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

This Act may be cited as the ''National Digital School Districts
Act''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL DIGITAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

(a) Purposes.--The purposes of this section are--
(1) to address the important role that technology and the
Internet can play in enhancing and improving education in the
schools of the United States when resources are allocated
strategically and effectively;
(2) to assist State and local school administrators in the
United States in effectively devoting resources on proven
methods to incorporate the use of high technology and the
Internet in educational curricula;
(3) to encourage the development of innovative strategic
approaches to the appropriate and effective use of technology
in teaching, learning, and managing elementary schools and
secondary schools;
(4) to evaluate and assess the various strategies described
in paragraph (3) and provide models for the innovative use of
technology in schools in the United States; and
(5) to encourage partnerships between educational
institutions and the private sector relating to the use of
technology described in paragraph (3) in schools in the United
States.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Elementary and secondary school; state and local
educational agencies.--The terms ''elementary school'',
''secondary school'', State educational agency'' and ''local
educational agency'' have the meanings given such terms in the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301
et seq.).
(2) Secretary.--The term ''Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Education.
(3) State.--The term ''State'' means 1 of the several
States of the United States and the District of Columbia.
(4) State educational agency.--The term ''State educational
agency'' means the State educational agency of a State.
(c) Grants to State Educational Agencies.--
(1) Fiscal year 2002.--For fiscal year 2002, the Secretary
shall award 1 grant to each State educational agency to make
subgrants to local educational agencies to create national
digital school districts.
(2) Fiscal year 2003.--
(A) In general.--For fiscal year 2003, the
Secretary shall award 1 grant to each State educational
agency to pay for the Federal share of the cost of
making subgrants to local educational agencies to
create national digital school districts.
(B) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost
referred to in subparagraph (A) is 50 percent.
(3) State applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant
under this section, a State educational agency shall submit an
application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably
require.
(d) Subgrants to Local Educational Agencies.--
(1) Subgrants.--A State educational agency that receives a
grant under subsection (c) shall use not less than 95 percent
of the funds made available through the grant to make
subgrants, on a competitive basis, to local educational
agencies.
(2) Notice.--The State educational agency shall provide
notice to all local educational agencies in the State of the
availability of subgrants under this subsection and of the
requirements for applying for the subgrants.
(3) Local applications.--To be eligible to receive a
subgrant under this section, a local educational agency shall
submit an application to the State educational agency at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the
State educational agency may reasonably require.
(4) Use of subgrants.--A local educational agency that
receives a subgrant under this subsection may use the funds
made available through the subgrant to create a national
digital school district by--
(A) acquiring technology;
(B) providing teacher mentoring; and
(C) carrying out other efforts to achieve the
purposes of this section.
(e) Academic Research.--The Secretary shall award grants, on a
competitive basis, for fiscal year 2004 to institutions of higher
education, to conduct research on the effectiveness of the technology
used in national digital school districts.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.

SEC. 3. NATIONAL EVALUATION OF TECHNOLOGY PLANS.

Not later than 36 months after the date of enactment of this Act,
the Secretary, in consultation with other Federal departments or
agencies, State and local educational practitioners, and policy makers,
including teachers, principals and superintendents, and experts in
technology and the application of technology to education, shall report
to Congress on best practices in implementing technology effectively.
The report shall include recommendations for the purpose of
establishing best practices that can be widely implemented by State and
local educational agencies.
A:
National Digital School Districts Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to: (1) make one-year grants to State educational agencies to make competitive subgrants to local educational agencies to create national digital school districts by acquiring technology, providing teacher mentoring, and other related efforts; (2) make competitive grants to institutions of higher education to conduct research on the effectiveness of the technology used in national digital school districts; and (3) evaluate and report on best practices in implementing technology in education.