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taining school improvement (as described in 
section 1116(b) of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
6316(b))), to schools, educators, parents, and 
policymakers within the region in which the 
center is located; and 
(C) developing teacher and school leader 
inservice and preservice training models that il-
lustrate best practices in the use of technology 
in different content areas. 
(2) COORDINATION
AND
COLLABORATION.—
Each comprehensive center established under this 
section shall coordinate its activities, collaborate, 
and regularly exchange information with the regional 
educational laboratory in the region in which the 
center is located, the National Center for Education 
Evaluation and Regional Assistance, the Office of 
the Secretary, the State service agency, and other 
technical assistance providers in the region. 
(g) COMPREHENSIVE CENTER ADVISORY BOARD.—
(1) 
ESTABLISHMENT.—Each 
comprehensive 
center established under this section shall have an 
advisory board that shall support the priorities of 
such center.
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(2) DUTIES.—Each advisory board established 
under paragraph (1) shall advise the comprehensive 
center—
(A) concerning the activities described in 
subsection (d); 
(B) on strategies for monitoring and ad-
dressing the educational needs of the region, on 
an ongoing basis; 
(C) on maintaining a high standard of 
quality in the performance of the center’s ac-
tivities; and 
(D) on carrying out the center’s duties in 
a manner that promotes progress toward im-
proving student academic achievement. 
(3) COMPOSITION.—
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Each advisory board 
shall be composed of—
(i) the chief State school officers, or 
such officers’ designees or other State offi-
cials, in each State served by the com-
prehensive center who have primary re-
sponsibility under State law for elementary 
and secondary education in the State; and 
(ii) not more than 15 other members 
who are representative of the educational
102
interests in the region served by the com-
prehensive center and are selected jointly 
by the officials specified in clause (i) and 
the chief executive officer of each State 
served by the comprehensive center, includ-
ing the following: 
(I) Representatives of local edu-
cational agencies and regional edu-
cational agencies, including represent-
atives of local educational agencies 
serving urban and rural areas. 
(II) Representatives of institu-
tions of higher education. 
(III) Parents. 
(IV) Practicing educators, includ-
ing classroom teachers, principals, 
and administrators. 
(V) Representatives of business. 
(VI) Policymakers, expert practi-
tioners, and researchers with knowl-
edge of, and experience using, the re-
sults of research, evaluation, and sta-
tistics. 
(B) SPECIAL
RULE.—In the case of a 
State in which the chief executive officer has
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the primary responsibility under State law for 
elementary and secondary education in the 
State, the chief executive officer shall consult, 
to the extent permitted by State law, with the 
State educational agency in selecting additional 
members of the board under subparagraph 
(A)(i). 
(h) REPORT TO SECRETARY.—Each comprehensive 
center established under this section shall submit to the 
Secretary an annual report, at such time, in such manner, 
and containing such information as the Secretary may re-
quire, which shall include the following: 
(1) A summary of the comprehensive center’s 
activities during the preceding year 
(2) A listing of the States, local educational 
agencies, and schools the comprehensive center as-
sisted during the preceding year. 
SEC. 204. EVALUATIONS. 
The Secretary shall provide for ongoing independent 
evaluations by the National Center for Education Evalua-
tion and Regional Assistance of the comprehensive centers 
receiving assistance under this title, the results of which 
shall be transmitted to the appropriate congressional com-
mittees and the Director of the Institute of Education 
Sciences. Such evaluations shall include an analysis of the
104
services provided under this title, the extent to which each 
of the comprehensive centers meets the objectives of its 
respective plan, and whether such services meet the edu-
cational needs of State educational agencies, local edu-
cational agencies, and schools in the region. 
SEC. 205. EXISTING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS. 
The Secretary shall continue awards for the support 
of the Eisenhower Regional Mathematics and Science 
Education Consortia established under part M of the Edu-
cational Research, Development, Dissemination, and Im-
provement Act of 1994 (as such part existed on the day 
before the date of enactment of this Act), the Regional 
Technology in Education Consortia under section 3141 of 
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (as 
such section existed on the day before the date of enact-
ment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public 
Law 107–110)), and the Comprehensive Regional Assist-
ance Centers established under part K of the Educational 
Research, Development, Dissemination, and Improvement 
Act of 1994 (as such part existed on the day before the 
date of enactment of this Act), in accordance with the 
terms of such awards, until the comprehensive centers au-
thorized under section 203 are established.
105
SEC. 206. REGIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Beginning in 2004, the Sec-
retary shall establish a regional advisory committee for 
each region described in section 174(b) of the Education 
Sciences Reform Act of 2002. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—
(1) COMPOSITION.—The membership of each 
regional advisory committee shall—
(A) not exceed 25 members; 
(B) contain a balanced representation of 
States in the region; and 
(C) include not more than one representa-
tive of each State educational agency geographi-
cally located in the region. 
(2) ELIGIBILITY.—The membership of each re-
gional advisory committee may include the following: 
(A) Representatives of local educational 
agencies, including rural and urban local edu-
cational agencies. 
(B) Representatives of institutions of high-
er education, including individuals representing 
university-based education research and univer-
sity-based research on subjects other than edu-
cation. 
(C) Parents.
106
(D) Practicing educators, including class-
room 
teachers, 
principals, 
administrators, 
school board members, and other local school 
officials. 
(E) Representatives of business. 
(F) Researchers. 
(3) RECOMMENDATIONS.—In choosing individ-
uals for membership on a regional advisory com-
mittee, the Secretary shall consult with, and solicit 
recommendations from, the chief executive officers of 
States, chief State school officers, and education 
stakeholders within the applicable region. 
(4) SPECIAL RULE.—
(A) TOTAL NUMBER.—The total number of 
members on each committee who are selected 
under subparagraphs (A), (C), and (D) of para-
graph (2), collectively, shall exceed the total 
number of members who are selected under 
paragraph (1)(C) and subparagraphs (B), (E), 
and (F) of paragraph (2), collectively. 
(B) DISSOLUTION.—Each regional advi-
sory committee shall be dissolved by the Sec-
retary after submission of such committee’s re-
port described in subsection (c)(2) to the Sec-
107
retary, but each such committee may be recon-
vened at the discretion of the Secretary. 
(c) DUTIES.—Each regional advisory committee shall 
advise the Secretary on the following: 
(1) An educational needs assessment of its re-
gion (using the results of the assessment conducted 
under subsection (d)), in order to assist in making 
decisions regarding the regional educational prior-
ities. 
(2) Not later than 6 months after the com-
mittee is first convened, a report based on the as-
sessment conducted under subsection (d). 
(d) REGIONAL ASSESSMENTS.—Each regional advi-
sory committee shall—
(1) assess the educational needs within the re-
gion to be served; 
(2) in conducting the assessment under para-
graph (1), seek input from chief executive officers of 
States, chief State school officers, educators, and 
parents (including through a process of open hear-
ings to solicit the views and needs of schools (includ-
ing public charter schools), teachers, administrators, 
members of the regional educational laboratory gov-
erning board, parents, local educational agencies, li-
brarians, businesses, State educational agencies, and
108
other customers (such as adult education programs) 
within the region) regarding the need for the activi-
ties described in section 174 of the Education 
Sciences Reform Act of 2002 and section 203 of this 
title and how those needs would be most effectively 
addressed; and 
(3) submit the assessment to the Secretary and 
to the Director of the Academy of Education 
Sciences, at such time, in such manner, and con-
taining such information as the Secretary may re-
quire. 
SEC. 207. PRIORITIES. 
The Secretary shall establish priorities for the re-
gional educational laboratories (established under section 
174 of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002) and 
comprehensive centers (established under section 203 of 
this title) to address, taking onto account the regional as-
sessments conducted under section 206 and other relevant 
regional surveys of educational needs, to the extent the 
Secretary deems appropriate. 
SEC. 208. GRANT PROGRAM FOR STATEWIDE, LONGITU-
DINAL DATA SYSTEMS. 
(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary is author-
ized to award grants, on a competitive basis, to State edu-
cational agencies to enable such agencies to design, de-
109
velop, and implement statewide, longitudinal data systems 
to 
efficiently 
and 
accurately 
manage, 
analyze, 
disaggregate, and use individual student data, consistent 
with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.). 
(b) APPLICATIONS.—Each State educational agency 
desiring a grant under this section shall submit an appli-
cation to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
accompanied by such information as the Secretary may 
reasonably require. 
(c) AWARDING
OF GRANTS.—In awarding grants 
under this section, the Secretary shall use a peer review 
process that—
(1) ensures technical quality (including validity 
and reliability), promotes linkages across States, and 
protects student privacy consistent with section 183; 
(2) promotes the generation and accurate and 
timely use of data that is needed—
(A) for States and local educational agen-
cies to comply with the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 
et seq.) and other reporting requirements and 
close achievement gaps; and
110
(B) to facilitate research to improve stu-
dent academic achievement and close achieve-
ment gaps; and 
(3) gives priority to applications that meet the 
voluntary standards and guidelines described in sec-
tion 153(a)(5). 
(d) SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.—Funds made 
available under this section shall be used to supplement, 
and not supplant, other State or local funds used for de-
veloping State data systems. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of the Educational Technical Assistance Act 
of 2002, and again 3 years after such date of enactment, 
the Secretary, in consultation with the National Acad-
emies Committee on National Statistics, shall make pub-
licly available a report on the implementation and effec-
tiveness of Federal, State, and local efforts related to the 
goals of this section, including—
(1) identifying and analyzing State practices re-
garding the development and use of statewide, longi-
tudinal data systems; 
(2) evaluating the ability of such systems to 
manage individual student data consistent with the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.), promote linkages across
111
States, and protect student privacy consistent with 
section 183; and 
(3) identifying best practices and areas for im-
provement. 
SEC. 209. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this title $80,000,000 for fiscal year 2003 and such sums 
as may be necessary for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal 
years. 
TITLE 
III—NATIONAL 
ASSESS-
MENT 
OF 
EDUCATIONAL 
PROGRESS 
SEC. 301. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be referred to as the ‘‘National Assess-
ment of Educational Progress Authorization Act’’. 
SEC. 302. DEFINITIONS. 
In this title: 
(1) The term ‘‘Director’’ means the Director of 
the Institute of Education Sciences. 
(2) The term ‘‘State’’ means each of the 50 
States, the District of Columbia, and the Common-
wealth of Puerto Rico. 
SEC. 303. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated—