H. R. 1804—117
community resource for lifelong learning, the public library
system of the United States, should expand and restructure
its delivery of services to take full advantage of the poten-
tial of new information technologies to meet the needs
of learning communities.
(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the National Institute on
Postsecondary Education, Libraries, and Lifelong Learning is
to promote greater coordination of Federal research and devel-
opment on issues related to adult learning and to carry out
a program of research and development in adult learning to
provide nonpartisan, research-based leadership to the United
States as it seeks to improve libraries, postsecondary education,
literacy, and lifelong learning throughout the United States.
Such program—
(A) shall only support research and development in
those areas of postsecondary education, libraries, literacy,
and lifelong learning which are not being addressed by
other entities within the Federal Government;
(B) may include basic and applied research, develop-
ment, replication, and evaluation activities in areas such
as—
(i) methods of assessing and evaluating individual,
program, and institutional performance;
(ii) the uses and applications of new technologies
to improve program effectiveness and enhance student
learning;
(iii) the most effective training methods for adults
to upgrade education and vocational skills;
(iv) opportunities for adults to continue their edu-
cation beyond higher education and graduate school,
in the context of lifelong learning and information-
finding skills;
(v) adult literacy and effective methods, including
technology, to eliminate illiteracy;
(vi) preparing students for a lifetime of work, the
ability to adapt through retraining to the changing
needs of the work force and the ability to learn new
tasks;
(vii) the use of technology to develop and deliver
effective training methods for adults to upgrade their
education and their vocational skills; and
(viii) institutional and classroom policies and prac-
tices at the postsecondary level necessary to improve
matriculation, persistence, achievement and gradua-
tion by students who are economically disadvantaged,
ethnic and racial minorities, women, older, working,
and who have children;
(ix) instructional practices and programs which
are effective in correctional settings;
(x) new models of service delivery for public library
systems which expand opportunities for lifelong learn-
ing;
(xi) effective programs and approaches which pro-
mote greater access to and success by minorities in
postsecondary programs which prepare such minorities
for scientific, technical, teaching, and health career
fields;
H. R. 1804—118
(xii) effective teaching for the preparation and
continuing education of teachers;
(xiii) the development and evaluation of curricular
materials for the initial and continuing education of
teachers and teacher educators;
(xiv) the role of Historically Black Colleges and
Universities, Tribally Controlled Indian Community
Colleges, women’s colleges, and other special mission
institutions in providing access, excellence, and equal
opportunity in higher education;
(xv) methods for evaluating the quality of edu-
cation at different types of institutions of higher edu-
cation at all levels and the roles and responsibilities
of regional and national accrediting agencies;
(xvi) methods for evaluating the productivity of
different types of institutions of higher education;
(xvii) financial barriers to postsecondary edu-
cational opportunity, including—
(I) the role of Federal programs authorized
under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965
and State grant and work programs in mitigating
such barriers;
(II) the impact of the rising total cost of post-
secondary education on access to higher education;
and
(III) the extent and impact of student reliance
on loans to meet the costs of higher education;
(xviii) opportunities for adults to continue their
education beyond higher education and graduate
school, in the context of lifelong learning and informa-
tion-finding skills;
(xix) preparing students for a lifetime of work,
the ability to adapt through retraining to the changing
needs of the work force and the ability to learn new
tasks; and
(xx) other topics relevant to the mission of the
Institute.
(3) INVOLVEMENT
OF
CERTAIN
AGENCIES
AND
ORGANIZA-
TIONS.—In 
promoting 
coordination 
and 
collaboration 
on
research and development on issues related to postsecondary
education, literacy, libraries, and lifelong learning, the Institute
shall, as appropriate, seek the involvement—
(A) within the Department of Education of—
(i) the Office of Library Programs;
(ii) the Office of Correctional Education;
(iii) the Office of Vocational and Adult Education;
(iv) the National Institute on Disability and
Rehabilitation Research; and
(v) the Office of Postsecondary Education;
(B) of the National Institute for Literacy;
(C) of the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards;
(D) of the Employment and Training Administration
of the Department of Labor;
(E) of the Administration for Children and Families
within the Department of Health and Human Services;
(F) of the National Institutes of Health;
H. R. 1804—119
(G) of the National Endowment for the Humanities;
(H) of the National Endowment for the Arts;
(I) of the Bureau of Prisons of the Department of
Justice;
(J) of the Department of Commerce;
(K) of the Department of Defense; and
(L) of the Office of Indian Education Programs of the
Department of the Interior.
(4) ADDITIONAL
RESPONSIBILITIES.—In addition to the
responsibilities described in paragraph (2), the Assistant Sec-
retary shall ensure that the activities of the National Center
on Literacy are fully coordinated with those of the National
Institute for Literacy.
(i) COORDINATION AND RESEARCH SYNTHESIS.—The Assistant
Secretary shall promote and provide for research syntheses and
the coordination of research and development activities among the
Institutes established by this section to investigate those cross-
cutting disciplines and areas of inquiry which are relevant to the
missions of more than one of the Institutes. Such activities—
(1) may be carried out jointly 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
(2) shall meet all the standards developed by the Assistant
Secretary and approved by the Board for other research and
development conducted by the Office.
(j) DATES FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF INSTITUTES.—The National
Institute on the Education of At-Risk Students, the National
Institute on Educational Governance, Finance, Policy-Making, and
Management, the National Institute on Early Childhood Develop-
ment and Education, the National Institute on Student Achieve-
ment, Curriculum, and Assessment and the National Institute on
Postsecondary Education, Libraries, and Lifelong Learning shall
each be established on October 1, 1995.
PART D—NATIONAL EDUCATION
DISSEMINATION SYSTEM
SEC. 941. ESTABLISHMENT 
WITHIN 
OFFICE 
OF 
EDUCATIONAL
RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT.
(a) IN GENERAL.—
(1) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds as follows:
(A) In order to improve the American educational sys-
tem for all students, achieve the National Education Goals,
and provide for greater educational equity, policymakers,
administrators, teachers, and parents must have ready
access to the best information and methods available as
a result of educational research and development.
(B) The Office of Educational Research and Improve-
ment should have as one of its primary purposes the
dissemination of such information and methods in order
to assist the national education reform effort.
(C) All current resources within the Office, the Depart-
ment of Education, and other agencies that can help accom-
H. R. 1804—120
plish the purposes described in subparagraph (B) should
be coordinated by the Assistant Secretary, to the extent
practicable, so as to form a systematic process to accomplish
such purposes.
(D) Education research has the capacity to improve
teaching and learning in our Nation’s schools, however,
teachers need training in the skills necessary to translate
research into practice and to allow teachers to become
knowledgeable practitioners and leaders in educational
improvement.
(E) Adequate linkages between research and develop-
ment providers and practitioners are essential to ensuring
that research on effective practice is useful, disseminated
to and supported with technical assistance for all educators,
and that all educators are partners in the research and
development process.
(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to—
(A) create a national system of dissemination, develop-
ment, and educational improvement in order to create,
adapt, identify, validate, and disseminate to educators, par-
ents, and policymakers those educational programs that
have potential or have been shown to improve educational
opportunities for all students; and
(B) empower and increase the capacity of teachers
to participate in the research and development process.
(3) DEFINITION OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.—For the pur-
poses of this section, the term ‘‘educational program’’ includes
educational policies, research findings, practices, and products.
(b) ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—There is established within the Office
an Office of Reform Assistance and Dissemination (hereafter
in this section referred to as the ‘‘Dissemination Office’’) through
which the Secretary shall carry out all functions and activities
described in this section. Such office shall be headed by a
Director who shall be appointed by the Assistant Secretary
and have demonstrated expertise and experience in dissemina-
tion, including promoting the effective use of research in the
classroom.
(2) CERTAIN DUTIES.—The Dissemination Office shall—
(A) disseminate relevant and useful research, informa-
tion, products, and publications developed through or
supported by the Department of Education to schools, edu-
cators, parents, and policymakers throughout the United
States;
(B) operate a depository for all Department of Edu-
cation publications and products and make available for
reproduction such publications and products;
(C) provide technical and financial assistance to
individuals and organizations in the process of developing
promising educational programs but who might not, with-
out such assistance, be able to complete necessary develop-
ment and assessment activities;
(D) coordinate the dissemination efforts of the Office,
the 
regional 
educational 
laboratories, 
the 
research
institutes, the National Diffusion Network, and the Edu-
cational Resources Information Center Clearinghouses;