Q: In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Reading First Improvement Act''.

SEC. 2. PROGRESS REPORT.

Section 1202(e)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6362(e)(5)) is amended by striking ''peer review
panel'' and inserting ''Committee''.

SEC. 3. PEER REVIEW.

Section 1203(c)(2) of that Act (20 U.S.C. 6363(c)(2)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A)--
(A) in the first sentence, by striking ''a panel''
and inserting ''a Reading First Advisory Committee'';
and
(B) in the second sentence, by striking ''panel''
and inserting ''Committee'';
(2) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as
subparagraphs (C) and (D), respectively;
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:
''(B) Limitation.--The Committee shall not be
comprised of a majority of members selected by one
individual or entity described in subparagraph (A).'';
(4) in subparagraph (C) (as redesignated by paragraph (2))
by striking ''panel'' and inserting ''Committee'';
(5) in subparagraph (D) (as redesignated by paragraph (2))
by striking ''panel'' and inserting ''Committee''; and
(6) by adding at the end the following:
''(E) Subcommittees.--
''(i) In general.--At its sole discretion,
the Committee may form one or more
subcommittees to assist the Committee with the
functions described in this paragraph.
''(ii) Representation.--If the Committee
chooses to form such subcommittees, each
subcommittee shall include at least one member
selected by each individual or entity described
in subparagraph (A), and in no case shall be
comprised of a majority of members selected by
one such entity. Members of the Committee may
serve on one or more subcommittees.
''(iii) Committee review.--The Committee
shall review the recommendations of each
subcommittee, and, following such review, make
a final recommendation to the Secretary in
accordance with subparagraph (D).
''(F) Governance.--The Federal Advisory Committee
Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall govern the activities of the
Committee.
''(G) Conflicts of interest.--
''(i) In general.--The Secretary shall
establish a process through which members of
the Committee or any subcommittees will be
screened for potential conflicts of interest.
''(ii) Screening.--Such screening process
shall--
''(I) be reviewed and approved by
the Office of General Counsel of the
Department;
''(II) include, at a minimum, a
review of each potential Committee or
subcommittee member's connection to any
State's program under this subpart,
each potential Committee or
subcommittee member's potential
financial interest in products that
might be purchased by a State
educational agency or local educational
agency in the course of such agency's
implementation of the program under
this subpart, and each potential
Committee or subcommittee member's
professional connections to teaching
methodologies that might require the
use of specific products; and
''(III) be designed to prevent, to
the extent possible, bias or the
appearance thereof in the Committee's
performance of its responsibilities
under this paragraph.
''(H) Guidance.--
''(i) In general.--The Secretary shall
develop guidance for how the Committee and any
subcommittees created in accordance with
subparagraph (E) will review applications
submitted under this section and provide
feedback to State educational agencies and
recommendations to the Secretary. The Secretary
shall also develop guidance for how the
Secretary will review the recommendations of
the Committee and any subcommittees and make
final determinations of approval or disapproval
of an application submitted under this section.
''(ii) Requirements.--Such guidance shall,
at a minimum--
''(I) create a transparent process
through which the Committee and
subcommittees provide clear,
consistent, and publicly available
documentation in support of all
recommendations;
''(II) ensure that the Committee
reviews any subcommittee feedback prior
to that feedback being submitted to a
State educational agency;
''(III) ensure that State
educational agencies have the
opportunity for direct interaction with
the Committee and any subcommittee, as
appropriate, when revising an
application under this section as a
result of feedback submitted by the
Committee or a subcommittee;
''(IV) require that the Committee,
any subcommittee, and the Secretary
clearly and consistently document that
all criteria contained in subsection
(b) are met before an application
submitted under this section is
approved; and
''(V) create a transparent process
through which the Secretary clearly,
consistently, and publicly documents
decisions to approve or disapprove an
application submitted under this
section and the reasons for such
decisions.''.

SEC. 4. TARGETED ASSISTANCE GRANTS.

Section 1204(c)(2) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 6364(c)(2)) is amended--
(1) in the first sentence, by striking ''peer review
panel'' and inserting ''Committee''; and
(2) in the second sentence, by striking ''panel'' and
inserting ''Committee''.

SEC. 5. EXTERNAL EVALUATION.

Section 1205 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 6365) is amended by adding at
the end the following:
''(e) Limitation.--
''(1) In general.--The Secretary shall ensure that the
independent organization described in subsection (a) does not
hold a contract or subcontract to implement any aspect of the
program under this subpart.
''(2) Subcontractors.--The contract entered into under
subsection (a) shall prohibit the independent organization
conducting the evaluation from subcontracting with any entity
that holds a contract or subcontract for any aspect of the
implementation of this subpart.''.

SEC. 6. NATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

Section 1206 of that Act (20 U.S.C. 6366) is amended--
(1) by inserting before ''From funds'' the following:
''(a) Technical Assistance and Evaluation.--''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
''(b) Contracts for Technical Assistance.--
''(1) In general.--The Secretary may enter into contracts
with independent entities to perform the activities described
in subsection (a)(1).
''(2) Conflicts of interest.--
''(A) In general.--If the Secretary enters into
such contracts, the Secretary shall--
''(i) ensure that such contracts require
the contracted entity to screen for conflicts
of interest when hiring individuals to carry
out the responsibilities under the contract;
''(ii) ensure that such contracts require
the contracted entity to include the
requirement in clause (i) in any subcontracts
such entity enters into to fulfill the
responsibilities described in paragraph (1).
''(B) Screening process.--The screening process
described in subparagraph (A) shall--
''(i) include, at a minimum, a review of
each individual performing duties under the
contract or subcontract for connections to any
State's program under this subpart, potential
financial interests in, or other connection to,
products that might be purchased by a State
educational agency or local educational agency
in the course of such agency's implementation
of the program under this subpart, and
connections to teaching methodologies that
might require the use of specific products; and
''(ii) be designed to prevent, to the
extent possible, bias or the appearance thereof
in the performance of the responsibilities
outlined in the contract or subcontract.
''(3) Information dissemination.--If the Secretary enters
into such contracts, and if a contracted entity enters into
such subcontracts, those contracts and subcontracts shall
require the technical assistance providers to clearly separate
technical assistance provided under such contract or
subcontract from information provided, or activities engaged
in, as part of the normal operations of the contractor or
subcontractor. Efforts to comply with this paragraph may
include, but are not limited to, the creation of separate web
pages for the purpose of fulfilling a contract or subcontract
entered into under this subsection.''.

SEC. 7. PROHIBITION ON FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

Subpart 1 of part B of title I of that Act is amended by adding
after section 1208 (20 U.S.C. 6368) the following:

''SEC. 1209. PROHIBITION ON FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

''(a) In General.--Nothing in this subpart shall be construed to
alter or lessen the prohibition contained in section 9527(b) of this
Act or section 103(b) of the Department of Education Organization Act
(20 U.S.C. 3403(b)).
''(b) Guidance.--
''(1) In general.--The Secretary shall develop guidance for
Department employees responsible for the implementation of this
subpart that will assist those employees in complying with the
prohibitions included in subsection (a).
''(2) Consultation.--Such guidance shall emphasize the
importance of consultation with the Office of General Counsel
of the Department on issues related to such prohibitions.
''(3) Technical assistance.--Such guidance shall stress
that any information disseminated, or technical assistance
provided, related to this subpart, shall represent multiple
perspectives and not in any way endorse or appear to endorse
any particular product or service that might be purchased by a
State educational agency or local educational agency in the
course of such agency's implementation of the program under
this subpart.''.
A:
Reading First Improvement Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide for the creation of a Reading First Advisory Committee, governed by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, to replace the peer review panel that reviews state grant applications under the Reading First program, designed to improve the reading skills of children in kindergarten through grade three.

Prohibits the Committee from being composed of a majority of members selected by one individual or entity. Allows the Committee to form one or more subcommittees. Directs the Secretary of Education to: (1) establish a process to screen Committee or subcommittee members for potential conflicts of interest; and (2) develop guidance for how the Committee and any subcommittees will review applications, and provide feedback to states and the Secretary.

Directs the Secretary to ensure that the independent organization tasked with evaluating the Reading First program does not hold a contract or subcontract to implement any aspect of the program and does not subcontract with an entity that has such a conflict.

Authorizes the Secretary to contract with independent entities for the provision of Reading First technical assistance to states, local educational agencies, and schools; but requires such entities and their subcontractors to screen potential employees for conflicts of interest and clearly separate their provision of such technical assistance from their other activities.

Directs the Secretary to provide guidance to Department of Education employees implementing the program on compliance with the prohibition against federal government usurpation of state or local control over school administration.