 
                  CHAPTER 68--NATIONAL EDUCATION REFORM
 
Part A--General Provisions Regarding Office of Educational Research and 
                               Improvement
 
             Part D--National Education Dissemination System
 
Sec. 6041. Establishment within Office of Educational Research 
        and Improvement
        

(a) In general

                            (1) Findings

        The Congress finds as follows:
            (A) In order to improve the American educational system for 
        all students, achieve the National Education Goals, and provide 
        for greater educational equity, policymakers, administrators, 
        teachers, and parents must have ready access to the best 
        information and methods available as a result of educational 
        research and development.
            (B) The Office of Educational Research and Improvement 
        should have as one of its primary purposes the dissemination of 
        such information and methods in order to assist the national 
        education reform effort.
            (C) All current resources within the Office, the Department 
        of Education, and other agencies that can help accomplish the 
        purposes described in subparagraph (B) should be coordinated by 
        the Assistant Secretary, to the extent practicable, so as to 
        form a systematic process to accomplish such purposes.
            (D) Education research has the capacity to improve teaching 
        and learning in our Nation's schools, however, teachers need 
        training in the skills necessary to translate research into 
        practice and to allow teachers to become knowledgeable 
        practitioners and leaders in educational improvement.
            (E) Adequate linkages between research and development 
        providers and practitioners are essential to ensuring that 
        research on effective practice is useful, disseminated to and 
        supported with technical assistance for all educators, and that 
        all educators are partners in the research and development 
        process.

                             (2) Purpose

        The purpose of this section is to--
            (A) create a national system of dissemination, development, 
        and educational improvement in order to create, adapt, identify, 
        validate, and disseminate to educators, parents, and 
        policymakers those educational programs that have potential or 
        have been shown to improve educational opportunities for all 
        students; and
            (B) empower and increase the capacity of teachers to 
        participate in the research and development process.

                 (3) ``Educational program'' defined

        For the purposes of this section, the term ``educational 
    program'' includes educational policies, research findings, 
    practices, and products.

(b) Establishment of Office

                           (1) In general

        There is established within the Office an Office of Reform 
    Assistance and Dissemination (hereafter in this section referred to 
    as the ``Dissemination Office'') through which the Secretary shall 
    carry out all functions and activities described in this section. 
    Such office \1\ shall be headed by a Director who shall be appointed 
    by the Assistant Secretary and have demonstrated expertise and 
    experience in dissemination, including promoting the effective use 
    of research in the classroom.
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    \1\ So in original. Probably should be ``Dissemination Office''.
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                         (2) Certain duties

        The Dissemination Office shall--
            (A) disseminate relevant and useful research, information, 
        products, and publications developed through or supported by the 
        Department of Education to schools, educators, parents, and 
        policymakers throughout the United States;
            (B) operate a depository for all Department of Education 
        publications and products and make available for reproduction 
        such publications and products;
            (C) provide technical and financial assistance to 
        individuals and organizations in the process of developing 
        promising educational programs but who might not, without such 
        assistance, be able to complete necessary development and 
        assessment activities;
            (D) coordinate the dissemination efforts of the Office, the 
        regional educational laboratories, the research institutes, the 
        National Diffusion Network, and the Educational Resources 
        Information Center Clearinghouses;
            (E) provide training and technical assistance regarding the 
        implementation and adoption of exemplary and promising programs 
        by interested entities;
            (F) carry out a program of research on models for successful 
        knowledge dissemination, and utilization, and strategies for 
        reaching education policymakers, practitioners, and others 
        interested in education;
            (G) develop the capacity to connect schools and teachers 
        seeking information with the relevant regional educational 
        laboratories assisted under subsection (h) of this section, the 
        National Diffusion Network, the Institutes assisted under this 
        section, and the Educational Resources Information Center 
        Clearinghouses; and
            (H) provide a biennial report to the Secretary regarding the 
        types of information, products, and services that teachers, 
        schools, and school districts have requested and have determined 
        to be most useful, and describe future plans to adapt Department 
        of Education products and services to address the needs of the 
        users of such information, products, and services.

                        (3) Additional duties

        The Dissemination Office shall carry out a process for the 
    identification of educational programs that work, dissemination 
    through electronic networking and new technologies and the functions 
    and activities performed by the following:
            (A) The Educational Resources Information Center 
        Clearinghouses.
            (B) The regional educational laboratories.
            (C) The Teacher Research Dissemination Demonstration 
        Program.
            (D) The Goals 2000 Community Partnerships Program.
            (E) The existing National Diffusion Network and its 
        Developer-Demonstrator and State Facilitator projects.
            (F) Such other programs, activities, or entities the 
        Secretary determines are consistent with purposes for which the 
        Dissemination Office is established.

(c) Identification of programs

    The Assistant Secretary shall coordinate a process through which 
successful educational programs are actively sought out for possible 
dissemination through the national educational dissemination system. 
Such process shall, at a minimum, have the capability to--
        (1) work closely with the Institutes, research and development 
    centers, regional educational laboratories, the National Diffusion 
    Network and its Developer-Demonstrator and State Facilitator 
    projects, learning grant institutions established under the Goals 
    2000 Community Partnerships Program, Department of Education-
    supported technical assistance providers, and other entities to 
    identify successful educational programs at the regional, State, 
    local, or classroom level;
        (2) review successful educational programs supported by the 
    Department of Education through all of its programs;
        (3) through cooperative agreements, review for possible 
    inclusion in the system educational programs administered by the 
    Departments of Health and Human Services (particularly the Head 
    Start program), Labor, and Defense, the National Science Foundation, 
    the Department of the Interior (particularly the Office of Indian 
    Education Programs), and any other appropriate Federal agency; and
        (4) provide for an active outreach effort to identify successful 
    educational programs through cooperative arrangements with State and 
    local education agencies, teachers and teacher organizations, 
    curriculum associations, foundations, private schools, institutions 
    of higher education, and other entities that could enhance the 
    ability of the Secretary to identify programs for possible inclusion 
    in the dissemination system.

(d) Designation of exemplary and promising programs

                           (1) In general

        The Assistant Secretary, in consultation with the Board, shall 
    establish 1 or more panels of appropriately qualified experts and 
    practitioners to--
            (A) evaluate educational programs that have been identified 
        by the Secretary under subsection (c) of this section or that 
        have been submitted to the Secretary for such evaluation by some 
        other individual or organization; and
            (B) recommend to the Secretary programs that should be 
        designated as exemplary or promising educational programs.

            (2) Considerations in making recommendations

        In determining whether an educational program should receive a 
    recommendation under paragraph (1), a panel established under such 
    paragraph shall consider--
            (A) whether, based on empirical data, which may include test 
        results, the program is effective and should be designated as 
        exemplary and disseminated through the national dissemination 
        system; or
            (B) whether there is sufficient evidence to lead a panel of 
        experts and practitioners to believe that the program shows 
        promise for improving student achievement and should be 
        designated as promising and disseminated through the national 
        dissemination system while the program continues to be 
        evaluated.

           (3) Requirement regarding approval of programs

        In seeking out programs for approval under paragraph (2), the 
    Assistant Secretary shall seek programs that may be implemented at 
    the State, local, and classroom level.

                  (4) Requirements regarding panels

        (A) A panel shall not eliminate a program from consideration 
    under this subsection based solely on the fact that the program does 
    not have one specific type of supporting data, such as test scores.
        (B) The Assistant Secretary may not designate a program as 
    exemplary or promising unless a panel established under paragraph 
    (1) has recommended that the program be so designated.
        (C) The Secretary shall establish such panels under paragraph 
    (1) as may be necessary to ensure that each program identified or 
    submitted for evaluation is evaluated.
        (D) Not less than \2/3\ of the membership of a panel established 
    under paragraph (1) shall consist of individuals who are not 
    officers or employees of the United States. Members of panels under 
    paragraph (1) who are not employees of the United States shall 
    receive compensation for each day they are engaged in carrying out 
    the duties of the panel as well as compensation for their expenses.

(e) Dissemination of exemplary and promising programs

    In order to ensure that programs identified as exemplary or 
promising are available for adoption by the greatest number of teachers, 
schools, local and State education agencies, and Bureau-funded schools, 
the Assistant Secretary shall utilize the capabilities of--
        (1) the Educational Resources Information Center Clearinghouses;
        (2) electronic networking;
        (3) the regional educational laboratories;
        (4) the National Diffusion Network;
        (5) entities established under the Goals 2000 Community 
    Partnerships Program;
        (6) department-supported technical assistance providers;
        (7) the National Library of Education; and
        (8) other public and private nonprofit entities, including 
    existing education associations and networks, that have the 
    capability to assist educators in adopting exemplary and promising 
    programs.

(f) Educational Resources Information Center Clearinghouses

                           (1) In general

        The Assistant Secretary shall establish a system of 16 
    clearinghouses having, at a minimum, the functions and scope of work 
    as the clearinghouses had on the day preceding March 31, 1994. The 
    Assistant Secretary shall establish for the clearinghouses a policy 
    for the abstraction from, and inclusion in, the Educational 
    Resources Information Center Clearinghouses system for books, 
    periodicals, reports, and other materials related to education.

                      (2) Additional functions

        In addition to those functions carried out by the clearinghouses 
    on the day preceding March 31, 1994, such clearinghouses may--
            (A) periodically produce interpretive summaries, digests, 
        and syntheses of the results and findings of education-related 
        research and development; and
            (B) contain and make available to users information 
        concerning those programs designated as exemplary and promising 
        under subsection (d) of this section.

                   (3) Coordination of activities

        The Assistant Secretary shall assure that the functions and 
    activities of such clearinghouses are coordinated with the 
    activities of the Institutes, the regional educational laboratories, 
    learning grant institutions, other clearinghouses supported by the 
    Department of Education, the National Diffusion Network, and other 
    appropriate entities within the Office and such Department.

            (4) Special responsibilities of the Secretary

        To assure that the information provided through such 
    clearinghouses is fully comprehensive, the Secretary shall--
            (A) require that all reports, studies, and other resources 
        produced directly or by grant or contract with the Department of 
        Education are made available to clearinghouses;
            (B) establish cooperative agreements with the Departments of 
        Defense, Health and Human Services, Interior, and other Federal 
        departments and agencies to assure that all education-related 
        reports, studies, and other resources produced directly or by 
        grant from or contract with the Federal Government are made 
        available to such clearinghouses; and
            (C) devise an effective system for maximizing the 
        identification, synthesis, and dissemination of information 
        related to the needs of Indian and Alaska Native children.

                      (5) Copyright prohibited

        (A) No clearinghouse or other entity receiving assistance under 
    this subsection may copyright or otherwise charge a royalty or other 
    fee that--
            (i) is for the use or redissemination of any database, 
        index, abstract, report, or other information produced with 
        assistance under this subsection; and
            (ii) exceeds the incremental cost of disseminating such 
        information.

        (B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), the incremental cost of 
    dissemination does not include any portion of the cost of 
    collecting, organizing, or processing the information which is 
    disseminated.

(g) Dissemination through new technologies

                           (1) In general

        The Assistant Secretary is authorized to award grants or 
    contracts in accordance with this subsection to support the 
    development of materials, programs, and resources which utilize new 
    technologies and techniques to synthesize and disseminate research 
    and development findings and other information which can be used to 
    support educational improvement.

                      (2) Electronic networking

        (A) Electronic network

            The Assistant Secretary, acting through the Office of Reform 
        Assistance and Dissemination, shall establish and maintain an 
        electronic network which shall, at a minimum, link--
                (i) each office of the Department of Education;
                (ii) the Institutes established by section 6031 of this 
            title;
                (iii) the National Center for Education Statistics;
                (iv) the National Library of Education; and
                (v) entities engaged in research, development, 
            dissemination, and technical assistance under grant from, or 
            contract, or cooperative agreement with, the Department of 
            Education.

        (B) Certain requirements for network

            The network described in subparagraph (A) shall--
                (i) to the extent feasible, build upon existing 
            national, regional, and State electronic networks and 
            support video, telecomputing, and interactive 
            communications;
                (ii) at a minimum, have the capability to support 
            electronic mail and file transfer services;
                (iii) be linked to and accessible to other users, 
            including State and local education agencies, institutions 
            of higher education, museums, libraries, and others through 
            the Internet and the National Research and Education 
            Network; and
                (iv) be provided at no cost (excluding the costs of 
            necessary hardware) to the contractors and grantees 
            described in clause (v) of subparagraph (A) and to 
            educational institutions accessing such network through the 
            Internet and the National Research and Education Network.

        (C) Information resources

            The Assistant Secretary, acting through the Office of Reform 
        Assistance and Dissemination, may make available through the 
        network described in subparagraph (A)--
                (i) information about grant and contract assistance 
            available through the Department of Education;
                (ii) an annotated directory of current research and 
            development activities and projects being undertaken with 
            the assistance of the Department of Education;
                (iii) information about publications published by the 
            Department of Education and, to the extent feasible, the 
            full text of such publications;
                (iv) statistics and data published by the National 
            Center for Education Statistics;
                (v) syntheses of research and development findings;
                (vi) a directory of other education-related electronic 
            networks and databases, including information about the 
            means by which such networks and databases may be accessed;
                (vii) a descriptive listing of materials and courses of 
            instruction provided by telecommunications partnerships 
            assisted under the Star Schools program;
                (viii) resources developed by the Educational Resources 
            Information Center Clearinghouses;
                (ix) education-related software (including video) which 
            is in the public domain;
                (x) a listing of instructional materials available 
            through telecommunications to local education agencies 
            through the Public Broadcasting Service and State 
            educational television networks; and
                (xi) such other information and resources the Assistant 
            Secretary considers useful and appropriate.

        (D) Evaluations regarding other functions of network

            The Assistant Secretary shall also undertake projects to 
        test and evaluate the feasibility of using the network described 
        in subparagraph (A) for--
                (i) the submission of applications for assistance to the 
            Department of Education; and
                (ii) the collection of data and other statistics through 
            the National Center for Education Statistics.

        (E) Training and technical assistance

            The Assistant Secretary, acting through the Office of Reform 
        Assistance and Dissemination, shall--
                (i) provide such training and technical assistance as 
            may be necessary to enable the contractors and grantees 
            described in clause (v) of subparagraph (A) to participate 
            in the electronic network described in such subparagraph; 
            and
                (ii) work with the National Science Foundation to 
            provide, upon request, assistance to State and local 
            educational agencies, the Department of the Interior's 
            Office of Indian Education Programs, tribal departments of 
            education, State library agencies, libraries, museums, and 
            other educational institutions in obtaining access to the 
            Internet and the National Research and Education Network.

(h) Regional educational laboratories for research, development, 
        dissemination, and technical assistance

                (1) Regional educational laboratories

        The Assistant Secretary shall enter into contracts with public 
    or private nonprofit entities to establish a networked system of not 
    less than 10 and not more than 12 regional educational laboratories 
    which serve the needs of each region of the United States in 
    accordance with the provisions of this subsection. The amount of 
    assistance allocated to each laboratory by the Assistant Secretary 
    shall reflect the number of local educational agencies and the 
    number of school-age children within the region served by such 
    laboratory, as well as the cost of providing services within the 
    geographic area encompassed by the region.

                             (2) Regions

        The regions served by the regional educational laboratories 
    shall be the 10 geographic regions in existence on the day preceding 
    March 31, 1994, except that in fiscal year 1996, the Assistant 
    Secretary may support not more than 2 additional regional 
    educational laboratories serving regions not in existence on the day 
    preceding March 31, 1994, provided that--
            (A) the amount appropriated for the regional educational 
        laboratories in fiscal year 1996 exceeds the amount appropriated 
        for the regional educational laboratories in fiscal year 1995 by 
        not less than $2,000,000;
            (B) each such additional regional laboratory shall be 
        supported by not less than $2,000,000 annually;
            (C) the creation of any such additional laboratory region is 
        announced at the time of the announcement of the competition for 
        contracts for all regional educational laboratories;
            (D) the creation of a regional educational laboratory that 
        involves the combination or subdivision of a region or regions 
        in existence on the day preceding March 31, 1994, in which 
        States in 1 such region are combined with States in another such 
        region does not result in any region in existence on such date 
        permanently becoming part of a larger region, nor result in any 
        such region permanently subsuming another region, nor creates 
        within the continental United States a region that is smaller 
        than 4 contiguous States, nor partitions a region in existence 
        on the day preceding March 31, 1994, to include less than 4 
        contiguous States included in the region on the day preceding 
        March 31, 1994;
            (E) the Assistant Secretary has published a notice in the 
        Federal Register inviting the public, for a period of not less 
        than 60 days, to make recommendations with respect to the 
        creation of 1 or 2 additional regional educational laboratories;
            (F) the Assistant Secretary has solicited and received 
        letters of support for the creation of any new region from the 
        Chief State School Officers and State boards of education in 
        each of the contiguous States that would be included in such new 
        region.

                             (3) Duties

        Each regional educational laboratory receiving assistance under 
    this section shall promote the implementation of broad-based 
    systemic school improvement strategies and shall have as such 
    laboratory's central mission and primary function to--
            (A) develop and disseminate educational research products 
        and processes to schools, teachers, local educational agencies, 
        State educational agencies, librarians, and schools funded by 
        the Bureau, as appropriate, and through such development and 
        dissemination, and provide technical assistance, to help all 
        students meet standards;
            (B) develop a plan for identifying and serving the needs of 
        the region by conducting a continuing survey of the educational 
        needs, strengths, and weaknesses within the region, including a 
        process of open hearings to solicit the views of schools, 
        teachers, administrators, parents, local educational agencies, 
        librarians, and State educational agencies within the region;
            (C) provide technical assistance to State and local 
        educational agencies, school boards, schools funded by the 
        Bureau, as appropriate, State boards of education, schools, and 
        librarians;
            (D) facilitate school restructuring at the individual school 
        level, including technical assistance for adapting model 
        demonstration grant programs to each school;
            (E) serve the educational development needs of the region by 
        providing education research in usable forms in order to promote 
        school improvement and academic achievement and to correct 
        educational deficiencies;
            (F) facilitate communication between educational experts, 
        school officials, and teachers, parents, and librarians, to 
        enable such individuals to assist schools to develop a plan to 
        meet the National Education Goals;
            (G) provide training in--
                (i) the field of education research and related areas;
                (ii) the use of new educational methods; and
                (iii) the use of information-finding methods, practices, 
            techniques, and products developed in connection with such 
            training for which the regional educational laboratory may 
            support internships and fellowships and provide stipends;

            (H) use applied educational research to assist in solving 
        site-specific problems and to assist in development activities;
            (I) conduct applied research projects designed to serve the 
        particular needs of the region only in the event that such 
        quality applied research does not exist as determined by the 
        regional education laboratory or the Department of Education;
            (J) collaborate and coordinate services with other technical 
        assistance providers funded by the Department of Education;
            (K) provide support and technical assistance in--
                (i) replicating and adapting exemplary and promising 
            practices;
                (ii) the development of high-quality, challenging 
            curriculum frameworks;
                (iii) the development of valid, reliable assessments 
            which are linked to State, local, or Bureau-funded content 
            and student performance standards and reflect recent 
            advances in the field of educational assessment;
                (iv) the improvement of professional development 
            strategies to assure that all teachers are prepared to teach 
            a challenging curriculum;
                (v) expanding and improving the use of technology in 
            education to improve teaching and learning;
                (vi) the development of alternatives for restructuring 
            school finance systems to promote greater equity in the 
            distribution of resources; and
                (vii) the development of alternative administrative 
            structures which are more conducive to planning, 
            implementing, and sustaining school reform and improved 
            educational outcomes; and

            (L) bring teams of experts together to develop and implement 
        school improvement plans and strategies.

                           (4) Networking

        In order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the 
    regional laboratories, the governing boards of the regional 
    laboratories shall establish and maintain a network to--
            (A) share information about the activities each laboratory 
        is carrying out;
            (B) plan joint activities that would meet the needs of 
        multiple regions;
            (C) create a strategic plan for the development of 
        activities undertaken by the laboratories to reduce redundancy 
        and increase collaboration and resource-sharing in such 
        activities; and
            (D) otherwise devise means by which the work of the 
        individual laboratories could serve national, as well as 
        regional, needs.

                        (5) Additional duties

        Each regional education laboratory receiving assistance under 
    this subsection shall carry out the following activities:
            (A) Collaborate with the Institutes established under 
        section 6031 of this title in order to--
                (i) maximize the use of research conducted through the 
            Institutes in the work of such laboratory;
                (ii) keep the Institutes apprised of the work of the 
            regional educational laboratory in the field; and
                (iii) inform the Institutes about additional research 
            needs identified in the field.

            (B) Consult with the State educational agencies and library 
        agencies in the region in developing the plan for serving the 
        region.
            (C) Develop strategies to utilize schools as critical 
        components in reforming education and revitalizing rural 
        communities in the United States.
            (D) Report and disseminate information on overcoming the 
        obstacles faced by rural educators and rural schools.
            (E) Identify successful educational programs that have 
        either been developed by such laboratory in carrying out such 
        laboratory's functions or that have been developed or used by 
        others within the region served by the laboratory and make such 
        information available to the Secretary and the network of 
        regional laboratories so that such programs may be considered 
        for inclusion in the national education dissemination system.

                      (6) Certain requirements

        In carrying out its responsibilities, each regional educational 
    laboratory shall--
            (A) establish a governing board that--
                (i) reflects a balanced representation of the States in 
            the region, as well as the interests and concerns of 
            regional constituencies, and that includes teachers and 
            education researchers;
                (ii) is the sole entity that--
                    (I) guides and directs the laboratory in carrying 
                out the provisions of this subsection and satisfying the 
                terms and conditions of the contract award;
                    (II) determines the regional agenda of the 
                laboratory;
                    (III) engages in an ongoing dialogue with the 
                Assistant Secretary concerning the laboratory's goals, 
                activities, and priorities; and
                    (IV) determines at the start of the contract period, 
                subject to the requirements of this section and in 
                consultation with the Assistant Secretary, the mission 
                of the regional educational laboratory for the duration 
                of the contract period;

                (iii) ensures that the regional educational laboratory 
            attains and maintains a high level of quality in the 
            laboratory's work and products;
                (iv) establishes standards to ensure that the regional 
            educational laboratory has strong and effective governance, 
            organization, management, and administration, and employs 
            qualified staff;
                (v) directs the regional educational laboratory to carry 
            out the laboratory's duties in a manner as will make 
            progress toward achieving the National Education Goals and 
            reforming schools and educational systems; and
                (vi) conducts a continuing survey of the educational 
            needs, strengths, and weaknesses within the region, 
            including a process of open hearings to solicit the views of 
            schools and teachers.

            (B) Comply with the standards developed by the Assistant 
        Secretary and approved by the Board under section 6011 of this 
        title.
            (C) Coordinate its activities, collaborate, and regularly 
        exchange information with the Institutes established under 
        section 6041 \2\ of this title, the National Diffusion Network, 
        and its Developer-Demonstrator and State Facilitator projects, 
        learning grant institutions and district education agents 
        assisted under subsection (i) of this section, the Educational 
        Resources Information Center Clearinghouses, and other entities 
        engaged in technical assistance and dissemination activities 
        which are supported by other offices of the Department of 
        Education.
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    \2\ So in original. Probably should be section ``6031''.
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            (D) Allocate the regional educational laboratory's resources 
        to and within each State in a manner which reflects the need for 
        assistance, taking into account such factors as the proportion 
        of economically disadvantaged students, the increased cost 
        burden of service delivery in areas of sparse populations, and 
        any special initiatives being undertaken by State, intermediate, 
        local educational agencies, or Bureau-funded schools, as 
        appropriate, which may require special assistance from the 
        laboratory.

                           (7) Evaluations

        The Assistant Secretary shall provide for independent 
    evaluations of each of the regional educational laboratories in 
    carrying out the duties described in paragraph (1) in the third year 
    that such laboratory receives assistance under this subsection in 
    accordance with the standards developed by the Assistant Secretary 
    and approved by the Board and shall transmit the results of such 
    evaluations to the relevant committees of the Congress, the Board, 
    and the appropriate regional educational laboratory board.

         (8) Invitation regarding competition for awards of 
                                 assistance

        Prior to awarding a grant or entering into a contract under this 
    section, the Secretary shall invite applicants, including the 
    regional educational laboratories in existence on the day preceding 
    March 31, 1994, to compete for such award through notice in the 
    Federal Register and in the publication of the Department of 
    Commerce known as the Commerce Business Daily.

                   (9) Application for assistance

        Each application for assistance under this subsection shall--
            (A) cover not less than a 5-year period;
            (B) describe how the applicant would carry out the 
        activities required by this subsection; and
            (C) contain such additional information as the Secretary may 
        reasonably require.

                      (10) Rule of construction

        No regional educational laboratory receiving assistance under 
    this subsection shall, by reason of the receipt of that assistance, 
    be ineligible to receive any other assistance from the Department of 
    Education as authorized by law or be prohibited from engaging in 
    activities involving international projects or endeavors.

                     (11) Advance payment system

        Each regional educational laboratory shall participate in the 
    advance payment system at the Department of Education.

                      (12) Additional projects

        In addition to activities described in paragraph (3), the 
    Assistant Secretary, from amounts appropriated pursuant to this 
    subsection, is authorized to enter into agreements with a regional 
    educational laboratory for the purpose of carrying out additional 
    projects to enable such regional educational laboratory to assist in 
    efforts to achieve the National Education Goals and for other 
    purposes.

                              (13) Plan

        Not later than July 1 of each year, each regional educational 
    laboratory shall submit to the Assistant Secretary a plan covering 
    the succeeding fiscal year, in which such laboratory's mission, 
    activities, and scope of work are described, including a general 
    description of--
            (A) the plans such laboratory expects to submit in the 
        remaining years of such laboratory's contract; and
            (B) an assessment of how well such laboratory is meeting the 
        needs of the region.

                          (14) Construction

        Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to require any 
    modifications in the regional educational laboratory contracts in 
    effect on the day preceding March 31, 1994.

(i) Goals 2000 Community Partnerships Program

                             (1) Purpose

        The purpose of the Goals 2000 Community Partnerships program is 
    to improve the quality of learning and teaching in the most 
    impoverished urban and rural communities of the United States by 
    supporting sustained collaborations between universities, schools, 
    businesses, and communities which apply and utilize the results of 
    educational research and development.

          (2) Grants for Goals 2000 Community Partnerships

        The Assistant Secretary is authorized to make grants to eligible 
    entities to support the establishment of Learning Grant Institutions 
    and District Education Agents and the activities authorized under 
    this subsection within eligible communities.

     (3) ``Eligible entity'' and ``eligible community'' defined

        For the purposes of this subsection:
            (A) The term ``eligible entity'' includes any institution of 
        higher education, regional educational laboratory, National 
        Diffusion Network project, national research and development 
        center, public or private nonprofit corporation, or any 
        consortium thereof, that--
                (i) has demonstrated experience, expertise and 
            commitment in serving the educational needs of at-risk 
            students; and
                (ii) is, by virtue of its previous activities, 
            knowledgeable about the unique needs and characteristics of 
            the community to be served.

            (B) The term ``eligible community'' means a unit of general 
        purpose local government (such as a city, township, or village), 
        a nonmetropolitan county, tribal village, or a geographically 
        distinct area (such as a school district, school attendance 
        area, ward, precinct or neighborhood), or any group of such 
        entities that--
                (i) has a population of not less than 200,000 and not 
            more than 300,000; and
                (ii) in which not less than one-half of the school-age 
            children have family incomes which are below the poverty 
            line, as determined by the 1990 United States Census, 
            participation in the National School Lunch program, or other 
            current, reliable data concerning family income.

                (4) Goals 2000 community partnerships

        Each learning grant institution receiving assistance under this 
    subsection shall establish a Goals 2000 community partnership to 
    carry out the activities authorized under this subsection. Such 
    partnership--
            (A) shall include the participation of one or more local 
        educational agencies, institutions of higher education, 
        community-based organizations, parents, teachers, and the 
        business community;
            (B) may include the participation of human, social service 
        and health care agencies, Head Start and child care agencies, 
        libraries, museums, employment and training agencies, and the 
        State educational agency or tribal department of education; and
            (C) shall be broadly representative of all segments of the 
        community in which the activities will be carried out.

                  (5) Comprehensive Goals 2000 plan

        Each Goals 2000 Community Partnership shall develop a 
    comprehensive plan for assuring educational success and high 
    achievement for all students in the community. Each such plan 
    shall--
            (A) adopt the National Education Goals;
            (B) identify additional needs and goals for educational 
        improvement within the community;
            (C) focus on helping all students reach challenging content 
        and student performance standards;
            (D) be consistent with the State and local improvement plans 
        for system-wide education improvement developed pursuant to 
        subchapter III \3\ of this chapter;
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    \3\ See References in Text note below.
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            (E) establish a comprehensive community-wide plan for 
        achieving such goals; and
            (F) develop a means for measuring the progress of the 
        community in meeting such goals for improvement.

              (6) Implementation of community-wide plan

        Each Goals 2000 Community Partnership shall, utilizing the 
    District Education Agent, provide assistance in implementing the 
    community-wide plan for educational improvement by--
            (A) supporting innovation, restructuring, and continuous 
        improvement in educational practice by--
                (i) disseminating information throughout the community 
            about exemplary and promising educational programs, 
            practices, products, and policies;
                (ii) evaluating the effectiveness of federally funded 
            educational programs within the community and identifying 
            changes in such programs which are likely to improve student 
            achievement;
                (iii) identifying, selecting and replicating exemplary 
            and promising educational programs, practices, products, and 
            policies in both in- and out-of-school settings;
                (iv) applying educational research to solve specific 
            problems in the classroom, home and community which impede 
            learning and student achievement; and
                (v) supporting research and development by teachers, 
            school administrators, and other practitioners which promise 
            to improve teaching and learning and the organization of 
            schools;

            (B) improving the capacity of educators, school 
        administrators, child care providers and other practitioners to 
        prepare all students to reach challenging standards and to 
        attain the goals set out in the comprehensive community-wide 
        plan through such means as--
                (i) the training of prospective and novice teachers 
            (including preschool and early childhood educators) in a 
            school setting under the guidance of master teachers and 
            teacher educators;
                (ii) training and other activities to promote the 
            continued learning and professional development of 
            experienced teachers, related services personnel, school 
            administrators to assure that such teachers develop the 
            subject matter and pedagogical expertise needed to prepare 
            all students to reach challenging standards;
                (iii) training and other activities to increase the 
            ability of prospective, novice, and experienced teachers to 
            teach effectively at-risk students, students with 
            disabilities, students with limited-English proficiency, and 
            students from diverse cultural backgrounds; and
                (iv) programs to enhance teaching and classroom 
            management skills, including school-based management skills, 
            of novice, prospective, and experienced teachers;

            (C) promoting the development of an integrated system of 
        service delivery to children from birth through age 18 and their 
        families by facilitating linkages and cooperation among--
                (i) local educational agencies;
                (ii) health and social services agencies and providers;
                (iii) juvenile justice and criminal justice agencies;
                (iv) providers of employment training; and
                (v) child care, Head Start, and other early childhood 
            agencies; and

            (D) mobilizing the resources of the community in support of 
        student learning and high achievement by facilitating effective 
        partnerships and collaboration among--
                (i) local educational agencies;
                (ii) postsecondary educational institutions;
                (iii) public libraries;
                (iv) parents;
                (v) community-based organizations, neighborhood 
            associations, and other civic and community organizations;
                (vi) child care, Head Start, and other early childhood 
            agencies;
                (vii) churches, synagogues and other religious 
            institutions;
                (viii) labor organizations; and
                (ix) business and industry.

                     (7) Additional requirements

        In carrying out its responsibilities under this subsection, each 
    partnership receiving assistance under this subsection shall--
            (A) appoint a District Education Agent who shall be 
        responsible, on a full-time basis, for directing the 
        implementation of the community-wide plan, who shall have 
        significant experience and expertise in the field of education 
        in--
                (i) addressing the needs of at-risk students; and
                (ii) conducting educational research and promoting the 
            application of the results of such research to educational 
            practice;

            (B) provide for such other professional and support 
        personnel as may be necessary to implement the community-wide 
        plan under the direction of the District Education Agent; and
            (C) coordinate the partnership's activities and work 
        cooperatively with the National Diffusion Network State 
        facilitators, regional educational laboratories, and other 
        components of the Office to utilize most effectively Federal 
        research, development, and dissemination resources in 
        implementing the community-wide plan.

                     (8) Application for grants

        Any eligible entity desiring a grant under this subsection shall 
    submit an application to the Assistant Secretary at such time, in 
    such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Assistant 
    Secretary may reasonably require. Each such application shall--
            (A) include a comprehensive plan for meeting the objectives 
        and requirements of this subsection; and
            (B) provide evidence of support for the application from 
        local elected officials, the State educational agency, the local 
        educational agency, parents, local community leaders, 
        businesses, and other appropriate organizations.

     (9) Priority in making grants; duration and amount of grant

        Each grant made under this subsection shall be--
            (A) awarded on a competitive basis, with first priority 
        given to those applications from communities with the greatest 
        percentage of school-age children in families with poverty-level 
        incomes;
            (B) made for a 5-year period, with funding for the second 
        and each succeeding year in such period conditioned upon a 
        determination by the Assistant Secretary that the grant 
        recipient has complied with the conditions of the grants during 
        the previous year; and
            (C) an amount equal to not less than $1,000,000 per year.

       (10) Limitation of one grant per congressional district

        Not more than one grant under this subsection shall be awarded 
    within a single congressional district.

               (11) Technical assistance; evaluations

        In administering the program authorized under this subsection, 
    the Assistant Secretary shall, either directly or through grant or 
    contract with an eligible nonprofit agency--
            (A) upon request, provide technical assistance to eligible 
        entities to assist in the development of a comprehensive 
        community-wide plan to meet the requirements of this subsection 
        and in the preparation of applications for assistance;
            (B) regularly provide technical assistance to learning grant 
        institutions receiving assistance under this subsection to 
        assist with the development and implementation of the 
        comprehensive community-wide plan for educational improvement;
            (C) provide for an independent evaluation of the activities 
        assisted under this subsection, including--
                (i) the impact of the Goals 2000 Community Partnerships 
            program on children and families within each community, 
            including effects on the extent of educational achievement, 
            rates of school retention and completion, and enrollment in 
            postsecondary educational programs; and
                (ii) whether an intensified effort to apply and utilize 
            educational research within a limited geographic area 
            significantly improves student learning and achievement; and

            (D) plan for the expansion of the Goals 2000 Community 
        Partnerships program throughout the remainder of the United 
        States beginning in fiscal year 1999.

(Pub. L. 103-227, title IX, Sec. 941, Mar. 31, 1994, 108 Stat. 243; Pub. 
L. 105-277, div. A, Sec. 101(f) [title VIII, Sec. 301(b)], Oct. 21, 
1998, 112 Stat. 2681-337, 2681-410.)

                       References in Text

    Subchapter III of this chapter, referred to in subsec. (i)(5)(D), 
was in the original a reference to title III of Pub. L. 103-227, Mar. 
31, 1994, 108 Stat. 157, which was classified generally to subchapter 
III (Sec. 5881 et seq.) of this chapter. Title III of Pub. L. 103-227 
was repealed by Pub. L. 106-113, div. B, Sec. 1000(a)(4) [title III, 
Sec. 310(i)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1535, 1501A-265.


                               Amendments

    1998--Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 105-277 struck out subsec. (j) which 
related to teacher research dissemination demonstration program.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 6011, 6021, 6318, 6622, 
6813, 8651 of this title.
