H. R. 3801—37
such provision existed on the day before the date of enact-
ment of this Act); and
(B) after meeting the requirements of subparagraph
(A), shall consider, in awarding the remainder of the grants,
the school-age population, proportion of economically dis-
advantaged students, the increased cost burdens of service
delivery in areas of sparse population, and the number
of schools identified for school improvement (as described
in section 1116(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6316(b)) in the population
served by the local entity or consortium of such entities.
(b) ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Grants under this section may be made
with research organizations, institutions, agencies, institutions
of higher education, or partnerships among such entities, or
individuals, with the demonstrated ability or capacity to carry
out the activities described in subsection (f), including regional
entities that carried out activities under the Educational
Research, Development, Dissemination, and Improvement Act
of 1994 (as such Act existed on the day before the date of
enactment of this Act) and title XIII of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (as such title existed on
the day before the date of enactment of the No Child Left
Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107–110)).
(2) OUTREACH.—In conducting competitions for grants
under this section, the Secretary shall actively encourage poten-
tial applicants to compete for such awards by making widely
available information and technical assistance relating to the
competition.
(3) OBJECTIVES AND INDICATORS.—Before awarding a grant
under this section, the Secretary shall design specific objectives
and measurable indicators, using the results of the assessment
conducted under section 206, to be used to assess the particular
programs or initiatives, and ongoing progress and performance,
of the regional entities, in order to ensure that the educational
needs of the region are being met and that the latest and
best research and proven practices are being carried out as
part of school improvement efforts.
(c) APPLICATION.—
(1) SUBMISSION.—Each local entity, or consortium of such
entities, seeking a grant under this section shall submit an
application at such time, in such manner, and containing such
additional information as the Secretary may reasonably require.
(2) PLAN.—Each application submitted under paragraph
(1) shall contain a 5-year plan for carrying out the activities
described in this section in a manner that addresses the prior-
ities established under section 207 and addresses the needs
of all States (and to the extent practicable, of local educational
agencies) within the region to be served by the comprehensive
center, on an ongoing basis.
(d) ALLOCATION.—Each comprehensive center established under
this section shall allocate such center’s resources to and within
each State in a manner which reflects the need for assistance,
taking into account such factors as the proportion of economically
disadvantaged students, the increased cost burden of service
delivery in areas of sparse populations, and any special initiatives
being undertaken by State, intermediate, local educational agencies,
H. R. 3801—38
or Bureau-funded schools, as appropriate, which may require special
assistance from the center.
(e) SCOPE OF WORK.—Each comprehensive center established
under this section shall work with State educational agencies, local
educational agencies, regional educational agencies, and schools
in the region where such center is located on school improvement
activities that take into account factors such as the proportion
of economically disadvantaged students in the region, and give
priority to—
(1) schools in the region with high percentages or numbers
of students from low-income families, as determined under
section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6313(a)(5)), including such schools in
rural and urban areas, and schools receiving assistance under
title I of that Act (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.);
(2) local educational agencies in the region in which high
percentages or numbers of school-age children are from low-
income families, as determined under section 1124(c)(1)(A) of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
6333(c)(1)(A)), including such local educational agencies in rural
and urban areas; and
(3) schools in the region that have been identified for
school improvement under section 1116(b) of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6316(b)).
(f) ACTIVITIES.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—A comprehensive center established
under this section shall support dissemination and technical
assistance activities by—
(A) providing training, professional development, and
technical assistance regarding, at a minimum—
(i) the administration and implementation of pro-
grams under the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.);
(ii) the use of scientifically valid teaching methods
and assessment tools for use by teachers and adminis-
trators in, at a minimum—
(I) the core academic subjects of mathematics,
science, and reading or language arts;
(II) English language acquisition; and
(III) education technology; and
(iii) the facilitation of communication between edu-
cation experts, school officials, teachers, parents, and
librarians, as appropriate; and
(B) disseminating and providing information, reports,
and publications that are usable for improving academic
achievement, closing achievement gaps, and encouraging
and sustaining school improvement (as described in section
1116(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6316(b))), to schools, educators, parents,
and policymakers within the region in which the center
is located; and
(C) developing teacher and school leader inservice and
preservice training models that illustrate best practices
in the use of technology in different content areas.
(2) COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION.—Each comprehen-
sive center established under this section shall coordinate its
activities, collaborate, and regularly exchange information with
H. R. 3801—39
the regional educational laboratory in the region in which the
center is located, the National Center for Education Evaluation
and Regional Assistance, the Office of the Secretary, the State
service agency, and other technical assistance providers in the
region.
(g) COMPREHENSIVE CENTER ADVISORY BOARD.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Each comprehensive center estab-
lished under this section shall have an advisory board that
shall support the priorities of such center.
(2) DUTIES.—Each advisory board established under para-
graph (1) shall advise the comprehensive center—
(A) concerning the activities described in subsection
(d);
(B) on strategies for monitoring and addressing the
educational needs of the region, on an ongoing basis;
(C) on maintaining a high standard of quality in the
performance of the center’s activities; and
(D) on carrying out the center’s duties in a manner
that promotes progress toward improving student academic
achievement.
(3) COMPOSITION.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—Each advisory board shall be com-
posed of—
(i) the chief State school officers, or such officers’
designees or other State officials, in each State served
by the comprehensive center who have primary respon-
sibility under State law for elementary and secondary
education in the State; and
(ii) not more than 15 other members who are rep-
resentative of the educational interests in the region
served by the comprehensive center and are selected
jointly by the officials specified in clause (i) and the
chief executive officer of each State served by the com-
prehensive center, including the following:
(I) Representatives of local educational agen-
cies and regional educational agencies, including
representatives 
of 
local 
educational 
agencies
serving urban and rural areas.
(II) Representatives of institutions of higher
education.
(III) Parents.
(IV) Practicing educators, including classroom
teachers, principals, and administrators.
(V) Representatives of business.
(VI) Policymakers, expert practitioners, and
researchers with knowledge of, and experience
using, the results of research, evaluation, and
statistics.
(B) SPECIAL RULE.—In the case of a State in which
the chief executive officer has the primary responsibility
under State law for elementary and secondary education
in the State, the chief executive officer shall consult, to
the extent permitted by State law, with the State edu-
cational agency in selecting additional members of the
board under subparagraph (A)(i).
(h) REPORT TO SECRETARY.—Each comprehensive center estab-
lished under this section shall submit to the Secretary an annual
H. R. 3801—40
report, at such time, in such manner, and containing such informa-
tion as the Secretary may require, which shall include the following:
(1) A summary of the comprehensive center’s activities
during the preceding year.
(2) A listing of the States, local educational agencies, and
schools the comprehensive center assisted during the preceding
year.
SEC. 204. EVALUATIONS.
The Secretary shall provide for ongoing independent evalua-
tions by the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional
Assistance of the comprehensive centers receiving assistance under
this title, the results of which shall be transmitted to the appro-
priate congressional committees and the Director of the Institute
of Education Sciences. Such evaluations shall include an analysis
of the services provided under this title, the extent to which each
of the comprehensive centers meets the objectives of its respective
plan, and whether such services meet the educational needs of
State educational agencies, local educational agencies, and schools
in the region.
SEC. 205. EXISTING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS.
The Secretary shall continue awards for the support of the
Eisenhower Regional Mathematics and Science Education Consortia
established under part M of the Educational Research, Develop-
ment, Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994 (as such part
existed on the day before the date of enactment of this Act), the
Regional Technology in Education Consortia under section 3141
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (as such
section existed on the day before the date of enactment of the
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107–110)), and
the Comprehensive Regional Assistance Centers established under
part K of the Educational Research, Development, Dissemination,
and Improvement Act of 1994 (as such part existed on the day
before the date of enactment of this Act), in accordance with the
terms of such awards, until the comprehensive centers authorized
under section 203 are established.
SEC. 206. REGIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Beginning in 2004, the Secretary shall
establish a regional advisory committee for each region described
in section 174(b) of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002.
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—
(1) COMPOSITION.—The membership of each regional
advisory committee shall—
(A) not exceed 25 members;
(B) contain a balanced representation of States in the
region; and
(C) include not more than one representative of each
State educational agency geographically located in the
region.
(2) ELIGIBILITY.—The membership of each regional advisory
committee may include the following:
(A) Representatives of local educational agencies,
including rural and urban local educational agencies.