218
‘‘(1) an interim report that summarizes the pre-
liminary findings of the assessment not later than
October 1, 1999; and
‘‘(2) a final report of the findings of the assess-
ment not later than October 1, 2001.
‘‘SEC. 664. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be ap-
propriated to carry out this subpart such sums as may
be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1998 through
2002.
‘‘(b) MINIMUM AMOUNTS.—Subject to subsection (c),
the Secretary shall ensure that, for each fiscal year, at
least the following amounts are provided under this sub-
part to address the following needs:
‘‘(1) $12,832,000 to address the educational,
related services, transitional, and early intervention
needs of children with deaf-blindness.
‘‘(2) $4,000,000 to address the postsecondary,
vocational, technical, continuing, and adult edu-
cation needs of individuals with deafness.
‘‘(c) RATABLE REDUCTION.—If the total amount ap-
propriated to carry out this subpart for any fiscal year
is less than $135,600,000, the amounts listed in sub-
section (b) shall be ratably reduced.
219
‘‘Subpart 2—Professional Development
‘‘SEC. 671. PURPOSE.
‘‘The purpose of this subpart is to help ensure that—
‘‘(1) personnel responsible for serving children
with disabilities, including general and special edu-
cation personnel, related services personnel, and
early intervention personnel, have the knowledge and
skills necessary to help such children—
‘‘(A) meet developmental goals and, to the
maximum extent possible, those challenging ex-
pectations that have been established for all
children; and
‘‘(B) be prepared to lead productive, inde-
pendent adult lives to the maximum extent pos-
sible;
‘‘(2) there are adequate numbers of such per-
sonnel to meet the needs of children with disabilities;
and
‘‘(3) the skills and knowledge of personnel re-
sponsible for serving children with disabilities reflect
the best practices, as determined through research
and experience, particularly with respect to the in-
clusion of children with disabilities in the regular
education environment.
220
‘‘SEC. 672. FINDING.
‘‘The Congress finds that the conditions noted in
paragraphs (7) through (10) of section 601(c) can be
greatly improved by providing opportunities for the full
participation of minorities through the implementation of
the following recommendations:
‘‘(1) Implementation of a policy to mobilize the
Nation’s resources to prepare minorities for careers
in special education and related services.
‘‘(2) Focusing such policy on—
‘‘(A) the recruitment of minorities into
teaching; and
‘‘(B) financially assisting historically black
colleges and universities and other institutions
of higher education (whose minority student en-
rollment is at least 25 percent) to prepare stu-
dents for special education and related service
careers.
‘‘SEC. 673. NATIONAL ACTIVITIES.
‘‘(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary may
make grants to, and enter into contracts and cooperative
agreements with, eligible entities to support activities of
national significance that—
‘‘(1) have broad applicability; and
‘‘(2) will help ensure that the purpose of this
subpart is met.
221
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—In carrying out this
section, the Secretary may support any activity that is
consistent with subsection (a), including—
‘‘(1) the development, evaluation, demonstra-
tion, or dissemination of effective personnel prepara-
tion practices for personnel to work with children
with disabilities;
‘‘(2) promoting the transferability of licensure
and certification of teachers and administrators
among State and local jurisdictions;
‘‘(3) developing and disseminating models that
prepare teachers with strategies, including behav-
ioral management techniques, for addressing the
conduct of children with disabilities that impedes
their learning and that of others in the classroom;
and
‘‘(4) supporting historically black colleges and
universities and institutions of higher education with
minority enrollments of at least 25 percent for the
purpose of preparing personnel.
‘‘SEC. 674. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR PERSONNEL
SERVING LOW-INCIDENCE POPULATIONS.
‘‘(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary may
make grants to, and enter into contracts and cooperative
agreements with, eligible entities to meet the purpose of
222
this subpart by supporting preparation for personnel who
will provide educational and related services to children
with low-incidence disabilities and personnel who will pro-
vide early intervention services to infants and toddlers
with disabilities.
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Individuals who may be
prepared pursuant to this section include personnel
who—
‘‘(A) are currently prepared in the fields of
educational, related, or early intervention serv-
ices; and
‘‘(B) are studying—
‘‘(i) to obtain degrees, certification, li-
censure, or endorsements in one or more of
such fields; or
‘‘(ii) to meet competency requirements
in one or more of such fields.
‘‘(2) SCHOLARSHIPS.—The Secretary may in-
clude funds for scholarships, with necessary stipends
and allowances, in awards made under this section.
‘‘(c) APPLICATIONS.—Any application for assistance
under this section shall propose to provide preparation
that addresses a significant need, as shown by letters from
one or more States stating that the State—
223
‘‘(1) intends to accept successful completion of
the proposed personnel preparation as meeting State
personnel standards for serving children with low-in-
cidence disabilities, or for serving infants and tod-
dlers with disabilities; and
‘‘(2) needs personnel in the area or areas in
which the applicant proposes to provide preparation,
as identified in the State’s comprehensive system of
personnel development under part B or C, or in the
State’s State improvement plan under subpart 3.
‘‘(d) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this section, the
term ‘low-incidence disability’ has the meaning given such
term in section 662(b).
‘‘SEC. 675. LEADERSHIP PERSONNEL.
‘‘(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary may
make grants to, and enter into contracts and cooperative
agreements with, eligible entities to meet the purpose of
this subpart by preparing educational, related service, and
early intervention leadership personnel (including teacher-
preparation faculty, administrators, researchers, super-
visors, and principals) so that they are prepared to help
children with disabilities—
‘‘(1) meet developmental goals and, to the max-
imum extent possible, those challenging expectations
that have been established for all children; and
224
‘‘(2) be prepared to lead productive, independ-
ent adult lives to the maximum extent possible.
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out this sec-
tion, the Secretary may support any activity that is
consistent with subsection (a), including—
‘‘(A) preparation of personnel at the ad-
vanced graduate, doctoral, or post-doctoral lev-
els; and
‘‘(B) professional development of leader-
ship personnel.
‘‘(2) SCHOLARSHIPS.—The Secretary may in-
clude funds for scholarships, with necessary stipends
and allowances, in awards under this section.
‘‘(c) PREFERENCES.—In making awards under this
section, the Secretary shall give preference to projects at
institutions of higher education that have successfully in-
tegrated the professional development of general and spe-
cial education personnel.
‘‘SEC. 676. SERVICE OBLIGATION.
‘‘Each application for funds under section 674 or 675
shall include an assurance that the applicant will ensure
that individuals who are prepared under the proposed
project will subsequently perform work related to their
225
preparation or repay all or part of the cost of such prepa-
ration.
‘‘SEC. 677. OUTREACH.
‘‘(a) PLAN
FOR OUTREACH SERVICES.—The Sec-
retary shall develop a plan for providing outreach services
to the entities and populations described in subsection (b)
in order to increase the participation of such entities and
populations in competitions for grants, contracts, and co-
operative agreements under this subpart.
‘‘(b) ENTITIES
AND POPULATIONS DESCRIBED.—
The entities and populations referred to in subsection (a)
are—
‘‘(1) historically black colleges and universities
and other institutions of higher education whose mi-
nority student enrollment is at least 25 percent;
‘‘(2) eligible institutions, as defined in section
312 of the Higher Education Act of 1965;
‘‘(3) nonprofit and for-profit agencies at least
51 percent owned or controlled by one or more mi-
nority individuals; and
‘‘(4) underrepresented populations.
‘‘(c) FUNDING.—For the purpose of implementing
the plan required under subsection (a), the Secretary
226
shall, for each of the fiscal years 1998 through 2002, ex-
pend 1 percent of the funds appropriated for the fiscal
year involved for carrying out this subpart.
‘‘(d) DILIGENCE.—The Secretary shall exercise the
utmost authority, resourcefulness, and diligence of the
Secretary to meet the requirements of this section.
‘‘(e) REPORT.—Not later than January 31 of each
year, beginning with fiscal year 1998 and ending with fis-
cal year 2002, the Secretary shall submit to the Congress
a final report on the progress toward meeting the goals
of this section during the preceding fiscal year. The report
shall include—
‘‘(1) a full explanation of any progress toward
meeting the goals of this section; and
‘‘(2) a plan to meet the goals, if necessary.
‘‘(f) 
UNDERREPRESENTED
POPULATIONS
DE-
FINED.—For purposes of this section, the term ‘underrep-
resented populations’ means populations such as minori-
ties, the poor, individuals with limited English proficiency,
and individuals with disabilities.
227
‘‘Subpart 3—State Program Improvement Grants for
Children with Disabilities
‘‘SEC. 681. PURPOSE.
‘‘The purpose of this subpart is to assist States in
reforming and improving their systems for providing edu-
cational and early intervention services, particularly their
systems for professional development, to improve the
achievement of children with disabilities.
‘‘SEC. 682. ELIGIBILITY AND COLLABORATIVE PROCESS.
‘‘(a) ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS.—A State may apply for
a grant under this subpart for a grant period that is not
less than one year, but is not greater than 4 years.
‘‘(b) CERTIFICATION THAT COLLABORATIVE PROC-
ESS HAS BEEN USED.—A State that desires to receive
a grant under this subpart shall certify to the Secretary
that a collaborative process with persons described in sub-
section (c) has been used in developing the State improve-
ment plan described in section 683.
‘‘(c) COLLABORATIVE PROCESS PARTICIPANTS.—
‘‘(1) REQUIRED
PARTICIPANTS.—The collabo-
rative process referred to in subsection (b) is a State
process for making decisions which includes as par-
ticipants, at a minimum, the Governor of the State
and representatives, appointed by such Governor,
of—
‘‘(A) parents of children with disabilities;
228
‘‘(B) parents of nondisabled children;
‘‘(C) individuals with disabilities;
‘‘(D) organizations representing individuals
with disabilities and their parents;
‘‘(E) community-based and other nonprofit
organizations related to the education and em-
ployment of individuals with disabilities;
‘‘(F) the lead State agency official or offi-
cials for part C;
‘‘(G) local educational agencies;
‘‘(H) general and special education teach-
ers;
‘‘(I) the State educational agency;
‘‘(J) the State advisory panel established
under part B; and
‘‘(K) the State interagency coordinating
council established under part C.
‘‘(2) OPTIONAL
PARTICIPANTS.—The collabo-
rative process may include, at the Governor’s discre-
tion, representatives, appointed by the Governor,
of—
‘‘(A) individuals knowledgeable about voca-
tional education;
‘‘(B) the State agency for higher edu-
cation;
229
‘‘(C) institutions of higher education;
‘‘(D) schools of education;
‘‘(E) the State vocational rehabilitation
agency;
‘‘(F) public agencies with jurisdiction in
the areas of health, mental health, social serv-
ices, and juvenile justice; and
‘‘(G) any other individuals designated by
the Governor.
‘‘SEC. 683. STATE IMPROVEMENT PLANS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—A State that desires to receive
a grant under this subpart shall submit to the Secretary
a State improvement plan that is integrated, to the maxi-
mum extent possible, with State plans under the Elemen-
tary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and the Reha-
bilitation Act of 1973, as appropriate.
‘‘(b) DETERMINING CHILD AND PROGRAM NEEDS.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Each State improvement
plan shall identify those critical aspects of early
intervention, general education, and special edu-
cation programs (including professional development,
based on an assessment of State and local needs)
that must be improved to enable children with dis-
abilities to meet the goals established by the State
under section 612(a)(14).
230
‘‘(2) REQUIRED ANALYSES.—To meet the re-
quirement of paragraph (1), the State improvement
plan shall include at least—
‘‘(A) an analysis of all information, reason-
ably available to the State, on the performance
of children with disabilities in the State, includ-
ing—
‘‘(i) their performance on State as-
sessments and other performance indica-
tors established for all children, including
drop-out rates and graduation rates;
‘‘(ii) their participation in postsecond-
ary education and employment; and
‘‘(iii) how their performance on the
assessments and indicators described in
clause (i) compares to that of non-disabled
children;
‘‘(B) an analysis of State and local needs
for professional development for personnel to
serve children with disabilities that includes, at
a minimum, relevant information on current
and anticipated personnel shortages, and on the
extent of certification or retraining necessary to
eliminate such shortages, that is based, to the
231
maximum extent possible, on existing assess-
ments of personnel needs; and
‘‘(C) a summary of the information and
analysis provided by the State to the Secretary
under parts B and C on the effectiveness of the
State’s systems of early intervention, special
education, and general education in meeting the
needs of children with disabilities.
‘‘(c) IMPROVEMENT STRATEGIES.—Each State im-
provement plan shall—
‘‘(1) describe the strategies the State will use to
address the needs identified under subsection (b)(1),
including—
‘‘(A) how it will hold school districts and
schools accountable for educational progress of
children with disabilities;
‘‘(B) how it will provide technical assist-
ance to school districts and schools to improve
results for children with disabilities;
‘‘(C) how it will address the identified
needs for in-service and pre-service preparation
232
to ensure that all personnel who work with chil-
dren with disabilities (including both profes-
sional and paraprofessional personnel who pro-
vide early intervention services, special edu-
cation, general education, or related services)
have the skills and knowledge necessary to meet
the needs of children with disabilities, including
a description of how—
‘‘(i) the State will prepare general
education and special education personnel
with the content knowledge and collabo-
rative skills needed to meet the needs of
children with disabilities, including how the
State will work with other States on com-
mon certification criteria;
‘‘(ii) the State will prepare profes-
sionals and paraprofessionals in the area of
early intervention with the content knowl-
edge and collaborative skills needed to
meet the needs of infants and toddlers
with disabilities;
‘‘(iii) the State will work with institu-
tions of higher education and other entities
that prepare (on both a pre-service and an
in-service basis) personnel who work with
233
children with disabilities to ensure that
such institutions and entities develop the
capacity to support professional develop-
ment programs which reflect actual edu-
cation practices and techniques;
‘‘(iv) the State’s requirements for li-
censure of teachers and administrators, in-
cluding certification and recertification,
will be modified to support an adequate
supply of personnel with the necessary
skills and knowledge (including, where ap-
propriate, strategies for developing recip-
rocal certification agreements and common
certification 
requirements 
with 
other
States); and
‘‘(v) the State will work to develop
collaborative agreements with other States
for the joint support and development of
programs to prepare personnel for which
there is not sufficient demand within a sin-
gle State to justify support or development
of such a program of preparation;
‘‘(D) how it will work in collaboration with
other States, particularly neighboring States, to
address the lack of uniformity and reciprocity
234
in the credentialing of teachers and other per-
sonnel;
‘‘(E) strategies that will address systemic
problems identified in Federal compliance re-
views, including shortages of qualified person-
nel; and
‘‘(F) how the State will assess, on a regu-
lar basis, the extent to which the strategies im-
plemented under this subpart have been effec-
tive; and
‘‘(2) describe how the improvement strategies
under paragraph (1) will be coordinated with public
and private sector resources.
‘‘(d) REPORTING PROCEDURES.—Each State that re-
ceives a grant under this subpart shall submit perform-
ance reports to the Secretary pursuant to a schedule to
be determined by the Secretary, but not more frequently
than annually.
‘‘(e) PLAN APPROVAL.—The Secretary shall approve
a State improvement plan under this section if it—
‘‘(1) meets the requirements of this part;
‘‘(2) has been developed in accordance with the
requirements of section 682; and
235
‘‘(3) in the opinion of the Secretary, has a rea-
sonable chance of achieving the purposes of the
grant.
‘‘(f) PLAN AMENDMENTS.—
‘‘(1) MODIFICATIONS MADE BY STATE.—Sub-
ject to paragraph (2), a plan submitted by a State
in accordance with this section shall remain in effect
until the State submits to the Secretary such modi-
fications as the State determines necessary. This
section shall apply to a modification to a plan to the
same extent and in the same manner as this section
applies to the original plan.
‘‘(2) 
MODIFICATIONS
REQUIRED
BY
SEC-
RETARY.—The Secretary may require a State to
amend its State improvement plan at any time as a
result of the Secretary’s compliance reviews under
parts B and C. The Secretary may not provide fur-
ther funding under this subpart to the State until
such amendments are made.
‘‘SEC. 684. USE OF FUNDS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—A State that receives a grant
under this subpart may use the grant to carry out any
activities that are described in the State improvement plan
and that are consistent with the purpose of this subpart.
Such activities may include the awarding of subgrants, but
236
only if the subgrants are made to local educational agen-
cies. Any such local educational agency may award sub-
grants to any person. Such activities may also include the
awarding of contracts to appropriate entities.
‘‘(b) USE OF FUNDS FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOP-
MENT.—A State that receives a grant under this subpart
shall use not less than 75 percent of the funds it receives
under the grant for any fiscal year to ensure that there
is a sufficient supply of personnel who have the skills and
knowledge necessary to enable children with disabilities to
meet developmental goals and to meet the needs of such
children, including working with other States on common
certification criteria.
‘‘(c) GRANTS TO TERRITORIES.—The provisions of
Public Law 95–134, permitting the consolidation of grants
to the territories, shall not apply to funds received under
this subpart.
‘‘SEC. 685. MINIMUM STATE ALLOTMENTS.
‘‘A State that receives a grant under this subpart
shall receive an amount that is—
‘‘(1) not less than $200,000, in the case of the
50 States, the District of Columbia, and the Com-
monwealth of Puerto Rico; and
‘‘(2) not less than $40,000, in the case of a
territory.
237
‘‘SEC. 686. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out
this subpart such sums as may be necessary for each of
the fiscal years 1998 through 2002.
‘‘Subpart 4—Parent Training
‘‘SEC. 691. GRANTS FOR PARENT TRAINING AND INFORMA-
TION CENTERS.
‘‘(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary may
make grants to, and enter into contracts and cooperative
agreements with, parent organizations to support parent
training and information centers to carry out activities
under this subpart.
‘‘(b) REQUIRED ACTIVITIES.—A parent training and
information center that receives assistance under this sec-
tion shall—
‘‘(1) assist parents to understand the availabil-
ity of, and how effectively to use, procedural safe-
guards under this title, including the use of alter-
native methods of dispute resolution, such as medi-
ation;
‘‘(2) serve the parents of children with the full
range of disabilities; and
‘‘(3) annually report to the Secretary on—
‘‘(A) the number of parents to whom it
provided information and training in the most
recently concluded fiscal year; and
238
‘‘(B) the effectiveness of strategies used to
reach and serve parents of children with disabil-
ities, including underserved parents of children
with disabilities.
‘‘(c) OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES.—A parent training and
information center that receives assistance under this sec-
tion may—
‘‘(1) provide information to teachers and other
professionals who provide special education and re-
lated services to children with disabilities;
‘‘(2) assist students with disabilities to under-
stand their rights and responsibilities under section
615(j) on reaching the age of majority; and
‘‘(3) establish cooperative partnerships with
parent organizations, and other organizations assist-
ing families of children with disabilities, in the com-
munity.
‘‘(d) APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.—Each applica-
tion for assistance under this section shall identify with
specificity the special efforts that the applicant will under-
take to—
‘‘(1) ensure that the needs for training and in-
formation of parents of underserved children with
disabilities in the area to be served are effectively
met; and
239
‘‘(2) work with community-based organizations.
‘‘(e) DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.—
‘‘(1) INITIAL AWARDS.—
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall
make at least one award to a parent organiza-
tion in each State, unless the Secretary does
not receive an application from such an organi-
zation in each State of sufficient quality to war-
rant approval.
‘‘(B) 
SELECTION
REQUIREMENT.—The
Secretary shall select among applications sub-
mitted by parent organizations in a State in a
manner that ensures the most effective assist-
ance to parents, including parents in urban and
rural areas, in the State.
‘‘(2) ADDITIONAL AWARDS.—
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may
make additional awards to community-based
parent organizations in each State.
‘‘(B) 
SELECTION
REQUIREMENT.—The
Secretary may make additional awards in a
manner that ensures that parents of children
with disabilities in low-income, high-density,
and rural areas have access to parent training
240
and information centers that provide appro-
priate training and information.
‘‘SEC. 692. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR PARENT TRAINING
AND INFORMATION CENTERS.
‘‘(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary may
provide technical assistance for developing, assisting, and
coordinating parent training and information programs
carried out by parent training and information centers re-
ceiving assistance under section 691.
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary may
provide technical assistance to a parent training and infor-
mation center under this section in areas such as—
‘‘(1) effective coordination of parent training
efforts;
‘‘(2) dissemination of information;
‘‘(3) evaluation by the center of itself;
‘‘(4) promotion of the use of technology, includ-
ing assistive technology devices and assistive tech-
nology services;
‘‘(5) reaching underserved populations;
‘‘(6) including children with disabilities in gen-
eral education programs;
‘‘(7) facilitation of transitions from—
‘‘(A) early intervention services to pre-
school;
241
‘‘(B) preschool to school; and
‘‘(C) secondary school to postsecondary en-
vironments; and
‘‘(8) promotion of alternative methods of dis-
pute resolution.
‘‘SEC. 693. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out
this subpart such sums as may be necessary for each of
the fiscal years 1998 through 2002.’’.
TITLE II—MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS
SEC. 201. AMENDMENT TO ESEA TO COORDINATE IDEA AND
SCHOOLWIDE PROGRAMS.
Section 1114(a)(4) of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6314(a)(4)) is amend-
ed—
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘Secretary
(other than formula or discretionary grant programs
under the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act),’’ and inserting ‘‘Secretary,’’; and
(2) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘special
education and related services under an individual-
ized education program, procedural safeguards,’’
after ‘‘civil rights,’’.
242
SEC. 202. EFFECTIVE DATES.
(a) PARTS A, B, AND C.—Except as provided in sub-
section (b), parts A, B, and C of the Individuals with Dis-
abilities Education Act, as amended by title I, shall take
effect on July 1, 1998.
(b) SECTION 605.—Section 605 of such Act, as
amended by title I, shall take effect upon the enactment
of this Act.
(c) PART D.—Part D of such Act, as amended by
title I, shall take effect on October 1, 1997.
SEC. 203. REPEALERS.
(a) PART I.—Part I of the Individuals with Disabil-
ities Education Act is hereby repealed.
(b) PART H.—Effective July 1, 1998, part H of such
Act is hereby repealed.
(c) PARTS E, F, AND G.—Effective October 1, 1997,
parts E, F, and G of such Act are hereby repealed.
Æ