[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2965 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2965

  To amend title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
          1965 to provide for digital education partnerships.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 28, 1999

Mrs. Roukema (for herself, Mrs. Morella, and Mr. Gilman) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
                             the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
          1965 to provide for digital education partnerships.

    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 ``Digital Education Act of 1999''.

SEC. 2. REVISION OF PART C OF TITLE III.

    Part C of title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6921 et seq.) is amended to read as follows:

              ``PART C--READY-TO-LEARN DIGITAL TELEVISION

``SEC. 3301. FINDINGS.

    ``Congress makes the following findings:
            ``(1) In 1994, Congress and the Department collaborated to 
        make a long-term, meaningful and public investment in the 
        principle that high-quality preschool television programming 
        will help children be ready to learn by the time the children 
        entered first grade.
            ``(2) The Ready to Learn Television Program through the 
        Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and local public television 
        stations has proven to be an extremely cost-effective national 
        response to improving early childhood development and helping 
        parents, caregivers, and professional child care providers 
        learn how to use television as a means to help children learn, 
        develop, and play creatively.
            ``(3) Independent research shows that parents who 
        participate in Ready to Learn workshops are more critical 
        consumers of television and their children are more active 
        viewers. A University of Alabama study showed that parents who 
        had attended a Ready to Learn workshop read more books and 
        stories to their children and read more minutes each time than 
        nonattendees. The parents did more hands-on activities related 
        to reading with their children. The parents engaged in more 
        word activities and for more minutes each time. The parents 
        read less for entertainment and more for education. The parents 
        took their children to libraries and bookstores more than 
        nonattendees. For parents, participating in a Ready to Learn 
        workshop increases their awareness of and interest in 
        educational dimensions of television programming and is 
        instrumental in having their children gain exposure to more 
        educational programming. Moreover, 6 months after participating 
        in Ready to Learn workshops, parents who attended generally had 
        set rules for television viewing by their children. These rules 
        related to the amount of time the children were allowed to 
        watch television daily, the hours the children were allowed to 
        watch television, and the tasks or chores the children must 
        have accomplished before the children were allowed to watch 
        television.
            ``(4) The Ready to Learn (RTL) Television Program is 
        supporting and creating commercial-free broadcast programs for 
        young children that are of the highest possible educational 
        quality. Program funding has also been used to create hundreds 
        of valuable interstitial program elements that appear between 
        national and local public television programs to provide 
        developmentally appropriate messages to children and caregiving 
        advice to parents.
            ``(5) Through the Nation's 350 local public television 
        stations, these programs and programming elements reach tens of 
        millions of children, their parents, and caregivers without 
        regard to their economic circumstances, location, or access to 
        cable. In this way, public television is a partner with Federal 
        policy to make television an instrument, not an enemy, of 
        preschool children's education and early development.
            ``(6) The Ready to Learn Television Program extends beyond 
        the television screen. Funds from the Ready to Learn Television 
        Program have funded thousands of local workshops organized and 
        run by local public television stations, almost always in 
        association with local child care training agencies or early 
        childhood development professionals, to help child care 
        professionals and parents learn more about how to use 
        television effectively as a developmental tool. These workshops 
        have trained more than 320,000 parents and professionals who, 
        in turn, serve and support over 4,000,000 children across the 
        Nation.
            ``(7)(A) The Ready to Learn Television Program has 
        published and distributed millions of copies of a quarterly 
        magazine entitled `PBS Families' that contains--
                    ``(i) developmentally appropriate games and 
                activities based on Ready to Learn Television 
                programming;
                    ``(ii) parenting advice;
                    ``(iii) news about regional and national activities 
                related to early childhood development; and
                    ``(iv) information about upcoming Ready to Learn 
                Television activities and programs.
            ``(B) The magazine described in subparagraph (A) is 
        published 4 times a year and distributed free of charge by 
        local public television stations in English and in Spanish (PBS 
        para la familia).
            ``(8) Because reading and literacy are central to the ready 
        to learn principle Ready to Learn Television stations also have 
        received and distributed millions of free age-appropriate books 
        in their communities as part of the Ready to Learn 
Television Program. Each station receives a minimum of 200 books each 
month for free local distribution. Some stations are now distributing 
more than 1,000 books per month. Nationwide, more than 300,000 books 
are distributed each year in low-income and disadvantaged neighborhoods 
free of charge.
            ``(9) In 1998, the Public Broadcasting Service, in 
        association with local colleges and local public television 
        stations, as well as the Annenberg Corporation for Public 
        Broadcasting Project housed at the Corporation for Public 
        Broadcasting, began a pilot program to test the formal awarding 
        of a Certificate in Early Childhood Development through 
        distance learning. The pilot is based on the local distribution 
        of a 13-part video courseware series developed by Annenberg 
        Corporation for Public Broadcasting and WTVS Detroit entitled 
        `The Whole Child'. Louisiana Public Broadcasting, Kentucky 
        Educational Television, Maine Public Broadcasting, and WLJT 
        Martin, Tennessee, working with local and State regulatory 
        agencies in the childcare field, have participated in the pilot 
        program with a high level of success. The certificate program 
        is ready for nationwide application using the Public 
        Broadcasting Service's Adult Learning Service.
            ``(10) Demand for Ready To Learn Television Program 
        outreach and training has increased dramatically, with the base 
        of participating Public Broadcasting Service member stations 
        growing from a pilot of 10 stations to nearly 130 stations in 5 
        years.
            ``(11) Federal policy played a crucial role in the 
        evolution of analog television by funding the television 
        program entitled `Sesame Street' in the 1960's. Federal policy 
        should continue to play an equally crucial role for children in 
        the digital television age.

``SEC. 3302. READY-TO-LEARN.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to award grants to 
or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with eligible 
entities described in section 3303(b) to develop, produce, and 
distribute educational and instructional video programming for 
preschool and elementary school children and their parents in order to 
facilitate the achievement of the National Education Goals.
    ``(b) Availability.--In making such grants, contracts, or 
cooperative agreements, the Secretary shall ensure that eligible 
entities make programming widely available, with support materials as 
appropriate, to young children, their parents, childcare workers, and 
Head Start providers to increase the effective use of such programming.

``SEC. 3303. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING.

    ``(a) Awards.--The Secretary shall award grants, contracts, or 
cooperative agreements under section 3302 to eligible entities to--
            ``(1) facilitate the development directly, or through 
        contracts with producers of children and family educational 
        television programming, of--
                    ``(A) educational programming for preschool and 
                elementary school children; and
                    ``(B) accompanying support materials and services 
                that promote the effective use of such programming;
            ``(2) facilitate the development of programming and digital 
        content especially designed for nationwide distribution over 
        public television stations' digital broadcasting channels and 
        the Internet, containing Ready to Learn-based children's 
        programming and resources for parents and caregivers; and
            ``(3) enable eligible entities to contract with entities 
        (such as public telecommunications entities and those funded 
        under the Star Schools Act) so that programs developed under 
        this section are disseminated and distributed--
                    (A) to the widest possible audience appropriate to 
                be served by the programming; and
                    (B) by the most appropriate distribution 
                technologies.
    ``(b) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant, 
contract, or cooperative agreement under subsection (a), an entity 
shall be--
            ``(1) a public telecommunications entity that is able to 
        demonstrate a capacity for the development and national 
        distribution of educational and instructional television 
        programming of high quality for preschool and elementary school 
        children; and
            ``(2) able to demonstrate a capacity to contract with the 
        producers of children's television programming for the purpose 
        of developing educational television programming of high 
        quality for preschool and elementary school children.
    ``(c) Cultural Experiences.--Programming developed under this 
section shall reflect the recognition of diverse cultural experiences 
and the needs and experiences of both boys and girls in engaging and 
preparing young children for schooling.

``SEC. 3304. DUTIES OF SECRETARY.

    ``The Secretary is authorized--
            ``(1) to award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements 
        to eligible entities described in section 3303(b), local public 
        television stations, or such public television stations that 
        are part of a consortium with 1 or more State educational 
        agencies, local educational agencies, local schools, 
        institutions of higher education, or community-based 
        organizations of demonstrated effectiveness, for the purpose 
        of--
                    ``(A) addressing the learning needs of young 
                children in limited English proficient households, and 
                developing appropriate educational and instructional 
                television programming to foster the school readiness 
                of such children;
                    ``(B) developing programming and support materials 
                to increase family literacy skills among parents to 
                assist parents in teaching their children and utilizing 
                educational television programming to promote school 
                readiness; and
                    ``(C) identifying, supporting, and enhancing the 
                effective use and outreach of innovative programs that 
                promote school readiness; and
                    ``(D) developing and disseminating training 
                materials, including--
                            ``(i) interactive programs and programs 
                        adaptable to distance learning technologies 
                        that are designed to enhance knowledge of 
                        children's social and cognitive skill 
                        development and positive adult-child 
                        interactions; and
                            ``(ii) support materials to promote the 
                        effective use of materials developed under 
                        subparagraph (B) among parents, Head Start 
                        providers, in-home and center-based daycare 
                        providers, early childhood development 
                        personnel, elementary school teachers, public 
                        libraries, and after- school program personnel 
                        caring for preschool and elementary school 
                        children;
            ``(2) to establish within the Department a clearinghouse to 
        compile and provide information, referrals, and model program 
        materials and programming obtained or developed under this part 
        to parents, child care providers, and other appropriate 
        individuals or entities to assist such individuals and entities 
        in accessing programs and projects under this part; and
            ``(3) to coordinate activities assisted under this part 
        with the Secretary of Health and Human Services in order to--
                    ``(A) maximize the utilization of quality 
                educational programming by preschool and elementary 
                school children, and make such programming widely 
                available to federally funded programs serving such 
                populations; and
                    ``(B) provide information to recipients of funds 
                under Federal programs that have major training 
                components for early childhood development, including 
                programs under the Head Start Act and Even Start, and 
                State training activities funded under the Child Care 
                Development Block Grant Act of 1990, regarding the 
                availability and utilization of materials developed 
                under paragraph (1)(D) to enhance parent and child care 
                provider skills in early childhood development and 
                education.

``SEC. 3305. APPLICATIONS.

    ``Each entity desiring a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement 
under section 3302 or 3304 shall submit an application to the Secretary 
at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as 
the Secretary may reasonably require.

``SEC. 3306. REPORTS AND EVALUATION.

    ``(a) Annual Report to Secretary.--An eligible entity receiving 
funds under section 3302 shall prepare and submit to the Secretary an 
annual report which contains such information as the Secretary may 
require. At a minimum, the report shall describe the program activities 
undertaken with funds received under section 3302, including--
            ``(1) the programming that has been developed directly or 
        indirectly by the eligible entity, and the target population of 
        the programs developed;
            ``(2) the support materials that have been developed to 
        accompany the programming, and the method by which such 
        materials are distributed to consumers and users of the 
        programming;
            ``(3) the means by which programming developed under this 
        section has been distributed, including the distance learning 
        technologies that have been utilized to make programming 
        available and the geographic distribution achieved through such 
        technologies; and
            ``(4) the initiatives undertaken by the eligible entity to 
        develop public-private partnerships to secure non-Federal 
        support for the development, distribution and broadcast of 
        educational and instructional programming.
    ``(b) Report to Congress.--The Secretary shall prepare and submit 
to the relevant committees of Congress a biannual report which 
includes--
            ``(1) a summary of activities assisted under section 
        3303(a); and
            ``(2) a description of the training materials made 
        available under section 3304(1)(D), the manner in which 
        outreach has been conducted to inform parents and childcare 
        providers of the availability of such materials, and the manner 
        in which such materials have been distributed in accordance 
        with such section.

``SEC. 3307. ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.

    ``With respect to the implementation of section 3303, eligible 
entities receiving a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement from the 
Secretary may use not more than 5 percent of the amounts received under 
such section for the normal and customary expenses of administering the 
grant, contract, or cooperative agreement.

``SEC. 3308. DEFINITION.

    ``For the purposes of this part, the term `distance learning' means 
the transmission of educational or instructional programming to 
geographically dispersed individuals and groups via telecommunications.

``SEC. 3309. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this part, $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2000, and such sums as may 
be necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.
    ``(b) Funding Rule.--Not less than 60 percent of the amounts 
appropriated under subsection (a) for each fiscal year shall be used to 
carry out section 3303.''.

SEC. 3. REVISION OF PART D OF TITLE III.

     Part D of title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6951 et seq.) is amended to read as follows:

``PART D--THE NEW CENTURY PROGRAM FOR DISTRIBUTED TEACHER PROFESSIONAL 
                              DEVELOPMENT

``SEC. 3401. FINDINGS.

    ``Congress makes the following findings:
            ``(1) Since 1995, the Telecommunications Demonstration 
        Project for Mathematics (as established under this part 
        pursuant to the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994) (in 
        this section referred to as `MATHLINE') has allowed the Public 
        Broadcasting Service to pioneer and refine a new model of 
        teacher professional development for kindergarten through grade 
        12 teachers. MATHLINE uses video modeling of standards-based 
        lessons, combined with professionally facilitated online 
        learning communities of teachers, to help mathematics teachers 
        from elementary school through secondary school adopt and 
        implement standards-based practices in their classrooms. This 
        approach allows teachers to update their skills on their own 
        schedules through video, while providing online interaction 
        with peers and master teachers to reinforce that learning. This 
        integrated, self-paced approach breaks down the isolation of 
        classroom teaching while making standards-based best practices 
        available to all participants.
            ``(2) MATHLINE was developed specifically to disseminate 
        the first national voluntary standards for teaching and 
        learning as developed by the National Council of Teachers of 
        Mathematics (NCTM). During 3 years of actual deployment, more 
        than 5,800 teachers have participated for at least a full year 
        in the demonstration. These teachers, in turn, have taught more 
        than 1,500,000 students cumulatively.
            ``(3)(A) In the first 3 years of the MATHLINE project, the 
        Public Broadcasting Service used the largest portion of the 
        funds provided under this part--
                    ``(i) to produce video-based models of classroom 
                teaching;
                    ``(ii) to produce and disseminate extensive 
                accompanying print materials;
                    ``(iii) to organize and host professionally 
                moderated, year-long, online learning communities; and
                    ``(iv) to train the Public Broadcasting Service 
                stations to deploy MATHLINE in their local communities. 
                In fiscal year 1998, the Public Broadcasting Service 
                added an extensive Internet-based set of learning tools 
                for teachers' use with the video modules and printed 
                materials, and the Public Broadcasting Service expanded 
                the online resources available to teachers through 
                Internet-based discussion groups and a national 
                listserv.
            ``(B) To extend Federal funds, the Public Broadcasting 
        Service has experimented with various fee models for teacher 
        participation, with varying results. Using fiscal year 1998 
        Federal funds and private money, participation in MATHLINE will 
        increase by 10,000 MATHLINE scholarships to preservice and 
        inservice teachers. The Public Broadcasting Service and its 
        participating member stations will distribute scholarships in 
        each congressional district in the United States, with 
teachers serving disadvantaged populations given priority for the 
scholarships.
            ``(4) Independent evaluations indicate that teaching 
        improves and students benefit as a result of the MATHLINE 
        program.
            ``(5) The MATHLINE program is ready to be expanded to reach 
        many more teachers in more subject areas. The New Century 
        Program for Distributed Teacher Professional Development will 
        link the digitized public broadcasting infrastructure with 
        education networks by working with the program's digital 
        membership, and Federal and State agencies, to expand the 
        successful MATHLINE model. Tens of thousands of teachers will 
        have access to the New Century Program for Distributed Teacher 
        Professional Development, to advance their teaching skills and 
        their ability to integrate technology into teaching and 
        learning. The New Century Program for Distributed Teacher 
        Professional Development also will leverage the Public 
        Broadcasting Service's historic relationships with higher 
        education to improve preservice teacher training.

``SEC. 3402. PROJECT AUTHORIZED.

    ``The Secretary is authorized to make grants to a nonprofit 
telecommunications entity, or partnership of such entities, for the 
purpose of carrying out a national telecommunications-based program to 
improve teaching in core curriculum areas. The program authorized by 
this part shall be designed to assist elementary school and secondary 
school teachers in preparing all students for achieving State content 
standards.

``SEC. 3403. APPLICATION REQUIRED.

    ``(a) In General.--Each nonprofit telecommunications entity, or 
partnership of such entities, desiring a grant under this part shall 
submit an application to the Secretary. Each such application shall--
            ``(1) demonstrate that the applicant will use the public 
        broadcasting infrastructure and school digital networks, where 
        available, to deliver video and data in an integrated service 
        to train teachers in the use of standards-based curricula 
        materials and learning technologies;
            ``(2) assure that the project for which assistance is 
        sought will be conducted in cooperation with appropriate State 
        educational agencies, local educational agencies, national, 
        State or local nonprofit public telecommunications entities, 
        and national education professional associations that have 
        developed content standards in the subject areas;
            ``(3) assure that a significant portion of the benefits 
        available for elementary schools and secondary schools from the 
        project for which assistance is sought will be available to 
        schools of local educational agencies which have a high 
        percentage of children counted for the purpose of part A of 
        title I; and
            ``(4) contain such additional assurances as the Secretary 
        may reasonably require.
    ``(b) Approval of Applications; Number of Sites.--In approving 
applications under this section, the Secretary shall assure that the 
program authorized by this part is conducted at elementary school and 
secondary school sites in at least 15 States.

``SEC. 3404. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part, 
$20,000,000 for the fiscal year 2000, and such sums as may be necessary 
for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.''.

SEC. 4. ADDITION OF PART F TO TITLE III.

    Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 6801 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

           ``PART F--DIGITAL EDUCATION CONTENT COLLABORATIVE

``SEC. 3701. FINDINGS.

    ``Congress makes the following findings:
            ``(1) Over the past several years, both the Federal and 
        State governments have made significant investments in computer 
        technology and telecommunications in the Nation's schools. 
        Tremendous progress has been made in wiring classrooms, 
        equipping the classrooms with multimedia computers, and 
        connecting the classrooms to the Internet.
            ``(2) There is a great need for aggregating high quality, 
        curriculum-based digital content for teachers and students to 
        easily access and use in order to meet the State standards for 
        student performance.
            ``(3) Under Federal Communications Commission policy, 
        public television stations and State networks are mandated to 
        convert from analog broadcasting to digital broadcasting by 
        2003.
            ``(4) Most local public television stations and State 
        networks provide high quality video programs, and teacher 
        professional development, as a part of their mission to serve 
        local schools. Programs distributed by public broadcast 
        stations are used by more classroom teachers than any other 
        because of their high quality and relevance to the 
curriculum. However analog distribution has limited kindergarten 
through grade 12 services to a few hours per day of linear video 
broadcasts on a single channel.
            ``(5) The new capacity of digital broadcasting, can 
        dramatically increase and improve the types of services public 
        broadcasting stations can offer kindergarten through grade 12 
        schools.
            ``(6) Digital broadcasting can contribute to the 
        improvement of schools and student performance as follows:
                    ``(A) Broadcast of multiple video channels and data 
                information simultaneously.
                    ``(B) Data can be transmitted along with the video 
                content enabling students to interact, access 
                additional information, communicate with featured 
                experts, and contribute their own knowledge to the 
                subject.
                    ``(C) Both the video and data can be stored on 
                servers and made available on demand to teachers and 
                students.
            ``(7) Teachers depend on public television stations as a 
        primary source of high quality video material. The material has 
        not always been as accessible or adaptable to the curriculum as 
        teachers would prefer. Moreover, direct student interaction 
with the material was difficult.
            ``(8) Public television stations and State networks will 
        soon have the capability of creating and distributing 
        interactive digital content that can be directly matched to 
        State standards and available to teachers and students on 
        demand to fit their local curriculum.
            ``(9) Interactive digital education content will be an 
        important component of Federal support for States in setting 
        high standards and increasing student performance.

``SEC. 3702. DIGITAL EDUCATION CONTENT COLLABORATIVE.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to award grants to 
or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with eligible 
entities described in section 3703(b) to develop, produce, and 
distribute educational and instructional video programming that is 
designed for use by kindergarten through grade 12 schools and based on 
State standards.
    ``(b) Availability.--In making the grants, contracts, or 
cooperative agreements, the Secretary shall ensure that eligible 
entities enter into multiyear content development collaborative 
arrangements with State educational agencies, local educational 
agencies, institutions of higher education, businesses, or other 
agencies and organizations.

``SEC. 3703. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING.

    ``(a) Awards.--The Secretary shall award grants, contracts, or 
cooperative agreements under this part to eligible entities to--
            ``(1) facilitate the development of educational programming 
        that shall--
                    ``(A) include student assessment tools to give 
                feedback on student performance;
                    ``(B) include built-in teacher utilization and 
                support components to ensure that teachers understand 
                and can easily use the content of the programming with 
                group instruction or for individual student use;
                    ``(C) be created for, or adaptable to, State 
                content standards; and
                    ``(D) be capable of distribution through digital 
                broadcasting and school digital networks.
    ``(b) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant, 
contract, or cooperative agreement under subsection (a), an entity 
shall be a local public telecommunications entity as defined by section 
397(12) of the Communications Act of 1934 that is able to demonstrate a 
capacity for the development and distribution of educational and 
instructional television programming of high quality.
    ``(c) Competitive Basis.--Grants under this part shall be awarded 
on a competitive basis as determined by the Secretary.
    ``(d) Duration.--Each grant under this part shall be awarded for a 
period of 3 years in order to allow time for the creation of a 
substantial body of significant content.

``SEC. 3704. APPLICATIONS.

    ``Each eligible entity desiring a grant under 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.

``SEC. 3705. MATCHING REQUIREMENT.

    ``An eligible entity receiving a grant under this part shall 
contribute to the activities assisted under this part non-Federal 
matching funds equal to not less than 100 percent of the amount of the 
grant. Matching funds may include funds provided for the transition to 
digital broadcasting, as well as in-kind contributions.

``SEC. 3706. ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.

    ``With respect to the implementation of this part, entities 
receiving a grant under this part from the Secretary may use not more 
than 5 percent of the amounts received under the grant for the normal 
and customary expenses of administering the grant.

``SEC. 3707. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part, 
$25,000,000 for fiscal year 2000, and such sums as may be necessary for 
each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.''.
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