[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4481 Reported in Senate (RS)]

<DOC>





                                                       Calendar No. 712
114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4481


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 8, 2016

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

                            December 7, 2016

               Reported by Mr. Corker, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
 To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to provide assistance for 
    developing countries to promote quality basic education and to 
    establish the goal of all children in school and learning as an 
objective of the United States foreign assistance policy, and for other 
                               purposes.

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

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Education 
for All Act of 2016''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act 
is as follows:</DELETED>

<DELETED>Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
<DELETED>Sec. 2. Sense of Congress.
<DELETED>Sec. 3. Assistance to promote sustainable, quality basic 
                            education.
<DELETED>Sec. 4. Comprehensive integrated United States strategy to 
                            promote basic education.
<DELETED>Sec. 5. Improving coordination and oversight.
<DELETED>Sec. 6. Monitoring and evaluation of programs.
<DELETED>Sec. 7. Transparency and reporting to Congress.
<DELETED>Sec. 8. Definitions.

<DELETED>SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    It is the sense of Congress that--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) education lays the foundation for increased 
        civic participation, democratic governance, sustained economic 
        growth, and healthier, more stable societies;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) it is in the national interest of the United 
        States to promote access to sustainable, quality universal 
        basic education in developing countries;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) United States resources and leadership should 
        be utilized in a manner that best ensures a successful 
        international effort to provide children in developing 
        countries with a quality basic education in order to achieve 
        the goal of quality universal basic education; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) promoting gender parity in basic education 
        from childhood through adolescence serves United States 
        diplomatic, economic, and security interests 
        worldwide.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 3. ASSISTANCE TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE, QUALITY BASIC 
              EDUCATION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 105 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 
U.S.C. 2151c) is amended by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(c) Assistance to Promote Sustainable, Quality Basic 
Education.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Policy.--In carrying out this section, it 
        shall be the policy of the United States to work with partner 
        countries, other donors, multilateral institutions, the private 
        sector, and nongovernmental and civil society organizations, 
        including faith-based organizations and organizations that 
        represent teachers, students, and parents, to promote 
        sustainable, quality basic education through programs and 
        activities that, consistent with Article 26 of the Universal 
        Declaration of Human Rights--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) align with and respond to the needs, 
                capacities, and commitment of developing countries to 
                strengthen educational systems, expand access to safe 
                learning environments, ensure continuity of education, 
                measurably improve teacher skills and learning 
                outcomes, and support the engagement of parents in the 
                education of their children, so that all children, 
                including marginalized children and other vulnerable 
                groups, may have access to and benefit from quality 
                basic education; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) promote education as a foundation 
                for sustained economic growth and development within a 
                holistic assistance strategy that places partner 
                countries on a trajectory toward graduation from 
                assistance provided under this section and contributes 
                to improved--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) early childhood 
                        development;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) life skills and workforce 
                        development;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iii) economic 
                        opportunity;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iv) gender parity;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(v) food and nutrition 
                        security;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(vi) water, sanitation, and 
                        hygiene;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(vii) health and disease 
                        prevention and treatment;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(viii) disaster 
                        preparedness;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ix) conflict and violence 
                        reduction, mitigation, and prevention; 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(x) democracy and governance; 
                        and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) monitor and evaluate the 
                effectiveness and quality of basic education 
                programs.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Principles.--In carrying out the policy 
        referred to in paragraph (1), the United States shall be guided 
        by the following principles of aid effectiveness:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) Alignment.--Assistance provided 
                under this section to support programs and activities 
                under this subsection shall be aligned with and advance 
                United States diplomatic, development, and national 
                security interests.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) Country ownership.--To the greatest 
                extent practicable, assistance provided under this 
                section to support programs and activities under this 
                subsection should be aligned with and support the 
                national education plans and country development 
                strategies of partner countries, including activities 
                that are appropriate for and meet the needs of local 
                and indigenous cultures.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) Coordination.--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) In general.--Assistance 
                        provided under this section to support programs 
                        and activities under this subsection should be 
                        coordinated with and leverage the unique 
                        capabilities and resources of local and 
                        national governments in partner countries, 
                        other donors, multilateral institutions, the 
                        private sector, and nongovernmental and civil 
                        society organizations, including faith-based 
                        organizations and organizations that represent 
                        teachers, students, and parents.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) Multilateral programs and 
                        initiatives.--Assistance provided under this 
                        section to support programs and activities 
                        under this subsection should be coordinated 
                        with and support proven multilateral education 
                        programs and financing mechanisms, which may 
                        include the Global Partnership for Education, 
                        that demonstrate commitment to efficiency, 
                        effectiveness, transparency, and 
                        accountability.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) Efficiency.--The President shall 
                seek to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of 
                assistance provided under this section to support 
                programs and activities under this subsection by 
                coordinating the related efforts of relevant Executive 
                branch agencies and officials, including efforts to 
                increase gender parity and to provide a continuity of 
                basic education activities in humanitarian responses 
                and other emergency settings.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(E) Effectiveness.--Programs and 
                activities supported under this subsection shall be 
                designed to achieve specific, measurable goals and 
                objectives and shall include appropriate targets, 
                metrics and indicators that can be applied with 
                reasonable consistency across such programs and 
                activities to measure progress and outcomes.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(F) Transparency and accountability.--
                Programs and activities supported under this subsection 
                shall be subject to rigorous monitoring and evaluation, 
                which may include impact evaluations, the results of 
                which shall be made publically available in a fully 
                searchable, electronic format.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Priority and other requirements.--The 
        President shall ensure that assistance provided under this 
        section to support programs and activities under this 
        subsection is aligned with the diplomatic, economic, and 
        national security interests of the United States and that 
        priority is given to developing countries in which--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) there is the greatest need and 
                opportunity to expand access to basic education and to 
                improve learning outcomes, including for marginalized 
                and vulnerable groups, particularly women and girls, or 
                populations affected by conflict or crisis; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) such assistance can produce a 
                substantial, measurable impact on children and 
                educational systems.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) Definitions.--In this subsection:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) Basic education.--The term `basic 
                education' includes--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) all program and policy 
                        efforts aimed at improving early childhood, 
                        preprimary education, primary education, and 
                        secondary education, which can be delivered in 
                        formal and nonformal education settings, and in 
                        programs promoting learning for out-of-school 
                        youth and adults;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) capacity building for 
                        teachers, administrators, counselors, and youth 
                        workers;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iii) literacy, numeracy, and 
                        other basic skills development that prepare an 
                        individual to be an active, productive member 
                        of society and the workforce; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iv) workforce development, 
                        vocational training, and digital literacy that 
                        is informed by real market needs and 
                        opportunities.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) Partner country.--The term `partner 
                country' means a developing country that participates 
                in or benefits from basic education programs under this 
                subsection pursuant to the prioritization criteria 
                described in paragraph (3), including level of need, 
                opportunity for impact, and the availability of 
                resources.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) Relevant executive branch agencies 
                and officials.--The term `relevant Executive branch 
                agencies and officials' means--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) the Department of State, the 
                        United States Agency for International 
                        Development, the Department of the Treasury, 
                        the Department of Labor, the Department of 
                        Education, the Department of Health and Human 
                        Services, the Department of Agriculture, and 
                        the Department of Defense;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) the Chief Executive Officer 
                        of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the 
                        Coordinator of United States Government 
                        Activities to Combat HIV/AIDS Globally, the 
                        National Security Advisor, the Director of the 
                        Peace Corps, and the National Economic Advisor; 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iii) any other department, 
                        agency, or official of the United States 
                        Government that participates in activities to 
                        promote quality basic education pursuant to the 
                        authorities of such department, agency, or 
                        official or pursuant to this Act.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) National education plan.--The term 
                `national education plan' means a comprehensive 
                national education plan developed by partner country 
                governments in consultation with other stakeholders as 
                a means for wide-scale improvement of the country's 
                education system, including explicit, credible 
                strategies informed by effective practices and 
                standards to achieve quality universal basic 
                education.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(E) HIV/AIDS.--The term `HIV/AIDS' has 
                the meaning given that term in section 
                104A(h).</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(F) Marginalized children and vulnerable 
                groups.--The term `marginalized children and vulnerable 
                groups' includes girls, children affected by or 
                emerging from armed conflict or humanitarian crises, 
                children with disabilities, children in remote or rural 
                areas (including those who lack access to safe water 
                and sanitation), religious or ethnic minorities, 
                indigenous peoples, orphans and children affected by 
                HIV/AIDS, child laborers, married adolescents, and 
                victims of trafficking.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(G) Gender parity in basic education.--
                The term `gender parity in basic education' means that 
                girls and boys have equal access to quality basic 
                education.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(H) Nonformal education.--The term 
                `nonformal education'--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) means organized educational 
                        activities outside the established formal 
                        system, whether operating separately or as an 
                        important feature of a broader activity, that 
                        are intended to serve identifiable learning 
                        clienteles and learning objectives; 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) includes youth programs and 
                        community training offered by community groups 
                        and organizations.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(I) Sustainability.--The term 
                `sustainability' means, with respect to any basic 
                education program that receives funding pursuant to 
                this section, the ability of a service delivery system, 
                community, partner, or beneficiary to maintain, over 
                time, such basic education program.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 4. COMPREHENSIVE INTEGRATED UNITED STATES STRATEGY TO 
              PROMOTE BASIC EDUCATION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Strategy Required.--Not later than October 1, 2016, 
October 1, 2021, and October 1, 2026, the President shall submit to the 
appropriate congressional committees a comprehensive United States 
strategy to promote quality basic education in partner countries by--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) seeking to equitably expand access to basic 
        education for all children, particularly marginalized children 
        and vulnerable groups; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) measurably improving the quality of basic 
        education and learning outcomes.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Requirement To Consult.--In developing the strategy 
required by subsection (a), the President shall consult with--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the appropriate congressional 
        committees;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) relevant Executive branch agencies and 
        officials;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) partner country governments; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) local and international nongovernmental 
        organizations, including faith-based organizations and 
        organizations representing students, teachers, and parents, and 
        other development partners engaged in basic education 
        assistance programs in developing countries.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Public Comment.--The President shall provide an 
opportunity for public comment on the strategy required by subsection 
(a).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Initial Strategy.--For the purposes of this section, 
the strategy entitled ``USAID education strategy'', as in effect on the 
day before the date of the enactment of this Act, shall be deemed to 
fulfill the initial requirements of subsection (a) for 2016.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Elements.--The strategy required by subsection (a) 
shall be developed and implemented consistent with the principles set 
forth in subsection (c) of section 105 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 
1961 (as added by section 3 of this Act) and shall seek to--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) build the capacity of relevant actors in 
        partner countries, including in government and in civil 
        society, to develop and implement national education plans that 
        are aligned with and advance country development 
        strategies;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) identify and replicate successful 
        interventions that improve access to and quality of 
        education;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) project general levels of resources needed to 
        achieve stated program objectives;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) leverage United States capabilities, including 
        through technical assistance, training and research; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) improve coordination and reduce duplication 
        among relevant Executive branch agencies and officials, other 
        donors, multilateral institutions, nongovernmental 
        organizations, and governments in partner countries.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (f) Activities Supported.--Assistance provided under 
section 105 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (as amended by 
section 3 of this Act) should advance the strategy required by 
subsection (a), including through efforts to--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) ensure an adequate supply and continued 
        support for trained, effective teachers;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) design and deliver relevant curricula, uphold 
        quality standards, and supply appropriate teaching and learning 
        materials;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) build the capacity of basic education systems 
        in partner countries by improving management practices and 
        supporting their ability to collect relevant data and monitor, 
        evaluate, and report on the status and quality of education 
        services, financing, and student-learning outcomes;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) help mobilize domestic resources to eliminate 
        or offset fees for educational services, including fees for 
        tuition, uniforms, and materials;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) support education on human rights and 
        conflict-resolution while ensuring that schools are not 
        incubators for violent extremism;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) work with communities to help girls overcome 
        relevant barriers to their receiving a safe, quality basic 
        education, including by improving girls' safety in education 
        settings, helping girls to obtain the skills needed to find 
        safe and legal employment upon conclusion of their education, 
        and countering harmful practices such as child, early, and 
        forced marriage and gender-based violence;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) ensure access to education for the most 
        marginalized children and vulnerable groups, including through 
        the provision of appropriate infrastructure, flexible learning 
        opportunities, accelerated and second-chance classes, and 
        opportunities that support leadership development;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (8) make schools safe and secure learning 
        environments without threat of physical, psychological, and 
        sexual violence, including by supporting safe passage to and 
        from schools and constructing separate latrines for boys and 
        girls; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (9) support a communities-of-learning approach 
        that utilizes schools as centers of learning and development 
        for an entire community, to leverage and maximize the impact of 
        other development efforts, and reduce duplication and 
        waste.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (g) Additional Activities Supported for Countries Affected 
by Conflict and Crises.--In addition to the activities supported under 
subsection (f), assistance provided under section 105 of the Foreign 
Assistance Act of 1961 (as amended by section 3 of this Act) to foreign 
countries or those parts of the territories of foreign countries that 
are affected by or emerging from armed conflict, humanitarian crises, 
or other emergency situations may be used to support efforts to--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) ensure a continuity of basic education for all 
        children through appropriate formal and nonformal education 
        programs and services;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) ensure that basic education assistance of the 
        United States to countries in emergency settings shall be 
        informed by the Minimum Standards of the Inter-Agency Network 
        for Education in Emergencies (``INEE Minimum 
        Standards'');</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) coordinate basic education programs with 
        complementary services to protect children from physical harm, 
        psychological and social distress, recruitment into armed 
        groups, family separation, and abuses related to their 
        displacement;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) support, train, and provide professional 
        development for educators working in emergency 
        settings;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) help build national capacity to coordinate and 
        manage basic education during emergency response and through 
        recovery;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) promote the reintegration of teachers and 
        students affected by conflict, whether refugees or internally 
        displaced, into educational systems; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) ensure the safety of children in school, 
        including through support for--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the provision of safe learning 
                environments with appropriate facilities, especially 
                for girls;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) safe passage to and from school, 
                including landmine awareness, the designation of 
                schools as conflict-free zones, the adoption and 
                support of community-owned protective measures to 
                reduce the incidence of attacks on educational 
                facilities and personnel by local actors, armed groups, 
                and armed forces;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) out-of-school and flexible-hour 
                education programs in areas where security conditions 
                are prohibitive;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) safety plans in case of emergency with 
                clearly defined roles for school personnel; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) appropriate infrastructure, including 
                emergency communication systems and access to mobile 
                telecommunications with local police and security 
                personnel.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 5. IMPROVING COORDINATION AND OVERSIGHT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Senior Coordinator of United States International 
Basic Education Assistance.--There is established within the United 
States Agency for International Development a Senior Coordinator of 
United States International Basic Education Assistance (referred to in 
this Act as the ``Senior Coordinator''), who shall be appointed by the 
President.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Duties.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--The Senior Coordinator shall have 
        primary responsibility for the oversight and coordination of 
        all resources and activities of the United States Government 
        relating to the promotion of international basic education 
        programs and activities.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Specific duties.--The Senior Coordinator 
        shall--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) facilitate program and policy 
                coordination of international basic education programs 
                and activities among relevant Executive branch agencies 
                and officials, partner governments, multilateral 
                institutions, the private sector, and nongovernmental 
                and civil society organizations;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) develop and revise the strategy 
                required under section 4;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) monitor, evaluate, and report on 
                activities undertaken pursuant to the strategy required 
                under section 4; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) establish due diligence criteria for 
                all recipients of funds provided by the United States 
                to carry out activities under this Act and the 
                amendments made by this Act.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Offset.--To offset any costs incurred by the United 
States Agency for International Development to carry out the 
establishment and appointment of a Senior Coordinator of United States 
International Basic Education Assistance in accordance with subsection 
(a), the President shall eliminate such positions within the United 
States Agency for International Development, unless otherwise 
authorized or required by law, as the President determines to be 
necessary to fully offset such costs.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 6. MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF PROGRAMS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    The President shall seek to ensure that programs carried 
out under the strategy required under section 4 shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) apply rigorous monitoring and evaluation 
        methodologies to focus on learning and 
        accountability;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) include methodological guidance in the 
        implementation plan and support systemic data collection using 
        internationally comparable indicators, norms, and 
        methodologies, to the extent practicable and 
        appropriate;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) disaggregate all data collected and reported 
        by age, gender, marital status, disability, and location, to 
        the extent practicable and appropriate;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) be planned and budgeted to include funding for 
        both short- and long-term monitoring and evaluation to enable 
        assessment of the sustainability and scalability of assistance 
        programs; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) support the increased use and public 
        availability of education data for improved decision making, 
        program effectiveness, and monitoring of global 
        progress.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 7. TRANSPARENCY AND REPORTING TO CONGRESS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Annual Report on the Implementation of Strategy.--Not 
later than March 31 of each year through 2031, the President shall 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the 
implementation of the strategy developed pursuant to section 4 and make 
the report available to the public.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Matters To Be Included.--The report required under 
subsection (a) shall include--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) a description of the efforts made by relevant 
        Executive branch agencies and officials to implement the 
        strategy developed pursuant to section 4 with a particular 
        focus on the activities carried out;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) a description of the extent to which each 
        partner country selected to receive assistance for basic 
        education meets the priority criteria specified in subsection 
        (c) of section 105 of the Foreign Assistance Act (as added by 
        section 3 of this Act); and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) a description of the progress achieved over 
        the reporting period toward meeting the goals, objectives, 
        benchmarks, and timeframes specified in the strategy developed 
        pursuant to section 4 at the program level, as developed 
        pursuant to monitoring and evaluation specified in section 
        6.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Appropriate Congressional Committees.--In this Act, 
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the Committee on Appropriations and the 
        Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the Committee on Appropriations and the 
        Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
        Representatives.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Other Definitions.--In this Act, the terms ``basic 
education'', ``partner country'', ``relevant Executive branch agencies 
and officials'', ``national education plan'', ``marginalized children 
and vulnerable groups'', and ``gender parity in basic education'' have 
the meanings given such terms in subsection (c) of section 105 of the 
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (as added by section 3 of this 
Act).</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Education for All 
Act of 2016''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
Sec. 3. Assistance to promote sustainable, quality basic education.
Sec. 4. Comprehensive integrated United States strategy to promote 
                            basic education.
Sec. 5. Improving coordination and oversight.
Sec. 6. Monitoring and evaluation of programs.
Sec. 7. Transparency and reporting to Congress.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    (a) Appropriate Congressional Committees.--In this Act, the term 
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
            (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
            (3) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
        Representatives; and
            (4) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
        Representatives.
    (b) Other Definitions.--In this Act, the terms ``basic education'', 
``marginalized children and vulnerable groups'', ``national education 
plan'', ``partner country'', and ``relevant Executive branch agencies 
and officials'' have the meanings given such terms in section 105(c) of 
the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as added by section 3.

SEC. 3. ASSISTANCE TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE, QUALITY BASIC EDUCATION.

    Section 105 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151c) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Assistance to Promote Sustainable, Quality Basic Education.--
            ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Basic education.--The term `basic education' 
                includes--
                            ``(i) measurable improvements in literacy, 
                        numeracy, and other basic skills development 
                        that prepare an individual to be an active, 
                        productive member of society and the workforce;
                            ``(ii) workforce development, vocational 
                        training, and digital literacy informed by real 
                        market needs and opportunities and that results 
                        in measurable improvements in employment;
                            ``(iii) programs and activities designed to 
                        demonstrably improve--
                                    ``(I) early childhood, preprimary 
                                education, primary education, and 
                                secondary education, which can be 
                                delivered in formal or nonformal 
                                education settings; and
                                    ``(II) learning for out-of-school 
                                youth and adults; and
                            ``(iv) capacity building for teachers, 
                        administrators, counselors, and youth workers 
                        that results in measurable improvements in 
                        student literacy, numeracy, or employment.
                    ``(B) Communities of learning.--The term 
                `communities of learning' means a holistic approach to 
                education and community engagement in which schools act 
                as the primary resource center for delivery of a 
                service to the community at large, leveraging and 
                maximizing the impact of other development efforts and 
                reducing duplication and waste.
                    ``(C) Gender parity in basic education.--The term 
                `gender parity in basic education' means that girls and 
                boys have equal access to quality basic education.
                    ``(D) Marginalized children and vulnerable 
                groups.--The term `marginalized children and vulnerable 
                groups' includes girls, children affected by or 
                emerging from armed conflict or humanitarian crises, 
                children with disabilities, children in remote or rural 
                areas (including those who lack access to safe water 
                and sanitation), religious or ethnic minorities, 
                indigenous peoples, orphans and children affected by 
                HIV/AIDS, child laborers, married adolescents, and 
                victims of trafficking.
                    ``(E) National education plan.--The term `national 
                education plan' means a comprehensive national 
                education plan developed by partner country governments 
                in consultation with other stakeholders as a means for 
                wide-scale improvement of the country's education 
                system, including explicit, credible strategies 
                informed by effective practices and standards to 
                achieve quality universal basic education.
                    ``(F) Nonformal education.--The term `nonformal 
                education' means organized educational activities 
                outside the established formal system, whether 
                operating separately or as an important feature of a 
                broader activity, that are intended to provide students 
                with measurable improvements in literacy, numeracy, and 
                other basic skills development that prepare an 
                individual to be an active, productive member of 
                society and the workforce.
                    ``(G) Partner country.--The term `partner country' 
                means a developing country that participates in or 
                benefits from basic education programs under this 
                subsection pursuant to the prioritization criteria 
                described in paragraph (4), including level of need, 
                opportunity for impact, and the availability of 
                resources.
                    ``(H) Relevant executive branch agencies and 
                officials.--The term `relevant Executive branch 
                agencies and officials' means the Department of State, 
                the United States Agency for International Development, 
                the Department of the Treasury, the Department of 
                Labor, the Department of Education, the Department of 
                Agriculture, and the Department of Defense, the Chief 
                Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge 
                Corporation, the National Security Advisor, and the 
                Director of the Peace Corps.
                    ``(I) Sustainability.--The term `sustainability' 
                means, with respect to any basic education program that 
                receives funding pursuant to this section, the ability 
                of a service delivery system, community, partner, or 
                beneficiary to maintain, over time, such basic 
                education program without the use of foreign 
                assistance.
            ``(2) Policy.--In carrying out this section, it shall be 
        the policy of the United States to work with partner countries, 
        as appropriate, other donors, multilateral institutions, the 
        private sector, and nongovernmental and civil society 
        organizations, including faith-based organizations and 
        organizations that represent teachers, students, and parents, 
        to promote sustainable, quality basic education through 
        programs and activities that--
                    ``(A) take into consideration and help respond to 
                the needs, capacities, and commitment of developing 
                countries to achieve measurable improvements in 
                literacy, numeracy, and other basic skills development 
                that prepare an individual to be an active, productive 
                member of society and the workforce;
                    ``(B) strengthen educational systems, promote 
                communities of learning, as appropriate, expand access 
                to safe learning environments, including by breaking 
                down the specific barriers to basic education for women 
                and girls, ensure continuity of education, including in 
                conflict settings, measurably improve teacher skills 
                and learning outcomes, and support the engagement of 
                parents in the education of their children to help 
                partner countries ensure that all children, including 
                marginalized children and other vulnerable groups, have 
                access to and benefit from quality basic education; and
                    ``(C) promote education as a foundation for 
                sustained economic growth and development within a 
                comprehensive assistance strategy that places partner 
                countries on a trajectory toward graduation from 
                assistance provided under this section with clearly 
                defined benchmarks of success that are used as 
                requirements for related procurement vehicles, such as 
                grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements; and
                    ``(D) monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and 
                quality of basic education programs in partner 
                countries.
            ``(3) Principles.--In carrying out the policy referred to 
        in paragraph (2), the United States shall be guided by the 
        following principles of aid effectiveness:
                    ``(A) Alignment.--Assistance provided under this 
                section to support programs and activities under this 
                subsection shall be aligned with and advance United 
                States foreign policy and economic interests.
                    ``(B) Country ownership.--To the greatest extent 
                practicable, assistance provided under this section to 
                support programs and activities under this subsection 
                should be aligned with and support the national 
                education plans and country development strategies of 
                partner countries, including activities that are 
                appropriate for and meet the needs of local and 
                indigenous cultures.
                    ``(C) Coordination.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Assistance provided 
                        under this section to support programs and 
                        activities under this subsection should be 
                        coordinated with and leverage the unique 
                        capabilities and resources of local and 
                        national governments in partner countries, 
                        other donors, multilateral institutions, the 
                        private sector, and nongovernmental and civil 
                        society organizations, including faith-based 
                        organizations and organizations that represent 
                        teachers, students, and parents.
                            ``(ii) Multilateral programs and 
                        initiatives.--Assistance provided under this 
                        section to support programs and activities 
                        under this subsection should be coordinated 
                        with and support proven multilateral education 
                        programs and financing mechanisms, which may 
                        include the Global Partnership for Education, 
                        that demonstrate commitment to efficiency, 
                        effectiveness, transparency, and 
                        accountability.
                    ``(D) Efficiency.--The President shall seek to 
                improve the efficiency and effectiveness of assistance 
                provided under this section to support programs and 
                activities under this subsection by coordinating the 
                related efforts of relevant Executive branch agencies 
                and officials.
                    ``(E) Effectiveness.--Programs and activities 
                supported under this subsection--
                            ``(i) shall be consistent with the policies 
                        and principles set forth in this subsection;
                            ``(ii) shall be designed to achieve 
                        specific, measurable goals and objectives that 
                        are directly related to the provision of basic 
                        education (as defined in this section); and
                            ``(iii) shall include appropriate targets, 
                        metrics, and indicators that--
                                    ``(I) move a country along the path 
                                to graduation from assistance provided 
                                under this subsection; and
                                    ``(II) can be applied with 
                                reasonable consistency across such 
                                programs and activities to measure 
                                progress and outcomes.
                    ``(F) Transparency and accountability.--Programs 
                and activities supported under this subsection shall be 
                subject to rigorous monitoring and evaluation, which 
                may include impact evaluations, the results of which 
                shall be made publically available in a fully 
                searchable, electronic format.
            ``(4) Priority and other requirements.--The President shall 
        ensure that assistance provided under this section to support 
        programs and activities under this subsection is aligned with 
        the foreign policy and economic interests of the United States 
        and, subject to such alignment, priority is given to developing 
        countries in which--
                    ``(A) there is the greatest need and opportunity to 
                expand access to basic education and to improve 
                learning outcomes, including for marginalized and 
                vulnerable groups, particularly women and girls to 
                ensure gender parity in basic education, or populations 
                affected by conflict or crisis; and
                    ``(B) such assistance can produce a substantial, 
                measurable impact on children and educational 
                systems.''.

SEC. 4. COMPREHENSIVE INTEGRATED UNITED STATES STRATEGY TO PROMOTE 
              BASIC EDUCATION.

    (a) Strategy Required.--Not later than October 1, 2017, the 
President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a 
comprehensive United States strategy to be carried out during fiscal 
years 2018 through 2022 to promote quality basic education in partner 
countries by--
            (1) seeking to equitably expand access to basic education 
        for all children, particularly marginalized children and 
        vulnerable groups; and
            (2) measurably improving the quality of basic education and 
        learning outcomes.
    (b) Requirement To Consult.--In developing the strategy required 
under subsection (a), the President shall consult with--
            (1) the appropriate congressional committees;
            (2) relevant Executive branch agencies and officials;
            (3) partner country governments; and
            (4) local and international nongovernmental organizations, 
        including faith-based organizations and organizations 
        representing students, teachers, and parents, and other 
        development partners engaged in basic education assistance 
        programs in developing countries.
    (c) Public Comment.--The President shall provide an opportunity for 
public comment on the strategy required under subsection (a).
    (d) Elements.--The strategy required under subsection (a)--
            (1) shall be developed and implemented consistent with the 
        principles set forth in section 105(c) of the Foreign 
        Assistance Act of 1961, as added by section 3; and
            (2) shall seek--
                    (A) to prioritize assistance provided under this 
                subsection to countries that are partners of the United 
                States and whose populations are most in need of 
                improved basic education, as determined by indicators 
                such as literacy and numeracy rates;
                    (B) to build the capacity of relevant actors in 
                partner countries, including in government and in civil 
                society, to develop and implement national education 
                plans that measurably improve basic education;
                    (C) to identify and replicate successful 
                interventions that improve access to and quality of 
                basic education in conflict settings and in partner 
                countries;
                    (D) to project general levels of resources needed 
                to achieve stated program objectives;
                    (E) to develop means to track implementation in 
                partner countries and ensure that such countries are 
                expending appropriate domestic resources and 
                instituting any relevant legal, regulatory, or 
                institutional reforms needed to achieve stated program 
                objectives;
                    (F) to leverage United States capabilities, 
                including through technical assistance, training, and 
                research; and
                    (G) to improve coordination and reduce duplication 
                among relevant Executive branch agencies and officials, 
                other donors, multilateral institutions, 
                nongovernmental organizations, and governments in 
                partner countries.

SEC. 5. IMPROVING COORDINATION AND OVERSIGHT.

    (a) Senior Coordinator of United States International Basic 
Education Assistance.--There is established within the United States 
Agency for International Development a Senior Coordinator of United 
States International Basic Education Assistance (referred to in this 
section as the ``Senior Coordinator''). The Senior Coordinator shall be 
appointed by the President, shall be a current USAID employee serving 
in a career or noncareer position in the Senior Executive Service or at 
the level of a Deputy Assistant Administrator or higher, and shall 
serve concurrently as the Senior Coordinator.
    (b) Duties.--
            (1) In general.--The Senior Coordinator shall have primary 
        responsibility for the oversight and coordination of all 
        resources and activities of the United States Government 
        relating to the promotion of international basic education 
        programs and activities.
            (2) Specific duties.--The Senior Coordinator shall--
                    (A) facilitate program and policy coordination of 
                international basic education programs and activities 
                among relevant Executive branch agencies and officials, 
                partner governments, multilateral institutions, the 
                private sector, and nongovernmental and civil society 
                organizations;
                    (B) develop and revise the strategy required under 
                section 4;
                    (C) monitor, evaluate, and report on activities 
                undertaken pursuant to the strategy required under 
                section 4; and
                    (D) establish due diligence criteria for all 
                recipients of funds provided by the United States to 
                carry out activities under this Act and the amendments 
                made by this Act.
    (c) Offset.--In order to eliminate duplication of effort and 
activities and to offset any costs incurred by the United States Agency 
for International Development in appointing the Senior Coordinator 
under subsection (a), the President shall eliminate any positions 
within the United States Agency for International Development (unless 
otherwise authorized or required by law) that the President determines 
to be necessary to fully offset such costs and eliminate duplication.

SEC. 6. MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF PROGRAMS.

    The President shall seek to ensure that programs carried out under 
the strategy required under section 4 shall--
            (1) apply rigorous monitoring and evaluation methodologies 
        to determine if programs and activities provided under this 
        subsection accomplish measurable improvements in literacy, 
        numeracy, or other basic skills development that prepare an 
        individual to be an active, productive member of society and 
        the workforce;
            (2) include methodological guidance in the implementation 
        plan and support systemic data collection using internationally 
        comparable indicators, norms, and methodologies, to the extent 
        practicable and appropriate;
            (3) disaggregate all data collected and reported by age, 
        gender, marital status, disability, and location, to the extent 
        practicable and appropriate;
            (4) include funding for both short- and long-term 
        monitoring and evaluation to enable assessment of the 
        sustainability and scalability of assistance programs; and
            (5) support the increased use and public availability of 
        education data for improved decision making, program 
        effectiveness, and monitoring of global progress.

SEC. 7. TRANSPARENCY AND REPORTING TO CONGRESS.

    (a) Annual Report on the Implementation of Strategy.--Not later 
than each March 31 immediately following a fiscal year during which the 
strategy developed pursuant to section 4(a) was carried out, the 
President shall--
            (1) submit a report to the appropriate congressional 
        committees that describes the implementation of such strategy; 
        and
            (2) make the report described in paragraph (1) available to 
        the public.
    (b) Matters To Be Included.--The report required under subsection 
(a) shall include--
            (1) a description of the efforts made by relevant Executive 
        branch agencies and officials to implement the strategy 
        developed pursuant to section 4, with a particular focus on the 
        activities carried out under the strategy;
            (2) a description of the extent to which each partner 
        country selected to receive assistance for basic education 
        meets the priority criteria specified in section 105(c) of the 
        Foreign Assistance Act, as added by section 3; and
            (3) a description of the progress achieved over the 
        reporting period toward meeting the goals, objectives, 
        benchmarks, and timeframes specified in the strategy developed 
        pursuant to section 4 at the program level, as developed 
        pursuant to monitoring and evaluation specified in section 6, 
        with particular emphasis on whether there are demonstrable 
        student improvements in literacy, numeracy, or other basic 
        skills development that prepare an individual to be an active, 
        productive member of society and the workforce.
                                                       Calendar No. 712

114th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 4481

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

 To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to provide assistance for 
    developing countries to promote quality basic education and to 
    establish the goal of all children in school and learning as an 
objective of the United States foreign assistance policy, and for other 
                               purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                            December 7, 2016

                       Reported with an amendment