[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 412 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 412

  To require an independent evaluation of distance education programs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 11, 2007

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To require an independent evaluation of distance education programs.

    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 ``Independent Study of Distance 
Education Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. INDEPENDENT EVALUATION OF DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

    (a) Independent Evaluation.--The Secretary of Education shall enter 
into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a 
scientifically correct, statistically valid evaluation of the quality 
of distance education programs, as compared to campus-based education 
programs, at institutions of higher education. Such evaluation shall 
include--
            (1) identification of the elements by which the quality of 
        distance education, as compared to campus-based education, can 
        be assessed, including elements such as subject matter, 
        interactivity, and student outcomes;
            (2) identification of distance and campus-based education 
        program success, with respect to student achievement, in 
        relation to the mission of the institution of higher education; 
        and
            (3) by assessing elements including access to higher 
        education, job placement rates, undergraduate graduation rates, 
        and graduate and professional degree attainment rates, 
        identification of the types of students (including 
        classification of types of students based on student age)--
                    (A) who most benefit from distance education 
                programs;
                    (B) who most benefit from campus-based education 
                programs; and
                    (C) who do not benefit from distance education 
                programs.
    (b) Scope.--The National Academy of Sciences shall select for 
participation in the evaluation under subsection (a) a diverse group of 
institutions of higher education with respect to size, mission, and 
geographic distribution.
    (c) Interim and Final Reports.--The agreement under subsection (a) 
shall require that the National Academy of Sciences submit to the 
Secretary of Education, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and 
Pensions of the Senate, and the Committee on Education and Labor of the 
House of Representatives--
            (1) an interim report regarding the evaluation under 
        subsection (a) not later than six months after the date of 
        enactment of this Act; and
            (2) a final report regarding such evaluation not later than 
        one year after the date of enactment of this Act.
                                 <all>