IIA
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 856
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
AUGUST 4 (legislative day, JUNE 30), 1993
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Labor and Human
Resources
AN ACT
To improve education in the United States by promoting
excellence in research, development, and the dissemina-
tion of information.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
‘‘Educational Research, Development, and Dissemination
Excellence Act’’.
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for
this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
TITLE I—GENERAL PROVISIONS REGARDING OFFICE OF
EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT
Sec. 101. General provisions.
Sec. 102. Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement.
Sec. 103. Savings provision.
Sec. 104. Existing grants and contracts.
TITLE II—NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH POLICY AND
PRIORITIES BOARD
Sec. 201. Establishment within Office of Educational Research and Improve-
ment.
TITLE III—NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTES
Sec. 301. Establishment within Office of Educational Research and Improve-
ment.
TITLE IV—NATIONAL EDUCATION DISSEMINATION SYSTEM
Sec. 401. Establishment within Office of Educational Research and Improve-
ment.
TITLE V—NATIONAL LIBRARY OF EDUCATION
Sec. 501. Establishment within Office of Educational Research and Improve-
ment.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows with respect to improv-
ing education in the United States:
(1) A majority of public schools in the United
States are failing to adequately prepare their stu-
dents. To achieve the national education goals set
forth by the President and the governors of the
States, an overwhelming campaign for educational
improvement must be mounted in order to set in
motion many strategies and models designed to en-
courage and support school restructuring. The Fed-
eral Government must support an extensive program
of educational research, development, dissemination,
replication and assistance to identify and support
the best responses for the challenges ahead. A sig-
nificant investment in attaining a deeper under-
standing of the processes of learning and schooling
and developing new ideas holds the best hope of
making a substantial difference to the lives of every
school and student in the United States. The Office
of Educational Research and Improvement of the
Department of Education should be at the center of
this campaign in order to coordinate such efforts.
(2) The Federal role in educational research
has been closely identified with youths who are
socioeconomically disadvantaged, belong to a lan-
guage minority, or are disabled. However, in 1988,
the Federal commitment to education was sufficient
to serve not more than—
(A) 1 out of every 5 low-income children in
need of preschool education;
(B) 2 out of every 5 children in need of re-
mediation;
(C) 1 out of every 4 children in need of bi-
lingual education; and
(D) 1 out of every 20 youths in need of job
training.
(3) The failure of the Federal Government to
adequately invest in educational research and devel-
opment has denied the Nation a sound foundation
on which to design school improvements, leading to
a history of faddism and failed experimentation re-
sulting in a dearth of research in the area of educa-
tionally at-risk students. This situation is of particu-
lar concern because at least half of the public school
students in 25 of the largest cities of the United
States are minority children, and demographers
project that, by 2005, almost all urban public school
students will be minority children or other children
in poverty.
(4) The investment goal of the Federal re-
search, development, and dissemination function
should be at least 1 percent of the total amount of
funds spent on education nationally.
(5) Nationwide model programs and reliable
interventions should be demonstrated and replicated,
and for such purposes, programs should be estab-
lished to conduct research and evaluations, and to
disseminate information.
(6) The Office of Educational Research and Im-
provement must develop a national dissemination
policy that will advance the goal of placing a na-
tional treasure chest of research results, models, and
materials at the disposal of the Nation’s education
decisionmakers.
(7) A National Educational Research Policy
and Priorities Board should be established to ensure
that an educational research and dissemination
agenda is developed and implemented without par-
tisan political interference.
(8) Existing research and development entities
should adopt expanded, proactive roles and new in-
stitutions must be created to promote knowledge de-
velopment necessary to accelerate the application of
research knowledge to high priority areas.
(9) Greater use should be made of existing
technologies in efforts to improve the Nation’s edu-
cational system, including efforts to disseminate re-
search findings.
(10) Minority educational researchers are inad-
equately represented throughout the Department of
Education, but particularly in the Office of Edu-
cational Research and Improvement. The Office
therefore must assume a leadership position in the
recruitment, retention, and promotion of qualified
minority educational researchers.
(11) The coordination of the mission of the Of-
fice of Educational Research and Improvement with
that of other components of the Department of Edu-
cation is critical. It must improve the coordination
of the educational research, development, and dis-
semination function with those of other Federal
agencies.
TITLE I—GENERAL PROVISIONS
REGARDING OFFICE OF EDU-
CATIONAL 
RESEARCH 
AND
IMPROVEMENT
SEC. 101. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
Section 405 of the General Education Provisions Act
(20 U.S.C. 1221e) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND
IMPROVEMENT
‘‘SEC. 405. (a) DECLARATION OF POLICY REGARD-
ING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Congress declares it to
be the policy of the United States to provide to every
individual an equal opportunity to receive an edu-
cation of high quality regardless of race, color, reli-
gion, sex, age, disability, national origin, or social
class. Although the American educational system has
teachers, school administrators, parents, stu-
dents, employers, and policymakers.
‘‘(b) PURPOSE AND STRUCTURE OF OFFICE.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting
through the Office of Educational Research and Im-
provement, shall carry out the policies set forth in
subsection (a). In carrying out such policies, the
Secretary shall be guided by the priorities estab-
lished by the Board of Governors established in sec-
tion 405A.
‘‘(2) ADMINISTRATIVE
STRUCTURE.—The Of-
fice shall be administered by the Assistant Secretary
and shall include—
‘‘(A) the National Educational Research
Policy and Priorities Board established by sec-
tion 405A;
‘‘(B) the national research institutes estab-
lished by section 405B;
‘‘(C) the national education dissemination
system established by section 405C;
‘‘(D) the National Library of Education
established by section 405D;
‘‘(E) the National Center for Education
Statistics established by section 406; and
‘‘(F) such other units as the Secretary
deems appropriate to carry out the purposes of
the Office.
‘‘(3) PRIORITIES IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOP-
MENT.—The Office shall, in accordance with the
provisions of this section, seek to improve education
in the United States through concentrating the re-
sources of the Office on the following priority re-
search and development needs:
‘‘(A) The education of at-risk students.
‘‘(B) The education and development of
young children.
‘‘(C) Student achievement in elementary
and secondary school.
‘‘(D) Postsecondary education, libraries,
and lifelong learning for adults.
‘‘(E) The improvement of schools through
the restructuring and reform of school govern-
ance, policymaking, finance and management at
the State, local, school building, and classroom
level.
‘‘(c) APPOINTMENT OF EMPLOYEES.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary
may appoint, for terms not to exceed three years
(without regard to the provisions of title 5 of the
United States Code governing appointment in the
competitive service) and may compensate (without
regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and sub-
chapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to
classification and General Schedule pay rates) such
scientific or technical employees of the Office as the
Assistant Secretary considers necessary to accom-
plish its functions, provided that—
‘‘(A) at least 60 days prior to the appoint-
ment of any such employee, public notice is
given of the availability of such position and an
opportunity is provided for qualified individuals
to apply and compete for such position;
‘‘(B) the rate of basic pay for such employ-
ees does not exceed the maximum rate of basic
pay payable for positions at GS–15, as deter-
mined in accordance with section 5376 of title
5, United States Code;
‘‘(C) the appointment of such employee is
necessary to provide the Office with scientific or
technical expertise which could not otherwise be
obtained by the Office through the competitive
service; and
‘‘(D) the total number of such employees
does not exceed one-fifth of the number of full-
time, regular scientific or professional employ-
ees of the Office.
‘‘(2) REAPPOINTMENT
OF
EMPLOYEES.—The
Assistant Secretary may reappoint employees de-
scribed in paragraph (1) upon presentation of a
clear and convincing justification of need, for one
additional term not to exceed 3 years. All such em-
ployees shall work on activities of the Office and
shall not be reassigned to other duties outside the
Office during their term.
‘‘(d) AUTHORITY TO PUBLISH.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary is
authorized to prepare and publish such information,
reports, and documents as may be of value in carry-
ing out the purposes of sections 405 through 405D
without further clearance or approval by the Sec-
retary or any other office of the Department.
‘‘(2) QUALITY
ASSURANCE.—In carrying out
such authority, the Assistant Secretary shall—
‘‘(A) establish such procedures as may be
necessary to assure that all reports and publica-
tions issued by the Office are of the highest
quality; and
‘‘(B) provide other offices of the Depart-
ment with an opportunity to comment upon any
report or publication prior to its publication
when its contents relate to matters for which
such office has responsibility.
‘‘(e) BIENNIAL REPORT
ON ACTIVITIES
OF OF-
FICE.—The Assistant Secretary shall transmit to the
President and the Congress by not later than December
30 of every other year a biennial report which shall consist
of—
‘‘(1) a description of the activities carried out
by and through each research institute during the
fiscal years for which such report is prepared and
any recommendations and comments regarding such
activities as the Assistant Secretary considers appro-
priate;
‘‘(2) a description of the activities carried out
by and through the national education dissemination
system established by section 405C during the fiscal
years for which such report is prepared and any rec-
ommendations and comments regarding such activi-
ties as the Assistant Secretary considers appro-
priate;
‘‘(3) such written comments and recommenda-
tions as may be submitted by the Board concerning
the activities carried out by and through each of the
institutes and the national education dissemination
system during the fiscal years for which such report
is prepared and how such activities relate to the Re-
search Policies and Priorities Plan developed by the
Board;
‘‘(4) a description of the coordination activites
undertaken pursuant to section 405(f) during the
fiscal years for which such report is prepared;
‘‘(5) recommendations for legislative and ad-
ministrative changes necessary to improve the co-
ordination of all educational research, development,
and dissemination activities carried out within the
Federal Government, particularly within the priority
research and development needs identified in section
405(b)(3); and
‘‘(6) such additional comments, recommenda-
tions, and materials as the Assistant Secretary con-
siders appropriate.
‘‘(f) COORDINATION.—With the advice and assistance
of the Board, the Assistant Secretary shall establish and
maintain an ongoing program of activities designed to im-
prove the coordination of education research, development,
and dissemination and activities within the Department
and within the Federal Government, particularly within
the priority research and development needs identified in
section 405(b)(3), in order to—
and dissemination activities carried out by the Office
to assure that such activities meet the highest stand-
ards of professional excellence. In developing such
standards, the Assistant Secetary shall review the
procedures utilized by the National Institutes of
Health, the National Science Foundation, and other
Federal agencies engaged in research and develop-
ment and shall also actively solicit recommendations
from the the National Academy of Sciences, the
American Educational Research Association and
members of the general public.
‘‘(2) CONTENTS OF STANDARDS.—Such stand-
ards shall at a minimum—
‘‘(A) require that a system of peer review
be utilized by the Office—
‘‘(i) in reviewing and evaluating all
applications for grants and cooperative
agreements and bids for those contracts
which exceed $100,000;
‘‘(ii) in evaluating and assessing the
performance of all recipients of grants
from and cooperative agreements and con-
tracts with the Office; and
‘‘(iii) in reviewing and designating ex-
emplary and promising programs in ac-
cordance with section 405C(d);
‘‘(B)(i) specify the composition of peer re-
view panels, the criteria for the selection of
members of such panels, and describe the
means by which potential members shall be
identified so as to assure that such panels are
broadly representative of individuals with exper-
tise in matters relevant to the purposes of each
such panel;
‘‘(ii) prohibit the consideration of partisan
affiliation in the selection of any member of a
peer review panel;
‘‘(iii) describe the general procedures which
shall be used by each peer review panel in its
operations;
‘‘(iv) prohibit the participation by a mem-
ber of a peer review panel in the review of any
application in which such member has any fi-
nancial interest; and
‘‘(v) require that transcripts, minutes, and
other documents made available to or prepared
for or by a peer review panel will be available
for public inspection to the extent consistent
with the Freedom of Information Act, the Fed-
eral Advisory Committee Act, the Privacy Act,
and other laws;
‘‘(C)(i) describe the procedures which shall
be utilized in evaluating applications for grants,
proposed cooperative agreements, and contract
bids;
‘‘(ii) specify the criteria and factors which
shall be considered in making such evaluations;
and
‘‘(iii) provide that any decision to fund a
grant, contract, or cooperative agreement out of
its order of ranking by a peer review panel shall
be first fully justified in writing and that copies
of such justification shall be transmitted to the
Board, unless such action is required by some
other provision of law;
‘‘(D)(i) describe the procedures which shall
be utilized in reviewing educational programs
which have been identified by or submitted to
the Secretary for evaluation in accordance with
section 405C(d); and
‘‘(ii) specify the criteria which shall be
used in recommending programs as exemplary
and promising; and
‘‘(E)(i) require that the performance of all
recipients of grants from and contracts and co-
operative agreements with the Office shall be
periodically evaluated, both during and at the
conclusion of their receipt of assistance;
‘‘(ii) describe the procedures and means by
which such evaluations shall be undertaken, in-
cluding—
‘‘(I) the frequency of such evaluations;
‘‘(II) the criteria, outcome measures,
and other factors which shall be taken into
account; and
‘‘(III) measures to assure that on-site
evaluations of performance shall be utilized
to the extent appropriate and whenever
practicable; and
‘‘(iii) provide that the results of such eval-
uations shall be taken into account prior to any
decision to continue, renew, or provide new
funding to the entity being reviewed.
‘‘(3) PUBLICATION
AND
PROMULGATION
OF
STANDARDS.—
‘‘(A) The Assistant Secretary shall publish
proposed standards—
‘‘(i) which meet the requirements of
subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of para-
graph (2) not later than 1 year after the
date of the enactment of the Educational
Research, Development, and Dissemination
Excellence Act;
‘‘(ii) which meet the requirements of
paragraph (2)(D) not later than 2 years
after such date; and
‘‘(iii) which meet the requirements of
subparagraph (E) of paragraph (2) not
later than 3 years after such date;
‘‘(B) Following the publication of such
proposed standards, the Assistant Secretary
shall solicit comments from interested members
of the public with respect to such proposed
standards for a period of not more than 120
days. After giving due consideration to any
comments which may have been received, the
Assistant Secretary shall transmit such stand-
ards to the Board for its review and approval.
‘‘(C) Upon the approval of the Board, the
Assistant Secretary shall transmit final stand-
ards to the Secretary which meet the require-
ments of the particular subparagraphs of para-
graph (2) for which they were developed. Such
standards shall be binding upon all activities
carried out with funds appropriated under sec-
tion 405.
‘‘(i) ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ASSIST-
ANT SECRETARY.—In carrying out the activities and pro-
grams of the Office, the Assistant Secretary shall—
‘‘(1) be guided by the Research Priorities Plan
developed by the Board;
‘‘(2) ensure that there is broad and regular
public and professional involvement from the edu-
cational field in the planning and carrying out of the
Office’s activities, including establishing teacher ad-
visory boards for any program office, program or
project of the Office as the Assistant Secretary
deems necessary;
‘‘(3) ensure that the selection of research topics
and the administration of the program are free from
undue partisan political influence; and
‘‘(4) ensure that all statistics and other data
collected and reported by the Office shall be col-
lected, cross-tabulated, analyzed, and reported by
sex within race or ethnicity and socioeconomic status
whenever feasible (and when such data collection or
analysis is not feasible, ensure that the relevant re-
port or document includes an explanation as to why
such data collection or analysis is not feasible).
‘‘(j) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section and
sections 405A through 405D:
‘‘(1) The term ‘Assistant Secretary’ means the
Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and
Improvement established by section 202 of the De-
partment of Education Organization Act.
‘‘(2) The term ‘at-risk student’ means a student
who, because of limited English proficiency, poverty,
geographic location, or educational or economic dis-
advantage, faces a greater risk of low educational
achievement and has greater potential for dropping
out of school.
‘‘(3) The term ‘Board’ means the National
Educational Research Policy and Priorities Board.
‘‘(4) The term ‘educational research’ includes
basic and applied research, development, planning,
surveys, assessments, evaluations, investigations, ex-
periments, and demonstrations in the field of edu-
cation and other fields relating to education.
‘‘(5) The term ‘development’—
‘‘(A) means the systematic use, adaptation,
and transformation of knowledge and under-
standing gained from research to create alter-
natives, policies, products, methods, practices,
or materials which can contribute to the im-
provement of educational practice; and
‘‘(B) includes the design and development
of prototypes and the testing of such prototypes
for the purposes of establishing their feasibility,
reliability, and cost-effectiveness.
‘‘(6) The term ‘technical assistance’ means the
provision of external assistance to facilitate the
adoption or application of the knowledge gained
from educational research and development and in-
cludes—
‘‘(A) problem analysis and diagnosis;
‘‘(B) assistance in finding, selecting, or de-
signing suitable solutions and approaches to
problems;
‘‘(C) training in the installation and imple-
mentation of products, programs, policies, prac-
tices, or technologies; and
‘‘(D) such other assistance as may be nec-
essary to encourage the adoption or application
of such knowledge.
‘‘(7) The term ‘dissemination’ means the trans-
fer of knowledge and products gained through re-
search and includes—
‘‘(A) the use of communication techniques
to increase awareness of such knowledge and
products;
‘‘(B) the provision of comparative and
evaluative information necessary to enable edu-
cators, school administrators, and others to as-
sess and make informed judgments about the
relevance and usefulness of such knowledge and
products in specific settings; and
‘‘(C) the provision of technical assistance
needed to adapt, apply, and utilize such knowl-
edge and products in specific educational set-
tings.
‘‘(8) The term ‘national education dissemina-
tion system’ means the activities carried out by the
Office of Reform Assistance and Dissemination es-
tablished by section 405C.
‘‘(9) The term ‘Office’ means the Office of
Educational Research and Improvement established
in section 209 of the Department of Education Or-
ganization Act.
‘‘(10) The term ‘national research institute’
means an institute established in section 405B.
‘‘(11) The terms ‘United States’ and ‘State’ in-
clude the District of Columbia and the Common-
wealth of Puerto Rico.
‘‘(k) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—
‘‘(1) NATIONAL INSTITUTES.—
‘‘(A) For the purpose of carrying out sec-
tion 405B, there is authorized to be appro-
priated $37,000,000 for fiscal year 1994.
‘‘(B) For the purpose of carrying out the
provisions of section 405B relating to the Na-
tional Institute for Student Achievement, there
are authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000
for fiscal year 1995, and such sums as are nec-
essary for each of fiscal years 1996 and 1997.
‘‘(C) For the purpose of carrying out the
provisions of section 405B relating to the Na-
tional Institute for the Education of At-Risk
Students, there are authorized to be appro-
priated $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1995, and
such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal
years 1996 and 1997.
‘‘(D) For the purpose of carrying out the
provisions of section 405B relating to the Na-
tional Institute for Innovation in Educational
Governance, Finance, Policy-Making, and Man-
agement, there are authorized to be appro-
priated $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1995, and
such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal
years 1996 and 1997.
‘‘(E) For the purpose of carrying out the
provisions of section 405B relating to the Na-
tional Institute for Early Childhood Develop-
ment and Education, there are authorized to be
appropriated $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1995,
and such sums as are necessary for each of fis-
cal years 1996 and 1997.
‘‘(F) For the purpose of carrying out the
provisions of section 405B relating to the Na-
tional Institute of Postsecondary Education, Li-
braries, and Lifelong Learning, there are au-
thorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 for fis-
cal year 1995, and such sums as are necessary
for each of fiscal years 1996 and 1997.
‘‘(2) NATIONAL
EDUCATION
DISSEMINATION
SYSTEM.—
‘‘(A)(i) For the purpose of carrying out
subsections (b)(2) through (g) of section 405C,
there 
are 
authorized 
to 
be 
appropriated
$22,000,000 for fiscal year 1994, and such
sums as are necessary for each of the fiscal
years 1995 through 1997.
‘‘(ii) Of the amount appropriated under
clause (i) for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall
make available not less than $7,175,000 to
carry out subsection (f) of section 405C (relat-
ing to clearinghouses).
‘‘(B) For the purpose of carrying out sub-
section (h) of section 405C (relating to regional
educational laboratories), there are authorized
to be appropriated $37,000,000 for fiscal year
1994, and such sums as are necessary for each
of the fiscal years 1995 through 1997. Of the
amounts appropriated under the preceding sen-
tence for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall obli-
gate not less than 25 percent to carry out such
purpose with respect to rural areas (including
schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs
which are located in rural areas).
‘‘(C) For the purpose of carrying out sub-
section (j) of section 405C (relating to the
teacher research dissemination network) there
are authorized to be appropriated $30,000,000
for fiscal year 1994, and such sums as are nec-
essary for each of the fiscal years 1995 through
1997.
‘‘(D) For the purpose of carrying out sub-
section (i) of section 405C (relating to the
Goals 2000 Community Partnerships program),
there 
are 
authorized 
to 
be 
appropriated
$30,000,000 for fiscal year 1994, $50,000,000
for fiscal year 1995, and such sums as are nec-
essary for each of the fiscal years 1996 and
1997.
‘‘(3) NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH POL-
ICY AND PRIORITIES BOARD.—Of the amounts ap-
propriated under paragraphs (1) and (2) for any fis-
cal year, the Secretary shall make available 2 per-
cent of such amounts, or $1,000,000, whichever is
less, to the Board for the purpose of carrying out
section 405A.
‘‘(4) ALLOCATIONS FOR GRANTS, COOPERATIVE
AGREEMENTS, AND
CONTRACTS.—Of the amounts
appropriated under paragraph (1) or (2) for any fis-
cal year, not less than 95 percent shall be expended
to carry out the purposes described in such para-
graphs through grants, cooperative agreements, or
contracts.
‘‘(5) LIMITATIONS
ON
APPROPRIATIONS.—No
amounts are authorized to be appropriated under
paragraph (1) or (2) for fiscal year 1995 or any fis-
cal year thereafter unless the Board has been ap-
pointed in accordance with section 405A.
‘‘(6) GRANT AUTHORIZED.—From the amounts
appropriated under paragraph (1) for fiscal year
1995, the Secretary is authorized, in accordance
with the provisions of this paragraph, to award a
grant of not more than $5,000,000 to a public or
private institution, agency or organization for a pe-
riod not to exceed five years for the purpose of con-
ducting a State-by-State poll to determine the per-
ceptions of recent graduates of secondary schools,
their instructors in institutions of higher education,
parents of recent such graduates, and employers of
recent such graduates on how well schools have pre-
pared students for further education or employment.
The grant shall be awarded on a competitive basis
and shall be matched on a two-to-one basis, with the
Federal Government contributing one-third of the
total costs of the poll.’’.
SEC. 102. ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EDUCATIONAL RE-
SEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT.
Subsection (b) of section 202 of the Department of
Education Organization Act is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1)—
(A) by striking subparagraph (E); and
(B) by redesignating subparagraphs (F)
and (G) as subparagraphs (E) and (F), respec-
tively; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
‘‘(3) There shall be in the Department an Assistant
Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement who
shall be—
‘‘(A) appointed by the President, by and with
the consent of the Senate; and
‘‘(B) selected in consultation with the National
Educational Research Policy and Priorities Board
from among individuals who—
‘‘(i) are distinguished educational research-
ers;
‘‘(ii) have proven management ability; and
‘‘(iii) have substantial knowledge of edu-
cation within the United States.’’.
SEC. 103. SAVINGS PROVISION.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, contracts
for the regional educational laboratories, education re-
sources information clearinghouses and research and de-
velopment centers assisted under section 405 of the Gen-
eral Education Provisions Act on the date of the enact-
ment of this Act shall remain in effect until the termi-
nation date of such contracts.
SEC. 104. EXISTING GRANTS AND CONTRACTS.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, grants
and contracts for the research and development centers
assisted under section 405 of the General Education Pro-
visions Act on the date of enactment of this Act shall re-
main in effect until the termination date of such grants
or contracts, as the case may be, except that such grants
and contracts may be extended to implement the provi-
sions of this Act.
TITLE 
II—NATIONAL 
EDU-
CATIONAL RESEARCH POLICY
AND PRIORITIES BOARD
SEC. 
201. 
ESTABLISHMENT 
WITHIN 
OFFICE 
OF 
EDU-
CATIONAL RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT.
Part A of the General Education Provisions Act (20
U.S.C. 1221e et seq.) is amended by inserting after sec-
tion 405 the following new section:
‘‘NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH POLICY AND
PRIORITIES BOARD
‘‘SEC. 405A. (a) IN GENERAL.—There is established
within the Office a National Educational Research Policy
and Priorities Board (hereafter in this section referred to
as the ‘Board’).
‘‘(b) FUNCTIONS.—It shall be the responsibility of
the Board, acting through the Assistant Secretary—
‘‘(1) to determine priorities that should guide
the work of the Office and provide guidance to the
Congress in its oversight of the Office;
‘‘(2) to review and approve standards for the
conduct and evaluation of all research, development,
and dissemination carried out under the auspices of
the Office pursuant to sections 405 through 405C;
and
‘‘(3) to regularly review, evaluate, and publicly
comment upon, the implementation of its rec-
ommended priorities and policies by the Department
and the Congress.
‘‘(c) RESEARCH PRIORITIES PLAN.—In cooperation
with the Assistant Secretary, the Board shall—
‘‘(1) survey and assess the state of knowledge
in education research, development and dissemina-
tion to identify disciplines and areas of inquiry with-
‘‘(A) is necessary to attain the goals for
the improvement of education identified in
paragraph (2);
‘‘(B) promises to yield the greatest prac-
tical benefits to teachers and other educators in
terms of improving education; and
‘‘(C) will not be undertaken in sufficient
scope or intensity by the other Federal and
non-Federal entities engaged in education re-
search and development.
‘‘(d) CONTENTS OF PLAN—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The research and priorities
plan described in subsection (c) shall, at a mini-
mum—
‘‘(A) set forth specific objectives which can
be expected to be achieved as a result of a Fed-
eral investment in the priorities set forth in the
plan;
‘‘(B) include recommendations with respect
to research and development on cross-cutting is-
sues which should be carried out jointly by 2 or
more of the research institutes; and
‘‘(C) include an evaluative summary of the
educational research and development activities
undertaken by the Federal government during
the preceding 2 fiscal years which shall de-
scribe—
‘‘(i) what has been learned as a result
of such activities;
‘‘(ii) how such new knowledge or un-
derstanding extends or otherwise relates to
what had been previously known or under-
stood;
‘‘(iii) the implications of such new
knowledge or understanding for edu-
cational practice and school reform; and
‘‘(iv) any development, reform, and
other assistance activities which have uti-
lized such knowledge or understanding and
the effects of such efforts.
‘‘(2) REPORT.—
‘‘(A) Not later than 6 months after the
first meeting of the Board and October 1 of
every second year thereafter, the Assistant Sec-
retary shall publish a report specifying the pro-
posed research priorities of the Office and allow
a 60-day period beginning on the date of the
publication of the report for public comment
and suggestions.
‘‘(B) Not later than 90 days after the expi-
ration of the 60-day period referred to in sub-
paragraph (A), the Assistant Secretary shall
submit to the President and the Congress a re-
port specifying the research priorities of the Of-
fice and any public comment and suggestions
obtained under such subparagraph.
‘‘(e) 
ADDITIONAL
RESPONSIBILITIES
OF
THE
BOARD.—It shall also be the responsibility of the Board
to—
‘‘(1) provide advice and assistance to the As-
sistant Secretary in carrying out the coordination
activities described in section 405;
‘‘(2) make recommendations to the Assistant
Secretary of persons qualified to fulfill the respon-
sibilities of the Director for each research institute
established by section 405B after making special ef-
forts to identify qualified women and minorities and
soliciting and giving due consideration to rec-
ommendations from professional associations and in-
terested members of the public;
‘‘(3) advise and make recommendations to the
President with respect to individuals who are quali-
fied to fulfill the responsibilities of the Assistant
Secretary for the Office of Educational Research
and Improvement; and
‘‘(4) review and approve standards for the con-
duct and evaluation of research developed by the As-
sistant Secretary pursuant to subsection (h) of sec-
tion 405.
‘‘(f) STANDING SUBCOMMITTEES.—
‘‘(1) 
ESTABLISHMENT; 
FUNCTIONS.—The
Board shall establish a standing subcommittee for
each of the Institutes established by subsection (a)
of section 405B and for the Office of Reform Assist-
ance and Dissemination established by subsection
(b) of section 405C which shall advise, assist, con-
sult with and make recommendations to the Assist-
ant Secretary, the Board, the Director of such entity
and the Congress on matters related to the activities
carried out by and through such entities.
‘‘(2) COMPOSITION.—
‘‘(A) Each standing subcommittee shall
consist of 3 members of the Board and 6 addi-
tional individuals appointed by the Board who
have significant experience in and knowledge of
the disciplines relevant to the purposes of the
entity for which the subcommittee is estab-
lished.
‘‘(B) The Board shall assure that the
membership of each subcommittee includes both
educational researchers and persons who are
knowledgeable about the research, development
and dissemination needs of practitioners, in-
cluding classroom teachers, school administra-
tors, and members of State or local boards of
education.
‘‘(g) POWERS OF THE BOARD.—In carrying out its
functions, powers, and responsibilities, the Board—
‘‘(1) shall, without regard to the provisions of
title 5, United States Code, relating to the appoint-
ment and compensation of officers or employees of
the United States, appoint a director to be paid at
a rate not to exceed the rate of basic pay payable
for level V of the Executive Schedule who shall as-
sist in carrying out and managing the activities of
the Board and perform such other functions the
Board determines to be necessary and appropriate;
‘‘(2) shall hire its own staff through routine
government procedures;
‘‘(3) may arrange for the detail of staff person-
nel and utilize the services and facilities of any agen-
cy of the Federal Government;
‘‘(4) may enter into contracts, or make other
arrangements as may be necessary to carry out its
functions;
‘‘(5) may review any grant, contract, or cooper-
ative agreement made or entered into by the Office;
‘‘(6) may, to the extent otherwise permitted by
law, obtain directly from any department or agency
of the United States such information as it deems
necessary to carry out its responsibilities;
‘‘(7) may convene workshops and conferences,
collect data, and establish subcommittees which may
be composed of members of the Board and
nonmember consultants (including employees of the
Department) with expertise in the particular area
addressed by such subcommittees; and
‘‘(8) shall establish such rules and procedures
to govern its operations as it considers appropriate,
to the extent otherwise permitted by law.
‘‘(h) MEMBERSHIP IN GENERAL.—
‘‘(1) QUALIFICATIONS.—The members of the
Board shall be eminent persons who, by virtue of
their training, experience, and background, are ex-
ceptionally qualified to appraise the educational re-
search and development effort of the Nation and to
establish policies and priorities to govern future Fed-
eral investment in educational research, develop-
ment, and dissemination.
‘‘(2) BROAD REPRESENTATION.—Due consider-
ation shall be given to the gender, race, and eth-
nicity of appointees to assure that the Board is
broadly representative of the diversity of the Nation.
‘‘(3) LIMITATION.—A voting member of the
Board may not serve on any other governing or advi-
sory board within the Department of Education.
‘‘(4) CONFLICT OF INTEREST.—A voting mem-
ber of the Board shall be considered a special Gov-
ernment employee for the purposes of the Ethics in
Government Act of 1978.
‘‘(i) SECRETARIAL
APPOINTMENTS.—The Board
shall consist of 18 members appointed by the Secretary.
Of the members of the Board—
‘‘(1) seven shall be appointed from among re-
searchers in the field of education who have been
nominated by the National Academy of Sciences and
the National Academy of Education (giving due con-
sideration to recommendations made by the Amer-
ican Educational Research Association), including
persons who are among the leading authorities on
early childhood education and the education of at-
risk students;
‘‘(A) may not nominate any individual who
is an elected officer or employee of such organi-
zations; and
‘‘(B) shall each nominate not less than 5
individuals for each of the positions on the
Board for which such organization has respon-
sibility for making nominations.
‘‘(2) REQUEST
FOR
ADDITIONAL
NOMINA-
TIONS.—In the event that the Secretary determines
that none of the individuals nominated by the Na-
tional Academy of Sciences or the National Academy
of Education meets the qualifications for member-
ship on the Board specified in subsection (i), the
Secretary may request that such organization make
additional nominations.
‘‘(k) NOMINATIONS
FOR BOARD MEMBERSHIP.—
Prior to appointing any member of the Board, the Sec-
retary shall actively solicit and give due consideration to
recommendations of persons qualified for membership on
the board from the National Education Association, the
American Federation of Teachers, the National Parent-
Teachers Association, the American Library Association,
the American Association of School Administrators, the
National Association of State Boards of Education, the
National Indian School Board Association, the Association
of Community Tribal Schools, the National Indian Edu-
cation Association, and other education-related organiza-
tions and interested members of the public.
‘‘(l) EX
OFFICIO
MEMBERS.—The ex officio,
nonvoting members of the Board shall include the Assist-
ant Secretary and may also include—
‘‘(1) the Director of Research for the Depart-
ment of Defense;
‘‘(2) the Director of Research for the Depart-
ment of Labor;
‘‘(3) the Director of the National Science Foun-
dation;
‘‘(4) the Director of the National Institutes of
Health;
‘‘(5) the chair of the National Endowment for
the Arts;
‘‘(6) the chair of the National Endowment for
the Humanities;
‘‘(7) the Librarian of Congress; and
‘‘(8) the Director of the Office of Indian Edu-
cation Programs of the Department of the Interior.
‘‘(m) CHAIR.—The Board shall select a Chair from
among its appointed members who shall serve for a renew-
able term of 2 years.
‘‘(n) TERMS OF OFFICE.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graphs (2) and (3), the term of office of each voting
member of the Board shall be 5 years.
‘‘(2) EXCEPTIONS.—
‘‘(A) Any individual appointed to fill a va-
cancy occurring on the Board prior to the expi-
ration of the term for which the predecessor of
the individual was appointed shall be appointed
for the remainder of the term. A vacancy shall
be filled in the same manner in which the origi-
nal appointment was made.
‘‘(B) The terms of office of the members
of the Board who first take office after the date
of the enactment of the Educational Research,
Development, and Dissemination Excellence Act
shall, as designated by a random selection proc-
ess at the time of appointment, be as follows:
‘‘(i) 2 years for each of 6 members of
the Board.
‘‘(ii) 3 years for each of 6 members of
the Board.
‘‘(iii) 5 years for each of 6 members
of the Board.
‘‘(3) PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN CONSECUTIVE
TERMS.—An individual who has been a member of
the Board for 10 consecutive years shall thereafter
be ineligible for appointment during the 5-year pe-
riod beginning on the date of the expiration of the
10th year.
‘‘(o) MEETINGS OF BOARD.—
‘‘(1) INITIAL
MEETING.—The Secretary shall
ensure that the first meeting of the Board is held
not later than May 15, 1994.
‘‘(2) SUBSEQUENT
MEETINGS.—The Board
shall meet quarterly, at the call of the Chair, and
when at least one-third of the members of the Board
make a written request to meet.
‘‘(3) QUORUM.—A majority of the Board shall
constitute a quorum.
‘‘(4) OPEN MEETINGS.—The Government in the
Sunshine Act (5 U.S.C. 552b) shall apply to meet-
ings of the Board.’’.
TITLE III—NATIONAL RESEARCH
INSTITUTES
SEC. 
301. 
ESTABLISHMENT 
WITHIN 
OFFICE 
OF 
EDU-
CATIONAL RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT.
Part A of the General Education Provisions Act, as
amended by section 201 of this Act, is amended by insert-
ing after section 405A the following new section:
‘‘NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTES
‘‘SEC. 405B. (a) ESTABLISHMENT OF INSTITUTES.—
In order to fulfill the research and development purposes
of the Office, and to carry out, in accordance with the
standards established by the Board, a program of high-
quality and rigorously evaluated research and development
that is capable of improving Federal, State, Indian tribal,
and local education policies and practices, there are estab-
lished within the Office the following institutes:
‘‘(1) The National Institute for the Education
of At-Risk Students.
‘‘(2) The National Institute for Innovation in
Educational Governance, Finance, Policy-Making,
and Management.
‘‘(3) The National Institute for Early Childhood
Development and Education.
‘‘(4) 
The 
National 
Institute 
on 
Student
Achievement.
‘‘(5) The National Institute on Postsecondary
Education, Libraries, and Lifelong Education.
‘‘(b) DIRECTORS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each Institute established
by subsection (a) shall be headed by a Director who
shall be appointed by the Assistant Secretary from
among persons who have significant experience and
expertise in the disciplines relevant to the purposes
of such Institute. Prior to making such appointment,
the Assistant Secretary shall solicit and give due
consideration to recommendations made by the
Board of persons qualfied to fulfill the position.
‘‘(2) TERM OF OFFICE.—The Director of each
Institute shall serve for a renewable term of 3 years.
‘‘(3) REPORTING.—Each Director shall report
directly to the Assistant Secretary regarding the ac-
tivities of the Institute and shall work with the other
directors to promote research syntheses across the
Institutes.
‘‘(c) AUTHORITIES AND DUTIES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary is
authorized to conduct research, development, dem-
onstration, and evaluation activities to carry out the
purposes for which such Institute was established—
‘‘(A) directly;
‘‘(B) through grants, contracts, and coop-
erative agreements with institutions of higher
education, regional educational laboratories,
public and private organizations, institutions,
agencies, and individuals, which may include—
‘‘(i) grants to support research and
development centers which are—
‘‘(I) awarded competitively for a
period of not less than 6 and not
more than 10 years;
‘‘(II) funded at not less than
$2,000,000 annually in order to sup-
port a full range of basic research, ap-
plied research and dissemination ac-
tivities, which may also include devel-
opment activities; and
‘‘(III) established by institutions
of higher education, by institutions of
higher education in consortium with
public agencies or private nonprofit
organizations, or by interstate agen-
cies established by compact which op-
erate subsidiary bodies established to
conduct postsecondary educational re-
search and development;
‘‘(ii) public-private research partner-
ships established by a State or local edu-
cation agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs-
funded school, or tribal department of edu-
cation, in concert with a private organiza-
tion and a team of educational researchers,
for which the Federal share shall be lim-
ited to not more than 50 percent of the
total costs of the project;
‘‘(iii) meritorious unsolicited proposals
for educational research and related activi-
ties;
‘‘(iv) proposals that are specifically in-
vited or requested by the Assistant Sec-
retary, on a competitive basis; and
‘‘(v) dissertation grants, awarded for
a period of not more than 2 years and in
a total amount not to exceed $20,000 to
graduate students in the sciences, human-
ities, and the arts to support research by
such scholars in the field of education;
‘‘(C) through the provision of technical as-
sistance; and
‘‘(D) through the award of fellowships to
support graduate study in educational research
by qualified African-American, Hispanic, Amer-
ican Indian and Alaska Native, and other indi-
viduals from groups which have been tradition-
ally underrepresented in the field of educational
research which shall—
‘‘(i) be awarded on the basis of merit
for a period of 3 years; and
‘‘(ii) provide stipends to each fellow in
an amount which shall be set at a level of
support comparable to that provided by the
National Science Foundation Graduate
Fellowships, except that such amounts
shall be adjusted as necessary so as not to
exceed each fellow’s demonstrated level of
need.
‘‘(2) SCOPE
AND
FOCUS
OF
ACTIVITIES.—In
carrying out the purposes for which each Institute is
established, the Assistant Secretary shall—
‘‘(A) maintain an appropriate balance be-
tween applied and basic research;
‘‘(B) significantly expand the role of field-
initiated research in meeting the Nation’s edu-
cation research and development needs by re-
serving not less than 15 percent of the amounts
available to each Institute in any fiscal year to
support field-initiated research described in
clauses (iii) through (v) of paragraph (1);
‘‘(C) provide for and maintain a stable
foundation of long-term research and develop-
ment on core issues and concerns conducted
through university-based research and develop-
ment centers by reserving not less than one-
third of the amounts available to each Institute
in any fiscal year to support such research and
development centers;
‘‘(D) support and provide research infor-
mation that leads to policy formation for State
legislatures, State and local boards of education
and other policy and governing bodies, to assist
such entities in identifying and developing effec-
tive policies to promote student achievement
and school improvement; and
‘‘(E) coordinate the Institute’s activities
with the activities of the regional educational
laboratories and with other educational service
organizations in designing the Institute’s re-
search agenda and projects in order to increase
the responsiveness of such Institute to the
needs of teachers and the educational field and
to bring research findings directly into schools
to ensure greatest access at the local level to
the latest research developments.
‘‘(3) REQUIREMENTS
REGARDING
FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE.—No grant, contract, or cooperative
agreement may be made under this section unless—
‘‘(A) sufficient notice of the availability of,
and opportunity to compete for, assistance has
first been provided to potential applicants
through notice published in the Federal Reg-
ister or other appropriate means;
‘‘(B) it has been evaluated through peer
review in accordance with the standards devel-
oped pursuant to subsection (h) of section 405;
‘‘(C) it will be evaluated in accordance with
the standards developed pursuant to subsection
(h) of section 405;
‘‘(D) in the case of a grant, contract, or
cooperative agreement which exceeds $500,000
for a single fiscal year or $1,000,000 for more
than one fiscal year, the Secretary has complied
with the requirements of paragraph (4); and
‘‘(E) in the case of a grant, contract, or
cooperative agreement to support a research
and development center, all applications for
such assistance have been evaluated by inde-
pendent experts according to standards and cri-
teria which include—
‘‘(i) whether applicants have assem-
bled a critical mass of high quality re-
searchers sufficient to achieve the mission
of the center;
‘‘(ii) whether the proposed organiza-
tional structure and arrangements will fa-
cilitate achievement of the mission of the
center;
‘‘(iii) whether there is a substantial
staff commitment to the work of the cen-
ter;
‘‘(iv) whether the directors and staff
will devote adequate time to center activi-
ties; and
‘‘(v) review of the contributions of pri-
mary researchers (other than researchers
at the proposed center) to evaluate the ap-
propriateness of such primary researcher’s
experiences and expertise in the context of
the proposed center activities, and the ade-
quacy of such primary researcher’s time
commitment to achievement of the mission
of the center.
‘‘(4) BOARD
REVIEW
OF
CERTAIN
PROPOSED
GRANT
AND
CONTRACT
ACTIONS.—The Assistant
Secretary may not solicit any contract bid or issue
a request for proposals or applications for any grant
or cooperative agreement the amount of which ex-
ceeds $500,000 in any single fiscal year or which ex-
ceeds an aggregate amount of $1,000,000 for more
than one fiscal year unless the Board has had an op-
portunity to review such proposed grant, contract, or
cooperative agreement action and to provide written
comments to the Assistant Secretary with respect to
whether—
‘‘(A) the purposes and scope of the pro-
posed action are consistent with the Research
Priorities Plan; and
‘‘(B) the methodology and approach of the
proposed action are sound and adequate to
achieve its stated objectives.
‘‘(5) 
HISTORICALLY
UNDERUTILIZED
RE-
SEARCHERS
AND
INSTITUTIONS.—The Assistant
Secretary shall establish and maintain initiatives and
programs to increase the participation in the activi-
ties of each Institute of groups of researchers and
institutions that have been historically underutilized
in Federal educational research activities, includ-
ing—
‘‘(A) researchers who are women, African-
American, Hispanic, American Indian and Alas-
ka Native, or other ethnic minorities;
‘‘(B) promising young or new researchers
in the field, such as postdoctoral students and
recently appointed assistant or associate profes-
sors;
‘‘(C) historically black colleges and univer-
sities, tribally controlled community colleges,
and other institutions of higher education with
large numbers of minority students;
‘‘(D) institutions of higher education lo-
cated in rural areas; and
‘‘(E) institutions and researchers located
in States and regions of the Nation which have
historically received the least Federal support
for educational research and development.
‘‘(6) ADDITIONAL
AUTHORITIES.—The Assist-
ant Secretary—
‘‘(A) may obtain (in accordance with sec-
tion 3109 of title 5 but without regard to the
limitation in such section on the period of serv-
ice) the services of experts or consultants with
scientific or professional qualifications in the
disciplines relevant to the purposes of such In-
stitute;
‘‘(B) may use, with their consent, the serv-
ices, equipment, personnel, information, and fa-
cilities of other Federal, State, or local public
agencies, with or without reimbursement there-
for;
‘‘(C) may accept voluntary and uncompen-
sated services; and
‘‘(D) may accept unconditional gifts made
to the Office to support its activities.
‘‘(d) NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR THE EDUCATION OF
AT-RISK STUDENTS.—
‘‘(1) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds as fol-
lows:
‘‘(A) The rate of decline in our urban
schools is escalating at a rapid pace. Student
performance in most inner city schools grows
worse each year. At least half of all students
entering ninth grade fail to graduate 4 years
later and many more students from high-pov-
erty backgrounds leave school with skills that
are inadequate for today’s workplace. In 1988
the average National Assessment of Edu-
cational Progress (NAEP) reading score of
white 17 year-olds was approximately 20 points
higher than that of African-American 17 year-
olds and 25 points higher than that of Hispanic
17 year-olds. None of the existing Federal edu-
cational research and development programs
are adequately addressing this obvious emer-
gency.
‘‘(B) Rural schools enroll a disproportion-
ately large share of the Nation’s poor and at-
risk students and yet often lack the means to
address effectively the needs of these children.
Intensive efforts must be made to overcome the
problems of geographic isolation, declining pop-
ulation, inadequate financial resources and
other impediments to the educational success of
children residing in rural areas.
‘‘(C) By the year 2000, an estimated 3.4
million school age children with limited English
language proficiency will be entering the school
system. The Federal Government must develop
effective policies and programs to address the
educational needs of this growing population of
children who are at increased risk for edu-
cational failure.
‘‘(D) An educational emergency exists in
those urban and rural areas where there are
large concentrations of children who live in pov-
erty. The numbers of educationally disadvan-
taged children will substantially increase by the
year 2020, when the number of impoverished
children alone will be 16.5 million, a 33 percent
increase over the 12.4 million children in pov-
erty in 1987.
‘‘(E) American Indian and Alaska Native
students are keenly at-risk of educational fail-
ure, with demonstrated high dropout, illiteracy
and poverty rates, and cultural, linguistic, social
and 
geographic 
isolation. 
The 
estimated
400,000 Indian and Alaska Native student pop-
ulation from over 500 Indian and Alaska Native
tribes, is small and scattered throughout remote
reservations and villages in 32 States, and in
off-reservation rural and urban communities
where Indians constitute but a small percentage
of public school student bodies. To meaningfully
address the special educational needs of this
historically under-served population, the exist-
ing research and development system must be
opened to Indian and Alaska Native people to
identify needs and design ways to address such
needs.
‘‘(F) Minority scholars as well as institu-
tions and groups that have been historically
committed to the improvement of the education
of at-risk students need to be more fully mobi-
lized in the effort to develop a new generation
of programs, models, practices, and schools ca-
pable of responding to the urgent needs of stu-
dents who are educationally at-risk.
‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—It shall be the purpose of the
Institute for the Education of At-Risk Students to
carry out a coordinated and comprehensive program
of research and development to provide nonpartisan,
research-based leadership to the Nation as it seeks
to improve educational opportunities for students
who are at-risk for educational failure, particularly
children who reside in inner city and rural areas,
and on Indian reservations, and children of limited
English proficiency. Such program shall—
‘‘(A) undertake research necessary to pro-
vide a sound basis from which to identify, de-
velop, evaluate, and assist others to replicate
and adapt interventions, programs, and models
which promote greater achievement and edu-
cational success by at-risk students, such as—
‘‘(i) methods of instruction and edu-
cational practices (including community
services) which improve the achievement
and retention of at-risk students;
‘‘(ii) means by which parents and
community resources and institutions (in-
cluding cultural institutions) can be uti-
lized to support and improve the achieve-
ment of at-risk students;
‘‘(iii) the training of teachers and
other educational professionals and para-
professionals to work more effectively with
at-risk students;
‘‘(iv) the most effective uses of tech-
nology in the education of at-risk students;
‘‘(v) programs designed to promote
gender equity in schools that serve at-risk
students; and
‘‘(vi) 
methods 
of 
assessing 
the
achievement of students which are sensitive
to cultural differences, provide multiple
methods of assessing student learning,
support student acquisition of higher order
capabilities, and enable identification of
the effects of inequalities in the resources
available to support the learning of chil-
dren throughout the Nation; and
‘‘(B) maximize the participation of those
schools and institutions of higher education
that serve the greatest number of at-risk stu-
dents in inner city and rural areas, and on In-
dian reservations, including model collaborative
programs between schools and school systems,
institutions of higher education, cultural insti-
tutions, and community organizations.
‘‘(3) COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM.—
The Institute shall support a diverse and com-
prehensive program of research and development
which shall include research related to the edu-
cational needs of—
‘‘(A) at-risk students who reside in urban
areas;
‘‘(B) at-risk students who reside in rural
areas;
‘‘(C) children with limited English lan-
guage proficiency; and
‘‘(D) Indian and Alaska Native students.
‘‘(4) CONSULTATION WITH INDIAN AND ALASKA
NATIVE EDUCATORS.—All research and development
activities supported by the Institute which relate to
the education of Indian and Alaska Native students
shall be developed in close consultation with Indian
and Alaska Native researchers and educators, trib-
ally controlled community colleges, tribal depart-
ments of education, and others with expertise in the
needs of Indian and Native Alaska students.
‘‘(e) NATIONAL INSTITUTE
FOR INNOVATION
IN
EDUCATIONAL GOVERNANCE, FINANCE, POLICY-MAKING,
AND MANAGEMENT.—
‘‘(1) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds as fol-
lows:
‘‘(A) Many elementary and secondary
schools in the United States—
‘‘(i) are structured according to mod-
els that are ineffective and rely on notions
of management and governance that may
be outdated or insufficient for the chal-
lenges of the next century; and
‘‘(ii) are unsuccessful in equipping all
students with the knowledge and skills
needed to succeed as citizens and in the
working world.
‘‘(B) New approaches are needed in the
governance and management of elementary and
secondary education with the United States at
the State, local, school building and classroom
level.
‘‘(C) Not enough is known about the ef-
fects of various systems of school governance
and management on student achievement to
provide sound guidance to policymakers as they
pursue school restructuring and reform.
‘‘(D) A concentrated Federal effort is
needed to support research, development, dem-
onstration, and evaluation of approaches to
school governance, finance and management
which promise to improve education equity and
excellence throughout the Nation.
‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—It shall be the purpose of the
National Institute on Innovation in Educational
Governance, Finance, Policy-Making, and Manage-
ment to carry out a coordinated and comprehensive
program of research and development to provide
nonpartisan, research-based leadership to the Nation
as it seeks to improve student achievement through
school restructuring and reform. Such program
shall—
‘‘(A) undertake research necessary to pro-
vide a sound basis from which to identify, de-
velop and evaluate approaches in governance, fi-
nance, policy-making, and management at the
State, local, tribal, school building and class-
room level which promise to improve edu-
cational equity and excellence, such as—
‘‘(i) open enrollment programs, mag-
net schools and other systems through
which parents may select the public schools
and educational programs in which their
children are enrolled;
‘‘(ii) innovative school design, includ-
ing lengthening the school day and the
school year, reducing class size and build-
ing professional development into the
weekly school schedule;
‘‘(iii) effective approaches to organiz-
ing learning;
‘‘(iv) effective ways of grouping stu-
dents for learning so that a student is not
labeled or stigmatized in ways that may
impede such student’s achievement;
‘‘(v) effective approaches to organiz-
ing, structuring, and financing vocational
education;
‘‘(vi) the provision of financial and
other rewards and incentives based on per-
formance to improve student achievement;
‘‘(vii) the use of regulatory flexibility
on the State or district level to promote in-
novation and school restructuring;
‘‘(xv) policies related to school to work
transitions and preparing noncollege-bound
students; and
‘‘(B) undertake research and development
activities necessary to provide information on
the skills required for successful educational
leadership at the State, tribal, and local level
and to enhance the ability of school leaders and
administrators to improve the educational envi-
ronment for all students.
‘‘(3) RESEARCH ON EDUCATIONAL CHOICE.—In
carrying out the duties of the Institute, the Assist-
ant Secretary shall conduct or support research on
whether and to what extent the quality of education
in the United States would be improved by providing
public funds to parents for the costs of attendance
of their children at the elementary and secondary
schools of the parents’ choice.
‘‘(f) NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD
DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION.—
‘‘(1) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds as fol-
lows:
‘‘(A) The Nation has set as a goal that all
children should arrive at school ready to learn.
‘‘(B) Despite efforts to expand and im-
prove preschool programs, many children still
reach school age unprepared to benefit from
formal education programs.
‘‘(C) Early intervention for disadvantaged
children from conception to age five has been
shown to be a highly cost-effective strategy for
reducing later expenditures on a wide variety of
health, developmental, and educational prob-
lems that often interfere with learning. Long-
term studies of the benefits of preschool edu-
cation have a demonstrated return on invest-
ment ranging from three to six dollars for every
one dollar spent.
‘‘(D) The Federal government should play
a central role in providing research-based infor-
mation on early childhood education models
which enhance children’s development and ulti-
mately their success in school.
‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the National
Institute for Early Childhood Development and Edu-
cation is to carry out a comprehensive program of
research and development to provide nonpartisan,
research-based leadership to the Nation as it seeks
to improve early childhood development and edu-
cation. Such program shall identify, develop, evalu-
ate, and assist others to replicate sound policies and
practices that may include—
‘‘(A) social and educational development of
all infants, toddlers, and preschool children;
‘‘(B) the role of parents and the commu-
nity in promoting the successful social and edu-
cational development of children from birth to
age five;
‘‘(C) training and preparation of teachers
and other professional and paraprofessional
preschool and child care workers;
‘‘(D) the structure and environment of
early childhood education and child care set-
tings which lead to improved social and edu-
cational development;
‘‘(E) practices and approaches which sus-
tain the benefits of effective preschool and child
care programs;
‘‘(F) effective learning methods and cur-
riculum for early childhood learning, including
access to current materials in libraries;
‘‘(G) the importance of family literacy and
parental involvement in student learning;
‘‘(H) the impact that outside influences
have on learning, including television, and drug
and alcohol abuse; and
‘‘(I) methods for integrating learning in
settings other than the classroom, such as with-
in families and communities, with a special em-
phasis on character development and the value
of hard work.
‘‘(3) CERTAIN
REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying
out the activities of the Institute, the Assistant Sec-
retary shall—
‘‘(A) place special emphasis on the special
early childhood education needs of at-risk chil-
dren, children with disabilities, and girls; and
‘‘(B) ensure that its research and develop-
ment program provides information that can be
utilized in improving the major Federal early
childhood education programs, including Head
Start, Even Start, chapter 1 preschool pro-
grams, and part H of the Individuals with Dis-
abilities Education Act, and Bureau of Indian
Affairs early childhood development programs.
‘‘(g) NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON STUDENT ACHIEVE-
MENT.—
‘‘(1) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds as fol-
lows:
‘‘(A) The current achievement levels of
students in the Nation are far below those that
might indicate competency in challenging sub-
ject matter in English, mathematics, science,
history, and geography and other areas, or
across the subject areas.
‘‘(B) Very few students demonstrate that
they can use their minds well. In recent assess-
ments, more students are gaining basic skills,
yet fewer are demonstrating a grasp of higher-
level applications of those skills.
‘‘(C) During the past 20 years, relatively
little has changed in how students are taught.
Despite much research suggesting better alter-
natives, classrooms are still dominated by text-
books, teacher lectures, and short-answer activ-
ity sheets and unequal patterns of student at-
tention.
‘‘(D) Despite progress in narrowing the
gaps, the differences in performance between
white students and their minority counterparts
remain unacceptably large. While progress has
been made in reducing the gender gap in math-
ematics, it still remains at higher levels of prob-
lem solving. Too little progress has been made
in reducing gender performance gaps favoring
males in science and females in writing.
‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the National
Institute on Student Achievement is to carry out a
coordinated and comprehensive program of research
and development to provide research-based leader-
ship to the Nation as it seeks to improve student
achievement in English, mathematics, science, his-
tory, geography, and other subject areas and across
the boundaries of the subject areas. Such program
shall—
‘‘(A) identify, develop, and evaluate inno-
vative and exemplary methods to improve stu-
dent knowledge at all levels in English, mathe-
matics, science, history, geography, civics and
government, foreign languages, arts and hu-
manities, economics, and other subject areas,
such as—
‘‘(i) student learning and assessment
in various subject matters;
‘‘(ii) the effects of organizational pat-
terns on the delivery of instruction, includ-
ing issues of grouping and tracking,
ungraded classrooms, and on the effects of
various pedagogies, including the issues of
technology in education;
‘‘(iii) the best methods of teacher
preparation;
‘‘(iv) methods to improve the process
of reading, the craft of writing, the growth
of reasoning skills, and the development of
information-finding skills;
‘‘(v) enabling students to develop
higher order thinking skills;
‘‘(vi) methods to teach effectively all
students in mixed-ability classrooms;
‘‘(vii) curriculum, instruction, and as-
sessment, in vocational education;
‘‘(viii) the impact and effectiveness of
Federal, State, and local efforts to provide
gender-fair educational opportunities to el-
ementary and secondary students; and
‘‘(ix) programs, policies, approaches
which promote gender equity in elementary
and secondary education;
‘‘(B) conduct basic and applied research in
the areas of human learning, cognition, and
performance, including research and develop-
ment on the education contexts which promote
excellence in learning and instruction, and moti-
vational issues which provide a key to learning;
‘‘(C) identify, develop, and evaluate pro-
grams designed to enhance academic achieve-
ment and narrow racial and gender perform-
ance gaps in a variety of subject areas, includ-
ing research and development on methods of in-
volving parents in their children’s education and
ways to involve business, industry and other
community partners in promoting excellence in
schools; and
‘‘(D) include a comprehensive, coordinated
program of research and development in the
area of assessment which—
‘‘(i) addresses such issues as—
‘‘(I) the validity, reliability, gen-
eralizability, fairness, costs, relative
merits, and most appropriate uses of
various approaches and methods of
assessing 
student 
learning 
and
achievement;
‘‘(II) methods and approaches to
assessing student opportunities to
learn (including the quality of instruc-
tion and the availability of resources
necessary to support learning) and
evaluating the quality of school envi-
ronment;
‘‘(III) the design, development,
evaluation, and validation of model
performance-based and other alter-
native or innovative formats or uses of
assessments;
‘‘(IV) the impact of high-stakes
uses of assessment on student per-
formance and motivation, narrowing
of curriculum, teaching practices, and
test integrity;
‘‘(V) the fairness and impact of
various methods of assessment on
children of different races, ethnicities,
gender, socioeconomic status, English
language proficiencies, and children
with other special needs;
‘‘(VI) standards of performance,
quality, and validity for various meth-
ods of assessment and the means by
which such standards should be devel-
oped;
‘‘(VII) current and emerging
testing practices of State and local
education agencies within the United
States, as well as other nations;
‘‘(VIII) the diverse effects, both
intended and unintended, of assess-
ments as actually used in the schools,
including effects on curriculum and
instruction, effects on equity in the al-
location of resources and opportuni-
ties, effects on equity of outcomes, ef-
fects on other procedures and stand-
ards for judging students and practi-
tioners and possible inflation of test
scores;
‘‘(IX) identifying and evaluating
how students with limited English
language proficiency and students
with disabilities are included and ac-
commodated in the various assess-
ment programs of State and local edu-
cation agencies; and
‘‘(X) the feasibility and validity
of comparing or equating the results
of different assessments;
‘‘(ii) reflects recommendations made
by the National Education Goals Panel
(provided such panel has been authorized
by law);
‘‘(iii) complies with the ‘Standards for
Educational and Psychological Tests’ de-
veloped by the American Psychological As-
sociation, the National Council on Meas-
urement in Education, and the American
Educational Research Association;
‘‘(iv) is consistent with the ‘Criteria
for Evaluation of Student Assessment Sys-
tems’ developed by the National Forum on
Assessment; and
‘‘(v) complies with the ‘Code of Fair
Testing Practices in Education’ developed
by the Joint Committee on Testing Prac-
tices.
For purposes of this subparagraph, the term ‘devel-
opment’ means the development of prototypes for
the purposes of research and evaluation.
‘‘(h) NATIONAL INSTITUTE
FOR POSTSECONDARY
EDUCATION, LIBRARIES, AND LIFELONG LEARNING.—
‘‘(1) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds as fol-
lows:
‘‘(A) The American system of postsecond-
ary education is foremost in the world in its
achievement of both academic excellence and
equity in access, but maintaining that pre-
eminence requires renewed efforts to strengthen
the quality of postsecondary education. Dis-
appointing student performance on achievement
tests and licensure examinations, declining rates
of persistence and completion among minorities,
and other troubling trends in the quality of
postsecondary education must be addressed by
the Nation as part of its overall drive to im-
prove American education.
‘‘(B) The need to improve our Nation’s
economic productivity to meet the competitive
challenges of a new, international economy, cou-
pled with high levels of mobility in the United
States labor market and demographic changes
in the workforce, now demands more and higher
quality programs of learning and training in the
American workplace.
‘‘(C) The more than 1,000,000 men and
women incarcerated in the Nation’s prisons and
jails are among the most severely educationally
disadvantaged in the United States, with high
rates of functional illiteracy and extremely low
levels of educational attainment. Since an esti-
mated 90 percent of these individuals are ex-
pected to be released by the end of the decade,
the Nation must act to assure that our correc-
tional system has the means to equip these
Americans with the knowledge and skills they
will need to participate productively in our
society.
‘‘(D) The development of a ‘Nation of Stu-
dents’ capable of and committed to the pursuit
of formal and informal lifelong learning is es-
sential to sustain both national and individual
economic success and to provide a nurturing en-
vironment in which all children and youth can
learn and achieve. Historically the most effec-
tive community resource for lifelong learning,
the Nation’s public library system must expand
and restructure its delivery of services to take
full advantage of the potential of new informa-
tion technologies to meet the needs of learning
communities.
‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the National
Institute for Postsecondary Education, Libraries,
and Lifelong Learning is to promote greater coordi-
nation of Federal research and development on is-
sues related to adult learning and to carry out a
program of research and development in adult learn-
ing to provide nonpartisan, research-based leader-
ship to the Nation as it seeks to improve libraries,
postsecondary education, and lifelong learning
throughout the United States. Such program—
‘‘(A) shall promote greater coordination,
cooperation, and interaction among entities
within the Federal Government which support
research and development related to postsecond-
ary education, libraries, and lifelong learning;
‘‘(B) shall enable greater collaboration
among entities within the Federal Government
which support research and development related
to postsecondary education, libraries, and life-
long learning by supporting research and devel-
opment projects which are carried out jointly by
such entities;
‘‘(C) shall support research and develop-
ment in those areas of postsecondary education,
libraries, and lifelong learning which are not
being addressed sufficiently by other entities
within the Federal Government;
‘‘(D) may include basic and applied re-
search, development, replication, and evaluation
activities in such areas as—
‘‘(i) methods of assessing and evaluat-
ing individual, program, and institutional
performance;
‘‘(ii) the uses and applications of new
technologies to improve program effective-
ness and enhance student learning;
‘‘(iii) practices, policies, and programs
which address the unique needs of adult
learners, including—
‘‘(I) institutional and classroom
policies and practices at the post-
secondary level necessary to improve
matriculation, 
persistence, 
achieve-
ment and graduation by students who
are economically disadvantaged, ethnic
and racial minorities, women, older,
working, and who have children;
‘‘(II) instructional practices and
programs which are effective in cor-
rectional settings;
‘‘(III) new models of service de-
livery for public library systems which
expand 
opportunities 
for 
lifelong
learning;
‘‘(IV) effective programs and ap-
proaches which promote greater ac-
cess to and success by minorities in
postsecondary programs which pre-
pare them for scientific, technical,
teaching, and health career fields;
‘‘(V) 
effective 
approaches 
to
work-based learning; and
‘‘(VI) the most effective training
methods for adults to upgrade edu-
cation and vocational skills;
‘‘(iv) the effectiveness of Historically
Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally-
Controlled Indian Community Colleges,
women’s colleges, and other special mission
institutions in fulfilling their mission of
providing access and equal opportunity in
higher education;
‘‘(v) the quality of higher education at
all levels and the roles and responsibilities
of regional and national accrediting agen-
cies in assuring the quality and relevance
of academic goals and objectives estab-
lished by institutions of higher education;
‘‘(vi) approaches to improving the pro-
ductivity of colleges, community colleges,
universities, and other postsecondary insti-
tutions;
‘‘(vii) financial barriers to postsecond-
ary educational opportunity, including—
‘‘(I) the role of Federal programs
authorized under title IV of the High-
er Education Act and State grant and
work programs in mitigating such
barriers;
‘‘(II) the impact of the rising
total cost of postsecondary education
on access to higher education; and
‘‘(III) the extent and impact of
student reliance on loans to meet the
costs of higher education;
‘‘(viii) opportunities for adults to con-
tinue their education beyond higher edu-
cation and graduate school, in the context
of lifelong learning and information-finding
skills; and
‘‘(ix) preparing students for a lifetime
of work, the ability to adapt through re-
training to the changing needs of the work
force and the ability to learn new tasks.
‘‘(3) INVOLVEMENT OF CERTAIN AGENCIES AND
ORGANIZATIONS.—In promoting coordination and
collaboration on research and development on issues
related to postsecondary education, libraries, and
lifelong learning, the Institute shall, as appropriate,
seek the involvement of—
‘‘(A) within the Department of Edu-
cation—
‘‘(i) the Office of Library Programs;
‘‘(ii) the Office of Correctional Edu-
cation;
‘‘(iii) the Office of Vocational and
Adult Education;
‘‘(iv) the National Institute on Dis-
ability and Rehabilitation Research; and
‘‘(v) the Office of Postsecondary Edu-
cation;
‘‘(B) the National Institute for Literacy;
‘‘(C) the National Board for Professional
Teaching Standards;
‘‘(D) the Employment and Training Ad-
ministration of the Department of Labor;
‘‘(E) the Administration for Children and
Families within the Department of Health and
Human Services;
‘‘(F) the National Institutes of Health;
‘‘(G) the National Endowment for Human-
ities;
‘‘(H) the National Endowment for the
Arts;
‘‘(I) the Bureau of Prisons of the Depart-
ment of Justice;
‘‘(J) the Department of Commerce;
‘‘(K) the Department of Defense; and
‘‘(L) the Office of Indian Education Pro-
grams of the Department of the Interior.
‘‘(4) In addition to the responsibilities described
in paragraph (2), the Assistant Secretary shall en-
sure that the activities of the existing National Cen-
ter on Literacy are fully coordinated with those of
the National Institute for Literacy.
‘‘(i) COORDINATION OF RESEARCH ON CROSS-CUT-
TING ISSUES.—The Assistant Secretary shall promote the
coordination of research and development activities among
the Institutes established by subsection (a) to investigate
those cross-cutting disciplines and areas of inquiry, such
as assessment, the use of technology and the training of
teachers and school administrators, which are relevant to
the missions of more than one of the Institutes. Such ac-
tivities shall—
‘‘(1) address cross-cutting disciplines and areas
of inquiry which have been proposed by the Assist-
ant Secretary and are consistent with the research
priorities identified by the Board;
‘‘(2) be carried out jointly (1) by any one of the
Institutes and—
‘‘(A) one (or more) of the Institutes;
‘‘(B) the National Center for Education
Statistics; or
‘‘(C) any research and development entity
administered by other offices of the Department
of Education or by any other Federal agency or
Department; and
‘‘(3) meet all the standards set by the Assistant
Secretary and the Board for other research and de-
velopment conducted by the Office.
‘‘(j) PROGRAM ON TEACHING AND TEACHER EDU-
CATION.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary, in
accordance with the requirements of this subsection,
shall undertake a comprehensive, coordinated pro-
gram of research in the area of teaching, teacher
education, and professional development.
‘‘(2) CERTAIN
PURPOSES
OF
PROGRAM.—In
carrying out the program established under para-
graph (1), the Assistant Secretary shall conduct, di-
rectly or through grants and contracts, basic and ap-
plied research and analytical activities to further
knowledge about, make recommendations, and im-
prove—
‘‘(A) the ability of classroom teachers and
schools to assist new and diverse populations of
students in successfully assimilating into the
classroom environment;
‘‘(B) the working conditions of teachers
and other educational practitioners, which may
include such topics as—
‘‘(i) teacher isolation;
‘‘(ii) professional resources available
to teachers;
‘‘(iii) continuing educational and pro-
fessional opportunities available to teach-
ers;
‘‘(iv) physical facilities and equipment,
such as office space, telephone, computer
access, and fax machines and television
cable access available to teachers in the
work environment;
‘‘(v) opportunities for teachers to
share information and resources with other
teachers and education professionals;
‘‘(vi) opportunities for advanced learn-
ing experience; and
‘‘(vii) the reduction of stress in the
teaching profession;
‘‘(C) institutional program renewal and in-
struction;
‘‘(D) restructuring of State certification of
teachers and teacher education standards; and
‘‘(E) assisting in the development of teach-
er certification standards by Indian tribal de-
partments of education.
‘‘(3) CERTAIN ACTIVITIES.—In carrying out the
program established under paragraph (1), the As-
sistant Secretary—
‘‘(A) shall work with institutions of higher
education engaged in the preparation of teach-
ers and professional organizations of teacher
educators and practitioners to encourage insti-
tutional program renewal and restructuring;
‘‘(B) may conduct, directly or through
grants and contracts research on—
‘‘(i) effective and reflective teaching
for the preparation and continuing edu-
cation of teachers;
‘‘(ii) the use of computing and multi-
made technology to advance the under-
standing and abilities of teacher educators
and classroom teachers;
‘‘(iii) the development and appraisal
of curriculum and curriculum materials for
the initial and continuing education of
teachers and teacher educators; and
‘‘(iv) strengthening the evaluation and
dissemination of information on programs
for continuing professional education and
renewal of those who educate teachers for
initial or advanced licensure or certifi-
cation; and
‘‘(C) shall work with the national regional
education laboratories, the ERIC clearing-
houses, national education research library, and
the National Center for Education Statistics to
maximize information available, to prevent un-
necessary duplication of efforts and resources,
and to ensure the results of the centers work
are widely available.
‘‘(k) RESEARCH ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY.—
The Assistant Secretary shall undertake a comprehensive,
coordinated program of research and development in the
area of the uses and applications of technology in edu-
cation. Such program—
‘‘(1) may support basic and applied research
and development, analysis, evaluation in the area of
the uses and applications of technology to education,
including—
‘‘(A) the capabilities of current and emerg-
ing technologies and their possible uses in edu-
cation;
‘‘(B) the uses and applications of tech-
nology—
‘‘(i) to improve instruction within all
content areas in the school curriculum;
‘‘(ii) to educate more effectively at-
risk students and other students with spe-
cial needs;
‘‘(iii) to improve education in rural
communities and other remote areas;
‘‘(iv) to improve the assessment of
student learning and achievement;
‘‘(v) to deliver preservice and inservice
training for teachers, librarians, and school
administrators; and
‘‘(vi) to deliver and improve profes-
sional development and continuing edu-
cation programs;
‘‘(C) the cost and educational effectiveness
of technologies used in education;
‘‘(D) effective models and approaches for
providing the preservice and inservice training
and technical assistance necessary to enable
teachers, librarians, and school administrators,
cultural organizations, and others to use tech-
nology effectively in education;
‘‘(E) the identification of barriers to great-
er use of technologies in education and poten-
tial approaches to eradicating or mitigating
such barriers;
‘‘(F) methods and approaches which can
be utilized by teachers, school administrators,
and education policymakers, and educational
programs in cultural institutions to evaluate the
quality and most appropriate uses of software
and other technologies designed for use in edu-
cation; and
‘‘(G) approaches to organizing and manag-
ing schools and classrooms to make the most
effective use of technology in education; and
‘‘(2) shall be coordinated with related research
and development activities undertaken by the Office
of Special Education Programs, the National
Science Foundation, the Department of Defense,
and other Federal agencies.
‘‘(l) TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS.—
‘‘(1) TEMPORARY
REORGANIZATIONS.—Upon
the enactment of the Educational Research, Devel-
opment and Dissemination Excellence Act, the Sec-
retary shall reorganize the research and development
functions and activities of the Office into adminis-
trative units the purposes of which shall be the same
as those for each of the national research institutes
established in subsection (a). Such administrative
units shall be responsible for planning and providing
for the establishment of such institutes and shall
cease to exist on the dates upon which each of the
relevant institutes is established. The provisions of
subsection (c) (relating to authorities and duties)
shall apply to all activities undertaken by each such
administrative unit.
‘‘(2) DATES
FOR
ESTABLISHMENT
OF
INSTI-
TUTES.—The National Institute for the Education
of At-Risk Students, the National Institute for Inno-
vation in Educational Governance, Finance, Policy-
Making, and Management, the National Institute for
Early Childhood Development and Education, the
National Institute on Student Achievement, and the
National Institute on Postsecondary Education, Li-
braries, and Lifelong Learning shall each be estab-
lished effective October 1, 1994.’’.
TITLE 
IV—NATIONAL 
EDU-
CATION DISSEMINATION SYS-
TEM
SEC. 
401. 
ESTABLISHMENT 
WITHIN 
OFFICE 
OF 
EDU-
CATIONAL RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT.
Part A of the General Education Provisions Act, as
amended by section 301 of this Act, is amended by insert-
ing after section 405B the following new section:
‘‘NATIONAL EDUCATION DISSEMINATION SYSTEM
‘‘SEC. 405C. (a) IN GENERAL.—
‘‘(1) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds as fol-
lows:
‘‘(A) In order to improve the American
educational system for all students, achieve the
national education goals, and provide for great-
er educational equity, policymakers, administra-
tors, teachers, and parents must have ready ac-
cess to the best information and methods avail-
able as a result of educational research and de-
velopment.
‘‘(B) The Office of Educational Research
and Improvement should have as one of its pri-
mary purposes the dissemination of such infor-
mation and methods in order to assist the na-
tional education reform effort.
‘‘(C) All current resources within the Of-
fice, the Department, and other agencies that
can help accomplish this goal should be coordi-
nated by the Assistant Secretary so as to form
a systematic process to accomplish these objec-
tives.
‘‘(D) Education research has the capacity
to improve teaching and learning in our Na-
tion’s schools, however, teachers need training
in the developmental skills necessary to trans-
late research into practice and to allow them to
become a cadre of knowledgeable practitioners
and leaders in educational improvement.
‘‘(E) Adequate linkages between research
and development providers and practitioners are
essential to ensuring that research on effective
practice is useful, disseminated and supported
with technical assistance to all educators, and
that all educators are partners in the research
and development process.
‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is
to—
‘‘(A) create a national system of dissemi-
nation, development, and educational improve-
ment in order to create, adapt, identify, vali-
date, and disseminate to educators, parents,
and policymakers those educational programs
that have potential or have been shown to im-
prove educational opportunities for all students;
and
‘‘(B) empower and increase the capacity of
teachers to participate in the research and de-
velopment process.
‘‘(3) 
DEFINITION
OF
EDUCATIONAL
PRO-
GRAM.—For the purposes 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 Dis-
semination (in this section referred to as the ‘Dis-
semination Office’) through which the Secretary
shall carry out all functions and activities described
in this section.
‘‘(2) CERTAIN DUTIES.—The Dissemination Of-
fice shall—
‘‘(A) identify educational programs that
may merit being designated as exemplary or
promising educational programs;
‘‘(B) based solely on the educational merits
and promise of such programs, select those to
be designated as exemplary or promising;
‘‘(C) provide technical and financial assist-
ance to individuals and organizations in the
process of developing promising educational
programs in the priority areas identified in sec-
tion 405(b)(3), but who might not, without
such assistance, be able to complete necessary
development and assessment activities;
‘‘(D) nationally disseminate information
regarding the exemplary and promising pro-
grams to educators, parents, and policymakers
through a variety of means, including existing
Department activities, education associations
and networks, and communication technologies;
‘‘(E) provide training and technical assist-
ance regarding the implementation and adop-
tion of such exemplary and promising programs
by interested entities; and
‘‘(F) carry out a program of research on
models for successful knowledge dissemination,
and utilization, and strategies for reaching edu-
cation policymakers, practitioners, and others
interested in education.
‘‘(3) ADDITIONAL DUTIES.—The Dissemination
Office shall carry out and contain the following func-
tions and activities:
‘‘(A) A process for the identification of
educational programs that work.
‘‘(B) The educational resources informa-
tion clearinghouses.
‘‘(C) Dissemination through new tech-
nologies.
‘‘(D) Smartline.
‘‘(E) The regional educational laboratories.
‘‘(F) Teacher Research Dissemination Net-
work.
‘‘(G) The Goals 2000 Community Partner-
ships Program.
‘‘(H) The existing National Diffusion Net-
work and its Developer-Demonstrator and State
Facilitator projects.
‘‘(I) Such other programs or entities the
Secretary determines are consistent with the
purposes for which the Dissemination Office is
established.
‘‘(c) IDENTIFICATION OF PROGRAMS.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary
shall establish a process through which successful
educational programs are actively sought out for
possible dissemination through the national edu-
cational dissemination system. Such process shall, at
a minimum, have the capability to—
‘‘(A) work closely with the research insti-
tutes, centers, regional educational laboratories,
the National Diffusion Network and its Devel-
oper-Demonstrator 
and 
State 
Facilitator
projects, learning grant institutions established
under the Goals 2000 Community Partnerships
Program, department-supported technical as-
sistance providers, and other entities to identify
successful educational programs at the regional,
State, local, or classroom level;
‘‘(B) review successful educational pro-
grams supported by the Department through all
of its programs, including Chapter 1, Even
Start, Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act
of 1986, the Individuals With Disabilities Edu-
cation Act, Bilingual Education, Indian Edu-
cation, the Women’s Educational Equity Act,
and Adult and Vocational Education;
‘‘(C) through cooperative agreements, re-
view for possible inclusion in the system edu-
cational programs administered by the Depart-
ments of Health and Human Services (particu-
larly the Head Start program), Labor and De-
fense, the National Science Foundation, the De-
partment of the Interior (particularly the Office
of Indian Education Programs), and any other
appropriate Federal agency; and
‘‘(D) provide for an active outreach effort
to identify successful educational programs
through cooperative arrangements with State
and local education agencies, teachers and
teacher organizations, curriculum associations,
foundations, private schools, institutions of
higher education, and other entities that could
enhance the ability of the Secretary to identify
programs for possible inclusion in the dissemi-
nation system.
‘‘(2) PRIORITY
PROGRAMS.—In carrying out
this subsection, the Secretary shall place a priority
on identifying programs, products, and practices re-
lated to the priority research and development needs
identified in section 405(b)(3).
‘‘(d) DESIGNATION OF EXEMPLARY AND PROMISING
PROGRAMS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary, in
consultation with the Board, shall establish 1 or
more panels of appropriately qualified experts and
practitioners to—
‘‘(A) evaluate educational programs that
have been identified by the Secretary under
subsection (c) or that have been submitted to
the Secretary for such evaluation by some other
individual or organization; and
‘‘(B) recommend to the Secretary pro-
grams that should be designated as exemplary
or promising educational programs.
‘‘(2) 
CONSIDERATIONS
IN
MAKING
REC-
OMMENDATIONS.—In determining whether an edu-
cational program should receive a recommendation
under paragraph (1), a panel established under such
paragraph shall consider—
‘‘(A) whether, based on empirical data,
which may include but shall not be limited to
test results, the program is effective and should
thus be designated as exemplary and dissemi-
nated through the national dissemination sys-
tem; or
‘‘(B) whether there is sufficient evidence to
lead a panel of experts and practitioners to be-
lieve that the program shows promise for im-
proving student achievement and should thus be
designated as promising and disseminated
through the national dissemination system while
it continues to be evaluated.
‘‘(3) REQUIREMENT REGARDING APPROVAL OF
PROGRAMS.—In seeking out programs for approval
under paragraph (2), the Assistant Secretary shall
seek programs that may be implemented at the
State, local, and classroom level.
‘‘(4) REQUIREMENTS REGARDING PANELS.—
‘‘(A) A panel shall not eliminate a program
from consideration under this subsection based
solely on the fact that it does not have one spe-
100
cific type of supporting data, such as test
scores.
‘‘(B) The Assistant Secretary may not des-
ignate a program as exemplary or promising
unless a panel established under paragraph (1)
has recommended that the program be so des-
ignated.
‘‘(C) The Secretary shall establish such
panels under paragraph (1) as may be nec-
essary to ensure that each program identified
or submitted for evaluation is evaluated.
‘‘(D) Not less than 2⁄3 of the membership
of a panel established under paragraph (1) shall
consist of individuals who are not officers or
employees of the United States. Members of
panels under paragraph (1) who are not em-
ployees of the United States shall receive com-
pensation for each day engaged in carrying out
the duties of the panel as well as compensation
for their expenses.
‘‘(e) DISSEMINATION OF EXEMPLARY AND PROMIS-
ING PROGRAMS.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—In order to ensure that
programs identified as exemplary or promising are
available for adoption by the greatest number of
101
teachers, schools, local and State education agencies,
and Bureau of Indian Affairs-funded schools, the
Assistant Secretary shall utilize the capabilities of—
‘‘(A) the education resources information
clearinghouses;
‘‘(B) Smartline;
‘‘(C) the regional educational laboratories;
‘‘(D) the National Diffusion Network;
‘‘(E) entities established under the Goals
2000 Community Partnerships Program;
‘‘(F) department-supported technical as-
sistance providers;
‘‘(G) the National Library of Education;
and
‘‘(H) other public and private nonprofit en-
tities, including existing education associations
and networks, that have the capability to assist
educators in adopting exemplary and promising
programs.
‘‘(2) REQUIREMENTS
FOR
ASSISTANT
SEC-
RETARY.—In carrying out paragraph (1), the Assist-
ant Secretary shall ensure that all such entities
are—
‘‘(A) kept apprised of the availability of
specific programs for dissemination;
102
‘‘(B) provided technical assistance, if nec-
essary, to carry out this dissemination function;
and
‘‘(C) involved in the national education dis-
semination system as specified by law.
‘‘(f) EDUCATION RESOURCES INFORMATION CLEAR-
INGHOUSES.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary
shall establish a system of 16 education resource in-
formation clearinghouses having, at a minimum, the
functions and scope of work as the clearinghouses
had on the date of the enactment of the Educational
Research, Development, and Dissemination Excel-
lence Act.
‘‘(2) ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS.—In addition to
those functions already being carried out by the
clearinghouses, such clearinghouses may—
‘‘(A) periodically produce interpretive sum-
maries, digests, and syntheses of the results
and findings of education-related research and
development; and
‘‘(B) contain and make available to users
information concerning those programs des-
ignated as exemplary and promising under sub-
section (c).
103
‘‘(3) COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES.—The As-
sistant Secretary shall assure that the functions and
activities of such clearinghouses are coordinated with
the activities of the research institutes, the regional
educational laboratories, learning grant institutions,
other clearinghouses supported by the Department,
the National Diffusion Network, and other appro-
priate entities within the Office and the Department.
‘‘(4) SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SEC-
RETARY.—To assure that the information provided
through such clearinghouses is fully comprehensive,
the Secretary shall—
‘‘(A) require that all reports, studies, and
other resources produced directly or by grant or
contract with the Department of Education are
made available to clearinghouses;
‘‘(B) establish cooperative agreements with
the Departments of Defense, Health and
Human Services, Interior, and other Federal
agencies to assure that all education-related re-
ports, studies, and other resources produced di-
rectly or by grant or contract with the Federal
Government are made available to such clear-
inghouses; and
104
‘‘(C) devise an effective system for maxi-
mizing the identification, synthesis, and dis-
semination of information related to the needs
of Indian and Alaska Native children.
‘‘(5) COPYRIGHT PROHIBITED.—
‘‘(A) No clearinghouse or other entity re-
ceiving assistance under this subsection may
copyright or otherwise charge a royalty or other
fee that—
‘‘(i) is for the use or redissemination
of any database, index, abstract, report, or
other information produced with assistance
under this subsection; and
‘‘(ii) exceeds the incremental cost of
disseminating such information.
‘‘(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A),
the incremental cost of dissemination does not
include any portion of the cost of collecting, or-
ganizing, or processing the information which is
disseminated.
‘‘(g) 
DISSEMINATION
THROUGH
NEW
TECH-
NOLOGIES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary is
authorized to award grants or contracts in accord-
ance with this subsection to support the development
105
of materials, programs, and resources which utilize
new technologies and techniques to synthesize and
disseminate research and development findings and
other information which can be used to support edu-
cational improvement.
‘‘(2) SOURCES OF MATERIALS AND RESEARCH
ABOUT TEACHING AND LEARNING FOR IMPROVING
NATIONWIDE EDUCATION (SMARTLINE).—
‘‘(A) ELECTRONIC NETWORK.—The Assist-
ant Secretary, acting through the Office of Re-
form Assistance and Dissemination, shall estab-
lish and maintain an electronic network which
shall, at a minimum, link—
‘‘(i) each office of the Department of
Education;
‘‘(ii) the research institutes estab-
lished by section 405B;
‘‘(iii) the National Center for Edu-
cation Statistics;
‘‘(iv) the National Library of Edu-
cation; and
‘‘(v) entities engaged in research, de-
velopment, dissemination, and technical as-
sistance under grant, contract, or coopera-
106
tive agreement with the Department of
Education.
‘‘(B) CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS FOR NET-
WORK.—The network described in subpara-
graph (A) shall—
‘‘(i) to the extent feasible, build upon
existing national, regional, and State elec-
tronic 
networks 
and 
support 
video,
telecomputing, and interactive communica-
tions;
‘‘(ii) at a minimum, have the capabil-
ity to support electronic mail and file
transfer services;
‘‘(iii) be linked to and accessible to
other users, including State and local edu-
cation agencies, institutions of higher edu-
cation, museums, libraries, and others
through the Internet and the National Re-
search and Education Network; and
‘‘(iv) be provided at no cost (excluding
the costs of necessary hardware) to the
contractors and grantees described in
clause (v) of subparagraph (A) and to edu-
cational institutions accessing such net-
107
work through the Internet and the Na-
tional Research and Education Network.
‘‘(C) INFORMATION RESOURCES.—The As-
sistant Secretary, acting through the Office of
Reform Assistance and Dissemination, may
make available through the network described
in subparagraph (A)—
‘‘(i) information about grant and con-
tract assistance available through the de-
partment;
‘‘(ii) an annotated directory of current
research and development activities and
projects being undertaken with the assist-
ance of the Department;
‘‘(iii) information about publications
published by the Department and, to the
extent feasible, the full text of such publi-
cations;
‘‘(iv) statistics and data published by
the National Center for Education Statis-
tics;
‘‘(v) syntheses of research and devel-
opment findings;
‘‘(vi) a directory of other education-re-
lated electronic networks and databases,
108
including information about the means by
which they may be accessed;
‘‘(vii) a descriptive listing of materials
and courses of instruction provided by tele-
communications 
partnerships 
assisted
under the Star Schools program;
‘‘(viii) resources developed by the
ERIC Clearinghouses;
‘‘(ix) education-related software (in-
cluding video) which is in the public do-
main;
‘‘(x) a listing of instructional mate-
rials available through telecommunications
to local education agencies through the
Public Broadcasting Service and State
educational television networks; and
‘‘(xi) such other information and re-
sources the Assistant Secretary considers
useful and appropriate.
‘‘(D) EVALUATIONS
REGARDING
OTHER
FUNCTIONS OF NETWORK.—The Assistant Sec-
retary shall also undertake projects to test and
evaluate the feasibility of using the network de-
scribed in subparagraph (A) for—
109
‘‘(i) the submission of applications for
assistance to the Department; and
‘‘(ii) the collection of data and other
statistics through the National Center for
Education Statistics.
‘‘(E) TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSIST-
ANCE.—The 
Assistant 
Secretary, 
acting
through the Office of Reform Assistance and
Dissemination, shall—
‘‘(i) provide such training and tech-
nical assistance as may be necessary to en-
able the contractors and grantees described
in clause (v) of subparagraph (A) to par-
ticipate in the electronic network described
in such subparagraph; and
‘‘(ii) work with the National Science
Foundation to provide, upon request, as-
sistance to State and local education agen-
cies, the Department of the Interior’s Of-
fice of Indian Education Programs, tribal
departments of education, State library
agencies, libraries, museums, and other
educational institutions in obtaining access
to the Internet and the National Research
and Education Network.
110
‘‘(h) REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL LABORATORIES.—
‘‘(1) 
REGIONAL
EDUCATIONAL
LABORA-
TORIES.—The Assistant Secretary shall enter into
contracts with public or private nonprofit entities to
establish a networked system of 10 regional edu-
cational laboratories which serve the needs of each
region of the Nation in accordance with the provi-
sions of this subsection. For the purposes of this
subsection, the term ‘region’ means 1 of the 10 geo-
graphic regions set forth in section 2(a) of part 707
of title 34, Code of Federal Regulations (34 CFR
707.2(a)), as published in number 157 of volume 53
of the Federal Register on August 15, 1988.
‘‘(2) DUTIES.—Each regional educational lab-
oratory receiving assistance under this subsection
shall, with such assistance, assist State education
agencies, intermediate education agencies, local
school districts, and schools funded by the Bureau of
Indian Affairs in implementing broad-based, sys-
temic school improvement strategies through the use
of applied research and development activities. The
regional educational laboratories shall support such
system-wide reform efforts through—
‘‘(A) the development of a plan for identi-
fying needs and for serving the needs of the re-
111
gion by conducting a continuing survey of the
educational needs, strengths and weaknesses
within the region, including a process of open
hearings to solicit the views of schools, teachers,
administrators, parents, local educational agen-
cies, librarians, and State educational agencies
within the region;
‘‘(B) the dissemination of information
about programs designated as exemplary and
promising under subsection (c) and other ap-
propriate programs and practices;
‘‘(C) the provision of support and technical
assistance in—
‘‘(i) replicating and adapting such ex-
emplary and promising practices;
‘‘(ii) the development of high-quality,
challenging curriculum frameworks;
‘‘(iii) the development of valid, reli-
able, fair systems of assessment which are
based upon State, local, or Bureau of In-
dian 
Affairs-funded 
school 
curriculum
frameworks and reflect recent advances in
the field of educational assessment;
‘‘(iv) the improvement of professional
development strategies to assure that all
112
teachers are prepared to teach a challeng-
ing curriculum;
‘‘(v) expanding and improving the use
of technology in education to improve
teaching and learning;
‘‘(vi) the development of alternatives
for restructuring school finance systems to
promote greater equity in the distribution
of resources; and
‘‘(vii) the development of alternative
administrative structures which are more
conducive to planning, implementing, and
sustaining school reform and improved
educational outcomes;
‘‘(D) the development of educational pro-
grams and practices that address State, re-
gional, or Indian tribal needs in relating to
their school reform efforts;
‘‘(E) facilitating communication between
educational experts, school officials, and teach-
ers, parents, and librarians, to enable such indi-
viduals to assist schools to develop a plan to
meet the national education goals;
113
‘‘(F) bringing teams of experts together to
develop and implement school improvement
plans and strategies;
‘‘(G) the provision of training in—
‘‘(i) the field of education research
and related areas;
‘‘(ii) the use of new educational meth-
ods; and
‘‘(iii) the use of information-finding
methods, practices, techniques, and prod-
ucts developed in connection with such
training for which the regional educational
laboratory shall be authorized to support
internships and fellowships and to provide
stipends; and
‘‘(H) the provision of support and tech-
nical assistance (upon their request) to State
facilitators funded through the National Diffu-
sion Network.
‘‘(3) NETWORKING.—In order to improve the
efficiency and effectiveness of the regional labora-
tories, the governing boards of the ten regional lab-
oratories shall establish and maintain a network
to—
114
‘‘(A) share information about the activities
each is carrying out;
‘‘(B) plan joint activities that would meet
the needs of multiple regions;
‘‘(C) create a strategic plan for the devel-
opment of activities undertaken by the labora-
tories to reduce redundancy and increase col-
laboration and resource-sharing in such activi-
ties; and
‘‘(D) otherwise devise means by which the
work of the individual laboratories could serve
national, as well as regional, needs.
‘‘(4) ADDITIONAL DUTIES.—Each regional edu-
cation laboratory receiving assistance under this sub-
section shall carry out the following activities:
‘‘(A) Collaborate with the Institutes estab-
lished under section 405B in order to—
‘‘(i) maximize the use of research con-
ducted through the Institutes in the work
of such laboratory;
‘‘(ii) keep the Institutes apprised of
the work of the regional educational lab-
oratories in the field; and
‘‘(iii) inform the Institutes about addi-
tional research needs identified in the field.
115
‘‘(B) Consult with the State educational
agencies and library agencies in the region in
developing the plan for serving the region.
‘‘(C) Develop strategies to utilize schools
as critical components in reforming education
and revitalizing rural communities in the
United States.
‘‘(D) Report and disseminate information
on overcoming the obstacles faced by rural edu-
cators and rural schools.
‘‘(E) Identify successful educational pro-
grams that have either been developed by such
laboratory in carrying out its functions or that
have been developed or used by others within
the region served by the laboratory and make
such information available to the Secretary and
the network of regional laboratories so that
they may be considered for inclusion in the na-
tional education development and dissemination
system.
‘‘(5) CERTAIN
REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying
out its responsibilities, each regional educational lab-
oratory shall—
‘‘(A) establish a governing board that—
‘‘(i) is the sole entity that—
116
‘‘(I) guides and directs the lab-
oratory in carrying out the provisions
of this subsection and satisfying the
terms and conditions of the contract
award; and
‘‘(II) determines the regional
agenda of the laboratory, consistent
with the priority research and devel-
opment needs identified in section
405(b)(3); and
‘‘(ii) reflects a balanced representation
of the States in the region, as well as the
interests and concerns of regional constitu-
encies;
‘‘(B) comply with the standards established
by the Assistant Secretary and the Board under
section 405A;
‘‘(C) coordinate its activities, collaborate,
and regularly exchange information with the in-
stitutes established under section 405C, the Na-
tional Diffusion Network, and its Developer
Demonstrator and State Facilitator projects,
learning grant institutions and district edu-
cation agents assisted under subsection (i), the
ERIC Clearinghouses, and other entities en-
117
gages in technical assistance and dissemination
activities which are supported by other Offices
of the Department of Education; and
‘‘(D) allocate its 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 education agencies, or Bu-
reau of Indian Affairs-funded schools which
may require special assistance from the labora-
tory.
‘‘(6) EVALUATIONS.—The Assistant Secretary
shall provide for periodic, independent evaluations of
each of the laboratories in carrying out the duties
described in paragraph (1) in accordance with the
standards developed by the Assistant Secretary and
the Board and transmit the results of such evalua-
tions to the relevant committees of the Congress, the
Board, and the appropriate regional educational lab-
oratory board.
‘‘(7) INVITATION
REGARDING
COMPETITION
FOR AWARDS OF ASSISTANCE.—Prior to awarding a
118
grant or entering into a contract under this section,
the Secretary shall invite applicants, including the
existing regional educational laboratories, to compete
for such award through notice in the Federal Reg-
ister and in the publication of the Department of
Commerce known as the Commerce Business Daily.
‘‘(8) APPLICATION FOR ASSISTANCE.—Each ap-
plication for assistance under this subsection shall—
‘‘(A) cover not less than a 5-year period;
‘‘(B) describe how the applicant would
carry out the activities required by this sub-
section; and
‘‘(C) contain such additional information
as the Secretary may reasonably require.
‘‘(9) RULE
OF
CONSTRUCTION.—No regional
educational laboratory receiving assistance under
this subsection shall, by reason of the receipt of that
assistance, be ineligible to receive any other assist-
ance from the Department as authorized by law.
‘‘(10) ADVANCE PAYMENT SYSTEM.—Each re-
gional educational laboratory shall participate in the
advance payment system at the Department of Edu-
cation.
‘‘(i) GOALS 2000 COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PRO-
GRAM.—
119
‘‘(1) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Goals
2000 Community Partnerships program is to im-
prove the quality of learning and teaching in the Na-
tion’s most impoverished urban and rural commu-
nities by supporting sustained collaborations between
universities, schools, businesses, and communities
which apply and utilize the results of educational re-
search and development.
‘‘(2) GRANTS
FOR
GOALS
2000
COMMUNITY
PARTNERSHIPS.—The Assistant Secretary is author-
ized to make grants to eligible entities to support
the establishment of Learning Grant Institutions
and District Education Agents and the activities au-
thorized under this subsection within eligible com-
munities.
‘‘(3) DEFINITION OF ELIGIBLE ENTITY AND EL-
IGIBLE COMMUNITY.—For the purposes of this sub-
section:
‘‘(A) The term ‘eligible entity’ includes any
institution of higher education, regional edu-
cation laboratory, National Diffusion Network
project, national research and development cen-
ter, public or private nonprofit corporation, or
any consortium thereof that—
120
‘‘(i) has demonstrated experience, ex-
pertise and commitment in serving the
educational needs of at-risk students; and
‘‘(ii) is, by virtue of its previous activi-
ties, knowledgeable about the unique needs
and characteristics of the community to be
served.
‘‘(B) The term ‘eligible community’ means
a unit of general purpose local government
(such as a city, township, or village), a
nonmetropolitan county, tribal village, or a geo-
graphically distinct area (such as a school dis-
trict, school attendance area, ward, precinct or
neighborhood), or any group of such entities
that—
‘‘(i) has a population of not less than
200,000 and not more than 300,000; and
‘‘(ii) in which not less than one-half of
the school-age children have family in-
comes which are below the poverty line, as
determined by the 1990 United States
Census, participation in the National
School Lunch program, or other current,
reliable data concerning family income.
121
‘‘(4) GOALS 2000 COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.—
Each learning grant institution receiving assistance
under this subsection shall establish a Goals 2000
community partnership to carry out the activities
authorized under this subsection. Such partner-
ship—
‘‘(A) shall include the participation of one
or more local educational agencies, institutions
of higher education, community-based organiza-
tions, parents, teachers, and the business com-
munity;
‘‘(B) may include the participation of
human, social service and health care agencies,
Head Start and child care agencies, libraries,
museums, employment and training agencies,
and the State educational agency or tribal de-
partment of education; and
‘‘(C) shall be broadly representative of all
segments of the community in which the activi-
ties will be carried out.
‘‘(5) COMPREHENSIVE
GOALS
2000
PLAN.—
Each Goals 2000 Community Partnership shall de-
velop a comprehensive plan for assuring educational
success and high achievement for all students in the
community. Each such plan shall—
122
‘‘(A) adopt the 6 national educational
goals;
‘‘(B) identify additional needs and goals
for educational improvement within the commu-
nity;
‘‘(C) focus on helping all students reach
challenging content and student performance
standards;
‘‘(D) be consistent with the State and local
plan for system-wide education improvement de-
veloped pursuant to the Goals 2000: Educate
America Act;
‘‘(E) establish a comprehensive commu-
nity-wide plan for achieving such goals; and
‘‘(F) develop a means for measuring the
progress of the community in meeting such
goals for improvement.
‘‘(6) IMPLEMENTATION
OF
COMMUNITY-WIDE
PLAN.—Each Goals 2000 Community Partnership
shall, utilizing the District Education Agent, provide
assistance in implementing the community-wide plan
for educational improvement by—
‘‘(A) supporting innovation, restructuring,
and continuous improvement in educational
practice by—
123
‘‘(i) 
disseminating 
information
throughout the community about exem-
plary and promising educational programs,
practices, products, and policies;
‘‘(ii) evaluating the effectiveness of
federally funded educational programs
within the community and identifying
changes in such programs which are likely
to improve student achievement;
‘‘(iii) identifying, selecting and rep-
licating exemplary and promising edu-
cational programs, practices, products, and
policies in both in and out-of-school set-
tings;
‘‘(iv) applying educational research to
solve specific problems in the classroom,
home and community which impede learn-
ing and student achievement; and
‘‘(v) supporting research and develop-
ment by teachers, school administrators,
and other practitioners which promise to
improve teaching and learning and the
organization of schools;
‘‘(B) improving the capacity of educators,
school administrators, child care providers and
124
other practitioners to prepare all students to
reach challenging standards and to attain the
goals set out in the comprehensive community-
wide plan through such means as—
‘‘(i) the training of prospective and
novice teachers (including preschool and
early childhood educators) in a school set-
ting under the guidance of master teachers
and teacher educators;
‘‘(ii) training and other activities to
promote the continued learning and profes-
sional development of experienced teachers,
related services personnel, school adminis-
trators to assure that they develop the
subject matter and pedagogical expertise
needed to prepare all students to reach
challenging standards;
‘‘(iii) training and other activities to
increase the ability of prospective, novice,
and 
experienced 
teachers 
to 
teach
effectivenly at-risk students, students with
disabilities, students with limited English
language proficiency, and students from di-
verse cultural backgrounds; and
125
‘‘(iv) programs to enhance teaching
and classroom management skills, includ-
ing school-based management skills, of
novice, prospective, and experienced teach-
ers;
‘‘(C) promoting the development of an in-
tegrated system of service delivery to children
from birth through age 18 and their families by
facilitating linkages and cooperation among—
‘‘(i) local education agencies;
‘‘(ii) health and social services agen-
cies and providers;
‘‘(iii) juvenile justice and criminal jus-
tice agencies;
‘‘(iv) providers of employment train-
ing; and
‘‘(v) child care, Head Start, and other
early childhood agencies; and
‘‘(D) mobilizing the resources of the com-
munity in support of student learning and high
achievement by facilitating effective partner-
ships and collaboration among—
‘‘(i) local education agencies;
‘‘(ii) postsecondary educational insti-
tutions;
126
‘‘(iii) public libraries;
‘‘(iv) parents;
‘‘(v) community-based organizations,
neighborhood associations, and other civic
and community organizations;
‘‘(vi) child care, Head Start, and
other early childhood agencies;
‘‘(vii) churches, synagogues and other
religious institutions;
‘‘(viii) labor organizations; and
‘‘(ix) business and industry.
‘‘(7) ADDITIONAL
REQUIREMENTS.—In carry-
ing out its responsibilities under this subsection,
each partnership receiving assistance under this sub-
section shall—
‘‘(A) appoint a District Education Agent
who shall be responsible, on a full-time basis,
for directing the implementation of the commu-
nity-wide plan. Such individual shall have sig-
nificant experience and expertise in the field of
education in—
‘‘(i) addressing the needs of at-risk
students; and
‘‘(ii) conducting educational research
and promoting the application of the re-
127
sults of such research to educational prac-
tice;
‘‘(B) provide for such other professional
and support personnel as may be necessary to
implement the community-wide plan under the
direction of the District Education Agent; and
‘‘(C) coordinate its activities and work co-
operatively with the National Diffusion Network
State facilitators, regional laboratories, and
other components of the Office to utilize most
effectively Federal research, development, and
dissemination resources in implementing the
community-wide plan.
‘‘(8) APPLICATION FOR GRANTS.—Any eligible
entity desiring a grant under this subsection shall
submit an application to the Assistant Secretary at
such time, in such manner, and accompanied by
such information as the Assistant Secretary may
reasonably require. Each such application shall—
‘‘(A) include a comprehensive plan for
meeting the objectives and requirements of this
subsection; and
‘‘(B) provide evidence of support for the
application from local elected officials, the State
education agency, the local education agency,
128
parents, local community leaders, businesses,
and other appropriate organizations.
‘‘(9) PRIORITY IN MAKING GRANTS; DURATION
AND AMOUNT OF GRANT.—Each grant made under
this subsection shall be—
‘‘(A) awarded on a competitive basis, with
first priority given to those applications from
communities with the greatest percentage of
school-age children in families with poverty-level
incomes;
‘‘(B) made for a 5-year period, with fund-
ing for the second and each successive year in
this period conditioned upon a determination by
the Assistant Secretary that the grant recipient
has complied with the conditions of the grants
during the previous year; and
‘‘(C) an amount equal to not less than
$1,000,000 per year.
‘‘(10) LIMITATION OF ONE GRANT PER CON-
GRESSIONAL DISTRICT.—Not more than one grant
shall be awarded within a single congressional dis-
trict.
‘‘(11) 
TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE; 
EVALUA-
TIONS.—In administering the program authorized
under this subsection, the Assistant Secretary shall,
129
either directly or through grant or contract with an
eligible nonprofit agency—
‘‘(A) upon request, provide technical assist-
ance to eligible entities to assist in the develop-
ment of a comprehensive plan to meet the re-
quirements of this subsection and in the prepa-
ration of applications for assistance;
‘‘(B) regularly provide technical assistance
to learning grant institutions receiving assist-
ance under this subsection to assist with the de-
velopment and implementation of the commu-
nity-wide plan for educational improvement;
‘‘(C) provide for an independent evaluation
of the activities assisted under this subsection,
including—
‘‘(i) the impact of the Goals 2000
Community Partnerships program on chil-
dren and families within each community,
including (but not limited to) effects on the
extent of educational achievement, rates of
school retention and completion, and en-
rollment in program postsecondary edu-
cational programs; and
‘‘(ii) whether an intensified effort to
apply and utilize educational research
130
within a limited geographic area signifi-
cantly improves student learning and
achievement; and
‘‘(D) plan for the expansion of the Goals
2000 
Community 
Partnerships 
program
throughout the remainder of the Nation begin-
ning in fiscal year 1998.
‘‘(j) TEACHER RESEARCH
DISSEMINATION NET-
WORK.—
‘‘(1) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that—
‘‘(A) education research, including re-
search funded by the Office, is not having the
impact on the Nation’s schools that such re-
search should;
‘‘(B) relevant education research and re-
sulting solutions are not being adequately dis-
seminated to the teachers that need such re-
search and solutions;
‘‘(C) there are not enough linkages be-
tween the research and development centers as-
sisted under this section, the regional edu-
cational laboratories described in subsection (k),
the 
National 
Diffusion 
Network 
State
facilitators, the Education Resources Informa-
tion Clearinghouses, and the public schools, to
131
ensure that research on effective practice is dis-
seminated and technical assistance provided to
all teachers;
‘‘(D) the average teacher has almost no
time to plan or engage in a professional dia-
logue with such teacher’s peers about strategies
for improving learning;
‘‘(E) teachers do not have direct access to
information systems or networks;
‘‘(F) teachers have little control over what
in-service education teachers will be offered;
and
‘‘(G) individual teachers are not encour-
aged to move beyond the walls of their class-
rooms to identify and use outside resources.
‘‘(2) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—
‘‘(A) The Assistant Secretary shall enter
into contracts with regional educational labora-
tories, in partnership with 1 or more institu-
tions of higher education in each State of its re-
gion, the National Diffusion Network, and
other entities with demonstrated experience, ex-
pertise, and commitment in the areas of teacher
research or teacher professional development,
such as the national research and development
132
centers, professional teacher organizations, and
other qualified organizations and associations,
in the region to carry out activities described in
paragraph (3).
‘‘(B) The Assistant Secretary shall enter
into contracts under this subsection in an equi-
table manner and shall provide assistance on
the basis of the number of schools, teachers,
and students in each regional educational lab-
oratory region with attention given to popu-
lations with special needs and the increased cost
burden of service delivery in regions of sparse
population.
‘‘(C) Contracts under this subsection shall
be awarded for a period of not less than 3
years.
‘‘(3) PROGRAM ACTIVITIES.—
‘‘(A) Each regional partnership described
in paragraph (2)(A) entering into a contract
under this subsection shall carry out programs
of providing training to teachers relevant to the
needs and problems of the schools and school
districts where teachers, who participate in the
programs, serve. The purpose of such programs
shall be to—
133
‘‘(i) educate teachers on how to ac-
quire information about education research
findings and best practices;
‘‘(ii) provide teachers with current
education research and development the-
ory, skills, and practice as shall enable
them to modify, design, develop, and adapt
such findings and practices to effect local
district and classroom outcomes that im-
prove education;
‘‘(iii) enable teachers to become ac-
tively involved in the applied research and
development process;
‘‘(iv) provide teachers the ability to
become leaders in the utilization of applied
research and to become active participants
in the Federal research and development
partnership;
‘‘(v) enhance the ability of teachers to
evaluate and choose effective education
programs and curricula; and
‘‘(vi) facilitate collaboration between
the teacher change agent and the National
Diffusion Network State facilitator.
134
‘‘(B) Teachers that participate in training
assisted under this subsection shall be known as
‘teacher change agents’.
‘‘(C) The program described in subpara-
graph (A) shall provide teacher change agents
with training during the summer and at such
other times as agreed to by the district, which
shall—
‘‘(i) give teacher change agents knowl-
edge and guidance in using the existing
educational improvement services and re-
sources funded by the United States De-
partment of Education and other major re-
search organizations, including the prod-
ucts and work of the regional educational
laboratories, professional teacher organiza-
tions, the National Diffusion Network, in-
stitutions of higher education, the Edu-
cational Research Information Centers,
National Research Centers, National Re-
search Institutes, State Departments of
Education, local education agencies, and
other nonprofit organizations participating
in the improvement of education;
135
‘‘(ii) provide teacher change agents
with indepth knowledge about a number of
products, programs, and processes devel-
oped by entities described in clause (i) that
the teacher change agents judge most rel-
evant to the needs of the district or dis-
tricts they will serve;
‘‘(iii) inform teacher change agents
about government programs, including, but
not limited to, programs in government
agencies other than the Department of
Education, which offer research opportuni-
ties, fellowships, and funding; and
‘‘(iv) provide teacher change agents
with instruction in technical assistance
skills in order to increase their capacity to
aid district and school site teacher teams
responsible for leading school improvement
activities at the district and school site
level.
‘‘(D) The school year activities described
in subparagraph (A) shall provide teacher
change agents participating in such program
during the school year with—
136
‘‘(i) opportunities to meet with other
teacher change agents to exchange experi-
ences;
‘‘(ii) additional training or assistance
as needed or requested;
‘‘(iii) updates in education research,
application, and findings; and
‘‘(iv) opportunities to provide feedback
into the educational research infrastruc-
ture regarding needed research and ways
to improve the development and dissemina-
tion of information.
‘‘(E) The regional partnership program
may support educational improvement and re-
form activities such as—
‘‘(i) training in applied research meth-
odologies;
‘‘(ii) assistance in conducting applied
research;
‘‘(iii) teacher research sabbaticals;
‘‘(iv) video conferencing for additional
training in order to reduce travel time and
expenses;
137
‘‘(v) training in developing and imple-
menting effective teacher in-service train-
ing;
‘‘(vi) training in change management,
including 
strategies 
for 
restructuring
schools, building local capacity, and gen-
erally strengthening the culture of schools
so that schools are conducive and support-
ive of change, including training in inter-
personal and leadership skills; and
‘‘(vii) training in the appropriate use
of technology to assist classroom teachers.
‘‘(F) 
TEACHER
RESPONSIBILITIES.—
Teacher change agents shall, during the school
year—
‘‘(i) meet with other teachers and dis-
trict or school site teacher teams to provide
other teachers with knowledge about how
to acquire information regarding education
research findings and best practices, in-
cluding what resources are available from
the Department of Education and how to
obtain products and technical services from
the Department;
138
‘‘(ii) meet with the National Diffusion
Network State Facilitator to coordinate
and not duplicate efforts in the dissemina-
tion of exemplary educational programs;
‘‘(iii) help interested schools identify
resources needed to address the school’s
needs and act as liaison between the school
and the appropriate resource entities, such
as regional educational laboratories, cen-
ters, national institutes, institutions of
higher education, professional teacher or-
ganizations, scholars, consultants, and
other schools and school districts that may
be of assistance;
‘‘(iv) teach other teachers how to use
the products, programs, and processes in
which the teacher was trained pursuant to
paragraph (2)(C)(II);
‘‘(v) work with other teachers and
teacher teams to adapt identified exem-
plary practices, programs, and research re-
sults to implement school site or classroom
improvements as desired, and provide fol-
low-up activities throughout a 2-year pe-
riod to ensure the successful adaptation
139
and implementation of such programs in
local schools; and
‘‘(vi) inform teachers about how they
can obtain Federal research funding, fel-
lowships, and sabbaticals.
‘‘(G) APPLICATION.—
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—Each regional
partnership desiring a contract under this
subsection shall submit to the Secretary an
application at such time, in such manner,
and accompanied by such information as
the Assistant Secretary may reasonably re-
quire.
‘‘(ii) CONTENTS.—Each application
described in clause (i) shall—
‘‘(I) contain a plan acceptable to
affected States and local education
agencies for conducting the program
to be assisted under this section;
‘‘(II) contain assurances that the
partnership requirements are fulfilled;
‘‘(III) contain assurances that
both district and school site teacher
teams will be established to work in
140
conjunction with the teacher change
agent;
‘‘(IV) contain a plan for the se-
lection of district and school site
teacher team participants and others
as deemed appropriate by the teacher
change agent and the regional part-
nership;
‘‘(V) contain assurances that the
regional partnership, in conjunction
with the participating school districts,
shall provide each teacher change
agent with a stipend for the entire
calendar year commensurate with
such teacher’s salary and travel ex-
penses, to permit a teacher to partici-
pate in such program without incur-
ring loss of income;
‘‘(VI) contain assurances that
each teacher change agent participat-
ing in the program shall receive an
award of not more than $10,000 to be
used by such teacher during the
school year of such teacher’s partici-
pation to purchase materials, support,
141
and coordinate with other teachers or
site teacher teams in the school dis-
trict;
‘‘(VII) contain assurances that
such regional partnerships shall pro-
vide not more than $5,000 to each
school district or group of school dis-
tricts having an individual from such
district or districts participating in
the program assisted under this sec-
tion for each of the 2 years following
such participation to enable such
school district or districts to continue
efforts to improve dissemination of ef-
fective practices and programs within
the district or districts;
‘‘(VIII) contain assurances that
representatives of State educational
agencies, 
intermediate 
educational
agencies, teacher centers, teacher edu-
cators at institutions of higher edu-
cation, and school district in-service or
curriculum specialists will be eligible
to participate in the program assisted
under this section if such individuals
142
pay the cost of their participation;
and
‘‘(IX) contain an assurance that
such regional partnership shall permit
a teacher to participate in the pro-
gram only after such partnership de-
termines that the teacher will be af-
forded a full opportunity by the dis-
trict to perform such teacher’s respon-
sibilities 
described 
in 
paragraph
(3)(F).
‘‘(4) TEACHER SELECTION AND ELIGIBILITY.—
‘‘(A) NOMINATION.—Teacher participants
in the program assisted under this subsection
shall be nominated by their peers at the school
district level.
‘‘(B) ELIGIBILITY.—Each school district
or group of school districts desiring to have
teachers from such district or districts partici-
pate in the program assisted under this sub-
section shall provide the regional partnership
with the names of such teachers, and an indica-
tion of the type of issues or problems on which
each such teacher would like to receive informa-
tion and training.
143
‘‘(C) SELECTION.—
‘‘(i) Teacher participants shall be se-
lected by the regional partnerships in con-
sultation with the State educational agen-
cies in the region. Teacher participants
shall be selected in such a manner so as to
ensure an equitable representation of such
teachers by State and school enrollment
within the region.
‘‘(ii) The number of teachers selected
each year shall be determined in accord-
ance with the amount of funding received
by the regional partnership.
‘‘(5) INDEPENDENT EVALUATION.—
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Assistant Sec-
retary shall provide for an independent evalua-
tion of the program assisted under this sub-
section to determine the net impact and cost ef-
fectiveness of the program and the reactions of
teachers and school districts participating in
such program, including any career plan
changes of participating teachers.
‘‘(B) DATE.—The evaluation described in
subparagraph (A) shall be submitted to the
144
Congress within 6 months after the completion
of the third year of the program.
‘‘(C) FUNDING.—The Assistant Secretary
may reserve not more than $250,000 of the
amount 
appropriated 
under 
section
405(i)(2)(E) to carry out the evaluation de-
scribed in this paragraph.’’.
TITLE V—NATIONAL LIBRARY OF
EDUCATION
SEC. 
501. 
ESTABLISHMENT 
WITHIN 
OFFICE 
OF 
EDU-
CATIONAL RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT.
Part A of the General Education Provisions Act, as
amended by section 401 of this Act, is amended by insert-
ing after section 405C the following new section:
‘‘NATIONAL LIBRARY OF EDUCATION
‘‘SEC. 405D. (a) IN GENERAL.—There is established
within the Office a National Library of Education (here-
after in this section referred to as the ‘Library’), which
shall be maintained as a governmental activity.
‘‘(b) FUNCTIONS OF LIBRARY.—The functions of the
Library are—
‘‘(1) to provide a central location within the
Federal Government for information about edu-
cation;
‘‘(2) to provide comprehensive reference services
on matters related to education to employees of the
145
Department of Education and its contractors and
grantees, other Federal employees, and members of
the public; and
‘‘(3) to promote greater cooperation and re-
source sharing among providers and repositories of
education information in the United States.
‘‘(c) ONE-STOP INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SERV-
ICE.—The Library shall establish and maintain a central
information and referral service to respond to telephonic,
mail and electronic and other inquiries from the public
concerning—
‘‘(1) programs and activities of the Department
of Education;
‘‘(2) publications produced by the Department
of Education and, to the extent feasible, education
related publications produced by the Departments of
Labor, Health and Human Services, and other Fed-
eral agencies;
‘‘(3) services and resources available to the pub-
lic through the Office, including the ERIC Clearing-
houses, the research institutes, and the national edu-
cation dissemination system;
‘‘(4) statistics and other information produced
by the National Center for Education Statistics; and
146
‘‘(5) referrals to additional sources of informa-
tion and expertise about educational issues which
may be available through educational associations
and foundations, the private sector, colleges and uni-
versities, libraries and bibliographic databases.
The Library shall maintain and actively publicize a toll-
free telephone number through which public inquiries to
the Library may be made.
‘‘(d) COMPREHENSIVE REFERENCE SERVICES.—The
Library shall, to the extent feasible, provide for the deliv-
ery of a full range of reference services on subjects related
to education to employees of the Department and its con-
tractors and grantees, other Federal employees, and mem-
bers of the general public. Such services may include—
‘‘(1) specialized subject searches;
‘‘(2) 
search 
and 
retrieval 
of 
electronic
databases;
‘‘(3) document delivery by mail and facsimile
transmission;
‘‘(4) research counseling, bibliographic instruc-
tion, and other training services;
‘‘(5) interlibrary loan services; and
‘‘(6) selective dissemination of information serv-
ices.
147
The Library shall first give priority in the provision of
reference services to requests made by employees of the
Department.
‘‘(e) COOPERATION AND RESOURCE SHARING.—The
Library shall promote greater cooperation and resource
sharing among libraries and archives with significant col-
lections in the area of education through such means as—
‘‘(1) the establishment of information and re-
source sharing networks among such entities;
‘‘(2) the development of a national union list of
education journals held by education libraries
throughout the United States;
‘‘(3) the development of directories and indexes
to textbook and other specialized collections held by
education libraries throughout the United States;
and
‘‘(4) cooperative efforts to preserve, maintain
and promote access to items of special historical
value or interest.
‘‘(f) ADMINISTRATION.—The Library shall be admin-
istered by an Executive Director who shall—
‘‘(1) be appointed by the Assistant Secretary
from among persons with significant training or ex-
perience in library and information science;
‘‘(2) serve for a renewable term of 5 years; and
148
‘‘(3) be paid at not less than the minimum rate
of basic pay payable for GS–15 of the General
Schedule.
‘‘(g) TASK FORCE.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary
shall appoint a task force of librarians, scholars,
teachers, parents, and school leaders (hereafter in
this paragraph referred to as the ‘Task Force’) to
provide advice on the establishment of the Library.
‘‘(2) PREPARATION OF PLAN.—The Task Force
shall prepare a workable plan to establish the Li-
brary and to implement the requirements of this sec-
tion.
‘‘(3) CERTAIN AUTHORITIES.—The Task Force
may identify other activities and functions for the
Library to carry out, except that such functions
shall not be carried out until the Library is estab-
lished and has implemented the requirements of this
section.
‘‘(4) REPORT.—The Task Force shall prepare
and submit to the Assistant Secretary not later than
6 months after the first meeting of the Task Force
a report on the activities of the Library.
‘‘(h) TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS.—There are hereby
transferred to the Library all functions of—
149
‘‘(1) the Department of Education Research Li-
brary;
‘‘(2) the Department of Education Reference
Section; and
‘‘(3) the Department of Education Information
Branch.
‘‘(i) COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY.—Not later
than 180 days after the enactment of the Educational Re-
search, Development, and Dissemination Excellence Act,
the Assistant Secretary shall promulgate a comprehensive
collection development policy to govern the Library’s oper-
ations, acquisitions, and services to users. Such collection
development policy shall—
‘‘(1) be consistent with the functions of the Li-
brary set out in subsection (b);
‘‘(2) emphasize the acquisition and maintenance
of a comprehensive collection of reference materials;
and
‘‘(3) avoid unnecessary duplication by putting a
priority on meeting the information needs of the Li-
brary’s users through cooperation and resource-shar-
ing with other entities with significant collections in
the field of education.
‘‘(j) ARREARAGE AND PRESERVATION.—On the basis
of the collection development policy promulgated under
150
subsection (h), the Executive Director shall develop a
multiyear plan which shall set forth goals and priorities
for actions needed to—
‘‘(1) eliminate within 3 years the arrearage of
uncataloged books and other materials in the Li-
brary’s collections; and
‘‘(2) respond effectively and systematically to
the preservation needs of the Library’s collections,
relying, whenever possible, upon cooperative efforts
with other institutions to preserve and maintain the
usability of books and materials in the Library’s col-
lections.’’.
Passed the House of Representatives August 2,
1993.
Attest:
DONNALD K. ANDERSON,
Clerk.
HR 856 RFS——2
HR 856 RFS——3
HR 856 RFS——4
HR 856 RFS——5
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HR 856 RFS——8
HR 856 RFS——9
HR 856 RFS——10