the President;
(2) 4 members (1 from each of subparagraphs
(A) through (D) of subsection (c)(1)) shall be ap-
pointed by the Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives, in consultation with the majority and minority
leaders of the House;
(3) 4 members (1 from each of subparagraphs
(A) through (D) of subsection (c)(1)) shall be ap-
pointed by the majority leader of the Senate, in con-
sultation with the minority leader of the Senate; and
(4) 4 members (1 from each of subparagraphs
(A) through (D) of subsection (c)(1)) shall be ap-
pointed by the National Education Goals Panel.
(c) QUALIFICATIONS.—(1) The members of the
Council shall include—
(A) 5 professional educators, including elemen-
tary and secondary classroom teachers, preschool
educators and other school-based professionals, local
district or State administrators, related service per-
sonnel, and other educators;
(B) 5 representatives of business and industry,
organized labor, and postsecondary educational insti-
tutions, including at least 1 representative of post-
secondary educational institutions, at least 1 rep-
resentative of organized labor, and at least 1 rep-
resentative of business who is also a member of the
National Skill Standards Board;
(C) 5 representatives of the public, including
representatives of advocacy, civil rights and disabil-
ity groups, parents, civic leaders, and local and State
education policymakers (including State, local, or
tribal school boards); and
(D) 5 education experts, including experts in
measurement and assessment, curriculum, school fi-
nance and equity, and school reform.
(2) To the extent feasible, the membership of the
Council shall be geographically representative of the
United States and reflect the diversity of the United
States with regard to race, ethnicity, gender, and disability
characteristics.
(3) One-third of the Council shall consist of individ-
uals with expertise in the educational needs of children
who are from low-income families, minority backgrounds,
have limited-English proficiency, or have disabilities.
(d) TERMS.—(1) Members shall be appointed for 3-
year terms, with no member serving more than 2 consecu-
tive terms.
(2) The Council shall establish by lot initial terms
for individuals of one, two, or three years in order to es-
tablish a rotation in which one-third of the members are
selected each year.
(e) DATE OF APPOINTMENT.—The initial members
shall be appointed not later than 120 days after the date
of enactment of this Act.
(f) INITIATION.—The Council shall begin to carry out
the duties of the Council under this part when all 20 mem-
bers have been appointed.
(g) RETENTION.—In order to retain an appointment
to the Council, a member must attend at least two-thirds
of the scheduled meetings of the Council in any given year.
(h) VACANCY.—A vacancy on the Council shall not
affect the powers of the Council, but shall be filled in the
same manner as the original appointment.
(i) COMPENSATION.—Members of the Council who
are not regular full-time employees of the United States
may, while attending meetings or hearings of the Council,
be provided compensation at a rate fixed by the Secretary,
but not exceeding the maximum rate of basic pay payable
for GS–15 of the General Schedule.
(j) CONFLICT OF INTEREST.—(1) A member of the
Council may not concurrently serve as a member of the
Goals Panel.
(2) Section 208 of title 18 of the United States Code
shall apply to members of the Council except that, for the
purposes of making written determinations under sub-
section (b)(1), the Government official responsible for the
appointment of any member of the Council is deemed to
be the Director of the Office of Government Ethics.
(3) A member of the Council who resides in a State
which has developed standards and assessments may not
participate in Council consideration of such standards and
assessments.
(k) TRAVEL.—Each member of the Council may be
allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of sub-
sistence, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5, United
States Code, for each day the member is engaged in the
performance of duties away from the home or regular
place of business of the member.
(l) OFFICERS.—The members of the Council shall se-
lect officers from among its members. The officers of the
Council shall serve for one-year terms.
SEC. 213. DUTIES.
(a) VOLUNTARY NATIONAL CONTENT STANDARDS.—
(1) The Council shall—
(A) identify areas in which voluntary national
content standards need to be developed;
(B) certify voluntary national content and stu-
dent performance standards using the criteria devel-
oped under paragraph (2)(A)(i), that define what all
students should know and be able to do;
(C) forward such voluntary national content
and student performance standards to the Goals
Panel for review, except that the Goals Panel shall
have the option of disapproving such standards by a
two-thirds majority vote of the full membership not
later than 60 days after receipt of such standards;
and
(D) develop a process for regularly reviewing
any national voluntary content, student perform-
ance, and opportunity-to-learn standards that have
been certified.
(2)(A) The Council shall—
(i) identify and develop criteria to be used for
certifying the voluntary national content and student
performance standards; and
(ii) before applying such criteria, forward them
to the Goals Panel for review, except that the Goals
Panel shall have the option of disapproving such cri-
teria by a two-thirds majority vote of the full mem-
bership not later than 60 days after receipt of such
criteria.
(B) The criteria developed by the Council shall ad-
dress—
(i) the extent to which the proposed standards
are internationally competitive and comparable to
the best in the world;
(ii) the extent to which the proposed content
and student performance standards reflect the best
available knowledge about how all students learn and
about how the content area can be most effectively
taught;
(iii) the extent to which the proposed content
and student performance standards have been devel-
oped through an open and public process that pro-
vides for input and involvement of all relevant par-
ties, including teachers, related services personnel,
and other professional educators, employers and
postsecondary education institutions, curriculum and
subject matter specialists, parents, advocacy groups,
and the public; and
(iv) other factors that the Council deems appro-
priate.
(C) In developing the criteria, the Council shall work
with entities that are developing, or have already devel-
oped, content and student performance standards, and
any other entities that the Council deems appropriate, to
identify appropriate certification criteria.
(b) VOLUNTARY STATE CONTENT STANDARDS.—The
Council may certify content and student performance
standards presented on a voluntary basis by States, using
the criteria developed under subsection (a)(2)(A)(i), if
such standards are of equal or higher quality to the vol-
untary national content and student performance stand-
ards certified by the Council.
(c) VOLUNTARY NATIONAL OPPORTUNITY-TO-LEARN
STANDARDS.—(1) The Council shall certify exemplary,
voluntary national opportunity-to-learn standards that will
establish a basis for providing all students a fair oppor-
tunity to achieve the knowledge and skills set out in the
voluntary national content standards certified by the
Council.
(2) The voluntary national opportunity-to-learn
standards certified by the Council shall address—
(A) the quality and availability of curricula, in-
structional materials, and technologies, including
distance learning, to all students;
(B) the capability of teachers to provide high-
quality instruction to meet diverse learning needs in
each content area to all students;
(C) the extent to which teachers, principals,
and administrators have ready and continuing access
to professional development, including the best
knowledge about teaching, learning, and school im-
provement;
(D) the extent to which curriculum, instruc-
tional practices, and assessments are aligned to con-
tent standards;
(E) the extent to which school facilities provide
a safe and secure environment for learning and in-
struction and have the requisite libraries, labora-
tories, and other resources necessary to provide an
opportunity to learn;
(F) the extent to which schools utilize policies,
curricula, and instructional practices which ensure
nondiscrimination on the basis of gender; and
(G) other factors that the Council deems appro-
priate to ensure the students receive a fair oppor-
tunity to achieve the knowledge and skills described
in the voluntary content and student performance
standards certified by the Council.
(3) In carrying out this subsection, the Council
shall—
(A) identify what countries with rigorous con-
tent standards do to—
(i) provide their children with opportunities
to learn;
(ii) prepare their teachers; and
(iii) provide continuing professional devel-
opment opportunities for their teachers; and
(B) develop criteria to be used for certifying the
voluntary national and State opportunity-to-learn
standards and, before applying such criteria, for-
ward them to the Goals Panel for review, except that
the Goals Panel shall have the option of disapprov-
ing such standards by a two-thirds majority vote of
the full membership not later than 60 days after re-
ceipt of such criteria.
(4) The Council shall assist in the development of the
voluntary national opportunity-to-learn standards devel-
oped by the consortium under section 219 by—
(A) making recommendations to the Secretary
regarding priorities and selection criteria for the
award made under section 219; and
(B) coordinating with the consortium receiving
an award under section 219 to ensure that the op-
portunity-to-learn standards the consortium develops
are appropriate for the needs of all students, are of
high quality, and are consistent with the criteria de-
veloped by the Council for the certification of such
standards.
(5) The Council shall forward the voluntary national
opportunity-to-learn standards it certifies to the Goals
Panel for review, except that the Goals Panel shall have
the option of disapproving such standards by a two-thirds
majority vote of the full membership not later than 60
days after receipt of such standards.
(d) VOLUNTARY
STATE
OPPORTUNITY-TO-LEARN
STANDARDS.—The Council may certify opportunity-to-
learn standards submitted voluntarily by a State, using
the criteria developed under subsection (c)(3)(B), if such
standards are of equal or higher quality as compared to
the voluntary national opportunity-to-learn standards.
(e) GENERAL PROVISION REGARDING VOLUNTARY
NATIONAL STANDARDS.—The Council may certify vol-
untary national content, student performance, and oppor-
tunity-to-learn standards if such standards are sufficiently
general to be used by any State without restricting State
and local control of curriculum and prerogatives regarding
instructional methods to be employed.
(f) ASSESSMENTS.—(1)(A) The Council may certify
an assessment system that is submitted voluntarily by a
State, using the criteria developed under paragraph
(2)(A), if such system is aligned with the State’s content
standards certified by the Council.
(B) Assessment systems shall be certified by the
Council for the purposes of—
(i) informing students, parents, teachers, and
related services personnel about the progress of all
students toward the standards;
(ii) improving classroom instruction and im-
proving the learning outcomes for all students;
(iii) exemplifying for students, parents, and
teachers the kinds and levels of achievement that
should be expected of all students, including the
identification of student performance standards;
(iv) measuring and motivating individual stu-
dents, schools, districts, States, and the Nation to
improve educational performance; and
(v) assisting education policymakers in making
decisions about education programs.
(C) The Council shall certify an assessment system
only if—
(i) the State has established or adopted oppor-
tunity-to-learn standards;
(ii) such system will not be used to make deci-
sions regarding graduation, grade promotion, or re-
tention of students for a period of five years from
the date of enactment of this Act; and
(iii) the State has submitted—
(I) a description of the purposes for which
the assessment system has been designed;
(II) the methodologies and process used to
develop, select, validate, and use such assess-
ment systems;
(III) a copy of the test instrument and, as
appropriate, other measures that will make up
the system; and
(IV) evidence that the test or tests which
are part of the assessment system are valid, re-
liable measures of their intended purposes, are
aligned with the State content standards, are
capable of assessing the progress of all students
toward learning the material in the State con-
tent standards, and are consistent with relevant
nationally recognized professional and technical
standards.
(D) The Council shall, at the request of a State prior
to developing an assessment system for a proposed use,
review and provide guidance to such State on a proposed
package of measures, including tests that would be in-
cluded in such a system.
(2)(A) The Council shall develop and, no sooner than
three years or later than four years after the enactment
of this Act, begin utilizing criteria for the certification of
assessment systems for the purposes indicated in para-
graph (1)(B). Before using such criteria, the Council shall
forward the criteria to the Goals Panel for review, except
that the Goals Panel shall have the option of disapproving
such criteria by a two-thirds majority vote of the full mem-
bership not later than 60 days after receipt of such cri-
teria.
(B) The certification criteria developed by the Coun-
cil shall address the extent to which the assessment sys-
tem—
(i) is aligned with State content standards cer-
tified by the Council; and
(ii) is to be used for a purpose for which it is
valid, reliable, free of discrimination, and is consist-
ent with relevant, nationally recognized professional
and technical standards for assessment.
(C) In determining appropriate certification criteria,
the Council shall—
(i) consider standards and criteria being devel-
oped by other national organizations, research on as-
sessment, and emerging new State and local assess-
ments;
(ii) recommend needed research;
(iii) encourage the development and field testing
of assessment systems; and
(iv) provide a public forum for discussing, de-
bating, and building consensus for the criteria to be
used for the certification of assessment systems.
(D) Prior to determining the certification criteria, the
Council shall seek public comment regarding the proposed
criteria.
(E) The Council shall certify an assessment system
only if such system includes all students.
(g) PERFORMANCE OF DUTIES.—In carrying out its
responsibilities under this title, the Council shall—
(1) provide for a process of broad public input
as part of the process of developing criteria for
standards and assessments;
(2) work with Federal and non-Federal agencies
and organizations which are conducting research,
studies, or demonstration projects to determine
internationally competitive standards and assess-
ments, and may establish subject matter and other
panels to advise it on particular content, student
performance, and opportunity-to-learn standards and
on assessments;
(3) establish cooperative arrangements with the
National Skill Standards Board to promote the co-
ordination of the development of content and stu-
dent performance standards under this title with the
development of skill standards under title IV of this
Act;
(4) recommend studies to the Secretary that
are necessary to carry out the Council’s responsibil-
ities;
(5) inform the public about what constitutes
high quality, internationally competitive, content,
student 
performance, 
and 
opportunity-to-learn
standards, and assessment systems;
(6) on a regular basis, review and update cri-
teria for certifying content, student performance,
and opportunity-to-learn standards, and assessment
systems; and
(7) periodically recertify, as appropriate, the
voluntary national content and student performance
standards, and the voluntary national opportunity-
to-learn standards and the assessments that it cer-
tifies under this section.
(h) UNCONDITIONED STATE PARTICIPATION.—No
State shall be required to obtain certification of standards
or assessments developed under subsection (b), (d), or (f)
of this section or to participate in programs under title
III of this Act, as a condition of participating in any Fed-
eral education program under this or any other Act.
SEC. 214. ANNUAL REPORTS.
Not later than one year after the date the Council
concludes its first meeting, and in each succeeding year,
the Council shall prepare and submit a report to the Presi-
dent, the Secretary, the appropriate committees of Con-
gress, the Governor of each State, and the Goals Panel
regarding its work.
SEC. 215. POWERS OF THE COUNCIL.
(a) HEARINGS.—(1) The Council shall, for the pur-
pose of carrying out its responsibilities, conduct such hear-
ings, sit and act at such times and places, take such testi-
mony, and receive such evidence, as the Council considers
appropriate.
(2) In carrying out this part, the Council shall con-
duct public hearings in different geographic areas of the
United States, both urban and rural, to receive the re-
ports, views, and analyses of a broad spectrum of experts
and the public on the establishment of voluntary national
content, student performance, and opportunity-to-learn
standards, and assessment systems.
(b) INFORMATION.—The Council may secure directly
from any department or agency of the United States infor-
mation necessary to enable the Council to carry out this
part. Upon request of the Chairperson of the Council, the
head of a department or agency shall furnish such infor-
mation to the Council to the extent permitted by law.
(c) POSTAL SERVICES.—The Council may use the
United States mail in the same manner and under the
same conditions as other departments and agencies of the
United States.
(d) USE OF FACILITIES.—The Council may, with
their consent, use the research, equipment, services, and
facilities of any agency or instrumentality of the United
States, or of any State or political subdivision thereof.
(e) ADMINISTRATIVE
ARRANGEMENTS
AND
SUP-
PORT.—(1) The Secretary shall provide to the Council, on
a reimbursable basis, such administrative support services
as the Council may request.
(2) The Secretary shall, to the extent appropriate,
and on a reimbursable basis, make contracts and other
arrangements that are requested by the Council to help
it compile and analyze data or carry out other functions
necessary to the performance of its responsibilities.
SEC. 216. PUBLICATION FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
(a) TRANSMITTAL.—For the purpose of obtaining
public comment through publication in the Federal Reg-
ister, the Council shall transmit to the Secretary—
(1) proposed criteria for certifying national and
State content and performance standards;
(2) proposed criteria for certifying national and
State opportunity-to-learn standards;
(3) proposed criteria for certifying State assess-
ment systems; and
(4) proposed national content, performance, and
opportunity-to-learn standards.
(b) PUBLICATION.—The Secretary shall publish such
proposed procedures, standards, and criteria in the Fed-
eral Register.
SEC. 217. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.
(a) MEETINGS.—The Council shall meet on a regular
basis, as necessary, at the call of the Chairperson of the
Council, or a majority of its members.
(b) QUORUM.—A majority of the members shall con-
stitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
(c) VOTING.—The Council shall take all action of the
Council by a majority vote of the total membership of the
Council, ensuring the right of the minority to issue written
views. No individual may vote or exercise any of the pow-
ers of a member by proxy.
(d) PUBLIC ACCESS.—The Council shall ensure pub-
lic access to its proceedings (other than proceedings, or
portions of proceedings, relating to internal personnel and
management matters) and make available to the public,
at reasonable cost, transcripts of such proceedings.
SEC. 218. DIRECTOR AND STAFF; EXPERTS AND CONSULT-
ANTS.
(a) DIRECTOR.—The Chairperson of the Council
shall, without regard to the provisions of title 5, United
States Code, relating to the appointment and compensa-
tion 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.
(b) APPOINTMENT
AND PAY
OF EMPLOYEES.—
(1)(A) The Director may appoint not more than four addi-
tional employees to serve as staff to the Council without
regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code,
governing appointments in the competitive service.
(B) The employees appointed under subparagraph
(A) may be paid without regard to the provisions of chap-
ter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title relat-
ing to classification and General Schedule pay rates, but
shall not be paid a rate that exceeds the maximum rate
of basic pay payable for GS–15 of the General Schedule.
(2) The Director may appoint additional employees
to serve as staff of the Council consistent with title 5,
United States Code.
(c) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Council may
procure temporary and intermittent services under section
3019(b) of title 5, United States Code.
(d) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon the re-
quest of the Council, the head of any department or agen-
cy of the United States may detail any of the personnel
of such department or agency to the Council to assist the
Council in its duties under this part.
SEC. 219. OPPORTUNITY-TO-LEARN DEVELOPMENT GRANT.
(a) 
OPPORTUNITY-TO-LEARN
DEVELOPMENT
GRANT.—(1) The Secretary is authorized to make a grant,
on a competitive basis, to a consortium of individuals and
organizations to develop voluntary national opportunity-
to-learn standards consistent with the provisions of section
213(c).
(2) To the extent possible, such consortium shall in-
clude the participation of—
(A) State-level policymakers, such as Governors,
State legislators, chief State school officers, and
State school board members;
(B) local policymakers and administrators, such
as local school board members, superintendents, and
principals;
(C) teachers (especially teachers involved in the
development of content standards);
(D) parents and individuals with experience in
promoting parental involvement in education;
(E) representatives of business;
(F) experts in vocational-technical education;
(G) representatives of regional accrediting asso-
ciations;
(H) individuals with expertise in school finance
and equity, the education of at-risk students, and
the preparation and training of teachers and school
administrators;
(I) curriculum and school reform experts;
(J) student and civil rights advocacy groups;
(K) representatives of higher education; and
(L) secondary school students.
(3) In developing voluntary national opportunity-to-
learn standards, such consortium shall—
(A) draw upon current research about student
achievement and the necessary conditions for effec-
tive teaching and learning; and
(B) provide for the development of several con-
secutive drafts of standards which incorporate the
comments and recommendations of educators and
other knowledgeable individuals across the Nation.
(4) One-third of the consortium shall consist of indi-
viduals with expertise in the educational needs and assess-
ment of children who are from low-income families, minor-
ity backgrounds, have limited-English proficiency, or have
disabilities.
(5) The membership of the consortium shall be geo-
graphically representative and reflect the racial, ethnic,
and gender diversity of the United States.
(b) APPLICATIONS.—(1) Any consortium that desires
to receive a grant under this subsection shall submit an
application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner,
and containing such information and assurances as the
Secretary may require.
(2) In awarding such grant, the Secretary shall give
priority to applications from consortia which involve indi-
viduals and organizations with the greatest diversity of
perspectives and points of view.
(3) In establishing additional priorities and selection
criteria for such grant, the Secretary shall give serious
consideration to the recommendations made by the Coun-
cil pursuant to section 213(c)(4)(A).
(c) REPORT.—After the development of the voluntary
national opportunity-to-learn standards, the consortium
funded under this section shall submit a report to the Sec-
retary which discusses the background, important issues,
and rationale regarding such standards.
SEC. 220. ASSESSMENT DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION
GRANTS.
(a) GENERAL.—(1) The Secretary is authorized to
make grants to States and local educational agencies or
consortia of such agencies to help defray the cost of devel-
oping, field testing, and evaluating assessment systems, to
be used for some or all of the purposes indicated in section
213(f)(1)(B), that are aligned to State content standards
certified by the Council.
(2) The Secretary shall reserve a portion of the funds
authorized under section 231(d) for grants to State edu-
cational agencies and local educational agencies for pur-
poses of developing such assessments in languages other
than English.
(b) APPLICATIONS.—A State, local educational agen-
cy, or consortium of such agencies that desires to receive
a grant under subsection (a)(1) shall submit an applica-
tion to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information and assurances as the Sec-
retary may require.
(c) REQUIREMENTS.—(1) A recipient of a grant
under this section shall—
(A) examine the validity and reliability of an as-
sessment system for the particular purposes for
which such assessment system was developed;
(B) ensure that an assessment system is con-
sistent with relevant, nationally recognized profes-
sional and technical standards for assessments; and
(C) devote special attention to how an assess-
ment system, treats all students, especially with re-
gard to the race, gender, ethnicity, disability, and
language proficiency.
(2) An assessment system developed and evaluated
with funds under this section may not be used for deci-
sions about individual students relating to program place-
ment, promotion, or retention, graduation, or employment
for a period of five years from the date of enactment of
this Act.
SEC. 221. EVALUATION.
(a) GRANT.—From funds reserved under section
304(a)(2), the Secretary annually shall make a grant, in
an amount not to exceed $500,000, to the Commission on
Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education of the Na-
tional Academy of Sciences or to the National Academy
of Education to—
(1) evaluate—
(A) the technical quality of the work per-
formed by the Goals Panel and the Council;
(B) the process the Council uses to develop
criteria for certification of standards and as-
sessments;
(C) the process the Council uses to certify
voluntary national standards as well as stand-
ards and assessments voluntarily submitted by
States; and
(D) the process the Goals Panel uses to
approve certification criteria and voluntary na-
tional standards;
(2) periodically provide to the Goals Panel and
the Council, as appropriate, information from the
evaluation under paragraph (1); and
(3) report on the activities authorized under
sections 219 and 220.
(b) REPORT.—The grant recipient shall periodically
report to the Congress, the Secretary, and the public re-
garding findings and shall make a final report not later
than January 1, 1998.
PART C—AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS
SEC. 231. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANEL.—There
are authorized to be appropriated $3,000,000 for fiscal
year 1994 and such sums as may be necessary for each
of the four succeeding fiscal years to carry out part A of
this title.
(b) NATIONAL EDUCATION STANDARDS
AND IM-
PROVEMENT COUNCIL.—There are authorized to be ap-
propriated $3,000,000 for fiscal year 1994 and such sums
as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1995
through 1998 to carry out part B of this title.
(c) 
OPPORTUNITY-TO-LEARN
DEVELOPMENT
GRANT.—There are authorized to be appropriated
$3,000,000 for fiscal year 1994 and such sums as may
be necessary for fiscal year 1995 to carry out the Oppor-
tunity-to-Learn Development Grant Program established
under section 219 of this title.
(d) ASSESSMENT DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION
GRANTS.—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 to carry out the Assessment Development and Eval-
uation Grants Program established under section 220 of
this title.
TITLE III—STATE AND LOCAL
EDUCATION 
SYSTEMIC 
IM-
PROVEMENT
SEC. 301. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that—
(1) all students can learn and achieve high
standards and must realize their potential if the
United States is to prosper;
(2) the reforms in education of the last 15
years have achieved some good results, but these ef-
forts often have been limited to a few schools or to
a single part of the educational system;
(3) leadership must come both from teachers,
related services personnel, principals, and parents in
individual schools and from policymakers at the
local, State, tribal, and national levels, in order for
lasting improvements in student performance to
occur;
(4) simultaneous top-down and bottom-up edu-
cation reform is necessary to spur creative and inno-
vative approaches by individual schools to help all
students achieve internationally competitive stand-
ards;
(5) strategies must be developed by commu-
nities and States to support the revitalization of all
local public schools by fundamentally changing the
entire system of public education through com-
prehensive, coherent, and coordinated improvement
in order to increase student learning;
(6) parents, teachers, and other local educators,
and business, community, and tribal leaders must be
involved in developing systemwide improvement
strategies that reflect the needs of their individual
communities;
(7) State and local education improvement ef-
forts must incorporate strategies for providing all
students and families with coordinated access to ap-
propriate social services, health care, nutrition, and
child care to remove preventable barriers to learning
and enhance school readiness for all students;
(8) States and local educational agencies, work-
ing together, must immediately set about developing
and implementing such systemwide improvement
strategies if the Nation is to educate all children to
meet their full potential and achieve the National
Education Goals listed in title I of this Act;
(9) State and local systemic improvement strat-
egies must provide all students with effective mecha-
nisms and appropriate paths to the workforce as well
as to higher education;
(10) business should be encouraged to enter
into partnerships with schools, provide information
and guidance to schools on the needs of area busi-
ness for properly educated graduates in general and
on the need for particular workplace skills, that the
schools may provide necessary material and support,
and continue the lifelong learning process through-
out the employment years of an individual, and
schools should provide information to business re-
garding how the business community can assist
schools in meeting the goals of this Act;
(11) institutions of higher education should be
encouraged to enter into partnerships with schools
to provide information and guidance to schools on
the skills and knowledge graduates need in order to
enter and successfully complete postsecondary edu-
cation, and schools should provide information and
guidance to institutions of higher education on the
skills, knowledge, and preservice training teachers
need, and the types of professional development edu-
cators need in order to meet the goals of this Act;
(12) the appropriate and innovative use of tech-
nology, including distance learning, can be very ef-
fective in helping to bring all students the oppor-
tunity to learn and meet high standards; and
(13) Federal funds should be targeted to sup-
port local and State initiatives, and to leverage State
and local resources for designing and implementing
system-wide improvement plans.
SEC. 302. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this title is to improve the quality of
education for all students by improving student learning
through a long-term, broad-based effort to promote coher-
ent and coordinated improvements in the system of edu-
cation throughout the Nation at the local and State levels.
This title provides new authorities and funding for the Na-
tion’s school systems without replacing or reducing fund-
ing for existing Federal education programs. It is the in-
tention of the Congress that no State or local educational
agency will reduce its funding for education or for edu-
cation reform on account of receiving any funds under this
title.
SEC. 303. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
For the purpose of carrying out this title, there are
authorized to be appropriated $393,000,000 for the fiscal
year 1994, and such sums as may be necessary for each
of the fiscal years 1995 through 1998.
SEC. 304. ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS.
(a) RESERVATIONS OF FUNDS.—From funds appro-
priated under section 303, the Secretary—
(1) shall reserve a total of one percent to pro-
vide assistance, in amounts determined by the Sec-
retary—
(A) to the outlying areas; and
(B) to the Secretary of the Interior to ben-
efit Indian students in schools operated or
funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (re-
ferred to in this Act as the ‘‘Bureau’’); and
(2) may reserve a total of up to 6 percent for—
(A) national leadership activities under
section 313;
(B) the costs of peer review of State im-
provement plans and applications under this
title; and
(C) evaluation activities under section 221.
(b) STATE ALLOTMENTS.—The Secretary shall allot
the remaining amount appropriated under section 303 for
each fiscal year to the States (which for the purposes of
this subsection does not include the outlying areas) as fol-
lows:
(1) 50 percent of such remaining amount shall
be allocated in accordance with the relative amounts
such State received under chapter 1 of title I of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
for the preceding fiscal year.
(2) 50 percent of such remaining amount shall
be allocated in accordance with the relative amounts
each such State received under part A of chapter 2
of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 for the preceding fiscal year.
(c) REALLOTMENTS.—If the Secretary determines
that any amount of a State’s allotment for any fiscal year
under subsection (b) will not be needed for such fiscal year
by the State, the Secretary shall reallot such amount to
other States that need additional funds, in such manner
as the Secretary determines is appropriate.
SEC. 305. STATE APPLICATIONS.
(a) GENERAL.—(1) If a State desires to receive a
grant under this title, the State educational agency shall
submit an application to the Secretary at such time and
in such manner as the Secretary may determine.
(2) In addition to the information described in sub-
sections (b) and (c), each such application shall include—
(A) an assurance that the State educational
agency will cooperate with the Secretary in carrying
out the Secretary’s responsibilities under section
312, and will comply with reasonable requests of the
Secretary for data related to the State’s progress in
developing and implementing its State improvement
plan under this title;
(B) an assurance that State law provides ade-
quate authority to carry out each component of the
State’s improvement plan developed, or to be devel-
oped under section 306, or that such authority will
be sought;
(C) an assurance that the standards developed
for student achievement are not less rigorous than
student achievement standards used prior to the
date of enactment of this Act;
(D) an assurance that the State will provide for
broad public participation in the planning process;
and
(E) such other assurances and information as
the Secretary may require.
(b) FIRST YEAR.—A State’s application for the first
year of assistance under this title shall—
(1) describe the process by which the State will
develop a school improvement plan that meets the
requirements of section 306; and
(2) describe how the State educational agency
will use funds received under this title for such year,
including how the State educational agency will
make subgrants to local educational agencies and for
teacher training.
(c) SUBSEQUENT YEARS.—A State’s second applica-
tion under this title shall—
(1) cover the second through fifth years of its
participation;
(2) include a copy of the State’s improvement
plan that meets the requirements of section 306 or,
if the State plan is not complete, a statement of the
steps it will take to complete the plan and a schedule
for doing so; and
(3) include an explanation of how the State will
use funds received under this title, including how it
will make subgrants to local educational agencies
and for teacher training under section 309(b)(1).
SEC. 306. STATE IMPROVEMENT PLANS.
(a) BASIC SCOPE OF PLAN.—Any State educational
agency that wishes to receive a grant under this title after
its first year of participation shall develop and implement
a plan for the fundamental restructuring and improvement
of elementary and secondary education in the State. This
plan must address—
(1) in accordance with subsection (c), the estab-
lishment or adoption of challenging content and stu-
dent performance standards for all students and the
use of curricula, instructional practices, assessments,
technology, parental involvement programs, and pro-
fessional preparation and development approaches
appropriate to help all students reach such stand-
ards;
(2) in accordance with subsection (d), the es-
tablishment or adoption of opportunity-to-learn
standards that will define the conditions of teaching
and learning that provide all students the oppor-
tunity to meet the challenging content and student
performance standards;
(3) in accordance with subsection (e), needed
changes in the governance and management of the
education system in order to effectively focus schools
on, and assist them in, preparing all students to
meet the challenging State standards;
(4) in accordance with subsection (f), com-
prehensive strategies to involve communities, includ-
ing parents, businesses, libraries, institutions of
higher education, employment and training agencies,
health and human service agencies, advocacy groups,
cultural institutions, and other public and private
agencies that provide social services, health care,
child care, early childhood education, and nutrition
to students, in helping all students meet the chal-
lenging State standards;
(5) in accordance with subsection (g), strategies
for ensuring that all local educational agencies and
schools within the State are involved in developing
and implementing needed improvements within a
specified period of time;
(6) in accordance with subsection (h), strategies
for ensuring that comprehensive, systemic reform is
promoted from the bottom up in communities, local
educational agencies, and schools; and
(7) the needs of the children, ages 5 through
18, who are out of school and the extent to which
such children can be brought back into the education
system and meet the standards set forth in this Act.
(b) PLAN DEVELOPMENT.—(1) A State improvement
plan under this title must be developed by a broad-based
panel (referred to in this title as the ‘‘panel’’) in coopera-
tion with the State educational agency and the Governor.
The panel shall include—
(A) the Governor and the chief State school of-
ficer, or their designees;
(B) the chairman of the State board of edu-
cation and the chairmen of the appropriate authoriz-
ing committees of the State legislature, or their des-
ignees;
(C) teachers, principals, and administrators
who have successfully improved student performance
and deans of colleges of education;
(D) representatives of teacher organizations,
parents, institutions of higher education, business
and labor leaders, community-based organizations,
Indian tribes, local boards of education, State and
local officials responsible for health, social services,
and other related services, and others, as appro-
priate;
(E) representatives from rural and urban local
educational agencies in the State; and
(F) experts in educational measurement and as-
sessment.
(2) The Governor and the chief State school officer
shall each appoint half the members of the State panel.
The full panel shall establish the procedures regarding the
operation of the panel, including the designation of the
panel chairperson.
(3) To the extent feasible, the membership of the
panel shall be geographically representative of the State
and reflect the diversity of the population of the State with
regard to race, ethnicity, gender, and disability character-
istics.
(4) One-third of the panel members shall be individ-
uals with expertise in the educational needs and assess-
ments of children who are from low-income families, mi-
nority group backgrounds, have limited-English pro-
ficiency, or have disabilities.
(5) The panel shall consult the Governor, the chief
State school officer, the State board of education, and rel-
evant committees of the State legislature in developing the
plan.
(6) The panel shall be responsible for conducting a
statewide, grassroots outreach process, including conduct-
ing public hearings, to involve educators, related services
personnel, parents, secondary school students, local offi-
cials, private nonprofit elementary and secondary schools,
community and business leaders, Indian tribes, citizens,
children’s advocates, and others with a stake in the suc-
cess of students and their education system, and who are
representative of the diversity of the State and its student
population, in the development of the State plan and in
a continuing dialog regarding the need for and nature of
challenging standards for all students and local and State
responsibilities for helping all students achieve them.
(7) The panel shall develop a continuing process for
interacting with local educational agencies and individual
schools engaged in systemic reform, especially including
local educational agencies and schools which receive
subgrants under section 309 of this Act, to ensure that
the development and implementation of the State plan re-
flects their needs and experiences.
(8) The panel shall develop a State plan, provide op-
portunity for public comment, and submit the State plan
to the State educational agency for approval.
(9) The State educational agency shall submit the
original State improvement plan developed by the panel
and the State improvement plan if modified by such agen-
cy, together with an explanation of any changes made by
such agency to the plan developed by the panel, to the
Secretary for approval.
(10) If any portion of the State plan addresses mat-
ters that, under State or other applicable law, are not
under the authority of the State educational agency, the
State educational agency shall obtain the approval of, or
changes to, such portion, with an explanation from the
Governor or other official responsible for that portion be-
fore submitting the plan to the Secretary.
(11) After approval of the State plan by the Sec-
retary, the panel, in close consultation with teachers, prin-
cipals, administrators, school boards, advocacy groups, ad-
vocates of children with disabilities and parents in local
educational agencies and schools receiving funds under
this title, shall monitor the implementation and effective-
ness of the State plan to determine if revisions are appro-
priate, and shall periodically report its findings to the pub-
lic.
(c) TEACHING, LEARNING, STANDARDS, AND AS-
SESSMENTS.—Each State plan shall establish strategies
and a timetable for improving teaching and learning, in-
cluding—
(1) a process for developing or adopting chal-
lenging content and student performance standards
for all students which includes coordinating the
standards developed pursuant to section 115 of the
Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology
Education Act of 1990;
(2) a process for providing assistance and sup-
port to local educational agencies and schools to give
them the capacity and responsibility to provide all
students the opportunity to increase education
achievement and meet challenging State content and
student performance standards;
(3) assessing the effectiveness and equity of the
school finance program of the State to identify dis-
parities in the resources available to each local edu-
cational agency and school in such State and how
such disparities affect the ability of the State edu-
cational agency and local educational agencies to de-
velop and implement plans under this title;
(4) a process for developing, adopting, or rec-
ommending instructional materials, including gender
equitable and multicultural materials, and tech-
nology to support and assist local educational agen-
cies and schools to provide all students the oppor-
tunity to meet the challenging State content and
student performance standards;
(5) a process for developing and implementing
a valid and nondiscriminatory assessment system or
set of locally-based assessment systems which are
consistent with relevant, nationally recognized, pro-
fessional and technical standards for assessment,
and are capable of providing coherent information
about student attainments relative to the State con-
tent standards;
(6) a process for monitoring the implementation
of such system or systems and the impact on im-
proved instruction for all students;
(7) a process for improving the State’s system
of teacher and school administrator preparation, li-
censure, and continuing professional development so
that all teachers, related services personnel, and ad-
ministrators develop the subject matter and peda-
gogical expertise needed to prepare all students to
meet the challenging standards under paragraph (1);
(8) a process for providing appropriate and ef-
fective professional development, including the use of
technology, distance learning, and gender-equitable
methods, necessary for teachers, school administra-
tors, and others to help all students meet the chal-
lenging standards under paragraph (1); and
(9) a process to ensure widespread participation
of classroom teachers in developing the portions of
the plan described in this subsection.
(d) OPPORTUNITY-TO-LEARN
STANDARDS.—Each
State plan shall establish a strategy and timetable for—
(1) adopting or establishing opportunity-to-
learn standards that are consistent with the chal-
lenging content and student performance standards
that have been adopted or established;
(2) ensuring that every school in the State is
making demonstrable progress toward meeting the
State’s opportunity-to-learn standards;
(3) ensuring that the State’s opportunity-to-
learn standards address the need of all students;
(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 so-
cioeconomic characteristics and includes teach-
ers, parents, advocacy groups, school adminis-
trators, business representatives, and others, as
appropriate; and
(ii) shall, following the selection of its
members, establish the procedures regarding
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. 311. 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