[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 89 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 H. R. 89

 To authorize a program of grants to States and establish a technology 
    agency within the Department of Education to improve the use of 
            technology in elementary and secondary schools.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 5, 1993

  Mr. Kildee introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To authorize a program of grants to States and establish a technology 
    agency within the Department of Education to improve the use of 
            technology in elementary and secondary schools.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Technology Education Assistance Act 
of 1993''.

SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is--
            (1) to authorize grants to States that--
                    (A) strengthen the skills of teachers in 
                effectively utilizing technology in their courses of 
                instruction; and
                    (B) improve the academic performance of students in 
                the classroom; and
            (2) to establish within the Department of Education, an 
        agency with primary responsibility for--
                    (A) establishing national standards for the 
                introduction, use, and upgrading of technology in 
                schools;
                    (B) reducing barriers which may impede the exchange 
                of information between schools in different localities 
                and States; and
                    (C) developing a financing system which will enable 
                schools to purchase technology.

              TITLE I--STATE GRANTS AND NATIONAL PROGRAMS

SEC. 101. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

    (a) Grants.--The Secretary is authorized to make grants to States 
in accordance with the provisions of this subpart to strengthen the 
skills of teachers and improve instruction regarding the use of 
technology in the classroom.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated for the purposes of this part, $500,000,000 for fiscal 
year 1993 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 5 
succeeding fiscal years.

SEC. 102. ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.

    (a) In General.--(1) From the amount appropriated under section 
101(b) for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve--
            (A) not more than \1/2\ of 1 percent for allocation among 
        Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana 
        Islands, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 
        according to their respective needs for assistance under this 
        subpart;
            (B) \1/2\ of 1 percent for programs for Indian students 
        served by schools funded by the Secretary of the Interior 
        consistent with the purposes of this subpart; and
            (C) 4 percent for section 2012.
    (2) The remainder of the amount so appropriated (after meeting the 
requirements of paragraph (1)) shall be allocated among the States 
(treating the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico as States) as 
follows--
            (A) \1/2\ of such remainder shall be allocated among the 
        States by allocating to each State an amount which bears the 
        same ratio to such \1/2\ of such remainder as the number of 
        children aged 5 to 17, inclusive, in the State bears to the 
        number of such children in all States; and
            (B) \1/2\ of such remainder shall be allocated among the 
        States according to each State's share of allocations under 
        chapter 1 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act of 
        1981 or part A of chapter 1 of title I of this Act, whichever 
        program was effective for the previous fiscal year,
except that no State shall receive less than \1/2\ of 1 percent of the 
amount available under this subsection in any fiscal year or less than 
the amount allotted to such State for fiscal year 1988 under title II 
of the Education for Economic Security Act.
    (3) For the purposes of this subsection, the term ``State'' does 
not include Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the Northern 
Mariana Islands, or the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.
    (4) The number of children aged 5 to 17, inclusive, in the State 
and in all States shall be determined by the Secretary on the basis of 
the most recent satisfactory data available to the Secretary.
    (5) The Secretary shall make payments under paragraph (1)(B) on 
whatever terms the Secretary determines will best carry out the 
purposes of this subpart.
    (b) Reallotment of Unused Funds.--The amount of any State's 
allotment under subsection (a) for any fiscal year to carry out this 
subpart which the Secretary determines will not be required for that 
fiscal year to carry out this subpart shall be available for 
reallotment from time to time, on such dates during that year as the 
Secretary may determine, to other States in proportion to the original 
allotments to those States under subsection (a) for that year but with 
such proportionate amount for any of those other States being reduced 
to the extent it exceeds the sum the Secretary estimates that State 
needs and will be able to use for that year; and the total of those 
reductions shall be similarly reallotted among the States whose 
proportionate amounts were not so reduced. Any amounts reallotted to a 
State under this subsection during a year shall be deemed a subpart of 
its allotment under subsection (a) for that year.

SEC. 103. IN-STATE APPORTIONMENT.

    (a) Elementary and Secondary Education Programs.--(1) For each 
fiscal year, an amount equal to 75 percent of each State's allotment 
under section 102 shall be used for elementary and secondary education 
programs in accordance with section 104 and for technical assistance 
under section 104(c).
    (2) Not less than 90 percent of a State's allotment shall be 
distributed to local educational agencies through competitive grants.
    (b) Higher Education Programs.--For each fiscal year, 25 percent of 
each State's allotment under section 102 shall be used for higher 
education programs in accordance with section 105.

SEC. 104. ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--The amount apportioned under section 103(a)(2) 
from each State's allotment under this subpart shall be used by the 
State educational agency to strengthen elementary and secondary 
education programs in accordance with the provisions of this section.
    (b) Local Educational Agencies.--(1) Each local educational agency 
shall use funds distributed under this subpart for--
            (A) the expansion and improvement of preservice training, 
        inservice training, and retraining of teachers and other 
        appropriate school personnel regarding the use of technology in 
        schools, including the use of computers, videos, and 
        telecommunications to enhance instruction.
            (B) providing funds for grants projects for individual 
        teachers within the local educational agency to undertake 
        projects to improve their teaching ability or to improve the 
        instructional materials used in their classrooms through the 
        use of technology.
    (2) Such training and instruction may be carried out through 
agreements with public agencies, private industry, institutions of 
higher education, and nonprofit organizations, including museums, 
libraries, educational television stations, and other appropriate 
institutions. A local educational agency may carry out the activities 
authorized by this paragraph with one or more other local educational 
agencies within the State, or with the State educational agency, or 
both. Each local educational agency shall assure that programs of 
training, inservice training and retraining will take into account the 
need for greater access to and participation in the use of technology 
in the classroom.
    (3) A local educational agency for any fiscal year may apply for 
funds as part of a consortium with other local educational agencies, 
institutions of higher education, or an intermediate educational unit 
for the conduct of local programs. The State educational agency may 
assist in the formation of consortia between local educational 
agencies, institutions of higher education, or intermediate educational 
units to provide services for the teachers and students in such local 
educational agency at the request of such local educational agency.
    (4) Not more than 5 percent of funds available to the local 
educational agency for the purpose of this section for any fiscal year 
may be used for local administration.
    (c) Technical Assistance and Evaluation Costs.--Not more than 5 
percent of the amount available under this section, or $20,000, 
whichever is greater, may be used by the State educational agency--
            (1) to provide technical assistance to local educational 
        agencies; and
            (2) for the costs of evaluation of programs assisted under 
        this part.

SEC. 105. HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the amount 
apportioned under section 103(b) from each State's allotment under this 
subpart shall be used by the State agency for higher education for 
education programs in accordance with the provisions of this section.
    (b) Grants to Institutions of Higher Education.--(1)(A) Not less 
than 95 percent or the remainder after application of subsection (d) of 
the amount available for this section shall be used by the State agency 
for higher education for grants to institutions of higher education in 
accordance with the provisions of this subsection.
    (B) The State agency for higher education shall make funds 
available on a competitive basis to institutions of higher education in 
the State which apply for payments under this section and which 
demonstrate involvement of local educational agencies. The State agency 
for higher education shall make every effort to ensure equitable 
participation of private and public institutions of higher education.
    (2) The amount available under this subsection shall be used for--
            (A) establishing traineeship programs for new teachers who 
        will specialize in the use of technology as an educational 
        adjunct; and
            (B) inservice training for elementary, secondary, and 
        vocational school teachers and training for other appropriate 
        school personnel to improve their teaching skills in the use of 
        technology in the classroom.
    (3) No institution of higher education may receive assistance under 
paragraphs (2)(B) and (2)(C) of this subsection unless the institution 
enters into an agreement with a local educational agency, or consortium 
of such agencies, to provide inservice training and retraining for the 
elementary and secondary school teachers in the public and private 
schools of the school district of each such agency.
    (c) Cooperative Programs.--The State agency for higher education 
may use funds described in subsection (b)(1)(A) for cooperative 
programs among institutions of higher education, local educational 
agencies, private industry, and nonprofit organizations, for the 
development and dissemination of projects to improve student 
performance in all academic areas.
    (d) Evaluation Costs.--Not to exceed 5 percent of the amount 
available under this section, or $20,000, whichever is greater, may be 
used by the State agency for higher education for--
            (1) the State evaluation required by section 106(c); and
            (2) the costs incurred by such agency for evaluation of 
        programs assisted under this subpart.

SEC. 106. STATE APPLICATION.

    (a) Application.--Each State which desires to receive a grant under 
this subpart shall file an application with the Secretary which covers 
a period of 3 fiscal years. Such application shall be filed at such 
time, in such manner, and containing or accompanied by such information 
as the Secretary may reasonably require.
    (b) Contents of Application.--Each such application shall--
            (1) designate the State educational agency for the purpose 
        of programs described in section 104, and the State agency for 
        higher education for the purpose of programs described in 
        section 105 as the agency or agencies responsible for the 
        administration and supervision of the programs described in 
        section 104 or 105, as the case may be;
            (2) provide assurances that--
                    (A) payments will be distributed by the State in 
                accordance with the provisions of this title;
                    (B) the State will provide such fiscal control and 
                funds accounting as the Secretary may require;
                    (C) funds provided under this part will supplement, 
                not supplant, State and local funds made available for 
                activities authorized under this subpart;
                    (D) during the 3-year period of the plan, the State 
                will evaluate its standards for teacher preparation in 
                the use of technology;
                    (E) that the programs conducted with State funds 
                will be evaluated (including statistics on the number 
                of students and teachers involved in these programs) 
                and that the data from such evaluations, as well as a 
                summary of the local evaluations shall be submitted to 
                the Secretary;
            (3) if appropriate, provide a description of how funds paid 
        under this subpart will be coordinated with State and local 
        funds and other Federal resources; and
            (4) describe procedures--
                    (A) for submitting applications for programs 
                described in sections 104 and 105 for distribution of 
                payments under this subpart within the State, and
                    (B) for approval of applications by the appropriate 
                State agency, including appropriate procedures to 
                assure that such agency will not disapprove an 
                application without notice and opportunity for a 
                hearing.
    (c) Approval.--The Secretary shall expeditiously approve any State 
application that meets the requirements of this section.

SEC. 107. LOCAL APPLICATION.

    (a) Application.--A local educational agency that desires to 
receive a grant under this subpart shall submit an application which 
covers a 3-year period (singly or in conjunction with other local 
educational agencies, institutions of higher education, or an 
intermediate educational unit).
    (b) Contents of Application.--A local educational agency 
application shall--
            (1) describe how the local educational agency plans to use 
        funds received under this subpart to improve the use of 
        technology in the classroom;
            (2) describe how funds under this subpart will be 
        coordinated with State and local and other Federal resources;
            (3) describe how the programs will use other resources of 
        the community and involve public agencies, private industry, 
        institutions of higher education, public and private nonprofit 
        organizations, and other appropriate institutions; and
            (4) assure that the programs will be evaluated, that 
        progress made will be reported in terms of numbers of teachers 
        and students affected, and that the results will be submitted 
        to the State educational agency in the time and manner 
        required.
    (c) Renewal of Payments.--The State educational agency shall make 
payments to local educational agencies to carry out the second and 
third year activities of their 3-year projects under this section based 
upon a determination by the State educational agency that the local 
educational agency is making adequate progress toward the goals of this 
subpart. The State educational agency will not disapprove an 
application without notice.

SEC. 108. FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) Evaluation Procedures.--The Secretary shall, with State and 
local representatives, develop procedures for State and local 
evaluations of the programs under this subpart.
    (b) Summary.--The Secretary shall submit to the Congress every 2 
years a summary of the State evaluations of programs under this 
subpart.

                      TITLE II--TECHNOLOGY AGENCY

SEC. 201. EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY AGENCY.

    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:

``SEC. 405A. EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY AGENCY.

    ``(a) Establishment.--
            ``(1) Office established.--The Secretary shall establish 
        within the Department of Education an Education Technology 
        Agency.
            ``(2) Director.--The Education Technology Agency (hereafter 
        in this section referred to as the `Agency') shall be headed by 
        a Director, who shall be appointed by the Secretary and shall 
        have demonstrated expertise and experience in the application 
        of a broad range of technologies for instruction and 
        educational management, and in planning and policy formulation 
        pertaining to technology application at all levels in the 
        education system. The Director shall be compensated at the rate 
        of pay payable for level IV of the Executive Schedule.
    ``(b) Technology Board.--The Secretary shall appoint a Technology 
Board consisting of 11 members, of which--
            ``(1) six such members shall have demonstrated competencies 
        or expertise in developing technology systems;
            ``(2) five such members shall have past and ongoing 
        experience with education at the State or local school level;
            ``(3) four such members shall have experience in financial 
        matters related to the issuance of bonds or the development and 
        distribution of loans; and
            ``(4) at least 3 such members shall be educators with 
        experience in using technology in the classroom.
    ``(c) Personnel.--In order to carry out the provisions of this 
section, the Director may appoint personnel in accordance with title 5, 
United States Code, and may compensate such personnel in accordance 
with the General Schedule described in section 5332 of title 5, United 
States Code.
    ``(d) Functions of the Agency.--The Secretary, through the Office, 
shall--
            ``(1) provide leadership for policy development and 
        coordinate technology-related education activities within the 
        Department of Education;
            ``(2) coordinate with the Federal Coordinating Council on 
        Science, Engineering and Technology and other Federal agencies 
        to establish national standards for the integration, 
        utilization and upgrading of technology in schools;
            ``(3) work with relevant Federal agencies to reduce 
        regulatory barriers which prevent schools from integrating 
        technology into the classroom;
            ``(4) consult, cooperate, and coordinate educational 
        technology programs with analogous programs of other Federal 
        agencies and initiate interagency agreements for joint funding 
        of such programs;
            ``(5) make recommendations for wider applications of the 
        use of technology in Federal education programs;
            ``(6) develop a proposal for a system that will enable 
        local school districts, schools and classrooms nationwide to 
        communicate via computer systems, visual transmission systems, 
        including open broadcast, closed circuit, cable, microwave, or 
        satellite transmission, the use of video cassettes, video 
        discs, fiber optics, and other systems or devices which produce 
        visual images, and other technological methods; and
            ``(7) develop a proposal for schools to finance the 
        purchase of technology through the issuance of federally 
        guaranteed bonds using a secondary agent or a federally 
        guaranteed loan program.
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated $5,000,000 for the fiscal year 1993 and such sums as may 
be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1994 through 1999 for 
salaries and expenses of the Office.''.

                                 <all>

HR 89 IH----2