[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 105 (Wednesday, July 8, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S4874]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2154. Mr. REID (for Mr. King (for himself and Mrs. Capito)) 
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 2089 
submitted by Mr. Alexander (for himself and Mrs. Murray) to the bill S. 
1177, to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
to ensure that every child achieves; which was ordered to lie on the 
table; as follows:

       On page 264, between lines 11 and 12, insert the following:

     SEC. 1018. REPORT ON STUDENT HOME ACCESS TO DIGITAL LEARNING 
                   RESOURCES.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Director of the Institute of 
     Education Sciences, in consultation with relevant Federal 
     agencies, shall complete a national study on the educational 
     trends and behaviors associated with access to digital 
     learning resources outside of the classroom, which shall 
     include analysis of extant data and new surveys about 
     students and teachers that provide--
       (1) a description of the various locations from which 
     students access the Internet and digital learning resources 
     outside of the classroom, including through an after-school 
     or summer program, a library, and at home;
       (2) a description of the various devices and technology 
     through which students access the Internet and digital 
     learning resources outside of the classroom, including 
     through a computer or mobile device;
       (3) data associated with the number of students who lack 
     home Internet access, disaggregated by--
       (A) each of the categories of students, as defined in 
     section 1111(b)(3)(A) of the Elementary and Secondary 
     Education Act of 1965;
       (B) homeless students and children or youth in foster care; 
     and
       (C) students in geographically diverse areas, including 
     urban, suburban, and rural areas;
       (4) data associated with the barriers to students acquiring 
     home Internet access;
       (5) data associated with the proportion of educators who 
     assign homework or implement innovative learning models that 
     require or are substantially augmented by a student having 
     home Internet access and the frequency of the need for such 
     access;
       (6) a description of the learning behaviors associated with 
     students who lack home Internet access, including--
       (A) student participation in the classroom, including the 
     ability to complete homework and participate in innovative 
     learning models;
       (B) student engagement, through such measures as attendance 
     rates and chronic absenteeism; and
       (C) a student's ability to apply for employment, 
     postsecondary education, and financial aid programs;
       (7) an analysis of the how a student's lack of home 
     Internet access impacts the instructional practice of 
     educators, including--
       (A) the extent to which educators alter instructional 
     methods, resources, homework assignments, and curriculum in 
     order to accommodate differing levels of home Internet 
     access; and
       (B) strategies employed by educators, school leaders, and 
     administrators to address the differing levels of home 
     Internet access among students; and
       (8) a description of the ways in which State educational 
     agencies, local educational agencies, schools, and other 
     entities, including through partnerships, have developed 
     effective means to provide students with Internet access 
     outside of the school day.
       (b) Public Dissemination.--The Director of the Institute of 
     Education Sciences shall widely disseminate the findings of 
     the study under this section--
       (1) in a timely fashion;
       (2) in a form that is understandable, easily accessible, 
     and publicly available and usable, or adaptable for use in, 
     the improvement of educational practice;
       (3) through electronic transfer and other means, such as 
     posting, as available, to the website of the Institute of 
     Education Sciences, or the Department of Education; and
       (4) to all State educational agencies and other recipients 
     of funds under part D of title IV of the Elementary and 
     Secondary Education Act of 1965.
       (c) Definition of Digital Learning.--In this section, the 
     term ``digital learning''--
       (1) has the meaning given the term in section 5702 of the 
     Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965; and
       (2) includes an educational practice that effectively uses 
     technology to strengthen a student's learning experience 
     within and outside of the classroom and at home, which may 
     include the use of digital learning content, video, software, 
     and other resources that may be developed, as the Secretary 
     of Education may determine.
                                 ______