[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 286 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 286

   To reauthorize funding for the Office of Educational Research and 
    Improvement, to provide for miscellaneous education improvement 
                   programs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

             February 3 (legislative day, January 5), 1993

  Mr. Pell (for himself and Mrs. Kassebaum) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Labor and 
                            Human Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To reauthorize funding for the Office of Educational Research and 
    Improvement, to provide for miscellaneous education improvement 
                   programs, 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. REAUTHORIZATION.

    Paragraph (1) of subsection (e) of section 405 of the General 
Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1221e(e)(1)) is amended by striking 
``1987'' and inserting ``1992''.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF TITLES.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Office of 
Educational Research and Improvement Reauthorization Act''.
    (b) Table of Titles.--The table of titles is as follows:

        TITLE I--OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT

        TITLE II--IMPROVED STATISTICS REGARDING AMERICAN SCHOOLS

              TITLE III--EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS

                         TITLE IV--DEFINITIONS

        TITLE I--OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT

SEC. 101. OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT.

    (a) In General.--Section 405 of the General Education Provisions 
Act (20 U.S.C. 1221e et seq.) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 405. OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT.

    ``(a) Purposes; Composition; Definitions.--
            ``(1) Purpose.--The purposes of the Office of Educational 
        Research and Improvement are to--
                    ``(A) assess, promote, and improve the quality and 
                equity of education in the United States, so that all 
                Americans have an equal opportunity to receive an 
                education of the highest quality;
                    ``(B) provide new directions for the federally 
                supported developmental and research activities with a 
                view toward reform in the Nation's school systems, 
                achieving national education goals and effecting 
                national policy for education;
                    ``(C) provide leadership in the scientific inquiry 
                into the educational process;
                    ``(D) provide leadership in advancing the practice 
                of education as an art, science, and profession;
                    ``(E) collect, analyze, and disseminate statistics 
                and other data related to education in the United 
                States and other nations; and
                    ``(F) make available to the Congress and the people 
                of the United States the results of research and 
                development activities in the field of education in 
                order to bring research directly to the classroom to 
                improve educational practice.
            ``(2) Composition.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Office shall be administered 
                by the Assistant Secretary and shall include--
                            ``(i) the Distinguished Board of Governors 
                        for Educational Research described in 
                        subparagraph (B);
                            ``(ii) the Directorates for Educational 
                        Research described in subsections (c) through 
                        (h);
                            ``(iii) the regional educational 
                        laboratories described in subsection (k);
                            ``(iv) the Office of Educational 
                        Dissemination described in subsection (m);
                            ``(v) the National Education Library 
                        described in subsection (o);
                            ``(vi) the Education Resources Information 
                        Clearinghouses described in subsection (p);
                            ``(vii) the National Center for Education 
                        Statistics, including the National Assessment 
                        of Educational Progress; and
                            ``(viii) such other entities as the 
                        Assistant Secretary deems appropriate to carry 
                        out the purposes of the Office.
                    ``(B) Distinguished board of governors.--
                            ``(i) Distinguished board of governors.--
                        The Distinguished Board of Governors shall 
                        consist of 9 members to be appointed by the 
                        President, by and with the advice and consent 
                        of the Senate, and the Assistant Secretary ex 
                        officio.
                            ``(ii) Qualifications.--(I) The persons 
                        nominated for appointment as members of the 
                        Board shall be nominated solely on the basis 
                        of--
                                    ``(aa) eminence in fields of basic 
                                or applied research, or dissemination 
                                of such research; or
                                    ``(bb) established records of 
                                distinguished service in educational 
                                research and the education professions.
                            ``(II) In making nominations under this 
                        clause, the President is requested to give due 
                        consideration to equitable representation of 
                        educational researchers who--
                                    ``(aa) are women;
                                    ``(bb) represent minority groups; 
                                or
                                    ``(cc) are classroom teachers with 
                                research experience.
                            ``(III) The President is requested in the 
                        making of nominations of persons for 
                        appointment as members, to give due 
                        consideration to any recommendations for 
                        nomination which may be submitted to the 
                        President by the National Academy of Education 
                        and the National Academy of Sciences.
                            ``(IV) A nominee for membership on the 
                        Board, if confirmed, may not serve on any other 
                        Department of Education advisory board, panel, 
                        including peer review panel, or task force, or 
                        as a paid consultant of such Department.
                            ``(iii) Term.--(I) The term of office of 
                        each member of the Board shall be 6 years, 
                        except that any member appointed to fill a 
                        vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of 
                        the term for which the member's predecessor was 
                        appointed shall be appointed for the remainder 
                        of such term. Any person, other than the 
                        Assistant Secretary, who has been a member of 
                        the Board for 12 consecutive years shall 
                        thereafter be ineligible for appointment during 
                        the 6-year period following the expiration of 
                        such twelfth year.
                            ``(II) The members of the Board shall 
                        select a Chairperson from among such members.
                            ``(III) A majority of the appointed members 
                        of the Board shall constitute a quorum.
                            ``(IV) From amounts appropriated pursuant 
                        to the authority of subsection (q), the Board 
                        shall appoint an Executive Director, and may 
                        with the concurrence of a majority of its 
                        members, permit the appointment of a staff 
                        consisting of not more than 3 professional 
                        staff members and clerical staff members as may 
                        be necessary and selected by the Board. Such 
                        staff shall be appointed by the Assistant 
                        Secretary and assigned at the direction of the 
                        Board. The professional members of such staff 
                        may be appointed without regard to the 
                        provisions of title 5, United States Code, 
                        governing appointments in the competitive 
                        services, and may be paid without regard to the 
                        provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter 53 of 
                        such title relating to classification and 
                        general schedule pay rates.
                            ``(iv) Responsibilities.--The Board shall 
                        provide oversight of the Office, and shall--
                                    ``(I) advise the Nation on the 
                                Federal research and development 
                                effort;
                                    ``(II) recommend ways for 
                                strengthening active partnerships among 
                                researchers, educational practitioners 
                                and policymakers;
                                    ``(III) recommend ways to 
                                strengthen interaction and 
                                collaboration between the various 
                                program offices and components;
                                    ``(IV) 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;
                                    ``(V) 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;
                                    ``(VI) provide recommendations for 
                                creating incentives to draw talented 
                                young people into the field of 
                                educational research, including 
                                scholars from disadvantaged and 
                                minority groups;
                                    ``(VII) provide recommendations for 
                                new studies to close gaps in the 
                                research base;
                                    ``(VIII) advise the Assistant 
                                Secretary on standards and guidelines 
                                for research programs and activities to 
                                ensure that research is of high quality 
                                and is free from undue partisan or 
                                political influence; and
                                    ``(IX) provide recommendations for 
                                coordination and synthesis of research 
                                among directorates.
                            ``(v) Meetings and reports.--(I) The Board 
                        is authorized to appoint from among its members 
                        such committees as the Board deems necessary, 
                        and to assign to committees so appointed such 
                        survey and advisory functions as the Board 
                        deems appropriate to assist the Board in 
                        exercising its powers and functions under this 
                        section.
                            ``(II) From amounts appropriated pursuant 
                        to subsection (g), the Board shall render to 
                        the President, for submission to the Congress 
                        no later than January 15 of each even-numbered 
                        year, a report on the activities of the Office, 
                        and on education, educational research, 
                        national indicators and data gathering in 
                        general.
                    ``(C) Definition.--For the purposes of this 
                section--
                            ``(i) the term `Office', unless otherwise 
                        specified, means the Office of Educational 
                        Research and Improvement established by section 
                        209 of the Department of Education Organization 
                        Act;
                            ``(ii) the term `Assistant Secretary' means 
                        the Assistant Secretary for Educational 
                        Research and Improvement established by section 
                        202 of the Department of Education Organization 
                        Act;
                            ``(iii) the term `Board' means the 
                        Distinguished Board of Governors for 
                        Educational Research established under 
                        paragraph (2)(B);
                            ``(iv) the term `education 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;
                            ``(v) the term `dissemination' means the 
                        transfer of ideas and products developed 
                        through research to educational sites where 
                        such ideas and products can be developed, 
                        adapted, implemented and operated for the 
                        purpose of improvement, communication 
                        techniques to spread information, and 
                        demonstrations of the utility and applicability 
                        of research; and
                            ``(vi) 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.
    ``(b) Authorized Activities.--
            ``(1) Office.--In fulfilling its purposes under this 
        section, the Office is authorized to--
                    ``(A) conduct and support education-related 
                research and activities, including basic and applied 
                research, development, planning, surveys, assessments, 
                evaluations, investigations, experiments and 
                demonstrations of national significance;
                    ``(B) disseminate the findings of education 
                research, and provide technical assistance to apply 
                such information to specific school problems at the 
                school site;
                    ``(C) collect, analyze and disseminate data related 
                to education;
                    ``(D) promote the use of knowledge gained from 
                research and statistical findings in schools, other 
                educational institutions and communities;
                    ``(E) train individuals in education research; and
                    ``(F) promote the coordination of education 
                research and research support within the Federal 
                Government, and otherwise assist and foster such 
                research.
            ``(2) Assistant secretary.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In carrying out the activities 
                and programs of the Office, the Assistant Secretary 
                shall--
                            ``(i) 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;
                            ``(ii) ensure that the selection of 
                        research topics and the administration of the 
                        program are free from undue partisan or 
                        political influence;
                            ``(iii) enter into a contract for the 
                        conduct of an independent evaluation of 
                        programs and activities carried out through the 
                        Office to--
                                    ``(I) advise the President, the 
                                Congress and the Nation on--
                                            ``(aa) the effectiveness of 
                                        the programs of the Office; and
                                            ``(bb) the implementation 
                                        of projects and programs funded 
                                        through the Office over time;
                                    ``(II) measure the success of 
                                educational information dissemination;
                                    ``(III) evaluate the impact of 
                                educational research on instruction at 
                                the school level;
                                    ``(IV) assess the usefulness of 
                                research and activities carried out by 
                                the Office, including products 
                                disseminated by the Office;
                                    ``(V) evaluate the ability of the 
                                Office to keep research funding free 
                                from undue partisan or political 
                                interference; and
                                    ``(VI) provide recommendations for 
                                improvement of the programs of the 
                                Office;
                            ``(iv) have direct authority to make grants 
                        and contracts pursuant to the programs and 
                        activities of the Office;
                            ``(v) develop directly, or through grant or 
                        contract, standards and guidelines for 
                        research, programs and activities carried out 
                        through the Office;
                            ``(vi) establish a long- and short-term 
                        research agenda in consultation with the Board; 
                        and
                            ``(vii) review research priorities 
                        established within each directorate and promote 
                        research syntheses across the directorates.
                    ``(B) Information and technical assistance.--The 
                Assistant Secretary, through the directorates and 
                regional educational laboratories assisted under this 
                section and other appropriate entities, is authorized 
                to offer information and technical assistance to State 
                and local educational agencies, school boards and 
                schools to ensure that no student is--
                            ``(i) denied access to the same rigorous, 
                        challenging curriculum that such student's 
                        peers are offered; and
                            ``(ii) grouped or otherwise labeled in such 
                        a way that may impede such student's 
                        achievement.
                    ``(C) Long-term agenda.--One year after the date of 
                enactment of the Office of Educational Research and 
                Improvement Reauthorization Act, the Assistant 
                Secretary shall submit a report to the President and to 
                the Congress on a six-year long-term plan for the 
                educational research agenda for the Office. Upon 
                submission of such report and every 2 years thereafter, 
                the Assistant Secretary shall submit to the President 
                and to the Congress a progress report on the six-year 
                plan, including an assessment of the success or failure 
                of meeting the components of the six-year plan, 
                proposed modifications or changes to the six-year plan, 
                and additions to the six-year plan.
            ``(3) Open competition.--All grant contracts and 
        cooperative agreements awarded or entered into pursuant to this 
        section shall be awarded or entered into through a process of 
        open competition that shall be announced in the Federal 
        Register.
    ``(c) Directorates of Educational Research.--
            ``(1) In general.--(A) In carrying out the functions of the 
        Office, the Assistant Secretary shall establish 5 directorates 
        of educational research in accordance with this section.
            ``(B) The Assistant Secretary shall appoint a Director for 
        each directorate. Each such Director shall be a leading 
        professional in the field relevant to the mission of the 
        directorate. Each such Director shall be paid at the rate of 
        pay payable for level IV of the Executive Schedule.
            ``(C) The Assistant Secretary shall provide for and promote 
        research syntheses across the directorates, and shall 
        coordinate research plans, projects and findings across the 
        directorates. Each Director shall report directly to the 
        Assistant Secretary, regarding the activities of the 
        directorate, and shall work together to promote research 
        syntheses across the directorates.
            ``(2) Duties.--Each such directorate shall--
                    ``(A) carry out its activities directly or through 
                grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements with 
                institutions of higher education, public and private 
                organizations, institutions, agencies or individuals, 
                or a consortia thereof;
                    ``(B) conduct the highest quality basic and applied 
                research in early childhood, elementary and secondary, 
                vocational and higher education which is relevant to 
                the directorate;
                    ``(C) serve as a national database on model and 
                demonstration programs which have particular 
                application to the activities of the directorate, 
                particularly with respect to model programs conducted 
                by business, private and nonprofit organizations and 
                foundations, Essential Schools, Accelerated Schools, 
                New American Schools, charter schools, Comer schools 
                and Schools of the 21st Century;
                    ``(D) support, plan, implement and operate 
                dissemination activities designed to bring the most 
                effective research directly into classroom practice, 
                school organization and management, and teacher 
                preparation and training, and to the extent possible 
                carry out dissemination activities through the use of 
                technology in accordance with such directorate's 
                technology agreement described in section 405A(d)(1);
                    ``(E) support and provide research information that 
                leads to policy formation for State legislatures, State 
                and local boards of education and other policy and 
                governing bodies, to assist such entities in 
                identifying and developing effective policies to 
                promote student achievement and school improvement; and
                    ``(F) coordinate the directorate's activities with 
                the activities of the regional educational laboratories 
                established pursuant to subsection (k) in designing the 
                directorate's research agenda and projects in order to 
                increase the responsiveness of such directorate 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) Reservations.--(A) Each directorate shall reserve in 
        each fiscal year not less than 15 percent of the amount 
        available to such directorate to conduct field-initiated 
        research.
            ``(B) Each directorate shall reserve not less than one-
        third of the amount available to such directorate to award a 
        grant or enter into a contract or cooperative agreement with an 
        institution of higher education, a public agency or a private 
        nonprofit organization for the support of one or two long-term 
        national research centers for educational research and 
        development in accordance with paragraph (4).
            ``(4) National research centers.--
                    ``(A) Duration.--The grant, contract, or 
                cooperative agreements awarded or entered into to 
                establish a national research center described in 
                paragraph (3)(B) shall be awarded or entered into for a 
                period of 10 years.
                    ``(B) Location.--Each such center shall be located 
                at a single site with a majority of the staff located 
                at such site.
                    ``(C) Staff.--The Assistant Secretary shall make 
                available adequate funds for each such center to 
                support a long-term research agenda of sufficient scope 
                and allow a staff of sufficient size and quality to be 
                recruited and hired to support such an agenda.
            ``(5) Review and monitoring.--The Board shall evaluate and 
        provide recommendations regarding the quality of research 
        conducted through each directorate, the relevance of the 
        research topics and the effectiveness of the dissemination of 
        each directorate's activities. The Board shall report such 
        recommendations to the President and the Congress.
            ``(6) Publication.--The Assistant Secretary shall publish 
        proposed research priorities developed by each directorate in 
        the Federal Register every 2 years, not later than October 1 of 
        each year, and shall allow a period of 60 days for public 
        comments and suggestions.
            ``(7) Competition.--Prior to awarding a grant or entering 
        into a contract for a research project or center, the Assistant 
        Secretary shall invite applicants to compete for projects, 
        centers or assistance under this section through notice 
        published in the Federal Register.
            ``(8) Reporting and coordination.--Each Director shall 
        report directly to the Assistant Secretary, regarding the 
        activities of the directorate, and shall work together to 
        promote research syntheses across the directorates.
    ``(d) National Directorate on Curriculum, Instruction, and 
Assessment.--The Assistant Secretary shall establish and carry out the 
National Directorate on Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment. The 
directorate established under this subsection is authorized to conduct 
research on--
            ``(1) methods to improve student knowledge at all levels in 
        English, mathematics, science, history, geography, civics and 
        government, foreign languages, arts and humanities, and 
        economics;
            ``(2) methods to improve the process of reading, the craft 
        of writing and the growth of reasoning skills;
            ``(3) enabling students to develop higher order thinking 
        skills;
            ``(4) methods to teach effectively all students in mixed-
        ability classrooms;
            ``(5) developing or identifying new educational 
        assessments, including performance-based and portfolio 
        assessments which demonstrate a command of knowledge and skill;
            ``(6) developing standards for what students should know 
        and be able to do, particularly standards of desired 
        performance set at internationally competitive levels;
            ``(7) the use of testing in the classroom and its impact on 
        improving student achievement, including an analysis of how 
        testing affects what is taught;
            ``(8) test bias as such bias affects historically 
        underserved and minority populations;
            ``(9) research on test security, accountability, validity, 
        reliability and objectivity;
            ``(10) relevant teacher training and instruction in giving 
        a test, scoring a test and in the use of test results to 
        improve student achievement;
            ``(11) curriculum development designed to meet national 
        standards, including assistance to States to develop such 
        curriculum; and
            ``(12) the use of technology in accordance with such 
        directorates technology agreement described in section 
        405A(d)(1) as a learning tool and as such technology is used in 
        testing.
    ``(e) National Directorate on Early Childhood Learning, Families 
and Communities.--The Assistant Secretary shall establish and carry out 
the National Directorate on Early Childhood Learning, Families and 
Communities. The directorate established under this subsection is 
authorized to conduct research on--
            ``(1) effective learning methods and curriculum for early 
        childhood learning;
            ``(2) the importance of family literacy and parental 
        involvement in student learning;
            ``(3) the impact that outside influences have on learning, 
        including television, and drug and alcohol abuse;
            ``(4) methods for integrating learning in settings other 
        than the classroom, such as within families and communities, 
        with a special emphasis on character development and the value 
        of hard work;
            ``(5) teacher training on early childhood education and 
        family literacy;
            ``(6) research on readiness to learn, including topics such 
        as prenatal care, nutrition and health services;
            ``(7) the use of technology in accordance with such 
        directorate's technology agreement described in section 
        405A(d)(1) to enhance effective learning methods for early 
        childhood learning; and
            ``(8) other topics relevant to the mission of the 
        directorate.
    ``(f) National Directorate on the Educational Achievement of 
Historically Underserved Populations.--The Assistant Secretary shall 
establish and operate a National Directorate on the Educational 
Achievement of Historically Underserved Populations. The directorate 
established under this subsection is authorized to conduct research 
on--
            ``(1) the quality of educational opportunities afforded 
        historically underserved populations, including minority 
        students, students with disabilities, the economically 
        disadvantaged, girls, women, limited-English proficient 
        students and economically disadvantaged students, and 
        particularly the quality of educational opportunities afforded 
        such populations in highly concentrated urban areas and 
        sparsely populated rural areas;
            ``(2) effective institutional practices for expanding 
        opportunities for such groups;
            ``(3) methods for overcoming the barriers to learning which 
        may impede student achievement;
            ``(4) innovative teacher training on methods to improve the 
        educational achievement of the historically underserved;
            ``(5) the use of technology in accordance with such 
        directorate's technology agreement described in section 
        405A(d)(1) to improve the educational achievement of the 
        historically underserved; and
            ``(6) other topics relevant to the mission of the 
        directorate.
    ``(g) National Directorate on School Organization, Structure and 
Finance.--The Assistant Secretary shall establish and operate a 
National Directorate on School Organization, Structure and Finance. The 
directorate established under this subsection is authorized to conduct 
research on--
            ``(1) school-based management, shared decisionmaking and 
        other innovative school structures which show promise for 
        improving student achievement;
            ``(2) innovative school design, including lengthening the 
        school day and the school year, reducing class size and 
        building professional development into the weekly school 
        schedule;
            ``(3) the social organization of schooling and the inner-
        workings of schooling;
            ``(4) effective approaches to organizing learning;
            ``(5) 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;
            ``(6) the amount of dollars allocated for education that 
        are actually spent on direct learning;
            ``(7) disparity in school financing among States and school 
        districts;
            ``(8) the use of technology in accordance with such 
        directorate's technology agreement described in section 
        405A(d)(1) to assist in school-based management and to 
        ameliorate the effects of disparity in school financing among 
        States and school districts; and
            ``(9) other topics relevant to the mission of the 
        directorate.
    ``(h) National Directorate on Postsecondary and Adult Education.--
The Assistant Secretary is authorized to establish and operate a 
National Directorate on Postsecondary and Adult Education. The 
directorate established under this subsection is authorized to conduct 
research on--
            ``(1) the most effective training methods for adults to 
        upgrade education and vocational skills;
            ``(2) opportunities for adults to continue their education 
        beyond higher education and graduate school, in the context of 
        lifelong learning;
            ``(3) adult literacy and effective methods, including 
        technology to eliminate illiteracy;
            ``(4) 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;
            ``(5) disparity in school financing among States and school 
        districts;
            ``(6) the use of technology in accordance with such 
        directorate's technology agreement described in section 
        405A(d)(1) to develop and deliver effective training methods 
        for adults to upgrade their education and vocational skills; 
        and
            ``(7) other topics relevant to the mission of the 
        directorate.
    ``(i) Personnel.--
            ``(1) In general.--From amounts appropriated pursuant to 
        the authority of subsection (q), the Assistant Secretary may 
        appoint, for terms not to exceed 3 years (without regard to the 
        provisions of title 5 of the 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 professional 
        employees of the Office as the Assistant Secretary considers 
        necessary to accomplish its functions. The Assistant Secretary 
        may also appoint and compensate not more than one-fifth of the 
        number of full-time, regular scientific or professional 
        employees of the Office without regard to such provisions. The 
        rate of basic pay for such employees may not exceed the maximum 
        annual rate of pay for grade GS-15 under section 5332 of title 
        5 of the United States Code.
            ``(2) Reappointment.--The Assistant Secretary may reappoint 
        employees described in paragraph (1) upon presentation of a 
        clear and convincing justification of need, for 1 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.
    ``(j) Selection Procedures and Fellowships.--
            ``(1) Selection procedures.--(A) When making competitive 
        awards under this section, the Assistant Secretary shall--
                    ``(i) solicit recommendations and advice regarding 
                research priorities, opportunities, and strategies from 
                qualified experts, such as education professionals and 
                policymakers, personnel of the regional educational 
                laboratories described in subsection (k) and of the 
                research and development centers assisted under this 
                section, and the Board, as well as parents and other 
                members of the general public;
                    ``(ii) employ suitable selection procedures 
                utilizing the procedures and principles of peer review, 
                except where such peer review procedures are clearly 
                inappropriate given such factors as the relatively 
                small amount of a grant or contract or the exigencies 
                of the situation; and
                    ``(iii) determine that the activities assisted will 
                be conducted efficiently, will be of high quality, and 
                will meet priority research and development needs under 
                this section.
            ``(B) Whenever the Assistant Secretary enters into a 
        cooperative agreement under this section, the Assistant 
        Secretary shall negotiate any subsequent modifications in the 
        cooperative agreement with all parties to the agreement 
        affected by the modifications.
            ``(2) Fellowships.--(A) The Assistant Secretary shall 
        publish proposed research priorities for the awarding of 
        research fellowships under this paragraph in the Federal 
        Register every 2 years, not later than October 1 of each year, 
        and shall allow a period of 60 days for public comments and 
        suggestions.
            ``(B) Prior to awarding a fellowship under this paragraph, 
        the Assistant Secretary shall invite applicants to compete for 
        such fellowships through notice published in the Federal 
        Register.
            ``(C) From amounts appropriated pursuant to the authority 
        of subsection (q), the Assistant Secretary may establish and 
        maintain research fellowships in the Office, for scholars, 
        researchers, policymakers, education practitioners and 
        statisticians engaged in the use, collection and dissemination 
        of information about education and educational research. 
        Subject to regulations published by the Assistant Secretary, 
        fellowships may include such stipends and allowances, including 
        travel and subsistence expenses provided under title 5, United 
        States Code, as the Assistant Secretary considers appropriate.
    ``(k) Regional Educational Laboratories for Research and 
Dissemination.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary shall support at 
        least 10 but not more than 15 regional educational laboratories 
        established by public agencies or private nonprofit 
        organizations.
            ``(2) Definition.--For purposes of this subsection, the 
        term `regional educational laboratory' means a public agency or 
        institution or a private nonprofit organization which--
                    ``(A) serves the education improvement needs in a 
                geographic region of the United States; and
                    ``(B) operates under the direction of a governing 
                board, the members of which--
                            ``(i) are representative of that region;
                            ``(ii) include teachers; and
                            ``(iii) have sole authority for 
                        determining, subject to the requirements of 
                        this section, the mission of such laboratory.
            ``(3) Duties.--Each regional educational laboratory shall--
                    ``(A) serve the educational improvement needs of 
                the region by bringing educational research to bear 
                upon promoting school improvement and academic 
                achievement and on correcting educational deficiencies;
                    ``(B) develop a plan for identifying needs and for 
                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, and State educational agencies within the 
                region;
                    ``(C) have as such laboratory's central mission the 
                dissemination of educational research to schools, 
                teachers, local educational agencies and State 
                educational agencies, and through such dissemination 
                and the provision of technical assistance serve the 
                educational needs of the region;
                    ``(D) use applied educational research to assist in 
                solving site-specific problems and to assist in 
                development activities;
                    ``(E) 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 
                in such region;
                    ``(F) facilitate school restructuring at the 
                individual school level, including technical assistance 
                for adapting model demonstration grant programs to each 
                school;
                    ``(G) facilitate communication between educational 
                experts, school officials, and teachers and parents to 
                enable such individuals to assist schools to develop a 
                plan to meet the national education goals;
                    ``(H) facilitate communication among program 
                offices, programs and projects of the Office;
                    ``(I) bring teams of experts together to develop 
                and implement school improvement plans and strategies;
                    ``(J) provide technical assistance to State and 
                local educational agencies, school boards, State boards 
                of education and schools in accordance with the 
                prioritization described in paragraph (4)(E);
                    ``(K) establish an open hearing process for 
                schools, teachers, parents and educational 
                organizations to identify particular educational needs 
                within the region;
                    ``(L) provide training in the field of education 
                research and related areas, in the use of new 
                educational methods, practices, techniques and products 
                developed in connection with such activities, for which 
                the regional educational laboratory shall be authorized 
                to support internships and fellowships and to provide 
                stipends;
                    ``(M) coordinate such laboratory's activities with 
                the directorates assisted under this section in 
                designing such laboratory's services and projects in 
                order to--
                            ``(i) maximize the use of research 
                        conducted through the directorates in the work 
                        of such laboratory;
                            ``(ii) keep the directorates apprised of 
                        the work of the regional educational 
                        laboratories in the field; and
                            ``(iii) inform the directorates about 
                        additional research needs identified in the 
                        field; and
                    ``(N) collaborate with the State educational 
                agencies in the region in developing the plan for 
                serving the region.
            ``(4) Governing board.--In carrying out the activities 
        described in paragraph (3), the governing board described in 
        subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of each region shall--
                    ``(A) ensure that the regional educational 
                laboratory attains and maintains a high level of 
                quality in its work and products;
                    ``(B) establish standards to ensure that the 
                regional educational laboratory has strong and 
                effective governance, organization, management, and 
                administration and employs qualified staff;
                    ``(C) encourage the regional educational laboratory 
                to carry out such laboratory's duties in such a manner 
                as will make progress toward achieving the national 
                education goals;
                    ``(D) conduct 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; and
                    ``(E) prioritize, and ensure that the regional 
                educational laboratory serves the needs within the 
                region based upon economic disadvantage in urban and 
                rural areas of such region.
            ``(5) Competition.--(A) Prior to entering into a contract 
        under this subsection, the Assistant Secretary shall invite 
        applicants to compete for such regional educational laboratory 
        through notice published in the Federal Register or Commerce 
        Business Daily.
            ``(B) Each application for assistance under this subsection 
        shall contain such information as the Assistant Secretary may 
        reasonably require, including assurances that the regional 
        educational laboratory will address the activities described in 
        paragraph (3).
            ``(C) No contract shall be entered into for assistance 
        under this subsection unless--
                    ``(i) proposals for assistance are solicited from 
                regional educational laboratories by the Office;
                    ``(ii) proposals for assistance are developed by 
                the regional educational laboratories in consultation 
                with the Office; and
                    ``(iii) the Office determines that the proposed 
                activities will be consistent with the education 
                research and development program and dissemination 
                activities which are being conducted by the Office.
            ``(6) Additional projects.--In addition to activities 
        described in paragraph (3), the Assistant Secretary, from 
        amounts appropriated pursuant to subsection (q)(3), 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.
            ``(7) Special rule.--No regional educational laboratory 
        shall by reason of receipt of assistance under this section be 
        ineligible to receive any other assistance from the Office 
        authorized by law.
            ``(8) 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 4 succeeding years; and
                    ``(B) an assessment of how well such laboratory is 
                meeting the needs of the region.
            ``(9) Contract duration.--The Assistant Secretary shall 
        enter into a contract for the purpose of supporting a regional 
        educational laboratory under this subsection for a minimum of 5 
        years.
            ``(10) Construction.--Nothing in this subsection shall be 
        construed to require any modifications in the regional 
        educational laboratory contracts in effect on the date of 
        enactment of the Office of Educational Research and Improvement 
        Reauthorization Act.
    ``(l) Teacher Research Dissemination Network.--
            ``(1) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
                    ``(A) education research, including research funded 
                by the Office, is not having the impact on the Nation's 
                schools that such research should;
                    ``(B) relevant education research and resulting 
                solutions are not being adequately disseminated to the 
                teachers that need such research and solutions;
                    ``(C) there are not enough linkages between the 
                research and development centers assisted under this 
                section, the regional educational laboratories 
                described in subsection (k), the National Diffusion 
                Network State facilitators, the Education Resources 
                Information Clearinghouses, 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 almost no time to 
                plan or engage in a professional dialogue with such 
                teacher's peers about strategies for improving 
                learning;
                    ``(E) teachers do not have direct access to 
                information systems or networks;
                    ``(F) teachers have little control over what in-
                service 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) Program authorized.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Assistant Secretary is 
                authorized to award grants to or enter into contracts 
                with regional educational laboratories to enable such 
                laboratories to carry out the activities described in 
                paragraph (3) for not more than 250 teacher 
                participants in any fiscal year.
                    ``(B) Award basis.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Assistant Secretary 
                        shall award grants and enter into contracts 
                        under this subsection in an equitable manner 
                        and shall provide assistance on the basis of 
                        the number of teachers, schools and students 
                        located in each region.
                            ``(ii) Special rules.--In the case where 
                        one or more regional laboratories fail to 
                        submit a plan acceptable to the Secretary in 
                        accordance with paragraph (3)(D)(ii)(I), the 
                        Assistant Secretary may--
                                    ``(I) enter into a grant or 
                                contract with a regional laboratory to 
                                serve more than one region; or
                                    ``(II) redistribute funds 
                                appropriated to carry out this 
                                subsection among regional educational 
                                laboratories receiving assistance under 
                                this subsection.
                    ``(C) Duration.--Grants or contracts under this 
                subsection shall be awarded for a period of 3 years.
            ``(3) Program activities.--
                    ``(A) Mandatory.--
                            ``(i) In general.--(I) Each regional 
                        educational laboratory receiving a grant or 
                        entering into a contract under this subsection 
                        shall carry out 3 one-year-long programs of 
                        providing training to teachers relevant to the 
                        needs and problems of the schools and school 
                        districts in which teachers teach for the 
                        purpose of--
                                    ``(aa) educating such teachers on 
                                how to acquire information about 
                                education research findings and best 
                                practices and about using the 
                                educational infrastructure assisted by 
                                the Department of Education and other 
                                major educational research 
                                organizations; and
                                    ``(bb) providing such teachers with 
                                current education research and 
                                development theory and practice.
                            ``(II) Teachers that participate in 
                        training assisted under this subsection shall 
                        be known as `teacher research dissemination 
                        experts'.
                            ``(ii) Summer training.--The program 
                        described in clause (i) shall provide teachers 
                        with training during the summer which shall--
                                    ``(I) give teachers knowledge and 
                                guidance in using the existing 
                                educational improvement services and 
                                resources funded by the Department of 
                                Education, including the products and 
                                work of the regional educational 
                                laboratories and the National Diffusion 
                                Network, the available reports and work 
                                underway in the centers and 
                                directorates assisted under this 
                                section, the information and access 
                                strategies for using the Education 
                                Resources Information Clearinghouses 
                                and other relevant information centers, 
                                and the products and services offered 
                                directly from the Department of 
                                Education;
                                    ``(II) certify participating 
                                teachers in a small number, such as 3 
                                to 4, of products or programs developed 
                                by the regional educational 
                                laboratories, the National Diffusion 
                                Network, the national research centers, 
                                or the directorates of the Office, that 
                                the teachers judge most relevant to the 
                                needs of their district; and
                                    ``(III) inform participating 
                                teachers about government programs, 
                                including programs in government 
                                agencies other than the Department of 
                                Education, which offer research 
                                opportunities and funding.
                            ``(iii) School year activities.--The 
                        program described in clause (i)--
                                    ``(I) shall provide teachers 
                                participating in such program during 
                                the school year with--
                                            ``(aa) opportunities to 
                                        meet with other such teachers 
                                        to exchange experiences;
                                            ``(bb) additional training 
                                        or assistance in using or 
                                        applying the information 
                                        provided during the summer 
                                        training as needed or 
                                        requested; and
                                            ``(cc) updates in education 
                                        research, information and 
                                        findings;
                                    ``(II) shall provide such teachers 
                                during the school year with the 
                                opportunity to provide feedback into 
                                the educational research infrastructure 
                                regarding needed research and ways to 
                                improve the dissemination of 
                                information; and
                                    ``(III) may make use of video 
                                conferences for some of the training to 
                                reduce travel time and expenses.
                    ``(B) Permissive.--If the amount appropriated 
                pursuant to subsection (q)(4) is greater than 
                $30,000,000, then--
                            ``(i) first, the number of teachers which 
                        each teacher research dissemination expert is 
                        expected to reach, as defined in subsection 
                        (l)(5)(B)(iii), may be decreased as 
                        appropriate; after which
                            ``(ii) the program described in clause (i) 
                        of subparagraph (A) may include additional 
                        teacher training activities and teacher 
                        responsibilities related to such training, 
                        including--
                                    ``(I) training in applied research 
                                methodologies;
                                    ``(II) assistance in conducting 
                                applied research;
                                    ``(III) teacher research 
                                sabbaticals;
                                    ``(IV) training in assessment and 
                                testing;
                                    ``(V) training in developing and 
                                implementing effective teacher in-
                                service training;
                                    ``(VI) training in change 
                                management, including strategies for 
                                restructuring schools, building local 
                                capacity, and generally strengthening 
                                the culture of schools so that the 
                                culture of school is conducive and 
                                supportive of change, including 
                                training in interpersonal and 
                                leadership skills; and
                                    ``(VII) developing strategies that 
                                could be used to restructure the school 
                                day to allow more time for planning and 
                                teacher collaboration.
                    ``(C) Teacher responsibilities.--Each teacher 
                participating in a program assisted under this 
                subsection shall, during the school year--
                            ``(i) meet with other teachers in the 
                        school district of such participating teacher 
                        to provide such other teachers with information 
                        about how to acquire information regarding 
                        education research findings and best practices, 
                        including what resources are available to such 
                        other teachers from the Department of 
                        Education, how to obtain products and technical 
                        services from the Department, and how to submit 
                        programs and products to the National Diffusion 
                        Network;
                            ``(ii) help interested schools identify 
                        resources needed to address the school's needs 
                        and act as liaison between the schools and the 
                        appropriate resource bodies, such as regional 
                        educational laboratories, centers or 
                        directorates assisted under this section, the 
                        National Diffusion Network, universities, 
                        experts, scholars, consultants and other 
                        schools and school districts that may be of 
                        assistance;
                            ``(iii) teach other teachers how to use the 
                        products or programs in which the teacher was 
                        certified pursuant to subclause (II) of 
                        subparagraph (A)(ii);
                            ``(iv) inform teachers about how teachers 
                        can obtain Federal research funding, 
                        fellowships, and sabbaticals; and
                            ``(v) survey teacher needs in the areas of 
                        research and development.
                    ``(D) Application.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Each regional 
                        educational laboratory desiring a grant or 
                        contract under this subsection shall submit to 
                        the Secretary an application at such time, in 
                        such manner and accompanied by such information 
                        as the Assistant Secretary may reasonably 
                        require.
                            ``(ii) Contents.--Each application 
                        described in clause (i) shall--
                                    ``(I) contain a plan acceptable to 
                                the Assistant Secretary for conducting 
                                the program to be assisted under this 
                                subsection;
                                    ``(II) contain assurances that the 
                                regional educational laboratory shall 
                                provide each participating teacher with 
                                a stipend for the entire summer recess 
                                in an amount approximately equal to 
                                one-third of such teacher's annual 
                                salary and travel expenses, in order to 
                                permit a teacher to participate in the 
                                training program during the summer 
                                without incurring a loss of income;
                                    ``(III) contain assurances that 
                                each teacher participating in the 
                                program shall receive an award of not 
                                more than $10,000 to be used by such 
                                teacher during the school year of such 
                                teacher's participation to purchase 
                                materials, support and coordinate such 
                                teacher's teaching activities with 
                                other teachers in the school district, 
                                and to participate in the program;
                                    ``(IV) contain assurances that such 
                                regional educational laboratory shall 
                                provide not more than $5,000 to each 
                                school district or group of school 
                                districts having an individual from 
                                such district or districts participate 
                                in the program assisted under this 
                                section for each of the 2 years 
                                following such participation to enable 
                                such school district or districts to 
                                continue efforts to improve 
                                dissemination of effective practices 
                                and programs within the district or 
                                districts;
                                    ``(V) contain assurances that 
                                representatives of State educational 
                                agencies, intermediate educational 
                                agencies, teacher centers, teacher 
                                educators at institutions of higher 
                                education, and school district in-
                                service or curriculum specialists will 
                                be eligible to participate in the 
                                program assisted under this section if 
                                such individuals pay the cost of their 
                                participation;
                                    ``(VI) describe how such regional 
                                educational laboratory will--
                                            ``(aa) provide and 
                                        coordinate its training program 
                                        with the staffs of the Office, 
                                        the National Diffusion Network, 
                                        the centers and directorates 
                                        assisted under this section, 
                                        and other regional educational 
                                        laboratories; and
                                            ``(bb) develop training and 
                                        resource materials and develop 
                                        teacher conferences jointly 
                                        with the entities described in 
                                        item (aa); and
                                    ``(VII) contain an assurance that 
                                such regional educational laboratory 
                                shall not permit a teacher to 
                                participate in the program unless such 
                                laboratory determines that the teacher 
                                will be afforded a full opportunity by 
                                the district to perform such teacher's 
                                responsibilities described in 
                                subparagraph (3)(C).
            ``(5) Teacher selection and eligibility.--
                    ``(A) Nomination.--Teacher participants in the 
                program assisted under this subsection shall be 
                nominated by their peers at the school district level 
                or by a group of school districts in the case of small 
                school districts.
                    ``(B) Eligibility.--Each school district or group 
                of school districts desiring to have teachers from such 
                district or districts participate in the program 
                assisted under this subsection shall provide the 
                Assistant Secretary with--
                            ``(i) the names of such teachers;
                            ``(ii) an indication of the types of issues 
                        or problems on which each such teacher would 
                        like to receive information and training;
                            ``(iii) assurances that teacher research 
                        dissemination experts will have access during 
                        the school year to approximately 1,000 teachers 
                        to train; and
                            ``(iv) assurances that such district or 
                        districts will pay the teacher's salary during 
                        the school year and release the teacher from 
                        such teacher's regular teaching duties for not 
                        more than 1 school year as necessary to enable 
                        such teacher to participate in such program.
                    ``(C) Selection.--Teacher participants shall be 
                selected by the regional educational laboratories in 
                consultation with the National Diffusion Network State 
                facilitators and State educational agencies in the 
                region. Teacher participants shall be selected in such 
                a manner so as to ensure an equitable representation of 
                such teachers by State and school enrollment in the 
                region.
            ``(6) Independent evaluation.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Assistant Secretary shall 
                provide for an independent evaluation of the program 
                assisted under this subsection to determine the net 
                impact and cost effectiveness of the program and the 
                reactions of teachers and school districts 
                participating in such program, including any career 
                plan changes of participating teachers.
                    ``(B) Date.--The evaluation described in 
                subparagraph (A) shall be submitted to the Congress on 
                or before September 1, 1996.
                    ``(C) Funding.--The Assistant Secretary may reserve 
                not more than $1,000,000 of the amount appropriated 
                pursuant to the authority of subsection (q)(4) to carry 
                out the evaluation described in this paragraph.
            ``(7) Definition.--For the purpose of this subsection--
                    ``(A) the term `educational research 
                infrastructure' means all program offices and 
                components of the Office; and
                    ``(B) the term `regional educational laboratory' 
                means a laboratory supported by the Assistant Secretary 
                pursuant to subsection (k).
    ``(m) Office of Educational Dissemination.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary shall establish 
        an Office of Educational Dissemination, which may include the 
        Education Resources Information Clearinghouses, the National 
        Diffusion Network, and the National Education Library. The 
        Office of Educational Dissemination shall be headed by a 
        Director appointed by the Assistant Secretary, who has a 
        demonstrated expertise and experience in dissemination.
            ``(2) Duties.--In carrying out its dissemination 
        activities, the Office of Educational Dissemination shall--
                    ``(A) operate a depository for all Department of 
                Education publications and products and make available 
                for reproduction such publications and products;
                    ``(B) coordinate and oversee the dissemination 
                efforts of all Office of Educational Research and 
                Improvement program offices, the regional educational 
                laboratories, the directorates assisted under this 
                section, the National Diffusion Network, and the 
                Education Resources Information Clearinghouses;
                    ``(C) disseminate relevant and useful research, 
                information, products and publications developed 
                through or supported by the Department of Education to 
                all schools throughout the Nation;
                    ``(D) develop the capacity to connect schools and 
                teachers seeking information with the relevant regional 
                educational laboratories assisted under this section, 
                the National Diffusion Network, the directorates 
                assisted under this section, the Education Resources 
                Information Clearinghouses, and Teacher Research 
                Dissemination Network contacts; and
                    ``(E) provide an annual 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 activities.--In addition, the Office of 
        Educational Dissemination may--
                    ``(A) use media and other educational technology to 
                carry out dissemination activities, including program 
                development;
                    ``(B) establish and maintain a database on all 
                research and improvement efforts funded through the 
                Department of Education;
                    ``(C) actively encourage cooperative publishing of 
                significant publications;
                    ``(D) disseminate information on successful models 
                and educational methods which have been recommended to 
                the Office of Educational Dissemination by educators, 
                educational organizations, nonprofit organizations, 
                business and foundations, and disseminate such models 
                by including with any such information an 
                identification of the organization or organizations 
                that have recommended the program; and
                    ``(E) engage in such other dissemination activities 
                as the Assistant Secretary determines necessary.
    ``(n) National Diffusion Network State Facilitators.--The National 
Diffusion Network described in section 1562 of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 is authorized to provide information 
through National Diffusion Network State facilitators on model or 
demonstration projects funded by the Department of Education. For 
purposes of carrying out this paragraph, information on such model 
projects does not have to be approved through the program effectiveness 
panel, but may be provided directly through the State facilitators. In 
addition, the National Diffusion Network may disseminate other 
information available through the Office of Educational Dissemination 
established under subsection (m) through the National Diffusion 
Network.
    ``(o) National Education Library.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--There shall be established a National 
        Library of Education at the Department of Education (hereafter 
        in this subsection referred to as the `Library') which shall--
                    ``(A) be a national resource center for teachers, 
                scholars, State and local education officials, parents, 
                and other interested individuals; and
                    ``(B) provide resources to assist in the--
                            ``(i) advancement of research on education;
                            ``(ii) dissemination and exchange of 
                        scientific and other information important to 
                        the improvement of education at all levels; and
                            ``(iii) improvement of educational 
                        achievement.
            ``(2) Mission.--The mission of the Library shall be to--
                    ``(A) 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;
                    ``(B) strive to assure widespread access to the 
                Library's facilities and materials, coverage of all 
                education issues and subjects, and quality control;
                    ``(C) have an expert library staff; and
                    ``(D) use modern information technology that holds 
                the potential to link major libraries and educational 
                centers across the United States into a network of 
                national education resources.
            ``(3) Functions.--The Library shall--
                    ``(A) establish a coherent policy to acquire and 
                preserve books, periodicals, data, prints, films, 
                recordings, and other library materials related to 
                education;
                    ``(B) organize the materials by appropriate 
                cataloging, indexing, and bibliographic listings;
                    ``(C) establish a policy to disseminate information 
                about the materials available in the Library;
                    ``(D) make available through loans, photographic or 
                other copying procedures, or otherwise, such materials 
                in the Library as the Secretary deems appropriate; and
                    ``(E) provide reference and research assistance.
            ``(4) Task force.--(A) The 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.
            ``(B) The Task Force shall prepare a workable plan to 
        establish the Library and to implement the requirements of this 
        subsection.
            ``(C) 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 
        subsection.
            ``(D) The Task Force shall prepare and submit to the 
        Secretary not later than 6 months after the first meeting of 
        the Task Force a report on the activities of the Library.
            ``(5) Librarian.--(A) The Secretary shall appoint a 
        librarian to head the Library.
            ``(B) The individual appointed pursuant to subparagraph (A) 
        shall have extensive experience as a librarian.
            ``(C) The Secretary shall solicit nominations from 
        individuals and organizations before making the appointment 
        described in subparagraph (A).
            ``(D) The librarian shall serve for a 5-year term, which 
        may be renewed.
            ``(E) The librarian shall be paid at not less than the 
        minimum rate of pay payable for level GS-15 of the General 
        Schedule.
    ``(p) Education Resources Information Clearinghouses.--The 
Assistant Secretary shall establish and support 16 Education Resources 
Information Clearinghouses (including directly supporting dissemination 
services) having the same functions and scope of work as such 
clearinghouses had on the date of enactment of the Higher Education 
Amendments of 1986, except that the Assistant Secretary shall establish 
for the clearinghouses a coherent policy for the abstracting and 
inclusion in the educational resources information clearinghouse system 
of books, periodicals, reports, and other materials related to 
education.
    ``(q) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            ``(1) In general.--(A)(i) There are authorized to be 
        appropriated $70,000,000 for fiscal year 1993 and such sums as 
        may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1994 through 1999 
        to carry out subsection (c) relating to the Directorates of 
        Educational Research.
            ``(ii) From the amount made available under clause (i) in 
        any fiscal year--
                    ``(I) 50 percent of such amount shall be available 
                to carry out subsection (d), relating to the National 
                Directorate on Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment;
                    ``(II) 10 percent of such amount shall be available 
                to carry out subsection (e), relating to the National 
                Directorate on Early Childhood Learning, Families and 
                Communities;
                    ``(III) 10 percent of such amount shall be 
                available to carry out subsection (f), relating to the 
                National Directorate on the Educational Achievement of 
                Historically Underserved Populations;
                    ``(IV) 10 percent of such amount shall be available 
                to carry out subsection (g), relating to the National 
                Directorate on School Organization, Structure and 
                Finance;
                    ``(V) 10 percent of such amount shall be available 
                to carry out subsection (h), relating to the National 
                Directorate on Postsecondary and Adult Education; and
                    ``(VI) 10 percent of such amount shall be available 
                to carry out synthesis and coordination activities 
                described in subsection (c)(1)(C).
            ``(iii) Not less than 95 percent of funds appropriated 
        pursuant to the authority of clause (i) in any fiscal year 
        shall be expended to carry out this section through grants, 
        cooperative agreements, or contracts.
            ``(B) There are authorized to be appropriated $12,000,000 
        for fiscal year 1993 and such sums as may be necessary for each 
        of the fiscal years 1994 through 1999 to carry out the 
        provisions of subsection (c) relating to the salaries and 
        expenses of the directorates of educational research.
            ``(2) Regional educational laboratories.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated $37,000,000 for fiscal year 1993 
        and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 
        1994 through 1999 to carry out subsection (k), relating to the 
        regional educational laboratories.
            ``(3) Office of educational dissemination.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1993 
        and such sums for each of the fiscal years 1994 through 1999 to 
        carry out subsections (m) and (k)(6), relating to the Office of 
        Educational Dissemination and additional projects for regional 
        education laboratories, respectively.
            ``(4) Teacher research dissemination network.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1993 
        and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 
        1994 through 1999 to carry out subsection (l), relating to the 
        Teacher Research Dissemination Network.
            ``(5) National diffusion network state facilitators.--There 
        are authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for the fiscal 
        year 1993 and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal 
        years 1994 through 1999 to carry out subsection (n), relating 
        to the National Diffusion Network State Facilitators.
            ``(6) National education library.--There are authorized to 
        be appropriated $10,000,000 for fiscal year 1993 and such sums 
        as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1994 through 
        1999 to carry out subsection (o), relating to the National 
        Education Library.
            ``(7) Education resources information clearinghouses.--
        There are authorized to be appropriated $7,000,000 for fiscal 
        year 1993 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 
        fiscal years 1994 through 1999 to carry out subsection (p), 
        relating to the Education Resources Information Clearinghouses.
            ``(8) Administration of funds.--When more than 1 Federal 
        agency uses funds to support a single project under this 
        section, the Office may act for all such agencies in 
        administering such funds.''.
    (b) Existing Contracts.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, contracts for the regional educational laboratories and centers 
assisted under section 405 of the General Education Provisions Act on 
the date of enactment of this Act shall remain in effect until the 
termination date of such contracts, except that the grants for such 
centers which terminate before the competition for the new centers 
described in section 405(c)(3)(B) of such Act (as amended by section 
101(a) of this Act) is completed may be extended until the time that 
the awards for such new centers are made.

        TITLE II--IMPROVED STATISTICS REGARDING AMERICAN SCHOOLS

SEC. 201. IMPROVED STATISTICS REGARDING AMERICAN SCHOOLS.

    (a) In General.--Section 406 of the General Education Provisions 
Act (20 U.S.C. 1221e-1) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2)(A) of subsection (a), by amending the 
        second sentence to read as follows: ``The Commissioner of the 
        National Center for Education Statistics shall possess 
        substantial experience with or knowledge of the data collection 
        efforts of the National Center, expertise in mathematical 
        statistics or statistical methodology, or extensive knowledge 
        of uses of statistics for policy purposes.'';
            (2) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
            ``(1)(A) There are authorized to be appropriated 
        $85,000,000 for fiscal year 1993 and such sums as may be 
        necessary for each of the fiscal years 1994 through 1999 to 
        carry out this section.
            ``(B) There are authorized to be appropriated $15,000,000 
        for fiscal year 1993 and such sums as may be necessary for each 
        of the fiscal years 1994 through 1999 for the salaries and 
        expenses of the Center.'';
            (3) in subsection (i)--
                    (A) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``and 
                        regional basis''; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (C)--
                                    (I) by redesignating clauses (iii), 
                                (iv), and (v) as clauses (iv), (v), and 
                                (vi), respectively;
                                    (II) by inserting after clause (ii) 
                                the following new clause:
                            ``(iii) The National Assessment shall--
                                    ``(I) conduct, in 1994, a trial 
                                mathematics assessment for the 4th and 
                                8th grades and a trial reading 
                                assessment for the 4th grade, in States 
                                that wish to participate, for the 
                                purpose of determining whether such 
                                assessments yield valid and reliable 
                                State representative data;
                                    ``(II) develop a trial mathematics 
                                assessment for the 12th grade and a 
                                trial reading assessment for the 8th 
                                and 12th grades, to be administered in 
                                1994 in States that wish to 
                                participate, for the purpose of 
                                determining whether such assessments 
                                yield valid and reliable State 
                                representative data;
                                    ``(III) conduct, in 1996, trial 
                                assessments in mathematics and reading, 
                                and plan for a trial assessment in 
                                science as determined by the Secretary 
                                and the National Assessment Governing 
                                Board established by paragraph 5(A)(i) 
                                for the 4th, 8th and 12th grades in 
                                States that wish to participate in such 
                                assessments, for the purpose of gaining 
                                additional information about whether 
                                such assessments yield valid and 
                                reliable State-representative data; and
                                    ``(IV) include in each such sample 
                                assessment referred to in subclauses 
                                (I) and (II) students in public and 
                                private schools in a manner that 
                                ensures comparability with the national 
                                sample.''; and
                                    (III) in clause (vi) (as 
                                redesignated by clause (i))--
                                            (aa) in the first sentence, 
                                        by striking ``and the fairness 
                                        and accuracy of the data they 
                                        produce'' and inserting ``, the 
                                        fairness and accuracy of the 
                                        data produced by the National 
                                        Assessment, and important 
                                        issues affecting the quality 
                                        and integrity of the National 
                                        Assessment''; and
                                            (bb) by striking 
                                        ``paragraph (C)(i) and (ii)'' 
                                        and inserting ``clauses (i), 
                                        (ii), and (iii)'';
                    (B) in paragraph (5)--
                            (i) in clause (x) of subparagraph (B), by 
                        inserting ``who shall be psychometrians, 
                        educational psychologists, or measurement 
                        specialists, with extensive experience working 
                        on large-scale assessments'' before the 
                        semicolon; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (C)--
                                    (I) in clause (i), by adding at the 
                                end the following new sentence: ``No 
                                member of the Board may serve as a 
                                consultant to the Department of 
                                Education or serve on any other board, 
                                committee, panel, task force, or 
                                advisory body to the Department of 
                                Education simultaneously while serving 
                                on the Board.''; and
                                    (II) in clause (iii), by striking 
                                ``technical employees to administer'' 
                                and inserting ``technical employees who 
                                by virtue of their education or 
                                training and experience are eminently 
                                qualified to assist the Board in 
                                administering''; and
                    (C) in subparagraph (E) of paragraph (6), by 
                inserting ``, except that no adoption, use or reporting 
                of the achievement goals or statements shall be made 
                until the Commissioner provides for an independent 
                technical review of the replication and validation 
                studies conducted by the Board'' after ``public''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(k) Nothing in this section or in the Privacy Act of 1974 shall 
be interpreted to restrict the right of the Director of the 
Congressional Budget Office to secure information, data, estimates and 
statistics, including information identifying individuals, in the 
Center's possession, except that the same restrictions on disclosure 
that apply to the Center under subparagraphs (B) and (G) of subsection 
(d)(4) shall apply to the Congressional Budget Office.''.
    (b) Additional Report.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall provide for the 
        organization that conducts the independent evaluation required 
        by section 406(i)(2)(C)(vi) of the General Education Provisions 
        Act (as redesignated in subsection (a)(2)(A)(ii)(I)) to study 
        and report to the Congress on--
                    (A) the process whereby achievement goals are set 
                pursuant to section 406(i)(6) of such Act;
                    (B) whether such achievement goals are set at an 
                appropriate level; and
                    (C) the ability of the National Assessment to 
                maintain valid data with respect to trends in student 
                performance.
            (2) Time for submission of report.--The report required by 
        paragraph (1) shall be submitted as soon as practicable, but in 
        any event not later than 120 days after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act.

SEC. 202. REPORTS ON SCHOOL DROPOUTS; SINGLE DEFINITION.

    Paragraph (4) of section 406(g) of the General Education Provisions 
Act (20 U.S.C. 1221e-1(g)(4)) is amended--
            (1) by amending subparagraph (C) to read as follows:
                    ``(C)(i) The Commissioner shall submit to the 
                Congress by January 1 of each year, beginning on 
                January 1 of 1994, a report which describes the number 
                of school dropouts in elementary and secondary schools 
                in the United States. Such report shall contain 
                statistical information on the number and percentage of 
                elementary and secondary school students, who drop out 
                of school each year, including statistical information 
                stated by--
                            ``(I) race and ethnic origin of such 
                        students;
                            ``(II) rural and urban location in the 
                        United States (as defined by the Secretary) of 
                        such students; and
                            ``(III) the number of such students in 
                        individual States and the District of Columbia.
                    ``(ii) The report described in clause (i) shall 
                utilize the single definition of school dropouts 
                developed pursuant to section 6201(a) of the Elementary 
                and Secondary Education Act of 1965.''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(D) State information.--(i) Each State shall 
                provide to the Secretary such information as the 
                Secretary may determine necessary to carry out the 
                provisions of this section.
                    ``(ii) Each State submitting information to the 
                Secretary pursuant to paragraph (1) may use funds 
                received by the State educational agency under chapter 
                2 of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
                Act of 1965 to meet any costs associated with 
                collecting the information described in paragraph (1) 
                in the form required by the Commissioner of Education 
                Statistics.''.

SEC. 203. NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS.

    Subsection (i) of section 406 of the General Education Provisions 
Act (20 U.S.C. 1221e-1(i)) is further amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) in the first sentence, by inserting 
                ``(hereafter in this subsection referred to as the 
                `National Assessment')'' after ``Progress''; and
                    (B) in the second sentence, by striking ``of 
                Educational Progress''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
            ``(10) The Secretary of Education and the Secretary of 
        Defense may enter into an agreement, including such terms as 
        are mutually satisfactory, to include in the National 
        Assessment the defense dependents education system established 
        under the Defense Dependents' Education Act of 1978.
            ``(11) The Secretary of Education and the Secretary of the 
        Interior may enter into an agreement, including such terms as 
        are mutually satisfactory, to include in the National 
        Assessment schools for Indian children operated or supported by 
        the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
            ``(12) For the purpose of this subsection the term `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, the 
        Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the 
        Republic of the Marshall Islands.''.

SEC. 204. 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.''.

SEC. 205. 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 education technology

    ``Sec. 216. There shall be in the Office of Educational Research 
and Improvement described in section 209 an Office of Educational 
Technology, established in accordance with section 405A of the General 
Education Provisions Act.''.
    (b) Amendment to the General Education Provisions Act.--Part A of 
the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1221e et seq.) is 
amended by inserting after section 405 the following new section:

``SEC. 405A. OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY.

    ``(a) Establishment.--
            ``(1) Office established.--The Secretary shall establish 
        within the Office of Educational Research and Improvement an 
        Office of Educational Technology within 90 days of the date of 
        enactment of the Office of Educational Research and Improvement 
        Reauthorization Act.
            ``(2) Director.--The Office of Educational Technology 
        (hereafter in this section referred to as the `Office') 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 Assistant Secretary for Educational 
Research and Improvement 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; 
        and
            ``(3) at least three 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 Office.--The Secretary, through the Office, 
shall--
            ``(1) provide leadership for policy development and 
        coordinate technology related education activities within the 
        Department of Education;
            ``(2) administer the Star Schools Program, the activities 
        of the Office of Training Technology Transfer, and any other 
        technology programs the Assistant Secretary deems appropriate;
            ``(3) consult, cooperate, and coordinate educational 
        technology programs with analogous programs of other Federal 
        agencies and initiate interagency agreements for joint funding 
        of such programs;
            ``(4) make recommendations for wider applications of the 
        use of technology in Federal education programs;
            ``(5) develop agreements with each of the directorates 
        assisted under section 405 to ensure coordination of technology 
        activities and policies and to guide such directorates in the 
        use of technology in carrying out the duties of such 
        directorates;
            ``(6) provide guidelines to establish a technology 
        education repository to house existing educational technology, 
        including programming designed for the purpose of locating and 
        disseminating information requested by teachers, administrators 
        and other members of the public utilizing Federal data banks in 
        order to avoid duplication;
            ``(7) develop a proposal for a system to transfer to local 
        school districts, schools and classrooms nationwide the 
        information described in paragraph (6) 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;
            ``(8) develop a proposal for--
                    ``(A) developing a fair system for metering the use 
                of the repository information described in paragraph 
                (6) provided via an electronic network to local 
                classrooms; and
                    ``(B) appropriately charging for copyrighted 
                materials and computer access time; and
            ``(9) promote the use of technology to assist the Office of 
        Educational Research and Improvement in carrying out the 
        dissemination activities of the Office of Educational Research 
        and Improvement.
    ``(e) Transfer of the Office of Training Technology Transfer.--The 
Office of Training Technology Transfer as established under section 
6103 of the Training Technology Transfer Act of 1988 is transferred to 
the Office.
    ``(f) Study on Implementation of a National Technology Repository 
and Transfer System.--
            ``(1) In general.--Upon completion of the guidelines for a 
        technology education repository described in subsection (d)(6) 
        and the development of a system to transfer such information to 
        local school districts, schools and classrooms in accordance 
        with subsection (d)(7), the Secretary shall provide for an 
        independent study to--
                    ``(A) determine the estimated costs that would be 
                incurred in the implementation of such repository and 
                system; and
                    ``(B) assess the availability of technology at the 
                local school district, school and classroom level to 
                access the educational technology to be transmitted.
            ``(2) Special rule.--In carrying out the study described in 
        paragraph (1), studies conducted by other Federal agencies may 
        be utilized, if applicable.
    ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated $3,000,000 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.''.

              TITLE III--EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS

                PART A--INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM

SEC. 311. INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.

    (a) Program Established.--The Secretary shall carry out an 
International Education Program in accordance with this section that 
shall provide for--
            (1) international achievement comparisons;
            (2) the study of international education programs and 
        delivery systems; and
            (3) 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 in our Nation.
    (c) Achievement Comparisons.--The Secretary shall develop or 
identify a test or series of tests which may be used to compare 
achievement levels in reading, mathematics and science, history and 
geography, civics and government, economics, and foreign languages. In 
carrying out the provisions of this section, the Secretary shall give 
priority to applicants who have experience or expertise in calibrating 
tests for purposes of comparison.
    (d) International Education Exchange.--
            (1) In general.--(A) The Secretary shall carry out an 
        International Education Exchange Program that shall--
                    (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 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) In carrying out the program described in subparagraph 
        (A), the Secretary shall reserve 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 for economic 
                education activities.
            (2) Contract authorized.--(A) The Secretary is authorized 
        to contract with independent nonprofit educational 
        organizations to carry out the provisions of this subsection. 
        The Secretary shall enter into such contract through an open 
        competition.
            (B) The Secretary shall award at least 1 but not more than 
        3 contracts described in subparagraph (A) in each of the areas 
        described in subclauses (I) and (II).
            (C) The Secretary shall award contracts described in 
        subparagraph (A) so as to avoid duplication of activities in 
        such contracts.
            (D) 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 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 in-
                        service training programs for teachers of 
                        grades kindergarten through 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 and 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 and economic education programs; and
                    (ii) have the authority to subcontract with other 
                organizations to carry out the purposes 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, 
                        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) Printed materials and programs.--All printed materials 
        and programs provided to foreign nations under this subsection 
        shall bear the logo and text used by the Marshall Plan after 
        World War II, that is, clasped hands with the inscription ``A 
        gift from the American people to the people of (insert name of 
        country)''.
            (5) 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.
            (6) Personnel and technical experts.--The Secretary is 
        authorized to provide Department of Education personnel and 
        technical experts to assist eligible countries establish and 
        implement a database or other effective methods to improve 
        educational delivery systems, structure and organization.
            (7) 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.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) Assessment and information.--There are authorized to be 
        appropriated $2,500,000 for fiscal year 1993 and such sums as 
        may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1994 through 1999 
        to carry out subsection (b).
            (2) Achievement comparison.--There are authorized to be 
        appropriated $2,500,000 for fiscal year 1993 and such sums as 
        may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1994 through 1999 
        to carry out subsection (c).
            (3) International education exchange.--There are authorized 
        to be appropriated $30,000,000 for fiscal year 1993 and such 
        sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1994 
        through 1999 to carry out subsection (d).

          PART B--TRANSFER OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING SOFTWARE

SEC. 315. TRANSFER OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING SOFTWARE.

    The Training Technology Transfer Act of 1988 (20 U.S.C. 5091 et 
seq.) is amended by adding after section 6107 the following new 
section:

``SEC. 6108. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated $3,000,000 for fiscal 
year 1993 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal 
years 1994 through 1999 to carry out this chapter.''.

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

SEC. 321. AMENDMENTS TO THE CARL D. PERKINS VOCATIONAL AND APPLIED 
              TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION ACT.

    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''; and
            (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, and licensing rates, each 
State board for higher education shall develop a data collection system 
whose results can be integrated into the occupational information 
system developed under this section.''.

                  PART D--SATISFACTORY PROGRESS STUDY

SEC. 325. SATISFACTORY PROGRESS STUDY.

    Part A of title XIII of the Higher Education Amendments of 1986 (20 
U.S.C. 1091 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:

``SEC. 1308. SATISFACTORY PROGRESS STUDY.

    ``(a) Study.--The Secretary is authorized to conduct a study of the 
satisfactory progress requirement described in section 484(c) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965. Such study shall--
            ``(1) examine whether there is a need to apply satisfactory 
        progress requirements to institutions of higher education with 
        short-term periods of instruction, such as less than 1 year, 
        and how such requirements might be applied to such 
        institutions; and
            ``(2) examine whether there is a need to apply such 
        requirements to the first year of instruction, and in 
        particular, examine the problems the first year students may 
        have in adjusting to the rigors of postsecondary instruction 
        and assess whether there is a need to provide an initial year 
        before the satisfactory progress requirements are applied.
    ``(b) Date.--The study described in subsection (a) shall be 
completed not later than January 1, 1995.
    ``(c) Report.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall submit a report to 
        the Congress on the study described in subsection (a) that--
                    ``(A) assesses how such satisfactory progress 
                requirements are working; and
                    ``(B) makes recommendations on how such 
                satisfactory progress requirements may be strengthened.
            ``(2) Report.--The report described in paragraph (1) shall 
        be completed not later than July 1, 1995.''.

      PART E--NATIONAL EDUCATION STANDARDS AND ASSESSMENTS COUNCIL

SEC. 331. NATIONAL EDUCATION STANDARDS AND ASSESSMENTS COUNCIL.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established within the Department of 
Education a National Education Standards and Assessments Council 
(referred to in this part as the ``Council'').
    (b) Appointment and Composition.--
            (1) Appointment.--The Council shall be composed of 15 
        members (hereafter in this part referred to as ``members'') 
        appointed by the National Education Goals Panel described in 
        section 113 of the Neighborhood Schools Improvement Act 
        (hereafter in this part referred to as the ``Panel'').
            (2) Composition.--The Council shall be composed of--
                    (A) five public officials;
                    (B) five educators; and
                    (C) five members of the general public.
            (3) Time.--The members of the Council described in 
        paragraph (2) shall be appointed within 120 days after the date 
        of enactment of this Act.
    (c) Qualifications.--
            (1) In general.--Members shall--
                    (A) be appointed to the Council on the basis of 
                widely recognized experience in, knowledge of, 
                commitment to, and a demonstrated record of service to, 
                education and to achieving education excellence at the 
                Federal, State or local level; and
                    (B) include curriculum design specialists, subject 
                matter scholars, and testing or measurement experts 
                (experts in educational evaluation, educational 
                measurement, educational assessment, educational 
                psychology, or psychometrics).
            (2) Nominations.--Members under this subsection shall be 
        appointed from among qualified individuals nominated by the 
        public and other groups representative of public officials, 
        educators, and individuals described in subsection (c)(1).
    (d) Terms.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        members shall be appointed for 3-year terms, with no member 
        serving more than 2 consecutive terms.
            (2) Initial selection.--The Panel shall establish initial 
        terms for individuals of 2, 3, or 4 years in order to establish 
        a rotation in which one-third of the members are selected each 
        year.
                    (A) Public officials.--From among the members 
                appointed under subsection (b)(2)(A), the Panel shall 
                designate 2 appointees to serve 2-year terms, 2 
                appointees to serve 3-year terms and 1 appointee to 
                serve a 4-year term.
                    (B) Educators.--From among the members appointed 
                under subsection (b)(2)(B), the Panel shall designate 2 
                appointees to serve 2-year terms, 2 appointees to serve 
                3-year terms and 1 appointee to serve a 4-year term.
                    (C) General public.--From among the members 
                appointed under subsection (b)(2)(C), the Panel shall 
                designate 2 appointees to serve 2-year terms, 3 
                appointees to serve 3-year terms and 2 appointees to 
                serve 4-year terms.
            (3) Conflict of interest.--(A) No member of the Council may 
        concurrently serve as a member of the Panel or on any other 
        Department of Education advisory board, panel (including a peer 
        review panel), task force, or as a paid consultant of such 
        Department.
            (B)(i) No member of the Council may serve on the Council if 
        such person directly or indirectly is the recipient of any 
        Federal funds for curriculum or assessment planning, design, 
        development, or implementation.
            (ii) No member of the Council shall have any financial 
        interest in the development of tests or assessments related to 
        the standards described in subsection (e). Any person who 
        served on the Council shall report any subsequent proposals for 
        Federal, State, or local funding related to the standards or 
        assessments described in subsection (e) to the National Goals 
        Panel and to the Department of Education.
            (4) Date of appointment.--The initial members shall be 
        appointed, by the Panel, not later than 120 days after the date 
        of enactment of this Act.
            (5) Retention.--In order to retain an appointment to the 
        Council, a member must attend at least two-thirds of the 
        scheduled meetings of the Council in any given year.
            (6) Officer selection.--The members appointed under 
        subsection (b)(2) shall select officers of the Council from 
        among the members of the Council. The officers of the Council 
        shall serve for 1-year terms.
            (7) Vacancies.--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.
            (8) Travel.--Each member of the Council shall 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.
            (9) Initiation.--The Council may begin to carry out the 
        duties of the Council under this part when--
                    (A) all 15 members have been appointed; or
                    (B) 8 members have been appointed pursuant to the 
                provisions of subsection (b).
    (e) Functions of the Council.--The Council shall--
            (1) be a coordinating body to establish national education 
        content and student performance standards;
            (2) serve as a coordinating body to encourage a voluntary 
        system of assessments for individual students consistent with 
        the national standards;
            (3) develop criteria for world-class content and student 
        performance standards and establish guidelines for standard 
        setting and assessment development, including guidelines for 
        the development of a variety of assessment measures;
            (4) establish guidelines for assessments which ensure 
        technical merit through determining that assessments are 
        specifically valid, reliable, and unbiased for any purpose for 
        which the assessments may be used;
            (5) establish procedures and criteria for ensuring that, to 
        the extent possible and without sacrificing the validity, 
        reliability, directness, and fairness of the assessments, 
        assessments are comparable to each other;
            (6) issue certification of content and student performance 
        standards as world-class and transmit such certification to the 
        Panel for the Panel's certification;
            (7) issue criteria for assessments as world-class, and 
        procedures for certification of assessments which meet such 
        world-class content standards, and transmit such criteria and 
        procedures for certification to the Panel for the Panel's 
        certification, except that no assessment may be certified prior 
        to certification of the appropriate content and student 
        performance standards; and
            (8) establish guidelines for the use and design of 
        standards and assessments, and of data derived from such 
        assessments, so that--
                    (A) all students are provided with a rigorous and 
                challenging curriculum designed to meet or exceed the 
                standards;
                    (B) no student is placed in a curriculum track or 
                is otherwise labeled on the basis of such student's 
                performance on an assessment certified pursuant to this 
                section;
                    (C) student performance is reported in the context 
                of other relevant information about aggregate student, 
                school and system performance; and
                    (D) all students are provided multiple 
                opportunities and methods to demonstrate that they have 
                met student performance standards.
    (f) Performance of Functions.--In carrying out its 
responsibilities, the Council shall work with Federal and non-Federal 
agencies and organizations which are conducting research, studies or 
demonstration projects to determine world-class education standards and 
assessments based on such standards.
    (g) Procedures.--
            (1) Publication.--The Council shall publish in the Federal 
        Register--
                    (A) proposed criteria for determining what are 
                world-class content and student performance standards;
                    (B) proposed guidelines for standards setting;
                    (C) proposed procedures and criteria for certifying 
                content standards as world-class; and
                    (D) proposed procedures and criteria for certifying 
                assessments of world-class standards, including an 
                evaluation of the extent to which individual student 
                assessments incorporate such final world-class 
                standards.
            (2) Final regulations.--Final regulations, reflecting 
        public comment, for the proposals developed in accordance with 
        paragraph (1) shall be published in the Federal Register prior 
        to the implementation of such regulations.
    (h) Data Collection.--The Council shall make arrangements with any 
appropriate entity to generate or collect such data as may be necessary 
to carry out the Council's functions.

SEC. 332. ANNUAL REPORTS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date the Council 
concludes its first meeting of members and in each succeeding year, the 
Council shall prepare and submit to the President, the appropriate 
committees of Congress, and the Governor of each State a report on its 
work. Such report shall--
            (1) analyze the progress and obstacles, if any, toward the 
        development and certification of world-class content and 
        student performance standards;
            (2) analyze the process and implementation of procedures to 
        develop criteria for assessments and certifications that 
        assessments reflect the world-class standards; and
            (3) analyze the progress and obstacles, if any, to the 
        adoption of certified content and student performance standards 
        by State and local educational agencies.
    (b) Special Rule.--In carrying out paragraph (3) of subsection (a), 
the Council shall collect information on the implementation by State 
and local educational agencies of certified content standards, 
including--
            (1) adoption of curricula frameworks, including 
        instructional materials, assessments and teacher training that 
        incorporates or reflects world-class content standards;
            (2) availability of school resources, including 
        instructional materials and technology, necessary to meet 
        world-class standards;
            (3) staff capacity;
            (4) school governance systems; and
            (5) barriers to implementation of world-class standards.

SEC. 333. POWERS OF THE COUNCIL.

    (a) Regional Meetings.--The Council shall convene regional 
meetings, in urban and rural areas, to obtain public involvement in the 
development of proposed regulations implementing this part. Such 
meetings shall include individuals and representatives of the groups 
involved in the development of content and student performance 
standards and assessments, including educators, administrators, 
students and parents, curriculum and assessment experts, and 
organizations which have demonstrated experience in these areas. Such 
meetings shall provide for a comprehensive discussion and exchange on 
information regarding the implementation of this part. The Council 
shall take into account the information received in such meetings in 
the development of regulations.
    (b) Information.--The Council may secure directly from any 
department or agency of the United States information necessary to 
enable the Council to carry out this part. Upon request of the 
Chairperson of the Council, the head of a department or agency shall 
furnish such information to the Council to the extent permitted by law.
    (c) Gifts.--The Council may accept, use, and dispose of gifts or 
donations of services or property.
    (d) 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.
    (e) Administrative and Supportive Services.--The Secretary shall 
provide to the Council, on a reimbursable basis, administrative support 
services as the Council may request.

SEC. 334. 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 
two-thirds majority vote of the total membership of the Council, 
assuring the right of the minority to issue written views. No 
individual may vote or exercise any of the powers of a member by proxy.

SEC. 335. DIRECTOR AND STAFF; EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.

    (a) Director.--The Chairperson of the Council shall, in 
consultation with other members of the Council and 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 who by virtue of such individual's education 
or training and experience is eminently qualified to assist the Council 
in administering the functions described in section 331(e) 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 Staff.--The Chairperson may appoint such 
personnel who by virtue of such personnel's education or training and 
experience are eminently qualified to assist the Council in 
administering the functions described in section 331(e) as the 
Chairperson considers appropriate without regard to the provisions of 
title 5, United States Code, governing appointments to the competitive 
service. The staff of the Council may be paid without regard to the 
provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, 
United States Code, relating to classification and General Schedule pay 
rates. The rate of pay of the staff of the Council shall not exceed the 
rate of basic pay payable for GS-15 of the General Schedule.
    (c) Experts and Consultants.--The Council may procure temporary and 
intermittent services under section 3019(b) of title 5, United States 
Code, if the individual performing such services, by virtue of such 
individual's education or training and experience, is eminently 
qualified to assist the Council in administering the functions 
described in section 331(e).
    (d) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon the request of the Council, 
the head of any department or agency of the United States is authorized 
to detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of that 
department or agency to the Council to assist the Council in its duties 
under this part.
    (e) Conflict of Interest.--No director, staff, expert, or 
consultant may serve the Council if such person directly or indirectly 
has any financial interest in the development of tests or assessments 
related to the standards described in section 331(e). Any person who 
served the Council in such capacity shall submit any subsequent 
proposals for Federal, State, or local funding related to the standards 
or assessments described in section 331(e) to the National Goals Panel 
and to the Department of Education.

SEC. 336. EVALUATION.

    The Comptroller General of the General Accounting Office shall 
conduct an evaluation of the work of the Council, in order to evaluate 
the process by which world-class content and student performance 
standards have been developed, the contents of such standards, the 
process by which criteria for assessments of world-class standards have 
been developed, and the process of determining whether the assessments 
measure world-class standards. Such evaluation shall include--
            (1) an analysis of the technical expertise and objectivity 
        of the Council and the staff of the Council; and
            (2) an evaluation of whether--
                    (A) the standards developed by the Council reflect 
                world-class standards; and
                    (B) the assessments certified under the procedures 
                of the Council measure the world-class standards.

SEC. 337. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Council $2,000,000 
for each of the fiscal years 1993 and 1994, and such sums as may be 
necessary for each succeeding fiscal year thereafter, to carry out this 
part.

              PART F--ELEMENTARY SCIENCE EQUIPMENT PROGRAM

SEC. 341. SHORT TITLE.

    This part may be cited as the ``Elementary Science Equipment Act''.

SEC. 342. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this part to raise the quality of instruction 
in mathematics and science in the Nation's elementary schools by 
providing equipment and materials necessary for hands-on instruction 
through assistance to State and local educational agencies.

SEC. 343. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

    The Secretary is authorized to make allotments to State educational 
agencies under section 344 to enable such agencies to award grants to 
local educational agencies for the purpose of providing equipment and 
materials to elementary schools to improve mathematics and science 
education in such schools.

SEC. 344. ALLOTMENTS OF FUNDS.

    (a) In General.--From the amount appropriated under section 350 for 
any fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve--
            (1) not more than one-half of 1 percent for allotment among 
        Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana 
        Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated 
        States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau according to 
        their respective needs for assistance under this part; and
            (2) one-half of 1 percent for programs for Indian students 
        served by schools funded by the Secretary of the Interior which 
        are consistent with the purposes of this part.
    (b) Allotment.--The remainder of the amount so appropriated (after 
meeting requirements in subsection (a)) shall be allotted among State 
educational agencies so that--
            (1) one-half of such remainder shall be distributed among 
        the State educational agencies by allotting to each State 
        educational agency an amount which bears the same ratio to such 
        one-half 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
            (2) one-half of such remainder shall be distributed among 
        the State educational agencies according to each State's share 
        of allocations under chapter 1 of title I of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965,
except that no State shall receive less than one-half 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.
    (c) Definition.--For the purposes of this part the term ``State'' 
means each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
    (d) Data.--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.

SEC. 345. STATE APPLICATION.

    (a) Application.--Each State educational agency desiring to receive 
an allotment under this part shall file an application with the 
Secretary which covers a period of 5 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 application described in 
subsection (a) shall--
            (1) provide assurances that--
                    (A) the State educational agency shall use the 
                allotment provided under this part to award grants to 
                local educational agencies within the State to enable 
                such local educational agencies to provide assistance 
                to schools served by such agency to carry out the 
                purpose of this part;
                    (B) the State educational agency will provide such 
                fiscal control and funds accounting as the Secretary 
                may require;
                    (C) every public elementary school in the State is 
                eligible to receive assistance under this part once 
                over the 5-year duration of the program assisted under 
                this part;
                    (D) funds provided under this part will supplement, 
                not supplant, State and local funds made available for 
                activities authorized under this part;
                    (E) during the 5-year period described in the 
                application, the State educational agency will evaluate 
                its standards and programs for teacher preparation and 
                inservice professional development for elementary 
                mathematics and science;
                    (F) the State educational agency will take into 
                account the needs for greater access to and 
                participation in mathematics and science by students 
                and teachers from historically underrepresented groups, 
                including females, minorities, individuals with 
                limited-English proficiency, the economically 
                disadvantaged, and individuals with disabilities; and
                    (G) that the needs of teachers and students in 
                areas with high concentrations of low-income students 
                and sparsely populated areas will be given priority in 
                awarding assistance under this part;
            (2) provide, if appropriate, a description of how funds 
        paid under this part will be coordinated with State and local 
        funds and other Federal resources, particularly with respect to 
        programs for the professional development and inservice 
        training of elementary school teachers in science and 
        mathematics; and
            (3) describe procedures--
                    (A) for submitting applications for programs 
                described in sections 346 and 347 for distribution of 
                assistance under this part within the State; and
                    (B) for approval of applications by the State 
                educational agency, including appropriate procedures to 
                assure that such agency will not disapprove an 
                application without notice and opportunity for a 
                hearing.
    (c) State Administration.--Not more than 5 percent of the funds 
allotted to each State educational agency under this part shall be used 
for the administrative costs of such agency associated with carrying 
out the program assisted under this part.

SEC. 346. LOCAL APPLICATION.

    (a) Application.--A local educational agency that desires to 
receive a grant under this part shall submit an application to the 
State educational agency. Each such application shall contain 
assurances that each school served by the local educational agency 
shall be eligible for assistance under this part only once.
    (b) Contents of Application.--Each application described in 
subsection (a) shall--
            (1) describe how the local educational agency plans to set 
        priorities on the use and distribution among schools of grant 
        funds received under this part to meet the purpose of this 
        part;
            (2) include assurances that the local educational agency 
        has made every effort to match on a dollar-for-dollar basis 
        from private or public sources the funds received under this 
        part, except that no such application shall be penalized or 
        denied assistance under this part based on failure to provide 
        such matching funds;
            (3) describe, if applicable, how funds under this part will 
        be coordinated with State, local, and other Federal resources, 
        especially with respect to programs for the professional 
        development and inservice training of elementary school 
        teachers in science and mathematics; and
            (4) describe the process which will be used to determine 
        different levels of assistance to be awarded to schools with 
        different needs.
    (c) Priority.--In awarding grants under this part, the State 
educational agency shall give priority to applications that--
            (1) assign highest priority to providing assistance to 
        schools which--
                    (A) are most seriously underequipped; or
                    (B) serve large concentrations or large numbers of 
                economically disadvantaged students;
            (2) are attentive to the needs of underrepresented groups 
        in science and mathematics;
            (3) demonstrate how science and mathematics equipment will 
        be part of a comprehensive plan of curriculum planning or 
        implementation and teacher training supporting hands-on 
        laboratory activities; and
            (4) include plans for dissemination of lessons and 
        activities using equipment and materials purchased pursuant to 
        assistance provided under this part to teachers in schools not 
        receiving such assistance.

SEC. 347. PARTICIPATION OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

    (a) Participation of Private Schools.--To the extent consistent 
with the number of children in the State or in the school district of 
each local educational agency who are enrolled in private nonprofit 
elementary schools, such State educational agency shall, after 
consultation with appropriate private school representatives, make 
provision for including services and arrangements for the benefit of 
such children as will assure the equitable participation of such 
children in the purposes and benefits of this part.
    (b) Waiver.--If by reason of any provision of State law a local 
educational agency is prohibited from providing for the participation 
of children or teachers from private nonprofit schools as required by 
subsection (a), or if the Secretary determines that a State or local 
educational agency has substantially failed or is unwilling to provide 
for such participation on an equitable basis, the Secretary shall waive 
such requirements and shall arrange for the provision of services to 
such children or teachers subject to the requirement of this section. 
Such waivers shall be subject to consultation, withholding, notice, and 
judicial review requirements described in section 1017 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.

SEC. 348. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) Coordination.--Each State educational agency receiving an 
allotment under this part shall--
            (1) disseminate information to school districts and 
        schools, including private nonprofit elementary schools, 
        regarding the program assisted under this part;
            (2) evaluate applications of local educational agencies;
            (3) award grants to local educational agencies based on the 
        priorities described in section 346(c); and
            (4) evaluate local educational agencies' end-of-year 
        summaries and submit such evaluation to the Secretary.
    (b) Limitations on Use of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), grant 
        funds and matching funds under this part only shall be used to 
        purchase science equipment, science materials, or mathematical 
        manipulative materials and shall not be used for computers, 
        computer peripherals, software, textbooks, or staff development 
        costs.
            (2) Capital improvements.--Grant funds under this part may 
        not be used for capital improvements. Not more than 50 percent 
        of any matching funds provided by the local educational agency 
        may be used for capital improvements of classroom science 
        facilities to support the hands-on instruction that this part 
        is intended to support, such as the installation of electrical 
        outlets, plumbing, lab tables or counters, or ventilation 
        mechanisms.

SEC. 349. FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) Technical Assistance and Evaluation Procedures.--The Secretary 
shall provide technical assistance and, in consultation with State and 
local representatives of the program assisted under this part, shall 
develop procedures for State and local evaluations of the programs 
under this part.
    (b) Report.--The Secretary shall report to the Congress each year 
on the program assisted under this part.

SEC. 350. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 for fiscal year 
1993 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 
1994 through 1997 to carry out this part.

                  PART G--PARENTS AS TEACHERS PROGRAMS

SEC. 351. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds--
            (1) increased parental involvement in the education of 
        their children appears to be the key to long-term gains for 
        youngsters;
            (2) providing seed money is an appropriate role for the 
        Federal Government to play in education;
            (3) children participating in the parents as teachers pilot 
        program in Missouri are found to have increased cognitive or 
        intellectual skills, language ability, social skills and other 
        predictors of school success;
            (4) most early childhood programs begin at age 3 or 4 when 
        remediation may already be necessary; and
            (5) many children receive no health screening between birth 
        and the time they enter school, thus such children miss the 
        opportunity of having developmental delays detected early.

SEC. 352. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this part to encourage States to develop and 
expand parent and early childhood education programs in an effort to--
            (1) increase parents' knowledge of and confidence in child-
        rearing activities, such as teaching and nurturing their young 
        children;
            (2) strengthen partnerships between parents and schools; 
        and
            (3) enhance the developmental progress of participating 
        children.

SEC. 353. DEFINITIONS.

    For the purposes of this part--
            (1) the term ``developmental screening'' means the process 
        of measuring the progress of children to determine if there are 
        problems or potential problems or advanced abilities in the 
        areas of understanding and use of language, perception through 
        sight, perception through hearing, motor development and hand-
        eye coordination, health, and physical development;
            (2) the term ``eligible family'' means any parent with one 
        or more children between birth and 3 years of age;
            (3) the term ``lead agency'' means the office, agency, or 
        other entity in a State designated by the Governor to 
        administer the parents as teachers program authorized by this 
        part or the entity in a State operating a Parents As Teachers 
        Program on the date of enactment of this Act;
            (4) the term ``parent education'' includes parent support 
        activities, the provision of resource materials on child 
        development and parent-child learning activities, 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; and
            (5) the term ``parent educator'' means a person hired by 
        the lead agency of a State or designated by local entities who 
        administers group meetings, home visits and developmental 
        screening for eligible families, and is trained by the Parents 
        As Teachers National Center established under section 357.

SEC. 354. PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to make grants to 
States to pay the Federal share of the cost of establishing, expanding, 
or operating parents as teachers programs.
    (b) Priority.--In making grants to States, the Secretary shall 
establish a priority for applications describing parents as teachers 
programs that target parents and children at risk, including families 
on public assistance.
    (c) Special Rule.--Grant funds awarded under this section shall be 
used so as to supplement, and to the extent practicable, increase the 
level of funds that would, in the absence of such Federal funds made 
available under this section, be made available from non-Federal 
sources, and in no case may such funds be used so as to supplant funds 
from non-Federal sources.

SEC. 355. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) Requirements.--
            (1) In general.--Each State receiving a grant pursuant to 
        section 354 shall conduct a parents as teachers program which--
                    (A) establishes and operates parent education 
                programs including programs of developmental screening 
                of children; and
                    (B) designates a lead State agency which shall--
                            (i) hire parent educators who have had 
                        supervised experience in the care and education 
                        of children;
                            (ii) establish the number of group meetings 
                        and home visits required to be provided each 
                        year for each participating family, with a 
                        minimum of 2 group meetings and 10 home visits 
                        for each participating family;
                            (iii) be responsible for administering the 
                        periodic screening of participating children's 
                        educational, hearing and visual development, 
                        using the Denver Developmental Test, Zimmerman 
                        Preschool Language Scale, or other approved 
                        screening instruments; and
                            (iv) develop recruitment and retention 
                        programs for hard-to-reach populations.
            (2) Limitation.--Grant funds awarded under this part shall 
        only be used for parents as teachers programs which serve 
        families during the period of time beginning with birth and 
        ending when a child attains the age of 3.

SEC. 356. SPECIAL RULES.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of this section--
            (1) no person, including home school parents, public school 
        parents, or private school parents, shall be required to 
        participate in any program of parent education or developmental 
        screening pursuant to the provisions of this part;
            (2) no parents as teachers program assisted under this part 
        shall take any action that infringes in any manner on the right 
        of parents to direct the education of their children; and
            (3) the provisions of section 438(c) of the General 
        Education Provisions Act shall apply to eligible entities 
        awarded grants under this part.

SEC. 357. PARENTS AS TEACHERS NATIONAL CENTER.

    The Secretary shall establish a Parents As Teachers National Center 
to disseminate information to, and provide technical and training 
assistance to, States establishing and operating parents as teachers 
programs.

SEC. 358. EVALUATIONS.

    The Secretary shall complete an evaluation of the State parents as 
teachers programs assisted under this part within 4 years from the date 
of enactment of this Act, including an assessment of such programs' 
impact on at-risk children.

SEC. 359. APPLICATION.

    Each State desiring a grant pursuant to the provisions of this part 
shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such 
manner and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may 
reasonably require. Each such application shall describe the activities 
and services for which assistance is sought.

SEC. 360. PAYMENTS AND FEDERAL SHARE.

    (a) Payments.--The Secretary shall pay to each State having an 
application approved under section 359 the Federal share of the cost of 
the activities described in the application.
    (b) Federal Share.--
            (1) In general.--The Federal share--
                    (A) for the first year for which a State receives 
                assistance under this part shall be 100 percent;
                    (B) for the second such year shall be 100 percent;
                    (C) for the third such year shall be 75 percent;
                    (D) for the fourth such year shall be 50 percent; 
                and
                    (E) for the fifth such year shall be 25 percent.
            (2) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of payments 
        under this part may be in cash or in kind fairly evaluated, 
        including planned equipment or services.

SEC. 360A. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for fiscal year 
1993 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 
1994 through 1997 to carry out this part.

                       PART H--MEDIA INSTRUCTION

SEC. 361. MEDIA INSTRUCTION.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--The Assistant Secretary shall enter into a 
contract with an independent nonprofit organization described in 
subsection (b) for the establishment of a national multimedia 
television-based project directed to homes, schools and after-school 
programs that is designed to motivate and improve the reading 
comprehension and writing coherence of elementary school-age children.
    (b) Demonstrated Effectiveness.--The Assistant Secretary shall 
award the contract described in subsection (a) to an independent 
nonprofit organization that has demonstrated effectiveness in 
educational programming and development on a nationwide basis.
    (c) Authorization and Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1993 and such sums as may be 
necessary for fiscal year 1994 and fiscal year 1995 to carry out this 
section.

                       PART I--MIGRANT EDUCATION

SEC. 365. MIGRANT EDUCATION.

    The first sentence of subsection (c) of section 1202 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 2782(c)) is 
amended by inserting ``, except that notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, the definition of `currently migratory child' shall 
be modified to include a child who resides in a school district of more 
than 15,000 square miles and who migrates at least 20 miles to a 
temporary residence to enable the child, the child's parent, or a 
member of the child's immediate family to engage in fishing activity''.

           PART J--HISTORY AND PRINCIPLES OF THE CONSTITUTION

SEC. 371. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

    (a) General Authority.--
            (1) Establishment.--The Secretary shall carry out a program 
        to educate students about the history and principles of the 
        Constitution of the United States, including the Bill of 
        Rights, and to foster civic competence and civic 
        responsibility.
            (2) Educational activities.--The program required by 
        paragraph (1) shall continue and expand the educational 
        activities of the Chief Justice Warren E. Burger National 
        Historical Map Contest sponsored by the Commission on the 
        Bicentennial of the United States Constitution.
            (3) Contract.--The Secretary is authorized, through an open 
        competition process, to contract with an independent nonprofit 
        educational organization to carry out the program described in 
        this section. Such organization shall have demonstrated 
        experience and effectiveness in educating students about the 
        history and principles of the Constitution of the United 
        States.
    (b) Program Content.--The program authorized by this section shall 
provide--
            (1) curricular materials required for students at upper 
        elementary, middle, and secondary school levels to participate 
        in the contest described in paragraph (2) of subsection (a); 
        and
            (2) for the conduct of the contest described in paragraph 
        (2) of subsection (a) at upper elementary, middle, and 
        secondary school levels at the congressional district, State, 
        and national levels for schools wishing to participate in such 
        program.
    (c) Program Participants.--The program authorized by this section 
shall be made available to public and private elementary, middle, and 
secondary schools in the 435 congressional districts, the Commonwealth 
of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the 
District of Columbia.
    (d) Report.--The Secretary shall report on a biennial basis, to the 
appropriate committees of the Congress on the distribution and use of 
funds authorized pursuant to the authority of subsection (e).
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated $2,000,000 for the fiscal year 1993 and such sums as may 
be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1994 through 1997 and to 
carry out this section.

                   PART K--CLASSROOMS FOR THE FUTURE

SEC. 375. SHORT TITLE.

    This part may be cited as the ``Classrooms for the Future Act of 
1992''.

SEC. 376. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this part to establish a program to develop 
and expand the use of high quality curriculum-based learning resources 
using state-of-the-art technologies and techniques which are or can be 
designed to increase the achievement levels of students in subject 
areas including mathematics, science, geography, history and English.

SEC. 377. ACHIEVEMENT GRANTS.

    (a) Competitive Grants.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants, on a 
        competitive basis, to eligible consortia to enable such 
        eligible consortia to develop instructional programs and 
        technology-based systems for complete courses or units of study 
        for a specific subject and grade level, if such programs and 
        systems are commercially unavailable in the local area served 
        by such eligible consortia.
            (2) Eligible consortium.--For the purpose of this section 
        the term ``eligible consortium'' means a consortium consisting 
        of--
                    (A) State or local educational agencies in 
                partnership with businesses; and
                    (B) institutions of higher education or other 
                public or private nonprofit organizations.
    (b) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 
shall give priority to applications describing programs that are 
developed--
            (1) so that the program may be adapted and applied 
        nationally; and
            (2) to raise the achievement levels of students, 
        particularly disadvantaged students who are not realizing their 
        potential.
    (c) Duration and Amount.--Each grant made under this section shall 
be awarded for a period not to exceed 3 years and in an amount not to 
exceed $3,000,000.
    (d) Application.--
            (1) In general.--Each consortium desiring a grant under 
        this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at 
        such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information 
        as the Secretary may prescribe.
            (2) Contents.--Each application submitted pursuant to 
        paragraph (1) shall include--
                    (A) a description of how the program shall improve 
                the achievement levels of students; and
                    (B) an assurance that the program shall effectively 
                serve a large number or percentage of economically 
                disadvantaged students.
    (e) Criteria for Awarding Grants.--In awarding grants under this 
section to develop programs, the Secretary shall consider the 
appropriateness and quality of the following elements of the programs:
            (1) Identification of specific learning objectives and 
        strategies of the proposed course or unit of study.
            (2) Incorporation in creative ways of a variety of 
        technology-based learning resources such as computer software, 
        databases, films, transparencies, video and audio discs, 
        telecommunications (including educational radio and 
        television), and print materials.
            (3) Design that allows tailoring of the program to meet 
        individual needs of students, particularly students at greatest 
        risk of not reaching their educational potential.
            (4) Flexibility of use by teachers or local schools.
            (5) Methods for updating or revising information and 
        material.
            (6) Programs or materials to train and guide teachers.
            (7) Coordination with teacher training programs.
            (8) Explanatory materials for students and parents.
            (9) Field testing and evaluation in terms of stated 
        learning objectives.
            (10) Plans for pricing technology-based materials that are 
        affordable for public schools and agencies.
            (11) Plans for distribution that ensure access for the 
        poorest schools and school districts.
            (12) Demonstration of cost-effectiveness in relation to 
        existing programs and to achieving stated learning objectives.

SEC. 378. AUTHORIZATION OF FUNDS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 for the fiscal 
year 1993 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal 
years 1994 through 1997 to carry out this part.

                PART L--BUDDY SYSTEM COMPUTER EDUCATION

SEC. 381. SHORT TITLE.

    This part may be cited as the ``Buddy System Computer Education 
Act''.

SEC. 382. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this part to award demonstration grants to 
develop and expand public-private partnership programs which extend the 
learning experience, via computers, beyond the classroom environment in 
order to--
            (1) enhance learning by providing students with the 
        technological tools and guidance necessary to develop skills 
        critical to educational growth and success in the workplace, 
        including--
                    (A) mastery of fundamental computer technology and 
                applications;
                    (B) improved written and visual communication 
                skills;
                    (C) improved critical thinking and problem solving 
                abilities; and
                    (D) improved ability to work in a collaborative, 
                teamwork-driven environment;
            (2) encourage parental involvement in education and total 
        family use and understanding of computers and 
        telecommunications through at-home applications; and
            (3) establish foundations for life-long learning through 
        improvement in education skills and student motivation and 
        attitudes.

SEC. 383. GRANT AUTHORIZATION.

    (a) Grant Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct a program of 
        awarding a grant to each of 3 States to enable such States to 
        create a computer-based education project for children in 
        grades 4 through 6 in accordance with the requirements of 
        section 384.
            (2) Award basis.--The Secretary shall award grants under 
        this part on a competitive basis.
            (3) Preference.--In awarding grants under this part, the 
        Secretary shall give preference to applications--
                    (A) from States that have a demonstrated ability or 
                commitment to computer-based technology education; and
                    (B) describing projects that serve school districts 
                which serve a large number or percentage of 
                economically disadvantaged students.
    (b) Site Selection and Project Implementation.--Site selection and 
implementation of the computer-based education projects assisted under 
this part shall take place not later than 9 months after funds are 
appropriated to carry out this part pursuant to the authority of 
section 389.

SEC. 384. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.

    Each State receiving a grant to conduct a computer-based education 
project under this part shall--
            (1) provide a continuous 3-year computer-based education 
        project to 2 consecutive groups of 4th, 5th, and 6th grade 
        elementary school students during the period commencing with 
        each such group's entry into 4th grade and ending the summer 
        following each such group's completion of 6th grade;
            (2) ensure that each student in each of the classes 
        participating in the project shall participate in the project;
            (3) conduct such project in not more than 7 public 
        elementary schools within the State; and
            (4) ensure that each student participating in the project 
        shall have access to a computer--
                    (A) at school during the school year; and
                    (B) at home during the school year and summer.

SEC. 385. APPLICATIONS.

    (a) Application Required.--In order to receive a grant under this 
part, the chief State school officer of a State shall submit an 
application to the Secretary in such form and containing such 
information as the Secretary may reasonably require. Such application 
shall include an assurance from the State educational agency that the 
State educational agency has made every effort to match on a dollar-
for-dollar basis from private or public sources the funds received 
under this part, except that no such application shall be penalized or 
denied assistance under this part on the basis of the failure to 
provide such matching funds.
    (b) Application Period.--States shall be eligible to submit 
applications for assistance under this part during a 3-month period 
determined by the Secretary.

SEC. 386. USE OF FUNDS.

    Grant funds under this part shall be used to provide hardware and 
software components to all sites, and training for classroom teachers 
as well as parents, administrators and technical personnel.

SEC. 387. EVALUATION.

    The Secretary shall evaluate the demonstration program assisted 
under this part and shall report to the Congress regarding the overall 
effectiveness of such program.

SEC. 388. DEFINITIONS.

    For the purpose of this part, the term ``State'' means each of the 
50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the 
Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic 
of Palau.

SEC. 389. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for fiscal year 
1993, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 
1994 through 1997 to carry out this part.

                          PART M--COMPENSATION

SEC. 391. COMPENSATION.

    (a) Positions at Level IV.--Section 5315 of title 5, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ``Assistant Secretaries of Education (6)'' 
and inserting in lieu thereof ``Assistant Secretaries of Education 
(10)''.
    (b) Positions at Level V.--Section 5316 of title 5, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ``Additional Officers, Department of 
Education (4)''.
    (c) Applicability.--This section shall take effect on the first day 
of the first pay period that begins on or after the date of enactment 
of this Act.

                          PART N--STAR SCHOOLS

SEC. 395. 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''.

                         TITLE IV--DEFINITIONS

SEC. 401. DEFINITIONS.

    For the purpose of this Act--
            (1) the term ``elementary school'' has the same meaning 
        given to such term by section 1471(8) of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965;
            (2) the term ``field-initiated research'' means research in 
        which the topics and methods of study are generated by the 
        investigators, not by the source of the research funding;
            (3) the term ``institution of higher education'' has the 
        same meaning given to such term by section 1201(a) of the 
        Higher Education Act of 1965;
            (4) the term ``local educational agency'' has the same 
        meaning given to such term by section 1471(12) of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965;
            (5) the term ``secondary school'' has the same meaning 
        given to such term by section 1471(21) of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965;
            (6) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of 
        Education; and
            (7) the term ``State educational agency'' has the same 
        meaning given such term by section 1471(23) of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965.

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