[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 839 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 839

     To improve teacher mastery and use of educational technology.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              June 5, 1997

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To improve teacher mastery and use of educational technology.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Technology for Teachers Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The Nation's Governors and Congress have endorsed a set 
        of National Education Goals which include the preparation of 
        teachers in the use of emerging technologies.
            (2) Research has shown that elementary and secondary school 
        students have expanded learning opportunities if various forms 
        of educational technology are made available to the students.
            (3) Employers have pointed out the need for graduates who 
        are familiar and comfortable with computers, networks, and 
        other forms of technology. Tens of thousands of high technology 
        jobs are unfilled and will remain vacant unless educational 
        technology is incorporated into classrooms.
            (4) Lack of computers in schools and lack of connectivity 
        to the information superhighway are no longer the principal 
        obstacles to the use of technology in classrooms. The obstacles 
        are being overcome, in part, with support provided by the 
        Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, the 
        Department of Commerce, and other Federal departments and 
        agencies, and through provisions in the Telecommunications Act 
        of 1996 (Public Law 104-104; 110 Stat. 56) that will provide 
        schools with affordable access to the Nation's information 
        infrastructure.
            (5) As access to computers and computer networks has become 
        more available, lack of adequate teacher training in the use of 
        education technology is becoming the single factor that most 
        limits the benefits of computer technology accruing to 
        students.
            (6) The ability of new and inservice teachers to use 
        technology in the classroom is strongly influenced by several 
        stakeholders, including schools of education that are approved 
        by a State to train new teachers, State educational agencies 
        that will license new teachers, school districts that hire 
        licensed teachers and provide for the teachers' ongoing 
        professional development, and the private sector that develops 
        and markets educational technology. Cooperation and 
        collaboration among the stakeholders will provide benefits to 
        teachers, students, and the community through the improved use 
        of educational technology in schools and classrooms.
            (7) Estimates show that 2,000,000 new teachers must enter 
        the teaching profession by 2007 to accommodate expanding 
        enrollment and to replace retiring teachers. The need to 
        prepare the new teachers for the 21st century classroom 
        represents a significant challenge to schools of education.
            (8) According to a 1997 study, only 10 percent of new 
        teachers reported that the teachers felt prepared to use 
        technology in their classrooms, reflecting inadequate training 
        in the use of classroom educational technology during their 
        undergraduate preparation.
            (9) There is no national standard for the capabilities of 
        teachers in the use of emerging technologies, though several 
        voluntary standards have been developed by the National Council 
        for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and are being 
        developed by the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support 
        Consortium (INTASC) and the National Board for Professional 
        Teaching Standards (NBPTS).
            (10) Licensure of new teachers is at the discretion of the 
        States and mastery of education technology is not a universal 
        performance standard in State requirements for the licensing of 
        new teachers. Eighteen States do not require applicants for a 
        teaching license to have any technology training. Thirty-two 
        other States require a course or some equivalent experience in 
        educational technology.
            (11) Training for teachers in the use of educational 
        technology is inadequate because it is only one of many 
        important areas in which teachers need ongoing professional 
        development. As a result of this competition for limited 
        professional development support, only 15 percent of the 
        Nation's teachers have had 9 hours or more of training in 1994 
        in how to use educational technology. Washington and Kentucky 
        have shown the most progress on this front, but only 28 percent 
        of their teachers had 9 hours of technology training in 1994. 
        Support for training in educational technology must be ensured 
        in the face of competition for limited professional development 
        resources.
            (12) Advances in educational hardware and software are 
        generally much more frequent than are revisions of professional 
        development courses for inservice teachers, making it difficult 
        for teachers to have access to the most recent educational 
        software and hardware. Private sector developers of educational 
        technology are most aware of the state-of-the-art at any 
        moment.
            (13) In light of proven value of educational technology and 
        the many stakeholders seeking to expand and improve the use of 
        educational technology, promoting partnerships among the 
        stakeholders is an appropriate Federal role.

SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

    (a) Purpose.--
            (1) In general.--It is the purpose of this title to enrich 
        the quality of elementary and secondary education by preparing 
        new and inservice teachers and enabling inservice teachers to 
        use the most modern technology as a tool in teaching and 
        learning, by--
                    (A) promoting the creation and growth of 
                partnerships among State educational agencies, schools 
                of education, local educational agencies, and the 
                education technology private sector, with the 
                partnerships being devoted to improving the ability of 
                new and inservice teachers to use educational 
                technology in the classroom;
                    (B) promoting greater non-Federal investment in 
                technology training for teachers;
                    (C) increasing the public sharing of information by 
                State educational agencies, schools of education, and 
                local educational agencies, on the use of educational 
                technology;
                    (D) encouraging and enabling schools of education 
                to develop and improve courses in the use of 
                educational technology as part of the curriculum 
                offered to students pursuing a teaching career;
                    (E) encouraging State educational agencies to 
                include proficiency in the classroom use of educational 
                technology among the requirements for teaching 
                licenses;
                    (F) stimulating and enabling development of new 
                mechanisms for professional development of teachers 
                seeking to increase their ability to use technology and 
                to integrate technology into the classroom; and
                    (G) stimulating the creation and development of 
                more rapid-response training opportunities that will 
                give teachers access to the most recent educational 
                software and hardware.
            (2) Special rule.--It is not the purpose of this Act to 
        provide Federal support to private sector firms wishing to use 
        teacher training as a way to represent or sell particular 
        educational technology products or services to teachers, 
        schools, or school districts.

SEC. 4. STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES.

    This Act is based on the following principles:
            (1) All elementary schools and secondary schools in the 
        States, and all elementary schools and secondary schools 
        administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Department 
        of Defense, should have equal access to teachers who are 
        prepared to use the most modern technology to improve teaching 
        and learning.
            (2) Two forces should have the potential to motivate 
        schools of education and professional development programs to 
        improve their training and development of teachers to use 
        technology for education. The forces are--
                    (A) competition for resources; and
                    (B) pressure from stakeholders at the State and 
                local levels.
            (3) An appropriate Federal role with respect to educational 
        technology is to--
                    (A) set performance standards;
                    (B) provide the greatest resources to those meeting 
                the standards;
                    (C) enable the poorest performers to begin the 
                process of attaining the standards;
                    (D) set accountability standards; and
                    (E) motivate all performers to be accountable to 
                their constituent stakeholders.

SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Educational technology.--The term ``educational 
        technology'' means computers, computer software, computer 
        networks, digital storage media such as CD-ROM, interactive 
        video, and other advanced technologies designed or used to 
        improve classroom teaching and learning.
            (2) Elementary school; secondary school; local educational 
        agency; state educational agency.--The terms ``elementary 
        school'', ``secondary school'', ``local educational agency'', 
        and ``State educational agency'' have the meanings given the 
        terms in section 14101 of the Elementary and Secondary 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8801).
            (3) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 1201 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1141).
            (4) Licensed teacher.--The term ``licensed teacher'' means 
        an individual who possesses a document certifying that the 
        individual has met the requirements of a State for employment 
        as a public school teacher in the State.
            (5) School of education.--The term ``school of education'' 
        means a school, department, or other division within an 
        institution of higher education that trains individuals to 
        serve as licensed teachers.
            (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
            (7) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several 
        States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the 
        Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United 
        States Virgin Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, 
        the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.
            (8) Teacher.--The term ``teacher'' means an elementary 
        school or secondary school teacher.

       TITLE I--EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY TRAINING FOR NEW TEACHERS

SEC. 101. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND EVALUATION.

    From the amount available to carry out this title for a fiscal 
year, the Secretary shall reserve 5 percent to enable the Secretary--
            (1) to provide assistance to entities that receive 
        assistance under subpart 3 of part A of title III of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6861) 
        to enable the entities to provide technical assistance to 
        applicants for and recipients of assistance under this Act; and
            (2) to carry out evaluations and studies necessary to 
        monitor and assess the impacts of the assistance provided under 
        this Act.

SEC. 102. STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCY GRANTS.

    (a) Reservation.--From the amount available to carry out this title 
for each fiscal year and not reserved under section 101, the Secretary 
shall reserve not less than 2 percent of the amount to award grants to 
the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Department of Defense on the basis 
of their relative need to improve teacher mastery and use of 
educational technology at the elementary schools or secondary schools 
administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Department of 
Defense, respectively. Applications for the grants shall be subject to 
review criteria that are based on the review criteria described in 
section 104(b).
    (b) Grants.--
            (1) In general.--From the amount available to carry out 
        this title and not reserved under section 101 or subsection (a) 
        for a fiscal year, the Secretary may award planning or 
        implementation grants under this section to State educational 
        agencies to improve teacher mastery and use of educational 
        technology.
            (2) Award basis.--The Secretary shall award grants under 
        this section on a competitive basis and pursuant to an 
        application review process that involves the use of experts and 
        takes into consideration the criteria described in section 
        104(b).
    (c) Amount.--
            (1) Determination of state base amount.--The Secretary 
        shall determine the State base amount for each State for each 
        fiscal year. The State base amount for a State for a fiscal 
        year is an amount that bears the same relation to the sum of--
                    (A) 50 percent of the amount appropriated under the 
                authority of section 109 for the fiscal year as the 
                number of individuals in the State for the fiscal year 
                who are age 5 through 17, as determined by the 
                Secretary on the basis of the most recent satisfactory 
                data, bears to the number of all such individuals in 
                all States; and
                    (B) 50 percent of the amount appropriated under the 
                authority of section 109 for the fiscal year as the 
                amount all local educational agencies in the State 
                received under part A of title I of the Elementary and 
                Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311 et 
                seq.) for the preceding fiscal year bears to the amount 
                all local educational agencies in all States received 
                under such part for the preceding fiscal year.
            (2) Maximum amounts.--
                    (A) Planning grants.--The Secretary may award a 
                State educational agency a planning grant for a fiscal 
                year in an amount that does not exceed 10 percent of 
                the applicable State base amount for the fiscal year.
                    (B) Implementation grants.--The Secretary may award 
                a State educational agency an implementation grant for 
                a fiscal year in an amount that does not exceed twice 
                the applicable State base amount for the fiscal year.
    (d) Duration and Renewal.--
            (1) Planning grants.--The Secretary shall award planning 
        grants under this section for a period of 1 fiscal year. The 
        grants may be renewed for periods of 1 fiscal year upon 
        reapplication under section 104.
            (2) Implementation grants.--The Secretary shall award 
        implementation grants under this section for a period of not 
        less than 3 fiscal years and not more than 5 fiscal years. The 
        grants may be renewed for periods of not less than 3 fiscal 
        years and not more than 5 fiscal years upon reapplication under 
        section 104.
    (e) Special Rules.--
            (1) 1 grant requirement.--The Secretary shall award each 
        State educational agency not more than 1 grant under this 
        section for a fiscal year.
            (2) Planning.--Each State educational agency submitting an 
        application for an implementation grant for a fiscal year that 
        is denied funding shall receive a planning grant from the 
        Secretary for the fiscal year after submitting an application 
        for the planning grant that the Secretary approves.
    (f) Matching Funds.--
            (1) In general.--In order to receive a grant under this 
        section a State educational agency shall include in the 
        application submitted under section 104 an assurance that, with 
        respect to the costs to be incurred by the State educational 
        agency in carrying out the activities for which the grant is 
        awarded, the State educational agency will provide matching 
        funds from non-Federal sources in an amount equal to the amount 
        received under the grant.
            (2) Non-federal funds.--Non-Federal funds provided pursuant 
        to paragraph (1) may be in cash or in kind, including plant, 
        equipment or services.
    (g) Direct Grants to Schools for Education.--
            (1) In general.--If a State educational agency does not 
        receive a grant under this title for a fiscal year then the 
        Secretary may award grants to schools of education in the 
        State.
            (2) Maximum amount.--The total amount of all grants awarded 
        to schools of education within a State under paragraph (1) for 
        a fiscal year shall not exceed the State base amount determined 
        under subsection (c) for the State for the fiscal year.
            (3) Application.--Each school of education desiring a grant 
        under paragraph (1) shall submit an application to the 
        Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such 
        information as the Secretary may require.

SEC. 103. STATE USE OF FUNDS.

    Each State educational agency receiving a grant under this title 
for a fiscal year--
            (1) may use not more than 10 percent of the grant funds for 
        State activities that the State educational agency determines 
        carry out the purposes of this title; and
            (2) shall use not less than 90 percent of the grant funds 
        to award grants to schools of education pursuant to section 
        105.

SEC. 104. STATE APPLICATIONS; REVIEW CRITERIA.

    (a) State Applications.--Each State educational agency desiring a 
grant under this title shall submit an application to the Secretary at 
such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information, as the 
Secretary may require.
    (b) Review Criteria.--The Secretary, with the assistance of experts 
representing education organizations, shall review applications from 
State educational agencies for grants under this title on the basis of 
the following criteria:
            (1) Availability of educational technology information.--
        The degree to which a State educational agency has made, or 
        plans to make, the public aware of the extent to which 
        educational technology is used in elementary schools and 
        secondary schools in the State. Factors relevant to the extent 
        may include--
                    (A) the amount of training and teaching experience 
                in the classroom use of educational technology that is 
                required to become a licensed teacher in the State;
                    (B) the amount of training and teaching experience 
                in the classroom use of educational technology that 
                newly licensed teachers in the State have received;
                    (C) the yearly investment by the State educational 
                agency in educational technology for the classroom;
                    (D) the percentage of elementary schools and 
                secondary schools in the State that are connected to 
                the Internet; and
                    (E) the percentage of elementary school and 
                secondary school classrooms in the State that are 
                connected to the Internet.
            (2) Plans for improving the use of educational 
        technology.--The degree to which a State educational agency--
                    (A) has established or plans to establish high 
                standards for experience in the use of educational 
                technology for teacher licensure;
                    (B) has promoted or plans to promote the 
                preparation of new teachers in the use of educational 
                technology; and
                    (C) has demonstrated or plans to demonstrate 
                leadership in promoting the use of educational 
                technology to improve classroom instruction.

SEC. 105. GRANTS TO SCHOOLS OF EDUCATION.

    (a) In General.--Each State educational agency receiving a grant 
under this title shall use the grant funds described in section 103(2) 
to award grants to schools of education to improve teacher mastery and 
use of educational technology.
    (b) Award Basis.--A State educational agency shall award grants 
under this title on a competitive basis and pursuant to an application 
review process that involves the use of experts and takes into 
consideration the criteria described in section 106(b).
    (c) Amount and Duration.--A State educational agency shall 
determine the amount and duration of each grant awarded under this 
section.
    (d) Matching Funds.--
            (1) In general.--In order to receive a grant under this 
        section a school of education shall include in the application 
        submitted under section 106 an assurance that, with respect to 
        the costs to be incurred by the school of education in carrying 
        out the activities for which the grant is awarded, the school 
        of education will provide matching funds from non-Federal 
        sources in an amount equal to one-half of the amount received 
        under the grant.
            (2) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal funds provided 
        pursuant to paragraph (1) may be in cash or in kind, fairly 
        evaluated, including plant, equipment or services.

SEC. 106. LOCAL APPLICATIONS; REVIEW CRITERIA.

    (a) Local Applications.--Each school of education desiring a grant 
from a State educational agency under this title shall submit an 
application to the State educational agency at such time, in such 
manner, and accompanied by such information, as the State educational 
agency may require.
    (b) Criteria.--The State educational agency, with the assistance of 
experts representing education organizations, shall review applications 
for grants under this title on the basis of the following criteria:
            (1) Public accountability.--The degree to which a school of 
        education has made, or plans to make, the public aware of the 
        amount and quality of instruction in the use of educational 
        technology being provided in the teacher preparation program of 
        the school of education. Factors relevant to the amount and 
        quality may include--
                    (A) the number of courses offered in the use of 
                education technology;
                    (B) the number and types of courses in the use of 
                educational technology that are required for graduation 
                from the school of education;
                    (C) the amount and type of teaching experience in 
                the classroom use of technology that is required for 
                graduation from the school of education; and
                    (D) the average number of courses in the use of 
                educational technology taken by graduates of the school 
                of education in each of the 3 years preceding the year 
                for which the determination is made.
            (2) Plans for improving the preparation of new teachers in 
        the use of educational technology.--The degree to which a 
        school of education has incorporated or plans to incorporate 
        into the undergraduate preparation of teachers the following:
                    (A) Expanded instruction in the use of educational 
                technology.
                    (B) Partnerships with local educational agencies to 
                improve teacher preparation in the use of educational 
                technology.
                    (C) Partnerships with private sector entities to 
                improve teacher preparation in the use of educational 
                technology.
                    (D) Special efforts to engage underrepresented 
                groups in the use of educational technology.

SEC. 107. MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT; SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.

    (a) Maintenance of Effort.--A State educational agency and a school 
of education, in utilizing the grant funds received under this title, 
shall maintain the expenditures of the State educational agency and 
school of education, respectively, for improving teacher mastery and 
use of educational technology at a level equal to not less than the 
level of expenditures maintained by the State educational agency and 
school of education, respectively, for the fiscal year preceding the 
fiscal year for which the grant is received.
    (b) Supplement Not Supplant.--Funds appropriated under the 
authority of section 109 shall be used to supplement and not supplant 
other Federal, State, and local public funds expended to improve 
teacher mastery and use of educational technology.

SEC. 108. ADMINISTRATION.

    The Secretary shall carry out the program authorized by this title 
through the Office of Educational Technology in the Office of the 
Deputy Secretary of the Department of Education.

SEC. 109. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title 
$40,000,000 for fiscal year 1998, and such sums as may be necessary for 
fiscal year 1999.

    TITLE II--EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY TRAINING FOR INSERVICE TEACHERS

SEC. 201. STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCY GRANTS.

    (a) Reservation.--From the amount available to carry out this title 
for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve not less than 2 percent 
of the amount to award grants to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the 
Department of Defense on the basis of their relative need to expand and 
improve the use of technology by inservice teachers at the elementary 
schools or secondary schools administered by the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs and the Department of Defense, respectively. Applications for 
the grants shall be subject to review criteria that are based on the 
review criteria described in section 203(b).
    (b) Grants.--
            (1) In general.--From the amount available to carry out 
        this title and not reserved under subsection (a) for a fiscal 
        year, the Secretary may award planning or implementation grants 
        under this section to State educational agencies to expand and 
        improve the use of technology by inservice teachers.
            (2) Award basis.--The Secretary shall award grants under 
        paragraph (1) on a competitive basis and pursuant to an 
        application review process that involves the use of experts and 
        takes into consideration the criteria described in section 
        203(b).
    (c) Maximum Amounts.--
            (1) Planning grants.--The Secretary may award a State 
        educational agency a planning grant under subsection (a)(1) for 
        a fiscal year in an amount that does not exceed 10 percent of 
        the applicable State base amount for the fiscal year.
            (2) Implementation grants.--The Secretary may award a State 
        educational agency an implementation grant under subsection 
        (a)(1) for a fiscal year in an amount that does not exceed 
        twice the applicable State base amount for the fiscal year.
            (3) State base amount.--For purposes of this subsection, 
        the State base amount for a State for a fiscal year shall be 
        determined in the same manner as the amount is determined under 
section 102(c)(1), except that subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 
102(c)(1) shall be applied by striking ``section 109'' each place it 
appears and inserting ``section 208''.
    (d) Duration and Renewal.--
            (1) Planning grants.--The Secretary shall award planning 
        grants under this section for a period of 1 fiscal year. The 
        grants may be renewed for periods of 1 fiscal year upon 
        reapplication under section 203.
            (2) Implementation grants.--The Secretary shall award 
        implementation grants under this section for a period of not 
        less than 3 fiscal years and not more than 5 fiscal years. The 
        grants may be renewed for periods of not less than 3 fiscal 
        years and not more than 5 fiscal years upon reapplication under 
        section 203.
    (e) Special Rules.--
            (1) 1 grant requirement.--The Secretary shall award each 
        State educational agency not more than 1 grant under this 
        section for a fiscal year.
            (2) Planning.--Each State educational agency submitting an 
        application for an implementation grant for a fiscal year that 
        is denied funding shall receive a planning grant from the 
        Secretary for the fiscal year after submitting an application 
        for the planning grant that the Secretary approves.
    (f) Matching Funds.--
            (1) In general.--In order to receive a grant under this 
        section a State educational agency shall include in the 
        application submitted under section 203 an assurance that, with 
        respect to the costs to be incurred by the State educational 
        agency in carrying out the activities for which the grant is 
        awarded, the State educational agency will provide matching 
        funds from non-Federal sources in an amount equal to the amount 
        received under the grant.
            (2) Non-federal funds.--Non-Federal funds provided pursuant 
        to paragraph (1) may be in cash or in kind, including plant, 
        equipment or services.
    (g) Direct Grants to Local Educational Agencies.--
            (1) In general.--If a State educational agency does not 
        receive a grant under this title for a fiscal year then the 
        Secretary may award grants to local educational agencies in the 
        State.
            (2) Maximum amount.--The total amount of all grants awarded 
        to local educational agencies within a State under paragraph 
        (1) shall not exceed the State base amount determined under 
        subsection (c)(3) for the State for the fiscal year.
            (3) Application.--Each local educational agency desiring a 
        grant under paragraph (1) shall submit an application to the 
        Secretary at such time, in such manner and accompanied by such 
        information as the Secretary may require.

SEC. 202. STATE USE OF FUNDS.

    Each State educational agency receiving a grant under this title 
for a fiscal year--
            (1) may use not more than 10 percent of the grant funds for 
        State activities that the State educational agency determines 
        carry out the purposes of this title; and
            (2) shall use at least 90 percent of the grant funds to 
        award grants to local educational agencies pursuant to section 
        204.

SEC. 203. STATE APPLICATIONS; REVIEW CRITERIA.

    (a) State Applications.--Each State educational agency desiring a 
grant under this title shall submit an application to the Secretary at 
such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information, as the 
Secretary may require.
    (b) Review Criteria.--The Secretary, with the assistance of experts 
representing education organizations, shall review applications from 
State educational agencies for grants under this title on the basis of 
the following criteria:
            (1) Availability of educational technology information.--
        The degree to which a State educational agency has made, or 
        plans to make, the public aware of the extent to which 
        educational technology is used in elementary schools or 
        secondary schools in the State. Factors relevant to the extent 
        may include--
                    (A) investments made by the State educational 
                agency in the professional development of teachers in 
                the State for improving their mastery and use of 
                educational technology in each of the 3 years preceding 
                the year for which the determination is made;
                    (B) State standards for advancement or 
                recertification of teachers that involve educational 
                technology;
                    (C) the percentage of teachers in the State 
                receiving a significant professional development 
                experience in the use of education technology in each 
                of the 3 years preceding the year for which the 
                determination is made;
                    (D) the percentage of elementary schools and 
                secondary schools in the State that are connected to 
                the Internet; and
                    (E) the percentage of elementary school and 
                secondary school classrooms in the State that are 
                connected to the Internet.
            (2) Plans for improving the use of educational 
        technology.--The degree to which a State educational agency--
                    (A) has established or plans to establish high 
                standards for inservice professional development of 
                teachers in the use of educational technology;
                    (B) has provided or plans to provide support for 
                inservice professional development of teachers in the 
                use of educational technology; and
                    (C) has demonstrated or plans to demonstrate 
                leadership in promoting the use of educational 
                technology to improve classroom instruction.

SEC. 204. GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES.

    (a) In General.--Each State educational agency receiving a grant 
under this title shall use the grant funds described in section 202(2) 
to award grants to local educational agencies in the State to expand 
and improve the use of technology by inservice teachers.
    (b) Award Basis.--A State educational agency shall award grants 
under this title on a competitive basis and pursuant to an application 
review process that involves the use of experts and takes into 
consideration the criteria described in section 205(b).
    (c) Amount and Duration.--A State educational agency shall 
determine the amount and duration of each grant awarded under this 
section.
    (d) Matching Funds.--
            (1) In general.--In order to receive a grant under this 
        section a local educational agency shall include in the 
        application submitted under section 205 an assurance that, with 
        respect to the costs to be incurred by the local educational 
        agency in carrying out the activities for which the grant is 
        awarded, the local educational agency will provide matching 
        funds from non-Federal sources in an amount equal to one-half 
        of the amount received under the grant.
            (2) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal funds provided 
        pursuant to paragraph (1) may be in cash or in kind, fairly 
        evaluated, including plant, equipment or services.

SEC. 205. LOCAL APPLICATIONS; REVIEW CRITERIA.

    (a) Local Applications.--Each local educational agency desiring a 
grant from a State educational agency under this title shall submit an 
application to the State educational agency at such time, in such 
manner, and accompanied by such information, as the State educational 
agency may require.
    (b) Criteria.--The State educational agency, with the assistance of 
experts representing education organizations, shall review applications 
for grants under this title on the basis of the following criteria:
            (1) Availability of educational technology information.--
        The degree to which the local educational agency has made, or 
        plans to make, the public aware of the use of modern technology 
        in classrooms, and the amount and quality of professional 
        development provided to teachers in the use of educational 
        technology. Factors relevant to the use, amount, and quality 
        may include--
                    (A) investments made by the local educational 
                agency in the professional development of teachers for 
                improving their mastery and use of educational 
                technology in each of the 3 years preceding the year 
                for which the determination is made;
                    (B) local standards for advancement or 
                recertification of teachers that involve educational 
                technology;
                    (C) the percentage of teachers in the local 
                educational agency receiving a significant professional 
                development experience in the use of education 
                technology in each of the 3 years preceding the year 
                for which the determination is made;
                    (D) the percentage of elementary schools and 
                secondary schools served by the local educational 
                agency that are connected to the Internet; and
                    (E) the percentage of elementary school and 
                secondary school classrooms served by the local 
                educational agency that are connected to the Internet.
            (2) Plans for improving the preparation of new teachers in 
        the use of educational technology.--The degree to which a local 
        educational agency has developed or plans to develop the 
        following:
                    (A) Higher standards for regular professional 
                development of teachers in the use of educational 
                technology.
                    (B) Expanded opportunities for regular professional 
                development experiences for teachers in the use of 
                educational technology.
                    (C) Effective partnerships among the local 
                educational agency, the schools served by the local 
                educational agency, and other organizations committed 
                to improving professional development for teachers in 
                the use of educational technology.
                    (D) An appropriate commitment to and investment in 
                the professional development of teachers in the use of 
                educational technology.
                    (E) Special efforts to provide minority teachers 
                and teachers in schools with high minority student 
                enrollments with access to professional development 
                opportunities in educational technology.
                    (F) Innovative approaches by partnerships described 
                in subparagraph (C) to provide professional development 
                experiences for teachers in the use of educational 
                technology that address--
                            (i) the need for resident technical 
                        expertise in every elementary school and 
                        secondary school served by the local 
                        educational agency;
                            (ii) the need for professional development 
                        opportunities for all teachers in an elementary 
                        school or secondary school served by the local 
                        educational agency;
                            (iii) the need for ongoing technical 
                        support for all teachers in an elementary 
                        school or secondary school served by the local 
                        educational agency;
                            (iv) the need for rapid responses that 
                        provide timely professional development 
                        opportunities following major technological 
                        developments affecting education; and
                            (v) the need for stable sources of adequate 
                        support for professional development.

SEC. 206. MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT; SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.

    (a) Maintenance of Effort.--A State educational agency and a local 
educational agency, in utilizing the grant funds received under this 
title, shall maintain the expenditures of the State educational agency 
and local educational agency, respectively, for expanding and improving 
the use of technology by inservice teachers at a level equal to not 
less than the level of expenditures maintained by the State educational 
agency and local educational agency, respectively, for the fiscal year 
preceding the fiscal year for which the grant is received.
    (b) Supplement Not Supplant.--Funds appropriated under the 
authority of section 208 shall be used to supplement and not supplant 
other Federal, State, and local public funds expended to expand and 
improve the use of technology by inservice teachers.

SEC. 207. ADMINISTRATION; PARTICIPATION OF PRIVATE SCHOOL TEACHERS.

    (a) Administration.--The Secretary shall carry out the program 
authorized by this title through the Office of Educational Technology 
in the Office of the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Education.
    (b) Participation of Private School Teachers.--Private school 
teachers seeking to participate in activities under this Act shall be 
eligible for such participation in the same manner and to the same 
extent as private school teachers are eligible to participate in 
activities under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 6301 et seq.).

SEC. 208. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title 
$40,000,000 for fiscal year 1998, and such sums as may be necessary for 
fiscal year 1999.
                                 <all>