[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1996 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1996

To reauthorize the Enhancing Education Through Technology Act of 2001, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 3, 2007

 Mr. Bingaman (for himself, Mr. Burr, and Mrs. Murray) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To reauthorize the Enhancing Education Through Technology Act of 2001, 
                        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. ACHIEVEMENT THROUGH TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION.

    Part D of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6751 et seq.) is amended to read as follows:

        ``PART D--ACHIEVEMENT THROUGH TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

``SEC. 2401. SHORT TITLE.

    ``This part may be cited as the `Achievement Through Technology and 
Innovation Act of 2007' or the `ATTAIN Act'.

``SEC. 2402. FINDINGS, PURPOSES, AND GOALS.

    ``(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            ``(1) Learning technologies in our schools are critical to 
        meet the goals of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 of 
        raising student achievement, closing the achievement gap, and 
        ensuring high-quality teaching, and to ensure that our Nation's 
        students are prepared to compete in the 21st century knowledge-
        based global economy.
            ``(2) Increased professional development opportunities are 
        needed if teachers are to be highly qualified and effective in 
        a 21st century classroom with today's digital native students, 
        including in the use of learning technologies to deliver 
        innovative instruction and curriculum and to use data to inform 
        instruction.
            ``(3) Scientifically based research, conducted with Federal 
        funding, demonstrates that systemic redesign initiatives 
        centered around technology have shown great promise in 
        improving teaching and learning, including the following:
                    ``(A) In Utah, Missouri, and Maine, the eMINTS 
                program provides schools and teachers with educational 
                technology tools, curriculum, and more than 200 hours 
                of professional development to change how teachers 
                teach and students learn. In classrooms in the same 
                school (1 with eMINTS and 1 without), the student 
                achievement of students in the eMINTS classroom was 
                repeatedly over 10 percent higher than the control 
                classroom.
                    ``(B) In West Virginia, students receiving access 
                to online foreign language courses performed at least 
                as well as those in face-to-face versions of the 
                classes, providing comparable high-quality instruction 
                for those in rural areas who otherwise would not have 
                access to such courses.
                    ``(C) In Michigan's Freedom to Learn technology 
                program, 8th grade mathematics achievement increased 
                from 31 percent in 2004 to 63 percent in 2005 in 1 
                middle school, and science achievement increased from 
                68 percent of students proficient in 2003 to 80 percent 
                2004.
                    ``(D) In Texas, the Technology Immersion Pilot 
                (TIP), implemented in middle schools, demonstrated that 
                discipline referrals went down by more than \1/2\ with 
                the changes in teaching and learning; while in 1 
                school, the percentage of 6th graders who passed the 
                reading portion of the 2006 test was up 17 points from 
                2004, and the percentage of 7th graders who passed the 
                mathematics portion rose 13 points. The students have 
                become more responsible for their learning, more 
                engaged in the classroom, and much more knowledgeable 
                about the role of technology in problem solving and 
                learning.
                    ``(E) In Iowa, after connecting teachers with 
                sustainable professional development and technology-
                based curriculum interventions, student scores 
                increased by 14 points in 8th grade mathematics, 16 
                points in 4th grade mathematics, and 13 points in 4th 
                grade reading compared with control groups.
            ``(4) Technology and e-learning in our schools are 
        necessary to meet our science, technology, engineering, and 
        mathematics (STEM) education needs and provide students with 
        21st century skills, including technology literacy, information 
        literacy, communication, problem solving, and the ability for 
        self-directed lifelong learning.
            ``(5) A 2003 Department of Commerce report credits United 
        States industry's investments in information technology between 
        1989-2001 with `producing positive and probably lasting changes 
        in the nation's economic potential', but finds United States 
        education last in intensity of information technology of 55 
        industry sectors.
            ``(6) Many of our Nation's schools lack the resources 
        necessary for the 21st century classroom and to meet the needs 
        and expectations of today's digital native students, including 
        software, digital content, broadband, and other technologies.
            ``(7) According to the Department of Education's National 
        Educational Technology Trends Study (NETTS 2007), insufficient 
        or outdated technology presented a substantial barrier to 
        technology use for teaching and learning for more than 40 
        percent of students, while lack of support specialists was a 
        barrier to technology use for more than 50 percent of students.
            ``(8) Federal leadership and investment is needed to serve 
        as a catalyst for State and local education initiatives aimed 
        at school innovation and improved student achievement through 
        leveraging educational technologies. According to the 
        Department of Education's National Educational Technology 
        Trends Study (NETTS 2007), `Because funds generated locally 
        through bonds or taxes frequently have legal restrictions 
        requiring them to be spent on hardware and connectivity 
        purchases only, Federal and State funds supporting the use of 
        technology resources fill a critical gap.'.
    ``(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this part are the following:
            ``(1) To ensure that through technology every student has 
        access to individualized, rigorous, and relevant learning to 
        meet the goals of this Act, and to prepare all students and the 
        United States for the 21st century.
            ``(2) To evaluate, build upon, and increase the use of 
        evidence-based and innovative systemic school redesigns that 
        center on the use of technology that lead to school improvement 
        and increased student achievement.
            ``(3) To increase ongoing, meaningful professional 
        development around technology that leads to changes in teaching 
        and curriculum, improves student achievement, including in core 
        curricular subjects, and student technology literacy, and is 
        aligned with professional development activities supported 
        under section 2123.
    ``(c) Goals.--The goals of this part are the following:
            ``(1) To improve student academic achievement on State 
        academic standards through the use of professional development 
        and systemic school redesigns that center on the use of 
        technology and its applications.
            ``(2) To improve professional development to ensure every 
        school administrator possesses the leadership skills necessary 
        for effective technology integration and every teacher 
        possesses the knowledge and skills to use technology across the 
        curriculum, to use technology and curriculum redesign as key 
        components of changing teaching and learning and improving 
        student achievement, to use technology for data analysis to 
        enable individualized instruction, and to use technology to 
        improve student technology literacy.
            ``(3) To ensure that every student is technologically 
        literate by the end of 8th grade, regardless of the student's 
        race, ethnicity, gender, family income, geographic location, or 
        disability.
            ``(4) To improve student engagement, opportunity, 
        attendance, graduation rates, and technology access through 
        enhanced or redesigned curriculum or instruction.
            ``(5) To more effectively use data to inform instruction, 
        address individualized student needs, and support school 
        decision making.

``SEC. 2403. STUDENT TECHNOLOGY LITERACY.

    ``In this part, the term `student technology literacy' means 
student knowledge and skills in using contemporary information, 
communication, and learning technologies in a manner necessary for 
successful employment, life-long learning and citizenship in the 
knowledge-based, digital and global 21st century, which includes, at a 
minimum, the ability--
            ``(1) to effectively communicate and collaborate;
            ``(2) to analyze and solve problems;
            ``(3) to access, evaluate, manage, and create information 
        and otherwise gain information literacy;
            ``(4) to demonstrate creative thinking, construct 
        knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes; and
            ``(5) to do so in a safe and ethical manner.

``SEC. 2404. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this part, $1,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, and such sums as 
may be necessary for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.
    ``(b) Allocation of Funds Between State and Local and National 
Initiatives.--The amount of funds made available under subsection (a) 
for a fiscal year shall be allocated so that--
            ``(1) 3 percent of such funds or $10,000,000, whichever 
        amount is less, is made available to carry out subpart 2, of 
        which amount--
                    ``(A) $2,000,000 is made available to carry out 
                section 2411(1); and
                    ``(B) 1 1/2 percent of such amount or $4,000,000, 
                whichever amount is less, is made available to carry 
                out section 2412; and
            ``(2) the remainder of such funds is made available to 
        carry out subpart 1.
    ``(c) Limitation.--
            ``(1) Local administrative costs.--Of the amount of funds 
        made available to a local educational agency under this part 
        for a fiscal year, not more than 3 percent may be used by the 
        agency for administrative costs.
            ``(2) State administrative costs.--Of the amount of funds 
        made available to a State educational agency under section 
        2406(a)(1) for administrative costs and technical assistance, 
        not more than 60 percent may be used by the agency for 
        administrative costs.

                  ``Subpart 1--State and Local Grants

``SEC. 2405. ALLOTMENT AND REALLOTMENT.

    ``(a) Reservations and Allotment.--From the amount made available 
to carry out this subpart under section 2404(b)(2) for a fiscal year--
            ``(1) the Secretary shall reserve--
                    ``(A) \3/4\ of 1 percent for the Secretary of the 
                Interior for programs under this subpart for schools 
                operated or funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs; and
                    ``(B) \1/2\ of 1 percent to provide assistance 
                under this subpart to the outlying areas; and
            ``(2) from the remainder of such amount and subject to 
        subsection (b), the Secretary shall make grants by allotting to 
        each eligible State educational agency under this subpart an 
        amount that bears the same relationship to such remainder for 
        such year as the amount received under part A of title I for 
        such year by such State educational agency bears to the amount 
        received under such part for such year by all State educational 
        agencies.
    ``(b) Minimum Allotment.--The amount of any State educational 
agency's allotment under subsection (a)(2) for any fiscal year may not 
be less than \1/2\ of 1 percent of the amount made available for 
allotments to States under this part for such year.
    ``(c) Reallotment of Unused Funds.--If any State educational agency 
does not apply for an allotment under this subpart for a fiscal year, 
or does not use its entire allotment under this subpart for that fiscal 
year, the Secretary shall reallot the amount of the State educational 
agency's allotment, or the unused portion of the allotment, to the 
remaining State educational agencies that use their entire allotments 
under this subpart in accordance with this section.
    ``(d) State Educational Agency Defined.--In this section, the term 
`State educational agency' does not include an agency of an outlying 
area or the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

``SEC. 2406. USE OF ALLOTMENT BY STATE.

    ``(a) In General.--Of the amount provided to a State educational 
agency from the agency's allotment under section 2405(a)(2) for a 
fiscal year--
            ``(1) the State educational agency may use 5 percent of 
        such amount or $100,000, whichever amount is greater, to carry 
        out activities under section 2408(a);
            ``(2) the State educational agency shall use 2.5 percent of 
        such amount or $50,000, whichever amount is greater, to carry 
        out activities under section 2408(b); and
            ``(3) the State educational agency shall distribute the 
        remainder as follows:
                    ``(A) The State educational agency shall distribute 
                60 percent to award subgrants to local educational 
                agencies for Improving Teaching and Learning through 
                Technology pursuant to section 2409(c) by allocating to 
                each eligible local educational agency that has 
                submitted an application to the State educational 
                agency under section 2409(c), for the activities 
                described in section 2410(b), an amount that bears the 
                same relationship to 60 percent of the remainder for 
                such year as the amount received under part A of title 
                I for such year by such local educational agency bears 
                to the amount received under such part for such year by 
                all local educational agencies within the State.
                    ``(B) The State educational agency shall distribute 
                40 percent to award Systemic School Redesign through 
                Technology Integration subgrants, through a State-
                determined competitive process, to eligible local 
                educational agencies that have submitted applications 
                to the State educational agency pursuant to section 
                2409(b) for the activities described in section 
                2410(a).
    ``(b) Sufficient Amounts.--
            ``(1) Special rule.--In awarding subgrants under subsection 
        (a)(3)(B), the State educational agency shall--
                    ``(A) ensure subgrants are of sufficient size and 
                scope to be effective, consistent with the purposes of 
                this part;
                    ``(B) ensure subgrants are of sufficient duration 
                to be effective, consistent with the purposes of this 
                part, including by awarding subgrants that will run for 
                not less than 2 years and may be renewed for not more 
                than a total of 5 years;
                    ``(C) give preference in the awarding of subgrants 
                to eligible local educational agencies that serve 
                schools in need of improvement, as identified under 
                section 1116, including those with high populations of 
                students with limited English proficiency or students 
                with disabilities or other subgroups of students who 
                have not met the State's student academic achievement 
                standards; and
                    ``(D) ensure an equitable distribution of 
                assistance under this subpart among urban and rural 
                areas of the State, according to the demonstrated need 
                of those local educational agencies serving the areas.
            ``(2) Minimum allotment.--The amount of any local 
        educational agency's allotment under subsection (a)(3)(A) for 
        any fiscal year shall be a minimum of $3,000.
    ``(c) Reallotment of Unused Funds.--If any local educational agency 
does not apply for an allotment under subsection (a)(3)(A) for a fiscal 
year, or does not use its entire allotment under this subpart for that 
fiscal year, the State shall reallot the amount of the local 
educational agency's allotment, or the unused portion of the allotment, 
to the remaining local educational agencies that use their entire 
allotments under this subpart in accordance with this section.

``SEC. 2407. STATE APPLICATIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
subpart, a State educational agency shall submit to the Secretary, at 
such time and in such manner as the Secretary may specify, an 
application containing the contents described in subsection (b) and 
such other information as the Secretary may reasonably require.
    ``(b) Contents.--Each State application submitted under subsection 
(a) shall include each of the following:
            ``(1) A description of how the State will support local 
        educational agencies that receive subgrants under this subpart 
        in meeting, and help improve their capacity to meet, the 
        purposes, goals, and requirements of this part, including 
        through technical assistance.
            ``(2) A description of the State's long-term goals and 
        strategies for improving student academic achievement, 
        including in core academic subjects and technology literacy, 
        through the effective use of technology in classrooms and 
        schools throughout the State.
            ``(3) A description of the priority area upon which the 
        State will focus its guidance, technical, and other assistance 
        under this part, and other local support under this part, such 
        that such priority area shall be identified by the State from 
        among the core academic subjects, grade levels, and student 
        subgroup populations that may be causing the most number of 
        local educational agencies in the State to not make adequate 
        yearly progress, as defined in section 1111(b)(2)(C).
            ``(4) A description of how the State will support local 
        educational agencies that receive subgrants under this subpart 
        in implementing, and help improve their capacity to implement, 
        professional development programs pursuant to section 
        2410(b)(1)(A).
            ``(5) A description of how the State will ensure that 
        teachers, paraprofessionals, library and media personnel, and 
        administrators in a State receiving funds under this part 
        possess the knowledge and skills to use technology across the 
        curriculum, to use technology and curriculum redesign as key 
        components of changing teaching and learning and improving 
        student achievement, to use technology for data analysis to 
        enable individualized instruction, and to use technology to 
        improve student technology literacy.
            ``(6) A description of the process, activities, and 
        performance measures that the State educational agency will use 
        to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of activities funded 
        under this part as required under section 2408(b).
            ``(7) Identification of the State challenging academic 
        content standards and challenging student academic achievement 
        standards that the State will use to ensure that each student 
        is technology literate by the end of the 8th grade consistent 
        with the definition of student technology literacy, and a 
        description of how the State will assess, not less than once by 
        the end of 8th grade, student performance in gaining technology 
        literacy only for the purpose of tracking progress towards 
        achieving the 8th grade technology literacy goal but not for 
        meeting adequate yearly progress goals, including through 
        embedding such assessment items in other State tests, 
        performance-based assessments portfolios, or through other 
        valid and reliable means, such that nothing in this part shall 
        be construed to require that States are required to develop a 
        separate test to assess student technology literacy.
            ``(8) An assurance that financial assistance provided under 
        this subpart will supplement, and not supplant, State and local 
        funds.
            ``(9) A description of how the State educational agency 
        will, in providing technical and other assistance to local 
        educational agencies, give priority to those local educational 
        agencies identified by the State with the highest need of 
        assistance, including those with the highest percentage or 
        number of students from families with incomes below the poverty 
        line, students not achieving at the State proficiency level 
        with student populations identified under section 
        2406(b)(1)(C), or schools identified as in need of improvement 
        under section 1116.
            ``(10) A description of how the State educational agency 
        will ensure that each subgrant awarded under section 
        2406(a)(3)(B) is of sufficient size, scope, and duration to be 
        effective as required under section 2406(b), and that such 
        subgrants are appropriately targeted and equitably distributed 
        as required under section 2406(b) to carry out the purposes of 
        this part effectively.
            ``(11) A description of how the State educational agency 
        consulted with local educational agencies in the development of 
        the State application.

``SEC. 2408. STATE ACTIVITIES.

    ``(a) In General.--From funds made available under section 
2406(a)(1), a State educational agency--
            ``(1) shall carry out the following activities:
                    ``(A) Identify the State challenging academic 
                content standards and challenging student academic 
                achievement standards that the State will use to ensure 
                that each student is technology literate by the end of 
                the 8th grade consistent with the definition of student 
                technology literacy.
                    ``(B) Assess not less than once by the end of the 
                8th grade student performance in gaining technology 
                literacy consistent with subparagraph (A), including 
                through embedding such assessment items in other State 
                tests, performance-based assessments, portfolios, or 
                through other means, but provided that such assessments 
                shall be used only to track student technology literacy 
                and not in conjunction with meeting adequate yearly 
                progress goals.
                    ``(C) Publish the results of their technology 
                literacy assessments administered under subparagraph 
                (B) not less than 3 months after the assessment is 
                administered such that the results are made widely 
                available to local educational agencies, parents, and 
                citizens, including through presentation on the 
                Internet, and transmit such results to the Secretary.
                    ``(D) Provide guidance, technical and other 
                assistance in the priority area identified by the State 
                pursuant to section 2407(b)(3) to local educational 
                agencies receiving grants of less than $10,000 under 
                section 2406(a)(3)(A) with a priority to those in 
                highest need of assistance pursuant to section 
                2407(b)(9).
                    ``(E) Provide technical assistance to local 
                educational agencies, with a priority to those 
                identified by the State in the highest need of 
                assistance, including those with the highest percentage 
                or number of students from families with incomes below 
                the poverty line, students not achieving at the State 
                proficiency level, with student populations identified 
                under section 2406(b)(1)(C), and serving schools 
                identified as in need of improvement under section 
                1116, in the following ways:
                            ``(i) Submitting applications for funding 
                        under this part.
                            ``(ii) Carrying out activities authorized 
                        under section 2410, including implementation of 
                        systemic school redesigns as described in 
                        section 2409(b).
                            ``(iii) Developing local educational 
                        technology plans and integrating such plans 
                        with their plans for improving student 
                        achievement under sections 1111 and 1112, and, 
                        if applicable, section 1116.
                    ``(F) Provide guidance, technical and other 
                assistance to local educational agencies on their plans 
                to assess, and, as needed, update the computers, 
                software, servers, and other technologies throughout 
                the local educational agency in terms of their 
                functional capabilities, age, and other specifications, 
                including to ensure such technologies can process, at 
                scale, new applications and online services such as 
                video conferencing, video streaming, virtual 
                simulations, and distance learning.
            ``(2) may carry out the following activities:
                    ``(A) State leadership activities and technical 
                assistance that assist recipients of funds under this 
                part in achieving the purposes and goals of this part.
                    ``(B) Assist recipients of funds under this part in 
                the development and utilization of research-based or 
                innovative strategies for the delivery of specialized 
                or rigorous academic courses and curricula through the 
                use of technology, including distance learning 
                technologies.
                    ``(C) Assisting recipients of funds under this 
                subpart in providing sustained and intensive, high-
                quality professional development pursuant to section 
                2410(b)(1)(A), including through assistance in a review 
                of relevant research.
    ``(b) Activities Relating to Research.--From funds made available 
under section 2406(a)(2), a State educational agency shall carry out 1 
or more of the following activities:
            ``(1) Conduct scientifically-based or other rigorous 
        research to evaluate the impact of 1 or more programs or 
        activities authorized under this part in meeting the purposes 
        and goals of this part.
            ``(2) Provide technical assistance to eligible local 
        educational agencies in carrying out evaluation research 
        activities as required under section 2410(a)(1).
            ``(3) Create 1 or more evaluation research protocols, 
        designs, performance measurement systems, or other tools to 
        assist eligible local educational agencies in carrying out 
        evaluation activities as required under section 2410(a)(1).
            ``(4) Collect and disseminate the findings of the 
        evaluation research carried out by eligible local educational 
        agencies under section 2410(a)(1).

``SEC. 2409. LOCAL APPLICATIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--To be eligible to receive a subgrant from a 
State educational agency under this subpart, a local educational 
agency, or consortium of local educational agencies, shall submit to 
the State educational agency an application containing a new or updated 
local long-range strategic educational technology plan, and such other 
information as the State educational agency may reasonably require, at 
such time and in such manner as the State educational agency may 
require, which shall include each of the following:
            ``(1) A description of how the applicant will align and 
        coordinate its use of funds under this part to the district 
        technology plan, to the district plans and activities for 
        improving student achievement, including under sections 1111 
        and 1112 and sections 1116 and 2123, as applicable, and to 
        funds available from other Federal, State, and local sources.
            ``(2) An assurance that financial assistance provided under 
        this subpart will supplement, and not supplant other existing 
        funds.
            ``(3) A description of the process used to assess and, as 
        needed, update the computers, software, servers, and other 
        technologies throughout the local educational agency in terms 
        of their functional capabilities, age, and other 
        specifications, including to ensure such technologies can 
        process, at scale, new applications, and online services such 
        as video conferencing, video streaming, virtual simulations, 
        and distance learning courses.
            ``(4) Such other information as the State educational 
        agency may reasonably require.
    ``(b) Competitive Grants; Systemic School Redesign Through 
Technology Integration.--In addition to components included in 
subsection (a), eligible local educational agencies or consortia of 
local educational agencies submitting applications for a grants under 
section 2406(a)(3)(B) shall submit to the State educational agency an 
application containing the following:
            ``(1) A description of how the applicant will use grant 
        funds to implement systemic school redesign, which is a 
        comprehensive set of programs, practices, and technologies that 
        collectively lead to school or district change and improvement, 
        including in the use of technology, and in improved student 
        achievement and that incorporate all of the following elements:
                    ``(A) Reform or redesign of curriculum, 
                instruction, assessment, use of data, or other 
                standards-based school or classroom practices through 
                the use of technology, including to increase student 
                learning opportunity, student technology literacy, 
                access, and engagement.
                    ``(B) Improve educator quality, knowledge and 
                skills through on-going, sustainable, timely, and 
                contextual professional development pursuant to section 
                2410(b)(1)(A).
                    ``(C) Development of student technology literacy 
                and other skills necessary for 21st century learning 
                and success.
                    ``(D) Ongoing use of formative assessments and 
                other timely data sources and data systems to more 
                effectively identify individual student learning needs 
                and guide personalized instruction, learning, and 
                appropriate interventions that address those 
                personalized student learning needs.
                    ``(E) Engagement of district and school leaders as 
                well as classroom educators.
                    ``(F) Are either research-based or innovative, or 
                both, such that research-based systemic redesigns are 
                based on a review of the best available research 
                evidence, and innovative systemic redesigns are based 
                on development and use of new redesigns, programs, 
                practices, and technologies.
            ``(2) An assurance that the applicant will use not less 
        than 25 percent of funds to implement a program of professional 
        development pursuant to section 2410(b)(1)(A).
            ``(3) A description of how the applicant will evaluate the 
        impact of 1 or more programs or activities authorized under 
        this part in meeting 1 or more of the purposes and goals of 
        this part.
    ``(c) Formula Grants; Improving Teaching and Learning Through 
Technology.--In addition to components included in subsection (a), 
eligible local educational agencies or consortia of local educational 
agencies that submit an application for a grant under section 
2406(a)(3)(A) shall submit to the State educational agency an 
application containing the following:
            ``(1) An assurance that the applicant will use not less 
        than 40 percent of funds for professional development pursuant 
        to section 2410(b)(1)(A) and for technology tools, 
        applications, and other resources related specifically to such 
        professional development activities.
            ``(2) A description of how the applicant will implement a 
        program of professional development as required under paragraph 
        (1).
            ``(3) A description of how the local educational agency 
        will employ technology tools, applications, and other resources 
        in professional development and to improve student learning and 
        achievement in the area of priority identified by the local 
        educational agency pursuant to paragraph (4).
            ``(4) A description of the priority area upon which the 
        local educational agency will focus its grant funds under this 
        part, such that such priority area shall be identified from 
        among the core content areas, grade levels, and student 
        subgroup populations in which the most number of students are 
        not proficient.
    ``(d) Combined Applications.--An eligible local educational agency 
that submits an application to the State educational agency for funds 
awarded under section 2406(a)(3)(B) may, upon notice to the State 
educational agency, submit a single application that will also be 
considered by the State educational agency as an application for funds 
awarded under section 2406(a)(3)(A), provided its application addresses 
each application requirement.
    ``(e) Consortium Applications.--For any fiscal year, a local 
educational agency applying for financial assistance described in 
section 2406(a)(3) may apply as part of a consortium in which more than 
1 local educational agency jointly submits a grant application under 
this part, except that no local educational agency may receive more 
than 1 grant under this part.

``SEC. 2410. LOCAL ACTIVITIES.

    ``(a) Competitive Grants; Systemic School Redesign Through 
Technology Integration.--From funds made available to a local 
educational agency under section 2406(a)(3)(B), the local educational 
agency--
            ``(1) shall use not less than 5 percent of such funds to 
        evaluate the impact of 1 or more programs or activities carried 
        out under the subgrant in meeting 1 or more of the purposes and 
        goals of this part as approved by the State educational agency 
        as part of the local application as described under section 
        2409(b)(3); and
            ``(2) shall use the remaining funds to implement a plan for 
        systemic school redesign, which may take place in 1 or more 
        schools or across the entire local educational agency, pursuant 
        to section 2409(b)(1), including each of the following:
                    ``(A) Using not less than 25 percent of funds to 
                improve teacher quality and skills through support for 
                the following:
                            ``(i) Professional development activities, 
                        as described under subsection (b)(1)(A).
                            ``(ii) The acquisition and implementation 
                        of technology tools, applications, and other 
                        resources to be employed in the professional 
                        development activities described in clause (i).
                    ``(B) Acquiring and effectively implementing 
                technology tools, applications, and other resources in 
                conjunction with enhancing or redesigning the 
                curriculum or instruction in order to--
                            ``(i) increase student learning opportunity 
                        or access, student engagement in learning, or 
                        student attendance or graduation rates;
                            ``(ii) improve student achievement in 1 or 
                        more of the core academic subject areas; and
                            ``(iii) improve student technology 
                        literacy.
                    ``(C) Acquiring and effectively implementing 
                technology tools, applications, and other resources 
                to--
                            ``(i) conduct ongoing formative assessments 
                        and use other timely data sources and data 
                        systems to more effectively identify individual 
                        student learning needs and guide personalized 
                        instruction, learning, and appropriate 
                        interventions that address those personalized 
                        student learning needs;
                            ``(ii) support individualized student 
                        learning, including through instructional 
                        software and digital content that supports the 
                        learning needs of each student, or through 
                        providing access to high-quality courses and 
                        instructors, including mathematics, science, 
                        and foreign language courses, often not 
                        available except through technology and online 
                        learning, especially in rural and high-poverty 
                        schools; and
                            ``(iii) conduct such other activities as 
                        appropriate consistent with the goals and 
                        purposes of research-based and innovative 
                        systemic school redesign, including to increase 
                        parental involvement through improved 
                        communication with teachers and access to 
                        student assignments and grades.
    ``(b) Formula Grants; Improving Teaching and Learning Through 
Technology.--From funds made available to a local educational agency 
under section 2406(a)(3)(A), the local educational agency shall carry 
out activities to improve student learning, student technology 
literacy, and achievement in the area of priority identified by the 
local educational agency as required under section 2409(c)(4), 
including that such local educational agency shall comply with the 
following:
            ``(1) The local educational agency shall use not less than 
        40 percent of funds for professional development activities 
        that are aligned with activities supported under section 2123 
        to improve teacher quality and skills through support for the 
        following:
                    ``(A) Training of teachers, paraprofessionals, 
                library and media personnel, and administrators, 
                which--
                            ``(i) shall include the development, 
                        acquisition, or delivery of--
                                    ``(I) training that is ongoing, 
                                sustainable, timely, and directly 
                                related to current teaching content 
                                areas;
                                    ``(II) training in strategies and 
                                pedagogy in the core curriculum areas 
                                that involve use of technology and 
                                curriculum redesign as key components 
                                of changing teaching and learning and 
                                improving student achievement;
                                    ``(III) training in the use of 
                                technology to ensure every educator is 
                                technologically literate, including 
                                possessing the knowledge and skills to 
                                use technology across the curriculum, 
                                to use technology and curriculum 
                                redesign as key components of 
                                innovating teaching and learning and 
                                improving student achievement, to use 
                                technology for data analysis to enable 
                                individualized instruction, and to use 
                                technology to improve student 
                                technology literacy; and
                                    ``(IV) training that includes on-
                                going communication and follow-up with 
                                instructors, facilitators, and peers; 
                                and
                            ``(ii) may include--
                                    ``(I) use of instructional 
                                technology specialists, mentors, or 
                                coaches to work directly with teachers, 
                                including through the preparation of 1 
                                or more teachers as technology leaders 
                                or master teachers who are provided 
                                with the means to serve as experts and 
                                train other teachers in the effective 
                                use of technology; and
                                    ``(II) use of technology such as 
                                distance learning and online virtual 
                                educator-to-educator peer communities 
                                as a means for delivering professional 
                                development.
                    ``(B) The acquisition and implementation of 
                technology tools, applications, and other resources to 
                be employed in the professional development activities 
                described under subparagraph (A).
            ``(2) The local educational agency shall use the remaining 
        funds to acquire or implement technology tools, applications, 
        and other resources to improve student learning, student 
        technology literacy, and achievement in the area of priority 
        identified by the local educational agency, including through 1 
        or more of the following:
                    ``(A) Conducting on-going formative assessment and 
                using other timely data sources and data systems to 
                more effectively identify individual student learning 
                needs and guide personalized instruction, learning, and 
                appropriate interventions that address those 
                personalized student learning needs.
                    ``(B) Supporting individualized student learning, 
                including through instructional software and digital 
                content that supports the learning needs of each 
                student, or through providing access to high-quality 
                courses and instructors, including mathematics, 
                science, and foreign language courses, often not 
                available except through technology and online 
                learning, especially in rural and high-poverty schools.
                    ``(C) Increasing parental involvement through 
                improved communication with teachers and access to 
                student assignments and grades.
                    ``(D) Enhancing accountability, instruction, and 
                data-driven decision making through data systems that 
                allow for management, analysis, and disaggregating of 
                student, teacher, and school data.
                    ``(E) Such other activities as appropriate 
                consistent with the goals and purposes of this part.
    ``(c) Multiple Grants.--A local educational agency that receives a 
grant under both subparagraph (A) and subparagraph (B) of section 
2406(a)(3) may use all such grant funds for activities authorized under 
subsection (a).

                    ``Subpart 2--National Activities

``SEC. 2411. NATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

    ``From the amount made available to carry out national activities 
under section 2404(b)(1), the Secretary, working through and in 
coordination with the Director of the Office of Educational Technology 
and collaborating, as appropriate, with the National Center for 
Achievement Through Technology authorized under section 2412, shall 
carry out the following activities:
            ``(1) National report.--The Secretary shall annually 
        conduct and publish a national report on student technology 
        literacy to determine the extent to which students have gained 
        student technology literacy by the end of the 8th grade. In 
        conducting the study, the Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) consult first with experts and stakeholders, 
                including educators and education leaders, education 
                technology experts from education and industry, and the 
                business and higher education communities seeking high 
                school graduates with these skills; and
                    ``(B) employ a random stratified sample methodology 
                of student technology literacy performance using a 
                cost-effective assessment that is a readily available, 
                valid, and reliable assessment instrument.
            ``(2) Student technology literacy.--The Secretary shall 
        publish each year the results of the State technology literacy 
        assessments pursuant to section 2408(a)(1)(C).
            ``(3) National education technology plan.--The Secretary 
        shall update not less often than once every 5 years the 
        National Education Technology Plan to promote understanding and 
        awareness of the role of technology and e-learning in meeting 
        the Nation's education goals and needs, and shall implement 
        such a plan.
            ``(4) Other national activities.--From the funds remaining 
        after carrying out paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), the Secretary 
        shall carry out 1 or more of the following activities:
                    ``(A) Support efforts to increase student 
                technology literacy, including through outreach to 
                education, business, and elected leaders aimed at 
                building understanding of the knowledge and skills 
                students need to succeed in the 21st century through 
                use of technology for life-long learning, citizenship, 
                and workplace success.
                    ``(B) Support the work of the National Center for 
                Achievement Through Technology in serving as a national 
                resource for the improvement of technology 
                implementation in education through identification and 
                dissemination of promising practices and exemplary 
                programs that effectively use educational technologies.
                    ``(C) Support efforts to increase the capacity of 
                State and local education officials to budget for 
                technology acquisition and implementation, including 
                taking into account the long-term costs, how technology 
                investments could increase effectiveness and 
                efficiencies that ultimately save other educational 
                costs or provide improved outcomes, and how spending 
                for technology in education should be considered in a 
                comprehensive cost-benefit analysis and not simply as a 
                supplemental expense.
                    ``(D) Support staff at the Department of Education 
                and other Federal agencies in their understanding of 
                education technology, its role in Federal education 
                programs, and how Federal grantees can be supported in 
                integrating education technologies into their programs 
                as appropriate.
                    ``(E) Convene stakeholders in an effort to outline 
                and support a national research and development agenda 
                aimed at supporting public-private partnerships to 
                leverage evolving technologies to meet evolving 
                educational needs.
                    ``(F) Convene practitioners and leaders from local 
                and State education, business and industry, higher 
                education, and other stakeholder communities to carry 
                out the activities under this section, including 
                convening an annual forum on leadership to integrate 
                technology, classroom technology best practices, and to 
                otherwise address challenges and opportunities in the 
                use of technology to improve teaching, learning, 
                teacher quality, student achievement, student 
                technology literacy, the efficiency and productivity of 
                the education enterprise, and to otherwise support 
                school innovation and the Nation's competitiveness.
                    ``(G) Support efforts to ensure teachers and other 
                educators have the knowledge and skills to teach in the 
                21st century through the use of technology, including 
                by providing assistance to and sharing information with 
                State accrediting agencies, colleges of teacher 
                education, and other educational institutions and 
                government entities involved in the preparation and 
                certification of teachers, to ensure such teachers 
                possess these skills prior to entering the teaching 
                force.
                    ``(H) Support efforts to assist principals, 
                superintendents, and other senior school and district 
                administrators in adapting to, and leading their 
                schools with, 21st century technology tools and 21st 
                century skills, including the following:
                            ``(i) Developing a blueprint for both the 
                        job skills required and the coursework and 
                        experience necessary to be prepared for school 
                        leadership.
                            ``(ii) Supporting the development of 
                        professional development and training programs 
                        that help education leaders obtain these 
                        skills, including through collaborative efforts 
                        with existing programs and institutions.
                            ``(iii) Developing materials, resources, 
                        self-assessments, and other tools to meet these 
                        goals.
                    ``(I) To undertake other activities that lead to 
                the improvement of the Nation's educational system in 
                both using educational technologies to improve 
                teaching, learning, and student achievement, as well as 
                in improving student technology literacy and related 
                21st century college preparedness and workforce 
                competitiveness and that complement other such efforts 
                being undertaken by public and private agencies and 
                organizations.

``SEC. 2412. NATIONAL CENTER FOR ACHIEVEMENT THROUGH TECHNOLOGY.

    ``(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to establish a 
National Center for Achievement Through Technology, consistent with 
this part, that--
            ``(1) provides national leadership regarding improvement in 
        the use of technology in education, with a focus on elementary 
        and secondary education, including technology's role in 
        improving student achievement and technology literacy as well 
        as teacher quality;
            ``(2) serves as a national resource for the improvement of 
        technology implementation in education through identification 
        and dissemination of promising practices and exemplary programs 
        that effectively use educational technologies to improve 
        teaching and learning, teacher quality, student engagement and 
        opportunity, student achievement and technology literacy, and 
        the efficiency and productivity of the education enterprise, 
        including the related research and research on the conditions 
        and practices that support the effective use of technology in 
        education; and
            ``(3) provides an annual report to Congress synthesizing 
        the promising practices and exemplary programs that effectively 
        use educational technologies to improve teaching and learning, 
        as described in paragraph (2), including the related research 
        and research on the conditions and practices that support the 
        effective use of technology in education.
    ``(b) Establishment.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the 
        Director of the Office of Educational Technology, shall award a 
        grant, on a competitive basis, to an eligible entity to 
        establish a National Center for Achievement Through Technology 
        (in this section referred to as the `Center').
            ``(2) Coordination with the institute.--The Director of the 
        Office of Educational Technology shall award the grant under 
        paragraph (1) in coordination with the Director of the 
        Institute of Education Sciences, but the Director of the Office 
        of Educational Technology shall administer the grant program 
        under this section.
            ``(3) Conditions.--
                    ``(A) Eligible entities.--An entity shall be 
                eligible to receive the grant under this section if the 
                entity is--
                            ``(i) a research organization or research 
                        institution with education technology as one of 
                        the organization or institution's primary areas 
                        of focus; or
                            ``(ii) a partnership that consists of a 
                        research organization or research institution 
                        described in clause (i) and 1 or more education 
                        institutions or agencies, nonprofit 
                        organizations, or research organizations or 
                        institutions.
                    ``(B) Duration.--The grant awarded under this 
                section shall be 5 years in duration, and shall be 
                renewable at the discretion of the Director of the 
                Office of Educational Technology for not more than an 
                additional 3 years.
                    ``(C) Peer review.--In awarding the grant under 
                this section, the Director of the Office of Educational 
                Technology shall consider the recommendations of a peer 
                review panel, which shall be composed of 
                representatives of the following stakeholder 
                communities:
                            ``(i) Teachers and other educators who use 
                        technologies.
                            ``(ii) Local and State education leaders 
                        who administer programs employing technologies.
                            ``(iii) Businesses that develop educational 
                        technologies.
                            ``(iv) Researchers who study educational 
                        technologies.
                            ``(v) Related education, educational 
                        technology, and business organizations.
    ``(c) National Center for Achievement Through Technology 
Activities.--In order to provide leadership for the effective use of 
technology in education, the eligible entity awarded the grant under 
this section shall establish the Center, which shall carry out the 
following activities:
            ``(1) Promising practices, exemplary programs and 
        research.--The Center shall identify and compile promising 
        practices, exemplary programs, quantitative and qualitative 
        research, and other information and evidence demonstrating the 
        broad uses and positive impacts of technology in elementary and 
        secondary education as well as the factors and steps important 
        to its improvement and effective use--
                    ``(A) on the following uses of technology, such 
                that specific technologies are considered in the 
                context of the comprehensive educational program or 
                practice in which they are used:
                            ``(i) Across the curriculum to improve 
                        teaching, learning and student achievement, 
                        including in the core academic subject areas of 
                        reading, mathematics, science, and history or 
                        social studies.
                            ``(ii) To support the teaching and learning 
                        of student technology literacy as student 
                        knowledge and skills in using contemporary 
                        information, communication, and learning 
                        technologies in a manner necessary for 
                        successful life-long learning and citizenship 
                        in the knowledge-based, digital, and global 
                        21st century, which includes the abilities to 
                        effectively communicate and collaborate, to 
                        analyze and solve problems, to access, 
                        evaluate, manage, and create information and 
                        otherwise gain information literacy, and to do 
                        so in a safe and ethical manner.
                            ``(iii) For formative and summative 
                        assessment, including to inform instruction and 
                        data-driven decision making, to individualize 
                        instruction, and for accountability purposes.
                            ``(iv) To improve student learning and 
                        achievement, including through improving 
                        student interest and engagement, student access 
                        to courses and instructors through distance 
                        learning, and student learning time, and 
                        through individualizing curriculum and 
                        instruction to meet unique student learning 
                        needs, styles, and pace.
                            ``(v) To improve teacher quality, including 
                        for professional development and for timely and 
                        ongoing training and support.
                            ``(vi) To improve the efficiency and 
                        productivity of the classroom and school 
                        enterprise, including through data management 
                        and analysis, resource management, and 
                        communications.
                    ``(B) on the policies, budgeting, technology 
                infrastructure, conditions, practices, teacher 
                training, school leadership, and other implementation 
                factors important to improving the effectiveness of 
                technology in elementary and secondary education as 
                outlined in subparagraph (A), including in--
                            ``(i) the knowledge and skills teachers and 
                        other educators need to teach in the 21st 
                        century through the use of technology, 
                        including that necessary to use technology and 
                        curriculum redesign as key components of 
                        changing teaching and learning, to use 
                        technology for data analysis to enable 
                        individualized instruction, and to use 
                        technology to improve student technology 
                        literacy;
                            ``(ii) the knowledge and skills principals, 
                        superintendents, and other senior school and 
                        district administrators need to effectively 
                        lead in 21st century schools using technology, 
                        including the job skills required and the 
                        coursework and experience necessary to be 
                        prepared for school leadership; and
                            ``(iii) the budgeting for technology 
                        acquisition and implementation, including 
                        taking into account the long-term costs, how 
                        technology investments could increase 
                        effectiveness and efficiencies that ultimately 
                        save other educational costs or provide 
                        improved outcomes, and how spending for 
                        technology in education should be considered in 
                        a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis and not 
                        simply as a supplemental expense.
            ``(2) Original research.--The Center may conduct, directly 
        or through grants and contracts, original research as necessary 
        to fill important gaps in existing research necessary to 
        address the areas described in paragraph (1) with a focus on 
        the policies, budgeting, technology infrastructure, conditions, 
        practices, teacher training, school leadership, and other 
        implementation factors important to improving the effectiveness 
        of technology in elementary and secondary education.
            ``(3) Outreach.--The Center shall consult with appropriate 
        stakeholders, including at least those described in subsection 
        (b)(3)(C), in determining priorities pursuant to paragraph (1), 
        in gathering information pursuant to paragraph (1), and in 
        determining the need for original research pursuant to 
        paragraph (2). The Center shall establish 1 or more informal 
        advisory groups to provide this consultation.
            ``(4) Dissemination.--The Center shall disseminate widely 
        the information identified and compiled pursuant to paragraph 
        (1) to teachers and other educators, local, regional, State, 
        and Federal education leaders, public and elected officials, 
        the existing network of federally funded educational resource 
        centers and labs, businesses that develop educational 
        technologies, colleges of teacher education and teacher 
        accrediting agencies, researchers who study educational 
        technologies, other interested stakeholders, and related 
        educator, education leader, and business organizations, 
        including through--
                    ``(A) development and ongoing update of a database 
                accessed through the Internet;
                    ``(B) development, distribution, and delivery of 
                reports, tools, best practices, conference 
                presentations, and other publications; and
                    ``(C) partnerships with organizations representing 
                stakeholders, including educators, education leaders, 
                and technology providers.
    ``(d) Center Operations.--
            ``(1) Grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements.--As 
        appropriate, the Center shall award grants to, or enter into 
        contracts or cooperative agreements with, individuals, public 
        or private institutions, agencies, organizations, or consortia 
        of such institutions, agencies, or organizations to carry out 
        the activities of the Center, including that the Center shall 
        do so with regard to dissemination of the Center's findings 
        pursuant to subsection (c)(4)(C).
            ``(2) Report.--The Center shall submit an annual report on 
        March 1 to the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
        and Pensions of the Senate that provides a summary synthesis of 
        the promising and exemplary practices and programs, and related 
        research, that effectively use educational technologies to 
        improve teaching and learning as described in subsection 
        (c)(1), including the conditions and practices that support the 
        effective use of technology in education, in order to inform 
        Federal education policymaking and oversight.''.
                                 <all>