[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1804 Engrossed in House (EH)]

103d CONGRESS

  1st Session

                               H. R. 1804

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

To improve learning and teaching by providing a national framework for 
  education reform; to promote the research, consensus building, and 
 systemic changes needed to ensure equitable educational opportunities 
and high levels of educational achievement for all students; to provide 
 a framework for reauthorization of all Federal education programs; to 
promote the development and adoption of a voluntary national system of 
      skill standards and certifications; and for other purposes.






103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1804

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
To improve learning and teaching by providing a national framework for 
  education reform; to promote the research, consensus building, and 
 systemic changes needed to ensure equitable educational opportunities 
and high levels of educational achievement for all students; to provide 
 a framework for reauthorization of all Federal education programs; to 
promote the development and adoption of a voluntary national system of 
      skill standards and certifications; and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Goals 2000: Educate America Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to provide a framework for meeting the 
National Education Goals established by title I of this Act by--
            (1) promoting coherent, nationwide, systemic education 
        reform;
            (2) improving the quality of learning and teaching in the 
        classroom and in the workplace;
            (3) defining appropriate and coherent Federal, State, and 
        local roles and responsibilities for education reform and 
        lifelong learning;
            (4) establishing valid, reliable, and fair mechanisms for--
                    (A) building a broad national consensus on American 
                education reform;
                    (B) assisting in the development and certification 
                of high-quality, internationally competitive content 
                and student performance standards;
                    (C) assisting in the development and certification 
                of opportunity-to-learn standards; and
                    (D) assisting in the development and certification 
                of high-quality assessment measures that reflect the 
                internationally competitive content and student 
                performance standards;
            (5) supporting new initiatives at the Federal, State, 
        local, and school levels to provide equal educational 
        opportunity for all students to meet high standards and to 
        succeed in the world of employment and civic participation;
            (6) providing a framework for the reauthorization of all 
        Federal education programs by--
                    (A) creating a vision of excellence and equity that 
                will guide all Federal education and related programs;
                    (B) providing for the establishment of high-
                quality, internationally competitive content and 
                student performance standards that all students will be 
                expected to achieve;
                    (C) providing for the establishment of high 
                quality, internationally competitive opportunity-to-
                learn standards that all States, local educational 
                agencies, and schools should achieve;
                    (D) encouraging and enabling all State educational 
                agencies and local educational agencies to develop 
                comprehensive improvement plans that will provide a 
                coherent framework for the implementation of 
                reauthorized Federal education and related programs in 
                an integrated fashion that effectively educates all 
                children enabling them to participate fully as workers, 
                parents, and citizens; and
                    (E) providing resources to help individual schools, 
                including those serving students with high needs, 
                develop and implement comprehensive improvement plans;
            (7) stimulating the development and adoption of a voluntary 
        national system of skill standards and certification to serve 
        as a cornerstone of the national strategy to enhance workforce 
        skills; and
            (8) assisting every elementary and secondary school that 
        receives funds under this Act to actively involve parents and 
        families in supporting the academic work of their children at 
        home and in providing parents with skills to advocate for their 
        children at school.

                   TITLE I--NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS

SEC. 101. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this title is to establish national education goals.

SEC. 102. NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS.

    The Congress declares that the National Education Goals are the 
following:
            (1) School readiness.--(A) By the year 2000, all children 
        in America will start school ready to learn.
            (B) The objectives for this goal are that--
                    (i) all children will have access to high-quality 
                and developmentally appropriate preschool programs that 
                help prepare children for school;
                    (ii) every parent in America will be a child's 
                first teacher and devote time each day to helping his 
                or her preschool child learn, and parents will have 
                access to the training and support they need; and
                    (iii) all children will receive the nutrition and 
                health care needed to arrive at school with healthy 
                minds and bodies, and to maintain the mental alertness 
                necessary to be prepared to learn, and the number of 
                low-birthweight babies will be significantly reduced 
                through enhanced prenatal health systems.
            (2) School completion.--(A) By the year 2000, the high 
        school graduation rate will increase to at least 90 percent.
            (B) The objectives for this goal are that--
                    (i) the Nation must dramatically reduce its dropout 
                rate, and 75 percent of those students who do drop out 
                will successfully complete a high school degree or its 
                equivalent; and
                    (ii) the gap in high school graduation rates 
                between American students from minority backgrounds and 
                their non-minority counterparts will be eliminated.
            (3) Student achievement and citizenship.--(A) By the year 
        2000, all students will leave grades 4, 8, and 12 having 
        demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter 
        including English, mathematics, science, foreign languages, 
        civics and government, arts, history, and geography, and every 
        school in America will ensure that all students learn to use 
        their minds well, so they may be prepared for responsible 
        citizenship, further learning, and productive employment in our 
        modern economy.
            (B) The objectives for this goal are that--
                    (i) the academic performance of all students at the 
                elementary and secondary level will increase 
                significantly in every quartile, and the distribution 
                of minority students in each level will more closely 
                reflect the student population as a whole;
                    (ii) the percentage of all students who demonstrate 
                the ability to reason, solve problems, apply knowledge, 
                and write and communicate effectively will increase 
                substantially;
                    (iii) all students will be involved in activities 
                that promote and demonstrate good citizenship, 
                community service, and personal responsibility;
                    (iv) all students will have access to physical 
                education and health education to ensure they are 
                healthy and fit;
                    (v) the percentage of all students who are 
                competent in more than one language will substantially 
                increase; and
                    (vi) all students will be knowledgeable about the 
                diverse cultural heritage of this Nation and about the 
                world community.
            (4) Teacher education and professional development.--(A) By 
        the year 2000, the Nation's teaching force will have access to 
        programs for the continued improvement of their professional 
        skills and the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills 
        needed to instruct and prepare all American students for the 
        next century.
            (B) The objectives of this goal are that--
                    (i) every State will establish opportunity-to-learn 
                standards and create an integrated strategy to attract, 
                recruit, prepare, retrain, and support the continued 
                professional development of teachers, administrators, 
                and other educators, so that there is a highly talented 
                workforce of professional educators to teach 
                challenging standards;
                    (ii) subgrants for preservice teacher education and 
                professional development activity will be made to local 
                educational agencies, institutions of higher education, 
                private nonprofit organizations, or consortia of such 
                organizations, to support continuing, sustained, 
                professional development activities for all educators; 
                and
                    (iii) partnerships shall be established, whenever 
                possible, between local educational agencies, 
                institutions of higher education, local labor, 
                business, and professional associations to provide and 
                support programs for the professional development of 
                educators, particularly in the area of emerging new 
                technologies in education.
            (5) Mathematics and science.--(A) By the year 2000, United 
        States students will be first in the world in mathematics and 
        science achievement.
            (B) The objectives for this goal are that--
                    (i) math and science education, including the 
                metric system of measurement, will be strengthened 
                throughout the system, especially in the early grades;
                    (ii) the number of teachers with a substantive 
                background in mathematics and science, including the 
                metric system of measurement, will increase by 50 
                percent; and
                    (iii) the number of United States undergraduate and 
                graduate students, especially women and minorities, who 
                complete degrees in mathematics, science, and 
                engineering will increase significantly.
            (6) Adult literacy and lifelong learning.--(A) By the year 
        2000, every adult American will be literate and will possess 
        the knowledge and skills necessary to compete in a global 
        economy and exercise the rights and responsibilities of 
        citizenship.
            (B) The objectives for this goal are that--
                    (i) every major American business will be involved 
                in strengthening the connection between education and 
                work;
                    (ii) all workers will have the opportunity to 
                acquire the knowledge and skills, from basic to highly 
                technical, needed to adapt to emerging new 
                technologies, work methods, and markets through public 
                and private educational, vocational, technical, 
                workplace, or other programs;
                    (iii) the number of quality programs, including 
                those at libraries, that are designed to serve more 
                effectively the needs of the growing number of part-
                time and midcareer students will increase 
                substantially;
                    (iv) the proportion of those qualified students, 
                especially minorities, who enter college, who complete 
                at least two years, and who complete their degree 
                programs will increase substantially;
                    (v) the proportion of college graduates who 
                demonstrate an advanced ability to think critically, 
                communicate effectively, and solve problems will 
                increase substantially; and
                    (vi) schools, in implementing comprehensive parent 
                involvement programs, will offer more adult literacy, 
                parent training and life-long learning opportunities to 
                improve the ties between home and school, and enhance 
                parents' work and home lives.
            (7) Safe, disciplined, and drug-free schools.--(A) By the 
        year 2000, every school in America will be free of drugs and 
        violence and will offer a disciplined environment conducive to 
        learning.
            (B) The objectives for this goal are that--
                    (i) every school will implement a firm and fair 
                policy on use, possession, and distribution of drugs 
                and alcohol;
                    (ii) parents, businesses, and community 
                organizations will work together to ensure the rights 
                of students to study in a safe and secure environment 
                that is free of drugs and crime;
                    (iii) every school district will develop a 
                comprehensive K-12 drug and alcohol prevention 
                education program. Drug and alcohol curricula should be 
                taught as an integral part of health education. In 
                addition, community-based teams should be organized to 
                provide all students and teachers with needed support; 
                and
                    (iv) every school district will develop and 
                implement a policy to ensure that all schools are free 
                of weapons and violence.
            (8) School and home partnership.--(A) By the year 2000, 
        every school and home will engage in partnerships that will 
        increase parental involvement and participation in promoting 
        the social, emotional, and academic growth of children.
            (B) The objectives for this goal are that--
                    (i) every State will develop policies to assist 
                local schools and local educational agencies to 
                establish programs for increasing partnerships that 
                respond to the varying needs of parents and the home, 
                including parents of children who are disadvantaged, 
                bilingual, or disabled;
                    (ii) every school will actively engage parents and 
                families in a partnership which supports the academic 
                work of children at home and shared educational 
                decision making at school;
                    (iii) every home will be responsible for creating 
                an environment of respect for education and providing 
                the physical and emotional support needed for learning; 
                and
                    (iv) parents and families will help to ensure that 
                schools are adequately supported and will hold schools 
                and teachers to high standards of accountability.

    TITLE II--NATIONAL EDUCATION REFORM, LEADERSHIP, STANDARDS, AND 
                              ASSESSMENTS

                 PART A--NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANEL

SEC. 201. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this part to establish a bipartisan mechanism 
for--
            (1) building a national consensus for education 
        improvement;
            (2) reporting on progress toward achieving the National 
        Education Goals; and
            (3) reviewing the voluntary national content and student 
        performance standards and opportunity-to-learn standards 
        certified by the National Education Standards and Improvement 
        Council, as well as the criteria for their certification, and 
        the criteria for the certification of State assessments by the 
        National Education Standards and Improvement Council with the 
        option of disapproving such standards and criteria not later 
        than 60 days after receipt from such Council.

SEC. 202. NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANEL.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the executive branch a 
National Education Goals Panel (referred to in this Act as the ``Goals 
Panel'') to advise the President, the Secretary, and the Congress.
    (b) Composition.--The Goals Panel shall be composed of eighteen 
members (referred to in this part as ``members''), including--
            (1) two members appointed by the President;
            (2) eight members who are Governors, three of whom shall be 
        from the same political party as the President and five of whom 
        shall be of the opposite political party of the President, 
        appointed by the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the 
        National Governors' Association, with each appointing 
        representatives of his or her respective political party, in 
        consultation with each other;
            (3) four Members of Congress appointed as follows--
                    (A) one member appointed by the majority leader of 
                the Senate from among the Members of the Senate;
                    (B) one member appointed by the minority leader of 
                the Senate from among the Members of the Senate;
                    (C) one member appointed by the majority leader of 
                the House of Representatives from among the Members of 
                the House of Representatives; and
                    (D) one member appointed by the minority leader of 
                the House of Representatives from among the Members of 
                the House of Representatives; and
            (4) four members of State legislatures appointed by the 
        President of the National Conference of State Legislatures, of 
        whom not more than two may be of the same political party as 
        the President of the United States.
    (c) Special Appointment Rules.--(1) The members appointed pursuant 
to subsection (b)(2) shall be appointed as follows:
            (A) If the Chairperson of the National Governors' 
        Association is from the same political party as the President, 
        the Chairperson shall appoint three individuals and the Vice 
        Chairperson shall appoint five individuals.
            (B) If the Chairperson of the National Governors' 
        Association is from the opposite political party as the 
        President, the Chairperson shall appoint five individuals and 
        the Vice Chairperson shall appoint three individuals.
    (2) If the National Governors' Association has appointed a panel 
that meets the requirements of subsections (b) and (c), except for the 
requirements of subsection (b)(4), prior to the date of enactment of 
this title, then the members serving on such panel shall be deemed to 
be in compliance with subsections (b) and (c) and shall not be required 
to be reappointed pursuant to such subsections.
    (3) To the extent feasible, the membership of the Goals Panel shall 
be geographically representative and reflect the racial, ethnic, and 
gender diversity of the United States.
    (d) Terms.--The terms of service of members shall be as follows:
            (1) Members appointed under subsection (b)(1) shall serve 
        at the pleasure of the President.
            (2) Members appointed under subsection (b)(2) shall serve a 
        two-year term, except that the initial appointments under such 
        paragraph shall be made to ensure staggered terms with one-half 
        of such members' terms concluding every two years.
            (3) Members appointed under subsection (b) (3) and (4) 
        shall serve a term of two years.
    (e) Date of Appointment.--The initial members shall be appointed 
not later than sixty days after the date of enactment of this Act.
    (f) Initiation.--The Goals Panel may begin to carry out its duties 
under this part when ten members of the Goals Panel have been 
appointed.
    (g) Vacancies.--A vacancy on the Goals Panel shall not affect the 
powers of the Goals Panel, but shall be filled in the same manner as 
the original appointment.
    (h) Travel.--Each member may be allowed travel expenses, including 
per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of title 
5, United States Code, for each day the member is engaged in the 
performance of duties away from the home or regular place of business 
of the member.
    (i) Chairperson.--From among the members, the President shall 
appoint the Chairperson who shall serve a one-year term and shall 
alternate between political parties.
    (j) Conflict of Interest.--A member of the Goals Panel who is an 
elected official of a State which has developed content, student 
performance, or opportunity-to-learn standards may not participate in 
Goals Panel consideration of such standards.
    (k) Ex Officio Member.--If the President has not appointed the 
Secretary of Education as 1 of the 2 members he appoints pursuant to 
subsection (b)(1), then the Secretary shall serve as a nonvoting ex 
officio member of the Goals Panel.

SEC. 203. DUTIES.

    (a) Duties.--The Goals Panel shall--
            (1) report to the President, the Secretary, and the 
        Congress regarding the progress the Nation and the States are 
        making toward achieving the National Education Goals 
        established under title I of this Act, including issuing an 
        annual report;
            (2) report on State opportunity-to-learn standards and the 
        progress of States in meeting such standards;
            (3) review, after taking into consideration the public 
        comments received pursuant to section 216, with the option of 
        disapproving by a two-thirds majority vote of the full 
        membership not later than 60 days after receipt of the--
                    (A) criteria developed by the National Education 
                Standards and Improvement Council for the certification 
                of content and student performance standards, 
                assessments, and opportunity-to-learn standards; and
                    (B) voluntary national content and student 
                performance standards and opportunity-to-learn 
                standards certified by the National Education Standards 
                and Improvement Council;
            (4) report on promising or effective actions being taken at 
        the national, State, and local levels, in the public and 
        private sectors, to achieve the National Education Goals; and
            (5) help build a nationwide, bipartisan consensus for the 
        reforms necessary to achieve the National Education Goals.
    (b) Report.--(1) The Goals Panel shall annually prepare and submit 
to the President, the Secretary, the appropriate committees of 
Congress, and the Governor of each State a report that shall--
            (A) report on the progress of the United States toward 
        achieving the National Education Goals;
            (B) identify actions that should be taken by Federal, 
        State, and local governments to enhance progress toward 
        achieving the National Education Goals and State opportunity-
        to-learn standards; and
            (C) report on State opportunity-to-learn standards and the 
        progress of States in meeting such standards.
    (2) Reports shall be presented in a form, and include data, that is 
understandable to parents and the general public.

SEC. 204. POWERS OF THE GOALS PANEL.

    (a) Hearings.--(1) The Goals Panel shall, for the purpose of 
carrying out this part, conduct such hearings, sit and act at such 
times and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence, as 
the Goals Panel considers appropriate.
    (2) In carrying out this part, the Goals Panel shall conduct 
hearings to receive reports, views, and analyses of a broad spectrum of 
experts and the public on the establishment of voluntary national 
content and student performance standards, assessments, and 
opportunity-to-learn standards.
    (b) Information.--The Goals Panel may secure directly from any 
department or agency of the United States information necessary to 
enable the Goals Panel to carry out this part. Upon request of the 
Chairperson of the Goals Panel, the head of a department or agency 
shall furnish such information to the Goals Panel to the extent 
permitted by law.
    (c) Postal Services.--The Goals Panel may use the United States 
mail in the same manner and under the same conditions as other 
departments and agencies of the United States.
    (d) Use of Facilities.--The Goals Panel may, with consent, use the 
research, equipment, services, and facilities of any agency or 
instrumentality of the United States, or of any State or political 
subdivision thereof.
    (e) Administrative Arrangements and Support.--(1) The Secretary 
shall provide to the Goals Panel, on a reimbursable basis, such 
administrative support services as the Goals Panel may request.
    (2) The Secretary shall, to the extent appropriate, and on a 
reimbursable basis, make contracts and other arrangements that are 
requested by the Goals Panel to help it compile and analyze data or 
carry out other functions necessary to the performance of such 
responsibilities.

SEC. 205. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.

    (a) Meetings.--The Goals Panel shall meet on a regular basis, as 
necessary, at the call of the Chairperson of the Goals Panel or a 
majority of its members.
    (b) Quorum.--A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum 
for the transaction of business.
    (c) Voting.--No individual may vote, or exercise any of the powers 
of a member, by proxy.
    (d) Public Access.--The Goals Panel shall ensure public access to 
its proceedings (other than proceedings, or portions of proceedings, 
relating to internal personnel and management matters) and make 
available to the public, at reasonable cost, transcripts of such 
proceedings.

SEC. 206. DIRECTOR AND STAFF; EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.

    (a) Director.--The Chairperson of the Goals Panel shall, without 
regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, relating to 
the appointment and compensation of officers or employees of the United 
States, appoint a Director to be paid at a rate not to exceed the rate 
of basic pay payable for level V of the Executive Schedule.
    (b) Appointment and Pay of Employees.--(1)(A) The Director may 
appoint not more than four additional employees to serve as staff to 
the Goals Panel without regard to the provisions of title 5, United 
States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service.
    (B) The employees appointed under paragraph (1)(A) may be paid 
without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of 
chapter 53 of that title relating to classification and General 
Schedule pay rates, but shall not be paid a rate that exceeds the 
maximum rate of basic pay payable for GS-15 of the General Schedule.
    (2) The Director may appoint additional employees to serve as staff 
to the Goals Panel consistent with title 5, United States Code.
    (c) Experts and Consultants.--The Goals Panel may procure temporary 
and intermittent services of experts and consultants under section 
3109(b) of title 5, United States Code.
    (d) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon the request of the Goals 
Panel, the head of any department or agency of the United States may 
detail any of the personnel of such agency to the Goals Panel to assist 
the Goals Panel in its duties under this part.

SEC. 207. EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSESSMENT.

    (a) General.--(1) The Goals Panel shall support the work of its 
Resource and Technical Planning Groups on School Readiness (referred to 
in this section as the Groups) to improve the methods of assessing the 
readiness of children for school that would lead to alternatives to 
currently used norm-referenced early childhood assessments.
    (2) The Groups shall--
            (A) create clear guidelines regarding the nature, 
        functions, and uses of early childhood assessments, including a 
        model of school readiness that addresses a broad range of early 
        childhood developmental needs;
            (B) monitor and evaluate early childhood assessments, 
        including the ability of existing assessments to provide valid 
        information on the readiness of children for school; and
            (C) monitor and report on the long-term collection of data 
        on the status of young children to improve policy and practice, 
        including the need for new sources of data necessary to assess 
        the broad range of early childhood developmental needs.
    (b) Advice.--The Groups shall advise and assist the Congress, the 
Secretary, the Goals Panel, and others regarding how to improve the 
assessment of young children and how such assessments can improve 
services to children.
    (c) Report.--The Goals Panel shall provide reports on the work of 
the Groups to the Congress, the Secretary, and the public.

      PART B--NATIONAL EDUCATION STANDARDS AND IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL

SEC. 211. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this part is to establish a mechanism to--
            (1) certify and regularly review voluntary national content 
        and student performance standards that define what all students 
        should know and be able to do;
            (2) certify content and student performance standards 
        submitted by States on a voluntary basis, if such standards are 
        of equal or higher quality to the voluntary national content 
        and student performance standards certified by the National 
        Education Standards and Improvement Council;
            (3) certify and regularly review voluntary national 
        opportunity-to-learn standards that describe the conditions of 
        teaching and learning necessary for all students to have a fair 
        opportunity to achieve the knowledge and skills described in 
        the voluntary national content and student performance 
        standards certified by the National Education Standards and 
        Improvement Council;
            (4) certify opportunity-to-learn standards submitted by 
        States on a voluntary basis, if such standards are of equal or 
        higher quality as compared with the voluntary national 
        opportunity-to-learn standards; and
            (5) certify assessment systems submitted by States on a 
        voluntary basis, if such systems are aligned with State content 
        standards certified by the National Education Standards and 
        Improvement Council and if such systems are valid, reliable, 
        and consistent with relevant, nationally recognized, 
        professional and technical standards for assessment when used 
        for their intended purposes.

SEC. 212. NATIONAL EDUCATION STANDARDS AND IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the executive branch a 
National Education Standards and Improvement Council (referred to in 
this title as the ``Council'').
    (b) Composition.--The Council shall be composed of twenty members 
(referred to in this part as ``members'') who shall be appointed as 
follows:
            (1) 8 members (2 from each of subparagraphs (A) through (D) 
        of subsection (c)(1)) shall be appointed by the President;
            (2) 4 members (1 from each of subparagraphs (A) through (D) 
        of subsection (c)(1)) shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
        House of Representatives, in consultation with the majority and 
        minority leaders of the House;
            (3) 4 members (1 from each of subparagraphs (A) through (D) 
        of subsection (c)(1)) shall be appointed by the majority leader 
        of the Senate, in consultation with the minority leader of the 
        Senate; and
            (4) 4 members (1 from each of subparagraphs (A) through (D) 
        of subsection (c)(1)) shall be appointed by the National 
        Education Goals Panel.
    (c) Qualifications.--(1) The members of the Council shall include--
            (A) 5 professional educators, including elementary and 
        secondary classroom teachers, preschool educators and other 
        school-based professionals, local district or State 
        administrators, related service personnel, and other educators;
            (B) 5 representatives of business and industry, organized 
        labor, and postsecondary educational institutions, including at 
        least 1 representative of postsecondary educational 
        institutions, at least 1 representative of organized labor, and 
        at least 1 representative of business who is also a member of 
        the National Skill Standards Board;
            (C) 5 representatives of the public, including 
        representatives of advocacy, civil rights and disability 
        groups, parents, civic leaders, and local and State education 
        policymakers (including State, local, or tribal school boards); 
        and
            (D) 5 education experts, including experts in measurement 
        and assessment, curriculum, school finance and equity, and 
        school reform.
    (2) To the extent feasible, the membership of the Council shall be 
geographically representative of the United States and reflect the 
diversity of the United States with regard to race, ethnicity, gender, 
and disability characteristics.
    (3) One-third of the Council shall consist of individuals with 
expertise in the educational needs of children who are from low-income 
families, minority backgrounds, have limited-English proficiency, or 
have disabilities.
    (d) Terms.--(1) Members shall be appointed for 3-year terms, with 
no member serving more than 2 consecutive terms.
    (2) The Council shall establish by lot initial terms for 
individuals of one, two, or three years in order to establish a 
rotation in which one-third of the members are selected each year.
    (e) Date of Appointment.--The initial members shall be appointed 
not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
    (f) Initiation.--The Council shall begin to carry out the duties of 
the Council under this part when all 20 members have been appointed.
    (g) Retention.--In order to retain an appointment to the Council, a 
member must attend at least two-thirds of the scheduled meetings of the 
Council in any given year.
    (h) Vacancy.--A vacancy on the Council shall not affect the powers 
of the Council, but shall be filled in the same manner as the original 
appointment.
    (i) Compensation.--Members of the Council who are not regular full-
time employees of the United States may, while attending meetings or 
hearings of the Council, be provided compensation at a rate fixed by 
the Secretary, but not exceeding the maximum rate of basic pay payable 
for GS-15 of the General Schedule.
    (j) Conflict of Interest.--(1) A member of the Council may not 
concurrently serve as a member of the Goals Panel.
    (2) Section 208 of title 18 of the United States Code shall apply 
to members of the Council except that, for the purposes of making 
written determinations under subsection (b)(1), the Government official 
responsible for the appointment of any member of the Council is deemed 
to be the Director of the Office of Government Ethics.
    (3) A member of the Council who resides in a State which has 
developed standards and assessments may not participate in Council 
consideration of such standards and assessments.
    (k) Travel.--Each member of the Council may be allowed travel 
expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by 
section 5703 of title 5, United States Code, for each day the member is 
engaged in the performance of duties away from the home or regular 
place of business of the member.
    (l) Officers.--The members of the Council shall select officers 
from among its members. The officers of the Council shall serve for 
one-year terms.

SEC. 213. DUTIES.

    (a) Voluntary National Content Standards.--(1) The Council shall--
            (A) identify areas in which voluntary national content 
        standards need to be developed;
            (B) certify voluntary national content and student 
        performance standards using the criteria developed under 
        paragraph (2)(A)(i), that define what all students should know 
        and be able to do;
            (C) forward such voluntary national content and student 
        performance standards to the Goals Panel for review, except 
        that the Goals Panel shall have the option of disapproving such 
        standards by a two-thirds majority vote of the full membership 
        not later than 60 days after receipt of such standards; and
            (D) develop a process for regularly reviewing any national 
        voluntary content, student performance, and opportunity-to-
        learn standards that have been certified.
    (2)(A) The Council shall--
            (i) identify and develop criteria to be used for certifying 
        the voluntary national content and student performance 
        standards; and
            (ii) before applying such criteria, forward them to the 
        Goals Panel for review, except that the Goals Panel shall have 
        the option of disapproving such criteria by a two-thirds 
        majority vote of the full membership not later than 60 days 
        after receipt of such criteria.
    (B) The criteria developed by the Council shall address--
            (i) the extent to which the proposed standards are 
        internationally competitive and comparable to the best in the 
        world;
            (ii) the extent to which the proposed content and student 
        performance standards reflect the best available knowledge 
        about how all students learn and about how the content area can 
        be most effectively taught;
            (iii) the extent to which the proposed content and student 
        performance standards have been developed through an open and 
        public process that provides for input and involvement of all 
        relevant parties, including teachers, related services 
        personnel, and other professional educators, employers and 
        postsecondary education institutions, curriculum and subject 
        matter specialists, parents, advocacy groups, and the public; 
        and
            (iv) other factors that the Council deems appropriate.
    (C) In developing the criteria, the Council shall work with 
entities that are developing, or have already developed, content and 
student performance standards, and any other entities that the Council 
deems appropriate, to identify appropriate certification criteria.
    (b) Voluntary State Content Standards.--The Council may certify 
content and student performance standards presented on a voluntary 
basis by States, using the criteria developed under subsection 
(a)(2)(A)(i), if such standards are of equal or higher quality to the 
voluntary national content and student performance standards certified 
by the Council.
    (c) Voluntary National Opportunity-to-Learn Standards.--(1) The 
Council shall certify exemplary, voluntary national opportunity-to-
learn standards that will establish a basis for providing all students 
a fair opportunity to achieve the knowledge and skills set out in the 
voluntary national content standards certified by the Council.
    (2) The voluntary national opportunity-to-learn standards certified 
by the Council shall address--
            (A) the quality and availability of curricula, 
        instructional materials, and technologies, including distance 
        learning, to all students;
            (B) the capability of teachers to provide high-quality 
        instruction to meet diverse learning needs in each content area 
        to all students;
            (C) the extent to which teachers, principals, and 
        administrators have ready and continuing access to professional 
        development, including the best knowledge about teaching, 
        learning, and school improvement;
            (D) the extent to which curriculum, instructional 
        practices, and assessments are aligned to content standards;
            (E) the extent to which school facilities provide a safe 
        and secure environment for learning and instruction and have 
        the requisite libraries, laboratories, and other resources 
        necessary to provide an opportunity to learn;
            (F) the extent to which schools utilize policies, 
        curricula, and instructional practices which ensure 
        nondiscrimination on the basis of gender; and
            (G) other factors that the Council deems appropriate to 
        ensure the students receive a fair opportunity to achieve the 
        knowledge and skills described in the voluntary content and 
        student performance standards certified by the Council.
    (3) In carrying out this subsection, the Council shall--
            (A) identify what countries with rigorous content standards 
        do to--
                    (i) provide their children with opportunities to 
                learn;
                    (ii) prepare their teachers; and
                    (iii) provide continuing professional development 
                opportunities for their teachers; and
            (B) develop criteria to be used for certifying the 
        voluntary national and State opportunity-to-learn standards 
        and, before applying such criteria, forward them to the Goals 
        Panel for review, except that the Goals Panel shall have the 
        option of disapproving such standards by a two-thirds majority 
        vote of the full membership not later than 60 days after 
        receipt of such criteria.
    (4) The Council shall assist in the development of the voluntary 
national opportunity-to-learn standards developed by the consortium 
under section 219 by--
            (A) making recommendations to the Secretary regarding 
        priorities and selection criteria for the award made under 
        section 219; and
            (B) coordinating with the consortium receiving an award 
        under section 219 to ensure that the opportunity-to-learn 
        standards the consortium develops are appropriate for the needs 
        of all students, are of high quality, and are consistent with 
        the criteria developed by the Council for the certification of 
        such standards.
    (5) The Council shall forward the voluntary national opportunity-
to-learn standards it certifies to the Goals Panel for review, except 
that the Goals Panel shall have the option of disapproving such 
standards by a two-thirds majority vote of the full membership not 
later than 60 days after receipt of such standards.
    (d) Voluntary State Opportunity-to-Learn Standards.--The Council 
may certify opportunity-to-learn standards submitted voluntarily by a 
State, using the criteria developed under subsection (c)(3)(B), if such 
standards are of equal or higher quality as compared to the voluntary 
national opportunity-to-learn standards.
    (e) General Provision Regarding Voluntary National Standards.--The 
Council may certify voluntary national content, student performance, 
and opportunity-to-learn standards if such standards are sufficiently 
general to be used by any State without restricting State and local 
control of curriculum and prerogatives regarding instructional methods 
to be employed.
    (f) Assessments.--(1)(A) The Council may certify an assessment 
system that is submitted voluntarily by a State, using the criteria 
developed under paragraph (2)(A), if such system is aligned with the 
State's content standards certified by the Council.
    (B) Assessment systems shall be certified by the Council for the 
purposes of--
            (i) informing students, parents, teachers, and related 
        services personnel about the progress of all students toward 
        the standards;
            (ii) improving classroom instruction and improving the 
        learning outcomes for all students;
            (iii) exemplifying for students, parents, and teachers the 
        kinds and levels of achievement that should be expected of all 
        students, including the identification of student performance 
        standards;
            (iv) measuring and motivating individual students, schools, 
        districts, States, and the Nation to improve educational 
        performance; and
            (v) assisting education policymakers in making decisions 
        about education programs.
    (C) The Council shall certify an assessment system only if--
            (i) the State has established or adopted opportunity-to-
        learn standards;
            (ii) such system will not be used to make decisions 
        regarding graduation, grade promotion, or retention of students 
        for a period of five years from the date of enactment of this 
        Act; and
            (iii) the State has submitted--
                    (I) a description of the purposes for which the 
                assessment system has been designed;
                    (II) the methodologies and process used to develop, 
                select, validate, and use such assessment systems;
                    (III) a copy of the test instrument and, as 
                appropriate, other measures that will make up the 
                system; and
                    (IV) evidence that the test or tests which are part 
                of the assessment system are valid, reliable measures 
                of their intended purposes, are aligned with the State 
                content standards, are capable of assessing the 
                progress of all students toward learning the material 
                in the State content standards, and are consistent with 
                relevant nationally recognized professional and 
                technical standards.
    (D) The Council shall, at the request of a State prior to 
developing an assessment system for a proposed use, review and provide 
guidance to such State on a proposed package of measures, including 
tests that would be included in such a system.
    (2)(A) The Council shall develop and, no sooner than three years or 
later than four years after the enactment of this Act, begin utilizing 
criteria for the certification of assessment systems for the purposes 
indicated in paragraph (1)(B). Before using such criteria, the Council 
shall forward the criteria to the Goals Panel for review, except that 
the Goals Panel shall have the option of disapproving such criteria by 
a two-thirds majority vote of the full membership not later than 60 
days after receipt of such criteria.
    (B) The certification criteria developed by the Council shall 
address the extent to which the assessment system--
            (i) is aligned with State content standards certified by 
        the Council; and
            (ii) is to be used for a purpose for which it is valid, 
        reliable, free of discrimination, and is consistent with 
        relevant, nationally recognized professional and technical 
        standards for assessment.
    (C) In determining appropriate certification criteria, the Council 
shall--
            (i) consider standards and criteria being developed by 
        other national organizations, research on assessment, and 
        emerging new State and local assessments;
            (ii) recommend needed research;
            (iii) encourage the development and field testing of 
        assessment systems; and
            (iv) provide a public forum for discussing, debating, and 
        building consensus for the criteria to be used for the 
        certification of assessment systems.
    (D) Prior to determining the certification criteria, the Council 
shall seek public comment regarding the proposed criteria.
    (E) The Council shall certify an assessment system only if such 
system includes all students.
    (g) Performance of Duties.--In carrying out its responsibilities 
under this title, the Council shall--
            (1) provide for a process of broad public input as part of 
        the process of developing criteria for standards and 
        assessments;
            (2) work with Federal and non-Federal agencies and 
        organizations which are conducting research, studies, or 
        demonstration projects to determine internationally competitive 
        standards and assessments, and may establish subject matter and 
        other panels to advise it on particular content, student 
        performance, and opportunity-to-learn standards and on 
        assessments;
            (3) establish cooperative arrangements with the National 
        Skill Standards Board to promote the coordination of the 
        development of content and student performance standards under 
        this title with the development of skill standards under title 
        IV of this Act;
            (4) recommend studies to the Secretary that are necessary 
        to carry out the Council's responsibilities;
            (5) inform the public about what constitutes high quality, 
        internationally competitive, content, student performance, and 
        opportunity-to-learn standards, and assessment systems;
            (6) on a regular basis, review and update criteria for 
        certifying content, student performance, and opportunity-to-
        learn standards, and assessment systems; and
            (7) periodically recertify, as appropriate, the voluntary 
        national content and student performance standards, and the 
        voluntary national opportunity-to-learn standards and the 
        assessments that it certifies under this section.
    (h) Unconditioned State Participation.--No State shall be required 
to obtain certification of standards or assessments developed under 
subsection (b), (d), or (f) of this section or to participate in 
programs under title III of this Act, as a condition of participating 
in any Federal education program under this or any other Act.

SEC. 214. ANNUAL REPORTS.

    Not later than one year after the date the Council concludes its 
first meeting, and in each succeeding year, the Council shall prepare 
and submit a report to the President, the Secretary, the appropriate 
committees of Congress, the Governor of each State, and the Goals Panel 
regarding its work.

SEC. 215. POWERS OF THE COUNCIL.

    (a) Hearings.--(1) The Council shall, for the purpose of carrying 
out its responsibilities, conduct such hearings, sit and act at such 
times and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence, as 
the Council considers appropriate.
    (2) In carrying out this part, the Council shall conduct public 
hearings in different geographic areas of the United States, both urban 
and rural, to receive the reports, views, and analyses of a broad 
spectrum of experts and the public on the establishment of voluntary 
national content, student performance, and opportunity-to-learn 
standards, and assessment systems.
    (b) Information.--The Council may secure directly from any 
department or agency of the United States information necessary to 
enable the Council to carry out this part. Upon request of the 
Chairperson of the Council, the head of a department or agency shall 
furnish such information to the Council to the extent permitted by law.
    (c) Postal Services.--The Council may use the United States mail in 
the same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and 
agencies of the United States.
    (d) Use of Facilities.--The Council may, with their consent, use 
the research, equipment, services, and facilities of any agency or 
instrumentality of the United States, or of any State or political 
subdivision thereof.
    (e) Administrative Arrangements and Support.--(1) The Secretary 
shall provide to the Council, on a reimbursable basis, such 
administrative support services as the Council may request.
    (2) The Secretary shall, to the extent appropriate, and on a 
reimbursable basis, make contracts and other arrangements that are 
requested by the Council to help it compile and analyze data or carry 
out other functions necessary to the performance of its 
responsibilities.

SEC. 216. PUBLICATION FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

    (a) Transmittal.--For the purpose of obtaining public comment 
through publication in the Federal Register, the Council shall transmit 
to the Secretary--
            (1) proposed criteria for certifying national and State 
        content and performance standards;
            (2) proposed criteria for certifying national and State 
        opportunity-to-learn standards;
            (3) proposed criteria for certifying State assessment 
        systems; and
            (4) proposed national content, performance, and 
        opportunity-to-learn standards.
    (b) Publication.--The Secretary shall publish such proposed 
procedures, standards, and criteria in the Federal Register.

SEC. 217. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.

    (a) Meetings.--The Council shall meet on a regular basis, as 
necessary, at the call of the Chairperson of the Council, or a majority 
of its members.
    (b) Quorum.--A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum 
for the transaction of business.
    (c) Voting.--The Council shall take all action of the Council by a 
majority vote of the total membership of the Council, ensuring the 
right of the minority to issue written views. No individual may vote or 
exercise any of the powers of a member by proxy.
    (d) Public Access.--The Council shall ensure public access to its 
proceedings (other than proceedings, or portions of proceedings, 
relating to internal personnel and management matters) and make 
available to the public, at reasonable cost, transcripts of such 
proceedings.

SEC. 218. DIRECTOR AND STAFF; EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.

    (a) Director.--The Chairperson of the Council shall, without regard 
to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, relating to the 
appointment and compensation of officers or employees of the United 
States, appoint a Director to be paid at a rate not to exceed the rate 
of basic pay payable for level V of the Executive Schedule.
    (b) Appointment and Pay of Employees.--(1)(A) The Director may 
appoint not more than four additional employees to serve as staff to 
the Council without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States 
Code, governing appointments in the competitive service.
    (B) The employees appointed under subparagraph (A) may be paid 
without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of 
chapter 53 of that title relating to classification and General 
Schedule pay rates, but shall not be paid a rate that exceeds the 
maximum rate of basic pay payable for GS-15 of the General Schedule.
    (2) The Director may appoint additional employees to serve as staff 
of the Council consistent with title 5, United States Code.
    (c) Experts and Consultants.--The Council may procure temporary and 
intermittent services under section 3019(b) of title 5, United States 
Code.
    (d) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon the request of the Council, 
the head of any department or agency of the United States may detail 
any of the personnel of such department or agency to the Council to 
assist the Council in its duties under this part.

SEC. 219. OPPORTUNITY-TO-LEARN DEVELOPMENT GRANT.

    (a) Opportunity-to-Learn Development Grant.--(1) The Secretary is 
authorized to make a grant, on a competitive basis, to a consortium of 
individuals and organizations to develop voluntary national 
opportunity-to-learn standards consistent with the provisions of 
section 213(c).
    (2) To the extent possible, such consortium shall include the 
participation of--
            (A) State-level policymakers, such as Governors, State 
        legislators, chief State school officers, and State school 
        board members;
            (B) local policymakers and administrators, such as local 
        school board members, superintendents, and principals;
            (C) teachers (especially teachers involved in the 
        development of content standards);
            (D) parents and individuals with experience in promoting 
        parental involvement in education;
            (E) representatives of business;
            (F) experts in vocational-technical education;
            (G) representatives of regional accrediting associations;
            (H) individuals with expertise in school finance and 
        equity, the education of at-risk students, and the preparation 
        and training of teachers and school administrators;
            (I) curriculum and school reform experts;
            (J) student and civil rights advocacy groups;
            (K) representatives of higher education; and
            (L) secondary school students.
    (3) In developing voluntary national opportunity-to-learn 
standards, such consortium shall--
            (A) draw upon current research about student achievement 
        and the necessary conditions for effective teaching and 
        learning; and
            (B) provide for the development of several consecutive 
        drafts of standards which incorporate the comments and 
        recommendations of educators and other knowledgeable 
        individuals across the Nation.
    (4) One-third of the consortium shall consist of individuals with 
expertise in the educational needs and assessment of children who are 
from low-income families, minority backgrounds, have limited-English 
proficiency, or have disabilities.
    (5) The membership of the consortium shall be geographically 
representative and reflect the racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of 
the United States.
    (b) Applications.--(1) Any consortium that desires to receive a 
grant under this subsection shall submit an application to the 
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information 
and assurances as the Secretary may require.
    (2) In awarding such grant, the Secretary shall give priority to 
applications from consortia which involve individuals and organizations 
with the greatest diversity of perspectives and points of view.
    (3) In establishing additional priorities and selection criteria 
for such grant, the Secretary shall give serious consideration to the 
recommendations made by the Council pursuant to section 213(c)(4)(A).
    (c) Report.--After the development of the voluntary national 
opportunity-to-learn standards, the consortium funded under this 
section shall submit a report to the Secretary which discusses the 
background, important issues, and rationale regarding such standards.

SEC. 220. ASSESSMENT DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION GRANTS.

    (a) General.--(1) The Secretary is authorized to make grants to 
States and local educational agencies or consortia of such agencies to 
help defray the cost of developing, field testing, and evaluating 
assessment systems, to be used for some or all of the purposes 
indicated in section 213(f)(1)(B), that are aligned to State content 
standards certified by the Council.
    (2) The Secretary shall reserve a portion of the funds authorized 
under section 231(d) for grants to State educational agencies and local 
educational agencies for purposes of developing such assessments in 
languages other than English.
    (b) Applications.--A State, local educational agency, or consortium 
of such agencies that desires to receive a grant under subsection 
(a)(1) shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information and assurances as the 
Secretary may require.
    (c) Requirements.--(1) A recipient of a grant under this section 
shall--
            (A) examine the validity and reliability of an assessment 
        system for the particular purposes for which such assessment 
        system was developed;
            (B) ensure that an assessment system is consistent with 
        relevant, nationally recognized professional and technical 
        standards for assessments; and
            (C) devote special attention to how an assessment system, 
        treats all students, especially with regard to the race, 
        gender, ethnicity, disability, and language proficiency.
    (2) An assessment system developed and evaluated with funds under 
this section may not be used for decisions about individual students 
relating to program placement, promotion, or retention, graduation, or 
employment for a period of five years from the date of enactment of 
this Act.

SEC. 221. EVALUATION.

    (a) Grant.--From funds reserved under section 304(a)(2), the 
Secretary annually shall make a grant, in an amount not to exceed 
$500,000, to the Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and 
Education of the National Academy of Sciences or to the National 
Academy of Education to--
            (1) evaluate--
                    (A) the technical quality of the work performed by 
                the Goals Panel and the Council;
                    (B) the process the Council uses to develop 
                criteria for certification of standards and 
                assessments;
                    (C) the process the Council uses to certify 
                voluntary national standards as well as standards and 
                assessments voluntarily submitted by States; and
                    (D) the process the Goals Panel uses to approve 
                certification criteria and voluntary national 
                standards;
            (2) periodically provide to the Goals Panel and the 
        Council, as appropriate, information from the evaluation under 
        paragraph (1); and
            (3) report on the activities authorized under sections 219 
        and 220.
    (b) Report.--The grant recipient shall periodically report to the 
Congress, the Secretary, and the public regarding findings and shall 
make a final report not later than January 1, 1998.

                PART C--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS

SEC. 231. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) National Education Goals Panel.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated $3,000,000 for fiscal year 1994 and such sums as may be 
necessary for each of the four succeeding fiscal years to carry out 
part A of this title.
    (b) National Education Standards and Improvement Council.--There 
are authorized to be appropriated $3,000,000 for fiscal year 1994 and 
such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1995 through 
1998 to carry out part B of this title.
    (c) Opportunity-to-Learn Development Grant.--There are authorized 
to be appropriated $3,000,000 for fiscal year 1994 and such sums as may 
be necessary for fiscal year 1995 to carry out the Opportunity-to-Learn 
Development Grant Program established under section 219 of this title.
    (d) Assessment Development and Evaluation Grants.--There are 
authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1994 and such 
sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1995 through 1998 
to carry out the Assessment Development and Evaluation Grants Program 
established under section 220 of this title.

       TITLE III--STATE AND LOCAL EDUCATION SYSTEMIC IMPROVEMENT

SEC. 301. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) all students can learn and achieve high standards and 
        must realize their potential if the United States is to 
        prosper;
            (2) the reforms in education of the last 15 years have 
        achieved some good results, but these efforts often have been 
        limited to a few schools or to a single part of the educational 
        system;
            (3) leadership must come both from teachers, related 
        services personnel, principals, and parents in individual 
        schools and from policymakers at the local, State, tribal, and 
        national levels, in order for lasting improvements in student 
        performance to occur;
            (4) simultaneous top-down and bottom-up education reform is 
        necessary to spur creative and innovative approaches by 
        individual schools to help all students achieve internationally 
        competitive standards;
            (5) strategies must be developed by communities and States 
        to support the revitalization of all local public schools by 
        fundamentally changing the entire system of public education 
        through comprehensive, coherent, and coordinated improvement in 
        order to increase student learning;
            (6) parents, teachers, and other local educators, and 
        business, community, and tribal leaders must be involved in 
        developing systemwide improvement strategies that reflect the 
        needs of their individual communities;
            (7) State and local education improvement efforts must 
        incorporate strategies for providing all students and families 
        with coordinated access to appropriate social services, health 
        care, nutrition, and child care to remove preventable barriers 
        to learning and enhance school readiness for all students;
            (8) States and local educational agencies, working 
        together, must immediately set about developing and 
        implementing such systemwide improvement strategies if the 
        Nation is to educate all children to meet their full potential 
        and achieve the National Education Goals listed in title I of 
        this Act;
            (9) State and local systemic improvement strategies must 
        provide all students with effective mechanisms and appropriate 
        paths to the workforce as well as to higher education;
            (10) business should be encouraged to enter into 
        partnerships with schools, provide information and guidance to 
        schools on the needs of area business for properly educated 
        graduates in general and on the need for particular workplace 
        skills, that the schools may provide necessary material and 
        support, and continue the lifelong learning process throughout 
        the employment years of an individual, and schools should 
        provide information to business regarding how the business 
        community can assist schools in meeting the goals of this Act;
            (11) institutions of higher education should be encouraged 
        to enter into partnerships with schools to provide information 
        and guidance to schools on the skills and knowledge graduates 
        need in order to enter and successfully complete postsecondary 
        education, and schools should provide information and guidance 
        to institutions of higher education on the skills, knowledge, 
        and preservice training teachers need, and the types of 
        professional development educators need in order to meet the 
        goals of this Act;
            (12) the appropriate and innovative use of technology, 
        including distance learning, can be very effective in helping 
        to bring all students the opportunity to learn and meet high 
        standards; and
            (13) Federal funds should be targeted to support local and 
        State initiatives, and to leverage State and local resources 
        for designing and implementing system-wide improvement plans.

SEC. 302. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this title is to improve the quality of education 
for all students by improving student learning through a long-term, 
broad-based effort to promote coherent and coordinated improvements in 
the system of education throughout the Nation at the local and State 
levels. This title provides new authorities and funding for the 
Nation's school systems without replacing or reducing funding for 
existing Federal education programs. It is the intention of the 
Congress that no State or local educational agency will reduce its 
funding for education or for education reform on account of receiving 
any funds under this title.

SEC. 303. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    For the purpose of carrying out this title, there are authorized to 
be appropriated $393,000,000 for the fiscal year 1994, and such sums as 
may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1995 through 1998.

SEC. 304. ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS.

    (a) Reservations of Funds.--From funds appropriated under section 
303, the Secretary--
            (1) shall reserve a total of one percent to provide 
        assistance, in amounts determined by the Secretary--
                    (A) to the outlying areas; and
                    (B) to the Secretary of the Interior to benefit 
                Indian students in schools operated or funded by the 
                Bureau of Indian Affairs (referred to in this Act as 
                the ``Bureau''); and
            (2) may reserve a total of up to 6 percent for--
                    (A) national leadership activities under section 
                313;
                    (B) the costs of peer review of State improvement 
                plans and applications under this title; and
                    (C) evaluation activities under section 221.
    (b) State Allotments.--The Secretary shall allot the remaining 
amount appropriated under section 303 for each fiscal year to the 
States (which for the purposes of this subsection does not include the 
outlying areas) as follows:
            (1) 50 percent of such remaining amount shall be allocated 
        in accordance with the relative amounts such State received 
        under chapter 1 of title I of the Elementary and Secondary 
        Education Act of 1965 for the preceding fiscal year.
            (2) 50 percent of such remaining amount shall be allocated 
        in accordance with the relative amounts each such State 
        received under part A of chapter 2 of title I of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 for the preceding fiscal 
        year.
    (c) Reallotments.--If the Secretary determines that any amount of a 
State's allotment for any fiscal year under subsection (b) will not be 
needed for such fiscal year by the State, the Secretary shall reallot 
such amount to other States that need additional funds, in such manner 
as the Secretary determines is appropriate.

SEC. 305. STATE APPLICATIONS.

    (a) General.--(1) If a State desires to receive a grant under this 
title, the State educational agency shall submit an application to the 
Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may 
determine.
    (2) In addition to the information described in subsections (b) and 
(c), each such application shall include--
            (A) an assurance that the State educational agency will 
        cooperate with the Secretary in carrying out the Secretary's 
        responsibilities under section 312, and will comply with 
        reasonable requests of the Secretary for data related to the 
        State's progress in developing and implementing its State 
        improvement plan under this title;
            (B) an assurance that State law provides adequate authority 
        to carry out each component of the State's improvement plan 
        developed, or to be developed under section 306, or that such 
        authority will be sought;
            (C) an assurance that the standards developed for student 
        achievement are not less rigorous than student achievement 
        standards used prior to the date of enactment of this Act;
            (D) an assurance that the State will provide for broad 
        public participation in the planning process; and
            (E) such other assurances and information as the Secretary 
        may require.
    (b) First Year.--A State's application for the first year of 
assistance under this title shall--
            (1) describe the process by which the State will develop a 
        school improvement plan that meets the requirements of section 
        306; and
            (2) describe how the State educational agency will use 
        funds received under this title for such year, including how 
        the State educational agency will make subgrants to local 
        educational agencies and for teacher training.
    (c) Subsequent Years.--A State's second application under this 
title shall--
            (1) cover the second through fifth years of its 
        participation;
            (2) include a copy of the State's improvement plan that 
        meets the requirements of section 306 or, if the State plan is 
        not complete, a statement of the steps it will take to complete 
        the plan and a schedule for doing so; and
            (3) include an explanation of how the State will use funds 
        received under this title, including how it will make subgrants 
        to local educational agencies and for teacher training under 
        section 309(b)(1).

SEC. 306. STATE IMPROVEMENT PLANS.

    (a) Basic Scope of Plan.--Any State educational agency that wishes 
to receive a grant under this title after its first year of 
participation shall develop and implement a plan for the fundamental 
restructuring and improvement of elementary and secondary education in 
the State. This plan must address--
            (1) in accordance with subsection (c), the establishment or 
        adoption of challenging content and student performance 
        standards for all students and the use of curricula, 
        instructional practices, assessments, technology, parental 
        involvement programs, and professional preparation and 
        development approaches appropriate to help all students reach 
        such standards;
            (2) in accordance with subsection (d), the establishment or 
        adoption of opportunity-to-learn standards that will define the 
        conditions of teaching and learning that provide all students 
        the opportunity to meet the challenging content and student 
        performance standards;
            (3) in accordance with subsection (e), needed changes in 
        the governance and management of the education system in order 
        to effectively focus schools on, and assist them in, preparing 
        all students to meet the challenging State standards;
            (4) in accordance with subsection (f), comprehensive 
        strategies to involve communities, including parents, 
        businesses, libraries, institutions of higher education, 
        employment and training agencies, health and human service 
        agencies, advocacy groups, cultural institutions, and other 
        public and private agencies that provide social services, 
        health care, child care, early childhood education, and 
        nutrition to students, in helping all students meet the 
        challenging State standards;
            (5) in accordance with subsection (g), strategies for 
        ensuring that all local educational agencies and schools within 
        the State are involved in developing and implementing needed 
        improvements within a specified period of time;
            (6) in accordance with subsection (h), strategies for 
        ensuring that comprehensive, systemic reform is promoted from 
        the bottom up in communities, local educational agencies, and 
        schools; and
            (7) the needs of the children, ages 5 through 18, who are 
        out of school and the extent to which such children can be 
        brought back into the education system and meet the standards 
        set forth in this Act.
    (b) Plan Development.--(1) A State improvement plan under this 
title must be developed by a broad-based panel (referred to in this 
title as the ``panel'') in cooperation with the State educational 
agency and the Governor. The panel shall include--
            (A) the Governor and the chief State school officer, or 
        their designees;
            (B) the chairman of the State board of education and the 
        chairmen of the appropriate authorizing committees of the State 
        legislature, or their designees;
            (C) teachers, principals, and administrators who have 
        successfully improved student performance and deans of colleges 
        of education;
            (D) representatives of teacher organizations, parents, 
        institutions of higher education, business and labor leaders, 
        community-based organizations, Indian tribes, local boards of 
        education, State and local officials responsible for health, 
        social services, and other related services, and others, as 
        appropriate;
            (E) representatives from rural and urban local educational 
        agencies in the State; and
            (F) experts in educational measurement and assessment.
    (2) The Governor and the chief State school officer shall each 
appoint half the members of the State panel. The full panel shall 
establish the procedures regarding the operation of the panel, 
including the designation of the panel chairperson.
    (3) To the extent feasible, the membership of the panel shall be 
geographically representative of the State and reflect the diversity of 
the population of the State with regard to race, ethnicity, gender, and 
disability characteristics.
    (4) One-third of the panel members shall be individuals with 
expertise in the educational needs and assessments of children who are 
from low-income families, minority group backgrounds, have limited-
English proficiency, or have disabilities.
    (5) The panel shall consult the Governor, the chief State school 
officer, the State board of education, and relevant committees of the 
State legislature in developing the plan.
    (6) The panel shall be responsible for conducting a statewide, 
grassroots outreach process, including conducting public hearings, to 
involve educators, related services personnel, parents, secondary 
school students, local officials, private nonprofit elementary and 
secondary schools, community and business leaders, Indian tribes, 
citizens, children's advocates, and others with a stake in the success 
of students and their education system, and who are representative of 
the diversity of the State and its student population, in the 
development of the State plan and in a continuing dialog regarding the 
need for and nature of challenging standards for all students and local 
and State responsibilities for helping all students achieve them.
    (7) The panel shall develop a continuing process for interacting 
with local educational agencies and individual schools engaged in 
systemic reform, especially including local educational agencies and 
schools which receive subgrants under section 309 of this Act, to 
ensure that the development and implementation of the State plan 
reflects their needs and experiences.
    (8) The panel shall develop a State plan, provide opportunity for 
public comment, and submit the State plan to the State educational 
agency for approval.
    (9) The State educational agency shall submit the original State 
improvement plan developed by the panel and the State improvement plan 
if modified by such agency, together with an explanation of any changes 
made by such agency to the plan developed by the panel, to the 
Secretary for approval.
    (10) If any portion of the State plan addresses matters that, under 
State or other applicable law, are not under the authority of the State 
educational agency, the State educational agency shall obtain the 
approval of, or changes to, such portion, with an explanation from the 
Governor or other official responsible for that portion before 
submitting the plan to the Secretary.
    (11) After approval of the State plan by the Secretary, the panel, 
in close consultation with teachers, principals, administrators, school 
boards, advocacy groups, advocates of children with disabilities and 
parents in local educational agencies and schools receiving funds under 
this title, shall monitor the implementation and effectiveness of the 
State plan to determine if revisions are appropriate, and shall 
periodically report its findings to the public.
    (c) Teaching, Learning, Standards, and Assessments.--Each State 
plan shall establish strategies and a timetable for improving teaching 
and learning, including--
            (1) a process for developing or adopting challenging 
        content and student performance standards for all students 
        which includes coordinating the standards developed pursuant to 
        section 115 of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied 
        Technology Education Act of 1990;
            (2) a process for providing assistance and support to local 
        educational agencies and schools to give them the capacity and 
        responsibility to provide all students the opportunity to 
        increase education achievement and meet challenging State 
        content and student performance standards;
            (3) assessing the effectiveness and equity of the school 
        finance program of the State to identify disparities in the 
        resources available to each local educational agency and school 
        in such State and how such disparities affect the ability of 
        the State educational agency and local educational agencies to 
        develop and implement plans under this title;
            (4) a process for developing, adopting, or recommending 
        instructional materials, including gender equitable and 
        multicultural materials, and technology to support and assist 
        local educational agencies and schools to provide all students 
        the opportunity to meet the challenging State content and 
        student performance standards;
            (5) a process for developing and implementing a valid and 
        nondiscriminatory assessment system or set of locally-based 
        assessment systems which are consistent with relevant, 
        nationally recognized, professional and technical standards for 
        assessment, and are capable of providing coherent information 
        about student attainments relative to the State content 
        standards;
            (6) a process for monitoring the implementation of such 
        system or systems and the impact on improved instruction for 
        all students;
            (7) a process for improving the State's system of teacher 
        and school administrator preparation, licensure, and continuing 
        professional development so that all teachers, related services 
        personnel, and administrators develop the subject matter and 
        pedagogical expertise needed to prepare all students to meet 
        the challenging standards under paragraph (1);
            (8) a process for providing appropriate and effective 
        professional development, including the use of technology, 
        distance learning, and gender-equitable methods, necessary for 
        teachers, school administrators, and others to help all 
        students meet the challenging standards under paragraph (1); 
        and
            (9) a process to ensure widespread participation of 
        classroom teachers in developing the portions of the plan 
        described in this subsection.
    (d) Opportunity-to-Learn Standards.--Each State plan shall 
establish a strategy and timetable for--
            (1) adopting or establishing opportunity-to-learn standards 
        that are consistent with the challenging content and student 
        performance standards that have been adopted or established;
            (2) ensuring that every school in the State is making 
        demonstrable progress toward meeting the State's opportunity-
        to-learn standards;
            (3) ensuring that the State's opportunity-to-learn 
        standards address the need of all students;
            (4) providing for periodic assessments of the extent to 
        which opportunity-to-learn standards are being met throughout 
        the State; and
            (5) periodically reporting to the public on the extent of 
        the State's improvement in achieving such standards and 
        providing all students with a fair opportunity to achieve the 
        knowledge and skill levels that meet the State's content and 
        student performance standards.
    (e) Governance and Management.--Each State plan shall establish 
strategies for improved governance and management of its education 
system, such as--
            (1) aligning responsibility, authority, and accountability 
        throughout the education system, so that decisions regarding 
        content and student performance standards are coordinated and 
        decisions regarding the means for achieving such standards are 
        made closest to the learners;
            (2) creating an integrated and coherent approach to 
        attracting, recruiting, preparing and licensing, appraising, 
        rewarding, retaining, and supporting the continued professional 
        development of teachers (including vocational teachers), 
        administrators, and other educators, including bilingual 
        educators and special education providers, so that there is a 
        highly talented workforce of professional educators capable of 
        preparing all students to reach challenging standards, with 
        special attention to the recruitment, training, and retention 
        of qualified minorities into the education profession within 
        the State to ensure that the profession reflects the racial and 
        ethnic diversity of the student population;
            (3) providing incentives for high performance, such as--
                    (A) working with employers and institutions of 
                higher education to devise strategies to reward student 
                achievement;
                    (B) incentives for classroom teachers, principals, 
                and other professional educators to participate in 
                professional development activities; and
                    (C) school-based incentives for schools and local 
                educational agencies to improve student performance;
            (4) increasing the proportion of State and local funds 
        allocated to direct instructional purposes; and
            (5) increasing flexibility for local educational agencies 
        and schools by, for example--
                    (A) waiving State regulations and other 
                requirements that impede educational improvement;
                    (B) focusing accountability on educational outcomes 
                rather than monitoring compliance with input 
                requirements; and
                    (C) fostering conditions that allow teachers, 
                principals, and parents in the school community to be 
                creative in helping all students meet challenging 
                standards.
    (f) Parental and Community Support and Involvement.--Each State 
plan shall describe strategies for how the State will involve parents 
and other community members in planning, designing, and implementing 
its plan, including such strategies as--
            (1) educating the public about the need for higher 
        standards, systemic improvement, and awareness of diverse 
        learning needs;
            (2) involving parents, communities, and advocacy groups in 
        the standard-setting and improvement process;
            (3) linking the family and school in supporting students to 
        meet the challenging student content and performance standards 
        established;
            (4) reporting, on an ongoing basis, to parents, educators, 
        and the public on the progress in implementing the plan and 
        improving student performance;
            (5) focusing public and private community resources and 
        public school resources on prevention and early intervention to 
        address the needs of all students by--
                    (A) identifying and removing unnecessary 
                regulations and obstacles to coordination;
                    (B) improving communication and information 
                exchange; and
                    (C) providing appropriate training to agency 
                personnel; and
            (6) increasing the access of all students to social 
        services, health care, nutrition, related services, and child 
        care services, and locating such services in schools, 
        cooperating service agencies, community-based centers, or other 
        convenient sites designed to provide ``one-stop shopping'' for 
        parents and students.
    (g) Making the Improvements Systemwide.--To help provide all 
students throughout the State the opportunity to meet challenging State 
standards, each State plan shall describe strategies such as--
            (1) ensuring that the improvement efforts expand from the 
        initial local educational agencies, schools, and educators 
        involved to all local educational agencies, schools, and 
        educators in the State education system through such approaches 
        as teacher and administrator professional development, 
        technical assistance, whole school projects, intensive summer 
        training, and networking of teachers and other educators, 
        consortia of schools, and local educational agencies 
        undertaking similar improvements;
            (2) developing partnerships among preschools, elementary 
        and secondary schools, institutions of higher education, 
        cultural institutions, health and social service providers, and 
        employers to improve teaching and learning at all levels of the 
        education system for all students and to foster collaboration 
        and continuous improvement;
            (3) strategies to provide for the close coordination of 
        standards development and improvement efforts among 
        institutions of higher education and secondary, and elementary 
        schools;
            (4) conducting parental involvement activities and outreach 
        programs aimed at parents whose language is a language other 
        than English, individuals with disabilities, and other special 
        populations, including American Indians, Alaskan Natives, and 
        Native Hawaiians, to involve all segments of the community in 
        the development of the State plan;
            (5) developing partnerships with Indian tribes and schools 
        funded by the Bureau, where appropriate, to improve consistency 
        and compatibility in curriculum among public and such schools 
        funded by the Bureau at all grade levels;
            (6) allocating all available local, State, and Federal 
        resources to achieve system-wide improvement;
            (7) providing for the development of objective criteria and 
        measures against which the success of local plans will be 
        evaluated;
            (8) providing for the availability of curricular materials, 
        learning technologies, including distance learning, and 
        professional development in a manner ensuring equal access by 
        all local educational agencies in the State;
            (9) taking steps to ensure that all local educational 
        agencies, schools, and educators in the State benefit from 
        successful programs and practices supported by funds made 
        available to local educational agencies and schools under this 
        title; and
            (10) providing assistance to students, teachers, schools, 
        and local educational agencies that are identified through the 
        assessment system developed under subsection (c)(5) as needing 
        such assistance.
    (h) Promoting Bottom-Up Reform.--Each State plan shall include 
strategies for ensuring that comprehensive, systemic reform is promoted 
from the bottom up in communities, local educational agencies, and 
schools, as well as guided by coordination and facilitation from State 
leaders, including strategies such as--
            (1) ensuring that the State plan is responsive to the needs 
        and experiences of local educational agencies, schools, 
        teachers, the community, and parents;
            (2) establishing mechanisms for continuous input from local 
        schools, communities, advocacy groups, institutions of higher 
        education, and local educational agencies into, and feedback 
        on, the implementation of the State plan;
            (3) providing discretionary resources that enable teachers 
        and schools to purchase needed professional development and 
        other forms of assistance consistent with their improvement 
        plan from high-quality providers of their choice;
            (4) establishing collaborative networks of teachers 
        centered on content standards and assessments for the purpose 
        of improving teaching and learning;
            (5) providing flexibility to individual schools and local 
        educational agencies to enable them to adapt and integrate 
        State content standards into courses of study appropriate for 
        individual schools and communities;
            (6) facilitating the provision of waivers from State rules 
        and regulations that impede the ability of local educational 
        agencies or schools to carry out local education improvement 
        plans; and
            (7) facilitating communication among educators within and 
        between local educational agencies for the purpose of sharing 
        innovative and effective practices, including, through the use 
        of telecommunications, distance learning, site visits, and 
        other means.
    (i) Coordination with School-to-Work Programs.--If a State has 
received Federal assistance for the purpose of planing for, expanding, 
or establishing a school-to-work program, then a State shall include in 
the State plan a description of how such school-to-work program will be 
incorporated into the school reform efforts of the State. In 
particular, the State plan shall include a description of how secondary 
schools will be modified in order to provide career guidance, the 
integration of academic and vocational education, and work-based 
learning, if such programs are proposed in the State's school-to-work 
plan.
    (j) Benchmarks and Timelines.--Each State plan shall include 
specific benchmarks of improved student performance and of progress in 
implementing the improvement plan, and timelines against which the 
progress of the State in carrying out its plan, including the elements 
described in subsections (c) through (h), can be measured.
    (k) Coordinating Strategies.--Each State plan shall include 
strategies for coordinating the integration of academic and vocational 
instruction pursuant to the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied 
Technology Education Act.
    (l) Program Improvement and Accountability.--Each State shall 
describe--
            (1) how the State will monitor progress towards 
        implementing the State and local plans; and
            (2) procedures the State will use to ensure schools and 
        school districts meet State opportunity-to-learn and content 
        standards within the established time lines.
    (m) Prohibition on Federal Mandates, Direction, and Control.--
Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize an officer or 
employee of the Federal Government to mandate, direct, or control a 
State, local educational agency, or school's curriculum, program of 
instruction, or allocation of State and local resources.
    (n) Peer Review and Secretarial Approval.--(1) The Secretary shall 
review each State improvement plan prepared under this section, and 
each application submitted under section 305, with the assistance and 
advice of State and local education policymakers, educators, classroom 
teachers, related services personnel, experts on educational innovation 
and improvement, parents, advocates for children with disabilities, 
representatives of other advocacy groups, and other appropriate 
individuals. The peer review process shall be performed by individuals 
representative of the diversity of the United States with regard to 
geography, race, ethnicity, gender, and disability. The review of each 
State plan shall include at least one site visit to each State.
    (2) The Secretary shall approve a State's plan when the Secretary 
determines, after considering the peer reviewers' comment, that it--
            (A) reflects a widespread commitment within the State;
            (B) holds reasonable promise of enabling all students to 
        achieve at the high levels called for by this Act;
            (C) meets the requirements of subsections (a) through (k); 
        and
            (D) allows local schools, local educational agencies and 
        communities the flexibility to implement local improvement 
        plans in a manner which reflects local needs and requirements 
        in order to promote a `bottom up' system of school reform.
    (3) The Secretary shall not decline to approve a State's plan, or 
any State application submitted under section 305, before offering the 
State--
            (A) an opportunity to revise its plan or application; and
            (B) a hearing.
    (o) Regular Review.--Each State plan shall include a process for 
regularly reviewing and updating any State content, student 
performance, and opportunity-to-learn standards and assessment systems.
    (p) Amendments to Plan.--(1) Each State shall periodically review 
its plan and revise it, as appropriate, in accordance with the process 
described in subsection (b).
    (2) The Secretary shall review major amendments to a State's plan 
through the same process, described in subsection (j), used to review 
the original plan.
    (q) Preexisting State Plans and Panels.--(1) If a State has 
developed a comprehensive and systemic improvement plan to help all 
students meet challenging standards, or any component of such a plan, 
that otherwise meets the requirements of this section, the Secretary 
may approve such plan or component notwithstanding that it was not 
developed in accordance with subsection (b), if the Secretary 
determines that such approval would further the purposes of State 
systemic education improvement.
    (2) If, before the enactment of this Act, a State has made 
substantial progress in developing a plan that otherwise meets, or is 
likely to meet, the requirements of this section, but was developed by 
a panel that does not meet the requirements of paragraphs (1), (2), and 
(3) of subsection (b), the Secretary may, at the request of the 
Governor and the State educational agency, treat such panel as meeting 
the requirements of this title if the Secretary determines that there 
has been statewide involvement of educators, parents, students, 
advocacy groups, other interested members of the public in the 
development of the plan.

SEC. 307. SECRETARY'S REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS; PAYMENTS.

    (a) First Year.--The Secretary shall approve the initial year 
application of a State educational agency under section 305(b) if the 
Secretary determines that--
            (1) such application meets the requirements of this title; 
        and
            (2) there is a substantial likelihood that the renewal 
        application of the State will be able to develop and implement 
        an education improvement plan that complies with section 306.
    (b) Second Through Fifth Years.--The Secretary shall approve a 
renewal application of a State educational agency under section 305(c) 
for the second through fifth years only if--
            (1)(A) the Secretary has approved the State's improvement 
        plan under section 306(l); or
            (B) the Secretary determines that the State has made 
        substantial progress in developing such plan; and
            (2) such application meets the other requirements of this 
        title.
    (c) Payments.--For any fiscal year for which a State has an 
approved application under this title, the Secretary shall make a grant 
to the State educational agency in the amount determined under section 
304(b).

SEC. 308. STATE USE OF FUNDS.

    (a) First Year.--In the first year for which a State educational 
agency receives a grant under this title, the State--
            (1) shall use at least 75 percent of such funds to make 
        subgrants, in accordance with section 309(a), to local 
        educational agencies for the development or implementation of 
        local improvement plans and to make subgrants, in accordance 
        with section 309(b), to improve educator preservice programs 
        and for professional development activities consistent with the 
        State plan, if the amount allocated to States under section 
        304(b) for such year is at least $50,000,000. The State may use 
        such funds for such subgrants if such amount is less than 
        $50,000,000; and
            (2) shall use the remainder of such funds to develop, 
        revise, expand, or implement an education improvement plan 
        described in section 306.
    (b) Succeeding Years.--A State that receives assistance under this 
title for any year after the first year of participation shall--
            (1) use at least 90 percent of such assistance in each 
        succeeding year to make subgrants--
                    (A) to local educational agencies, in accordance 
                with section 309(a), for the implementation of the 
                State improvement plan and of local improvement plans; 
                and
                    (B) in accordance with section 309(b), to improve 
                educator preservice programs and for professional 
                development activities that are consistent with the 
                State improvement plan; and
            (2) use the remainder of such assistance for State 
        activities designed to implement its improvement plan, such 
        as--
                    (A) supporting the development or adoption of State 
                content and student performance standards, State 
                opportunity-to-learn standards, and assessments linked 
                to the standards, including through consortia of 
                States, and in conjunction with the National Education 
                Standards and Improvement Council established under 
                part B of title II of this Act;
                    (B) supporting the implementation of high-
                performance management and organizational strategies, 
                such as site-based management, shared decisionmaking, 
                or quality management principles, to promote effective 
                implementation of such plan;
                    (C) supporting the development and implementation, 
                at the local educational agency and school building 
                level, of improved human resource development systems 
                for recruiting, selecting, mentoring, supporting, 
                evaluating, and rewarding educators;
                    (D) providing special attention to the needs of 
                minority, limited-English proficient, disabled, and 
                female students, including instructional programs and 
                activities that encourage such students in elementary 
                and secondary schools to aspire to enter post secondary 
                education or training;
                    (E) supporting the development, at the State or 
                local level, of performance-based accountability and 
                incentive systems for schools;
                    (F) outreach related to education improvement to 
                parents, Indian tribal officials, classroom teachers, 
                related services personnel, and other educators, and 
                the public;
                    (G) providing technical assistance and other 
                services to increase the capacity of local educational 
                agencies and schools to develop and implement local 
                systemic improvement plans, implement new assessments, 
                and develop curricula consistent with the content and 
                student performance standards of the State;
                    (H) promoting public magnet schools, public 
                ``charter schools'', and other mechanisms for 
                increasing choice among public schools; and
                    (I) collecting and analyzing data.
    (c) Limit on Administrative Costs.--In each year, a State may use 
not more than four percent of its annual allotment under this title, or 
$100,000, whichever is greater, for administrative expenses, not 
including the activities of the panel established under section 
306(b)(1).

SEC. 309. SUBGRANTS FOR LOCAL REFORM AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

    (a) Subgrants to Local Educational Agencies.--(1)(A) Each State 
educational agency shall make subgrants to local educational agencies 
(or consortia of such agencies) consistent with subsections (a)(1) and 
(b)(1)(A) of section 308 through a competitive process.
    (B) In making such subgrants, the State educational agency shall 
award not less than 1 subgrant in each fiscal year to an urban local 
educational agency and not less than 1 subgrant in each fiscal year to 
a rural local educational agency, except that this provision shall not 
apply to the District of Columbia. Rural local educational agencies may 
include or be represented as a fiscal agent by an education service 
agency.
    (C) Each subgrant shall be for a project of sufficient duration and 
of sufficient size, scope, and quality to carry out the purpose of this 
title effectively.
    (2) A local educational agency wishing to receive a subgrant under 
this title for the purpose of developing a comprehensive local plan 
shall submit an application to the State educational agency. Such 
application shall contain assurances that the local educational agency 
intends to develop a plan that meets the requirements of this section.
    (3) Each local educational agency wishing to receive a subgrant for 
the purpose of implementing a plan under this subsection shall submit a 
local plan to the State educational agency which--
            (A) is developed by a broad-based panel that--
                    (i) is appointed by the local educational agency 
                and is representative of the diversity of students and 
                community with regard to race, language, ethnicity, 
                gender, disability, and socioeconomic characteristics 
                and includes teachers, parents, advocacy groups, school 
                administrators, business representatives, and others, 
                as appropriate; and
                    (ii) shall, following the selection of its members, 
                establish the procedures regarding the operation of the 
                panel, including the designation of the chairperson;
            (B) includes a comprehensive local plan for districtwide 
        education improvement, directed at enabling all students to 
        meet the challenging content and student performance standards 
        of the State, including specific goals and benchmarks, 
        consistent with the State improvement plan (either approved or 
        under development) and includes a strategy for--
                    (i) implementing opportunity-to-learn standards;
                    (ii) improving teaching and learning;
                    (iii) improving governance and management;
                    (iv) generating and strengthening parental and 
                community involvement; and
                    (v) expanding improvements throughout the local 
                educational agency;
            (C) promotes the flexibility of local schools in developing 
        plans which address the particular needs of their school and 
        community and are consistent with the local plan;
            (D) describes a process of broad-based community 
        participation in the development, implementation, and 
        evaluation of the local plan;
            (E) describes how the local educational agency will 
        encourage and assist schools to develop comprehensive school 
        improvement plans that focus on helping all students reach 
        challenging content and student performance standards and that 
        address relevant elements of the improvement plan of the local 
        educational agency identified in subparagraph (B);
            (F) describes how the local educational agency will 
        implement specific programs aimed at ensuring improvements in 
        school readiness and the ability of students to learn 
        effectively at all grade levels by identifying the most 
        pressing needs facing students and their families with regard 
        to social services, health care, nutrition, and child care, and 
        by entering into partnerships with public and private agencies 
        to increase the access of students and families to coordinated 
        services in a school setting or at a nearby site;
            (G) describes how the subgrant will be used by the local 
        educational agency, and the procedures to be used to make funds 
        available to schools in accordance with paragraph (6)(A);
            (H) identifies, with an explanation, any State or Federal 
        requirements that the local educational agency believes impede 
        educational improvement and that such local educational agency 
        requests be waived in accordance with section 311 (such 
        requests shall promptly be transmitted to the Secretary by the 
        State educational agency); and
            (I) contains such other information as the State 
        educational agency may reasonably require.
    (4) A local educational agency which has approved a local plan 
shall submit such plan to the State for approval together with a 
description of modifications to such plan and any comments from the 
local panel regarding such plan.
    (5) The panel appointed under paragraph (3)(A) shall, after 
approval by the State educational agency of the application of the 
local educational agency, monitor the implementation and effectiveness 
of the local improvement plan in close consultation with teachers, 
related services personnel, principals, administrators, community 
members, and parents from schools receiving funds under this title, to 
determine if revisions to the local plan should be recommended to the 
local educational agency. The panel shall make public its findings.
    (6)(A) A local educational agency that receives a subgrant under 
this subsection shall--
            (i) in the first year, use not more than 25 percent of 
        subgrant funds to develop a local improvement plan or to 
        implement any local educational activities approved by the 
        State educational agency which are reasonably related to 
        carrying out the State or local improvement plans, and not less 
        than 75 percent of such funds to support individual school 
        improvement initiatives directly related to providing all 
        students in the school the opportunity to meet challenging 
        State content and student performance standards; and
            (ii) in subsequent years, use subgrant funds for any 
        activities approved by the State educational agency which are 
        reasonably related to carrying out the State or local 
        improvement plans, except that at least 85 percent of such 
        funds shall be made available to individual schools to develop 
        and implement comprehensive school improvement plans which are 
        tailored to meet the needs of their particular student 
        populations and are designed to help all students meet 
        challenging State content standards.
    (B) At least 50 percent of the funds made available by a local 
educational agency to individual schools under this section in any 
fiscal year shall be made available to schools with a special need for 
such assistance, as indicated by a high number or percentage of 
students from low-income families, low student achievement, or other 
similar criteria developed by the local educational agency.
    (C) A local educational agency may not use more than five percent 
of its annual allotment under this Act for administrative expenses.
    (7) The State educational agency shall give priority in awarding a 
subgrant to--
            (A) a consortium of local educational agencies; or
            (B) a local educational agency that makes assurances that 
        funds will be used to assist a consortium of schools that has 
        developed a plan for school improvement.
    (b) Subgrants for Preservice Teacher Education and Professional 
Development Activities.--(1)(A) Each State educational agency shall 
make subgrants to consortia of local educational agencies, institutions 
of higher education, private nonprofit organizations, or combinations 
thereof, consistent with subsections (a)(1) and (b)(1) of section 308 
through a competitive, peer-reviewed process to--
            (i) improve preservice teacher education programs 
        consistent with the State plan, including how to work 
        effectively with parents and the community; and
            (ii) support continuing, sustained professional development 
        activities for educators which will increase student learning 
        and are consistent with the State plan.
    (B)(i) In order to apply for a subgrant described in subparagraph 
(A)(i), a consortium must include at least one local educational agency 
and at least one institution of higher education.
    (ii) In order to apply for a subgrant described in subparagraph 
(A)(ii), a consortium must include at least one local educational 
agency.
    (2) A consortium that wishes to receive a subgrant under this 
subsection shall submit an application to the State educational agency 
which--
            (A) describes how the applicant will use the subgrant to 
        improve teacher preservice and school administrator education 
        programs or to implement educator professional development 
        activities consistent with the State plan;
            (B) identifies the criteria to be used by the applicant to 
        judge improvements in preservice education or the effects of 
        professional development activities consistent with the State 
        plan; and
            (C) contains any other information that the State 
        educational agency determines is appropriate.
    (3) A recipient of a subgrant under this subsection shall use the 
subgrant funds for activities supporting--
            (A) the improvement of preservice teacher education and 
        school administrator programs so that such programs equip 
        educators with the subject matter and pedagogical expertise 
        necessary for preparing all students to meet challenging 
        standards; or
            (B) the development and implementation of new and improved 
        forms of continuing and sustained professional development 
        opportunities for teachers, principals, and other educators at 
        the school or district level that equip educators with such 
        expertise, and with other knowledge and skills necessary for 
        leading and participating in continuous education improvement.
    (4) A recipient may use the subgrant funds under this subsection 
for costs related to release time for teachers to participate in 
professional development activities.
    (5) Professional development shall include related services 
personnel as appropriate.
    (6) In awarding subgrants under this subsection, the State 
educational agency shall give priority to local educational agencies 
that form partnerships with collegiate educators to establish 
professional development school sites.
    (c) Special Award Rule.--(1) Each State educational agency shall 
award at least 50 percent of subgrant funds under subsection (a) in 
each fiscal year to local educational agencies that have a greater 
percentage or number of disadvantaged children than the statewide 
average percentage or number for all local educational agencies in the 
State.
    (2) The State educational agency may waive the requirement of 
paragraph (1) if such State does not receive a sufficient number of 
applications to comply with such requirement.

SEC. 310. AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION AND TRAINING.

    (a) Information and Training.--Proportionate to the number of 
children in a State or in a local educational agency who are enrolled 
in private elementary or secondary schools--
            (1) a State educational agency or local educational agency 
        which uses funds under this title to develop goals, content 
        standards, curricular materials, and assessments shall, upon 
        request, make information related to such goals, standards, 
        materials, and assessments available to private schools; and
            (2) a State educational agency or local educational agency 
        which uses funds under this title for teacher and administrator 
        training shall provide in its plan for the training of teachers 
        and administrators in private schools located in the 
        geographical area served by such agency.
    (b) Waiver.--If, by reason of any provision of law, a State or 
local educational agency is prohibited from providing for the equitable 
participation of teachers and administrators from private schools in 
training programs assisted with Federal funds provided under this 
title, or if the Secretary determines that a State or local educational 
agency has substantially failed or is unwilling to provide for such 
participation, the Secretary shall waive such requirements and shall 
arrange for the provision of training consistent with State goals and 
content standards for such teachers and administrators. Such waivers 
shall be subject to consultation, withholding, notice, and judicial 
review in accordance with section 1017 of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965.

SEC. 311. WAIVERS OF STATUTORY AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) General.--(1) Except as provided in subsection (c), the 
Secretary may waive any requirement of any statute listed in subsection 
(b) or of the regulations issued under such statute for a State 
educational agency, local educational agency, or school that requests 
such a waiver--
            (A) if, and only to the extent that, the Secretary 
        determines that such requirement impedes the ability of the 
        State, or of a local educational agency or school in the State, 
        to carry out the State or local education improvement plan;
            (B) if the State educational agency has waived, or agrees 
        to waive, similar requirements of State law; and
            (C) if, in the case of a Statewide waiver, the State 
        educational agency--
                    (i) provides all local educational agencies and 
                parent organizations in the State with notice and an 
                opportunity to comment on the proposal of the State 
                educational agency to seek a waiver; and
                    (ii) submits the comments of such agencies to the 
                Secretary.
    (2) To request a waiver, a State educational agency, local 
educational agency, or school that receives funds under this Act or a 
local educational agency that does not receive funds under this Act but 
is undertaking school reform efforts that meet the objectives of the 
State plan, shall submit an application to the Secretary that 
includes--
            (A) the identification of statutory or regulatory 
        requirements that are requested to be waived and the goals that 
        the State local educational agency or school intends to 
        achieve;
            (B) a description of the action that the State has 
        undertaken to remove State statutory or regulatory barriers 
        identified in the applications of local educational agencies;
            (C) a description of the goals of the waiver and the 
        expected programmatic outcomes if the request is granted;
            (D) the numbers and types of students to be impacted by 
        such waiver;
            (E) a timetable for implementing a waiver; and
            (F) the process the State will use to monitor, on a 
        biannual basis, the progress in implementing a waiver.
    (3) The Secretary shall act promptly on a waiver request and state 
in writing the reasons for granting or denying such request. If a 
waiver is granted, the Secretary must also include the expected outcome 
of granting such waiver.
    (4) The Secretary's decision shall be--
            (A) published in the Federal Register; and
            (B) disseminated by the State educational agency to 
        interested parties, including educators, parents, students, 
        advocacy and civil rights organizations, other interested 
        parties, and the public.
    (5) Each such waiver shall be for a period not to exceed three 
years. The Secretary may extend such period if the Secretary determines 
that the waiver has been effective in enabling the State or affected 
local educational agencies to carry out reform plans.
    (b) Included Programs.--The statutes subject to the waiver 
authority of this section are as follows:
            (1) Chapter 1 of title I of the Elementary and Secondary 
        Education Act of 1965.
            (2) Part A of chapter 2 of title I of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965.
            (3) The Dwight D. Eisenhower Mathematics and Science 
        Education Act (part A of title II of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965).
            (4) The Emergency Immigrant Education Act of 1984 (part D 
        of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
        1965).
            (5) The Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1986 
        (title V of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
        1965).
            (6) The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology 
        Education Act.
    (c) Waivers Not Authorized.--The Secretary may not waive any 
statutory or regulatory requirement of the programs listed in 
subsection (b) relating to--
            (1) maintenance of effort;
            (2) comparability of services;
            (3) the equitable participation of students and 
        professional staff in private schools;
            (4) parental participation and involvement; or
            (5) the distribution of funds to State or to local 
        educational agencies.
    (d) Termination of Waivers.--The Secretary shall periodically 
review the performance of any State, local educational agency, or 
school for which the Secretary has granted a waiver and shall terminate 
the waiver if the performance of the State, the local educational 
agency, or the school in the area affected by the waiver has been 
inadequate to justify a continuation of the waiver.

SEC. 312. PROGRESS REPORTS.

    (a)  State Reports to the Secretary.--Each State educational agency 
that receives funds under this title shall annually report to the 
Secretary regarding--
            (1) progress in meeting State goals and plans;
            (2) proposed State activities for the succeeding year; and
            (3) in summary form, the progress of local educational 
        agencies in meeting local goals and plans and increasing 
        student learning.
    (b) Secretary's Reports to Congress.--By April 30, 1996, and every 
two years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit a report to the 
Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate describing the 
activities and outcomes of grants under--
            (1) section 220 of this Act, including--
                    (A) a description of the purpose, uses, and 
                technical merit of assessments evaluated with funds 
                under such section; and
                    (B) an analysis of the impact of such assessments 
                on the performance of all students, particularly 
                students of different racial, gender, ethnic, language 
                groups, or individuals with disabilities; and
            (2) this title, including a description of the effect of 
        waivers granted under section 311.

SEC. 313. NATIONAL LEADERSHIP.

    (a) Activities Authorized.--From funds reserved each year under 
section 304(a)(2)(A), the Secretary shall, through the Office of 
Educational Research and Improvement in accordance with the provisions 
of sections 405 and 406 of the General Education Provisions Act, 
directly or through grants or contracts--
            (1) provide technical assistance to States and local 
        educational agencies developing or implementing school 
        improvement plans, in a manner that ensures that each such 
        State has access to such assistance;
            (2) gather data on, conduct research on, and evaluate 
        systemic education improvement, including the programs 
        authorized by this title;
            (3) disseminate research findings and other information on 
        systemic education improvement and how it affects student 
        learning;
            (4) provide grants to tribal divisions of education for 
        coordination efforts between school reform plans developed for 
        schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and public 
        schools described in section 306(g)(5), including tribal 
        activities in support of plans; and
            (5) support national demonstration projects that unite 
        local and State educational agencies, institutions of higher 
        education, government, business, and labor in collaborative 
        arrangements in order to make educational improvements 
        systemwide.
    (b) Reservation of Funds.--(1) The Secretary shall use at least 50 
percent of the funds reserved each year under section 304(a)(2)(A) to 
make grants, consistent with the provisions of section 309(a) that the 
Secretary finds appropriate, and provide technical and other assistance 
to urban and rural local educational agencies with large numbers or 
concentrations of students who are economically disadvantaged or who 
have limited English proficiency, to assist such agencies in developing 
and implementing local school improvement plans.
    (2) The Secretary shall use not less than $1,000,000 of the funds 
reserved the first year under section 304(a)(2)(A) to survey 
coordinated services programs that have been found to be successful in 
helping students and families and improving student outcomes, and shall 
disseminate information about such programs to schools that plan to 
develop coordinated services programs.

SEC. 314. ASSISTANCE TO THE OUTLYING AREAS AND TO THE SECRETARY OF THE 
              INTERIOR.

    (a) Outlying Areas.--(1) Funds reserved for outlying areas under 
section 304(a)(1)(A) shall be distributed among such areas by the 
Secretary according to relative need.
    (2) The provisions of Public Law 95-134, permitting the 
consolidation of grants to the insular areas, shall not apply to funds 
received by such areas under this title.
    (b) Secretary of the Interior.--
            (1) In general.--The funds reserved to the Secretary of the 
        Interior under section 304 shall be made in a payment which 
        shall be pursuant to an agreement between the Secretary and the 
        Secretary of the Interior containing such assurances and terms 
        as the Secretary determines shall best achieve the provisions 
        of this section and this Act. The agreement shall, at a 
        minimum, contain assurances that--
                    (A) a panel, as set forth in paragraph (4) of this 
                subsection, shall be established;
                    (B) a reform and improvement plan, designed to 
                increase student learning and assist students in 
                meeting the National Education Goals, meeting the 
                requirements pertaining to State improvement plans 
                required in section 306 and providing for the 
                fundamental restructuring and improvement of elementary 
                and secondary education in schools funded by the 
                Bureau, shall be developed by such panel; and
                    (C) the provisions and activities required under 
                State improvement plans, including the requirements for 
                timetables for opportunity-to-learn standards, shall be 
                carried out in the same time frames and under the same 
                conditions stipulated for the States in sections 305 
                and 306, provided that for these purposes, the term 
                ``local educational agencies'' shall be interpreted to 
                mean ``schools funded by the Bureau''.
            (2) Voluntary submission.--The provisions applicable to the 
        States in section 213 of this Act shall apply to the Bureau 
        plan with regard to voluntary submission of standards and 
        assessment systems to the National Education Standards and 
        Improvement Council for review and certification.
            (3) Plan specifics.--The reform and improvement plan shall 
        include, in addition to the requirements referenced above, 
        specific provisions for--
                    (A) opportunity to learn standards pertaining to 
                residential programs and transportation costs 
                associated with programs located on or near 
                reservations or serving students in off-reservation 
                residential boarding schools;
                    (B) review and incorporation of the National 
                Education Goals and the voluntary national content, 
                student performance, and opportunity-to-learn standards 
                developed under part B of title II of this Act, 
                provided that such review shall include the issues of 
                cultural and language differences; and
                    (C) provision for coordination of the efforts of 
                the Bureau with the efforts for school improvement of 
                the States and local educational agencies in which the 
                schools funded by the Bureau are located, to include, 
                but not be limited to, the development of the 
                partnerships outlined in section 306(g)(5) of the Act.
            (4) Panel.--To carry out the provisions of this section, 
        and to develop the plan for system-wide reform and improvement 
        required under the agreement required under paragraph (1), the 
        Secretary of the Interior shall establish a panel coordinated 
        by the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs. 
        Such panel shall consist of--
                    (A) the Director of the Office of Indian Education 
                Programs of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and two heads 
                of other divisions of such Bureau as the Assistant 
                Secretary shall designate;
                    (B) a designee of the Secretary of Education; and
                    (C) a representative nominated by each of the 
                following:
                            (i) The organization representing the 
                        majority of teachers and professional personnel 
                        in schools operated by the Bureau.
                            (ii) The organization representing the 
                        majority of nonteaching personnel in schools 
                        operated by the Bureau, if not the same 
                        organization as in clause (i).
                            (iii) School administrators of schools 
                        operated by the Bureau.
                            (iv) Education line officers located in 
                        Bureau area or agency offices serving schools 
                        funded by the Bureau.
                            (v) The organization representing the 
                        majority of contract or grant schools funded by 
                        the Bureau not serving students on the Navajo 
                        reservation.
                            (vi) The organization representing the 
                        majority of contract or grant schools funded by 
                        the Bureau serving students on the Navajo 
                        reservation.
                            (vii) The organization representing the 
                        school boards required by statute for schools 
                        operated by the Bureau not serving students on 
                        the Navajo reservation.
                            (viii) The organization representing the 
                        school boards required by statute for schools 
                        funded by the Bureau serving students on the 
                        Navajo reservation.
        Including the additional members required by paragraph (5), a 
        majority of the members of such panel shall be from the 
        entities designated under subparagraph (C).
            (5) Additional members.--In addition, the members of the 
        panel stipulated above shall designate for full membership four 
        additional members--
                    (A) one of whom shall be a representative of a 
                national organization which represents primarily 
                national Indian education concerns; and
                    (B) three of whom shall be chairpersons (or their 
                designees) of Indian tribes with schools funded by the 
                Bureau on their reservations (other than those 
                specifically represented by organizations referred to 
                in paragraph (4)), provided that preference for no less 
                than two of these members shall be given to Indian 
                tribes with a significant number of schools funded by 
                the Bureau on their reservations, or with a significant 
                percentage of their children enrolled in schools funded 
                by the Bureau.
    (c) BIA Cost Analysis.--
            (1) In general.--(A) The Secretary of the Interior shall 
        reserve from the first allotment made to the Department of the 
        Interior pursuant to section 304 an amount not to exceed 
        $500,000 to provide, through the National Academy of Sciences, 
        for an analysis of the costs associated with meeting the 
        academic and home-living/residential standards of the Bureau of 
        Indian Affairs for each school funded by such Bureau. The 
        purpose of such analysis shall be to provide the Bureau and the 
        Panel with baseline data regarding the current state of 
        operations funded by the Bureau and to provide a framework for 
        addressing the implementation of opportunity-to-learn 
        standards.
            (B) The results of such analysis shall be reported, in 
        aggregate and school specific form, to the chairpersons and 
        ranking minority members of the Committees on Education and 
        Labor and Appropriations of the House of Representatives and 
        the Select Committee on Indian Affairs and the Committee on 
        Appropriations of the Senate, and to the Secretary of the 
        Interior, the Secretary of Education (who shall transmit the 
        report to the proper entities under this Act), and the 
        Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs, not 
        later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act.
            (2) Content.--Such analysis shall evaluate the costs of 
        providing a program in each school for the next succeeding 
        academic year and shall be based on--
                    (A) the standards either published in the Federal 
                Register as having effect in schools operated by the 
                Bureau on the date of enactment of this Act or the 
                standards incorporated into each grant or contract in 
                effect on such date with a tribally controlled school 
                funded under section 1128 of Public Law 95-561 (as 
                amended);
                    (B) the best projections of student counts and 
                demographics, as provided by the Bureau and as 
                independently reviewed by the Academy; and
                    (C) the pay and benefit schedules and other 
                personnel requirements for each school operated by the 
                Bureau, as existing on the date of enactment.
    (d) Secretary of Defense.--The Secretary shall consult with the 
Secretary of Defense to ensure that, to the extent practicable, the 
purposes of this title are applied to the Department of Defense 
schools.

                TITLE IV--NATIONAL SKILL STANDARDS BOARD

SEC. 401. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this title to establish a National Board to 
serve as a catalyst in stimulating the development and adoption of a 
voluntary national system of skill standards and certification that 
will serve as a cornerstone of the national strategy to enhance 
workforce skills, and that can be used, consistent with Federal civil 
rights laws--
            (1) by the Nation, to ensure the development of a high 
        skills, high quality, high performance workforce, including the 
        most skilled front-line workforce in the world, and that will 
        result in increased productivity, economic growth and American 
        economic competitiveness;
            (2) by industries, as a vehicle for informing training 
        providers and prospective employees of skills necessary for 
        employment;
            (3) by employers, to assist in evaluating the skill levels 
        of prospective employees and to assist in the training of 
        current employees;
            (4) by labor organizations, to enhance the employment 
        security of workers by providing portable credentials and 
        skills;
            (5) by workers, to obtain certifications of their skills to 
        protect against dislocation, to pursue career advancement, and 
        to enhance their ability to reenter the workforce;
            (6) by students and entry level workers, to determine the 
        skill levels and competencies needed to be obtained in order to 
        compete effectively for high wage jobs;
            (7) by training providers and educators, to determine 
        appropriate training services to offer;
            (8) by Government, to evaluate whether publicly-funded 
        training assists participants to meet skill standards where 
        they exist and thereby protect the integrity of public 
        expenditures;
            (9) to facilitate the transition to high performance work 
        organizations;
            (10) to increase opportunities for minorities and women, 
        including removing barriers to the entry of women in non-
        traditional employment; and
            (11) to facilitate linkages between other components of the 
        workforce investment strategy, including school-to-work 
        transition, secondary and postsecondary vocational-technical 
        education, and job training programs.

SEC. 402. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL BOARD.

    (a) In General.--There is established a National Skill Standards 
Board (in this title referred to as the ``National Board'').
    (b) Composition.--
            (1) In general.--The National Board shall be composed of 28 
        members, appointed in accordance with paragraph (3), of whom--
                    (A) one member shall be the Secretary of Labor;
                    (B) one member shall be the Secretary of Education;
                    (C) one member shall be the Secretary of Commerce;
                    (D) one member shall be the Chairperson of the 
                National Education Standards and Improvement Council 
                established pursuant to section 212(a);
                    (E) eight members shall be representatives of small 
                and large business and industry selected from among 
                individuals recommended by recognized national business 
                organizations and trade associations;
                    (F) eight members shall be representatives of 
                organized labor selected from among individuals 
                recommended by recognized national labor federations; 
                and
                    (G) eight members shall be representatives from the 
                following groups, with at least one member from each 
                group:
                            (i) Educational institutions.
                            (ii) Community-based organizations.
                            (iii) State and local governments.
                            (iv) Nongovernmental organizations with a 
                        demonstrated history of successfully protecting 
                        the rights of racial, ethnic and religious 
                        minorities, women, persons with disabilities or 
                        older persons.
            (2) Diversity requirements.--The members described in 
        subparagraph (G) of paragraph (1) shall have expertise in the 
        area of education and training. The members described in 
        subparagraphs (E), (F), and (G) of paragraph (1) shall--
                    (A) in the aggregate, represent a broad cross-
                section of occupations and industries; and
                    (B) to the extent feasible, be geographically 
                representative of the United States and reflect the 
                racial, ethnic and gender diversity of the United 
                States.
            (3) Appointment.--The membership of the National Board 
        shall be appointed as follows:
                    (A) Twelve members (four from each class of members 
                described in subparagraphs (E), (F), and (G) of 
                paragraph (1)) shall be appointed by the President.
                    (B) Six members (two from each class of members 
                described in subparagraphs (E), (F), and (G) of 
                paragraph (1)) shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
                House of Representatives, of whom three members (one 
                from each class of members described in subparagraphs 
                (E), (F), and (G) of paragraph (1)) shall be selected 
                from recommendations made by the Majority Leader of the 
                House of Representatives and three members (one from 
                each class of members described in subparagraphs (E), 
                (F), and (G) of paragraph (1)) shall be selected from 
                recommendations made by the Minority Leader of the 
                House of Representatives.
                    (C) Six members (two from each class of members 
                described in subparagraphs (E), (F), and (G) of 
                paragraph (1)) shall be appointed by the President pro 
                tempore of the Senate, of whom three members (one from 
                each class of members described in subparagraphs (E), 
                (F), and (G) of paragraph (1)) shall be selected from 
                recommendations made by the Majority Leader of the 
                Senate and three members (one from each class of 
                members described in subparagraphs (E), (F), and (G) of 
                paragraph (1)) shall be selected from recommendations 
                made by the Minority Leader of the Senate.
            (4) Term.--Each member of the National Board appointed 
        under subparagraphs (E), (F), and (G) of paragraph (1) shall be 
        appointed for a term of 4 years, except that of the initial 
        members of the Board appointed under such paragraph--
                    (A) twelve members shall be appointed for a term of 
                3 years (four from each class of members described in 
                subparagraphs (E), (F), and (G) of paragraph (1)), of 
                whom--
                            (i) two from each class shall be appointed 
                        in accordance with paragraph (3)(A);
                            (ii) one from each such class shall be 
                        appointed in accordance with paragraph (3)(B); 
                        and
                            (iii) one from each such class shall be 
                        appointed in accordance with paragraph (3)(C); 
                        and
                    (B) twelve members shall be appointed for a term of 
                4 years (four from each class of members described in 
                subparagraphs (E), (F), and (G) of paragraph (1)), of 
                whom--
                            (i) two from each such class shall be 
                        appointed in accordance with paragraph (3)(A);
                            (ii) one from each such class shall be 
                        appointed in accordance with paragraph (3)(B); 
                        and
                            (iii) one from each such class shall be 
                        appointed in accordance with paragraph (3)(C).
    (c) Chairperson and Vice Chairpersons.--
            (1) Chairperson.--The National Board shall biennially elect 
        a Chairperson from among the members of the National Board by a 
        majority vote of such members.
            (2) Vice chairpersons.--The National Board shall annually 
        elect 3 Vice Chairpersons (each representing a different class 
        of the classes of members described in subparagraphs (E), (F), 
        and (G) of subsection (b)(1)) from among its members appointed 
        under subsection (b)(3) by a majority vote of such members, 
        each of whom shall serve for a term of 1 year.
    (d) Compensation and Expenses.--
            (1) Compensation.--Members of the National Board who are 
        not regular full-time employees or officers of the Federal 
        Government shall serve without compensation.
            (2) Expenses.--The members of the National Board shall 
        receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
        subsistence, in accordance with subchapter I of chapter 57, 
        title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes or 
        regular places of business in the performance of services for 
        the National Board.
    (e) Executive Director and Staff.--The Chairperson of the National 
Board shall appoint an Executive Director, who shall be compensated at 
a rate determined by the National Board that shall not exceed the rate 
of pay for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of 
title 5, United States Code, and who shall appoint such staff as is 
necessary in accordance with title 5, United States Code. Such staff 
shall include at least one individual with expertise in measurement and 
assessment.
    (f) Agency Support.--
            (1) Use of facilities.--The National Board may use the 
        research, equipment, services and facilities of any agency or 
        instrumentality of the United States with the consent of such 
        agency or instrumentality.
            (2) Staff of federal agencies.--Upon the request of the 
        National Board, the head of any department or agency of the 
        United States may detail to the National Board, on a 
        reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of such department or 
        agency to assist the National Board in carrying out this title.
    (g) Conflict of Interest.--An individual who has served as a member 
of the National Board may not have any financial interest in an 
assessment and certification system developed or endorsed under this 
title for a period of three years after the termination of service of 
such individual from the National Board.

SEC. 403. FUNCTIONS OF THE NATIONAL BOARD.

    (a) Identification of Occupational Clusters.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the National 
        Board, after extensive public review and comment and study of 
        the national labor market, shall identify broad clusters of 
        major occupations that involve one or more than one industry in 
        the United States.
            (2) Procedures for identification.--Prior to identifying 
        broad clusters of major occupations under paragraph (1), the 
        National Board shall--
                    (A) develop procedures for the identification of 
                such clusters;
                    (B) publish such procedures in the Federal 
                Register; and
                    (C) allow for extensive public review of and 
                comment on such procedures.
    (b) Voluntary Partnerships to Develop Standards.--
            (1) In general.--For each of the occupational clusters 
        identified pursuant to subsection (a), the National Board shall 
        encourage and facilitate the establishment of voluntary 
        partnerships to develop a skill standards system in accordance 
        with subsection (d).
            (2) Representatives.--Such voluntary partnerships shall 
        include the full and balanced participation of--
                    (A) representatives of business and industry who 
                have expertise in the area of workforce skill 
                requirements, including representatives of large and 
                small employers, recommended by national business 
                organizations and trade associations representing 
                employers in the occupation or industry for which a 
                standard is being developed, and representatives of 
                trade associations that have received demonstration 
                grants from the Department of Labor or the Department 
                of Education to establish skill standards prior to the 
                enactment of this title;
                    (B) employee representatives who have expertise in 
                the area of workforce skill requirements and who shall 
                be--
                            (i) individuals recommended by recognized 
                        national labor organizations representing 
                        employees in the occupation or industry for 
                        which a standard is being developed; and
                            (ii) such other individuals who are 
                        nonmanagerial employees with significant 
                        experience and tenure in such occupation or 
                        industry as are appropriate given the nature 
                        and structure of employment in the occupation 
                        or industry;
                    (C) representatives of--
                            (i) educational institutions;
                            (ii) community-based organizations;
                            (iii) State and local agencies with 
                        administrative control or direction over 
                        education, vocational-technical education, or 
                        employment and training;
                            (iv) other policy development organizations 
                        with expertise in the area of workforce skill 
                        requirements; and
                            (v) non-governmental organizations with a 
                        demonstrated history of successfully protecting 
                        the rights of racial, ethnic, and religious 
                        minorities, women, individuals with 
                        disabilities, and older persons; and
                    (D) individuals with expertise in measurement and 
                assessment, including relevant experience in designing 
                unbiased assessments and performance-based assessments.
            (3) Experts.--The partnerships described in paragraph (1) 
        may also include such other individuals who are independent, 
        qualified experts in their fields.
    (c) Research, Dissemination, and Coordination.--In order to support 
the development of a skill standards system in accordance with 
subsection (d), the National Board shall--
            (1) conduct workforce research relating to skill standards 
        (including research relating to how to use skill standards in 
        compliance with civil rights laws) and make such research 
        available to the public, including the partnerships described 
        in subsection (b);
            (2) identify and maintain a catalog of skill standards used 
        by other countries and by States and leading firms and 
        industries in the United States;
            (3) serve as a clearinghouse to facilitate the sharing of 
        information on the development of skill standards and other 
        relevant information among representatives of occupations and 
        industries identified pursuant to subsection (a), the voluntary 
        partnerships recognized pursuant to subsection (b), and among 
        education and training providers through such mechanisms as the 
        Capacity Building and Information and Dissemination Network 
        established under section 453(b) of the Job Training 
        Partnership Act;
            (4) develop a common nomenclature relating to skill 
        standards;
            (5) encourage the development and adoption of curricula and 
        training materials for attaining the skill standards developed 
        pursuant to subsection (d) that include structured work 
        experiences and related study programs leading to progressive 
        levels of professional and technical certification and 
        postsecondary education;
            (6) provide appropriate technical assistance; and
            (7) facilitate coordination among voluntary partnerships 
        that meet the requirements of subsection (b) to promote the 
        development of a coherent national system of voluntary skill 
        standards.
    (d) Endorsement of Skill Standards Systems.--
            (1) Development of endorsement criteria.--
                    (A) In general.--The National Board, after 
                extensive public consultation, shall develop objective 
                criteria for endorsing skills standards systems 
                relating to the occupational clusters identified 
                pursuant to subsection (a). Such criteria shall, at a 
                minimum, include the components of a skill standards 
                system described in subparagraph (B). The endorsement 
                criteria shall be published in the Federal Register, 
                and updated as appropriate.
                    (B) Components of system.--The components of a 
                skill standards systems shall include the following:
                            (i) Voluntary skill standards, which at a 
                        minimum--
                                    (I) meet or exceed, to the extent 
                                practicable, the highest standards used 
                                in other countries and the highest 
                                international standards;
                                    (II) meet or exceed the highest 
                                applicable standards used in the United 
                                States, including apprenticeship 
                                standards registered under the National 
                                Apprenticeship Act;
                                    (III) take into account content and 
                                performance standards certified 
                                pursuant to title II;
                                    (IV) take into account the 
                                requirements of high performance work 
                                organizations;
                                    (V) are in a form that allows for 
                                regular updating to take into account 
                                advances in technology or other 
                                developments within the occupational 
                                cluster;
                                    (VI) are formulated in such a 
                                manner that promotes the portability of 
                                credentials and facilitates worker 
                                mobility within an occupational cluster 
                                or industry and among industries; and
                                    (VII) are not discriminatory with 
                                respect to race, color, gender, age, 
                                religion, ethnicity, disability, or 
                                national origin, consistent with 
                                Federal civil rights laws.
                            (ii) A voluntary assessment system and 
                        certification of the attainment of skill 
                        standards developed pursuant to subparagraph 
                        (A), which at a minimum--
                                    (I) takes into account, to the 
                                extent practicable, methods of 
                                assessment and certification used in 
                                other countries;
                                    (II) utilizes a variety of 
                                evaluation techniques, including, where 
                                appropriate, oral and written 
                                evaluations, portfolio assessments and 
                                performance tests; and
                                    (III) includes methods for 
                                establishing that the assessment and 
                                certification system is not 
                                discriminatory with respect to race, 
                                color, gender, age, religion, 
                                ethnicity, disability, or national 
                                origin, consistent with Federal civil 
                                rights laws.
                            (iii) A system to promote the use of and to 
                        disseminate information relating to skill 
                        standards, and assessment and certification 
                        systems developed pursuant to this paragraph 
                        (including dissemination of information 
                        relating to civil rights laws relevant to the 
                        use of such standards and systems) to entities 
                        such as institutions of postsecondary education 
                        offering professional and technical education, 
                        labor organizations, trade associations, 
                        employers providing formalized training and 
                        other organizations likely to benefit from such 
                        systems.
                            (iv) A system to evaluate the 
                        implementation of the skill standards, and 
                        assessment and certification systems developed 
                        pursuant to this paragraph, and the 
                        effectiveness of the information disseminated 
                        pursuant to subparagraph (C) for informing the 
                        users of such standards and systems of the 
                        requirements of relevant civil rights laws.
                            (v) A system to periodically revise and 
                        update the skill standards, and assessment and 
                        certification systems developed pursuant to 
                        this paragraph, which will take into account 
                        changes in standards in other countries.
            (2) Endorsement.--The National Board, after extensive 
        public review and comment, shall endorse those skill standards 
        systems relating to the occupational clusters identified 
        pursuant to subsection (a) that--
                    (A) meet the objective endorsement criteria that 
                are developed pursuant to paragraph (1); and
                    (B) are submitted by partnerships that meet the 
                representation requirements of subsection (b)(2).
    (e) Relationship With Antidiscrimination Laws.--
            (1) In general.--Nothing in this title shall be construed 
        to modify or affect any Federal or State law prohibiting 
        discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, 
        ethnicity, national origin, gender, age, or disability.
            (2) Evidence.--The endorsement or absence of an endorsement 
        by the Board of a skill standard or assessment and 
        certification system under subsection (d) shall not be used in 
        any action or proceeding to establish that the skill standard 
        or assessment and certification system conforms or does not 
        conform to the requirements of civil rights laws.
    (f) Coordination With Education Standards.--The National Board 
shall establish cooperative arrangements with the National Education 
Standards and Improvement Council to promote the coordination of the 
development of skill standards under this title with the development of 
content and performance standards under title II.
    (g) Financial Assistance.--
            (1) In general.--From funds appropriated pursuant to 
        section 406(a), the Secretary of Labor may award grants 
        (including grants to the voluntary partnerships in accordance 
        with paragraph (2)) and enter into contracts and cooperative 
        arrangements that are requested by the National Board for the 
        purposes of carrying out this title.
            (2) Grant programs for voluntary partnerships.--
                    (A) Eligibility and application.--Voluntary 
                partnerships that meet the requirements of subsection 
                (b) shall be eligible to apply for a grant under this 
                subsection. Each such voluntary partnership desiring a 
                grant shall submit an application to the National Board 
                at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such 
                information as the National Board may reasonably 
                require.
                    (B) Review and recommendation.--The National Board 
                shall review each application submitted pursuant to 
                subparagraph (A) in accordance with the objective 
                criteria published pursuant to subparagraph (C) and 
                shall forward each such application to the Secretary of 
                Labor accompanied by a recommendation for the approval 
                or disapproval of each such application by the 
                Secretary.
                    (C) Criteria for review.--Prior to each fiscal 
                year, the National Board shall publish objective 
                criteria to be used by the Board in reviewing 
                applications under subparagraph (B).
            (3) Limitation on the use of funds.--
                    (A) In general.--Not more than 20 percent of the 
                funds appropriated under section 406(a) for each fiscal 
                year shall be used by the National Board for the costs 
                of administration.
                    (B) Costs of administration defined.--For purposes 
                of this paragraph, the term ``costs of administration'' 
                means costs relating to staff, supplies, equipment, 
                space, travel and per diem, costs of conducting 
                meetings and conferences, and other related costs.

SEC. 404. DEADLINES.

    Not later than December 31, 1996, the National Board shall--
            (1) identify occupational clusters pursuant to section 
        403(a) representing a substantial portion of the workforce; and
            (2) promote the development of an initial set of skill 
        standards in accordance with section 403(d) for such clusters.

SEC. 405. REPORTS.

    The National Board shall submit to the President and the Congress 
in each fiscal year a report on the activities conducted under this 
title, including the extent to which skill standards have been adopted 
by employers, training providers, and other entities and the 
effectiveness of such standards in accomplishing the purposes described 
in section 401.

SEC. 406. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
$15,000,000 for fiscal year 1994 and such sums as may be necessary for 
each of the fiscal years 1995 through 1998 to carry out this title.
    (b) Availability.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) 
shall remain available until expended.

SEC. 407. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this title, the following definitions apply:
            (1) Community-based organizations.--The term ``community-
        based organizations'' means such organizations as defined in 
        section 4(5) of the Job Training Partnership Act.
            (2) Educational institution.--The term ``educational 
        institution'' means a high school, a vocational school, and an 
        institution of higher education.
            (3) Skill standard.--The term ``skill standard'' means the 
        level of knowledge and competence required to successfully 
        perform work-related functions within an occupational cluster.

                         TITLE V--MISCELLANEOUS

SEC. 501. DEFINITIONS.

    As used in this Act--
            (1) the terms ``all students'' and ``all children'' mean 
        students or children from a broad range of backgrounds and 
        circumstances, including disadvantaged students, students with 
        diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, American 
        Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, students with 
        disabilities, students with limited-English proficiency, 
        migrant children, school-aged children who have dropped out, 
        migrant children, and academically talented students;
            (2) the term ``assessment system'' means measures of 
        student performance which include at least 1 test, and may 
        include other measures of student performance, for a specific 
        purpose and use which are intended to evaluate the progress of 
        all students in the State toward learning the material in State 
        content standards in 1 or more subject areas;
            (3) the terms ``community'', ``public'', and ``advocacy 
        group'' are to be interpreted to include representatives of 
        organizations advocating for the education of American Indian, 
        Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children and Indian tribes;
            (4) the term ``content standards'' means broad descriptions 
        of the knowledge and skills students should acquire in a 
        particular subject area;
            (5) the term ``Governor'' means the chief executive of the 
        State;
            (6) the terms ``local educational agency'' and ``State 
        educational agency'' have the meaning given those terms in 
        section 1471 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
        1965;
            (7) the term ``opportunity-to-learn standards'' means the 
        criteria for, and the basis of, assessing the sufficiency or 
        quality of the resources, practices, and conditions necessary 
        at each level of the education system (schools, local 
        educational agencies, and States) to provide all students with 
        an opportunity to learn the material in national or State 
        content standards;
            (8) the term ``outlying areas'' means Guam, American Samoa, 
        the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
        Islands, and Palau (until the effective date of the Compact of 
        Free Association with the Government of Palau);
            (9) the term ``performance standards'' means concrete 
        examples and explicit definitions of what students have to know 
        and be able to do to demonstrate that they are proficient in 
        the skills and knowledge framed by content standards;
            (10) the term ``related services'' has the same meaning 
        given such term under section 602(17) of the Individuals with 
        Disabilities Education Act;
            (11) the term ``school'' means a school that is under the 
        authority of the State educational agency and a local 
        educational agency or, for the purpose of carrying out section 
        314(b), a school that is operated or funded by the Bureau of 
        Indian Affairs;
            (12) the term ``Secretary'', except where used in title IV, 
        means the Secretary of Education; and
            (13) except as otherwise provided, the term ``State'' means 
        each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the 
        Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and each of the outlying areas.

SEC. 502. LIMITATIONS.

    (a) Assessments.--No funds provided under titles II or III of this 
Act shall be used to undertake assessments that will be used to make 
decisions regarding the graduation, grade promotion, or retention of 
students for five years after the date of enactment of this Act.
    (b) Public School.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed to 
authorize the use of funds under title III (except as provided in 
section 310) to directly or indirectly benefit any school other than a 
public school.

SEC. 503. ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS ACTIVITIES.

    Section 421(h) of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied 
Technology Education Act (20 U.S.C. 2421(h)) is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``(1)'' after ``(h)''; and
            (2) by inserting at the end the following:
    ``(2)(A) Notwithstanding any provision of section 406 of the 
General Education Provisions Act, the Commissioner of Education 
Statistics may authorize a State educational agency or a consortium of 
such agencies to use items and data from the National Assessment of 
Educational Progress for the purpose of evaluating a course of study 
related to vocational education, if the Commissioner has determined, in 
writing, that such use will not--
            ``(i) result in the identification of characteristics or 
        performance of individual students or schools;
            ``(ii) result in the ranking or comparing of schools or 
        local educational agencies;
            ``(iii) be used to evaluate the performance of teachers, 
        principals, or other local educators for the purpose of 
        dispensing rewards or punishments; or
            ``(iv) corrupt or harm the use and value of data collected 
        for the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
    ``(B) Not later than 60 days after making an authorization under 
subsection (a), the Commissioner shall submit to the Committee on 
Education and Labor of the House of Representatives and to the 
Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate, a report which 
contains--
            ``(i) a copy of the request for such authorization;
            ``(ii) a copy of the written determination under subsection 
        (a); and
            ``(iii) a description of the details and duration of such 
        authorization.
    ``(C) The Commissioner may not grant more than one such 
authorization in any fiscal year and shall ensure that the authorized 
use of items or data from the National Assessment is evaluated for 
technical merit and for its affect on the National Assessment of 
Educational Progress. The results of such evaluations shall be promptly 
reported to the committees specified in subparagraph (B).''.

SEC. 504. COMPLIANCE WITH BUY AMERICAN ACT.

    No funds appropriated pursuant to this Act may be expended by an 
entity unless the entity agrees that in expending the assistance the 
entity will comply with sections 2 through 4 of the Act of March 3, 
1993 (41 U.S.C. 10a-10c, popularly known as the ``Buy American Act'').

SEC. 505. SENSE OF CONGRESS; REQUIREMENT REGARDING NOTICE.

    (a) Purchase of American-Made Equipment and Products.--In the case 
of any equipment or products that may be authorized to be purchased 
with financial assistance provided under this Act, it is the sense of 
the Congress that entities receiving such assistance should, in 
expending the assistance, purchase only American-made equipment and 
products.
    (b) Notice to Recipients of Assistance.--In providing financial 
assistance under this Act, the head of each Federal agency shall 
provide to each recipient of the assistance a notice describing the 
statement made in subsection (a) by the Congress.

SEC. 506. PROHIBITION OF CONTRACTS.

    If it has been finally determined by a court or Federal agency that 
any person intentionally affixed a label bearing a ``Made in America'' 
inscription, or any inscription with the same meaning to any product 
sold in or shipped to the United States that is not made in the United 
States, such person shall be ineligible to receive any contract or 
subcontract made with funds provided pursuant to this Act, pursuant to 
the debarment, suspension, and ineligibility procedures described in 
section 9.400 through 9.409 of title 48, Code of Federal Regulations.

              TITLE VI--PARENTAL INFORMATION AND RESOURCES

SEC. 601. PARENTAL INFORMATION AND RESOURCES

    (a) Authorization.--The Secretary of Education is authorized to 
make grants each year to nonprofit organizations for the purpose of 
providing training and information to parents of children, aged birth 
to 5 years, and children enrolled in participating schools and to 
individuals who work with such parents to encourage a more effective 
working relationship with professionals in meeting the educational 
needs of children, aged birth to 5 years, and children enrolled in 
participating schools.
    (b) Grants.--Such grants shall--
            (1) be designed to meet the unique training and information 
        needs of parents of children, aged birth to 5 years, and 
        children enrolled in participating schools, particularly 
        parents who are severely disadvantaged educationally or 
        economically;
            (2) be distributed geographically to the greatest extent 
        possible throughout all the States and give priority to grants 
        which serve areas with high concentrations of low-income 
        families;
            (3) be targeted to parents of children, aged birth to 5 
        years, and children enrolled in participating schools in rural, 
        suburban, and urban areas;
            (4) serve parents of low-income and minority children, aged 
        birth to 5 years, and children enrolled in participating 
        schools, including limited-English-proficient children;
            (5) be funded at a sufficient size, scope, and quality to 
        ensure that the program is adequate to serve the parents in the 
        area; and
            (6) include funds to establish, expand, and operate 
        Teachers as Parents programs.

SEC. 602. ELIGIBILITY.

    (a) Representation.--To receive a grant under section 601, a 
nonprofit organization shall meet the following requirements:
            (1) Be governed by a board of directors in which the 
        membership includes, or be an organization that represents the 
        interests of, parents and establish a special advisory 
        committee in which the membership includes--
                    (A) parents of children, aged birth to 5 years, and 
                children enrolled in participating schools; and
                    (B) representation of education professionals with 
                expertise in improving services for disadvantaged 
                children.
            (2) Provide that the parent and professional membership of 
        the board or special advisory committee is broadly 
        representative of minority, low-income, and other individuals 
        and groups that have an interest in compensatory education and 
        family literacy.
            (3) Demonstrate the capacity and expertise to conduct 
        effective training and information activities for which a grant 
        may be made.
            (4) Network with clearinghouses, other organizations and 
        agencies, and with other established national, State, and local 
        parent groups representing the full range of parents of 
        children, aged birth to 5 years, and children enrolled in 
        participating schools, especially parents of low-income and 
        minority children.
    (b) Requirements.--The Board of Directors or special governing 
committee of an organization receiving a grant under this title shall 
meet at least once each calendar quarter to review the parent training 
and information activities for which the grant is made.
    (c) Grant Renewal.--Whenever an organization requests the renewal 
of a grant under section 601 for a fiscal year, the Board of Directors 
or the special advisory committee shall submit to the Secretary a 
written review of the parent training and information program conducted 
by such organization during the preceding fiscal year.

SEC. 603. USES OF FUNDS.

    Grants received under this title may be used--
            (1) for parent training and information programs that 
        assist parents to--
                    (A) better understand their children's educational 
                needs;
                    (B) provide follow up support for their children's 
                educational achievement;
                    (C) communicate more effectively with teachers, 
                counselors, administrators, and other professional 
                educators and support staff;
                    (D) participate in the design and provision of 
                assistance to students who are not making adequate 
                progress;
                    (E) obtain information about the range of options, 
                programs, services, and resources available at the 
                national, State, and local levels to assist parents of 
                children, aged birth to 5 years, and children enrolled 
                in participating schools and their parents;
                    (F) seek technical assistance regarding compliance 
                with the requirements of this Act and of other Federal 
                programs relevant to achieving the goals of this Act;
                    (G) participate in State and local decision-making;
                    (H) train other parents; and
                    (I) plan, implement, and fund activities that 
                coordinate the education of their children with other 
                Federal programs that serve such children or their 
                families;
            (2) to include State or local educational personnel where 
        such participation would further an objective of the program 
        assisted by the grant; and
            (3) to establish a parent training and information center 
        to carry out the activities in paragraphs (1) and (2) and to 
        represent parent interests at the State level, including 
        participation in the design of the public outreach process 
        described in section 306(b)(6), submitting recommendations 
        concerning State standards and plans, and commenting on 
        proposed waivers under this Act.

SEC. 604. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

     The Secretary shall provide technical assistance, by grant or 
contract, for the establishment, development, and coordination of 
parent training and information programs and centers.

SEC. 605. EXPERIMENTAL CENTERS.

     After the establishment in each State of a parent training and 
information center, the Secretary shall provide for the establishment 
of 5 additional experimental centers, 3 to be located in urban areas 
and 2 in rural areas where there are large concentrations of poverty.

SEC. 606. REPORTS.

    Not later than June 30, 1995, and not later than June 30 each 
succeeding year, the Secretary shall obtain data concerning programs 
and centers assisted under this title, including--
            (1) the number of parents, including the number of minority 
        and limited-English-proficient parents, who receive information 
        and training;
            (2) the types and modes of information or training 
        provided; and
            (3) the strategies used to reach and serve parents of 
        minority and limited-English-proficient children and parents 
        with limited literacy skills.

SEC. 607. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for fiscal year 
1994 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 
1995 through 1998.

            Passed the House of Representatives October 13, 1993

            Attest:






                                                                 Clerk.

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