[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1804 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

<DOC>

        H.R.1804

                       One Hundred Third Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
 the twenty-fifth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-
                                  four


                                 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act (other than titles V and IX) may be 
cited as the ``Goals 2000: Educate America Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Purpose.
Sec. 3. Definitions.

                    TITLE I--NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS

Sec. 101. Purpose.
Sec. 102. National education goals.

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

                 Part A--National Education Goals Panel

Sec. 201. Purpose.
Sec. 202. National Education Goals Panel.
Sec. 203. Duties.
Sec. 204. Powers of the Goals Panel.
Sec. 205. Administrative provisions.
Sec. 206. Director and staff; experts and consultants.
Sec. 207. Early childhood assessment.

      Part B--National Education Standards and Improvement Council

Sec. 211. Purpose.
Sec. 212. National Education Standards and Improvement Council.
Sec. 213. Duties.
Sec. 214. Annual reports.
Sec. 215. Powers of the Council.
Sec. 216. Publication for public comment.
Sec. 217. Administrative provisions.
Sec. 218. Director and staff; experts and consultants.
Sec. 219. Opportunity-To-Learn Development Grant.
Sec. 220. Assessment development and evaluation grants.
Sec. 221. Evaluation.

              Part C--Leadership in Educational Technology

Sec. 231. Purposes.
Sec. 232. Federal leadership.
Sec. 233. Office of educational technology.
Sec. 234. Uses of funds.
Sec. 235. Non-Federal share.
Sec. 236. Office of training technology transfer.

                 Part D--Authorization of Appropriations

Sec. 241. Authorization of appropriations.

        TITLE III--STATE AND LOCAL EDUCATION SYSTEMIC IMPROVEMENT

Sec. 301. Findings.
Sec. 302. Purpose.
Sec. 303. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 304. Allotment of funds.
Sec. 305. State applications.
Sec. 306. State improvement plans.
Sec. 307. Secretary's review of applications; payments.
Sec. 308. State use of funds.
Sec. 309. Subgrants for local reform and professional development.
Sec. 310. Availability of information and training.
Sec. 311. Waivers of statutory and regulatory requirements.
Sec. 312. Progress reports.
Sec. 313. Technical and other assistance regarding school finance 
          equity.
Sec. 314. National leadership.
Sec. 315. Assistance to the outlying areas and to the Secretary of the 
          Interior.
Sec. 316. Clarification regarding State standards and assessments.
Sec. 317. State planning for improving student achievement through 
          integration of technology into the curriculum.
Sec. 318. Prohibition on Federal mandates, direction, and control.
Sec. 319. State and local government control of education.

                      TITLE IV--PARENTAL ASSISTANCE

Sec. 401. Parental information and resource centers.
Sec. 402. Applications.
Sec. 403. Uses of funds.
Sec. 404. Technical assistance.
Sec. 405. Definitions.
Sec. 406. Reports.
Sec. 407. General provision.
Sec. 408. Authorization of appropriations.

                 TITLE V--NATIONAL SKILL STANDARDS BOARD

Sec. 501. Short title.
Sec. 502. Purpose.
Sec. 503. Establishment of National Board.
Sec. 504. Functions of the National Board.
Sec. 505. Deadlines.
Sec. 506. Reports.
Sec. 507. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 508. Definitions.
Sec. 509. Sunset provision.

                TITLE VI--INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM

Sec. 601. International Education Program.

                         TITLE VII--SAFE SCHOOLS

Sec. 701. Short title; statement of purpose.
Sec. 702. Safe schools program authorized.
Sec. 703. Eligible applicants.
Sec. 704. Applications and plans.
Sec. 705. Use of funds.
Sec. 706. National activities.
Sec. 707. National cooperative education statistics system.
Sec. 708. Reports.
Sec. 709. Coordination of Federal assistance.

              TITLE VIII--MINORITY-FOCUSED CIVICS EDUCATION

Sec. 801. Short title.
Sec. 802. Purposes.
Sec. 803. Grants authorized; authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 804. Definitions.
Sec. 805. Applications.

             TITLE IX--EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT

Sec. 901. Short title.
Sec. 902. Findings.

Part A--General Provisions Regarding the Office of Educational Research 
                             and Improvement

Sec. 911. Repeal.
Sec. 912. Office of Educational Research and Improvement.
Sec. 913. Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement.
Sec. 914. Savings provision.
Sec. 915. Existing grants and contracts.

    Part B--National Educational Research Policy and Priorities Board

Sec. 921. Establishment within Office of Educational Research and 
          Improvement.

                  Part C--National Research Institutes

Sec. 931. Establishment within the Office of Educational Research and 
          Improvement.

             Part D--National Education Dissemination System

Sec. 941. Establishment within Office of Educational Research and 
          Improvement.

                  Part E--National Library of Education

Sec. 951. Establishment within Office of Educational Research and 
          Improvement.

                          Part F--Star Schools

Sec. 961. Star schools.

         Part G--Office of Comprehensive School Health Education

Sec. 971. Office of Comprehensive School Health Education.

                          Part H--Field Readers

Sec. 981. Field readers.

    Part I--Amendments to the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied 
                        Technology Education Act

Sec. 991. National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee.

                         TITLE X--MISCELLANEOUS

                    Part A--Miscellaneous Provisions

Sec. 1011. School prayer.
Sec. 1012. Funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Sec. 1013. National Board for professional teaching standards.
Sec. 1014. Forgiveness of certain overpayments.
Sec. 1015. Study of goals 2000 and students with disabilities.
Sec. 1016. Amendments to summer youth employment and training program.
Sec. 1017. Protection of pupils.
Sec. 1018. Contraceptive devices.
Sec. 1019. Assessments.
Sec. 1020. Public schools.
Sec. 1021. Assessment of educational progress activities.
Sec. 1022. Sense of the Congress.

                        Part B--Gun-free Schools

Sec. 1031. Short title.
Sec. 1032. Gun-free requirements in elementary and secondary schools.

                   Part C--Environmental Tobacco Smoke

Sec. 1041. Short title.
Sec. 1042. Definitions.
Sec. 1043. Nonsmoking policy for children's services.
Sec. 1044. Preemption.

       Part D--Midnight Basketball League Training and Partnership

Sec. 1051. Short title.

Sec. 1052. Grants for midnight basketball league training and 
partnership programs.

Sec. 1053. Public housing midnight basketball league programs.

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 and reliable 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 academic and occupational skill 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 and strategies 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 to prepare them to participate fully as 
        workers, parents, and citizens;
            (E) providing resources to help individual schools, 
        including those serving students with high needs, develop and 
        implement comprehensive improvement plans; and
            (F) promoting the use of technology to enable all students 
        to achieve the National Education Goals;
        (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.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    (a) Titles I, II, III, and X.--As used in titles I, II, III, and X 
of 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 and children, 
    students or children with diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural 
    backgrounds, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, 
    students or children with disabilities, students or children with 
    limited-English proficiency, school-aged students or children who 
    have dropped out of school, migratory students or children, and 
    academically talented students and children;
        (2) the term ``Bureau'', unless otherwise provided, means the 
    Bureau of Indian Affairs;
        (3) the terms ``community'', ``public'', and ``advocacy group'' 
    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 such 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 voluntary national content standards or 
    State content standards;
        (8) the term ``outlying areas'' means Guam, American Samoa, the 
    Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 
    Palau (until the effective date of the Compact of Free Association 
    with the Government of Palau), the Republic of the Marshall 
    Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia;
        (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 such students 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 of the Individuals with Disabilities 
    Education Act;
        (11) the term ``State assessment'' means measures of student 
    performance which include at least 1 instrument of evaluation, 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;
        (12) the term ``school'' means a public school that is under 
    the authority of the State educational agency or a local 
    educational agency or, for the purpose of carrying out section 
    315(b), a school that is operated or funded by the Bureau;
        (13) the term ``Secretary'', unless otherwise provided, means 
    the Secretary of Education; and
        (14) the term ``State'', unless otherwise provided, means each 
    of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 
    Puerto Rico, and each of the outlying areas.
    (b) Titles IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, and IX.--For the purpose of titles 
IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, and IX--
        (1) except as provided in paragraph (3) and unless otherwise 
    provided, the terms used in such titles have the same meanings 
    given such terms in section 1471 of the Elementary and Secondary 
    Education Act of 1965;
        (2) the term ``Bureau'', unless otherwise provided, means the 
    Bureau of Indian Affairs; and
        (3) the term ``Secretary'', unless otherwise provided, means 
    the Secretary of Education.

                   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 the United States will be a child's 
        first teacher and devote time each day to helping such parent's 
        preschool child learn, and parents will have access to the 
        training and support parents need; and
            (iii) children will receive the nutrition, physical 
        activity experiences, 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 school dropout 
        rate, and 75 percent of the 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, 
    economics, 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 Nation's 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 quartile 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, good health, 
        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 for this goal are that--
                (i) all teachers will have access to preservice teacher 
            education and continuing professional development 
            activities that will provide such teachers with the 
            knowledge and skills needed to teach to an increasingly 
            diverse student population with a variety of educational, 
            social, and health needs;
                (ii) all teachers will have continuing opportunities to 
            acquire additional knowledge and skills needed to teach 
            challenging subject matter and to use emerging new methods, 
            forms of assessment, and technologies;
                (iii) States and school districts will create 
            integrated strategies to attract, recruit, prepare, 
            retrain, and support the continued professional development 
            of teachers, administrators, and other educators, so that 
            there is a highly talented work force of professional 
            educators to teach challenging subject matter; and
                (iv) partnerships will be established, whenever 
            possible, among local educational agencies, institutions of 
            higher education, parents, and local labor, business, and 
            professional associations to provide and support programs 
            for the professional development of educators.
        (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) mathematics 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 the 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 alcohol- and drug-free schools.--
            (A) By the year 2000, every school in the United States 
        will be free of drugs, violence, and the unauthorized presence 
        of firearms and alcohol 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, governmental 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, and that schools provide a healthy 
            environment and are a safe haven for all children;
                (iii) every local educational agency will develop and 
            implement a policy to ensure that all schools are free of 
            violence and the unauthorized presence of weapons;
                (iv) every local educational agency will develop a 
            sequential, comprehensive kindergarten through twelfth 
            grade drug and alcohol prevention education program;
                (v) drug and alcohol curriculum should be taught as an 
            integral part of sequential, comprehensive health 
            education;
                (vi) community-based teams should be organized to 
            provide students and teachers with needed support; and
                (vii) every school should work to eliminate sexual 
            harassment.
        (8) Parental participation.--
            (A) By the year 2000, every school will promote 
        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 or bilingual, or parents of 
            children with disabilities;
                (ii) every school will actively engage parents and 
            families in a partnership which supports the academic work 
            of children at home and shared educational decisionmaking 
            at school; and
                (iii) 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 standards, 
    voluntary national student performance standards and voluntary 
    national opportunity-to-learn standards certified by the National 
    Education Standards and Improvement Council, as well as the 
    criteria for the certification of such standards, and the criteria 
    for the certification of State assessments certified by the 
    National Education Standards and Improvement Council, with the 
    option of disapproving such standards and criteria not later than 
    90 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 (hereafter in this title referred to as 
the ``Goals Panel'') to advise the President, the Secretary, and the 
Congress.
    (b) Composition.--The Goals Panel shall be composed of 18 members 
(hereafter in this part referred to as ``members''), including--
        (1) 2 members appointed by the President;
        (2) 8 members who are Governors, 3 of whom shall be from the 
    same political party as the President and 5 of whom shall be from 
    the opposite political party of the President, appointed by the 
    Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the National Governors' 
    Association, with the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson each 
    appointing representatives of such Chairperson's or Vice 
    Chairperson's respective political party, in consultation with each 
    other;
        (3) 4 Members of the Congress, of whom--
            (A) 1 member shall be appointed by the Majority Leader of 
        the Senate from among the Members of the Senate;
            (B) 1 member shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of 
        the Senate from among the Members of the Senate;
            (C) 1 member shall be appointed by the Majority Leader of 
        the House of Representatives from among the Members of the 
        House of Representatives; and
            (D) 1 member shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of 
        the House of Representatives from among the Members of the 
        House of Representatives; and
        (4) 4 members of State legislatures appointed by the President 
    of the National Conference of State Legislatures, of whom 2 shall 
    be of the same political party as the President of the United 
    States.
    (c) Special Appointment Rules.--
        (1) In general.--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 3 individuals and the Vice 
        Chairperson of such association shall appoint 5 individuals.
            (B) If the Chairperson of the National Governors' 
        Association is from the opposite political party as the 
        President, the Chairperson shall appoint 5 individuals and the 
        Vice Chairperson of such association shall appoint 3 
        individuals.
        (2) Special rule.--If the National Governors' Association has 
    appointed a panel that meets the requirements of subsections (b) 
    and (c), except for the requirements of paragraph (4) of subsection 
    (b), prior to the date of enactment of this Act, then the members 
    serving on such panel shall be deemed to be in compliance with the 
    provisions of such subsections and shall not be required to be 
    reappointed pursuant to such subsections.
        (3) Representation.--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) Presidential appointees.--Members appointed under 
    subsection (b)(1) shall serve at the pleasure of the President.
        (2) Governors.--Members appointed under paragraph (2) of 
    subsection (b) shall serve for 2-year terms, except that the 
    initial appointments under such paragraph shall be made to ensure 
    staggered terms with one-half of such members' terms concluding 
    every 2 years.
        (3) Congressional appointees and state legislators.--Members 
    appointed under paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection (b) shall 
    serve for 2-year terms.
    (e) Date of Appointment.--The initial members shall be appointed 
not later than 60 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 10 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 for the Goals Panel away from the home or regular 
place of business of the member.
    (i) Chairperson.--
        (1) In general.--The members shall select a Chairperson from 
    among the members.
        (2) Term and political affiliation.--The Chairperson of the 
    Goals Panel shall serve a 1-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 as 1 of the 2 members the President 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) In General.--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 
    strategies and the progress of States that are implementing such 
    standards and strategies to help all students meet State content 
    standards and State student performance standards;
        (3) submit to the President nominations for appointment to the 
    National Education Standards and Improvement Council in accordance 
    with subsections (b) and (c) of section 212;
        (4) after taking into consideration the public comments 
    received pursuant to section 216 and not later than 90 days after 
    receipt, review the--
            (A) criteria developed by the National Education Standards 
        and Improvement Council for the certification of State content 
        standards, State student performance standards, State 
        assessments, and State opportunity-to-learn standards; and
            (B) voluntary national content standards, voluntary 
        national student performance standards and voluntary national 
        opportunity-to-learn standards certified by the National 
        Education Standards and Improvement Council,
    except that the Goals Panel shall have the option of disapproving 
    such criteria and standards by a two-thirds majority vote of the 
    membership of the Goals Panel not later than 90 days after receipt 
    of such criteria and standards;
        (5) report on promising or effective actions being taken at the 
    national, State, and local levels, and in the public and private 
    sectors, to achieve the National Education Goals; and
        (6) help build a nationwide, bipartisan consensus for the 
    reforms necessary to achieve the National Education Goals.
    (b) Report.--
        (1) In general.--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 to provide all 
        students with a fair opportunity-to-learn; and
            (C) report on State opportunity-to-learn standards and 
        strategies and the progress of States that are implementing 
        such standards and strategies to help all students meet State 
        content standards and State student performance standards.
        (2) Form; data.--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) In general.--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) Representation.--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 standards, voluntary national student 
    performance standards, voluntary national opportunity-to-learn 
    standards, and State assessments described in section 213(f).
    (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 of any 
agency or instrumentality of the United States, or of any State or 
political subdivision thereof, use the research, equipment, services, 
and facilities of such agency, instrumentality, State, or subdivision, 
respectively.
    (e) Administrative Arrangements and Support.--
        (1) In general.--The Secretary shall provide to the Goals 
    Panel, on a reimbursable basis, such administrative support 
    services as the Goals Panel may request.
        (2) Contracts and other arrangements.--The Secretary, to the 
    extent appropriate, and on a reimbursable basis, shall make 
    contracts and other arrangements that are requested by the Goals 
    Panel to help the Goals Panel 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 and Final Decision.--
        (1) Voting.--No individual may vote, or exercise any of the 
    powers of a member, by proxy.
        (2) Final decisions.--
            (A) In making final decisions of the Goals Panel with 
        respect to the exercise of its duties and powers the Goals 
        Panel shall operate on the principle of consensus among the 
        members of the Goals Panel.
            (B) Except as otherwise provided in this part, if a vote of 
        the membership of the Goals Panel is required to reach a final 
        decision with respect to the exercise of its duties and powers, 
        then such final decision shall be made by a three-fourths vote 
        of the members of the Goals Panel who are present and voting.
    (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, 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, shall 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) In general.--(A) The Director may appoint not more than 4 
    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 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) Additional employees.--The Director may appoint additional 
    employees to serve as staff to the Goals Panel in accordance 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) In General.--The Goals Panel shall support the work of its 
Resource and Technical Planning Groups on School Readiness (hereafter 
in this section referred to as the ``Groups'') to improve the methods 
of assessing the readiness of children for school that would lead to 
alternatives to currently used early childhood assessments.
    (b) Activities.--The Groups shall--
        (1) develop a model of elements of school readiness that 
    address a broad range of early childhood developmental needs, 
    including the needs of children with disabilities;
        (2) create clear guidelines regarding the nature, functions, 
    and uses of early childhood assessments, including assessment 
    formats that are appropriate for use in culturally and 
    linguistically diverse communities, based on model elements of 
    school readiness;
        (3) monitor and evaluate early childhood assessments, including 
    the ability of existing assessments to provide valid information on 
    the readiness of children for school; and
        (4) 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.
    (c) 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.
    (d) Report.--The Goals Panel shall provide reports on the work of 
the Groups to the appropriate committees of the Congress, the 
Secretary, and the public.

      PART B--NATIONAL EDUCATION STANDARDS AND IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL

SEC. 211. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this part to establish a mechanism to--
        (1) certify and periodically review voluntary national content 
    standards and voluntary national student performance standards that 
    define what all students should know and be able to do;
        (2) certify State content standards and State student 
    performance standards submitted by States on a voluntary basis, if 
    such standards are comparable or higher in rigor and quality to the 
    voluntary national content standards and voluntary national student 
    performance standards certified by the National Education Standards 
    and Improvement Council;
        (3) certify and periodically 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 standards and the voluntary national 
    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 comparable or higher in 
    rigor and quality to the voluntary national opportunity-to-learn 
    standards certified by the National Education Standards and 
    Improvement Council; and
        (5) certify State assessments submitted by States or groups of 
    States on a voluntary basis, if such assessments--
            (A) are aligned with and support State content standards 
        certified by such Council; and
            (B) 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 (hereafter in this 
part referred to as the ``Council'').
    (b) Composition.--
        (1) In general.--The Council shall be composed of 19 members 
    (hereafter in this part referred to as ``members'') who shall be 
    appointed as follows:
            (A) The President shall appoint 7 individuals to the 
        Council from among nominations received from the Secretary 
        under subsection (c)(1)(B)(i), of whom--
                (i) 2 shall be from each of the categories described in 
            clause (i), (iii), or (iv) of subsection (c)(1)(A); and
                (ii) 1 shall be from the category described in clause 
            (ii) of subsection (c)(1)(A).
            (B) The President shall appoint 12 individuals to the 
        Council, of whom--
                (i) 4 individuals shall be from nominations received 
            from the Speaker of the House of Representatives, of whom 1 
            individual shall be from each of the categories described 
            in clauses (i) through (iv) of subsection (c)(1)(A);
                (ii) 4 individuals shall be from nominations received 
            from the Majority Leader of the Senate, of whom 1 
            individual shall be from each of the categories described 
            in clauses (i) through (iv) of subsection (c)(1)(A); and
                (iii) 4 individuals shall be from nominations received 
            from the Goals Panel, of whom 1 individual shall be from 
            each of the categories described in clauses (i) through 
            (iv) of subsection (c)(1)(A).
        (2) Special rules.--From among nominations received pursuant to 
    subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1) the President shall 
    appoint to the Council--
            (A) 1 individual representative of post-secondary 
        educational institutions;
            (B) 1 individual representative of organized labor; and
            (C) 1 individual who is representative of business and is a 
        member of the National Skill Standards Board established under 
        title V.
    (c) Appointment Rules and Qualifications.--
        (1) Appointment categories.--(A) The members of the Council 
    shall be appointed from among the following categories of 
    individuals:
            (i) Professional educators, including elementary and 
        secondary classroom teachers, preschool educators, related 
        services personnel, and other school-based professionals, State 
        or local educational agency administrators, and other 
        educators.
            (ii) Representatives of business and industry, organized 
        labor, and postsecondary educational institutions.
            (iii) Representatives of the public, including 
        representatives of advocacy, civil rights and disability 
        groups, parents, civic leaders, State or local education 
        policymakers (including members of State, local, or tribal 
        school boards).
            (iv) Education experts, including experts in measurement 
        and assessment, curriculum, school finance and equity, and 
        school reform.
        (B)(i) The Secretary shall nominate 21 individuals for 
    membership on the Council, of whom--
            (I) 3 individuals shall be nominated from the category 
        described in subparagraph (A)(i); and
            (II) 6 individuals shall be nominated from each of the 
        categories described in clauses (ii) through (iv) of 
        subparagraph (A).
        (ii) The Speaker of the House of Representatives, in 
    consultation with the Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the 
    House of Representatives, shall nominate 12 individuals for 
    membership on the Council, of whom 3 individuals shall be nominated 
    from each of the categories described in clauses (i) through (iv) 
    of subparagraph (A).
        (iii) The Majority Leader of the Senate, in consultation with 
    the Minority Leader of the Senate, shall nominate 12 individuals 
    for membership on the Council, of whom 3 individuals shall be 
    nominated from each of the categories described in clauses (i) and 
    (iv) of subparagraph (A).
        (iv) The Goals Panel shall nominate 12 individuals for 
    membership on the Council, of whom 3 individuals shall be nominated 
    from each of the categories described in clauses (i) and (iv) of 
    subparagraph (A).
        (2) Representation.--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) Expertise or background.--Not less than one-third of the 
    individuals nominated and appointed under subsection (b) shall have 
    expertise or background in the educational needs of children who 
    are from low-income families, from minority backgrounds, have 
    limited-English proficiency, or have disabilities.
        (4) Division between political parties.--To the extent 
    feasible, the individuals nominated and the individuals appointed 
    to the Council shall be equally divided between the 2 major 
    political parties.
    (d) Terms.--
        (1) In general.--Members shall be appointed for 3-year terms, 
    with no member serving more than 2 consecutive terms.
        (2) Staggering.--(A) The Council shall establish initial terms 
    for members of 1, 2, or 3 years in order to establish a rotation in 
    which one-third of the members are selected each year.
        (B) The Secretary shall determine, pursuant to a lottery, which 
    members serve terms of 1, 2, or 3 years under subparagraph (A).
    (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 19 members have been appointed.
    (g) Retention.--In order to retain an appointment to the Council, a 
member shall 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) In general.--A member of the Council may not concurrently 
    serve as a member of the Goals Panel.
        (2) Prohibition.--A member of the Council who resides in a 
    State which has developed State content standards, State student 
    performance standards, State opportunity-to-learn standards or 
    State assessments that are submitted to the Council for 
    certification may not participate in Council consideration of such 
    standards and assessments.
        (3) Special rules.--(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of 
    law, before an individual is appointed to the Council, the official 
    responsible for issuing waivers under section 208(b)(3) of title 
    18, United States Code, shall submit to the Committee on Education 
    and Labor of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
    Labor and Human Resources of the Senate a copy of the waiver 
    required by that section. Information contained in the waiver that 
    would not otherwise be publicly available under section 208(d)(1) 
    of title 18, United States Code, shall be provided to such 
    committees, but shall be noted as nonpublic information.
        (B) The Council shall develop, consistent with the provisions 
    of and regulations promulgated pursuant to section 208(b)(3) of 
    title 18, United States Code, and submit to the Committee on 
    Education and Labor of the House of Representatives and the 
    Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate procedures 
    governing the participation of members in any matter that affects 
    the financial interests of the members or of a person or entity 
    whose interests are imputed to the member.
    (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; Voluntary National 
Student Performance Standards.--
        (1) In general.--The Council, which may consult with outside 
    experts, shall--
            (A) identify areas in which voluntary national content 
        standards need to be developed;
            (B) certify voluntary national content standards and 
        voluntary national 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 standards and 
        voluntary national 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 of the Goals Panel not later than 
        90 days after receipt of such standards; and
            (D) develop a process for periodically reviewing any 
        voluntary national content standards, voluntary national 
        student performance standards, and voluntary national 
        opportunity-to-learn standards that have been certified.
        (2) Criteria.--(A) The Council, which may consult with outside 
    experts, shall--
            (i) identify and develop criteria to be used for certifying 
        the voluntary national content standards and voluntary national 
        student performance standards; and
            (ii) before applying such criteria, forward such 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 of the Goals Panel 
        not later than 90 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 voluntary national 
        content standards and voluntary national 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 voluntary national 
        content standards and voluntary national 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, secondary school 
        students, 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) State Content Standards; State Student Performance Standards.--
The Council may certify State content standards and State student 
performance standards presented on a voluntary basis by a State or 
group of States, using the criteria developed under subsection 
(a)(2)(A)(i), if such standards are comparable or higher in rigor and 
quality to the voluntary national content standards and voluntary 
national student performance standards certified by the Council.
    (c) Voluntary National Opportunity-To-Learn Standards.--
        (1) In general.--The Council, which may consult with outside 
    experts, 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. In carrying out the preceding sentence the Council is 
    authorized to consider proposals for voluntary national 
    opportunity-to-learn standards from groups other than groups that 
    receive grants under section 219.
        (2) Elements addressed.--The voluntary national opportunity-to-
    learn standards certified by the Council shall address--
            (A) the quality and availability to all students of 
        curricula, instructional materials, and technologies, including 
        distance learning;
            (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 voluntary national 
        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 that all students receive a fair opportunity to achieve 
        the knowledge and skills described in the voluntary national 
        content standards and the voluntary national student 
        performance standards certified by the Council.
        (3) Additional duties.--In carrying out this subsection, the 
    Council shall--
            (A) identify what other 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 opportunity-to-learn standards and State 
        opportunity-to-learn standards and, before applying such 
        criteria, forward such 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 of the Goals Panel not later than 90 days after 
        receipt of such criteria.
        (4) Recommendations and coordination.--The Council shall assist 
    in the development of the voluntary national opportunity-to-learn 
    standards developed by each consortium under section 219 by--
            (A) making recommendations to the Secretary regarding 
        priorities and selection criteria for each grant awarded under 
        section 219; and
            (B) coordinating with each consortium receiving awards 
        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) Approval.--The Council shall forward the voluntary national 
    opportunity-to-learn standards the Council 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 of the Goals Panel not later than 90 days after 
    receipt of such standards.
    (d) State Opportunity-To-Learn Standards.--The Council may certify 
State opportunity-to-learn standards submitted voluntarily by a State, 
using the criteria developed under subsection (c)(3)(B), if such 
standards are comparable or higher in rigor and quality to the 
voluntary national opportunity-to-learn standards.
    (e) General Provision Regarding Voluntary National Standards.--The 
Council may certify voluntary national content standards, voluntary 
national student performance standards, and voluntary national 
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) State Assessments.--
        (1) In general.--(A) The Council may certify for a period not 
    to exceed 5 years, State assessments that are submitted voluntarily 
    by a State, using the criteria developed under paragraph (2)(A), if 
    such assessments are aligned with the State's content standards 
    certified by the Council.
        (B) State assessments 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 State 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 State assessments only if--
            (i) a State can demonstrate to the Council that all 
        students have been prepared in the content for which such 
        students are being assessed;
            (ii) such assessments will not be used to make decisions 
        regarding graduation, grade promotion, or retention of students 
        for a period of 5 years from the date of enactment of this Act; 
        and
            (iii) the State has submitted to the Council--
                (I) a description of the purposes for which the State 
            assessments have been designed;
                (II) the methodologies and process used to develop, 
            select, validate, and use such State assessments;
                (III) a copy of the test instrument, as appropriate;
                (IV) a description of the other measures the State will 
            use to evaluate student performance; and
                (V) evidence that the test or tests which are part of 
            the State assessments 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, at the request of a State prior to the State's 
    submission to the Council of a State assessment for a proposed use, 
    shall review and provide guidance to such State on a proposed 
    package of measures, including tests that will be included in such 
    a system.
        (2) Criteria.--(A) The Council shall develop and, not sooner 
    than three years nor later than four years after the date of 
    enactment of this Act, begin utilizing criteria for the 
    certification of State assessments for the purposes described in 
    paragraph (1)(B).
        (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 of the Goals Panel not later 
    than 90 days after receipt of such criteria.
        (C) The certification criteria developed by the Council shall 
    address the extent to which the State assessments--
            (i) are aligned with a State's or a group of States' State 
        content standards certified by the Council; and
            (ii) are to be used for a purpose for which they are valid, 
        reliable, and free of discrimination, and are consistent with 
        relevant, nationally recognized professional and technical 
        standards for assessment.
        (D) In determining appropriate certification criteria for State 
    assessments, 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 State 
        assessments; and
            (iv) provide a public forum for discussing, debating, and 
        building consensus for the criteria to be used for the 
        certification of State assessments.
        (E) Prior to determining the certification criteria, the 
    Council shall seek public comment regarding the proposed criteria.
        (F) The Council shall certify State assessments only if such 
    assessments include all students and provide for the adaptations 
    and accommodations necessary to permit the participation of all 
    students with diverse learning needs.
    (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 departments, agencies, or 
    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 the Council on particular content, student 
    performance, and opportunity-to-learn standards and on State 
    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 V 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 State assessments;
        (6) on a regular basis, review and update criteria for 
    certifying content, student performance, and opportunity-to-learn 
    standards, and State assessments; and
        (7) periodically recertify, as appropriate, the voluntary 
    national content standards, the voluntary national student 
    performance standards, and the voluntary national opportunity-to-
    learn standards and the State assessments that the Council 
    certifies under this section.
    (h) Special Rules.--
        (1) 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.
        (2) Construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed to 
    create a legally enforceable right for any person against a State, 
    local educational agency, or school based on a standard or 
    assessment certified by the Council or the criteria developed by 
    the Council for such certification.

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) In general.--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) Location.--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 standards, voluntary 
    national student performance standards, voluntary national 
    opportunity-to-learn standards, and State assessments described in 
    section 213(f).
    (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 such 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 use the research, 
equipment, services, and facilities of any department, agency, or 
instrumentality of the United States, or of any State or political 
subdivision thereof with the consent of such department, agency, 
instrumentality, State or subdivision, respectively.
    (e) Administrative Arrangements and Support.--
        (1) In general.--The Secretary shall provide to the Council, on 
    a reimbursable basis, such administrative support services as the 
    Council may request.
        (2) Contracts and other arrangements.--The Secretary, to the 
    extent appropriate and on a reimbursable basis, shall enter into 
    contracts and other arrangements that are requested by the Council 
    to help the Council compile and analyze data or carry out other 
    functions necessary to the performance of the Council's 
    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 voluntary national content 
    standards, voluntary national student performance standards, and 
    State content standards and State performance standards;
        (2) proposed criteria for certifying voluntary national 
    opportunity-to-learn standards and State opportunity-to-learn 
    standards;
        (3) proposed criteria for certifying State assessments; and
        (4) proposed voluntary national content standards, voluntary 
    national student performance standards, and voluntary national 
    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) In general.--(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) Additional employees.--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 Grants.--
        (1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to award more than 
    one grant, on a competitive basis, to consortia of individuals and 
    organizations to develop voluntary national opportunity-to-learn 
    standards consistent with the provisions of section 213(c), and to 
    develop a listing of model programs for use, on a voluntary basis, 
    by States, which standards and listing may be used to--
            (A) provide all students with an opportunity to learn;
            (B) assess the capacity and performance of individual 
        schools; and
            (C) develop appropriate actions to be taken in the event 
        that the schools fail to achieve such standards.
        (2) Composition of consortia.--To the extent possible, each 
    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) and related services 
        personnel;
            (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) representatives of advocacy groups, including student 
        and civil rights advocacy groups;
            (K) representatives of higher education; and
            (L) secondary school students.
        (3) Duties of consortia.--In developing voluntary national 
    opportunity-to-learn standards, each 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 more than one draft of 
        standards which incorporate the comments and recommendations of 
        educators and other knowledgeable individuals across the 
        Nation.
        (4) Expertise or background.--One-third of the members of each 
    consortium shall consist of individuals with expertise or 
    background in the educational needs and assessment of children who 
    are from low-income families, are from minority backgrounds, have 
    limited-English proficiency, or have disabilities.
        (5) Geographic representation.--The membership of each 
    consortium shall be geographically representative and reflect the 
    racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of the United States.
    (b) Applications.--
        (1) Grants for consortium.--Each 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) Award consideration.--In establishing additional priorities 
    and selection criteria for awarding more than one 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, each consortium receiving assistance 
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) Grants Authorized.--
        (1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to make grants to 
    State and local educational agencies or consortia of such agencies 
    to help defray the cost of developing, field testing, and 
    evaluating State assessments 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) Reservation.--The Secretary shall reserve a portion of the 
    funds authorized under section 241(d) for grants to State 
    educational agencies and local educational agencies for purposes of 
    developing such assessments in languages other than English and for 
    students with disabilities.
    (b) Applications.--Each State or local educational agency, or 
consortium, 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) In general.--A recipient of a grant under this section 
    shall--
            (A) examine the validity and reliability of the State 
        assessment for the particular purposes for which such 
        assessment was developed;
            (B) ensure that the State assessment is consistent with 
        relevant, nationally recognized professional and technical 
        standards for assessments; and
            (C) devote special attention to how a State assessment 
        treats all students, especially with regard to the race, 
        gender, ethnicity, disability, and language proficiency of such 
        students.
        (2) Use.--A State assessment 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 5 years from the date of 
    enactment of this Act.

SEC. 221. EVALUATION.

    (a) Grant.--From funds reserved under section 304(a)(2)(C), the 
Secretary shall make a grant, in an amount not to exceed $500,000, to 
the National Academy of Sciences or 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 recipient of a grant under this section shall 
submit a final report to the Congress, the Secretary, and the public 
regarding the activities assisted under this section not later than 
January 1, 1998.

              PART C--LEADERSHIP IN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

SEC. 231. PURPOSES.

    It is the purpose of this part to promote achievement of the 
National Education Goals and--
        (1) to provide leadership at the Federal level, through the 
    Department of Education, by developing a national vision and 
    strategy--
            (A) to infuse technology and technology planning into all 
        educational programs and training functions carried out within 
        school systems at the State and local level;
            (B) to coordinate educational technology activities among 
        the related Federal and State departments or agencies, industry 
        leaders, and interested educational and parental organizations;
            (C) to establish working guidelines to ensure maximum 
        interoperability nationwide and ease of access for the emerging 
        technologies so that no school system will be excluded from the 
        technological revolution; and
            (D) to ensure that Federal technology-related policies and 
        programs facilitate the use of technology in education;
        (2) to promote awareness of the potential of technology for 
    improving teaching and learning;
        (3) to support State and local efforts to increase the 
    effective use of technology for education;
        (4) to demonstrate ways in which technology can be used to 
    improve teaching and learning, and to help ensure that all students 
    have an equal opportunity to meet State education standards;
        (5) to ensure the availability and dissemination of knowledge 
    (drawn from research and experience) that can form the basis for 
    sound State and local decisions about investment in, and effective 
    uses of, educational technology;
        (6) to promote high-quality professional development 
    opportunities for teachers and administrators regarding the 
    integration of technology into instruction and administration;
        (7) to promote the effective uses of technology in existing 
    Federal education programs, such as chapter 1 of title I of the 
    Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and vocational 
    education programs; and
        (8) to monitor, advancements in technology to encourage the 
    development of effective educational uses of technology.

SEC. 232. FEDERAL LEADERSHIP.

    (a) Activities Authorized.--
        (1) In general.--In order to provide Federal leadership that 
    promotes higher student achievement through the use of technology 
    in education and to achieve the purposes of this part, the 
    Secretary, in consultation with the Office of Science and 
    Technology Policy, the National Science Foundation, the Department 
    of Commerce, the Department of Energy, the National Aeronautics and 
    Space Administration, and other appropriate Federal departments or 
    agencies, may carry out activities designed to achieve the purposes 
    of this part.
        (2) Transfer of funds.--For the purpose of carrying out 
    coordinated or joint activities to achieve the purposes of this 
    part, the Secretary may accept funds from other Federal departments 
    or agencies.
    (b) National Long-Range Technology Plan.--
        (1) In general.--The Secretary shall develop and publish within 
    12 months of the date of enactment of this Act, and update when the 
    Secretary determines appropriate, a national long-range plan that 
    supports the overall national technology policy and carries out the 
    purposes of this part.
        (2) Plan requirements.--The Secretary shall--
            (A) develop the national long-range plan in consultation 
        with other Federal departments or agencies, State and local 
        education practitioners and policymakers, experts in technology 
        and the educational applications of technology, representatives 
        of distance learning consortia, representatives of 
        telecommunications partnerships receiving assistance under the 
        Star Schools Program Assistance Act, and providers of 
        technology services and products;
            (B) transmit such plan to the President and to the 
        appropriate committees of the Congress; and
            (C) publish such plan in a form that is readily accessible 
        to the public.
        (3) Contents of the plan.--The national long-range plan shall 
    describe the Secretary's activities to promote the purposes of this 
    part, including--
            (A) how the Secretary will encourage the effective use of 
        technology to provide all students the opportunity to achieve 
        State content standards and State student performance 
        standards, especially through programs administered by the 
        Department of Education;
            (B) joint activities in support of the overall national 
        technology policy with other Federal departments or agencies, 
        such as the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the 
        National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment 
        for the Arts, the National Aeronautics and Space 
        Administration, the National Science Foundation, and the 
        Departments of Commerce, Energy, Health and Human Services, and 
        Labor--
                (i) to promote the use of technology in education, and 
            training and lifelong learning, including plans for the 
            educational uses of a national information infrastructure; 
            and
                (ii) to ensure that the policies and programs of such 
            departments or agencies facilitate the use of technology 
            for educational purposes, to the extent feasible;
            (C) how the Secretary will work with educators, State and 
        local educational agencies, and appropriate representatives of 
        the private sector to facilitate the effective use of 
        technology in education;
            (D) how the Secretary will promote--
                (i) higher achievement of all students through the 
            integration of technology into the curriculum;
                (ii) increased access to the benefits of technology for 
            teaching and learning for schools with a high concentration 
            of children from low-income families;
                (iii) the use of technology to assist in the 
            implementation of State systemic reform strategies;
                (iv) the application of technological advances to use 
            in education; and
                (v) increased opportunities for the professional 
            development of teachers in the use of new technologies;
            (E) how the Secretary will determine, in consultation with 
        appropriate individuals, organizations, industries, and 
        agencies, the feasibility and desirability of establishing 
        guidelines to facilitate an easy exchange of data and effective 
        use of technology in education;
            (F) how the Secretary will utilize the outcome of the 
        evaluation undertaken pursuant to section 908 of the Star 
        Schools Program Assistance Act to promote the purposes of this 
        part; and
            (G) the Secretary's long-range measurable goals and 
        objectives relating to the purposes of this part.
    (c) Assistance.--The Secretary shall provide assistance to the 
States to enable such States to plan effectively for the use of 
technology in all schools throughout the State in accordance with the 
purpose and requirements of section 317.

SEC. 233. OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY.

    (a) Amendment to the Department of Education Organization Act.--
Title II of the Department of Education Organization Act (20 U.S.C. 
3411 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:


                    ``office of educational technology

    ``Sec. 216. (a) There shall be in the Department of Education an 
Office of Educational Technology (hereafter in this section referred to 
as the `Office'), to be administered by the Director of Educational 
Technology. The Director of Educational Technology shall report 
directly to the Secretary and shall perform such additional functions 
as the Secretary may prescribe.
    ``(b) The Director of the Office of Educational Technology 
(hereafter in this section referred to as the `Director'), through the 
Office, shall--
        ``(1) in support of the overall national technology policy and 
    in consultation with other Federal departments or agencies which 
    the Director determines appropriate, provide leadership to the 
    Nation in the use of technology to promote achievement of the 
    National Education Goals and to increase opportunities for all 
    students to achieve State content and challenging State student 
    performance standards;
        ``(2) review all programs and training functions administered 
    by the Department and recommend policies in order to promote 
    increased use of technology and technology planning throughout all 
    such programs and functions;
        ``(3) review all relevant programs supported by the Department 
    to ensure that such programs are coordinated with and support the 
    national long-range technology plan developed pursuant to section 
    232(b) of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act; and
        ``(4) perform such additional functions as the Secretary may 
    require.
    ``(c) The Director is authorized to select, appoint, and employ 
such officers and employees as may be necessary to carry out the 
functions of the Office, subject to the provisions of title 5, United 
States Code (governing appointments in the competitive service), and 
the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such 
title (relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates).
    ``(d) The Secretary may obtain the services of experts and 
consultants in accordance with section 3109 of title 5, United States 
Code.''.
    (b) Compensation of the Director.--Section 5315 of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
        ``Director of the Office of Educational Technology.''.

SEC. 234. USES OF FUNDS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall use funds appropriated 
pursuant to the authority of section 241(d) for activities designed to 
carry out the purpose of this part, including--
        (1) providing assistance to technical assistance providers to 
    enable such providers to improve substantially the services such 
    providers offer to educators regarding the educational uses of 
    technology, including professional development;
        (2) consulting with representatives of industry, elementary and 
    secondary education, higher education, and appropriate experts in 
    technology and the educational applications of technology, in 
    carrying out the activities assisted under this part;
        (3) research on, and the development of, guidelines to 
    facilitate maximum interoperability, efficiency and easy exchange 
    of data for effective use of technology in education;
        (4) research on, and the development of, educational 
    applications of the most advanced and newly emerging technologies;
        (5) the development, demonstration, and evaluation of 
    applications of existing technology in preschool education, 
    elementary and secondary education, training and lifelong learning, 
    and professional development of educational personnel;
        (6) the development and evaluation of software and other 
    products, including multimedia television programming, that 
    incorporate advances in technology and help achieve the National 
    Education Goals and State content standards and State student 
    performance standards;
        (7) the development, demonstration, and evaluation of model 
    strategies for preparing teachers and other personnel to use 
    technology effectively to improve teaching and learning;
        (8) the development of model programs that demonstrate the 
    educational effectiveness of technology in urban and rural areas 
    and economically distressed communities;
        (9) research on, and the evaluation of, the effectiveness and 
    benefits of technology in education, giving priority to research 
    on, and evaluation of, such effectiveness and benefits in 
    elementary and secondary schools;
        (10) a biennial assessment of, and report to the public 
    regarding, the uses of technology in elementary and secondary 
    education throughout the United States upon which private 
    businesses and Federal, State, and local governments may rely for 
    decisionmaking about the need for, and provision of, appropriate 
    technologies in schools, by using, to the extent possible, existing 
    information and resources;
        (11) conferences on, and dissemination of information 
    regarding, the uses of technology in education;
        (12) the development of model strategies to promote gender 
    equity in the use of technology;
        (13) encouraging collaboration between the Department of 
    Education and other Federal departments and agencies in the 
    development, implementation, evaluation and funding of applications 
    of technology for education, as appropriate; and
        (14) such other activities as the Secretary determines meet the 
    purposes of this part.
    (b) Special Rules.--
        (1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out the activities 
    described in subsection (a) directly or by grant or contract.
        (2) Grants and contracts.--Each grant or contract under this 
    part shall be awarded--
            (A) on a competitive basis; and
            (B) pursuant to a peer review process.

SEC. 235. NON-FEDERAL SHARE.

    (a) In General.--Subject to subsections (b) and (c), the Secretary 
may require any recipient of a grant or contract under this part to 
share in the cost of the activities assisted under such grant or 
contract, which non-Federal share shall be announced through a notice 
in the Federal Register and may be in the form of cash or in-kind 
contributions, fairly valued.
    (b) Increase.--The Secretary may increase the non-Federal share 
that is required of a recipient of a grant or contract under this part 
after the first year such recipient receives funds under such grant or 
contract.
    (c) Maximum.--The non-Federal share required under this section 
shall not exceed 50 percent of the cost of the activities assisted 
pursuant to a grant or contract under this part.

SEC. 236. OFFICE OF TRAINING TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER.

    (a) Transfer.--
        (1) In general.--The Office of Training Technology Transfer as 
    established under section 6103 of the Training Technology Transfer 
    Act of 1988 (20 U.S.C. 5093) is transferred to and established in 
    the Office of Educational Technology.
        (2) Technical amendment.--The first sentence of section 6103(a) 
    of the Training Technology Transfer Act of 1988 (20 U.S.C. 5093(a)) 
    is amended by striking ``Office of Educational Research and 
    Improvement'' and inserting ``Office of Educational Technology''.

                PART D--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS

SEC. 241. 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 Grants.--There are authorized 
to be appropriated $2,000,000 for fiscal year 1994, and such sums as 
may be necessary for fiscal year 1995, to carry out section 219.
    (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 4 succeeding fiscal years, to 
carry out section 220.

       TITLE III--STATE AND LOCAL EDUCATION SYSTEMIC IMPROVEMENT

SEC. 301. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
        (1) all students can learn and achieve to high standards and 
    must realize their potential if the United States is to prosper;
        (2) the reforms in education from 1977 through 1992 have 
    achieved some good results, but such reform efforts often have been 
    limited to a few schools or to a single part of the educational 
    system;
        (3) leadership must come 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 early childhood education, 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 our Nation is to educate all 
    children to meet their full potential and achieve the National 
    Education Goals described in title I;
        (9) State and local systemic improvement strategies must 
    provide all students with effective mechanisms and appropriate 
    paths to the work force as well as to higher education;
        (10) businesses should be encouraged--
            (A) to enter into partnerships with schools;
            (B) to provide information and guidance to schools based on 
        the needs of area businesses for properly educated graduates in 
        general and on the need for particular workplace skills that 
        the schools may provide;
            (C) to provide necessary education and training materials 
        and support; and
            (D) to continue the lifelong learning process throughout 
        the employment years of an individual;
        (11) schools should provide information to businesses regarding 
    how the business community can assist schools in meeting the 
    purposes of this Act;
        (12) 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 purposes of this Act;
        (13) the appropriate and innovative use of technology, 
    including distance learning, can be very effective in helping to 
    provide all students with the opportunity to learn and meet high 
    standards;
        (14) Federal funds should be targeted to support State and 
    local initiatives, and to leverage State and local resources for 
    designing and implementing systemwide education improvement plans;
        (15) all students are entitled to participate in a broad and 
    challenging curriculum and to have access to resources sufficient 
    to address other education needs; and
        (16) quality education management services are being utilized 
    by local educational agencies and schools through contractual 
    agreements among local educational agencies or schools and 
    businesses providing quality education management services.

SEC. 302. PURPOSE.

    (a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this title 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 State and local levels.
    (b) Congressional Intent.--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.

    There are authorized to be appropriated $400,000,000 for the fiscal 
year 1994, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal 
years 1995 through 1998, to carry out this title.

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;
            (B) to the Secretary of the Interior to benefit Indian 
        students in schools operated or funded by the Bureau; and
            (C) to the Alaska Federation of Natives in cooperation with 
        the Alaska Native Education Council to benefit Alaska Native 
        students; and
        (2) may reserve a total of not more than 5 percent for--
            (A) national leadership activities under sections 313 and 
        314;
            (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.--From the amount appropriated under section 
303 and not reserved under subsection (a) in each fiscal year the 
Secretary shall make allotments to State educational agencies as 
follows:
        (1) 50 percent of such amount shall be allocated in accordance 
    with the relative amounts each State would have received under 
    chapter 1 of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
    of 1965 for the preceding fiscal year if funds under such chapter 
    in such preceding fiscal year were not reserved for the outlying 
    areas.
        (2) 50 percent of such amount shall be allocated in accordance 
    with the relative amounts each State would have received under part 
    A of chapter 2 of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
    Act of 1965 for the preceding fiscal year if funds under such 
    chapter in such preceding fiscal year were not reserved for the 
    outlying areas.
    (c) Reallotments.--If the Secretary determines that any amount of a 
State educational agency'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 State educational 
agencies that need additional funds, in such manner as the Secretary 
determines is appropriate.
    (d) Maintenance of Effort.--Each recipient of funds under this 
title, in utilizing the proceeds of an allotment received under this 
title, shall maintain the expenditures of such recipient for the 
activities assisted under this title at a level equal to not less than 
the level of such expenditures maintained by such recipient for the 
fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which such allotment is 
received, except that the Secretary may reduce, temporarily or 
permanently, the level of expenditures required by this subsection if 
the Secretary determines that such recipient has justifiable reasons 
for a reduction in the level of expenditures required by this 
subsection.

SEC. 305. STATE APPLICATIONS.

    (a) Application.--
        (1) In general.--Each State educational agency that desires to 
    receive an allotment under this title shall submit an application 
    to the Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary 
    may determine.
        (2) Additional information.--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 section 306;
            (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 State content standards and State 
        student performance standards developed for student achievement 
        are not less rigorous than such 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 educational agency's application for the 
first year of assistance under this title shall--
        (1) describe the process by which the State educational agency 
    will develop a State 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 such agency 
    will make subgrants to local educational agencies in accordance 
    with section 309(a), and how such agency will use funds received 
    under this title for education preservice programs and professional 
    development activities in accordance with section 309(b).
    (c) Subsequent Years.--A State educational agency's application for 
the second year of assistance under this title shall--
        (1) cover the second through fifth years of the State's 
    participation;
        (2) include a copy of the State's improvement plan that meets 
    the requirements of section 306, or if the State improvement plan 
    is not complete, a statement of the steps the State will take to 
    complete the plan and a schedule for doing so; and
        (3) include an explanation of how the State educational agency 
    will use funds received under this title, including how such agency 
    will make subgrants to local educational agencies in accordance 
    with section 309(a), and how such agency will use such funds 
    received under this title for education preservice programs and 
    professional development activities in accordance with section 
    309(b).

SEC. 306. STATE IMPROVEMENT PLANS.

    (a) Basic Scope of Plan.--Except as provided in section 305(c)(2) 
and consistent with the requirements of this section, any State 
educational agency that wishes to receive an allotment under this title 
after its first year of participation shall develop and implement a 
State improvement plan for the improvement of elementary and secondary 
education in the State.
    (b) Plan Development.--
        (1) In general.--A State improvement plan under this title 
    shall be developed by a broad-based State 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 chairperson of the State board of education and the 
        chairpersons 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 or senior 
        administrators of a college, school, or department of 
        education;
            (D) representatives of teacher's organizations, parents, 
        secondary school students, institutions of higher education, 
        business and labor leaders, community-based organizations of 
        demonstrated effectiveness, organizations serving young 
        children, local boards of education, State and local officials 
        responsible for health, social, and other related services, 
        private schools in which students or teachers participate in 
        Federal education programs, and, as appropriate, Indian tribes 
        and others;
            (E) representatives from rural and urban local educational 
        agencies in the State, as appropriate; and
            (F) experts in educational measurement and assessment.
        (2) Appointment.--The Governor and the chief State school 
    officer shall each appoint half the members of the panel and shall 
    jointly select the Chairperson of the panel and the representative 
    of private schools described in paragraph (1)(D).
        (3) Representation.--(A) 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.
        (B) The membership of the panel shall be composed so that the 
    minimum total number of members of the panel with expertise or 
    background in the educational needs or assessments of children from 
    low-income families, children with minority backgrounds, children 
    with limited-English proficiency, or children with disabilities, 
    serving on the panel--
            (i) bears the same relation to the total number of members 
        serving on the panel as the total number of all such children 
        in the State bears to the total number of all children in the 
        State; or
            (ii) is at least one-third of the number of members of the 
        panel,
    whichever is less.
        (4) Consultation.--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 
    State improvement plan.
        (5) Outreach.--The panel shall be responsible for conducting a 
    statewide, grassroots outreach process, including conducting public 
    hearings, to involve educators, related services personnel, 
    parents, local officials, tribal government officials as 
    appropriate, individuals representing private nonprofit elementary 
    and secondary schools, community and business leaders, citizens, 
    children's advocates, secondary school students, 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 the 
    State's student population, including, students of limited-English 
    proficiency, students with disabilities, and, as appropriate, 
    American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students, in 
    the development of the State improvement plan and in a continuing 
    dialogue regarding the need for and nature of standards for 
    students and local and State responsibilities for helping all 
    students achieve such standards in order to assure that the 
    development and implementation of the State improvement plan 
    reflects local needs and experiences and does not result in a 
    significant increase in paperwork for teachers.
        (6) Procedure and approval.--The panel shall develop a State 
    improvement plan, provide opportunity for public comment, and 
    submit such plan to the State educational agency for approval.
        (7) Submission.--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.
        (8) Matters not under the jurisdiction of the state educational 
    agency.--If any portion of a State improvement 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 thereof, from the Governor or 
    other official responsible for that portion before submitting such 
    plan to the Secretary.
        (9) Monitoring; revisions; reporting.--After approval of the 
    State improvement plan by the Secretary, the panel shall be 
    informed of progress on such plan by the State educational agency, 
    and such agency, in close consultation with teachers, principals, 
    administrators, advocates and parents in local educational agencies 
    and schools receiving funds under this title, shall monitor the 
    implementation and operation of such plan. The panel shall review 
    such plan, and based on the progress described in the preceding 
    sentence, determine if revisions to such plan are appropriate and 
    necessary. The panel shall periodically report such determination 
    to the public.
    (c) Teaching, Learning, Standards, and Assessments.--Each State 
educational agency, with broad-based classroom teacher input, shall 
establish and include in its State improvement plan strategies for 
meeting the National Education Goals by improving teaching and learning 
and students' mastery of basic and advanced skills in core content 
areas, such as English, mathematics, science (including physics), 
history, geography, foreign languages, the arts, civics and government, 
and economics. Such strategies--
        (1) shall include--
            (A) a process for developing or adopting State content 
        standards and State student performance standards for all 
        students, which process shall include coordinating the 
        standards developed pursuant to section 115 of the Carl D. 
        Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act;
            (B) a process for developing and implementing valid, 
        nondiscriminatory, and reliable State assessments--
                (i) which assessments shall--

                    (I) be aligned with such State's content standards;
                    (II) involve multiple measures of student 
                performance;
                    (III) provide for--

                        (aa) the participation in such assessments of 
                    all students with diverse learning needs; and
                        (bb) the adaptations and accommodations 
                    necessary to permit such participation;

                    (IV) be consistent with relevant, nationally 
                recognized professional and technical standards for 
                such assessments;
                    (V) be capable of providing coherent information 
                about student attainments relative to the State content 
                standards; and
                    (VI) support effective curriculum and instruction; 
                and

                (ii) which process shall provide for monitoring the 
            implementation of such assessments and the impact of such 
            assessments on improved instruction for all students;
            (C) a process for aligning State or local curricula, 
        instructional materials, and State assessments with the State 
        content standards and State student performance standards; and
            (D) a process for familiarizing teachers with the State 
        content standards and State student performance standards and 
        developing the capability of teachers to provide high quality 
        instruction within the content areas described in the matter 
        preceding paragraph (1) of this subsection;
        (2) may include strategies such as--
            (A) a process for providing assistance and support to local 
        educational agencies and schools to strengthen the capacity of 
        such agencies and schools to provide all students the 
        opportunity to increase educational achievement and meet State 
        content standards and State student performance standards;
            (B) 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;
            (C) a process for developing, selecting, 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 State content standards and State 
        student performance standards;
            (D) 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 State content standards and State student 
        performance standards; and
            (E) a process for improving the State's system of teacher 
        and school administrator preparation and licensure, and of 
        continuing professional development programs, including the use 
        of technology at both the State and local levels, so that all 
        teachers, related services personnel, and administrators 
        develop the subject matter and pedagogical expertise needed to 
        prepare all students to meet State content standards and State 
        student performance standards.
    (d) Opportunity-To-Learn Standards and Strategies.--
        (1) In general.--Each State improvement plan shall establish 
    standards or strategies for providing all students with an 
    opportunity to learn. Such standards or strategies shall include 
    such factors as the State deems appropriate to ensure that all 
    students receive a fair opportunity to achieve the knowledge and 
    skills as described in State content standards and State student 
    performance standards adopted by the State.
        (2) Implementation.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
    this Act, the implementation of opportunity-to-learn standards or 
    strategies shall be voluntary on the part of the States, local 
    educational agencies, and schools.
        (3) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed 
    to--
            (A) mandate equalized spending per pupil for a State, local 
        educational agency, or school; or
            (B) mandate national school building standards for a State, 
        local educational agency, or school.
    (e) Governance, Accountability and Management.--Each State 
improvement plan shall establish strategies for improved governance, 
accountability and management of the State's education system, such 
as--
        (1) aligning responsibility, authority, and accountability 
    throughout the education system, so that decisions regarding the 
    means for achieving State content standards and State student 
    performance standards are made closest to the learners; and
        (2) creating an integrated and coherent approach to recruiting, 
    retaining and supporting the continued professional development of 
    teachers (including vocational teachers), and other educators, 
    giving special attention to the recruitment into and retention of 
    qualified minorities in the education profession.
    (f) Parental and Community Support and Involvement.--Each State 
improvement plan shall describe strategies for how the State 
educational agency will involve parents and other community 
representatives in planning, designing, and implementing the State 
improvement plan, including strategies such as--
        (1) focusing public and private community resources and public 
    school resources on prevention and early intervention to address 
    the needs of all students by identifying and removing unnecessary 
    regulations and obstacles to coordination; and
        (2) 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 State standards, 
each State improvement plan shall describe strategies, such as 
strategies that--
        (1) provide for the availability of curricular materials, 
    learning technologies, including distance learning, and 
    professional development in a manner that ensures equal access by 
    all local educational agencies in the State; and
        (2) develop partnerships with Indian tribes and schools funded 
    by the Bureau, where appropriate, to improve consistency and 
    compatibility in curriculum among public elementary and secondary 
    schools, and such schools funded by the Bureau at all grade levels.
    (h) Promoting Bottom-Up Reform.--Each State improvement 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) providing flexibility to individual schools and local 
    educational agencies to enable such schools and agencies to adapt 
    and integrate State content standards into courses of study 
    appropriate for individual schools and communities; and
        (2) facilitating the provision of waivers from State rules and 
    regulations that impede the ability of local educational agencies 
    or schools to carry out local improvement plans.
    (i) Dropout Strategies.--Each State improvement plan shall include 
strategies for assisting local educational agencies and schools to 
enable such agencies and schools--
        (1) to meet the needs of school-aged children who have dropped 
    out of school;
        (2) to bring such children into the education system; and
        (3) to help such students meet State content standards and 
    State student performance standards.
    (j) Coordination With School-to-Work Programs.--If a State has 
received Federal assistance for the purpose of planning for, expanding, 
or establishing a school-to-work program, then a State shall include in 
the State improvement 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 improvement 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.
    (k) Benchmarks and Timelines.--Each State improvement plan shall 
include specific benchmarks of improved student performance and of 
progress in implementing such plan, and timelines against which the 
progress of the State in carrying out such plan, including the elements 
described in subsections (c) through (j), can be measured.
    (l) 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.
    (m) Program Improvement and Accountability.--Each State improvement 
plan shall describe--
        (1) how the State will monitor progress towards implementing 
    the State and local improvement plans; and
        (2) procedures the State plans to use, consistent with State 
    law, to improve schools that are not meeting the State content 
    standards voluntarily adopted by the State within the established 
    timelines.
    (n) Peer Review and Secretarial Approval.--
        (1) In general.--(A) The Secretary shall review, within a 
    reasonable period of time, each State improvement plan prepared 
    under this section, and each application submitted under section 
    305, through a peer review process involving the assistance and 
    advice of State and local education policymakers, educators, 
    classroom teachers, related services personnel, experts on 
    educational innovation and improvement, parents, advocates, and 
    other appropriate individuals. Such peer review process shall be 
    representative of the diversity of the United States with regard to 
    geography, race, ethnicity, gender and disability characteristics. 
    Such peer review process shall include at least 1 site visit to 
    each State, except during the period when a State improvement plan 
    is being developed.
        (B) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (A), in the 
    first year that a State educational agency submits an application 
    for development of a State improvement plan under this title the 
    Secretary shall not be required to--
            (i) review such application through a peer review process; 
        and
            (ii) conduct a site visit.
        (2) Approval.--The Secretary shall approve a State improvement 
    plan if such plan is submitted to the Secretary not later than 2 
    years after the date the State educational agency receives its 
    first allotment under section 304(b), and when the Secretary 
    determines, after considering the peer reviewers' comment, that 
    such plan--
            (A) reflects a widespread commitment within the State;
            (B) holds reasonable promise of helping 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) Disapproval.--The Secretary shall not disapprove a State 
    improvement plan, or any State application submitted under section 
    305, before offering the State--
            (A) an opportunity to revise such plan or application; and
            (B) a hearing.
    (o) Regular Review.--Each State improvement plan shall include a 
process for periodically reviewing and updating any State content 
standards, State student performance standards, State opportunity-to-
learn standards or strategies, and State assessments.
    (p) Amendments to Plan.--
        (1) In general.--Each State educational agency shall 
    periodically review its State improvement plan and revise such 
    plan, as appropriate, in accordance with the process described in 
    subsection (b).
        (2) Review.--The Secretary shall review any major amendment to 
    a State improvement plan and shall not disapprove any such 
    amendment before offering a State educational agency--
            (A) an opportunity to revise such amendment; and
            (B) a hearing.
    (q) Preexisting State Plans and Panels.--
        (1) In general.--If a State has developed a comprehensive and 
    systemic State improvement plan to help all students meet State 
    standards or any component of such plan, that meets the intent and 
    purposes of this section, then the Secretary may approve such plan 
    or component notwithstanding that such plan 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) Special rule.--(A) If, before the date of enactment of this 
    Act, a State has made substantial progress in developing a plan 
    that meets the intent and purposes of this section, but was 
    developed by a panel that does not meet the requirements of 
    paragraphs (1) through (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, and 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 State educational 
agency's first year application 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 second year 
    application of the State educational agency under section 305(c) 
    will provide for the development and implementation of a State 
    improvement plan that complies with section 306.
    (b) Second Through Fifth Years.--The Secretary shall approve the 
State educational agency's second year application under section 
305(c)(1) for the second through fifth years of participation only if--
        (1)(A) the Secretary has approved the State improvement plan 
    under section 306(n); or
        (B) the Secretary determines that the State has made 
    substantial progress in developing its State improvement plan and 
    will implement such plan not later than the end of the second year 
    of participation; and
        (2) the 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 provide an 
allotment 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 an allotment under this title, such agency--
        (1) if the amount made available under section 303 for such 
    year is equal to or greater than $50,000,000, shall use at least 60 
    percent of such allotted funds to award subgrants--
            (A) in accordance with section 309(a), to local educational 
        agencies for the development or implementation of local 
        improvement plans; and
            (B) in accordance with section 309(b), to improve educator 
        preservice programs and for professional development activities 
        consistent with the State improvement plan;
        (2) if the amount made available under section 303 for such 
    year is less than $50,000,000, may use such funds for the subgrants 
    described in paragraph (1); and
        (3) shall use any such allotted funds not used in accordance 
    with paragraphs (1) and (2) to develop, revise, expand, or 
    implement a State improvement plan described in section 306.
    (b) Succeeding Years.--Each State educational agency that receives 
an allotment under this title for any year after the first year of such 
agency receives assistance under this title shall--
        (1) use at least 90 percent of such allotment to make 
    subgrants--
            (A) in accordance with section 309(a), to local educational 
        agencies 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 State improvement plan, such as--
            (A) supporting the development or adoption of State content 
        standards and State student performance standards, State 
        opportunity-to-learn standards, and State assessments linked to 
        such standards, including--
                (i) through consortia of States; or
                (ii) with the assistance of the National Education 
            Standards and Improvement Council established under part B 
            of title II;
            (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 and complete post-secondary education or training;
            (E) supporting innovative and proven methods of enhancing a 
        teacher's ability to identify student learning needs, and 
        motivating students to develop higher order thinking skills, 
        discipline, and creative resolution methods;
            (F) supporting the development, at the State or local 
        level, of performance-based accountability and incentive 
        systems for schools;
            (G) outreach to and training for parents, tribal officials, 
        organizations serving young children, classroom teachers, 
        related services personnel, and other educators, and the 
        public, related to education improvement;
            (H) providing technical assistance and other services to 
        increase the capacity of local educational agencies and schools 
        to develop and implement systemic local improvement plans, 
        implement new State assessments, and develop curricula 
        consistent with the State content standards and State student 
        performance standards;
            (I) promoting public magnet schools, public ``charter 
        schools'', and other mechanisms for increasing choice among 
        public schools, including information and referral programs 
        which provide parents with information on available choices;
            (J) supporting activities relating to the planning of, and 
        evaluation of, projects under which local educational agencies 
        or schools contract with private management organizations to 
        reform a school;
            (K) supporting intergenerational mentoring programs;
            (L) supporting the development, at the State or local 
        level, of school-based programs that restore discipline and 
        reduce violence in schools and communities, such as community 
        mobilization programs; and
            (M) collecting and analyzing data.
    (c) Limit on Administrative Costs.--A State educational agency that 
receives an allotment under this title in any fiscal year shall use not 
more than 4 percent of such allotment in such year, or $100,000, 
whichever is greater, for administrative expenses, which administrative 
expenses shall not include the expenses related to the activities of 
the panel established under section 306(b)(1).
    (d) Special Rule.--Any new public school established under this 
title--
        (1) shall be nonsectarian;
        (2) shall not be affiliated with a nonpublic sectarian school 
    or religious institution; and
        (3) shall operate under the authority of a State educational 
    agency or local educational agency.

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

    (a) Subgrants to Local Educational Agencies.--
        (1) In general.--(A) Each State educational agency shall make 
    subgrants, through a competitive process to carry out the 
    authorized activities described in paragraph (4), to local 
    educational agencies (or consortia of such agencies) in accordance 
    with section 308.
        (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, where appropriate, 
    except that this provision shall not apply to the District of 
    Columbia. An education service agency may serve as a fiscal agent 
    for a rural local educational agency.
        (C) Each such 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) Application required.--(A) A local educational agency 
    desiring to receive a subgrant under this subsection for the 
    development of a local improvement plan shall submit an application 
    to the State educational agency. Such application shall contain 
    assurances that the local educational agency intends to develop a 
    local improvement plan that meets the requirements of this section.
        (B) A local educational agency only shall be eligible to 
    receive a subgrant under this subsection to develop a local 
    improvement plan for one fiscal year.
        (3) Plan required.--Each local educational agency desiring to 
    receive a subgrant under this subsection to implement a local 
    improvement plan shall submit a local improvement plan to the State 
    educational agency. Each such plan shall--
            (A) be 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) address districtwide education improvement, directed at 
        enabling all students to meet the State content standards and 
        State student performance standards, including specific goals 
        and benchmarks, reflect the priorities of the State improvement 
        plan (either approved or under development) and include a 
        strategy for--
                (i) ensuring that all students have a fair opportunity 
            to learn;
                (ii) improving teaching and learning;
                (iii) improving governance and management;
                (iv) generating, maintaining, and strengthening 
            parental and community involvement; and
                (v) expanding improvements throughout the local 
            educational agency;
            (C) promote the flexibility of local schools in developing 
        plans which address the particular needs of their school and 
        community and are consistent with the local improvement plan;
            (D) describe a process of broad-based community 
        participation in the development, implementation, and 
        evaluation of the local improvement plan;
            (E) describe how the local educational agency will 
        encourage and assist schools to develop and implement 
        comprehensive school improvement plans that--
                (i) focus on helping all students reach State content 
            standards and State student performance standards; and
                (ii) address relevant elements of the local improvement 
            plan of the local educational agency identified in 
            subparagraph (B);
            (F) describe 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 
        entering into partnerships with public and private nonprofit 
        agencies to increase the access of students and families to 
        coordinated nonsectarian services in a school setting or at a 
        nearby site;
            (G) describe how the subgrant funds 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) identify, with an explanation, any State or Federal 
        requirements that the local educational agency believes impede 
        educational improvement and that such agency requests be waived 
        in accordance with section 311, which requests shall promptly 
        be transmitted to the Secretary by the State educational 
        agency; and
            (I) contain such other information as the State educational 
        agency may reasonably require.
        (4) Submission.--A local educational agency which has approved 
    a local improvement plan shall submit such plan to the State 
    educational agency for approval together with a description of 
    modifications to such plan and any comments from the local panel 
    regarding such plan.
        (5) Monitoring.--The panel described in paragraph (3)(A), after 
    approval of the local educational agency's application by the State 
    educational agency, shall be informed of progress on such plan by 
    the local educational agency, and the local educational agency 
    shall 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, as well 
    as assure that implementation of the local improvement plan does 
    not result in a significant increase in paperwork for teachers. The 
    panel shall review such plan and based on the progress described in 
    the preceding sentence, determine if revisions to the local 
    improvement plan should be recommended to the local educational 
    agency. The panel shall periodically report such determination to 
    the public.
        (6) Authorized activities.--(A) A local educational agency that 
    receives a subgrant under this subsection--
            (i) in the first year such agency receives the subgrant 
        shall use--
                (I) not more than 25 percent of the subgrant funds to 
            develop a local improvement plan or for any local 
            educational agency activities approved by the State 
            educational agency that are reasonably related to carrying 
            out the State or local improvement plans, which may include 
            the establishment of innovative new public schools; and
                (II) not less than 75 percent of the subgrant funds to 
            support individual school improvement initiatives related 
            to providing all students in the school the opportunity to 
            meet State content standards and State student performance 
            standards; and
            (ii) in subsequent years, shall 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 which may include the establishment of 
        innovative new public schools, 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 designed to meet the needs of their particular 
        student population and help all students meet State content 
        standards and State student performance 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 the subgrant funds such agency receives in each fiscal 
    year under this title for administrative expenses.
        (7) Special consideration.--The State educational agency shall 
    give special consideration in awarding a subgrant to--
            (A) a consortium of local educational agencies; or
            (B) a local educational agency that provides in the 
        application or local improvement plan described in paragraph 
        (2) or (3), respectively, that such subgrant 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) In general.--(A) Each State educational agency shall make 
    subgrants, through a competitive, peer-reviewed process to a local 
    educational agency, or a consortium of local educational agencies, 
    in cooperation with institutions of higher education, nonprofit 
    organizations, or any combination thereof, in accordance with 
    section 308 to--
            (i) improve preservice teacher education programs 
        consistent with the State improvement plan, including how to 
        work effectively with parents and the community; and
            (ii) support continuing, sustained professional development 
        activities for educators and school administrators or related 
        services personnel working with educators which will increase 
        student learning in accordance with the State improvement plan.
        (B) Each State educational agency awarding subgrants under 
    subparagraph (A) shall give priority to awarding such subgrants 
    to--
            (i) a local educational agency or consortium serving a 
        greater number or percentage of disadvantaged students than the 
        statewide average of such number or percentage;
            (ii) a local educational agency or consortium that forms 
        partnerships with collegiate educators to establish 
        professional development sites; and
            (iii) a local educational agency or consortium that--
                (I) focuses on upgrading teachers' knowledge of content 
            areas; or
                (II) targets preparation and continued professional 
            development of teachers of students with limited-English 
            proficiency and students with disabilities.
        (2) Application.--Each local educational agency or consortium 
    that desires 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 improvement 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 
        improvement plan; and
            (C) contains any other information that the State 
        educational agency determines is appropriate.
        (3) Required activities.--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 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) Permissive activities.--A recipient of a subgrant under 
    this subsection may use the subgrant funds for costs related to 
    release time for teachers to participate in professional 
    development activities, which professional development shall 
    include related services personnel as appropriate.
    (c) Special Award Rule.--
        (1) In general.--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 such percentage or number for all local educational 
    agencies in the State.
        (2) Waiver.--The State educational agency may waive the 
    requirement of paragraph (1) if such agency 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, State content 
    standards or State student performance standards, curricular 
    materials, and State 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 the State improvement plan described in 
    section 306 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 
State 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) Waiver Authority.--
        (1) In general.--Except as provided in subsection (c), the 
    Secretary may waive any statutory or regulatory requirement 
    applicable to any program or Act described in subsection (b) for a 
    State educational agency, local educational agency, or school if--
            (A) 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 improvement plan;
            (B) the State educational agency has waived, or agrees to 
        waive, similar requirements of State law;
            (C) 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 State educational agency's proposal to 
            seek a waiver; and
                (ii) submits the local educational agencies' comments 
            to the Secretary; and
            (D) in the case of a local educational agency waiver, the 
        local educational agency provides parents, community groups, 
        and advocacy or civil rights groups with the opportunity to 
        comment on the proposed waiver.
        (2) Application.--(A)(i) To request a waiver under paragraph 
    (1), a local educational agency or school that receives funds under 
    this title, or a local educational agency or school that does not 
    receive funds under this title but is undertaking school reform 
    efforts that the Secretary determines are comparable to the 
    activities described in section 306, shall transmit an application 
    for such a waiver to the State educational agency. The State 
    educational agency then shall submit approved applications for 
    waivers under paragraph (1) to the Secretary.
        (ii) A State educational agency that receives funds under this 
    title may request a waiver under paragraph (1) by submitting an 
    application for such waiver to the Secretary.
        (B) Each application submitted to the Secretary under 
    subparagraph (A) shall--
            (i) identify the statutory or regulatory requirements that 
        are requested to be waived and the goals that the State 
        educational agency or local educational agency or school 
        intends to achieve;
            (ii) describe the action that the State educational agency 
        has undertaken to remove State statutory or regulatory barriers 
        identified in the application of local educational agencies;
            (iii) describe the goals of the waiver and the expected 
        programmatic outcomes if the request is granted;
            (iv) describe the numbers and types of students to be 
        impacted by such waiver;
            (v) describe a timetable for implementing a waiver; and
            (vi) describe the process the State educational agency will 
        use to monitor, on a biannual basis, the progress in 
        implementing a waiver.
        (3) Timeliness.--The Secretary shall act promptly on a request 
    for a waiver under paragraph (1) and shall provide a written 
    statement of the reasons for granting or denying such request.
        (4) Duration.--Each waiver under paragraph (1) shall be for a 
    period not to exceed 4 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 statutory or regulatory requirements 
subject to the waiver authority of this section are any such 
requirements under the following programs or Acts:
        (1) Chapter 1 of title I of the Elementary and Secondary 
    Education Act of 1965, including Even Start.
        (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.
        (4) The Emergency Immigrant Education Act of 1984.
        (5) The Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1986.
        (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 or Acts described 
in subsection (b)--
        (1) relating to--
            (A) maintenance of effort;
            (B) comparability of services;
            (C) the equitable participation of students and 
        professional staff in private schools;
            (D) parental participation and involvement; and
            (E) the distribution of funds to States or to local 
        educational agencies; and
        (2) unless the underlying purposes of the statutory 
    requirements of each program or Act for which a waiver is granted 
    continue to be met to the satisfaction of the Secretary.
    (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 under subsection 
(a)(1) and shall terminate the waiver if the Secretary determines that 
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.
    (e) Flexibility Demonstration.--
        (1) Short title.--This subsection may be cited as the 
    ``Education Flexibility Partnership Demonstration Act''.
        (2) Program authorized.--
            (A) In general.--The Secretary may carry out an education 
        flexibility demonstration program under which the Secretary 
        authorizes not more than 6 State educational agencies serving 
        eligible States to waive statutory or regulatory requirements 
        applicable to 1 or more programs or Acts described in 
        subsection (b), other than requirements described in subsection 
        (c), for the State educational agency or any local educational 
        agency or school within the State.
            (B) Award rule.--In carrying out subparagraph (A), the 
        Secretary shall select for participation in the demonstration 
        program described in subparagraph (A) three State educational 
        agencies serving eligible States that each have a population of 
        3,500,000 or greater and three State educational agencies 
        serving eligible States that each have a population of less 
        than 3,500,000, determined in accordance with the most recent 
        decennial census of the population performed by the Bureau of 
        the Census.
            (C) Designation.--Each eligible State participating in the 
        demonstration program described in subparagraph (A) shall be 
        known as an ``Ed-Flex Partnership State''.
        (3) Eligible state.--For the purpose of this subsection the 
    term ``eligible State'' means a State that--
            (A) has developed a State improvement plan under section 
        306 that is approved by the Secretary; and
            (B) waives State statutory or regulatory requirements 
        relating to education while holding local educational agencies 
        or schools within the State that are affected by such waivers 
        accountable for the performance of the students who are 
        affected by such waivers.
        (4) State application.--(A) Each State educational agency 
    desiring to participate in the education flexibility demonstration 
    program under this subsection shall submit an application to the 
    Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
    information as the Secretary may reasonably require. Each such 
    application shall demonstrate that the eligible State has adopted 
    an educational flexibility plan for the State that includes--
            (i) a description of the process the State educational 
        agency will use to evaluate applications from local educational 
        agencies or schools requesting waivers of--
                (I) Federal statutory or regulatory requirements 
            described in paragraph (2)(A); and
                (II) State statutory or regulatory requirements 
            relating to education; and
            (ii) a detailed description of the State statutory and 
        regulatory requirements relating to education that the State 
        educational agency will waive.
        (B) The Secretary may approve an application described in 
    subparagraph (A) only if the Secretary determines that such 
    application demonstrates substantial promise of assisting the State 
    educational agency and affected local educational agencies and 
    schools within such State in carrying out comprehensive educational 
    reform and otherwise meeting the purposes of this Act, after 
    considering--
            (i) the comprehensiveness and quality of the educational 
        flexibility plan described in subparagraph (A);
            (ii) the ability of such plan to ensure accountability for 
        the activities and goals described in such plan;
            (iii) the significance of the State statutory or regulatory 
        requirements relating to education that will be waived; and
            (iv) the quality of the State educational agency's process 
        for approving applications for waivers of Federal statutory or 
        regulatory requirements described in paragraph (2)(A) and for 
        monitoring and evaluating the results of such waivers.
        (5) Local application.--(A) Each local educational agency or 
    school requesting a waiver of a Federal statutory or regulatory 
    requirement described in paragraph (2)(A) and any relevant State 
    statutory or regulatory requirement from a State educational agency 
    shall submit an application to the State educational agency at such 
    time, in such manner, and containing such information as the State 
    educational agency may reasonably require. Each such application 
    shall--
            (i) indicate each Federal program affected and the 
        statutory or regulatory requirement that will be waived;
            (ii) describe the purposes and overall expected results of 
        waiving each such requirement;
            (iii) describe for each school year specific, measurable, 
        educational goals for each local educational agency or school 
        affected by the proposed waiver; and
            (iv) explain why the waiver will assist the local 
        educational agency or school in reaching such goals.
        (B) A State educational agency shall evaluate an application 
    submitted under subparagraph (A) in accordance with the State's 
    educational flexibility plan described in paragraph (4)(A).
        (C) A State educational agency shall not approve an application 
    for a waiver under this paragraph unless--
            (i) the local educational agency or school requesting such 
        waiver has developed a local reform plan that is applicable to 
        such agency or school, respectively; and
            (ii) the waiver of Federal statutory or regulatory 
        requirements described in paragraph (2)(A) will assist the 
        local educational agency or school in reaching its educational 
        goals.
        (6) Monitoring.--Each State educational agency participating in 
    the demonstration program under this subsection shall annually 
    monitor the activities of local educational agencies and schools 
    receiving waivers under this subsection and shall submit an annual 
    report regarding such monitoring to the Secretary.
        (7) Duration of federal waivers.--(A) The Secretary shall not 
    approve the application of a State educational agency under 
    paragraph (4) for a period exceeding 5 years, except that the 
    Secretary may extend such period if the Secretary determines that 
    such agency's authority to grant waivers has been effective in 
    enabling such State or affected local educational agencies or 
    schools to carry out their local reform plans.
        (B) The Secretary shall periodically review the performance of 
    any State educational agency granting waivers of Federal statutory 
    or regulatory requirements described in paragraph (2)(A) and shall 
    terminate such agency's authority to grant such waivers if the 
    Secretary determines, after notice and opportunity for hearing, 
    that such agency's performance has been inadequate to justify 
    continuation of such authority.
    (f) Accountability.--In deciding whether to extend a request for a 
waiver under subsection (a)(1), or a State educational agency's 
authority to issue waivers under subsection (e), the Secretary shall 
review the progress of the State educational agency, local educational 
agency, or school affected by such waiver or authority to determine if 
such agency or school has made progress toward achieving the desired 
results described in the application submitted pursuant to subsection 
(a)(2)(B)(iii) or (e)(5)(A)(ii).
    (g) Publication.--A notice of the Secretary's decision to grant 
waivers under subsection (a)(1) and to authorize State educational 
agencies to issue waivers under subsection (e) shall be published in 
the Federal Register and the Secretary shall provide for the 
dissemination of such notice to State educational agencies, interested 
parties, including educators, parents, students, advocacy and civil 
rights organizations, other interested parties, and the public.

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 
2 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--
        (1) the activities assisted under, and outcomes of, grants or 
    contracts under section 220, including--
            (A) a description of the purpose, uses, and technical merit 
        of assessments evaluated with funds awarded under such 
        paragraph; and
            (B) an analysis of the impact of such assessments on the 
        performance of students, particularly students of different 
        racial, gender, ethnic, or language groups and individuals with 
        disabilities;
        (2) the activities assisted under, and outcomes of, allotments 
    under this title; and
        (3) the effect of waivers granted under section 311, 
    including--
            (A) a listing of all State educational agencies, local 
        educational agencies and schools seeking and receiving waivers;
            (B) a summary of the State and Federal statutory or 
        regulatory requirements that have been waived, including the 
        number of waivers sought and granted under each such statutory 
        or regulatory requirement;
            (C) a summary of waivers that have been terminated, 
        including a rationale for the terminations; and
            (D) recommendations to the Congress regarding changes in 
        statutory or regulatory requirements, particularly those 
        actions that should be taken to overcome Federal statutory or 
        regulatory impediments to education reform.
    SEC. 313. TECHNICAL AND OTHER ASSISTANCE REGARDING SCHOOL FINANCE 
      EQUITY.
    (a) Technical Assistance.--
        (1) In general.--From funds reserved in each fiscal year under 
    section 304(a)(2)(A), the Secretary is authorized to make grants 
    to, and enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with, State 
    educational agencies and other public and private agencies, 
    institutions, and organizations to provide technical assistance to 
    State and local educational agencies to assist such agencies in 
    achieving a greater degree of equity in the distribution of 
    financial resources for education among local educational agencies 
    in the State.
        (2) Activities.--A grant, contract or cooperative agreement 
    under this section may support technical assistance activities, 
    such as--
            (A) the establishment and operation of a center or centers 
        for the provision of technical assistance to State and local 
        educational agencies;
            (B) the convening of conferences on equalization of 
        resources within local educational agencies, within States, and 
        among States; and
            (C) obtaining advice from experts in the field of school 
        finance equalization.
    (b) Data.--Each State educational agency or local educational 
agency receiving assistance under the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 shall provide such data and information on school 
finance as the Secretary may require to carry out this section.
    (c) Models.--The Secretary is authorized, directly or through 
grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements, to develop and 
disseminate models and materials useful to States in planning and 
implementing revisions of the school finance systems of such States.

SEC. 314. NATIONAL LEADERSHIP.

    (a) Technical Assistance and Integration of Standards.--From funds 
reserved in each fiscal year under section 304(a)(2)(A), the Secretary 
may, directly or through grants or contracts--
        (1) provide technical assistance to States, local educational 
    agencies, and tribal agencies developing or implementing school 
    improvement plans, in a manner that ensures that such assistance is 
    broadly available;
        (2) gather data on, conduct research on, and evaluate systemic 
    education improvement and how such improvement affects student 
    learning, including the programs assisted under this title;
        (3) disseminate research findings and other information on 
    outstanding examples of systemic education improvement in States 
    and local communities through existing dissemination systems within 
    the Department of Education, including through publications, 
    electronic and telecommunications mediums, conferences, and other 
    means;
        (4) provide grants to tribal divisions of education for 
    coordination efforts between school reform plans developed for 
    schools funded by the Bureau and public schools described in 
    section 306(g)(2), including tribal activities in support of such 
    plans;
        (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; and
        (6) support model projects to integrate multiple content 
    standards, if--
            (A) such standards are certified by the National Education 
        Standards and Improvement Council and approved by the National 
        Goals Panel for different subject areas, in order to provide 
        balanced and coherent instructional programs for all students; 
        and
            (B) such projects are appropriate for a wide range of 
        diverse circumstances, localities (including both urban and 
        rural communities), and populations.
    (b) Reservation of Funds.--
        (1) In general.--The Secretary shall use at least 50 percent of 
    the funds reserved each year under section 304(a)(2)(A) to make 
    grants, in accordance with the provisions of section 309(a) that 
    the Secretary determines 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, except that any school that received funds under 
    section 309(a) shall not receive assistance pursuant to this 
    paragraph other than technical assistance.
        (2) Survey.--The Secretary shall use not less than $1,000,000 
    of the funds reserved for fiscal year 1994 under section 
    304(a)(2)(A) to replicate 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.
    (c) Administration.--Any activities assisted under this section 
that involve research shall be administered through the Office of 
Educational Research and Improvement.
    SEC. 315. ASSISTANCE TO THE OUTLYING AREAS AND TO THE SECRETARY OF 
      THE INTERIOR.
    (a) Outlying Areas.--
        (1) In general.--Funds reserved for outlying areas under 
    section 304(a)(1)(A) shall be distributed among such areas by the 
    Secretary according to relative need of such areas.
        (2) Inapplicability of public law 95-134.--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 for the Secretary of the 
    Interior under section 304(a)(1)(B) 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 such 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 assessments 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 described 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 standards, voluntary 
        natural student performance standards, and voluntary natural 
        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, including the development of the partnerships 
        outlined in section 306(g)(2) of the Act.
        (4) Panel.--(A) 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--
            (i) the Director of the Office of Indian Education Programs 
        of the Bureau and two heads of other divisions of such Bureau 
        as the Assistant Secretary shall designate;
            (ii) a designee of the Secretary of Education; and
            (iii) 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 subclause (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.
        (B) Including the additional members required by paragraph (5), 
    a majority of the members of such panel shall be from the entities 
    designated under subparagraph (A)(iii).
        (5) Additional members.--In addition, the members of the panel 
    described in paragraph (4) shall designate for full membership on 
    the panel 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 funds received pursuant to section 304(a)(1)(B) in 
    the first fiscal year that the Secretary of the Interior receives 
    such funds an amount not to exceed $500,000 to provide, through the 
    National Academy of Sciences or the National Academy of Education, 
    for an analysis of the costs associated with meeting the academic 
    and home-living/residential standards of the Bureau for each school 
    funded by the Bureau. The purpose of such analysis shall be to 
    provide the Bureau and the panel described in paragraph (4) 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 appropriate 
    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 operated or supported by the 
    Bureau 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 National Academy of Sciences or the National 
        Academy of Education; and
            (C) the pay and benefit schedules and other personnel 
        requirements for each school operated by the Bureau, as such 
        pay and benefit schedules and requirements existed on the date 
        of enactment of this Act.
    (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.
    SEC. 316. CLARIFICATION REGARDING STATE STANDARDS AND ASSESSMENTS.
    Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, standards or 
State assessments described in a State improvement plan submitted in 
accordance with section 306 shall not be required to be certified by 
the Council.
    SEC. 317. STATE PLANNING FOR IMPROVING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT THROUGH 
      INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGY INTO THE CURRICULUM.
    (a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to assist each 
State to plan effectively for improved student learning in all schools 
through the use of technology as an integral part of the State 
improvement plan described in section 306.
    (b) Program Authorized.--
        (1) Authority.--The Secretary shall award grants in accordance 
    with allocations under paragraph (2) to each State educational 
    agency that, as part of its application under section 305, requests 
    a grant to develop (or continue the development of), and submits as 
    part of the State improvement plan described in section 306, a 
    systemic statewide plan to increase the use of state-of-the-art 
    technologies that enhance elementary and secondary student learning 
    and staff development in support of the National Education Goals 
    and State content standards and State student performance 
    standards.
        (2) Formula.--From the amount appropriated pursuant to the 
    authority of subsection (f) in each fiscal year, each State 
    educational agency with an application approved under section 305 
    shall receive a grant under paragraph (1) in such year in an amount 
    determined on the same basis as allotments are made to State 
    educational agencies under subsections (b) and (c) of section 304 
    for such year, except that each such State shall receive at least 
    $75,000.
    (c) Plan Objectives.--Each State educational agency shall use funds 
received under this section to develop and, if the Secretary has 
approved the systemic statewide plan, to implement such plan. Such plan 
shall have as its objectives--
        (1) the promotion of higher student achievement through the use 
    of technology in education;
        (2) the participation of all schools and school districts in 
    the State, especially those schools and districts with a high 
    percentage or number of disadvantaged students;
        (3) the development and implementation of a cost-effective, 
    high-speed, statewide, interoperable, wide-area-communication 
    educational technology support system for elementary and secondary 
    schools within the State, particularly for such schools in rural 
    areas; and
        (4) the promotion of shared usage of equipment, facilities, and 
    other technology resources by adult learners during after-school 
    hours.
    (d) Plan Requirements.--At a minimum, each systemic statewide plan 
shall--
        (1) be developed by a task force that--
            (A) includes among its members experts in the educational 
        use of technology and representatives of the State panel 
        described in section 306(b); and
            (B) ensures that such plan is integrated into the State 
        improvement plan described in section 306;
        (2) be developed in collaboration with the Governor, 
    representatives of the State legislature, the State board of 
    education, institutions of higher education, appropriate State 
    agencies, local educational agencies, public and private 
    telecommunication entities, parents, public and school libraries, 
    students, adult literacy providers, and leaders in the field of 
    technology, through a process of statewide grassroots outreach to 
    local educational agencies and schools in the State;
        (3) identify and describe the requirements for introducing 
    state-of-the-art technologies into the classroom and school library 
    in order to enhance educational curricula, including the 
    installation and ongoing maintenance of basic connections, hardware 
    and the necessary support materials;
        (4) describe how the application of advanced technologies in 
    the schools will enhance student learning, provide greater access 
    to individualized instruction, promote the standards and strategies 
    described in section 306(d), and help make progress toward the 
    achievement of the National Education Goals;
        (5) describe how the ongoing training of educational personnel 
    will be provided;
        (6) describe the resources necessary, and procedures, for 
    providing ongoing technical assistance to carry out such plan;
        (7) provide for the dissemination on a statewide basis of 
    exemplary programs and practices relating to the use of technology 
    in education;
        (8) establish a funding estimate (including a statement of 
    likely funding sources) and a schedule for the development and 
    implementation of such plan;
        (9) describe how the State educational agency will assess the 
    impact of implementing such plan on student achievement and 
    aggregate achievement for schools;
        (10) describe how the State educational agency and local 
    educational agencies in the State will coordinate and cooperate 
    with business and industry, and with public and private 
    telecommunications entities;
        (11) describe how the State educational agency will promote the 
    purchase of equipment by local educational agencies that, when 
    placed in schools, will meet the highest possible level of 
    interoperability and open system design;
        (12) describe how the State educational agency will consider 
    using existing telecommunications infrastructure and technology 
    resources;
        (13) describe how the State educational agency will apply the 
    uses of technology to meet the needs of children from low-income 
    families;
        (14) describe the process through which such plan will be 
    reviewed and updated periodically; and
        (15) describe how the State educational agency will facilitate 
    collaboration between State literacy resource centers, local 
    educational agencies, and adult and family literacy providers, to 
    ensure that technology can be used by adult and family literacy 
    providers during after school hours.
    (e) Reports.--Each State educational agency receiving a grant under 
this section shall submit a report to the Secretary within 1 year of 
the date such agency submits to the Secretary its systemic statewide 
plan under this section. Such report shall--
        (1) describe the State's progress toward implementation of the 
    provisions of such plan;
        (2) describe any revisions to the State's long-range plans for 
    technology;
        (3) describe the extent to which resources provided pursuant to 
    such plan are distributed among schools to promote the standards 
    and strategies described in section 306(d); and
        (4) include any other information the Secretary deems 
    appropriate.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1994 to carry out this section.
    SEC. 318. PROHIBITION ON FEDERAL MANDATES, DIRECTION, AND CONTROL.
    Nothing in this Act 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 or local resources or mandate a 
State or any subdivision thereof to spend any funds or incur any costs 
not paid for under this Act.

SEC. 319. STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTROL OF EDUCATION.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds as follows:
        (1) Congress is interested in promoting State and local 
    government reform efforts in education.
        (2) In Public Law 96-88 the Congress found that education is 
    fundamental to the development of individual citizens and the 
    progress of the Nation.
        (3) In Public Law 96-88 the Congress found that in our Federal 
    system the responsibility for education is reserved respectively to 
    the States and the local school systems and other instrumentalities 
    of the States.
        (4) In Public Law 96-88 the Congress declared the purpose of 
    the Department of Education was to supplement and complement the 
    efforts of States, the local school systems, and other 
    instrumentalities of the States, the private sector, public and 
    private educational institutions, public and private nonprofit 
    educational research institutions, community based organizations, 
    parents and schools to improve the quality of education.
        (5) With the establishment of the Department of Education, 
    Congress intended to protect the rights of State and local 
    governments and public and private educational institutions in the 
    areas of educational policies and administration of programs and to 
    strengthen and improve the control of such governments and 
    institutions over their own educational programs and policies.
        (6) Public Law 96-88 specified that the establishment of the 
    Department of Education shall not increase the authority of the 
    Federal Government over education or diminish the responsibility 
    for education which is reserved to the States and local school 
    systems and other instrumentalities of the States.
        (7) Public Law 96-88 specified that no provision of a program 
    administered by the Secretary or by any other officer of the 
    Department of Health, Education, and Welfare shall be construed to 
    authorize the Secretary or any such officer to exercise any 
    direction, supervision, or control over the curriculum, program of 
    instruction, administration, or personnel of any educational 
    institution, school, or school system, over any accrediting agency 
    or association or over the selection or content of library 
    resources, textbooks, or other instructional materials by any 
    educational institution or school system.
    (b) Reaffirmation.--The Congress agrees and reaffirms that the 
responsibility for control of education is reserved to the States and 
local school systems and other instrumentalities of the States and that 
no action shall be taken under the provisions of this Act by the 
Federal Government which would, directly or indirectly, impose 
standards or requirements of any kind through the promulgation of 
rules, regulations, provision of financial assistance and otherwise, 
which would reduce, modify, or undercut State and local responsibility 
for control of education.

                     TITLE IV--PARENTAL ASSISTANCE

SEC. 401. PARENTAL INFORMATION AND RESOURCE CENTERS.

    (a) Purpose.--The purpose of this title is--
        (1) to increase parents' knowledge of and confidence in child-
    rearing activities, such as teaching and nurturing their young 
    children;
        (2) to strengthen partnerships between parents and 
    professionals in meeting the educational needs of children aged 
    birth through 5 and the working relationship between home and 
    school;
        (3) to enhance the developmental progress of children assisted 
    under this title; and
        (4) to fund at least 1 parental information and resource center 
    in each State before September 30, 1998.
    (b) Grants Authorized.--
        (1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to award grants in 
    each fiscal year to nonprofit organizations, and nonprofit 
    organizations in consortia with local educational agencies, to 
    establish parental information and resource centers that provide 
    training, information, and support to--
            (A) parents of children aged birth through 5 years;
            (B) parents of children enrolled in elementary and 
        secondary schools; and
            (C) individuals who work with the parents described in 
        subparagraphs (A) and (B).
        (2) Award rule.--In awarding grants under this title, the 
    Secretary shall ensure that such grants are distributed, to the 
    greatest extent possible, to all geographic regions of the United 
    States.

SEC. 402. APPLICATIONS.

    (a) Grants Applications.--
        (1) In general.--Each nonprofit organization and nonprofit 
    organization in consortium with a local educational agency which 
    desires a grant under this title shall submit an application to the 
    Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary shall 
    determine.
        (2) Contents.--Each application submitted under paragraph (1) 
    shall, at a minimum, include assurances that a grantee will--
            (A)(i) be governed by a board of directors the membership 
        of which includes parents; or
            (ii) be an organization that represents the interests of 
        parents;
            (B) establish a special advisory committee the membership 
        of which--
                (i) includes--

                    (I) parents described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) 
                of section 401(b)(1); and
                    (II) representatives of education professionals 
                with expertise in improving services for disadvantaged 
                children; and

                (ii) is broadly representative of minority, low-income, 
            and other individuals and groups that have an interest in 
            compensatory education and family literacy;
            (C) use at least one-half of the funds provided under this 
        Act in each fiscal year to serve areas with high concentrations 
        of low-income families in order to serve parents who are 
        severely educationally or economically disadvantaged;
            (D) operate a center of sufficient size, scope, and quality 
        to ensure that the center is adequate to serve the parents in 
        the area;
            (E) serve both urban and rural areas;
            (F) design a center that meets the unique training, 
        information, and support needs of parents described in 
        subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 401(b)(1), particularly 
        parents who are educationally or economically disadvantaged;
            (G) demonstrate the capacity and expertise to conduct the 
        effective training information and support activities for which 
        assistance is sought;
            (H) network with--
                (i) clearinghouses;
                (ii) parent centers for the parents of infants, 
            toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities served 
            under section 631(e) of the Individuals with Disabilities 
            Education Act;
                (iii) other organizations and agencies;
                (iv) established national, State, and local parent 
            groups representing the full range of parents of children, 
            aged birth through 5 years; and
                (v) parents of children enrolled in elementary and 
            secondary schools;
            (I) focus on serving parents described in subparagraphs (A) 
        and (B) of section 401(b) who are parents of low-income, 
        minority, and limited-English proficient, children; and
            (J) use part of the funds received under this title to 
        establish, expand, or operate Parents as Teachers programs or 
        Home Instruction for Preschool Youngsters programs.
    (b) Grant Renewal.--In each fiscal year after the first fiscal year 
a grantee receives assistance under this title, the grantee shall 
demonstrate in the application submitted for each fiscal year after 
such first year that a portion of the services provided by such grantee 
is supported through non-Federal contributions, which contributions may 
be in cash or in kind.

SEC. 403. USES OF FUNDS.

    Grant funds received under this title may be used--
        (1) for parent training, information, and support programs that 
    assist parents to--
            (A) better understand their children's educational needs;
            (B) provide followup 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 educational progress;
            (E) obtain information about the range of options, 
        programs, services, and resources available at the national, 
        State, and local levels to assist parents described in 
        subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 401(b);
            (F) seek technical assistance regarding compliance with the 
        requirements of this title and of other Federal programs 
        relevant to achieving the National Education Goals;
            (G) participate in State and local decisionmaking;
            (H) train other parents; and
            (I) plan, implement, and fund activities that coordinate 
        the education of their children with other Federal programs 
        that serve their children or their families; and
        (2) to include State or local educational personnel where such 
    participation will further the activities assisted under the grant.

SEC. 404. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

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

SEC. 405. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this title--
        (1) the term ``parent education'' includes parent support 
    activities, the provision of resource materials on child 
    development, parent-child learning activities and child rearing 
    issues, private and group educational guidance, individual and 
    group learning experiences for the parent and child, and other 
    activities that enable the parent to improve learning in the home;
        (2) the term ``Parents as Teachers program'' means a voluntary 
    early childhood parent education program that--
            (A) is designed to provide all parents of children from 
        birth through age 5 with the information and support such 
        parents need to give their child a solid foundation for school 
        success;
            (B) is based on the Missouri Parents as Teachers model with 
        the philosophy that parents are their child's first and most 
        influential teachers;
            (C) provides--
                (i) regularly scheduled personal visits with families 
            by certified parent educators;
                (ii) regularly scheduled developmental screenings; and
                (iii) linkage with other resources within the community 
            in order to provide services that parents may want and 
            need, except that such services are beyond the scope of the 
            Parents as Teachers program;
        (3) the term ``Home Instruction for Preschool Youngsters 
    program'' means a voluntary early-learning program for parents with 
    one or more children between the ages of 3 through 5, that--
            (A) provides support, training, and appropriate educational 
        materials necessary for parents to implement a school-
        readiness, home instruction program for their child; and
            (B) includes--
                (i) group meetings with other parents participating in 
            the program;
                (ii) individual and group learning experiences with the 
            parent and child;
                (iii) provision of resource materials on child 
            development and parent-child learning activities; and
                (iv) other activities that enable the parent to improve 
            learning in the home.

SEC. 406. REPORTS.

    Each organization receiving a grant under this title shall submit 
to the Secretary, on an annual basis, information concerning the 
parental information and resource 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 training, information, and support 
    provided under this title;
        (3) the number of Parents as Teachers programs and Home 
    Instruction for Preschool Youngsters programs which have been 
    assisted under this title; and
        (4) the strategies used to reach and serve parents of minority 
    and limited-English-proficient children, parents with limited 
    literacy skills, and other parents in need of the services provided 
    under this title.

SEC. 407. GENERAL PROVISION.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of this title--
        (1) no person, including a parent who educates a child at home, 
    public school parent, or private school parent, shall be required 
    to participate in any program of parent education or developmental 
    screening pursuant to the provisions of this title;
        (2) no program assisted under this title shall take any action 
    that infringes in any manner on the right of a parent to direct the 
    education of their children; and
        (3) the provisions of section 438(c) of the General Education 
    Provision Act shall apply to organizations awarded grants under 
    this title.

SEC. 408. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary for each of the fiscal years 1995 through 1998 to carry out 
this title.

                TITLE V--NATIONAL SKILL STANDARDS BOARD

SEC. 501. SHORT TITLE.

    This title may be cited as the ``National Skill Standards Act of 
1994''.

SEC. 502. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this title to establish a National Skill 
Standards Board to serve as a catalyst in stimulating the development 
and adoption of a voluntary national system of skill standards and of 
assessment and certification of attainment of skill standards--
        (1) that will serve as a cornerstone of the national strategy 
    to enhance workforce skills;
        (2) that will result in increased productivity, economic 
    growth, and American economic competitiveness; and
        (3) that can be used, consistent with civil rights laws--
            (A) by the Nation, to ensure the development of a high 
        skills, high quality, high performance workforce, including the 
        most skilled frontline workforce in the world;
            (B) by industries, as a vehicle for informing training 
        providers and prospective employees of skills necessary for 
        employment;
            (C) by employers, to assist in evaluating the skill levels 
        of prospective employees and to assist in the training of 
        current employees;
            (D) by labor organizations, to enhance the employment 
        security of workers by providing portable credentials and 
        skills;
            (E) by workers, to--
                (i) obtain certifications of their skills to protect 
            against dislocation;
                (ii) pursue career advancement; and
                (iii) enhance their ability to reenter the workforce;
            (F) 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;
            (G) by training providers and educators, to determine 
        appropriate training services to offer;
            (H) by government, to evaluate whether publicly funded 
        training assists participants to meet skill standards where 
        such standards exist and thereby protect the integrity of 
        public expenditures;
            (I) to facilitate the transition to high performance work 
        organizations;
            (J) to increase opportunities for minorities and women, 
        including removing barriers to the entry of women into 
        nontraditional employment; and
            (K) to facilitate linkages between other components of the 
        national strategy to enhance workforce skills, including 
        school-to-work transition, secondary and postsecondary 
        vocational-technical education, and job training programs.

SEC. 503. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL BOARD.

    (a) In General.--There is established a National Skill Standards 
Board (hereafter 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 business 
        (including representatives of small employers and 
        representatives of large employers) selected from among 
        individuals recommended by recognized national business 
        organizations or trade associations;
            (F) eight members shall be representatives of organized 
        labor selected from among individuals recommended by recognized 
        national labor federations; and
            (G)(i) 2 members shall be neutral, qualified human resource 
        professionals; and
            (ii) 6 members shall be representatives from the following 
        groups, with at least 1 member from each group:
                (I) Educational institutions (including vocational-
            technical 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, or religious minorities, women, individuals 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) Ex officio nonvoting members.--The members of the National 
    Board specified in subparagraphs (A), (B), (C), and (D) of 
    paragraph (1) shall be ex officio, nonvoting members of the 
    National Board.
        (5) Term.--Each member of the National Board appointed under 
    subparagraph (E), (F), or (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 subparagraphs--
            (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 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); 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).
        (6) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the National Board shall not 
    affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same manner as the 
    original appointment.
    (c) Chairperson and Vice Chairpersons.--
        (1) Chairperson.--
            (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
        the National Board, by majority vote, shall elect a Chairperson 
        once every 2 years from among the members of the National 
        Board.
            (B) Initial chairperson.--The first Chairperson of the 
        National Board shall be elected, by a majority vote of the 
        National Board, from among the members who are representatives 
        of business (as described in subparagraph (E) of subsection 
        (b)(1)) and shall serve for a term of 2 years.
        (2) Vice chairpersons.--The National Board, by majority vote, 
    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) and each of 
    whom shall serve for a term of 1 year) from among its members 
    appointed under subsection (b)(3).
    (d) Compensation and Expenses.--
        (1) Compensation.--All Members of the National Board who are 
    not full-time employees or officers of the Federal Government shall 
    serve without compensation. All members of the National Board who 
    are officers or employees of the United States shall serve without 
    compensation in addition to that received for their services as 
    officers or employees of the United States.
        (2) Expenses.--The members of the National Board shall be 
    allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, 
    at rates authorized for employees of agencies under 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.--
        (1) Executive director.--The Chairperson of the National Board 
    shall appoint an Executive Director who shall be compensated at a 
    rate determined by the National Board, not to exceed the rate 
    payable for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of 
    title 5, United States Code.
        (2) Staff.--
            (A) In general.--The Executive Director may appoint and 
        compensate such additional staff as may be necessary to enable 
        the Board to perform its duties. Such staff shall include at 
        least one individual with expertise in measurement and 
        assessment.
            (B) Compensation.--The Executive Director may fix the 
        compensation of the staff without regard to the provisions of 
        chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United 
        States Code, relating to classification of positions and 
        General Schedule pay rates, except that the rate of pay for the 
        staff may not exceed the rate payable for level V of the 
        Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title.
    (f) Voluntary and Uncompensated Services.--Notwithstanding section 
1342 of title 31, United States Code, the National Board is authorized, 
in carrying out this title, to accept voluntary and uncompensated 
services.
    (g) 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 Federal agency of the United States 
    may detail to the National Board, on a reimbursable basis, any of 
    the personnel of such Federal agency to assist the National Board 
    in carrying out this title. Such detail shall be without 
    interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege.
    (h) 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 3 years after the termination of service of such 
individual from the National Board.
    (i) Procurement of Temporary and Intermittent Services.--The 
Chairperson of the National Board may procure temporary and 
intermittent services of experts and consultants under section 3109(b) 
of title 5, United States Code.
    (j) Termination.--The National Board shall terminate on September 
30, 1999.

SEC. 504. FUNCTIONS OF THE NATIONAL BOARD.

    (a) Identification of Occupational Clusters.--
        (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the National Board 
    shall identify broad clusters of major occupations that involve 1 
    or more than 1 industry in the United States and that share 
    characteristics that are appropriate for the development of common 
    skill standards.
        (2) Procedures for identification.--Prior to identifying broad 
    clusters of major occupations under paragraph (1), the National 
    Board shall engage in extensive public consultation, including 
    solicitation of public comment on proposed clusters through 
    publication in the Federal Register.
    (b) Establishment of 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)(i) representatives of business (including 
        representatives of large employers and representatives of small 
        employers) who have expertise in the area of workforce skill 
        requirements, and who are recommended by national business 
        organizations or trade associations representing employers in 
        the occupation or industry for which a standard is being 
        developed; and
            (ii) representatives of trade associations that have 
        received grants from the Department of Labor or the Department 
        of Education to establish skill standards prior to the date of 
        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, or religious minorities, women, individuals with 
            disabilities, or 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 activities described in subsections (b) and (d), the National Board 
shall--
        (1) conduct workforce research relating to skill standards 
    (including research relating to use of skill standards in 
    compliance with civil rights laws) and make such research available 
    to the public, including the voluntary 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 described in 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 (29 U.S.C. 1733(b)) and 
    the Educational Resources Information Center Clearinghouses;
        (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 provide for structured work 
    experiences and related study programs leading to progressive 
    levels of professional and technical certification and 
    postsecondary education;
        (6) provide appropriate technical assistance to voluntary 
    partnerships involved in the development of standards and systems 
    described in subsection (b); 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) The National 
    Board, after extensive public consultation, shall develop objective 
    criteria for endorsing skill 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) The skill standards systems endorsed pursuant to paragraph 
    (1) shall have one or more of the following components:
            (i) Voluntary skill standards, which at a minimum--
                (I) take into account relevant standards used in other 
            countries and relevant international standards;
                (II) meet or exceed the highest applicable standards 
            used in the United States, including apprenticeship 
            standards registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 
            (commonly known as the ``National Apprenticeship Act'', 50 
            Stat. 664, chapter 663, 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.);
                (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 system of assessment and certification of 
        the attainment of skill standards developed pursuant to 
        subparagraph (A), which at a minimum--
                (I) has been developed after taking into account 
            relevant methods of such 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 notP
            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 higher education offering 
        professional and technical education, labor organizations, 
        trade associations, employers providing formalized training, 
        and other organizations likely to benefit from such standards 
        and 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 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 voluntary partnerships that meet the 
        requirements of subsection (b).
    (e) Relationship With Civil Rights 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, color, gender, age, religion, 
    ethnicity, disability, or national origin.
        (2) Evidence.--The endorsement or absence of an endorsement by 
    the National 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 use of a skill standard 
    or assessment and certification system conforms or does not conform 
    to the requirements of civil rights laws.
    (f) Coordination.--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 section with the development of voluntary national 
content standards and voluntary national student performance standards 
in accordance with section 213.
    (g) Financial Assistance.--
        (1) In general.--From funds appropriated pursuant to section 
    507--
            (A) the National Board may enter into contracts and 
        cooperative agreements to carry out the purposes of this title; 
        and
            (B) the Secretary of Labor may, in accordance with 
        paragraph (2), award grants to voluntary partnerships for the 
        development of skill standards systems meeting the requirements 
        of subsection (d).
        (2) Grants to 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 nonbinding 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 use of funds.--
            (A) In general.--Not more than 20 percent of the funds 
        appropriated pursuant to the authority of section 507(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, and travel and 
        per diem, costs of conducting meetings and conferences, and 
        other related costs.

SEC. 505. DEADLINES.

    Not later than December 31, 1995, the National Board shall, at a 
minimum--
        (1) identify occupational clusters pursuant to section 504(a) 
    representing a substantial portion of the workforce; and
        (2) promote the development of an initial set of skill 
    standards in accordance with section 504(d) for such clusters.

SEC. 506. REPORTS.

    The National Board shall prepare and submit to the President and 
the Congress in each of the fiscal years 1994 through 1999, a report on 
the activities conducted under this title. Such report shall include 
information on the extent to which skill standards have been adopted by 
employers, training providers, and other entities, and on the 
effectiveness of such standards in accomplishing the purposes described 
in section 502.

SEC. 507. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this title $15,000,000 for fiscal year 1994 and such sums as may be 
necessary for each of fiscal years 1995 through 1999.
    (b) Availability.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) 
shall remain available until expended.

SEC. 508. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this title, the following definitions apply:
        (1) Community-based organizations.--The term ``community-based 
    organizations'' has the meaning given the term in section 4(5) of 
    the Job Training Partnership Act (29 U.S.C. 1503(5)).
        (2) Educational institution.--The term ``educational 
    institution'' means a high school, a vocational school, and an 
    institution of higher education.
        (3) Institution of higher education.--The term ``institution of 
    higher education'' means an institution of higher education (as 
    such term is defined in section 481 of the Higher Education Act of 
    1965 (20 U.S.C. 1088)) which continues to meet the eligibility and 
    certification requirements under section 498 of such Act.
        (4) Skill standard.--The term ``skill standard'' means a 
    standard that specifies the level of knowledge and competence 
    required to successfully perform work-related functions within an 
    occupational cluster.

SEC. 509. SUNSET PROVISION.

    (a) Repeal.--This title is repealed on September 30, 1999.
    (b) Review of Repeal.--It is the sense of the Congress that the 
appropriate committees of the Congress should review the 
accomplishments of the National Board prior to the date of repeal 
described in subsection (a) in order to determine whether it is 
appropriate to extend the authorities provided under this title for a 
period beyond such date.

               TITLE VI--INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM

SEC. 601. INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.

    (a) Program Established.--The Secretary, with the concurrence of 
the Director of the United States Information Agency and with the 
foreign policy guidance of the Secretary of State, shall carry out an 
International Education Program in accordance with this section that 
shall provide for--
        (1) the study of international education programs and delivery 
    systems; and
        (2) an international education exchange program.
    (b) Assessment and Information.--The Secretary shall award grants 
for the study, evaluation, and analysis of education systems in other 
nations, particularly Great Britain, France, Germany and Japan. Such 
studies shall focus upon a comparative analysis of curriculum, 
methodology, and organizational structure, including the length of the 
school year and school day. In addition, the studies shall provide an 
analysis of successful strategies employed by other nations to improve 
student achievement, with a specific focus upon application to 
schooling and the National Education Goals.
    (c) International Education Exchange.--
        (1) Requirement.--
            (A) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
        Director of the United States Information Agency, shall carry 
        out a program to be known as the International Education 
        Exchange Program. Under such program the Secretary shall award 
        grants to or enter into contracts with organizations with 
        demonstrated effectiveness or expertise in international 
        achievement comparisons, in order to--
                (i) make available to educators from eligible countries 
            exemplary curriculum and teacher training programs in 
            civics and government education and economic education 
            developed in the United States;
                (ii) assist eligible countries in the adaptation and 
            implementation of such programs or joint research 
            concerning such programs;
                (iii) create and implement educational programs for 
            United States students which draw upon the experiences of 
            emerging constitutional democracies;
                (iv) provide a means for the exchange of ideas and 
            experiences in civics and government education and economic 
            education among political, educational, and private sector 
            leaders of participating eligible countries; and
                (v) provide support for--

                    (I) research and evaluation to determine the 
                effects of educational programs on students' 
                development of the knowledge, skills, and traits of 
                character essential for the preservation and 
                improvement of constitutional democracy; and

                    (II) effective participation in and the 
                preservation and improvement of an efficient market 
                economy.

            (B) Program administration.--The Secretary and the Director 
        of the United States Information Agency, or their designees, 
        shall be jointly responsible for the design of the program 
        described in subparagraph (A). The Secretary and the Director 
        of the United States Information Agency shall name to an 
        oversight committee an equal number of representatives. Such 
        committee shall determine the specifications for requests for 
        proposals, the eligibility and review criteria for proposals, 
        and the review process for proposals, for grants or contracts 
        under this section. The Director of the United States 
        Information Agency shall have particular responsibility for 
        ensuring that programs assisted under this section are not 
        duplicative of other efforts in the target countries and that 
        foreign partner institutions are creditable.
            (C) Reservations.--In carrying out the program described in 
        subparagraph (A), there shall be reserved in each fiscal year--
                (i) 50 percent of the amount available to carry out 
            this subsection for civics and government education 
            activities; and
                (ii) 50 percent of such amount available to carry out 
            this subsection for economic education activities.
        (2) Contract authorized.--
            (A) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
        Director of the United States Information Agency, is authorized 
        to contract with independent nonprofit educational 
        organizations to carry out the provisions of this subsection.
            (B) Number.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
        Director of the United States Information Agency, shall award 
        at least 1 but not more than 3 contracts described in 
        subparagraph (A) in each of the areas described in clauses (i) 
        and (ii) of paragraph (1)(B).
            (C) Avoidance of duplication.--The Secretary, in 
        consultation with the Director of the United States Information 
        Agency, shall award contracts described in subparagraph (A) so 
        as to avoid duplication of activities in such contracts.
            (D) Requirements.--Each organization with which the 
        Secretary enters into a contract pursuant to subparagraph (A) 
        shall--
                (i) be experienced in--

                    (I) the development and national implementation of 
                curricular programs in civics and government education 
                and economic education for students from grades 
                kindergarten through 12 in local, intermediate, and 
                State educational agencies, in schools funded by the 
                Bureau, and in private schools throughout the Nation 
                with the cooperation and assistance of national 
                professional educational organizations, colleges and 
                universities, and private sector organizations;
                    (II) the development and implementation of 
                cooperative university and school-based inservice 
                training programs for teachers of grades kindergarten 
                through grade 12 using scholars from such relevant 
                disciplines as political science, political philosophy, 
                history, law and economics;

                    (III) the development of model curricular 
                frameworks in civics and government education and 
                economic education;
                    (IV) the administration of international seminars 
                on the goals and objectives of civics and government 
                education or economic education in constitutional 
                democracies (including the sharing of curricular 
                materials) for educational leaders, teacher trainers, 
                scholars in related disciplines, and educational 
                policymakers; and
                    (V) the evaluation of civics and government 
                education or economic education programs; and

                (ii) have the authority to subcontract with other 
            organizations to carry out the provisions of this 
            subsection.
        (3) Activities.--The international education program described 
    in this subsection shall--
            (A) provide eligible countries with--
                (i) seminars on the basic principles of United States 
            constitutional democracy and economics, including seminars 
            on the major governmental and economic institutions and 
            systems in the United States, and visits to such 
            institutions;
                (ii) visits to school systems, institutions of higher 
            learning, and nonprofit organizations conducting exemplary 
            programs in civics and government education and economic 
            education in the United States;
                (iii) home stays in United States communities;
                (iv) translations and adaptations regarding United 
            States civics and government education and economic 
            education curricular programs for students and teachers, 
            and in the case of training programs for teachers 
            translations and adaptations into forms useful in schools 
            in eligible countries, and joint research projects in such 
            areas;
                (v) translation of basic documents of United States 
            constitutional government for use in eligible countries, 
            such as The Federalist Papers, selected writings of 
            Presidents Adams and Jefferson and the Anti-Federalists, 
            and more recent works on political theory, constitutional 
            law and economics; and
                (vi) research and evaluation assistance to determine--

                    (I) the effects of educational programs on 
                students' development of the knowledge, skills and 
                traits of character essential for the preservation and 
                improvement of constitutional democracy; and
                    (II) effective participation in and the 
                preservation and improvement of an efficient market 
                economy;

            (B) provide United States participants with--
                (i) seminars on the histories, economics, and 
            governments of eligible countries;
                (ii) visits to school systems, institutions of higher 
            learning, and organizations conducting exemplary programs 
            in civics and government education and economic education 
            located in eligible countries;
                (iii) home stays in eligible countries;
                (iv) assistance from educators and scholars in eligible 
            countries in the development of curricular materials on the 
            history, government and economics of such countries that 
            are useful in United States classrooms;
                (v) opportunities to provide on-site demonstrations of 
            United States curricula and pedagogy for educational 
            leaders in eligible countries; and
                (vi) research and evaluation assistance to determine--

                    (I) the effects of educational programs on 
                students' development of the knowledge, skills and 
                traits of character essential for the preservation and 
                improvement of constitutional democracy; and
                    (II) effective participation in and improvement of 
                an efficient market economy; and

            (C) assist participants from eligible countries and the 
        United States in participating in international conferences on 
        civics and government education and economic education for 
        educational leaders, teacher trainers, scholars in related 
        disciplines, and educational policymakers.
        (4) Participants.--The primary participants in the 
    international education program assisted under this subsection 
    shall be leading educators in the areas of civics and government 
    education and economic education, including curriculum and teacher 
    training specialists, scholars in relevant disciplines, and 
    educational policymakers, from the United States and eligible 
    countries.
        (5) Personnel and technical experts.--The Secretary is 
    authorized to provide Department of Education personnel and 
    technical experts to assist eligible countries to establish and 
    implement a database or other effective methods to improve 
    educational delivery systems, structure and organization.
        (6) Definitions.--For the purpose of this subsection the term 
    ``eligible country'' means a Central European country, an Eastern 
    European country, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Georgia, the 
    Commonwealth of Independent States, and any country that formerly 
    was a republic of the Soviet Union whose political independence is 
    recognized in the United States.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--
        (1) Assessment and information.--There are authorized to be 
    appropriated $1,000,000 for fiscal year 1995, and such sums as may 
    be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1996 through 1999, to 
    carry out subsection (b).
        (2) International education exchange.--There are authorized to 
    be appropriated $10,000,000 for fiscal year 1995, and such sums as 
    may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1996 through 1999, to 
    carry out subsection (c).

                        TITLE VII--SAFE SCHOOLS

SEC. 701. SHORT TITLE; STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.

    (a) Short Title.--This title may be cited as the ``Safe Schools Act 
of 1994''.
    (b) Statement of Purpose.--It is the purpose of this title to help 
local school systems achieve Goal Six of the National Education Goals, 
which provides that by the year 2000, every school in America will be 
free of drugs and violence and will offer a disciplined environment 
conducive to learning, by ensuring that all schools are safe and free 
of violence.

SEC. 702. SAFE SCHOOLS PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

    (a) Authority.--
        (1) In general.--From funds appropriated pursuant to the 
    authority of subsection (b)(1), the Secretary shall make 
    competitive grants to eligible local educational agencies to enable 
    such agencies to carry out projects and activities designed to 
    achieve Goal Six of the National Education Goals by helping to 
    ensure that all schools are safe and free of violence.
        (2) Grant duration and amount.--Grants under this title may not 
    exceed--
            (A) two fiscal years in duration; and
            (B) $3,000,000.
        (3) Geographic distribution.--To the extent practicable, grants 
    under this title shall be awarded to eligible local educational 
    agencies serving rural, as well as urban, areas.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations and Reservation.--
        (1) Authorization.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
    $50,000,000 for fiscal year 1994 to carry out this title.
        (2) Reservation.--The Secretary is authorized in each fiscal 
    year to reserve not more than 10 percent of the amount appropriated 
    pursuant to the authority of paragraph (1) to carry out national 
    activities described in section 706, of which 50 percent of such 
    amount shall be available in such fiscal year to carry out the 
    program described in section 706(b).

SEC. 703. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS.

    (a) In General.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
title, a local educational agency shall demonstrate in the application 
submitted pursuant to section 704(a) that such agency--
        (1) serves an area in which there is a high rate of--
            (A) homicides committed by persons between the ages 5 to 
        18, inclusive;
            (B) referrals of youth to juvenile court;
            (C) youth under the supervision of the courts;
            (D) expulsions and suspensions of students from school;
            (E) referrals of youth, for disciplinary reasons, to 
        alternative schools; or
            (F) victimization of youth by violence, crime, or other 
        forms of abuse; and
        (2) has serious school crime, violence, and discipline 
    problems, as indicated by other appropriate data.
    (b) Priority.--In awarding grants under this title, the Secretary 
shall give priority to a local educational agency that submits an 
application that assures a strong local commitment to the projects or 
activities assisted under this title, such as--
        (1) the formation of partnerships among the local educational 
    agency, a community-based organization, a nonprofit organization 
    with a demonstrated commitment to or expertise in developing 
    education programs or providing educational services to students or 
    the public, a local law enforcement agency, or any combination 
    thereof; and
        (2) a high level of youth participation in such projects or 
    activities.

SEC. 704. APPLICATIONS AND PLANS.

    (a) Application.--In order to receive a grant under this title, an 
eligible local educational agency shall submit to the Secretary an 
application that includes--
        (1) an assessment of the current violence and crime problems in 
    the schools to be served by the grant and in the community to be 
    served by the applicant;
        (2) an assurance that the applicant has written policies 
    regarding school safety, student discipline, and the appropriate 
    handling of violent or disruptive acts;
        (3) a description of the schools and communities to be served 
    by the grant, the activities and projects to be carried out with 
    grant funds, and how these activities and projects will help to 
    reduce the current violence and crime problems in the schools and 
    communities served;
        (4) a description of educational materials to be developed in 
    the first most predominate non-English language of the schools and 
    communities to be served by the grant, if applicable;
        (5) if the local educational agency receives Federal education 
    funds, an explanation of how activities assisted under this title 
    will be coordinated with and support any systemic education 
    improvement plan prepared with such funds;
        (6) the applicant's plan to establish school-level advisory 
    committees, which include faculty, parents, staff, and students, 
    for each school to be served by the grant and a description of how 
    each committee will assist in assessing that school's violence and 
    discipline problems as well as in designing appropriate programs, 
    policies, and practices to combat such problems;
        (7) the applicant's plan for collecting baseline and future 
    data, by individual schools, to monitor violence and discipline 
    problems and to measure the applicant's progress in achieving the 
    purpose of this title;
        (8) a description of how, in subsequent fiscal years, the 
    grantee will integrate the violence prevention activities the 
    grantee carries out with funds under this title with activities 
    carried out under the grantee's comprehensive plan for drug and 
    violence prevention adopted under the Drug-Free Schools and 
    Communities Act of 1986;
        (9) a description of how the grantee will coordinate the 
    grantee's school crime and violence prevention efforts with 
    education, law enforcement, judicial, health, and social service 
    programs supported under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 
    Prevention Act of 1974, and other appropriate agencies and 
    organizations serving the community;
        (10) a description of how the grantee will inform parents about 
    the extent of crime and violence in their children's schools and 
    maximize the participation of parents in the grantee's violence 
    prevention activities;
        (11) an assurance that grant funds under this title will be 
    used to supplement and not supplant State and local funds that 
    would, in the absence of funds under this title, be made available 
    by the applicant for the purposes of the grant;
        (12) an assurance that the applicant will cooperate with, and 
    provide assistance to, the Secretary in gathering statistics and 
    other data the Secretary determines are necessary to determine the 
    effectiveness of projects and activities assisted under this title 
    or the extent of school violence and discipline problems throughout 
    the Nation; and
        (13) such other information as the Secretary may require.
    (b) Plan.--In order to receive funds under this title for a second 
year, a grantee shall submit to the Secretary a comprehensive, long-
term, school safety plan for reducing and preventing school violence 
and discipline problems. Such plan shall contain a description of how 
the grantee will coordinate the grantee's school crime and violence 
prevention efforts with education, law-enforcement, judicial, health, 
social service, and other appropriate agencies and organizations 
serving the community.

SEC. 705. USE OF FUNDS.

    (a) In General.--A local educational agency shall use grant funds 
received under this title for one or more of the following activities:
        (1) Identifying and assessing school violence and discipline 
    problems, including coordinating needs assessment activities with 
    education, law enforcement, judicial, health, social service, and 
    other appropriate agencies and organizations, juvenile justice 
    programs, and gang prevention activities.
        (2) Conducting school safety reviews or violence prevention 
    reviews of programs, policies, practices, and facilities to 
    determine what changes are needed to reduce or prevent violence and 
    promote safety and discipline.
        (3) Planning for comprehensive, long-term strategies for 
    addressing and preventing school violence and discipline problems 
    through the involvement and coordination of school programs with 
    other education, law enforcement, judicial, health, social service, 
    and other appropriate agencies and organizations.
        (4) Training school personnel in programs of demonstrated 
    effectiveness in addressing violence, including violence 
    prevention, conflict resolution, anger management, peer mediation, 
    and identification of high-risk youth.
        (5) Activities which involve parents in efforts to promote 
    school safety and prevent school violence.
        (6) Community education programs, including video- and 
    technology-based projects, informing parents, businesses, local 
    government, the media and other appropriate entities about--
            (A) the local educational agency's plan to promote school 
        safety and reduce and prevent school violence and discipline 
        problems; and
            (B) the need for community support.
        (7) Coordination of school-based activities designed to promote 
    school safety and reduce or prevent school violence and discipline 
    problems with related efforts of education, law enforcement, 
    judicial, health, social service, and other appropriate agencies 
    and organizations and juvenile justice programs.
        (8) Developing and implementing violence prevention activities 
    and materials, including--
            (A) conflict resolution and social skills development for 
        students, teachers, aides, other school personnel, and parents;
            (B) disciplinary alternatives to expulsion and suspension 
        of students who exhibit violent or antisocial behavior;
            (C) student-led activities such as peer mediation, peer 
        counseling, and student courts; or
            (D) alternative after-school programs that provide safe 
        havens for students, which may include cultural, recreational, 
        educational and instructional activities, and mentoring and 
        community service programs.
        (9) Educating students and parents regarding the dangers of 
    guns and other weapons and the consequences of their use.
        (10) Developing and implementing innovative curricula to 
    prevent violence in schools and training staff how to stop 
    disruptive or violent behavior if such behavior occurs.
        (11) Supporting ``safe zones of passage'' for students between 
    home and school through such measures as Drug- and Weapon-Free 
    School Zones, enhanced law enforcement, and neighborhood patrols.
        (12) Counseling programs for victims and witnesses of school 
    violence and crime.
        (13) Acquiring and installing metal detectors and hiring 
    security personnel.
        (14) Reimbursing law enforcement authorities for their 
    personnel who participate in school violence prevention activities.
        (15) Evaluating projects and activities assisted under this 
    title.
        (16) The cost of administering projects or activities assisted 
    under this title.
        (17) Other projects or activities that meet the purpose of this 
    title.
    (b) Limitations.--
        (1) In general.--A local educational agency may use not more 
    than--
            (A) a total of 5 percent of grant funds received under this 
        title in each fiscal year for activities described in 
        paragraphs (11), (13), and (14) of subsection (a); and
            (B) 5 percent of grant funds received under this title in 
        each fiscal year for activities described in paragraph (16) of 
        subsection (a).
        (2) Special rule.--A local educational agency shall only be 
    able to use grant funds received under this title for activities 
    described in paragraphs (11), (13), and (14) of subsection (a) if 
    funding for such activities is not available from other Federal 
    sources.
        (3) Prohibition.--A local educational agency may not use grant 
    funds received under this title for construction.

SEC. 706. NATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

    (a) National Activities.--
        (1) In general.--To carry out the purpose of this title, the 
    Secretary--
            (A) is authorized to use funds reserved under section 
        702(b)(2) to--
                (i) conduct national leadership activities such as 
            research, program development and evaluation, data 
            collection, public awareness activities, training and 
            technical assistance, dissemination (through appropriate 
            research entities assisted by the Department of Education) 
            of information on successful projects, activities, and 
            strategies developed pursuant to this title;
                (ii) provide grants to noncommercial telecommunications 
            entities for the production and distribution of national 
            video-based projects that provide young people with models 
            for conflict resolution and responsible decisionmaking; and
                (iii) conduct peer review of applications under this 
            title; and
            (B) shall develop a written safe schools model so that all 
        schools can develop models that enable all students to 
        participate regardless of any language barrier.
        (2) Special rule.--The Secretary may carry out the activities 
    described in paragraph (1) directly, through interagency 
    agreements, or through grants, contracts or cooperative agreements.
    (b) National Model City.--The Secretary shall designate the 
District of Columbia as a national model city and shall provide funds 
made available pursuant to section 702(b)(2) in each fiscal year to a 
local educational agency serving the District of Columbia in an amount 
sufficient to enable such agency to carry out a comprehensive program 
to address school and youth violence.

SEC. 707. NATIONAL COOPERATIVE EDUCATION STATISTICS SYSTEM.

    Subparagraph (A) of section 406(h)(2) of the General Education 
Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1221e-1(h)(2)(A)) is amended--
        (1) in clause (vi), by striking ``and'' after the semicolon; 
    and
        (2) by adding after clause (vii) the following new clause:
                ``(viii) school safety policy, and statistics on the 
            incidents of school violence; and''.

SEC. 708. REPORTS.

    (a) Report to Secretary.--Each local educational agency that 
receives funds under this title shall submit to the Secretary a report 
not later than March 1, 1995, that describes progress achieved in 
carrying out the plan described in section 704(b).
    (b) Report to Congress.--The Secretary shall submit to the 
Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate a report not 
later than October 1, 1995, which shall contain a detailed statement 
regarding grant awards, activities of grant recipients, a compilation 
of statistical information submitted by applicants under section 
704(a), and an evaluation of programs assisted under this title.

SEC. 709. COORDINATION OF FEDERAL ASSISTANCE.

    The Secretary, as a member of the Coordinating Council on Juvenile 
Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the Department of Justice, shall 
coordinate the programs and activities carried out under this title 
with the programs and activities carried out by the departments and 
offices represented within the Council that provide assistance under 
other Federal law for purposes that are determined by the Secretary to 
be similar to the purpose of this title, in order to avoid redundancy 
and coordinate Federal assistance, research, and programs for youth 
violence prevention.

             TITLE VIII--MINORITY-FOCUSED CIVICS EDUCATION

SEC. 801. SHORT TITLE.

    This title may be cited as the ``Minority-Focused Civics Education 
Act of 1994''.

SEC. 802. PURPOSES.

    It is the purpose of this title--
        (1) to encourage improved instruction for minorities and Native 
    Americans in American government and civics through a national 
    program of accredited summer teacher training and staff development 
    seminars or institutes followed by academic year inservice training 
    programs conducted on college and university campuses or other 
    appropriate sites, for--
            (A) social studies and other teachers responsible for 
        American history, government, and civics classes; and
            (B) other educators who work with minority and Native 
        American youth; and
        (2) through such improved instruction to improve minority and 
    Native American student knowledge and understanding of the American 
    system of government.
    SEC. 803. GRANTS AUTHORIZED; AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
    (a) Grants Authorized.--
        (1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to make grants to 
    eligible entities for the development and implementation of 
    seminars in American government and civics for elementary and 
    secondary school teachers and other educators who work with 
    minority and Native American students.
        (2) Award rule.--In awarding grants under this title, the 
    Secretary shall ensure that there is wide geographic distribution 
    of such grants.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated $5,000,000 for fiscal 1995, and such sums as may be 
necessary for each of the fiscal years 1996, 1997, and 1998, to carry 
out this title.

SEC. 804. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this title--
        (1) the term ``eligible entity'' means a State educational 
    agency, an institution of higher education or a State higher 
    education agency, or a public or private nonprofit organization, 
    with experience in coordinating or conducting teacher training 
    seminars in American government and civics education, or a 
    consortium thereof; and
        (2) the term ``State higher education agency'' means the 
    officer or agency primarily responsible for the State supervision 
    of higher education.

SEC. 805. APPLICATIONS.

    (a) Application Required.--Each eligible entity desiring a grant 
under this title shall submit an application to the Secretary, at such 
time, in such manner and containing or accompanied by such information 
as the Secretary may reasonably require.
    (b) Contents of Application.--Each application submitted pursuant 
to subsection (a) shall--
        (1) define the learning objectives and course content of each 
    seminar to be held and describe the manner in which seminar 
    participants shall receive substantive academic instruction in the 
    principles, institutions and processes of American government;
        (2) provide assurances that educators successfully 
    participating in each seminar will qualify for either graduate 
    credit or professional development or advancement credit according 
    to the criteria established by a State or local educational agency;
        (3) describe the manner in which seminar participants shall 
    receive exposure to a broad array of individuals who are actively 
    involved in the political process, including political party 
    representatives drawn equally from the major political parties, as 
    well as representatives of other organizations involved in the 
    political process;
        (4) provide assurances that the seminars will be conducted on a 
    nonpartisan basis;
        (5) describe the manner in which the seminars will address the 
    role of minorities or Native Americans in the American political 
    process, including such topics as--
            (A) the history and current political state of minorities 
        or Native Americans;
            (B) recent research on minority or Native American 
        political socialization patterns and cognitive learning styles; 
        and
            (C) studies of political participation patterns of 
        minorities or Native Americans;
        (6) describe the pedagogical elements for teachers that will 
    enable teachers to develop effective strategies and lesson plans 
    for teaching minorities or Native American students at the 
    elementary and secondary school levels;
        (7) identify the eligible entities which will conduct the 
    seminars for which assistance is sought;
        (8) in the case that the eligible entity is an institution of 
    higher education, describe the plans for collaborating with 
    national organizations in American government and civics education;
        (9) provide assurances that during the academic year educators 
    participating in the summer seminars will provide inservice 
    training programs based upon what such educators have learned and 
    the curricular materials such educators have developed or acquired 
    for their peers in their school systems with the approval and 
    support of their school administrators; and
        (10) describe the activities or services for which assistance 
    is sought, including activities and services such as--
            (A) development of seminar curricula;
            (B) development and distribution of instructional 
        materials;
            (C) scholarships for participating teachers; and
            (D) program assessment and evaluation.
    (c) Priority.--The Secretary, in approving applications for 
assistance under this title, shall give priority to applications which 
demonstrate that--
        (1) the applicant will serve teachers who teach in schools with 
    a large number or concentration of economically disadvantaged 
    students;
        (2) the applicant has demonstrated national experience in 
    conducting or coordinating accredited summer seminars in American 
    government or civics education for elementary and secondary school 
    teachers;
        (3) the applicant will coordinate or conduct seminars on a 
    national or multistate basis through a collaboration with an 
    institution of higher education, State higher education agency or a 
    public or private nonprofit organization, with experience in 
    coordinating or conducting teacher training programs in American 
    government and civics education;
        (4) the applicant will coordinate or conduct seminars designed 
    for more than one minority student population and for Native 
    Americans; and
        (5) the applicant will coordinate or conduct seminars that 
    offer a combination of academic instruction in American government, 
    exposure to the practical workings of the political system, and 
    training in appropriate pedagogical techniques for working with 
    minority and Native American students.

             TITLE IX--EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT

SEC. 901. SHORT TITLE.

    This title may be cited as the ``Educational Research, Development, 
Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994''.

SEC. 902. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds as follows with respect to improving education 
in the United States:
        (1) A majority of public schools in the United States are 
    failing to prepare students to achieve the National Education 
    Goals. The Federal Government should support an extensive program 
    of educational research, development, dissemination, replication 
    and assistance to identify and support the best responses for the 
    challenges ahead. A significant investment in attaining a deeper 
    understanding of the processes of learning and schooling and 
    developing new ideas holds the best hope of making a substantial 
    difference to the lives of every student in the United States. The 
    Office of Educational Research and Improvement within the 
    Department of Education should be at the center of this campaign in 
    order to coordinate such efforts.
        (2) The Federal role in educational research has been closely 
    identified with youths who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, are 
    minorities, belong to a language minority, or have a disability. 
    The Federal commitment to education was sufficient to serve not 
    more than--
            (A) in 1993, 1 out of every 6 low-income children in need 
        of preschool education;
            (B) in 1990, 3 out of every 5 children in need of 
        remediation;
            (C) in 1991, 1 out of every 5 children in need of bilingual 
        education; and
            (D) in 1992, 1 out of every 20 youths eligible for 
        assistance under the Job Training Partnership Act.
        (3) The failure of the Federal Government to adequately invest 
    in educational research and development has denied the United 
    States a sound foundation of knowledge on which to design school 
    improvements. The educational achievement of minority children is 
    of particular concern because at least half of the public school 
    students in 25 of the largest cities of the United States are 
    minority children, and demographers project that, by the year 2005, 
    almost all urban public school students will be minority children 
    or other children in poverty.
        (4) The investment goal of the Federal research, development, 
    and dissemination function should be at least 1 percent of the 
    total amount of funds spent on education.
        (5) Nationwide model programs and reliable interventions should 
    be demonstrated and replicated, and for such purposes, programs 
    should be established to conduct research and evaluations, and to 
    disseminate information.
        (6) The Office should develop a national dissemination policy 
    that will advance the goal of placing a national treasure chest of 
    research results, models, and materials at the disposal of the 
    education decisionmakers of the United States.
        (7) A National Educational Research Policy and Priorities Board 
    should be established to work collaboratively with the Assistant 
    Secretary to forge a national consensus with respect to a long-term 
    agenda for educational research, development, dissemination, and 
    the activities of the Office.
        (8) Existing research and development entities should adopt 
    expanded, proactive roles and new institutions should be created to 
    promote knowledge development necessary to accelerate the 
    application of research findings to high priority areas.
        (9) Greater use should be made of existing technologies in 
    efforts to improve the educational system of the United States, 
    including efforts to disseminate research findings.
        (10) Minority educational researchers are inadequately 
    represented throughout the Department of Education, but 
    particularly in the Office. The Office therefore should assume a 
    leadership position in the recruitment, retention, and promotion of 
    qualified minority educational researchers.
        (11) The coordination of the mission of the Office with that of 
    other components of the Department of Education is critical. The 
    Office should improve the coordination of the educational research, 
    development, and dissemination function with those of other Federal 
    agencies.

PART A--GENERAL PROVISIONS REGARDING THE OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH 
                            AND IMPROVEMENT

SEC. 911. REPEAL.

    (a) Repeal.--Section 405 of the General Education Provisions Act 
(20 U.S.C. 1221e) is repealed.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The second sentence of section 209 of 
the Department of Education Organization Act (20 U.S.C. 3419) is 
amended by inserting ``and such functions as set forth in the 
Educational Research, Development, Dissemination, and Improvement Act 
of 1994'' after ``delegate''.
    SEC. 912. OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT.
    (a) Declaration of Policy Regarding Educational Opportunity.--
        (1) In general.--The Congress declares it to be the policy of 
    the United States to provide to every individual an equal 
    opportunity to receive an education of high quality regardless of 
    race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin, or 
    social class. Although the American educational system has pursued 
    this objective, it has not been attained. Inequalities of 
    opportunity to receive high quality education remain pronounced. To 
    achieve the goal of quality education requires the continued 
    pursuit of knowledge about education through research, development, 
    improvement activities, data collection, synthesis, technical 
    assistance, and information dissemination. While the direction of 
    American education remains primarily the responsibility of State 
    and local governments, the Federal Government has a clear 
    responsibility to provide leadership in the conduct and support of 
    scientific inquiry into the educational process.
        (2) Mission of office.--
            (A) The mission of the Office shall be to provide national 
        leadership in--
                (i) expanding fundamental knowledge and understanding 
            of education;
                (ii) promoting excellence and equity in education; and 
            the achievement of the National Educational Goals by 
            spurring reform in the school systems of the United States;
                (iii) promoting the use and application of research and 
            development to improve practice in the classroom; and
                (iv) monitoring the state of education.
            (B) The mission of the Office shall be accomplished in 
        collaboration with researchers, teachers, school 
        administrators, parents, students, employers, and policymakers.
    (b) Purpose and Structure of Office.--
        (1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the Office, 
    shall carry out the policies set forth in subsection (a). In 
    carrying out such policies, the Office shall be guided by the 
    Research Priorities Plan developed by the Assistant Secretary 
    working collaboratively with the Board and which has been approved 
    by the Board.
        (2) Administrative structure.--The Office shall be administered 
    by the Assistant Secretary and shall include--
            (A) the National Educational Research Policy and Priorities 
        Board established by section 921;
            (B) the national research institutes established by section 
        931;
            (C) the national education dissemination system established 
        by section 941;
            (D) the National Center for Education Statistics; and
            (E) such other units as the Secretary deems appropriate to 
        carry out the purposes of the Office.
        (3) Authorized activities.--
            (A) Office.--In fulfilling its purposes under this section, 
        the Office is authorized to--
                (i) conduct and support education-related research 
            activities, including basic and applied research, 
            development, planning, surveys, assessments, evaluations, 
            investigations, experiments, and demonstrations of national 
            significance;
                (ii) disseminate the findings of education research, 
            and provide technical assistance to apply such information 
            to specific problems at school sites;
                (iii) collect, analyze, and disseminate data related to 
            education, and to library and information services;
                (iv) promote the use of knowledge gained from research 
            and statistical findings in schools, other educational 
            institutions, and communities;
                (v) provide training in education research; and
                (vi) promote the coordination of education research and 
            research support within the Federal Government, and 
            otherwise assist and foster such research.
    (c) Appointment of Employees.--
        (1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary may appoint, for terms 
    not to exceed three years (without regard to the provisions of 
    title 5, United States Code, governing appointment in the 
    competitive service) and may compensate (without regard to the 
    provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such 
    title relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates) 
    such scientific or technical employees of the Office as the 
    Assistant Secretary considers necessary to accomplish its 
    functions, provided that--
            (A) at least 30 days prior to the appointment of any such 
        employee, public notice is given of the availability of such 
        position and an opportunity is provided for qualified 
        individuals to apply and compete for such position;
            (B) the rate of basic pay for such employees does not 
        exceed the maximum rate of basic pay payable for positions at 
        GS-15, as determined in accordance with section 5376 of title 
        5, United States Code;
            (C) the appointment of such employee is necessary to 
        provide the Office with scientific or technical expertise which 
        could not otherwise be obtained by the Office through the 
        competitive service; and
            (D) the total number of such employees does not exceed one-
        fifth of the number of full-time, regular scientific or 
        professional employees of the Office.
        (2) Reappointment of employees.--The Assistant Secretary may 
    reappoint employees described in paragraph (1) upon presentation of 
    a clear and convincing justification of need, for one additional 
    term not to exceed 3 years. All such employees shall work on 
    activities of the Office and shall not be reassigned to other 
    duties outside the Office during their term.
    (d) Authority To Publish.--
        (1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary is authorized to 
    prepare and publish such information, reports, and documents as may 
    be of value in carrying out the purposes of this title without 
    further clearance or approval by the Secretary or any other office 
    of the Department of Education.
        (2) Quality assurance.--In carrying out such authority, the 
    Assistant Secretary shall--
            (A) establish such procedures as may be necessary to assure 
        that all reports and publications issued by the Office are of 
        the highest quality; and
            (B) provide other offices of the Department of Education 
        with an opportunity to comment upon any report or publication 
        prior to its publication when its contents relate to matters 
        for which such office has responsibility.
    (e) Biennial Report on Activities of Office.--The Assistant 
Secretary shall transmit to the President and the Congress by not later 
than December 30 of every other year a report which shall consist of--
        (1) a description of the activities carried out by and through 
    each research institute during the fiscal years for which such 
    report is prepared and any recommendations and comments regarding 
    such activities as the Assistant Secretary considers appropriate;
        (2) a description of the activities carried out by and through 
    the national education dissemination system established by section 
    941 during the fiscal years for which such report is prepared and 
    any recommendations and comments regarding such activities as the 
    Assistant Secretary considers appropriate;
        (3) such written comments and recommendations as may be 
    submitted by the Board concerning the activities carried out by and 
    through each of the institutes and the national education 
    dissemination system during the fiscal years for which such report 
    is prepared;
        (4) a description of the coordination activities undertaken 
    pursuant to subsection (g) during the fiscal years for which such 
    report is prepared;
        (5) recommendations for legislative and administrative changes 
    necessary to improve the coordination of all educational research, 
    development, and dissemination activities carried out within the 
    Federal Government; and
        (6) such additional comments, recommendations, and materials as 
    the Assistant Secretary considers appropriate.
    (f) Research Priorities Plan.--
        (1) In general.--Working collaboratively with the Board, the 
    Assistant Secretary shall--
            (A) survey and assess the state of knowledge in education 
        research, development and dissemination to identify disciplines 
        and areas of inquiry in which the state of knowledge is 
        insufficient and which warrant further investigation, taking 
        into account the views of both education researchers and 
        practicing educators;
            (B) consult with the National Education Goals Panel and 
        other authorities on education to identify national priorities 
        for the improvement of education;
            (C) actively solicit recommendations from education 
        researchers, teachers, school administrators, cultural leaders, 
        parents, and others throughout the United States through such 
        means as periodic regional forums;
            (D) provide recommendations for the development, 
        maintenance, and assurance of a strong infrastructure for 
        education, research, and development in the United States; and
            (E) on the basis of such recommendations, develop a 
        research priorities program which shall recommend priorities 
        for the investment of the resources of the Office over the next 
        5-, 10-, and 15-year periods, including as priorities those 
        areas of inquiry in which further research, development and 
        dissemination--
                (i) is necessary to attain the National Education 
            Goals;
                (ii) promises to yield the greatest practical benefits 
            to teachers and other educators in terms of improving 
            education; and
                (iii) will not be undertaken in sufficient scope or 
            intensity by the other Federal and non-Federal entities 
            engaged in education research and development.
        (2) Contents of plan.--(A) The research and priorities plan 
    described in paragraph (1) shall, at a minimum--
            (i) set forth specific objectives which can be expected to 
        be achieved as a result of a Federal investment in the 
        priorities set forth in the plan;
            (ii) include recommendations with respect to research and 
        development on cross-cutting issues which should be carried out 
        jointly by 2 or more of the research institutes; and
            (iii) include an evaluative summary of the educational 
        research and development activities undertaken by the Federal 
        Government during the preceding 2 fiscal years, which shall 
        describe--
                (I) what has been learned as a result of such 
            activities;
                (II) how such new knowledge or understanding extends or 
            otherwise relates to what had been previously known or 
            understood;
                (III) the implications of such new knowledge or 
            understanding for educational practice and school reform; 
            and
                (IV) any development, reform, and other assistance 
            activities which have utilized such knowledge or 
            understanding and the effects of such efforts.
        (B) Report.--(i) Not later than 6 months after the first 
    meeting of the Board and by October 1 of every second year 
    thereafter, the Assistant Secretary shall publish a report 
    specifying the proposed research priorities of the Office and allow 
    a 60-day period beginning on the date of the publication of the 
    report for public comment and suggestions.
        (ii) Not later than 90 days after the expiration of the 60-day 
    period referred to in clause (i), the Assistant Secretary shall 
    submit to the Board a report specifying the proposed research 
    priorities of the Office and any public comment and suggestions 
    obtained under such subparagraph for the Board's review and 
    approval.
    (g) Coordination.--With the advice and assistance of the Board, the 
Assistant Secretary shall work cooperatively with the Secretary and the 
other Assistant Secretaries of the Department of Education to establish 
and maintain an ongoing program of activities designed to improve the 
coordination of education research, development, and dissemination and 
activities within such Department and within the Federal Government 
to--
        (1) minimize duplication in education research, development, 
    and dissemination carried out by the Federal Government;
        (2) maximize the value of the total Federal investment in 
    education research, development, and dissemination; and
        (3) enable entities engaged in education research, development, 
    and dissemination within the Federal Government to interact 
    effectively as partners and take full advantage of the diverse 
    resources and proficiencies which each entity has available.
    (h) Activities Required With Respect to Coordination.--In carrying 
out such program of coordination, the Assistant Secretary shall compile 
(and thereafter regularly maintain) and make available a comprehensive 
inventory of education research, development, dissemination activities, 
and expenditures being carried out by the Federal Government.
    (i) Standards for the Conduct and Evaluation of Research.--
        (1) In general.--In consultation with the Board, the Assistant 
    Secretary shall develop such standards as may be necessary to 
    govern the conduct and evaluation of all research, development, and 
    dissemination activities carried out by the Office to assure that 
    such activities meet the highest standards of professional 
    excellence. In developing such standards, the Assistant Secretary 
    shall review the procedures utilized by the National Institutes of 
    Health, the National Science Foundation, and other Federal 
    departments or agencies engaged in research and development and 
    shall also actively solicit recommendations from research 
    organizations and members of the general public.
        (2) Contents of standards.--Such standards shall at a minimum--
            (A) require that a process of open competition be used in 
        awarding or entering into all grants, contracts, and 
        cooperative agreements under this title;
            (B) require that a system of peer review be utilized by the 
        Office--
                (i) for reviewing and evaluating all applications for 
            grants and cooperative agreements and bids for those 
            contracts which exceed $100,000;
                (ii) for evaluating and assessing the performance of 
            all recipients of grants from and cooperative agreements 
            and contracts with the Office; and
                (iii) for reviewing and designating exemplary and 
            promising programs in accordance with section 941(d);
            (C) describe the general procedures which shall be used by 
        each peer review panel in its operations;
            (D)(i) describe the procedures which shall be utilized in 
        evaluating applications for grants, proposed cooperative 
        agreements, and contract bids; and
            (ii) specify the criteria and factors which shall be 
        considered in making such evaluations;
            (E) describe the procedures which shall be utilized in 
        reviewing educational programs which have been identified by or 
        submitted to the Secretary for evaluation in accordance with 
        section 941(d); and
            (F) require that the performance of all recipients of 
        grants from and contracts and cooperative agreements with the 
        Office shall be periodically evaluated, both during and at the 
        conclusion of their receipt of assistance.
        (3) Publication and promulgation of standards.--
            (A) The Assistant Secretary shall publish proposed 
        standards--
                (i) which meet the requirements of subparagraphs (A), 
            (B), (C), and (D) of paragraph (2) not later than 1 year 
            after the date of the enactment of this title;
                (ii) which meet the requirements of paragraph (2)(E) 
            not later than 2 years after such date; and
                (iii) which meet the requirements of subparagraph (F) 
            of paragraph (2) not later than 3 years after such date.
            (B) Following the publication of such proposed standards, 
        the Assistant Secretary shall solicit comments from interested 
        members of the public with respect to such proposed standards 
        for a period of not more than 120 days. After giving due 
        consideration to any comments which may have been received, the 
        Assistant Secretary shall transmit such standards to the Board 
        for its review and approval.
            (C) Upon the approval of the Board, the Assistant Secretary 
        shall transmit final standards to the Secretary which meet the 
        requirements of the particular subparagraphs of paragraph (2) 
        for which such standards were developed. Such standards shall 
        be binding upon all activities carried out with funds 
        appropriated pursuant to subsection (m).
    (j) Additional Responsibilities of the Assistant Secretary.--In 
carrying out the activities and programs of the Office, the Assistant 
Secretary--
        (1) shall be guided by the Research Priorities Plan developed 
    by the Assistant Secretary working collaboratively with the Board 
    and which has been approved by the Board;
        (2) shall ensure that there is broad and regular public and 
    professional involvement from the educational field in the planning 
    and carrying out of the Office's activities, including establishing 
    teacher advisory boards for any program office, program or project 
    of the Office as the Assistant Secretary deems necessary and 
    involving Indian and Alaska Native researchers and educators in 
    activities that relate to the education of Indian and Alaska Native 
    people;
        (3) shall ensure that the selection of research topics and the 
    administration of the program are free from undue partisan 
    political influence;
        (4) shall ensure that all statistics and other data collected 
    and reported by the Office shall be collected, cross-tabulated, 
    analyzed, and reported by sex within race or ethnicity and 
    socioeconomic status whenever feasible (and when such data 
    collection or analysis is not feasible, ensure that the relevant 
    report or document includes an explanation as to why such data 
    collection or analysis is not feasible);
        (5) is authorized to administer funds to support a single 
    project when more than 1 Federal agency uses funds to support such 
    project, and the Assistant Secretary may act for all such agencies 
    in administering such funds; and
        (6) is authorized to offer information and technical assistance 
    to State and local educational agencies, school boards, and 
    schools, including schools funded by the Bureau, to ensure that no 
    student is--
            (A) denied access to the same rigorous, challenging 
        curriculum that such student's peers are offered; or
            (B) grouped or otherwise labeled in such a way that may 
        impede such student's achievement.
    (k) Independent Evaluations.--The Secretary shall enter into one or 
more contracts for the conduct of an independent evaluation of the 
effectiveness of the implementation of the provisions of this title. 
Such evaluations shall be transmitted to the Congress, the President, 
and the Assistant Secretary not later than 54 months after the date of 
the enactment of this title.
    (l) Definitions.--For purposes of this title, the following 
definitions apply:
        (1) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary'' 
    means the Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and 
    Improvement established by section 202 of the Department of 
    Education Organization Act.
        (2) At-risk student.--The term ``at-risk student'' means a 
    student who, because of limited English proficiency, poverty, race, 
    geographic location, or economic disadvantage, faces a greater risk 
    of low educational achievement or reduced academic expectations.
        (3) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the National Educational 
    Research Policy and Priorities Board.
        (4) Development.--The term ``development''--
            (A) means the systematic use, adaptation, and 
        transformation of knowledge and understanding gained from 
        research to create alternatives, policies, products, methods, 
        practices, or materials which can contribute to the improvement 
        of educational practice; and
            (B) includes the design and development of prototypes and 
        the testing of such prototypes for the purposes of establishing 
        their feasibility, reliability, and cost-effectiveness.
        (5) Dissemination.--The term ``dissemination'' means the 
    communication and transfer, through the provision of technical 
    assistance and other means, of the results of research and proven 
    practice in forms that are understandable, easily accessible and 
    usable or adaptable for use in the improvement of educational 
    practice by teachers, administrators, librarians, other 
    practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and the public.
        (6) Educational research.--The term ``educational research'' 
    includes basic and applied research, inquiry with the purpose of 
    applying tested knowledge gained to specific educational settings 
    and problems, development, planning, surveys, assessments, 
    evaluations, investigations, experiments, and demonstrations in the 
    field of education and other fields relating to education.
        (7) Field-initiated research.--The term ``field-initiated 
    research'' means education research in which topics and methods of 
    study are generated by investigators, including teachers and other 
    practitioners, not by the source of funding.
        (8) National education dissemination system.--The term 
    ``national education dissemination system'' means the activities 
    carried out by the Office of Reform Assistance and Dissemination 
    established by section 941.
        (9) Office.--The term ``Office'', unless otherwise specified, 
    means the Office of Educational Research and Improvement 
    established in section 209 of the Department of Education 
    Organization Act.
        (10) National research institute.--The term ``national research 
    institute'' means an institute established in section 931.
        (11) Technical assistance.--The term ``technical assistance'' 
    means assistance in identifying, selecting, or designing solutions 
    based on research to address educational problems, planning, and 
    design that leads to adapting research knowledge to school 
    practice, training to implement such solutions, and other 
    assistance necessary to encourage adoption or application of 
    research.
        (12) United states; state.--The terms ``United States'' and 
    ``State'' means each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, 
    the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin 
    Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau 
    (until the effective date of the Compact of Free Association with 
    the Government of Palau), the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and 
    the Federated States of Micronesia.
    (m) Authorization of Appropriations.--
        (1) National institutes.--
            (A) For the purpose of carrying out section 931, there is 
        authorized to be appropriated $68,000,000 for fiscal year 1995.
            (B)(i) For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of 
        section 931 relating to the National Institute on Student 
        Achievement, Curriculum, and Assessment and the National 
        Institute on the Education of At-Risk Students, there are 
        authorized to be appropriated $60,000,000 for fiscal year 1996, 
        and such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal years 1997, 
        1998, and 1999.
            (ii) Of the total amounts appropriated pursuant to clause 
        (i)--
                (I) 50 percent shall be used by the Assistant Secretary 
            for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of section 
            931 relating to the National Institute on the Education of 
            At-Risk Students; and
                (II) 50 percent shall be used for the purpose of 
            carrying out the provisions of section 931 relating to the 
            National Institute on Student Achievement, Curriculum, and 
            Assessment.
            (C) For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of 
        section 931 relating to the National Institute on Educational 
        Governance, Finance, Policy-Making, and Management, there are 
        authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for fiscal year 1996, 
        and such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal years 1997, 
        1998, and 1999.
            (D) For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of 
        section 931 relating to the National Institute on Early 
        Childhood Development and Education, there are authorized to be 
        appropriated $15,000,000 for fiscal year 1996, and such sums as 
        are necessary for each of fiscal years 1997, 1998, and 1999.
            (E) For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of 
        section 931 relating to the National Institute on Postsecondary 
        Education, Libraries, and Lifelong Learning, there are 
        authorized to be appropriated $15,000,000 for fiscal year 1996, 
        and such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal years 1997, 
        1998, and 1999.
            (F) Coordination and synthesis.--The Assistant Secretary is 
        authorized to reserve not more than 10 percent of the total 
        amounts appropriated in any fiscal year pursuant to 
        subparagraphs (A) through (E) (but not more than 33 percent of 
        the amount appropriated for any single institute in any fiscal 
        year) for the purposes of supporting coordination and synthesis 
        activities described in section 931(i) or to address other 
        priorities which are consistent with the Research Priorities 
        Plan developed by the Assistant Secretary and approved by the 
        Board.
        (2) National education dissemination system.--
            (A)(i) For the purpose of carrying out paragraph (2) of 
        subsection (b) and subsections (c) through (g) of section 941, 
        there are authorized to be appropriated $23,000,000 for fiscal 
        year 1995, and such sums as are necessary for each of the 
        fiscal years 1996 through 1999.
            (ii) Of the amount appropriated under clause (i) for any 
        fiscal year, the Secretary shall make available not less than 
        $8,000,000 to carry out subsection (f) of section 941 (relating 
        to Educational Resources Information Center Clearinghouses).
            (B) For the purpose of carrying out subsection (h) of 
        section 941 (relating to regional educational laboratories), 
        there are authorized to be appropriated $41,000,000 for fiscal 
        year 1995, and such sums as are necessary for each of the 
        fiscal years 1996 through 1999. Of the amounts appropriated 
        under the preceding sentence for a fiscal year, the Secretary 
        shall obligate not less than 25 percent to carry out such 
        purpose with respect to rural areas (including schools funded 
        by the Bureau which are located in rural areas).
            (C) For the purpose of carrying out subsection (j) of 
        section 941 (relating to the teacher research dissemination 
        demonstration program) there are authorized to be appropriated 
        $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1995, and such sums as are 
        necessary for each of the fiscal years 1996 through 1999.
            (D) For the purpose of carrying out subsection (i) of 
        section 941 (relating to the Goals 2000 Community Partnerships 
        program), there are authorized to be appropriated $30,000,000 
        for fiscal year 1995, $50,000,000 for fiscal year 1996, and 
        such sums as are necessary for each of the fiscal years 1997 
        and 1999.
        (3) National educational research policy and priorities 
    board.--Of the amounts appropriated under paragraphs (1) and (2) 
    for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall make available 2 percent 
    of such amounts, or $1,000,000, whichever is less, for the purpose 
    of supporting the activities and expenses of the Board and the 
    collaborative development of the Research Priorities Plan by the 
    Assistant Secretary and the Board.
        (4) Allocations for grants, cooperative agreements, and 
    contracts.--Of the amounts appropriated under paragraph (1) or (2) 
    for any fiscal year, not less than 95 percent shall be expended to 
    carry out the purposes described in such paragraphs through grants, 
    cooperative agreements, or contracts.
        (5) Limitations on appropriations.--No amounts are authorized 
    to be appropriated under paragraph (1) or (2) for fiscal year 1996 
    or any fiscal year thereafter unless the Board has been appointed 
    in accordance with section 921.
        (6) Grant authorized.--
            (A) In general.--From the amounts appropriated pursuant to 
        paragraph (1) for any fiscal year, the Secretary is authorized, 
        in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph, to award a 
        grant of not more than $5,000,000 to a public or private 
        institution, agency or organization for a period not to exceed 
        5 years for the purpose of conducting a State-by-State poll to 
        determine the perceptions of recent graduates of secondary 
        schools, their instructors in institutions of higher education, 
        parents of recent such graduates, and employers of recent such 
        graduates on how well schools have prepared students for 
        further education or employment.
            (B) Matching requirement.--The grant described in 
        subparagraph (A) shall be awarded on a competitive basis and 
        shall be matched on a two-to-one basis by the recipient.
    SEC. 913. ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND 
      IMPROVEMENT.
    Subsection (b) of section 202 of the Department of Education 
Organization Act is amended--
        (1) in paragraph (1)--
            (A) by striking subparagraph (E); and
            (B) by redesignating subparagraphs (F) and (G) as 
        subparagraphs (E) and (F), respectively; and
        (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(3) There shall be in the Department an Assistant Secretary for 
Educational Research and Improvement who shall be--
        ``(A) appointed by the President, by and with the consent of 
    the Senate; and
        ``(B) selected (giving due consideration to recommendations 
    from the National Educational Research Policy and Priorities Board) 
    from among individuals who--
            ``(i) are distinguished educational researchers or 
        practitioners;
            ``(ii) have proven management ability; and
            ``(iii) have substantial knowledge of education within the 
        United States.''.

SEC. 914. SAVINGS PROVISION.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, contracts for the 
regional educational laboratories, Educational Resources Information 
Center Clearinghouses and research and development centers and regional 
educational laboratories assisted under section 405 of the General 
Education Provisions Act, as such section was in effect on the day 
before the date of the enactment of this title, shall remain in effect 
until the termination date of such contracts.

SEC. 915. EXISTING GRANTS AND CONTRACTS.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, grants 
and contracts for the research and development centers assisted under 
section 405 of the General Education Provisions Act, as such section 
was in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act, 
shall remain in effect until the termination date of such grants or 
contracts, as the case may be, except that such grants and contracts 
may be extended to implement the provisions of this title.
    (b) Use of Funds.--In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall use funds appropriated pursuant to section 912(m)(1).

   PART B--NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH POLICY AND PRIORITIES BOARD

    SEC. 921. ESTABLISHMENT WITHIN OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND 
      IMPROVEMENT.
    (a) In General.--There is established within the Office a National 
Educational Research Policy and Priorities Board.
    (b) Functions.--It shall be the responsibility of the Board to--
        (1) work collaboratively with the Assistant Secretary to 
    determine priorities that should guide the work of the Office and 
    provide guidance to the Congress in its oversight of the Office;
        (2) review and approve the Research Priorities Plan developed 
    by the Assistant Secretary in collaboration with the Board;
        (3) review and approve standards for the conduct and evaluation 
    of all research, development, and dissemination carried out under 
    the auspices of the Office pursuant to this title; and
        (4) review regularly, evaluate, and publicly comment upon, the 
    implementation of its recommended priorities and policies by the 
    Department and the Congress.
    (c) Additional Responsibilities of the Board.--It shall also be the 
responsibility of the Board to--
        (1) provide advice and assistance to the Assistant Secretary in 
    carrying out the coordination activities described in section 912;
        (2) make recommendations to the Assistant Secretary of persons 
    qualified to fulfill the responsibilities of the Director of each 
    research institute established by section 931 after making special 
    efforts to identify qualified women and minorities and soliciting 
    and giving due consideration to recommendations from professional 
    associations and interested members of the public;
        (3) advise and make recommendations to the President with 
    respect to individuals who are qualified to fulfill the 
    responsibilities of the Assistant Secretary for the Office;
        (4) review and comment upon proposed contract grant, and 
    cooperative agreement proposals in accordance with section 
    931(c)(4);
        (5) advise the United States on the Federal educational 
    research and development effort;
        (6) recommend ways for strengthening active partnerships among 
    researchers, educational practitioners, librarians, and 
    policymakers;
        (7) recommend ways to strengthen interaction and collaboration 
    between the various program offices and components;
        (8) solicit advice and information from the educational field, 
    to define research needs and suggestions for research topics, and 
    shall involve educational practitioners, particularly teachers, in 
    this process;
        (9) solicit advice from practitioners, policymakers, and 
    researchers, and recommend missions for the national research 
    centers assisted under this title by identifying topics which 
    require long-term, sustained, systematic, programmatic, and 
    integrated research and dissemination efforts;
        (10) provide recommendations for translating research findings 
    into workable, adaptable models for use in policy and in practice 
    across different settings, and recommendations for other forms of 
    dissemination; and
        (11) provide recommendations for creating incentives to draw 
    talented young people into the field of educational research, 
    including scholars from disadvantaged and minority groups.
    (d) Standing Subcommittees.--The Board may establish a standing 
subcommittee for each of the Institutes established by section 931 and 
for the Office of Reform Assistance and Dissemination established by 
section 941(b) which shall advise, assist, consult with and make 
recommendations to the Assistant Secretary, the Board, the Director of 
such entity and the Congress on matters related to the activities 
carried out by and through such entities.
    (e) Powers of the Board.--In carrying out its functions, powers, 
and responsibilities, the Board--
        (1) 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 who shall assist in carrying out 
    and managing the activities of the Board and perform such other 
    functions the Board determines to be necessary and appropriate;
        (2) shall utilize such additional staff as may be appointed or 
    assigned by the Assistant Secretary;
        (3) may arrange for the detail of staff personnel and utilize 
    the services and facilities of any department or agency of the 
    Federal Government;
        (4) may enter into contracts, or make other arrangements as may 
    be necessary to carry out its functions;
        (5) shall participate in any public meetings or other 
    activities carried out by the Assistant Secretary in the 
    development of the Research Priorities Plan;
        (6) may review any grant, contract, or cooperative agreement 
    made or entered into by the Office;
        (7) may, to the extent otherwise permitted by law, obtain 
    directly from any department or agency of the United States such 
    information as the Board deems necessary to carry out its 
    responsibilities;
        (8) may convene workshops and conferences, collect data, and 
    establish subcommittees which may be composed of members of the 
    Board and nonmember consultants (including employees of the 
    Department of Education) with expertise in the particular area 
    addressed by such subcommittees; and
        (9) shall establish such rules and procedures to govern its 
    operations as it considers appropriate, to the extent otherwise 
    permitted by law.
    (f) Membership in General.--
        (1) Qualifications.--The members of the Board shall be 
    individuals who, by virtue of their training, experience, and 
    background in educational research and the education professions, 
    are exceptionally qualified to appraise the educational research 
    and development effort of the United States and to fulfill the 
    responsibilities described in subsections (b) and (c).
        (2) Broad representation.--Due consideration shall be given to 
    the gender, race, and ethnicity of appointees to assure that the 
    Board is broadly representative of the diversity of the United 
    States.
        (3) Limitation.--A voting member of the Board may not serve on 
    any other governing or advisory board within the Department of 
    Education or as a paid consultant of such Department.
        (4) Conflict of interest.--A voting member of the Board shall 
    be considered a special Government employee for the purposes of the 
    Ethics in Government Act of 1978.
    (g) Secretarial Appointments.--The Board shall consist of 15 
members appointed by the Secretary. Of the members of the Board--
        (1) five shall be appointed from among researchers in the field 
    of education who have been nominated by the National Academy of 
    Sciences;
        (2) five shall be outstanding school-based professional 
    educators; and
        (3) five shall be individuals who are knowledgeable about the 
    educational needs of the United States and may include parents with 
    experience in promoting parental involvement in education, Chief 
    State School Officers, local educational agency superintendents, 
    principals, members of State or local boards of education or 
    Bureau-funded school boards, and individuals from business and 
    industry with experience in promoting private sector involvement in 
    education.
    (h) Requirements for Nominations by the National Academy of 
Sciences.--
        (1) In general.--In making nominations for the members of the 
    Board described in subsection (g)(1), the National Academy of 
    Sciences--
            (A) shall give due consideration to recommendations from 
        research and education organizations;
            (B) may not nominate any individual who is an elected 
        officer or employee of such organization; and
            (C) shall nominate not less than 5 individuals for each of 
        the positions on the Board for which such organization has 
        responsibility for making nominations.
        (2) Request for additional nominations.--In the event that the 
    Secretary determines that none of the individuals nominated by the 
    National Academy of Sciences meets the qualifications for 
    membership on the Board specified in subsection (g), the Secretary 
    may request that such organization make additional nominations.
    (i) Nominations for Board Membership.--Prior to appointing any 
member of the Board, the Secretary shall actively solicit and give due 
consideration to recommendations from organizations such as the 
National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, 
the National Parent-Teachers Association, the American Library 
Association, the American Association of School Administrators, the 
National Association of State Boards of Education, the National Indian 
School Board Association, the Association of Community Tribal Schools, 
the National Indian Education Association, and other education-related 
organizations and interested members of the public.
    (j) Ex Officio Members.--The ex officio, nonvoting members of the 
Board shall include the Assistant Secretary and may also include--
        (1) the Director of Research for the Department of Defense;
        (2) the Director of Research for the Department of Labor;
        (3) the Director of the National Science Foundation;
        (4) the Director of the National Institutes of Health;
        (5) the chair of the National Endowment for the Arts;
        (6) the chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities;
        (7) the Librarian of Congress; and
        (8) the Director of the Office of Indian Education Programs of 
    the Department of the Interior.
    (k) Chair.--The Board shall select a Chair from among its appointed 
members who shall serve for a renewable term of 2 years.
    (l) Terms of Office.--
        (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), 
    the term of office of each voting member of the Board shall be 6 
    years.
        (2) Exceptions.--(A) Any individual appointed to fill a vacancy 
    occurring on the Board prior to the expiration of the term for 
    which the predecessor of the individual was appointed shall be 
    appointed for the remainder of the term. A vacancy shall be filled 
    in the same manner in which the original appointment was made.
        (B) The terms of office of the members of the Board who first 
    take office after the date of the enactment of this title shall, as 
    designated by a random selection process at the time of 
    appointment, be as follows:
            (i) 3 years for each of 5 members of the Board.
            (ii) 4 years for each of 5 members of the Board.
            (iii) 6 years for each of 5 members of the Board.
        (3) Prohibition on certain consecutive terms.--An individual 
    who has been a member of the Board for 12 consecutive years shall 
    thereafter be ineligible for appointment during the 6-year period 
    beginning on the date of the expiration of the 12th year.
        (4) Prohibition regarding removal.--The Secretary shall neither 
    remove nor encourage the departure of a member of the Board before 
    the expiration of such member's term.
    (m) Meetings of Board.--
        (1) Initial meeting.--The Secretary shall ensure that the first 
    meeting of the Board is held not later than May 15, 1995.
        (2) Subsequent meetings.--The Board shall meet quarterly, at 
    the call of the Chair, and when at least one-third of the members 
    of the Board make a written request to meet.
        (3) Quorum.--A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum.
        (4) Open meetings.--The Government in the Sunshine Act (5 
    U.S.C. 552b) shall apply to meetings of the Board.

                  PART C--NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTES

    SEC. 931. ESTABLISHMENT WITHIN THE OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH 
      AND IMPROVEMENT.
    (a) Establishment of Institutes.--In order to fulfill the research 
and development purposes of the Office, and to carry out a program of 
high-quality and rigorously evaluated research and development that is 
capable of improving Federal, State, Indian tribal, and local education 
policies and practices, there are established within the Office the 
following Institutes:
        (1) The National Institute on Student Achievement, Curriculum, 
    and Assessment.
        (2) The National Institute on the Education of At-Risk 
    Students.
        (3) The National Institute on Educational Governance, Finance, 
    Policy-Making, and Management.
        (4) The National Institute on Early Childhood Development and 
    Education.
        (5) The National Institute on Postsecondary Education, 
    Libraries, and Lifelong Education.
    (b) Directors.--
        (1) In general.--Each Institute established by subsection (a) 
    shall be headed by a Director who shall be appointed by the 
    Assistant Secretary from among individuals who have significant 
    experience and expertise in the disciplines relevant to the 
    purposes of such Institute. The Assistant Secretary shall give due 
    consideration to recommendations made by the Board of individuals 
    qualified to fill the position.
        (2) Reporting.--Each Director shall report directly to the 
    Assistant Secretary regarding the activities of the Institute and 
    shall work with the other directors to promote research synthesis 
    across the Institutes.
    (c) Authorities and Duties.--
        (1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary is authorized to 
    conduct research, development, demonstration, and evaluation 
    activities to carry out the purposes for which such Institute was 
    established--
            (A) directly;
            (B) through grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements 
        with institutions of higher education, regional educational 
        laboratories, public and private organizations, institutions, 
        agencies, and individuals, or a consortium thereof, which may 
        include--
                (i) grants to support research and development centers 
            which are--

                    (I) awarded competitively for a period of 5 years 
                and which may be renewed for an additional 5 years;
                    (II) of sufficient size, scope, and quality, and 
                funded at not less than $1,500,000 annually in order to 
                support a full range of basic research, applied 
                research and dissemination activities, which may also 
                include development activities; and
                    (III) established by institutions of higher 
                education, by institutions of higher education in 
                consortium with public agencies or private nonprofit 
                organizations, or by interstate agencies established by 
                compact which operate subsidiary bodies established to 
                conduct postsecondary educational research and 
                development;

                (ii) meritorious unsolicited proposals for educational 
            research and related activities;
                (iii) proposals that are specifically invited or 
            requested by the Assistant Secretary, on a competitive 
            basis; and
                (iv) dissertation grants, awarded for a period of not 
            more than 2 years and in a total amount not to exceed 
            $20,000 to graduate students in the sciences, humanities, 
            and the arts to support research by such scholars in the 
            field of education;
            (C) through the provision of technical assistance;
            (D) through the award of fellowships to support graduate 
        study in educational research by qualified African-American, 
        Hispanic, American Indian and Alaska Native, and other 
        individuals from groups which have been traditionally 
        underrepresented in the field of educational research which 
        shall--
                (i) be awarded on the basis of merit for a period of 3 
            years; and
                (ii) provide stipends to each fellow in an amount which 
            shall be set at a level of support comparable to that 
            provided by the National Science Foundation Graduate 
            Fellowships, except that such amounts shall be adjusted as 
            necessary so as not to exceed each fellow's demonstrated 
            level of need; and
            (E) through the award of fellowships in the Office for 
        scholars, researchers, policymakers, education practitioners, 
        librarians, and statisticians engaged in the use, collection, 
        and dissemination of information about education and 
        educational research which--
                (i) shall be awarded following the biennial publication 
            in the Federal Register of proposed research priorities and 
            a period of 60 days for public comments and suggestions 
            with respect to such priorities;
                (ii) shall be awarded competitively following the 
            publication of a notice in the Federal Register inviting 
            the submission of applications; and
                (iii) may include such stipends and allowances, 
            including travel and subsistence expenses provided under 
            title 5, United States Code, as the Assistant Secretary 
            considers appropriate.
        (2) Scope and focus of activities.--In carrying out the 
    purposes for which each Institute is established, the Assistant 
    Secretary shall--
            (A) maintain an appropriate balance between applied and 
        basic research;
            (B) significantly expand the role of field-initiated 
        research in meeting the education research and development 
        needs of the United States by reserving not less than 20 
        percent of the amounts available to each Institute in fiscal 
        years 1996 and 1997 and 25 percent in fiscal years 1998 and 
        1999 to support field-initiated research;
            (C) provide for and maintain a stable foundation of long-
        term research and development on core issues and concerns 
        conducted through university-based research and development 
        centers by reserving not less than one-third of the amounts 
        available to each Institute in any fiscal year to support such 
        research and development centers;
            (D) support and provide research information that leads to 
        policy formation by State legislatures, State and local boards 
        of education, schools funded by the Bureau, and other policy 
        and governing bodies, to assist such entities in identifying 
        and developing effective policies to promote student 
        achievement and school improvement;
            (E) promote research that is related to the core content 
        areas;
            (F) plan and coordinate syntheses that provide research 
        knowledge related to each level of the education system (from 
        preschool to postsecondary education) to increase understanding 
        of student performance across different educational levels;
            (G) conduct and support research in early childhood, 
        elementary and secondary, vocational, adult and postsecondary 
        education (including the professional development of teachers) 
        to the extent that such research is related to the purposes for 
        which such Institute has been established;
            (H) conduct sustained research and development on improving 
        the educational achievement of poor and minority individuals as 
        an integral part of its work; and
            (I) coordinate the Institute's activities with the 
        activities of the regional educational laboratories and with 
        other educational service organizations in designing the 
        Institute's research agenda and projects in order to increase 
        the responsiveness of such Institute to the needs of teachers 
        and the educational field and to bring research findings 
        directly into schools to ensure greatest access at the local 
        level to the latest research developments.
        (3) Requirements regarding financial assistance.--No grant, 
    contract, or cooperative agreement may be made under this title 
    unless--
            (A) sufficient notice of the availability of, and 
        opportunity to compete for, assistance has first been provided 
        to potential applicants through notice published in the Federal 
        Register or other appropriate means;
            (B) such grant, contract, or agreement has been evaluated 
        through peer review in accordance with the standards developed 
        pursuant to section 912(i);
            (C) such grant, contract, or agreement will be evaluated in 
        accordance with the standards developed pursuant to section 
        912(i);
            (D) in the case of a grant, contract, or cooperative 
        agreement which exceeds $500,000 for a single fiscal year or 
        $1,000,000 for more than one fiscal year, the Secretary has 
        complied with the requirements of paragraph (4); and
            (E) in the case of a grant, contract, or cooperative 
        agreement to support a research and development center, all 
        applications for such assistance have been evaluated by 
        independent experts according to standards and criteria which 
        include--
                (i) whether applicants have assembled a group of high 
            quality researchers sufficient to achieve the mission of 
            the center;
                (ii) whether the proposed organizational structure and 
            arrangements will facilitate achievement of the mission of 
            the center;
                (iii) whether there is a substantial staff commitment 
            to the work of the center;
                (iv) whether the directors and support staff will 
            devote a majority of their time to the activities of the 
            center;
                (v) review of the contributions of primary researchers 
            (other than researchers at the proposed center) to evaluate 
            the appropriateness of such primary researcher's 
            experiences and expertise in the context of the proposed 
            center activities, and the adequacy of such primary 
            researcher's time commitment to achievement of the mission 
            of the center; and
                (vi) the manner in which the results of education 
            research will be disseminated for further use, including 
            how the center will work with the Office of Reform 
            Assistance and Dissemination.
        (4) Board review of certain proposed grant and contract 
    actions.--The Assistant Secretary may not solicit any contract bid 
    or issue a request for proposals or applications for any grant or 
    cooperative agreement the amount of which exceeds $500,000 in any 
    single fiscal year or which exceeds an aggregate amount of 
    $1,000,000 for more than one fiscal year unless the Board has had 
    an opportunity to review such proposed grant, contract, or 
    cooperative agreement and to provide written comments to the 
    Assistant Secretary with respect to whether--
            (A) the purposes and scope of the proposed action are 
        consistent with the Research Priorities Plan; and
            (B) the methodology and approach of the proposed action are 
        sound and adequate to achieve the objectives of such grant, 
        contract, or cooperative agreement.
        (5) Historically underutilized researchers and institutions.--
    The Assistant Secretary shall establish and maintain initiatives 
    and programs to increase the participation in the activities of 
    each Institute of groups of researchers and institutions that have 
    been historically underutilized in Federal educational research 
    activities, including--
            (A) researchers who are women, African-American, Hispanic, 
        American Indian and Alaska Native, or other ethnic minorities;
            (B) promising young or new researchers in the field, such 
        as postdoctoral students and recently appointed assistant or 
        associate professors;
            (C) Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally 
        Controlled Community Colleges, and other institutions of higher 
        education with large numbers of minority students;
            (D) institutions of higher education located in rural 
        areas; and
            (E) institutions and researchers located in States and 
        regions of the United States which have historically received 
        the least Federal support for educational research and 
        development.
        (6) Additional authorities.--The Assistant Secretary--
            (A) may obtain (in accordance with section 3109 of title 5 
        but without regard to the limitation in such section on the 
        period of service) the services of experts or consultants with 
        scientific or professional qualifications in the disciplines 
        relevant to the purposes of such Institute;
            (B) may use, with their consent, the services, equipment, 
        personnel, information, and facilities of other Federal, State, 
        or local public agencies, with or without reimbursement 
        therefore; and
            (C) may accept voluntary and uncompensated services.
    (d) National Institute on Student Achievement, Curriculum, and 
Assessment.--
        (1) Findings.--The Congress finds as follows:
            (A) The current achievement levels of students in the 
        United States are far below those that might indicate 
        competency in challenging subject matter in core content areas.
            (B) During the last 20 years, relatively little changed in 
        how students were taught. Despite much research suggesting 
        better alternatives, classrooms continue to be dominated by 
        textbooks, teacher lectures, short-answer activity sheets, and 
        unequal patterns of student attention.
            (C) Despite progress in narrowing the gaps, the differences 
        in performance between Caucasian students and their minority 
        counterparts remain unacceptably large. While progress has been 
        made in reducing the gender gap in mathematics, such gap still 
        remains at higher levels of problem solving. Too little 
        progress has been made in reducing gender performance gaps 
        favoring males in science and females in writing.
        (2) Purpose.--The purpose of the National Institute on Student 
    Achievement, Curriculum, and Assessment is to carry out a 
    coordinated and comprehensive program of research and development 
    to provide research-based leadership to the United States as it 
    seeks to improve student achievement in core content areas and the 
    integration of such areas. Such program shall--
            (A) identify, develop, and evaluate innovative and 
        exemplary methods to improve student knowledge at all levels in 
        the core content areas, such as--
                (i) student learning and assessment in various subject 
            matters;
                (ii) the effects of organizational patterns on the 
            delivery of instruction, including issues of grouping and 
            tracking, ungraded classrooms, and on the effects of 
            various pedagogies, including the issues of technology in 
            education;
                (iii) standards for what students should know and be 
            able to do, particularly standards of desired performance 
            set to internationally competitive levels;
                (iv) methods to improve the process of reading, the 
            craft of writing, the growth of reasoning skills, and the 
            development of information-finding skills;
                (v) enabling students to develop higher order thinking 
            skills;
                (vi) methods to teach effectively all students in 
            mixed-ability classrooms;
                (vii) curriculum, instruction, and assessment, in 
            vocational education and school-to-work transition;
                (viii) the impact and effectiveness of Federal, State, 
            and local efforts to provide gender-fair educational 
            opportunities to elementary and secondary students;
                (ix) programs, policies, and approaches which promote 
            gender equity in elementary and secondary education;
                (x) improving the working conditions of teachers and 
            other educational practitioners, which may include such 
            topics as--

                    (I) teacher isolation;
                    (II) professional resources available to teachers;
                    (III) continuing educational and professional 
                opportunities available to teachers;
                    (IV) physical facilities and equipment, such as 
                office space, telephone, computer access, and fax 
                machines and television cable access available to 
                teachers in the work environment;
                    (V) opportunities for teachers to share information 
                and resources with other teachers and education 
                professionals;
                    (VI) opportunities for advanced learning 
                experience; and
                    (VII) the reduction of stress in the teaching 
                profession;

                (xi) curriculum development designed to meet 
            challenging standards, including State efforts to develop 
            such curriculum;
                (xii) the need for, and methods of delivering, teacher 
            education, development, and inservice training;
                (xiii) educational methods and activities to reduce and 
            prevent violence in schools;
                (xiv) the use of technology in learning, teaching and 
            testing; and
                (xv) other topics relevant to the mission of the 
            institute;
            (B) conduct basic and applied research in the areas of 
        human learning, cognition, and performance, including research 
        and development on the education contexts which promote 
        excellence in learning and instruction, and motivational issues 
        related to learning;
            (C) identify, develop, and evaluate programs designed to 
        enhance academic achievement and narrow racial and gender 
        performance gaps in a variety of subject areas, including 
        research and development on methods of involving parents in 
        their children's education and ways to involve business, 
        industry and other community partners in promoting excellence 
        in schools; and
            (D) include a comprehensive, coordinated program of 
        research and development in the area of assessment which--
                (i) addresses issues such as--

                    (I) the validity, reliability, generalizability, 
                costs, relative merits, and most appropriate uses of 
                various approaches and methods of assessing student 
                learning and achievement;
                    (II) methods and approaches to assessing student 
                opportunities to learn (including the quality of 
                instruction and the availability of resources necessary 
                to support learning) and evaluating the quality of 
                school environment;
                    (III) the impact of high-stakes uses of assessment 
                on student performance and motivation, narrowing of 
                curriculum, teaching practices, and test integrity;
                    (IV) the impact of various methods of assessment on 
                children of different races, ethnicities, gender, 
                socioeconomic status, and English language 
                proficiencies, and children with other special needs;
                    (V) standards of performance, quality, and validity 
                for various methods of assessment and the means by 
                which such standards should be developed;
                    (VI) current and emerging testing practices of 
                State and local education agencies within the United 
                States, as well as other nations;
                    (VII) the diverse effects, both intended and 
                unintended, of assessments as actually used in the 
                schools, including effects on curriculum and 
                instruction, effects on equity in the allocation of 
                resources and opportunities, effects on equity of 
                outcomes, effects on other procedures and standards for 
                judging students and practitioners and possible 
                inflation of test scores;
                    (VIII) identifying and evaluating how students with 
                limited-English proficiency and students with 
                disabilities are included and accommodated in the 
                various assessment programs of State and local 
                education agencies;
                    (IX) the feasibility and validity of comparing or 
                equating the results of different assessments;

                    (X) test security, accountability, validity, 
                reliability, and objectivity;
                    (XI) relevant teacher training and instruction in 
                giving a test, scoring a test, and in the use of test 
                results to improve student achievement;
                    (XII) developing, identifying, or evaluating new 
                educational assessments, including performance-based 
                and portfolio assessments which demonstrate skill and a 
                command of knowledge; and
                    (XIII) other topics relevant to the purposes of the 
                Institute; and

                (ii) may reflect recommendations made by the National 
            Education Goals Panel.
    (e) National Institute On the Education of At-Risk Students.--
        (1) Findings.--The Congress finds as follows:
            (A) The rate of decline in our urban schools is escalating 
        at a rapid pace. Student performance in most inner city schools 
        grows worse each year. At least half of all students entering 
        ninth grade fail to graduate 4 years later and many more 
        students from high-poverty backgrounds leave school with skills 
        that are inadequate for today's workplace. Student performance 
        in many inner city neighborhoods grows worse each year. At 
        least half of all students entering ninth grade fail to 
        graduate in 4 years. In 1992, the average National Assessment 
        of Educational Progress reading score of Caucasian 17 year-olds 
        was approximately 25 points higher than that of African-
        American 17 year-olds and 20 points higher than that of 
        Hispanic 17 year-olds.
            (B) Rural schools enroll a disproportionately large share 
        of the poor and at-risk students of the United States and yet 
        often lack the means to address effectively the needs of these 
        children. Intensive efforts should be made to overcome the 
        problems of geographic isolation, declining population, 
        inadequate financial resources and other impediments to the 
        educational success of children residing in rural areas.
            (C) By the year 2000, an estimated 3,400,000 school age 
        children with limited-English proficiency will be entering the 
        school system. The Federal Government should develop effective 
        policies and programs to address the educational needs of this 
        growing population of children who are at increased risk of 
        educational failure.
            (D) An educational emergency exists in those urban and 
        rural areas where there are large concentrations of children 
        who live in poverty. The numbers of disadvantaged children will 
        substantially increase by the year 2020, when the number of 
        impoverished children alone will be 16,500,000, a 33 percent 
        increase over the 12,400,000 children in poverty in 1987.
            (E) American Indian and Alaska Native students have high 
        dropout, illiteracy and poverty rates, and experience cultural, 
        linguistic, social and geographic isolation. The estimated 
        400,000 Indian and Alaska Native student population from over 
        500 Indian and Alaska Native tribes, is small and scattered 
        throughout remote reservations and villages in 32 States, and 
        in off-reservation rural and urban communities where Indians 
        constitute but a small percentage of public school student 
        bodies. To meaningfully address the special educational needs 
        of this historically under-served population, the existing 
        research and development system should be opened to Indian and 
        Alaska Native people to identify needs and design ways to 
        address such needs.
            (F) Minority scholars as well as institutions and groups 
        that have been historically committed to the improvement of the 
        education of at-risk students need to be more fully mobilized 
        in the effort to develop a new generation of programs, models, 
        practices, and schools capable of responding to the urgent 
        needs of students who are educationally at-risk.
        (2) Purpose.--It shall be the purpose of the Institute on the 
    Education of At-Risk Students to carry out a coordinated and 
    comprehensive program of research and development to provide 
    nonpartisan, research-based leadership to the United States as it 
    seeks to improve educational opportunities for at-risk students. 
    Such program shall--
            (A) undertake research necessary to provide a sound basis 
        from which to identify, develop, evaluate, and assist others to 
        replicate and adapt interventions, programs, and models which 
        promote greater achievement and educational success by at-risk 
        students, such as--
                (i) methods of instruction and educational practices 
            (including community services) which improve the 
            achievement and retention of at-risk students;
                (ii) the quality of educational opportunities afforded 
            at-risk students, particularly the quality of educational 
            opportunities afforded such students in highly concentrated 
            urban areas and sparsely populated rural areas;
                (iii) methods for overcoming the barriers to learning 
            that may impede student achievement;
                (iv) innovative teacher training and professional 
            development methods to help at-risk students meet 
            challenging standards;
                (v) methods to improve the quality of the education of 
            American Indian and Alaska Native students not only in 
            schools funded by the Bureau, but also in public elementary 
            and secondary schools located on or near Indian 
            reservations, including--

                    (I) research on mechanisms to facilitate the 
                establishment of tribal departments of education that 
                assume responsibility for all education programs of 
                State educational agencies operating on an Indian 
                reservation and all education programs funded by the 
                Bureau on an Indian reservation;
                    (II) research on the development of culturally 
                appropriate curriculum for American Indian and Alaska 
                Native students, including American Indian and Alaska 
                Native culture, language, geography, history and social 
                studies, and graduation requirements related to such 
                curriculum;
                    (III) research on methods for recruiting, training 
                and retraining qualified teachers from American Indian 
                and Alaska Native communities, including research to 
                promote flexibility in the criteria for certification 
                of such teachers;
                    (IV) research on techniques for improving the 
                educational achievement of American Indian and Alaska 
                Native students, including methodologies to reduce 
                dropout rates and increase graduation by such students; 
                and
                    (V) research concerning the performance by American 
                Indian and Alaska Native students of limited-English 
                proficiency on standardized achievement tests, and 
                related factors;

                (vi) means by which parents and community resources and 
            institutions (including cultural institutions) can be 
            utilized to support and improve the achievement of at-risk 
            students;
                (vii) the training of teachers and other educational 
            professionals and paraprofessionals to work more 
            effectively with at-risk students;
                (viii) the most effective uses of technology in the 
            education of at-risk students;
                (ix) programs designed to promote gender equity in 
            schools that serve at-risk students;
                (x) improving the ability of classroom teachers and 
            schools to assist new and diverse populations of students 
            in successfully assimilating into the classroom 
            environment;
                (xi) methods of assessing the achievement of students 
            which are sensitive to cultural differences, provide 
            multiple methods of assessing student learning, support 
            student acquisition of higher order capabilities, and 
            enable identification of the effects of inequalities in the 
            resources available to support the learning of children 
            throughout the United States; and
                (xii) other topics relevant to the purpose of the 
            Institute; and
            (B) maximize the participation of those schools and 
        institutions of higher education that serve the greatest number 
        of at-risk students in inner city and rural areas, and on 
        Indian reservations, including model collaborative programs 
        between schools and school systems, institutions of higher 
        education, cultural institutions, and community organizations.
        (3) Consultation with indian and alaska native educators.--All 
    research and development activities supported by the Institute 
    which relate to the education of Indian and Alaska Native students 
    shall be developed in close consultation with Indian and Alaska 
    Native researchers and educators, Tribally Controlled Community 
    Colleges, tribal departments of education, and others with 
    expertise in the needs of Indian and Native Alaska students.
    (f) National Institute on Early Childhood Development and 
Education.--
        (1) Findings.--The Congress finds as follows:
            (A) Despite efforts to expand and improve preschool 
        programs, many children still reach school age unprepared to 
        benefit from formal education programs.
            (B) Early intervention for disadvantaged children from 
        birth to age five has been shown to be a highly cost-effective 
        strategy for reducing later expenditures on a wide variety of 
        health, developmental, and educational problems that often 
        interfere with learning. Long-term studies of the benefits of 
        preschool education have a demonstrated return on investment 
        ranging from three to six dollars for every one dollar spent.
            (C) The Federal Government should play a central role in 
        providing research-based information on early childhood 
        education models which enhance children's development and 
        ultimately their success in school.
        (2) Purpose.--The purpose of the National Institute on Early 
    Childhood Development and Education is to carry out a comprehensive 
    program of research and development to provide nonpartisan, 
    research-based leadership to the United States as it seeks to 
    improve early childhood development and education. Such program 
    shall undertake research necessary to provide a sound basis from 
    which to identify, develop, evaluate, and assist others to 
    replicate methods and approaches that promise to improve early 
    childhood development and education, such as--
            (A) social and educational development of infants, 
        toddlers, and preschool children;
            (B) the role of parents and the community in promoting the 
        successful social and educational development of children from 
        birth to age five;
            (C) topics relating to children's readiness to learn, such 
        as prenatal care, nutrition, and health services;
            (D) family literacy and parental involvement in student 
        learning;
            (E) methods for integrating learning in settings other than 
        the classroom, particularly within families and communities;
            (F) practices and approaches which sustain the benefits of 
        effective preschool and child care programs;
            (G) effective learning methods and curriculum for early 
        childhood learning, including access to current materials in 
        libraries;
            (H) the importance of family literacy and parental 
        involvement in student learning;
            (I) effective teaching and learning methods, and 
        curriculum;
            (J) instruction that considers the cultural environment of 
        children;
            (K) access to current materials in libraries;
            (L) the impact that outside influences have on learning, 
        including television, and drug and alcohol abuse;
            (M) the structure and environment of early childhood 
        education and child care settings which lead to improved social 
        and educational development;
            (N) training and preparation of teachers and other 
        professional and paraprofessional preschool and child care 
        workers;
            (O) the use of technology, including methods to help 
        parents instruct their children; and
            (P) other topics relevant to the purpose of the Institute.
        (3) Certain requirements.--In carrying out the activities of 
    the Institute, the Assistant Secretary shall ensure that the 
    Institute's research and development program provides information 
    that can be utilized in improving the major Federal early childhood 
    education programs.
    (g) National Institute on Educational Governance, Finance, Policy-
Making, and Management.--
        (1) Findings.--The Congress finds as follows:
            (A) Many elementary and secondary schools in the United 
        States--
                (i) are structured according to models that are 
            ineffective and rely on notions of management and 
            governance that may be outdated or insufficient for the 
            challenges of the next century; and
                (ii) are unsuccessful in equipping all students with 
            the knowledge and skills needed to succeed as citizens and 
            in the working world.
            (B) New approaches are needed in the governance and 
        management of elementary and secondary education within the 
        United States at the State, local, school building and 
        classroom level.
            (C) Not enough is known about the effects of various 
        systems of school governance and management on student 
        achievement to provide sound guidance to policymakers as such 
        policymakers pursue school restructuring and reform.
            (D) A concentrated Federal effort is needed to support 
        research, development, demonstration, and evaluation of 
        approaches to school governance, finance and management which 
        promise to improve education equity and excellence throughout 
        the United States.
        (2) Purpose.--It shall be the purpose of the National Institute 
    on Educational Governance, Finance, Policy-Making, and Management 
    to carry out a coordinated and comprehensive program of research 
    and development to provide nonpartisan, research-based leadership 
    to the United States as it seeks to improve student achievement 
    through school restructuring and reform. Such program shall 
    undertake research necessary to provide a sound basis from which to 
    identify, develop and evaluate approaches in elementary and 
    secondary school governance, finance, policy-making, and management 
    at the State, local, tribal, school building and classroom level 
    which promise to improve educational equity and excellence, such 
    as--
            (A) open enrollment programs, public school choice, magnet 
        schools and other systems through which parents may select the 
        public schools and educational programs in which their children 
        are enrolled;
            (B) innovative school design, including lengthening the 
        school day and the school year, reducing class size and 
        building professional development into the weekly school 
        schedule and, as appropriate, conducting such further research 
        as may be recommended or suggested by the report issued by the 
        National Education Commission on Time and Learning pursuant to 
        section 102 of the Education Council Act of 1991 (20 U.S.C. 
        1221-1 note);
            (C) effective approaches to organizing learning;
            (D) effective ways of grouping students for learning so 
        that a student is not labeled or stigmatized in ways that may 
        impede such student's achievement;
            (E) effective approaches to organizing, structuring, and 
        financing vocational education;
            (F) the provision of financial and other rewards and 
        incentives to schools and educators based on performance to 
        improve student achievement;
            (G) the use of regulatory flexibility on the State or 
        school district level to promote innovation and school 
        restructuring;
            (H) policy decisions at all levels and the impact of such 
        decisions on school achievement and other student outcomes;
            (I) the effective use of dollars for classroom 
        construction;
            (J) expanding the role of teachers in policymaking and 
        administration at the school and school district-wide level;
            (K) disparity in school financing among States, school 
        districts, schools, and schools funded by the Bureau;
            (L) the use of technology in areas such as assisting in 
        school-based management or ameliorating the effects of 
        disparity in school financing among States, school districts, 
        and schools funded by the Bureau;
            (M) the involvement of parents and families in the 
        management and governance of schools and the education of their 
        children;
            (N) effective approaches to increasing the representation 
        of women and minorities among leadership and management 
        positions in education;
            (O) approaches to systemic reforms involving the 
        coordination of multiple policies of each level of government 
        to promote higher levels of student achievement;
            (P) approaches to coordinated services for children;
            (Q) teacher certification at the State and tribal levels;
            (R) school-based management, shared decisionmaking and 
        other innovative school structures, and State and local reforms 
        and educational policies, which show promise for improving 
        student achievement;
            (S) policies related to school-to-work transitions and 
        preparing non-college-bound students; and
            (T) other topics relevant to the mission of the Institute.
    (h) National Institute on Postsecondary Education, Libraries, and 
Lifelong Learning.--
        (1) Findings.--The Congress finds as follows:
            (A) The American system of postsecondary education is 
        foremost in the world in such system's achievement of both 
        academic excellence and equity in access, but maintaining that 
        preeminence requires renewed efforts to strengthen the quality 
        of postsecondary education. Disappointing student performance 
        on achievement tests and licensure examinations, declining 
        rates of postsecondary education persistence and completion 
        among minorities, and other troubling trends in the quality of 
        postsecondary education should be addressed by the United 
        States as part of its overall drive to improve American 
        education.
            (B) The need to improve our economic productivity of the 
        United States to meet the competitive challenges of a new, 
        international economy, coupled with high levels of mobility in 
        the United States labor market and demographic changes in the 
        workforce, now demands more and higher quality programs of 
        learning and training in the American workplace.
            (C) The more than 1,000,000 men and women incarcerated in 
        the prisons and jails in the United States are among the most 
        severely educationally disadvantaged in the United States, with 
        high rates of functional illiteracy and extremely low levels of 
        educational attainment. Since an estimated 90 percent of these 
        individuals are expected to be released by the end of the 
        decade, the United States must act to assure that our 
        correctional system has the means to equip these Americans with 
        the knowledge and skills they will need to participate 
        productively in our society.
            (D) The development of a ``Nation of Students'' capable of 
        and committed to the pursuit of formal and informal lifelong 
        learning and literacy is essential to sustain both national and 
        individual economic success and to provide a nurturing 
        environment in which all children and youth can learn and 
        achieve. Historically the most effectiveP
        community resource for lifelong learning, the public library 
        system of the United States, should expand and restructure its 
        delivery of services to take full advantage of the potential of 
        new information technologies to meet the needs of learning 
        communities.
        (2) Purpose.--The purpose of the National Institute on 
    Postsecondary Education, Libraries, and Lifelong Learning is to 
    promote greater coordination of Federal research and development on 
    issues related to adult learning and to carry out a program of 
    research and development in adult learning to provide nonpartisan, 
    research-based leadership to the United States as it seeks to 
    improve libraries, postsecondary education, literacy, and lifelong 
    learning throughout the United States. Such program--
            (A) shall only support research and development in those 
        areas of postsecondary education, libraries, literacy, and 
        lifelong learning which are not being addressed by other 
        entities within the Federal Government;
            (B) may include basic and applied research, development, 
        replication, and evaluation activities in areas such as--
                (i) methods of assessing and evaluating individual, 
            program, and institutional performance;
                (ii) the uses and applications of new technologies to 
            improve program effectiveness and enhance student learning;
                (iii) the most effective training methods for adults to 
            upgrade education and vocational skills;
                (iv) opportunities for adults to continue their 
            education beyond higher education and graduate school, in 
            the context of lifelong learning and information-finding 
            skills;
                (v) adult literacy and effective methods, including 
            technology, to eliminate illiteracy;
                (vi) preparing students for a lifetime of work, the 
            ability to adapt through retraining to the changing needs 
            of the work force and the ability to learn new tasks;
                (vii) the use of technology to develop and deliver 
            effective training methods for adults to upgrade their 
            education and their vocational skills; and
                (viii) institutional and classroom policies and 
            practices at the postsecondary level necessary to improve 
            matriculation, persistence, achievement and graduation by 
            students who are economically disadvantaged, ethnic and 
            racial minorities, women, older, working, and who have 
            children;
                (ix) instructional practices and programs which are 
            effective in correctional settings;
                (x) new models of service delivery for public library 
            systems which expand opportunities for lifelong learning;
                (xi) effective programs and approaches which promote 
            greater access to and success by minorities in 
            postsecondary programs which prepare such minorities for 
            scientific, technical, teaching, and health career fields;
                (xii) effective teaching for the preparation and 
            continuing education of teachers;
                (xiii) the development and evaluation of curricular 
            materials for the initial and continuing education of 
            teachers and teacher educators;
                (xiv) the role of Historically Black Colleges and 
            Universities, Tribally Controlled Indian Community 
            Colleges, women's colleges, and other special mission 
            institutions in providing access, excellence, and equal 
            opportunity in higher education;
                (xv) methods for evaluating the quality of education at 
            different types of institutions of higher education at all 
            levels and the roles and responsibilities of regional and 
            national accrediting agencies;
                (xvi) methods for evaluating the productivity of 
            different types of institutions of higher education;
                (xvii) financial barriers to postsecondary educational 
            opportunity, including--

                    (I) the role of Federal programs authorized under 
                title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and State 
                grant and work programs in mitigating such barriers;
                    (II) the impact of the rising total cost of 
                postsecondary education on access to higher education; 
                and
                    (III) the extent and impact of student reliance on 
                loans to meet the costs of higher education;

                (xviii) opportunities for adults to continue their 
            education beyond higher education and graduate school, in 
            the context of lifelong learning and information-finding 
            skills;
                (xix) preparing students for a lifetime of work, the 
            ability to adapt through retraining to the changing needs 
            of the work force and the ability to learn new tasks; and
                (xx) other topics relevant to the mission of the 
            Institute.
        (3) Involvement of certain agencies and organizations.--In 
    promoting coordination and collaboration on research and 
    development on issues related to postsecondary education, literacy, 
    libraries, and lifelong learning, the Institute shall, as 
    appropriate, seek the involvement--
            (A) within the Department of Education of--
                (i) the Office of Library Programs;
                (ii) the Office of Correctional Education;
                (iii) the Office of Vocational and Adult Education;
                (iv) the National Institute on Disability and 
            Rehabilitation Research; and
                (v) the Office of Postsecondary Education;
            (B) of the National Institute for Literacy;
            (C) of the National Board for Professional Teaching 
        Standards;
            (D) of the Employment and Training Administration of the 
        Department of Labor;
            (E) of the Administration for Children and Families within 
        the Department of Health and Human Services;
            (F) of the National Institutes of Health;
            (G) of the National Endowment for the Humanities;
            (H) of the National Endowment for the Arts;
            (I) of the Bureau of Prisons of the Department of Justice;
            (J) of the Department of Commerce;
            (K) of the Department of Defense; and
            (L) of the Office of Indian Education Programs of the 
        Department of the Interior.
        (4) Additional responsibilities.--In addition to the 
    responsibilities described in paragraph (2), the Assistant 
    Secretary shall ensure that the activities of the National Center 
    on Literacy are fully coordinated with those of the National 
    Institute for Literacy.
    (i) Coordination and Research Synthesis.--The Assistant Secretary 
shall promote and provide for research syntheses and the coordination 
of research and development activities among the Institutes established 
by this section to investigate those cross-cutting disciplines and 
areas of inquiry which are relevant to the missions of more than one of 
the Institutes. Such activities--
        (1) may be carried out jointly by any one of the Institutes 
    and--
            (A) one (or more) of the Institutes;
            (B) the National Center for Education Statistics; or
            (C) any research and development entity administered by 
        other offices of the Department of Education or by any other 
        Federal agency or department; and
        (2) shall meet all the standards developed by the Assistant 
    Secretary and approved by the Board for other research and 
    development conducted by the Office.
    (j) Dates for Establishment of Institutes.--The National Institute 
on the Education of At-Risk Students, the National Institute on 
Educational Governance, Finance, Policy-Making, and Management, the 
National Institute on Early Childhood Development and Education, the 
National Institute on Student Achievement, Curriculum, and Assessment 
and the National Institute on Postsecondary Education, Libraries, and 
Lifelong Learning shall each be established on October 1, 1995.

            PART D--NATIONAL EDUCATION DISSEMINATION SYSTEM

    SEC. 941. ESTABLISHMENT WITHIN OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND 
      IMPROVEMENT.
    (a) In General.--
        (1) Findings.--The Congress finds as follows:
            (A) In order to improve the American educational system for 
        all students, achieve the National Education Goals, and provide 
        for greater educational equity, policymakers, administrators, 
        teachers, and parents must have ready access to the best 
        information and methods available as a result of educational 
        research and development.
            (B) The Office of Educational Research and Improvement 
        should have as one of its primary purposes the dissemination of 
        such information and methods in order to assist the national 
        education reform effort.
            (C) All current resources within the Office, the Department 
        of Education, and other agencies that can help accomplish the 
        purposes described in subparagraph (B) should be coordinated by 
        the Assistant Secretary, to the extent practicable, so as to 
        form a systematic process to accomplish such purposes.
            (D) Education research has the capacity to improve teaching 
        and learning in our Nation's schools, however, teachers need 
        training in the skills necessary to translate research into 
        practice and to allow teachers to become knowledgeable 
        practitioners and leaders in educational improvement.
            (E) Adequate linkages between research and development 
        providers and practitioners are essential to ensuring that 
        research on effective practice is useful, disseminated to and 
        supported with technical assistance for all educators, and that 
        all educators are partners in the research and development 
        process.
        (2) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to--
            (A) create a national system of dissemination, development, 
        and educational improvement in order to create, adapt, 
        identify, validate, and disseminate to educators, parents, and 
        policymakers those educational programs that have potential or 
        have been shown to improve educational opportunities for all 
        students; and
            (B) empower and increase the capacity of teachers to 
        participate in the research and development process.
        (3) Definition of educational program.--For the purposes of 
    this section, the term ``educational program'' includes educational 
    policies, research findings, practices, and products.
    (b) Establishment of Office.--
        (1) In general.--There is established within the Office an 
    Office of Reform Assistance and Dissemination (hereafter in this 
    section referred to as the ``Dissemination Office'') through which 
    the Secretary shall carry out all functions and activities 
    described in this section. Such office shall be headed by a 
    Director who shall be appointed by the Assistant Secretary and have 
    demonstrated expertise and experience in dissemination, including 
    promoting the effective use of research in the classroom.
        (2) Certain duties.--The Dissemination Office shall--
            (A) disseminate relevant and useful research, information, 
        products, and publications developed through or supported by 
        the Department of Education to schools, educators, parents, and 
        policymakers throughout the United States;
            (B) operate a depository for all Department of Education 
        publications and products and make available for reproduction 
        such publications and products;
            (C) provide technical and financial assistance to 
        individuals and organizations in the process of developing 
        promising educational programs but who might not, without such 
        assistance, be able to complete necessary development and 
        assessment activities;
            (D) coordinate the dissemination efforts of the Office, the 
        regional educational laboratories, the research institutes, the 
        National Diffusion Network, and the Educational Resources 
        Information Center Clearinghouses;
            (E) provide training and technical assistance regarding the 
        implementation and adoption of exemplary and promising programs 
        by interested entities;
            (F) carry out a program of research on models for 
        successful knowledge dissemination, and utilization, and 
        strategies for reaching education policymakers, practitioners, 
        and others interested in education;
            (G) develop the capacity to connect schools and teachers 
        seeking information with the relevant regional educational 
        laboratories assisted under subsection (h), the National 
        Diffusion Network, the Institutes assisted under this section, 
        and the Educational Resources Information Center 
        Clearinghouses; and
            (H) provide a biennial report to the Secretary regarding 
        the types of information, products, and services that teachers, 
        schools, and school districts have requested and have 
        determined to be most useful, and describe future plans to 
        adapt Department of Education products and services to address 
        the needs of the users of such information, products, and 
        services.
        (3) Additional duties.--The Dissemination Office shall carry 
    out a process for the identification of educational programs that 
    work, dissemination through electronic networking and new 
    technologies and the functions and activities performed by the 
    following:
            (A) The Educational Resources Information Center 
        Clearinghouses.
            (B) The regional educational laboratories.
            (C) The Teacher Research Dissemination Demonstration 
        Program.
            (D) The Goals 2000 Community Partnerships Program.
            (E) The existing National Diffusion Network and its 
        Developer-Demonstrator and State Facilitator projects.
            (F) Such other programs, activities, or entities the 
        Secretary determines are consistent with purposes for which the 
        Dissemination Office is established.
    (c) Identification of Programs.--The Assistant Secretary shall 
coordinate a process through which successful educational programs are 
actively sought out for possible dissemination through the national 
educational dissemination system. Such process shall, at a minimum, 
have the capability to--
        (1) work closely with the Institutes, research and development 
    centers, regional educational laboratories, the National Diffusion 
    Network and its Developer-Demonstrator and State Facilitator 
    projects, learning grant institutions established under the Goals 
    2000 Community Partnerships Program, Department of Education-
    supported technical assistance providers, and other entities to 
    identify successful educational programs at the regional, State, 
    local, or classroom level;
        (2) review successful educational programs supported by the 
    Department of Education through all of its programs;
        (3) through cooperative agreements, review for possible 
    inclusion in the system educational programs administered by the 
    Departments of Health and Human Services (particularly the Head 
    Start program), Labor, and Defense, the National Science 
    Foundation, the Department of the Interior (particularly the Office 
    of Indian Education Programs), and any other appropriate Federal 
    agency; and
        (4) provide for an active outreach effort to identify 
    successful educational programs through cooperative arrangements 
    with State and local education agencies, teachers and teacher 
    organizations, curriculum associations, foundations, private 
    schools, institutions of higher education, and other entities that 
    could enhance the ability of the Secretary to identify programs for 
    possible inclusion in the dissemination system.
    (d) Designation of Exemplary and Promising Programs.--
        (1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary, in consultation with 
    the Board, shall establish 1 or more panels of appropriately 
    qualified experts and practitioners to--
            (A) evaluate educational programs that have been identified 
        by the Secretary under subsection (c) or that have been 
        submitted to the Secretary for such evaluation by some other 
        individual or organization; and
            (B) recommend to the Secretary programs that should be 
        designated as exemplary or promising educational programs.
        (2) Considerations in making recommendations.--In determining 
    whether an educational program should receive a recommendation 
    under paragraph (1), a panel established under such paragraph shall 
    consider--
            (A) whether, based on empirical data, which may include 
        test results, the program is effective and should be designated 
        as exemplary and disseminated through the national 
        dissemination system; or
            (B) whether there is sufficient evidence to lead a panel of 
        experts and practitioners to believe that the program shows 
        promise for improving student achievement and should be 
        designated as promising and disseminated through the national 
        dissemination system while the program continues to be 
        evaluated.
        (3) Requirement regarding approval of programs.--In seeking out 
    programs for approval under paragraph (2), the Assistant Secretary 
    shall seek programs that may be implemented at the State, local, 
    and classroom level.
        (4) Requirements regarding panels.--
            (A) A panel shall not eliminate a program from 
        consideration under this subsection based solely on the fact 
        that the program does not have one specific type of supporting 
        data, such as test scores.
            (B) The Assistant Secretary may not designate a program as 
        exemplary or promising unless a panel established under 
        paragraph (1) has recommended that the program be so 
        designated.
            (C) The Secretary shall establish such panels under 
        paragraph (1) as may be necessary to ensure that each program 
        identified or submitted for evaluation is evaluated.
            (D) Not less than \2/3\ of the membership of a panel 
        established under paragraph (1) shall consist of individuals 
        who are not officers or employees of the United States. Members 
        of panels under paragraph (1) who are not employees of the 
        United States shall receive compensation for each day they are 
        engaged in carrying out the duties of the panel as well as 
        compensation for their expenses.
    (e) Dissemination of Exemplary and Promising Programs.--In order to 
ensure that programs identified as exemplary or promising are available 
for adoption by the greatest number of teachers, schools, local and 
State education agencies, and Bureau-funded schools, the Assistant 
Secretary shall utilize the capabilities of--
        (1) the Educational Resources Information Center 
    Clearinghouses;
        (2) electronic networking;
        (3) the regional educational laboratories;
        (4) the National Diffusion Network;
        (5) entities established under the Goals 2000 Community 
    Partnerships Program;
        (6) department-supported technical assistance providers;
        (7) the National Library of Education; and
        (8) other public and private nonprofit entities, including 
    existing education associations and networks, that have the 
    capability to assist educators in adopting exemplary and promising 
    programs.
    (f) Educational Resources Information Center Clearinghouses.--
        (1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary shall establish a 
    system of 16 clearinghouses having, at a minimum, the functions and 
    scope of work as the clearinghouses had on the day preceding the 
    date of the enactment of this title. The Assistant Secretary shall 
    establish for the clearinghouses a policy for the abstraction from, 
    and inclusion in, the Educational Resources Information Center 
    Clearinghouses system for books, periodicals, reports, and other 
    materials related to education.
        (2) Additional functions.--In addition to those functions 
    carried out by the clearinghouses on the day preceding the date of 
    the enactment of this title, such clearinghouses may--
            (A) periodically produce interpretive summaries, digests, 
        and syntheses of the results and findings of education-related 
        research and development; and
            (B) contain and make available to users information 
        concerning those programs designated as exemplary and promising 
        under subsection (d).
        (3) Coordination of activities.--The Assistant Secretary shall 
    assure that the functions and activities of such clearinghouses are 
    coordinated with the activities of the Institutes, the regional 
    educational laboratories, learning grant institutions, other 
    clearinghouses supported by the Department of Education, the 
    National Diffusion Network, and other appropriate entities within 
    the Office and such Department.
        (4) Special responsibilities of the secretary.--To assure that 
    the information provided through such clearinghouses is fully 
    comprehensive, the Secretary shall--
            (A) require that all reports, studies, and other resources 
        produced directly or by grant or contract with the Department 
        of Education are made available to clearinghouses;
            (B) establish cooperative agreements with the Departments 
        of Defense, Health and Human Services, Interior, and other 
        Federal departments and agencies to assure that all education-
        related reports, studies, and other resources produced directly 
        or by grant from or contract with the Federal Government are 
        made available to such clearinghouses; and
            (C) devise an effective system for maximizing the 
        identification, synthesis, and dissemination of information 
        related to the needs of Indian and Alaska Native children.
        (5) Copyright prohibited.--
            (A) No clearinghouse or other entity receiving assistance 
        under this subsection may copyright or otherwise charge a 
        royalty or other fee that--
                (i) is for the use or redissemination of any database, 
            index, abstract, report, or other information produced with 
            assistance under this subsection; and
                (ii) exceeds the incremental cost of disseminating such 
            information.
            (B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), the incremental cost 
        of dissemination does not include any portion of the cost of 
        collecting, organizing, or processing the information which is 
        disseminated.
    (g) Dissemination Through New Technologies.--
        (1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary is authorized to award 
    grants or contracts in accordance with this subsection to support 
    the development of materials, programs, and resources which utilize 
    new technologies and techniques to synthesize and disseminate 
    research and development findings and other information which can 
    be used to support educational improvement.
        (2) Electronic networking.--
            (A) Electronic network.--The Assistant Secretary, acting 
        through the Office of Reform Assistance and Dissemination, 
        shall establish and maintain an electronic network which shall, 
        at a minimum, link--
                (i) each office of the Department of Education;
                (ii) the Institutes established by section 931;
                (iii) the National Center for Education Statistics;
                (iv) the National Library of Education; and
                (v) entities engaged in research, development, 
            dissemination, and technical assistance under grant from, 
            or contract, or cooperative agreement with, the Department 
            of Education.
            (B) Certain requirements for network.--The network 
        described in subparagraph (A) shall--
                (i) to the extent feasible, build upon existing 
            national, regional, and State electronic networks and 
            support video, telecomputing, and interactive 
            communications;
                (ii) at a minimum, have the capability to support 
            electronic mail and file transfer services;
                (iii) be linked to and accessible to other users, 
            including State and local education agencies, institutions 
            of higher education, museums, libraries, and others through 
            the Internet and the National Research and Education 
            Network; and
                (iv) be provided at no cost (excluding the costs of 
            necessary hardware) to the contractors and grantees 
            described in clause (v) of subparagraph (A) and to 
            educational institutions accessing such network through the 
            Internet and the National Research and Education Network.
            (C) Information resources.--The Assistant Secretary, acting 
        through the Office of Reform Assistance and Dissemination, may 
        make available through the network described in subparagraph 
        (A)--
                (i) information about grant and contract assistance 
            available through the Department of Education;
                (ii) an annotated directory of current research and 
            development activities and projects being undertaken with 
            the assistance of the Department of Education;
                (iii) information about publications published by the 
            Department of Education and, to the extent feasible, the 
            full text of such publications;
                (iv) statistics and data published by the National 
            Center for Education Statistics;
                (v) syntheses of research and development findings;
                (vi) a directory of other education-related electronic 
            networks and databases, including information about the 
            means by which such networks and databases may be accessed;
                (vii) a descriptive listing of materials and courses of 
            instruction provided by telecommunications partnerships 
            assisted under the Star Schools program;
                (viii) resources developed by the Educational Resources 
            Information Center Clearinghouses;
                (ix) education-related software (including video) which 
            is in the public domain;
                (x) a listing of instructional materials available 
            through telecommunications to local education agencies 
            through the Public Broadcasting Service and State 
            educational television networks; and
                (xi) such other information and resources the Assistant 
            Secretary considers useful and appropriate.
            (D) Evaluations regarding other functions of network.--The 
        Assistant Secretary shall also undertake projects to test and 
        evaluate the feasibility of using the network described in 
        subparagraph (A) for--
                (i) the submission of applications for assistance to 
            the Department of Education; and
                (ii) the collection of data and other statistics 
            through the National Center for Education Statistics.
            (E) Training and technical assistance.--The Assistant 
        Secretary, acting through the Office of Reform Assistance and 
        Dissemination, shall--
                (i) provide such training and technical assistance as 
            may be necessary to enable the contractors and grantees 
            described in clause (v) of subparagraph (A) to participate 
            in the electronic network described in such subparagraph; 
            and
                (ii) work with the National Science Foundation to 
            provide, upon request, assistance to State and local 
            educational agencies, the Department of the Interior's 
            Office of Indian Education Programs, tribal departments of 
            education, State library agencies, libraries, museums, and 
            other educational institutions in obtaining access to the 
            Internet and the National Research and Education Network.
    (h) Regional Educational Laboratories for Research, Development, 
Dissemination, and Technical Assistance.--
        (1) Regional educational laboratories.--The Assistant Secretary 
    shall enter into contracts with public or private nonprofit 
    entities to establish a networked system of not less than 10 and 
    not more than 12 regional educational laboratories which serve the 
    needs of each region of the United States in accordance with the 
    provisions of this subsection. The amount of assistance allocated 
    to each laboratory by the Assistant Secretary shall reflect the 
    number of local educational agencies and the number of school-age 
    children within the region served by such laboratory, as well as 
    the cost of providing services within the geographic area 
    encompassed by the region.
        (2) Regions.--The regions served by the regional educational 
    laboratories shall be the 10 geographic regions in existence on the 
    day preceding the date of the enactment of this title, except that 
    in fiscal year 1996, the Assistant Secretary may support not more 
    than 2 additional regional educational laboratories serving regions 
    not in existence on the day preceding the date of enactment of this 
    Act, provided that--
            (A) the amount appropriated for the regional educational 
        laboratories in fiscal year 1996 exceeds the amount 
        appropriated for the regional educational laboratories in 
        fiscal year 1995 by not less than $2,000,000;
            (B) each such additional regional laboratory shall be 
        supported by not less than $2,000,000 annually;
            (C) the creation of any such additional laboratory region 
        is announced at the time of the announcement of the competition 
        for contracts for all regional educational laboratories;
            (D) the creation of a regional educational laboratory that 
        involves the combination or subdivision of a region or regions 
        in existence on the day preceding the date of enactment of this 
        Act in which States in 1 such region are combined with States 
        in another such region does not result in any region in 
        existence on such date permanently becoming part of a larger 
        region, nor result in any such region permanently subsuming 
        another region, nor creates within the continental United 
        States a region that is smaller than 4 contiguous States, nor 
        partitions a region in existence on the day preceding the date 
        of the enactment of this Act to include less than 4 contiguous 
        States included in the region on the day preceding the date of 
        enactment of this Act;
            (E) the Assistant Secretary has published a notice in the 
        Federal Register inviting the public, for a period of not less 
        than 60 days, to make recommendations with respect to the 
        creation of 1 or 2 additional regional educational 
        laboratories;
            (F) the Assistant Secretary has solicited and received 
        letters of support for the creation of any new region from the 
        Chief State School Officers and State boards of education in 
        each of the contiguous States that would be included in such 
        new region.
        (3) Duties.--Each regional educational laboratory receiving 
    assistance under this section shall promote the implementation of 
    broad-based systemic school improvement strategies and shall have 
    as such laboratory's central mission and primary function to--
            (A) develop and disseminate educational research products 
        and processes to schools, teachers, local educational agencies, 
        State educational agencies, librarians, and schools funded by 
        the Bureau, as appropriate, and through such development and 
        dissemination, and provide technical assistance, to help all 
        students meet standards;
            (B) develop a plan for identifying and serving the needs of 
        the region by conducting a continuing survey of the educational 
        needs, strengths, and weaknesses within the region, including a 
        process of open hearings to solicit the views of schools, 
        teachers, administrators, parents, local educational agencies, 
        librarians, and State educational agencies within the region;
            (C) provide technical assistance to State and local 
        educational agencies, school boards, schools funded by the 
        Bureau, as appropriate, State boards of education, schools, and 
        librarians;
            (D) facilitate school restructuring at the individual 
        school level, including technical assistance for adapting model 
        demonstration grant programs to each school;
            (E) serve the educational development needs of the region 
        by providing education research in usable forms in order to 
        promote school improvement and academic achievement and to 
        correct educational deficiencies;
            (F) facilitate communication between educational experts, 
        school officials, and teachers, parents, and librarians, to 
        enable such individuals to assist schools to develop a plan to 
        meet the National Education Goals;
            (G) provide training in--
                (i) the field of education research and related areas;
                (ii) the use of new educational methods; and
                (iii) the use of information-finding methods, 
            practices, techniques, and products developed in connection 
            with such training for which the regional educational 
            laboratory may support internships and fellowships and 
            provide stipends;
            (H) use applied educational research to assist in solving 
        site-specific problems and to assist in development activities;
            (I) conduct applied research projects designed to serve the 
        particular needs of the region only in the event that such 
        quality applied research does not exist as determined by the 
        regional education laboratory or the Department of Education;
            (J) collaborate and coordinate services with other 
        technical assistance providers funded by the Department of 
        Education;
            (K) provide support and technical assistance in--
                (i) replicating and adapting exemplary and promising 
            practices;
                (ii) the development of high-quality, challenging 
            curriculum frameworks;
                (iii) the development of valid, reliable assessments 
            which are linked to State, local, or Bureau-funded content 
            and student performance standards and reflect recent 
            advances in the field of educational assessment;
                (iv) the improvement of professional development 
            strategies to assure that all teachers are prepared to 
            teach a challenging curriculum;
                (v) expanding and improving the use of technology in 
            education to improve teaching and learning;
                (vi) the development of alternatives for restructuring 
            school finance systems to promote greater equity in the 
            distribution of resources; and
                (vii) the development of alternative administrative 
            structures which are more conducive to planning, 
            implementing, and sustaining school reform and improved 
            educational outcomes; and
            (L) bring teams of experts together to develop and 
        implement school improvement plans and strategies.
        (4) Networking.--In order to improve the efficiency and 
    effectiveness of the regional laboratories, the governing boards of 
    the regional laboratories shall establish and maintain a network 
    to--
            (A) share information about the activities each laboratory 
        is carrying out;
            (B) plan joint activities that would meet the needs of 
        multiple regions;
            (C) create a strategic plan for the development of 
        activities undertaken by the laboratories to reduce redundancy 
        and increase collaboration and resource-sharing in such 
        activities; and
            (D) otherwise devise means by which the work of the 
        individual laboratories could serve national, as well as 
        regional, needs.
        (5) Additional duties.--Each regional education laboratory 
    receiving assistance under this subsection shall carry out the 
    following activities:
            (A) Collaborate with the Institutes established under 
        section 931 in order to--
                (i) maximize the use of research conducted through the 
            Institutes in the work of such laboratory;
                (ii) keep the Institutes apprised of the work of the 
            regional educational laboratory in the field; and
                (iii) inform the Institutes about additional research 
            needs identified in the field.
            (B) Consult with the State educational agencies and library 
        agencies in the region in developing the plan for serving the 
        region.
            (C) Develop strategies to utilize schools as critical 
        components in reforming education and revitalizing rural 
        communities in the United States.
            (D) Report and disseminate information on overcoming the 
        obstacles faced by rural educators and rural schools.
            (E) Identify successful educational programs that have 
        either been developed by such laboratory in carrying out such 
        laboratory's functions or that have been developed or used by 
        others within the region served by the laboratory and make such 
        information available to the Secretary and the network of 
        regional laboratories so that such programs may be considered 
        for inclusion in the national education dissemination system.
        (6) Certain requirements.--In carrying out its 
    responsibilities, each regional educational laboratory shall--
            (A) establish a governing board that--
                (i) reflects a balanced representation of the States in 
            the region, as well as the interests and concerns of 
            regional constituencies, and that includes teachers and 
            education researchers;
                (ii) is the sole entity that--

                    (I) guides and directs the laboratory in carrying 
                out the provisions of this subsection and satisfying 
                the terms and conditions of the contract award;
                    (II) determines the regional agenda of the 
                laboratory;
                    (III) engages in an ongoing dialogue with the 
                Assistant Secretary concerning the laboratory's goals, 
                activities, and priorities; and
                    (IV) determines at the start of the contract 
                period, subject to the requirements of this section and 
                in consultation with the Assistant Secretary, the 
                mission of the regional educational laboratory for the 
                duration of the contract period;

                (iii) ensures that the regional educational laboratory 
            attains and maintains a high level of quality in the 
            laboratory's work and products;
                (iv) establishes standards to ensure that the regional 
            educational laboratory has strong and effective governance, 
            organization, management, and administration, and employs 
            qualified staff;
                (v) directs the regional educational laboratory to 
            carry out the laboratory's duties in a manner as will make 
            progress toward achieving the National Education Goals and 
            reforming schools and educational systems; and
                (vi) conducts a continuing survey of the educational 
            needs, strengths, and weaknesses within the region, 
            including a process of open hearings to solicit the views 
            of schools and teachers.
            (B) Comply with the standards developed by the Assistant 
        Secretary and approved by the Board under section 912.
            (C) Coordinate its activities, collaborate, and regularly 
        exchange information with the Institutes established under 
        section 941, the National Diffusion Network, and its Developer-
        Demonstrator and State Facilitator projects, learning grant 
        institutions and district education agents assisted under 
        subsection (i), the Educational Resources Information Center 
        Clearinghouses, and other entities engaged in technical 
        assistance and dissemination activities which are supported by 
        other offices of the Department of Education.
            (D) Allocate the regional educational laboratory's 
        resources to and within each State in a manner which reflects 
        the need for assistance, taking into account such factors as 
        the proportion of economically disadvantaged students, the 
        increased cost burden of service delivery in areas of sparse 
        populations, and any special initiatives being undertaken by 
        State, intermediate, local educational agencies, or Bureau-
        funded schools, as appropriate, which may require special 
        assistance from the laboratory.
        (7) Evaluations.--The Assistant Secretary shall provide for 
    independent evaluations of each of the regional educational 
    laboratories in carrying out the duties described in paragraph (1) 
    in the third year that such laboratory receives assistance under 
    this subsection in accordance with the standards developed by the 
    Assistant Secretary and approved by the Board and shall transmit 
    the results of such evaluations to the relevant committees of the 
    Congress, the Board, and the appropriate regional educational 
    laboratory board.
        (8) Invitation regarding competition for awards of 
    assistance.--Prior to awarding a grant or entering into a contract 
    under this section, the Secretary shall invite applicants, 
    including the regional educational laboratories in existence on the 
    day preceding the date of enactment of this Act, to compete for 
    such award through notice in the Federal Register and in the 
    publication of the Department of Commerce known as the Commerce 
    Business Daily.
        (9) Application for assistance.--Each application for 
    assistance under this subsection shall--
            (A) cover not less than a 5-year period;
            (B) describe how the applicant would carry out the 
        activities required by this subsection; and
            (C) contain such additional information as the Secretary 
        may reasonably require.
        (10) Rule of construction.--No regional educational laboratory 
    receiving assistance under this subsection shall, by reason of the 
    receipt of that assistance, be ineligible to receive any other 
    assistance from the Department of Education as authorized by law or 
    be prohibited from engaging in activities involving international 
    projects or endeavors.
        (11) Advance payment system.--Each regional educational 
    laboratory shall participate in the advance payment system at the 
    Department of Education.
        (12) Additional projects.--In addition to activities described 
    in paragraph (3), the Assistant Secretary, from amounts 
    appropriated pursuant to subsection (h), is authorized to enter 
    into agreements with a regional educational laboratory for the 
    purpose of carrying out additional projects to enable such regional 
    educational laboratory to assist in efforts to achieve the National 
    Education Goals and for other purposes.
        (13) Plan.--Not later than July 1 of each year, each regional 
    educational laboratory shall submit to the Assistant Secretary a 
    plan covering the succeeding fiscal year, in which such 
    laboratory's mission, activities, and scope of work are described, 
    including a general description of--
            (A) the plans such laboratory expects to submit in the 
        remaining years of such laboratory's contract; and
            (B) an assessment of how well such laboratory is meeting 
        the needs of the region.
        (14) Construction.--Nothing in this subsection shall be 
    construed to require any modifications in the regional educational 
    laboratory contracts in effect on the day preceding the date of 
    enactment of this title.
    (i) Goals 2000 Community Partnerships Program.--
        (1) Purpose.--The purpose of the Goals 2000 Community 
    Partnerships program is to improve the quality of learning and 
    teaching in the most impoverished urban and rural communities of 
    the United States by supporting sustained collaborations between 
    universities, schools, businesses, and communities which apply and 
    utilize the results of educational research and development.
        (2) Grants for goals 2000 community partnerships.--The 
    Assistant Secretary is authorized to make grants to eligible 
    entities to support the establishment of Learning Grant 
    Institutions and District Education Agents and the activities 
    authorized under this subsection within eligible communities.
        (3) Definition of eligible entity and eligible community.--For 
    the purposes of this subsection:
            (A) The term ``eligible entity'' includes any institution 
        of higher education, regional educational laboratory, National 
        Diffusion Network project, national research and development 
        center, public or private nonprofit corporation, or any 
        consortium thereof, that--
                (i) has demonstrated experience, expertise and 
            commitment in serving the educational needs of at-risk 
            students; and
                (ii) is, by virtue of its previous activities, 
            knowledgeable about the unique needs and characteristics of 
            the community to be served.
            (B) The term ``eligible community'' means a unit of general 
        purpose local government (such as a city, township, or 
        village), a nonmetropolitan county, tribal village, or a 
        geographically distinct area (such as a school district, school 
        attendance area, ward, precinct or neighborhood), or any group 
        of such entities that--
                (i) has a population of not less than 200,000 and not 
            more than 300,000; and
                (ii) in which not less than one-half of the school-age 
            children have family incomes which are below the poverty 
            line, as determined by the 1990 United States Census, 
            participation in the National School Lunch program, or 
            other current, reliable data concerning family income.
        (4) Goals 2000 community partnerships.--Each learning grant 
    institution receiving assistance under this subsection shall 
    establish a Goals 2000 community partnership to carry out the 
    activities authorized under this subsection. Such partnership--
            (A) shall include the participation of one or more local 
        educational agencies, institutions of higher education, 
        community-based organizations, parents, teachers, and the 
        business community;
            (B) may include the participation of human, social service 
        and health care agencies, Head Start and child care agencies, 
        libraries, museums, employment and training agencies, and the 
        State educational agency or tribal department of education; and
            (C) shall be broadly representative of all segments of the 
        community in which the activities will be carried out.
        (5) Comprehensive goals 2000 plan.--Each Goals 2000 Community 
    Partnership shall develop a comprehensive plan for assuring 
    educational success and high achievement for all students in the 
    community. Each such plan shall--
            (A) adopt the National Education Goals;
            (B) identify additional needs and goals for educational 
        improvement within the community;
            (C) focus on helping all students reach challenging content 
        and student performance standards;
            (D) be consistent with the State and local improvement 
        plans for system-wide education improvement developed pursuant 
        to title III;
            (E) establish a comprehensive community-wide plan for 
        achieving such goals; and
            (F) develop a means for measuring the progress of the 
        community in meeting such goals for improvement.
        (6) Implementation of community-wide plan.--Each Goals 2000 
    Community Partnership shall, utilizing the District Education 
    Agent, provide assistance in implementing the community-wide plan 
    for educational improvement by--
            (A) supporting innovation, restructuring, and continuous 
        improvement in educational practice by--
                (i) disseminating information throughout the community 
            about exemplary and promising educational programs, 
            practices, products, and policies;
                (ii) evaluating the effectiveness of federally funded 
            educational programs within the community and identifying 
            changes in such programs which are likely to improve 
            student achievement;
                (iii) identifying, selecting and replicating exemplary 
            and promising educational programs, practices, products, 
            and policies in both in- and out-of-school settings;
                (iv) applying educational research to solve specific 
            problems in the classroom, home and community which impede 
            learning and student achievement; and
                (v) supporting research and development by teachers, 
            school administrators, and other practitioners which 
            promise to improve teaching and learning and the 
            organization of schools;
            (B) improving the capacity of educators, school 
        administrators, child care providers and other practitioners to 
        prepare all students to reach challenging standards and to 
        attain the goals set out in the comprehensive community-wide 
        plan through such means as--
                (i) the training of prospective and novice teachers 
            (including preschool and early childhood educators) in a 
            school setting under the guidance of master teachers and 
            teacher educators;
                (ii) training and other activities to promote the 
            continued learning and professional development of 
            experienced teachers, related services personnel, school 
            administrators to assure that such teachers develop the 
            subject matter and pedagogical expertise needed to prepare 
            all students to reach challenging standards;
                (iii) training and other activities to increase the 
            ability of prospective, novice, and experienced teachers to 
            teach effectively at-risk students, students with 
            disabilities, students with limited-English proficiency, 
            and students from diverse cultural backgrounds; and
                (iv) programs to enhance teaching and classroom 
            management skills, including school-based management 
            skills, of novice, prospective, and experienced teachers;
            (C) promoting the development of an integrated system of 
        service delivery to children from birth through age 18 and 
        their families by facilitating linkages and cooperation among--
                (i) local educational agencies;
                (ii) health and social services agencies and providers;
                (iii) juvenile justice and criminal justice agencies;
                (iv) providers of employment training; and
                (v) child care, Head Start, and other early childhood 
            agencies; and
            (D) mobilizing the resources of the community in support of 
        student learning and high achievement by facilitating effective 
        partnerships and collaboration among--
                (i) local educational agencies;
                (ii) postsecondary educational institutions;
                (iii) public libraries;
                (iv) parents;
                (v) community-based organizations, neighborhood 
            associations, and other civic and community organizations;
                (vi) child care, Head Start, and other early childhood 
            agencies;
                (vii) churches, synagogues and other religious 
            institutions;
                (viii) labor organizations; and
                (ix) business and industry.
        (7) Additional requirements.--In carrying out its 
    responsibilities under this subsection, each partnership receiving 
    assistance under this subsection shall--
            (A) appoint a District Education Agent who shall be 
        responsible, on a full-time basis, for directing the 
        implementation of the community-wide plan, who shall have 
        significant experience and expertise in the field of education 
        in--
                (i) addressing the needs of at-risk students; and
                (ii) conducting educational research and promoting the 
            application of the results of such research to educational 
            practice;
            (B) provide for such other professional and support 
        personnel as may be necessary to implement the community-wide 
        plan under the direction of the District Education Agent; and
            (C) coordinate the partnership's activities and work 
        cooperatively with the National Diffusion Network State 
        facilitators, regional educational laboratories, and other 
        components of the Office to utilize most effectively Federal 
        research, development, and dissemination resources in 
        implementing the community-wide plan.
        (8) Application for grants.--Any eligible entity desiring a 
    grant under this subsection shall submit an application to the 
    Assistant Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied 
    by such information as the Assistant Secretary may reasonably 
    require. Each such application shall--
            (A) include a comprehensive plan for meeting the objectives 
        and requirements of this subsection; and
            (B) provide evidence of support for the application from 
        local elected officials, the State educational agency, the 
        local educational agency, parents, local community leaders, 
        businesses, and other appropriate organizations.
        (9) Priority in making grants; duration and amount of grant.--
    Each grant made under this subsection shall be--
            (A) awarded on a competitive basis, with first priority 
        given to those applications from communities with the greatest 
        percentage of school-age children in families with poverty-
        level incomes;
            (B) made for a 5-year period, with funding for the second 
        and each succeeding year in such period conditioned upon a 
        determination by the Assistant Secretary that the grant 
        recipient has complied with the conditions of the grants during 
        the previous year; and
            (C) an amount equal to not less than $1,000,000 per year.
        (10) Limitation of one grant per congressional district.--Not 
    more than one grant under this subsection shall be awarded within a 
    single congressional district.
        (11) Technical assistance; evaluations.--In administering the 
    program authorized under this subsection, the Assistant Secretary 
    shall, either directly or through grant or contract with an 
    eligible nonprofit agency--
            (A) upon request, provide technical assistance to eligible 
        entities to assist in the development of a comprehensive 
        community-wide plan to meet the requirements of this subsection 
        and in the preparation of applications for assistance;
            (B) regularly provide technical assistance to learning 
        grant institutions receiving assistance under this subsection 
        to assist with the development and implementation of the 
        comprehensive community-wide plan for educational improvement;
            (C) provide for an independent evaluation of the activities 
        assisted under this subsection, including--
                (i) the impact of the Goals 2000 Community Partnerships 
            program on children and families within each community, 
            including effects on the extent of educational achievement, 
            rates of school retention and completion, and enrollment in 
            postsecondary educational programs; and
                (ii) whether an intensified effort to apply and utilize 
            educational research within a limited geographic area 
            significantly improves student learning and achievement; 
            and
            (D) plan for the expansion of the Goals 2000 Community 
        Partnerships program throughout the remainder of the United 
        States beginning in fiscal year 1999.
    (j) Teacher Research Dissemination Demonstration Program.--
        (1) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
            (A) education research, including research funded by the 
        Office, is not having the impact on the schools of the United 
        States that such research should;
            (B) relevant education research and resulting solutions are 
        not being adequately disseminated to and used by the teachers 
        that need such research and solutions;
            (C) there are insufficient linkages between the research 
        and development centers assisted under this section, the 
        regional educational laboratories described in subsection (h), 
        the National Diffusion Network State facilitators, the 
        Educational Resources Information Center Clearinghouses, the 
        comprehensive technical assistance centers assisted under the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and the public 
        schools to ensure that research on effective practice is 
        disseminated and technical assistance provided to all teachers;
            (D) the average teacher has little time to plan or engage 
        in a professional dialogue with peers about strategies for 
        improved learning;
            (E) teachers do not have direct access to information 
        systems or networks;
            (F) teachers have little control over what inservice 
        education teachers will be offered; and
            (G) individual teachers are not encouraged to move beyond 
        the walls of their school buildings to identify and use outside 
        resources.
        (2) Establishment.--
            (A) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to make grants 
        to, and enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, 
        public and private agencies and organizations, including 
        institutions of higher education, the regional education 
        laboratories, and the research and development centers, or 
        consortia thereof--
                (i) to develop and carry out projects that demonstrate 
            effective strategies for helping elementary and secondary 
            education teachers, in both urban and rural areas, become 
            knowledgeable about, assist in the design and use of, and 
            use, education research, including education research 
            carried out under this section; and
                (ii) to develop, implement, and evaluate models for 
            creation of teacher research dissemination networks.
            (B) Priority.--In awarding grants and entering into 
        contracts and cooperative agreements under subparagraph (A) the 
        Secretary shall give priority to entities that have received 
        Federal funds for research and dissemination.
        (3) Applications.--
            (A) In general.--An entity desiring to receive assistance 
        under this subsection shall submit an application to the 
        Secretary in such form, at such time, and containing such 
        information and assurances as the Secretary may require.
            (B) Contents.--Each such application shall describe how the 
        project described in the application--
                (i) was developed with the active participation of 
            elementary and secondary school teachers;
                (ii) will include the continuing participation of 
            elementary and secondary school teachers in the management 
            of the project;
                (iii) is organized around one or more significant 
            research topics;
                (iv) will involve collaboration with entities that have 
            received Federal funds for research and dissemination; and
                (v) will sustain over time teacher research 
            dissemination networks after Federal funding for such 
            networks terminates.
        (4) Use of funds.--Funds provided under this subsection may be 
    used--
            (A) to train elementary and secondary education teachers 
        (particularly new teachers) about the sources of education 
        research findings, including research findings available 
        through activities supported by the Office, and how to access 
        and use such findings to improve the quality of instruction;
            (B) to develop simple formats, both administrative and 
        technological, that allow elementary and secondary education 
        teachers easy access to and use of education research findings;
            (C) to share strategies and materials;
            (D) to support professional networks;
            (E) to survey teacher needs in the areas of research and 
        development; and
            (F) for other activities designed to support elementary and 
        secondary education teachers in becoming knowledgeable about, 
        assisting in the design of, and using, educational research.
        (5) Stipends.--The Secretary may provide for the payment of 
    such stipends (including allowances for subsistence and other 
    expenses for elementary and secondary teachers), as the Secretary 
    determines to be appropriate, to teachers participating in the 
    projects authorized under this subsection.
        (6) Coordination.--Recipients of funds under this subsection 
    shall, to the greatest extent possible, coordinate their activities 
    with related activities under the Elementary and Secondary 
    Education Act of 1965.
        (7) Report.--The Secretary shall, within 5 years of the date of 
    enactment of this Act, submit to the Congress a report on the 
    effectiveness of activities assisted under this subsection.

                 PART E--NATIONAL LIBRARY OF EDUCATION

    SEC. 951. ESTABLISHMENT WITHIN OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND 
      IMPROVEMENT.
    (a) In General.--There is established within the Department of 
Education a National Library of Education (hereafter in this section 
referred to as the ``Library''), which shall be maintained by the 
Department of Education as a governmental activity.
    (b) Functions of Library.--The functions of the Library are--
        (1) to provide a central location within the Federal Government 
    for information about education;
        (2) to provide comprehensive reference services on matters 
    related to education to employees of the Department of Education 
    and its contractors and grantees, other Federal employees, and 
    members of the public; and
        (3) to promote greater cooperation and resource sharing among 
    providers and repositories of education information in the United 
    States.
    (c) Mission.--The mission of the Library shall be to--
        (1) become a principal center for the collection, preservation, 
    and effective utilization of the research and other information 
    related to education and to the improvement of educational 
    achievement;
        (2) strive to ensure widespread access to the Library's 
    facilities and materials, coverage of all education issues and 
    subjects, and quality control;
        (3) have an expert library staff; and
        (4) use modern information technology that holds the potential 
    to link major libraries, schools, and educational centers across 
    the United States into a network of national education resources.
    (d) One-Stop Information and Referral Service.--The Library shall 
establish and maintain a central information and referral service to 
respond to telephonic, mail and electronic and other inquiries from the 
public concerning--
        (1) programs and activities of the Department of Education;
        (2) publications produced by the Department of Education and, 
    to the extent feasible, education related publications produced by 
    the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and other 
    Federal departments and agencies;
        (3) services and resources available to the public through the 
    Office, including the Educational Resources Information Center 
    Clearinghouses, the research institutes, and the national education 
    dissemination system;
        (4) statistics and other information produced by the National 
    Center for Education Statistics; and
        (5) referrals to additional sources of information and 
    expertise about educational issues which may be available through 
    educational associations and foundations, the private sector, 
    colleges and universities, libraries and bibliographic databases.
The Library shall maintain and actively publicize a toll-free telephone 
number through which public inquiries to the Library may be made.
    (e) Comprehensive Reference Services.--
        (1) In general.--The Library shall, to the extent feasible, 
    provide for the delivery of a full range of reference services on 
    subjects related to education to employees of the Department of 
    Education and such Department's contractors and grantees, other 
    Federal employees, and members of the general public. Such services 
    may include--
            (A) specialized subject searches;
            (B) search and retrieval of electronic databases;
            (C) document delivery by mail and facsimile transmission;
            (D) research counseling, bibliographic instruction, and 
        other training services;
            (E) interlibrary loan services; and
            (F) selective dissemination of information services.
        (2) Priority.--The Library shall first give priority in the 
    provision of reference services to requests made by employees of 
    the Department of Education.
    (f) Cooperation and Resource Sharing.--The Library shall promote 
greater cooperation and resource sharing among libraries and archives 
with significant collections in the area of education through means 
such as--
        (1) the establishment of information and resource sharing 
    networks among such entities;
        (2) the development of a national union list of education 
    journals held by education libraries throughout the United States;
        (3) the development of directories and indexes to textbook and 
    other specialized collections held by education libraries 
    throughout the United States; and
        (4) cooperative efforts to preserve, maintain and promote 
    access to items of special historical value or interest.
    (g) Administration.--The Library shall be administered by an 
Executive Director who shall--
        (1) be appointed by the Assistant Secretary from among persons 
    with significant training or experience in library and information 
    science; and
        (2) be paid at not less than the minimum rate of basic pay 
    payable for GS-15 of the General Schedule.
    (h) Task Force.--
        (1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary shall appoint a task 
    force of librarians, scholars, teachers, parents, and school 
    leaders (hereafter in this paragraph referred to as the ``Task 
    Force'') to provide advice on the establishment of the Library.
        (2) Preparation of plan.--The Task Force shall prepare a 
    workable plan to establish the Library and to implement the 
    requirements of this section.
        (3) Certain authorities.--The Task Force may identify other 
    activities and functions for the Library to carry out, except that 
    such functions shall not be carried out until the Library is 
    established and has implemented the requirements of this section.
        (4) Report.--The Task Force shall prepare and submit to the 
    Assistant Secretary not later than 6 months after the first meeting 
    of the Task Force a report on the activities of the Library.
    (i) Transfer of Functions.--There are hereby transferred to the 
Library all functions of--
        (1) the Department of Education Research Library;
        (2) the Department of Education Reference Section; and
        (3) the Department of Education Information Branch.
    (j) Collection Development Policy.--Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this title, the Assistant Secretary shall 
promulgate a comprehensive collection development policy to govern the 
Library's operations, acquisitions, and services to users. Such 
collection development policy shall--
        (1) be consistent with the functions of the Library described 
    in subsection (b);
        (2) emphasize the acquisition and maintenance of a 
    comprehensive collection of reference materials; and
        (3) avoid unnecessary duplication by putting a priority on 
    meeting the information needs of the Library's users through 
    cooperation and resource-sharing with other entities with 
    significant collections in the field of education.
    (k) Arrearage and Preservation.--On the basis of the collection 
development policy promulgated under subsection (j), the Executive 
Director shall develop a multiyear plan which shall set forth goals and 
priorities for actions needed to--
        (1) eliminate within 3 years the arrearage of uncataloged books 
    and other materials in the Library's collections; and
        (2) respond effectively and systematically to the preservation 
    needs of the Library's collections, relying, whenever possible, 
    upon cooperative efforts with other institutions to preserve and 
    maintain the usability of books and materials in the Library's 
    collections.

                          PART F--STAR SCHOOLS

SEC. 961. STAR SCHOOLS.

    Subsection (a) of section 908 of the Star Schools Assistance Act 
(20 U.S.C. 4085b(a)) is amended by striking ``greater'' and inserting 
``lesser''.

        PART G--OFFICE OF COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL HEALTH EDUCATION

    SEC. 971. OFFICE OF COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL HEALTH EDUCATION.
    (a) In General.--Subsection (c) of section 4605 of the Elementary 
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 3155(c)) is amended--
        (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking ``Office 
    of the Secretary'' and inserting ``Office of Elementary and 
    Secondary Education''; and
        (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
        ``(4) To act as a liaison office for the coordination of the 
    activities undertaken by the Office under this section with related 
    activities of the Department of Health and Human Services and to 
    expand school health education research grant programs under this 
    section.''.
    (b) Transition.--The Secretary shall take all appropriate actions 
to facilitate the transfer of the Office of Comprehensive School Health 
Education pursuant to the amendment made by subsection (a).

                         PART H--FIELD READERS

SEC. 981. FIELD READERS.

    Section 402 of the Department of Education Organization Act (20 
U.S.C. 3462) is amended--
        (1) by inserting ``(a) In General.--'' before ``The 
    Secretary''; and
        (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(b) Special Rule.--
        ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
    the Secretary may use not more than 1 percent of the funds 
    appropriated for any education program that awards such funds on a 
    competitive basis to pay the expenses and fees of non-Federal 
    experts necessary to review applications and proposals for such 
    funds.
        ``(2) Applicability.--The provisions of paragraph (1) shall not 
    apply to any education program under which funds are authorized to 
    be appropriated to pay the fees and expenses of non-Federal experts 
    to review applications and proposals for such funds.''.

   PART I--AMENDMENTS TO THE CARL D. PERKINS VOCATIONAL AND APPLIED 
                        TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION ACT

    SEC. 991. NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL INFORMATION COORDINATING COMMITTEE.
    Section 422 of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied 
Technology Education Act (20 U.S.C. 2422) is amended--
        (1) in paragraph (2) of subsection (a), by inserting 
    ``(including postsecondary employment and training programs)'' 
    after ``training programs''; and
        (2) in subsection (b)--
            (A) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as 
        paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively;
            (B) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) (as redesignated 
        in subparagraph (A)), by inserting ``the State board or agency 
        governing higher education,'' after ``coordinating council,''; 
        and
            (C) in paragraph (1) (as redesignated in subparagraph 
        (A))--
                (i) by striking ``Act and of'' and inserting ``Act, 
            of''; and
                (ii) by inserting ``and of the State board or agency 
            governing higher education'' after ``Job Training 
            Partnership Act'';
        (3) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and
        (4) by inserting after subsection (c) the following new 
    subsection:
    ``(d) Data Collection System.--In the development and design of a 
system to provide data on graduation or completion rates, job placement 
rates from occupationally specific programs, licensing rates, and 
awards of high school graduate equivalency diplomas (GED), each State 
board for higher education shall develop a data collection system the 
results of which can be integrated into the occupational information 
system developed under this section.''.

                         TITLE X--MISCELLANEOUS

                    PART A--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC. 1011. SCHOOL PRAYER.

    No funds authorized to be appropriated under this Act may be used 
by any State or local educational agency to adopt policies that prevent 
voluntary prayer and meditation in public schools.
SEC. 1012. FUNDING FOR THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT.
    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
        (1) the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was 
    established with the commitment of forty percent Federal funding 
    but currently receives only eight percent Federal funding;
        (2) this funding shortfall is particularly burdensome to school 
    districts and schools in low-income areas which serve higher than 
    average proportions of students with disabilities and have fewer 
    local resources to contribute; and
        (3) it would cost the Federal Government approximately 
    $10,000,000,000 each year to fully fund the Individuals with 
    Disabilities Education Act.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress that the 
Federal Government should provide States and communities with adequate 
resources under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act as soon 
as reasonably possible, through the reallocation of noneducation funds 
within the current budget monetary constraints.
SEC. 1013. NATIONAL BOARD FOR PROFESSIONAL TEACHING STANDARDS.
    Section 551 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1107) is 
amended--
        (1) in paragraph (1) of subsection (b), by striking ``the 
    Federal share of'';
        (2) in subparagraph (B) of subsection (e)(1), by striking 
    ``share of the cost of the activities of the Board is'' and 
    inserting ``contributions described in subsection (f) are''; and
        (3) by amending subsection (f) to read as follows:
    ``(f) Matching Funds Requirement.--
        ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall not provide financial 
    assistance under this subpart to the Board unless the Board agrees 
    to expend non-Federal contributions equal to $1 for every $1 of the 
    Federal funds provided pursuant to such financial assistance.
        ``(2) Non-federal contributions.--The non-Federal contributions 
    described in paragraph (1)--
            ``(A) may include all non-Federal funds raised by the Board 
        on or after January 1, 1987; and
            ``(B) may be used for outreach, implementation, 
        administration, operation, and other costs associated with the 
        development and implementation of national teacher assessment 
        and certification procedures under this subpart.''.

SEC. 1014. FORGIVENESS OF CERTAIN OVERPAYMENTS.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding section 1401 of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 or any other provision of law--
        (1) the allocation of funds appropriated for fiscal year 1993 
    under the Department of Education Appropriations Act, 1993, to 
    Colfax County, New Mexico under section 1005 of the Elementary and 
    Secondary Education Act of 1965, and any other allocations or 
    grants for such fiscal year resulting from such allocation to such 
    county under any program administered by the Secretary of 
    Education, shall be deemed to be authorized by law; and
        (2) in any program for which allocations are based on fiscal 
    year 1993 allocations under section 1005 of such Act, the fiscal 
    year 1993 allocations under such section deemed to be authorized by 
    law in accordance with paragraph (1) shall be used.
    (b) Special Rule.--Notwithstanding subsection (a)(1) of this 
section, in carrying out section 1403(a) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 for fiscal year 1994, the amount 
allocated to Colfax County, New Mexico under section 1005 of such Act 
for fiscal year 1993 shall be deemed to be the amount that the 
Secretary determines would have been allocated under such section 1005 
had the correct data been used for fiscal year 1993.
SEC. 1015. STUDY OF GOALS 2000 AND STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
    (a) Study Required.--
        (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
    enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall make appropriate 
    arrangements with the National Academy of Sciences or the National 
    Academy of Education to conduct a comprehensive study of the 
    inclusion of children with disabilities in school reform activities 
    assisted under the Goals 2000: Educate America Act.
        (2) Definition.--For purposes of this section, the term 
    ``children with disabilities'' has the same meaning given such term 
    in section 602 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
    (b) Study Components.--The study conducted under subsection (a) 
shall include--
        (1) an evaluation of the National Education Goals and 
    objectives, curriculum reforms, standards, and other programs and 
    activities intended to achieve those goals;
        (2) a review of the adequacy of assessments and measures used 
    to gauge progress towards meeting National Education Goals and any 
    national and State standards, and an examination of other methods 
    or accommodations necessary or desirable to collect data on the 
    educational progress of children with disabilities, and the costs 
    of such methods and accommodations;
        (3) an examination of what incentives or assistance might be 
    provided to States to develop improvement plans that adequately 
    address the needs of children with disabilities;
        (4) the relation of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act to 
    other Federal laws governing or affecting the education of children 
    with disabilities; and
        (5) such other issues as the National Academy of Sciences or 
    the National Academy of Education considers appropriate.
    (c) Study Panel Membership.--Any panel constituted in furtherance 
of the study to be conducted under subsection (a) shall include 
consumer representatives.
    (d) Findings and Recommendations.--The Secretary shall request the 
National Academy of Sciences or the National Academy of Education to 
submit an interim report of its findings and recommendations to the 
President and Congress not later than 12 months, and a final report not 
later than 24 months, from the date of the completion of procurement 
relating to the study.
    (e) Funding.--From funds appropriated to the Secretary for research 
related to individuals with disabilities the Secretary shall make 
available $600,000 for fiscal year 1994, and such sums as may be 
necessary for fiscal year 1995, to carry out this section. Amounts made 
available under this subsection shall remain available until expended.
SEC. 1016. AMENDMENTS TO SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAM.
    (a) Program Design.--
        (1) Academic enrichment authorized.--Paragraph (1) of section 
    253(a) of the Job Training Partnership Act (20 U.S.C. 1632(a)) is 
    amended by inserting ``academic enrichment'' after ``remedial 
    education,''.
        (2) Required services and design.--(A) Subsection (c) of such 
    section 253 of the Job Training Partnership Act (20 U.S.C. 1632(c)) 
    is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
        ``(3) Basic education and preemployment training.--The programs 
    under this part shall provide, either directly or through 
    arrangements with other programs, each of the following services to 
    a participant where the assessment and the service strategy 
    indicate such services are appropriate:
            ``(A) Basic and Remedial Education.
            ``(B) Preemployment and Work Maturity Skills Training.
        ``(4) Integration of work and learning.--
            ``(A) Work experience.--Work experience provided under this 
        part, to the extent feasible, shall include contextual learning 
        opportunities which integrate the development of general 
        competencies with the development of academic skills.
            ``(B) Classroom training.--Classroom training provided 
        under this part shall, to the extent feasible, include 
        opportunities to apply knowledge and skills relating to 
        academic subjects to the world of work.''.
        (B) Section 253 of the Job Training Partnership Act (20 U.S.C. 
    1632) is further amended by adding at the end the following new 
    subsection:
    ``(e) Educational Linkages.--In conducting the program assisted 
under this part, service delivery areas shall establish linkages with 
the appropriate educational agencies responsible for service to 
participants. Such linkages shall include arrangements to ensure that 
there is a regular exchange of information relating to the progress, 
problems and needs of participants, including the results of 
assessments of the skill levels of participants.''.
        (C) Section 254 of the Job Training Partnership Act is amended 
    by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(c) Prohibition on Private Actions.--Nothing in this part shall 
be construed to establish a right for a participant to bring an action 
to obtain services described in the assessment or service strategy 
developed under section 253(c).''.
    (b) Transfer of Funds to Year Round Program.--Section 256 of the 
Job Training Partnership Act is amended by striking ``10 percent'' and 
inserting ``20 percent''.

SEC. 1017. PROTECTION OF PUPILS.

    Section 439 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 
1232g) is amended to read as follows:

                      ``protection of pupil rights

    ``Sec. 439. (a) All instructional materials, including teacher's 
manuals, films, tapes, or other supplementary material which will be 
used in connection with any survey, analysis, or evaluation as part of 
any applicable program shall be available for inspection by the parents 
or guardians of the children.
    ``(b) No student shall be required, as part of any applicable 
program, to submit to a survey, analysis, or evaluation that reveals 
information concerning--
        ``(1) political affiliations;
        ``(2) mental and psychological problems potentially 
    embarrassing to the student or his family;
        ``(3) sex behavior and attitudes;
        ``(4) illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating and demeaning 
    behavior;
        ``(5) critical appraisals of other individuals with whom 
    respondents have close family relationships;
        ``(6) legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships, 
    such as those of lawyers, physicians, and ministers; or
        ``(7) income (other than that required by law to determine 
    eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving 
    financial assistance under such program),
without the prior consent of the student (if the student is an adult or 
emancipated minor), or in the case of an unemancipated minor, without 
the prior written consent of the parent.
    ``(c) Educational agencies and institutions shall give parents and 
students effective notice of their rights under this section.
    ``(d) Enforcement.--The Secretary shall take such action as the 
Secretary determines appropriate to enforce this section, except that 
action to terminate assistance provided under an applicable program 
shall be taken only if the Secretary determines that--
        ``(1) there has been a failure to comply with such section; and
        ``(2) compliance with such section cannot be secured by 
    voluntary means.
    ``(e) Office and Review Board.--The Secretary shall establish or 
designate an office and review board within the Department of Education 
to investigate, process, review, and adjudicate violations of the 
rights established under this section.''.

SEC. 1018. CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES.

    The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of 
Education shall ensure that all federally funded programs which provide 
for the distribution of contraceptive devices to unemancipated minors 
develop procedures to encourage, to the extent practical, family 
participation in such programs.

SEC. 1019. ASSESSMENTS.

    (a) Title II.--No funds provided under title II of this Act shall 
be used to develop or undertake assessments that will be used to make 
decisions regarding the graduation, grade promotion, or retention of 
students for 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
    (b) Title III.--Assessments developed with funds under title III of 
this Act may be used for decisions regarding graduation, grade 
promotion, or retention of students only on the condition that students 
have been prepared in the content for which the students are being 
assessed.

SEC. 1020. PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

    Except as provided in section 310, nothing in this Act shall be 
construed to authorize the use of funds under title III of this Act to 
directly or indirectly benefit any school other than a public school.
SEC. 1021. 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. 1022. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of the Congress that--
        (1) no funds appropriated pursuant to this Act should 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'');
        (2) in the case of any equipment or products that may be 
    authorized to be purchased with financial assistance provided under 
    this Act, entities receiving such assistance should, in expending 
    the assistance, purchase only American-made equipment and products;
        (3) in providing financial assistance under this Act, the head 
    of each Federal agency should provide to each recipient of the 
    assistance a notice describing the statement made in subsection (a) 
    by the Congress; and
        (4) 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 should 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 sections 9.400 through 9.409 
    of title 48, Code of Federal Regulations, as such sections existed 
    on the date of enactment of this Act.

                        PART B--GUN-FREE SCHOOLS

SEC. 1031. SHORT TITLE.

    This part may be cited as the ``Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994''.
SEC. 1032. GUN-FREE REQUIREMENTS IN ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS.
    The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 2701 
et seq.) is amended--
        (1) by redesignating title X as title IX;
        (2) by redesignating sections 8001 through 8005 as sections 
    9001 through 9005, respectively; and
        (3) by inserting after title VII the following new title:

                     ``TITLE VIII--GUN-FREE SCHOOLS

``SEC. 8001. GUN-FREE REQUIREMENTS.

    ``(a) Requirements.--
        ``(1) In general.--No assistance may be provided to any local 
    educational agency under this Act unless such agency has in effect 
    a policy requiring the expulsion from school for a period of not 
    less than one year of any student who is determined to have brought 
    a weapon to a school under the jurisdiction of the agency except 
    such policy may allow the chief administering officer of the agency 
    to modify such expulsion requirement for a student on a case-by-
    case basis.
        ``(2) Definition.--For the purpose of this section, the term 
    ``weapon'' means a firearm as such term is defined in section 921 
    of title 18, United States Code.
    ``(b) Report to State.--Each local educational agency requesting 
assistance from the State educational agency that is to be provided 
from funds made available to the State under this Act shall provide to 
the State, in the application requesting such assistance--
        ``(1) an assurance that such local educational agency has in 
    effect the policy required by subsection (a); and
        ``(2) a description of the circumstances surrounding any 
    expulsions imposed under the policy required by subsection (a), 
    including--
            ``(A) the name of the school concerned;
            ``(B) the number of students expelled from such school; and
            ``(C) the types of weapons concerned.''.

                  PART C--ENVIRONMENTAL TOBACCO SMOKE

SEC. 1041. SHORT TITLE.

    This part may be cited as the ``Pro-Children Act of 1994''.

SEC. 1042. DEFINITIONS.

    As used in this part:
        (1) Children.--The term ``children'' means individuals who have 
    not attained the age of 18.
        (2) Children's services.--The term ``children's services'' 
    means the provision on a routine or regular basis of health, day 
    care, education, or library services--
            (A) that are funded, after the date of the enactment of 
        this Act, directly by the Federal Government or through State 
        or local governments, by Federal grant, loan, loan guarantee, 
        or contract programs--
                (i) administered by either the Secretary of Health and 
            Human Services or the Secretary of Education (other than 
            services provided and funded solely under titles XVIII and 
            XIX of the Social Security Act); or
                (ii) administered by the Secretary of Agriculture in 
            the case of a clinic (as defined in 7 CFR 246.2) under 
            section 17(b)(6) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 
            U.S.C. 1786(b)(6)), or
            (B) that are provided in indoor facilities that are 
        constructed, operated, or maintained with such Federal funds, 
        as determined by the appropriate Secretary in any enforcement 
        action under this title,
    except that nothing in clause (ii) of subparagraph (A) is intended 
    to include facilities (other than clinics) where coupons are 
    redeemed under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966.
        (3) Person.--The term ``person'' means any State or local 
    subdivision thereof, agency of such State or subdivision, 
    corporation, or partnership that owns or operates or otherwise 
    controls and provides children's services or any individual who 
    owns or operates or otherwise controls and provides such services.
        (4) Indoor facility.--The term ``indoor facility'' means a 
    building that is enclosed.
        (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of 
    Health and Human Services.
SEC. 1043. NONSMOKING POLICY FOR CHILDREN'S SERVICES.
    (a) Prohibition.--After the date of the enactment of this Act, no 
person shall permit smoking within any indoor facility owned or leased 
or contracted for and utilized by such person for provision of routine 
or regular kindergarten, elementary, or secondary education or library 
services to children.
    (b) Additional Prohibition.--After the date of the enactment of 
this Act, no person shall permit smoking within any indoor facility (or 
portion thereof) owned or leased or contracted for by such person for 
the provision by such person of regular or routine health care or day 
care or early childhood development (Head Start) services to children 
or for the use of the employees of such person who provides such 
services, except that this subsection shall not apply to--
        (1) any portion of such facility that is used for inpatient 
    hospital treatment of individuals dependent on, or addicted to, 
    drugs or alcohol; and
        (2) any private residence.
    (c) Federal Agencies.--
        (1) Kindergarten, elementary, or secondary education or library 
    services.--After the date of the enactment of this Act, no Federal 
    agency shall permit smoking within any indoor facility in the 
    United States operated by such agency, directly or by contract, to 
    provide routine or regular kindergarten, elementary, or secondary 
    education or library services to children.
        (2) Health or day care or early childhood development 
    services.--After the date of the enactment of this Act, no Federal 
    agency shall permit smoking within any indoor facility (or portion 
    thereof) operated by such agency, directly or by contract, to 
    provide routine or regular health or day care or early childhood 
    development (Head Start) services to children, except that this 
    paragraph shall not apply to--
            (A) any portion of such facility that is used for inpatient 
        hospital treatment of individuals dependent on, or addicted to, 
        drugs or alcohol; and
            (B) any private residence.
        (3) Application of provisions.--The provisions of paragraph (2) 
    shall also apply to the provision of such routine or regular 
    kindergarten, elementary or secondary education or library services 
    in the facilities described in paragraph (2) not subject to 
    paragraph (1).
    (d) Notice.--The prohibitions in subsections (a) through (c) shall 
be incorporated by publication of a notice in the Federal Register by 
the Secretary (in consultation with the heads of other affected 
agencies) and by such agency heads in funding arrangements involving 
the provision of children's services administered by such heads. Such 
prohibitions shall be effective 90 days after such notice is published, 
or 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, whichever 
occurs first.
    (e) Special Waiver.--
        (1) In general.--On receipt of an application, the head of the 
    Federal agency may grant a special waiver to a person described in 
    subsection (a) who employs individuals who are members of a labor 
    organization and provide children's services pursuant to a 
    collective bargaining agreement that--
            (A) took effect before the date of enactment of this Act; 
        and
            (B) includes provisions relating to smoking privileges that 
        are in violation of the requirements of this section.
        (2) Termination of waiver.--A special waiver granted under this 
    subsection shall terminate on the earlier of--
            (A) the first expiration date (after the date of enactment 
        of this Act) of the collective bargaining agreement containing 
        the provisions relating to smoking privileges; or
            (B) the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment 
        of this Act.
    (f) Civil Penalties.--
        (1) In general.--Any failure to comply with a prohibition in 
    this section shall be a violation of this section and any person 
    subject to such prohibition who commits such violation may be 
    liable to the United States for a civil penalty in an amount not to 
    exceed $1,000 for each violation, or may be subject to an 
    administrative compliance order, or both, as determined by the 
    Secretary. Each day a violation continues shall constitute a 
    separate violation. In the case of any civil penalty under this 
    section, the total amount shall not exceed the amount of Federal 
    funds received by such person for the fiscal year in which the 
    continuing violations occurred. For the purpose of the prohibition 
    in subsection (c), the term ``person'' shall mean the head of the 
    applicable Federal agency or the contractor of such agency 
    providing the services to children.
        (2) Administrative proceeding.--A civil penalty may be assessed 
    in a written notice, or an administrative compliance order may be 
    issued, by the Secretary only after an opportunity for a hearing in 
    accordance with section 554 of title 5, United States Code. Before 
    making such assessment or issuing such order, or both, the 
    Secretary shall give written notice thereof to such person by 
    certified mail with return receipt and provide therein an 
    opportunity to request in writing not later than 30 days after the 
    date of receipt of such notice such hearing. The notice shall 
    reasonably describe the violation and be accompanied with the 
    procedures for such hearing and a simple form to request such 
    hearing if such person desires to use such form. If a hearing is 
    requested, the Secretary shall establish by such certified notice 
    the time and place for such hearing which should be located, to the 
    greatest extent possible, at a location convenient to such person. 
    The Secretary (or the Secretary's designee) and such person may 
    consult to arrange a suitable date and location where appropriate.
        (3) Circumstances affecting penalty or order.--In determining 
    the amount of the civil penalty or the nature of the administrative 
    compliance order, the Secretary shall take into account, as 
    appropriate--
            (A) the nature, circumstances, extent, and gravity of the 
        violation;
            (B) with respect to the violator, any good faith efforts to 
        comply, the importance of achieving early and permanent 
        compliance, the ability to pay or comply, the effect of the 
        penalty or order on the ability to continue operation, any 
        prior history of the same kind of violation, the degree of 
        culpability, and any demonstration of willingness to comply 
        with the prohibitions of this section in a timely manner; and
            (C) such other matters as justice may require.
        (4) Modification.--The Secretary may, as appropriate, 
    compromise, modify, or remit, with or without conditions, any civil 
    penalty or administrative compliance order. In the case of a civil 
    penalty, the amount, as finally determined by the Secretary or 
    agreed upon in compromise, may be deducted from any sums that the 
    United States or its agencies or instrumentalities owes to the 
    person against whom the penalty is assessed.
        (5) Petition for review.--Any person aggrieved by a penalty 
    assessed or an order issued, or both, by the Secretary under this 
    section may file a petition for judicial review thereof with the 
    United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit 
    or for any other circuit in which the person resides or transacts 
    business. Such person shall provide a copy thereof to the Secretary 
    or the Secretary's designee. The petition shall be filed within 30 
    days after the Secretary's assessment or order, or both, are final 
    and have been provided to such person by certified mail. The 
    Secretary shall promptly provide to the court a certified copy of 
    the transcript of any hearing held under this section and a copy of 
    the notice or order.
        (6) Failure to comply.--If a person fails to pay an assessment 
    of a civil penalty or comply with an order, after either or both 
    are final under this section, or after a court under paragraph (5) 
    has entered a final judgment in favor of the Secretary, the 
    Attorney General, at the request of the Secretary, shall recover 
    the amount of the civil penalty (plus interest at then currently 
    prevailing rates from the day either or both are final) or enforce 
    the order in an action brought in the appropriate district court of 
    the United States. In such action, the validity and appropriateness 
    of the penalty or order or the amount of the penalty shall not be 
    subject to review.

SEC. 1044. PREEMPTION.

    Nothing in this part is intended to preempt any provision of law of 
a State or political subdivision of a State that is more restrictive 
than a provision of this part.

      PART D--MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL LEAGUE TRAINING AND PARTNERSHIP

SEC. 1051. SHORT TITLE.

    This part may be cited as the ``Midnight Basketball League Training 
and Partnership Act''.
SEC. 1052. GRANTS FOR MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL LEAGUE TRAINING AND 
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS.
    Section 520 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing 
Act (42 U.S.C. 11903a) is amended--
        (1) in the section heading by inserting ``and assisted'' after 
    ``public'';
        (2) in the subsection heading for subsection (a), by inserting 
    ``Public Housing'' before ``Youth''; and
        (3) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(l) Midnight Basketball League Training and Partnership 
Programs.--
        ``(1) Authority.--The Secretary shall make grants, to the 
    extent that amounts are approved in appropriations Acts under 
    paragraph (13), to--
            ``(A) eligible entities to assist such entities in carrying 
        out midnight basketball league programs meeting the 
        requirements of paragraph (4); and
            ``(B) eligible advisory entities to provide technical 
        assistance to eligible entities in establishing and operating 
        such midnight basketball league programs.
        ``(2) Eligible entities.--
            ``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), grants 
        under paragraph (1)(A) may be made only to the following 
        eligible entities:
                ``(i) Entities eligible under subsection (b) for a 
            grant under subsection (a).
                ``(ii) Nonprofit organizations providing employment 
            counseling, job training, or other educational services.
                ``(iii) Nonprofit organizations providing federally 
            assisted low-income housing.
            ``(B) Prohibition on second grants.--A grant under 
        paragraph (1)(A) may not be made to an eligible entity if the 
        entity has previously received a grant under such paragraph, 
        except that the Secretary may exempt an eligible advisory 
        entity from the prohibition under this subparagraph in 
        extraordinary circumstances.
        ``(3) Use of grant amounts.--Any eligible entity that receives 
    a grant under paragraph (1)(A) may use such amounts only--
            ``(A) to establish or carry out a midnight basketball 
        league program under paragraph (4);
            ``(B) for salaries for administrators and staff of the 
        program;
            ``(C) for other administrative costs of the program, except 
        that not more than 5 percent of the grant amount may be used 
        for such administrative costs; and
            ``(D) for costs of training and assistance provided under 
        paragraph (4)(I).
        ``(4) Program requirements.--Each eligible entity receiving a 
    grant under paragraph (1)(A) shall establish a midnight basketball 
    league program as follows:
            ``(A) The program shall establish a basketball league of 
        not less than 8 teams having 10 players each.
            ``(B) Not less than 50 percent of the players in the 
        basketball league shall be residents of federally assisted low-
        income housing or members of low-income families (as such term 
        is defined in section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 
        1937).
            ``(C) The program shall be designed to serve primarily 
        youths and young adults from a neighborhood or community whose 
        population has not less than 2 of the following characteristics 
        (in comparison with national averages):
                ``(i) A substantial problem regarding use or sale of 
            illegal drugs.
                ``(ii) A high incidence of crimes committed by youths 
            or young adults.
                ``(iii) A high incidence of persons infected with the 
            human immunodeficiency virus or sexually transmitted 
            diseases.
                ``(iv) A high incidence of pregnancy or a high birth 
            rate, among adolescents.
                ``(v) A high unemployment rate for youths and young 
            adults.
                ``(vi) A high rate of high school drop-outs.
            ``(D) The program shall require each player in the league 
        to attend employment counseling, job training, and other 
        educational classes provided under the program, which shall be 
        held immediately following the conclusion of league basketball 
        games at or near the site of the games and at other specified 
        times.
            ``(E) The program shall serve only youths and young adults 
        who demonstrate a need for such counseling, training, and 
        education provided by the program, in accordance with criteria 
        for demonstrating need, which shall be established by the 
        Secretary, in consultation with the Advisory Committee.
            ``(F) The majority of the basketball games of the league 
        shall be held between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. at 
        a location in the neighborhood or community served by the 
        program.
            ``(G) The program shall obtain sponsors for each team in 
        the basketball league. Sponsors shall be private individuals or 
        businesses in the neighborhood or community served by the 
        program who make financial contributions to the program and 
        participate in or supplement the employment, job training, and 
        educational services provided to the players under the program 
        with additional training or educational opportunities.
            ``(H) The program shall comply with any criteria 
        established by the Secretary, in consultation with the Advisory 
        Committee established under paragraph (9).
            ``(I) Administrators or organizers of the program shall 
        receive training and technical assistance provided by eligible 
        advisory entities receiving grants under paragraph (8).
        ``(5) Grant amount limitations.--
            ``(A) Private contributions.--The Secretary may not make a 
        grant under paragraph (1)(A) to an eligible entity that applies 
        for a grant under paragraph (6) unless the applicant entity 
        certifies to the Secretary that the entity will supplement the 
        grant amounts with amounts of funds from non-Federal sources, 
        as follows:
                ``(i) In each of the first 2 years that amounts from 
            the grant are disbursed (under subparagraph (E)), an amount 
            sufficient to provide not less than 35 percent of the cost 
            of carrying out the midnight basketball league program.
                ``(ii) In each of the last 3 years that amounts from 
            the grant are disbursed, an amount sufficient to provide 
            not less than 50 percent of the cost of carrying out the 
            midnight basketball league program.
            ``(B) Non-federal funds.--For purposes of this paragraph, 
        the term `funds from non-Federal sources' includes amounts from 
        nonprofit organizations, public housing agencies, States, units 
        of general local government, and Indian housing authorities, 
        private contributions, any salary paid to staff (other than 
        from grant amounts under paragraph (1)(A)) to carry out the 
        program of the eligible entity, in-kind contributions to carry 
        out the program (as determined by the Secretary after 
        consultation with the Advisory Committee), the value of any 
        donated material, equipment, or building, the value of any 
        lease on a building, the value of any utilities provided, and 
        the value of any time and services contributed by volunteers to 
        carry out the program of the eligible entity.
            ``(C) Prohibition on substitution of funds.--Grant amounts 
        under paragraph (1)(A) and amounts provided by States and units 
        of general local government to supplement grant amounts may not 
        be used to replace other public funds previously used, or 
        designated for use, under this section.
            ``(D) Maximum and minimum grant amounts.--
                ``(i) In general.--The Secretary may not make a grant 
            under paragraph (1)(A) to any single eligible entity in an 
            amount less than $55,000 or exceeding $130,000, except as 
            provided in clause (ii).
                ``(ii) Exception for large leagues.--In the case of a 
            league having more than 80 players, a grant under paragraph 
            (1)(A) may exceed $130,000, but may not exceed the amount 
            equal to 35 percent of the cost of carrying out the 
            midnight basketball league program.
            ``(E) Disbursement.--Amounts provided under a grant under 
        paragraph (1)(A) shall be disbursed to the eligible entity 
        receiving the grant over the 5-year period beginning on the 
        date that the entity is selected to receive the grant, as 
        follows:
                ``(i) In each of the first 2 years of such 5-year 
            period, 23 percent of the total grant amount shall be 
            disbursed to the entity.
                ``(ii) In each of the last 3 years of such 5-year 
            period, 18 percent of the total grant amount shall be 
            disbursed to the entity.
        ``(6) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
    paragraph (1)(A), an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary 
    an application in the form and manner required by the Secretary 
    (after consultation with the Advisory Committee), which shall 
    include--
            ``(A) a description of the midnight basketball league 
        program to be carried out by the entity, including a 
        description of the employment counseling, job training, and 
        other educational services to be provided;
            ``(B) letters of agreement from service providers to 
        provide training and counseling services required under 
        paragraph (4) and a description of such service providers;
            ``(C) letters of agreement providing for facilities for 
        basketball games and counseling, training, and educational 
        services required under paragraph (4) and a description of the 
        facilities;
            ``(D) a list of persons and businesses from the community 
        served by the program who have expressed interest in 
        sponsoring, or have made commitments to sponsor, a team in the 
        midnight basketball league; and
            ``(E) evidence that the neighborhood or community served by 
        the program meets the requirements of paragraph (4)(C).
        ``(7) Selection.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
    Advisory Committee, shall select eligible entities that have 
    submitted applications under paragraph (6) to receive grants under 
    paragraph (1)(A). The Secretary, in consultation with the Advisory 
    Committee, shall establish criteria for selection of applicants to 
    receive such grants. The criteria shall include a preference for 
    selection of eligible entities carrying out midnight basketball 
    league programs in suburban and rural areas.
        ``(8) Technical assistance grants.--Technical assistance grants 
    under paragraph (1)(B) shall be made as follows:
            ``(A) Eligible advisory entities.--Technical assistance 
        grants may be made only to entities that--
                ``(i) are experienced and have expertise in 
            establishing, operating, or administering successful and 
            effective programs for midnight basketball and employment, 
            job training, and educational services similar to the 
            programs under paragraph (4); and
                ``(ii) have provided technical assistance to other 
            entities regarding establishment and operation of such 
            programs.
            ``(B) Use.--Amounts received under technical assistance 
        grants shall be used to establish centers for providing 
        technical assistance to entities receiving grants under 
        paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection and subsection (a) 
        regarding establishment, operation, and administration of 
        effective and successful midnight basketball league programs 
        under this subsection and subsection (c)(3).
            ``(C) Number and amount.--To the extent that amounts are 
        provided in appropriations Acts under paragraph (13)(B) in each 
        fiscal year, the Secretary shall make technical assistance 
        grants under paragraph (1)(B). In each fiscal year that such 
        amounts are available the Secretary shall make 4 such grants, 
        as follows:
                ``(i) 2 grants shall be made to eligible advisory 
            entities for development of midnight basketball league 
            programs in public housing projects.
                ``(ii) 2 grants shall be made to eligible advisory 
            entities for development of midnight basketball league 
            programs in suburban or rural areas.
                ``(iii) Each grant shall be in an amount not exceeding 
            $25,000.
        ``(9) Advisory committee.--The Secretary of Housing and Urban 
    Development shall appoint an Advisory Committee to assist the 
    Secretary in providing grants under this subsection. The Advisory 
    Committee shall be composed of not more than 7 members, as follows:
            ``(A) Not less than 2 individuals who are involved in 
        managing or administering midnight basketball programs that the 
        Secretary determines have been successful and effective. Such 
        individuals may not be involved in a program assisted under 
        this subsection or a member or employee of an eligible advisory 
        entity that receives a technical assistance grant under 
        paragraph (1)(B).
            ``(B) A representative of the Center for Substance Abuse 
        Prevention of the Public Health Service, Department of Health 
        and Human Services, who is involved in administering the grant 
        program for prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation model 
        projects for high risk youth under section 509A of the Public 
        Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290aa-8), who shall be selected 
        by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
            ``(C) A representative of the Department of Education, who 
        shall be selected by the Secretary of Education.
            ``(D) A representative of the Department of Health and 
        Human Services, who shall be selected by the Secretary of 
        Health and Human Services from among officers and employees of 
        such Department involved in issues relating to high-risk youth.
        ``(10) Reports.--The Secretary shall require each eligible 
    entity receiving a grant under paragraph (1)(A) and each eligible 
    advisory entity receiving a grant under paragraph (1)(B) to submit 
    to the Secretary, for each year in which grant amounts are received 
    by the entity, a report describing the activities carried out with 
    such amounts.
        ``(11) Study.--To the extent amounts are provided under 
    appropriation Acts pursuant to paragraph (13)(C), the Secretary 
    shall make a grant to one entity qualified to carry out a study 
    under this paragraph. The entity shall use such grant amounts to 
    carry out a scientific study of the effectiveness of midnight 
    basketball league programs under paragraph (4) of eligible entities 
    receiving grants under paragraph (1)(A). The Secretary shall 
    require such entity to submit a report describing the study and any 
    conclusions and recommendations resulting from the study to the 
    Congress and the Secretary not later than the expiration of the 2-
    year period beginning on the date that the grant under this 
    paragraph is made.
        ``(12) Definitions.--For purposes of this subsection:
            ``(A) The term `Advisory Committee' means the Advisory 
        Committee established under paragraph (9).
            ``(B) The term `eligible advisory entity' means an entity 
        meeting the requirements under paragraph (8)(A).
            ``(C) The term `eligible entity' means an entity described 
        under paragraph (2)(A).
            ``(D) The term `federally assisted low-income housing' has 
        the meaning given the term in section 5126 of the Public and 
        Assisted Housing Drug Elimination Act of 1990.
            ``(E) The term `Secretary' unless otherwise specified, 
        means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
        ``(13) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
    to be appropriated--
            ``(A) for grants under paragraph (1)(A), $2,650,000 in each 
        of fiscal years 1994 and 1995;
            ``(B) for technical assistance grants under paragraph 
        (1)(B), $100,000 in each of fiscal years 1994 and 1995; and
            ``(C) for a study grant under paragraph (11), $250,000 in 
        fiscal year 1994.''.
SEC. 1053. PUBLIC HOUSING MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL LEAGUE PROGRAMS.
    Section 520(c) of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing 
Act (42 U.S.C 11903a(c)) is amended by adding at the end the following 
new paragraph:
        ``(3) Midnight basketball league programs.--Notwithstanding any 
    other provision of this subsection and subsection (d), a grant 
    under this section may be used to carry out any youth sports 
    program that meets the requirements of a midnight basketball league 
    program under subsection (l)(4) (not including subparagraph (B) of 
    such subsection) if the program serves primarily youths and young 
    adults from the public housing project in which the program 
    assisted by the grant is operated.''.







                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.







       Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate.