A bill to reauthorize the Enhancing Education Through Technology Act of 2001, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-s-1996
Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM]
Introduced: 2007-08-03 in the Senate
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance
Authorization
Commerce
Computer software
Congressional reporting requirements
Cost effectiveness
Curricula
Department of Education
Disabled
Distance education
Economics and Public Finance
Education of the disadvantaged
Educational accountability
Educational planning
Educational research
Educational technology
Educational tests
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Families
Federal aid to education
Government Operations and Politics
Governmental investigations
Higher education
Illiteracy
Nonprofit organizations
Parent-school relationships
Public-private partnerships
Research and development
School districts
Science, Technology, Communications
Secondary education
Social Welfare
Special education
Standards
Teacher education
Technical education
Technological innovations

Summary:
action_date: 2007-08-03
text: 
 Amends title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to rename part D (Achievement through Technology and Innovation) and reauthorize it through FY2013.
 
Alters the current program to require states to use a portion of their allotted funds to develop challenging academic content and achievement standards to ensure that students are technologically literate before the end of grade eight. Specifies that such standards are only for tracking technological literacy and not for assessing adequate yearly progress (AYP) under title I. Permits technological literacy testing to be embedded in other state tests or performance-based assessments portfolios, or made through other valid and reliable means.
 
Requires states to use the bulk of their part D allotment for two new subgrant programs for local educational agencies (LEAs), devoting: (1) 60% for formula subgrants to improve teaching and learning through technology; and (2) 40% for competitive subgrants for systemic school redesign through technology integration. 
 
Requires LEAs to: (1) include a new or updated local long-range strategic educational technology plan in their applications; (2) use a specified percentage of each subgrant for teacher training; and (3) use each subgrant to acquire and apply technology to identify individual student learning needs and support individualized learning. Allows LEAs that receive funds for both programs to use all the funds for systemic school redesign through technology integration program activities.
 
Directs the Secretary of Education to: (1) conduct an annual national study and report on the extent to which student technology literacy is attained by grade eight; (2) annually publish the results of state technology literacy assessments; and (3) implement, and update every five years, a National Education Technology Plan.
 
Requires the Secretary to award a competitive grant to an education technology research entity, or a partnership comprising such an entity and one or more educational, nonprofit, or research entities, to establish a National Center for Achievement Through Technology that will identify and disseminate promising practices and exemplary programs that effectively use educational technologies.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-08-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2007-08-03
text: Introduced in Senate