 
 CHAPTER 70--STRENGTHENING AND IMPROVEMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY 
                                 SCHOOLS
 
                SUBCHAPTER III--TECHNOLOGY FOR EDUCATION
 
            Part A--Technology for Education of All Students
 
   subpart 3--regional technical support and professional development
 
Sec. 6861. Regional technical support and professional 
        development
        

(a) Grants authorized

                            (1) Authority

        The Secretary, through the Office of Educational Technology, 
    shall make grants in accordance with the provisions of this section, 
    to regional entities such as the Eisenhower Mathematics and Science 
    Regional Consortia under part C of subchapter XIII of this chapter, 
    the regional education laboratories, the comprehensive regional 
    assistance centers, or such other regional entities as may be 
    designated or established by the Secretary. In awarding grants under 
    this section, the Secretary shall give priority to such consortia 
    and shall ensure that each geographic region of the United States 
    shall be served by such a consortium.

                          (2) Requirements

        Each consortium receiving a grant under this section shall--
            (A) be composed of State educational agencies, institutions 
        of higher education, nonprofit organizations, or a combination 
        thereof;
            (B) in cooperation with State and local educational 
        agencies, develop a regional program that addresses professional 
        development, technical assistance, and information resource 
        dissemination, with special emphasis on meeting the documented 
        needs of educators and learners in the region; and
            (C) foster regional cooperation and resource and coursework 
        sharing.

(b) Functions

                      (1) Technical assistance

        Each consortium receiving a grant under this section shall, to 
    the extent practicable--
            (A) collaborate with State educational agencies and local 
        educational agencies requesting collaboration, particularly in 
        the development of strategies for assisting those schools with 
        the highest numbers or percentages of disadvantaged students 
        with little or no access to technology in the classroom;
            (B) provide information, in coordination with information 
        available from the Secretary, to State educational agencies, 
        local educational agencies, schools and adult education 
        programs, on the types and features of various educational 
        technology equipment and software available, evaluate and make 
        recommendations on equipment and software that support the 
        National Education Goals and are suited for a school's 
        particular needs, and compile and share information regarding 
        creative and effective applications of technology in the 
        classroom and school library media centers in order to support 
        the purposes of this part;
            (C) collaborate with such State educational agencies, local 
        educational agencies, or schools requesting to participate in 
        the tailoring of software programs and other supporting 
        materials to meet challenging State content standards or 
        challenging State student performance standards that may be 
        developed; and
            (D) provide technical assistance to facilitate use of the 
        electronic dissemination networks by State and local educational 
        agencies and schools throughout the region.

                    (2) Professional development

        Each consortium receiving a grant under this section shall, to 
    the extent practicable--
            (A) develop and implement, in collaboration with State 
        educational agencies and institutions of higher education, 
        technology-specific, ongoing professional development, such as--
                (i) intensive school year and summer workshops that use 
            teachers, school librarians, and school library personnel to 
            train other teachers, school librarians, and other school 
            library media personnel; and
                (ii) distance professional development, including--
                    (I) interactive training tele-courses using 
                researchers, educators, and telecommunications personnel 
                who have experience in developing, implementing, or 
                operating educational and instructional technology as a 
                learning tool;
                    (II) onsite courses teaching teachers to use 
                educational and instructional technology and to develop 
                their own instructional materials for effectively 
                incorporating technology and programming in their own 
                classrooms;
                    (III) methods for successful integration of 
                instructional technology into the curriculum in order to 
                improve student learning and achievement;
                    (IV) video conferences and seminars which offer 
                professional development through peer interaction with 
                experts as well as other teachers using technologies in 
                their classrooms; and
                    (V) mobile education technology and training 
                resources;

            (B) develop training resources that--
                (i) are relevant to the needs of the region and schools 
            within the region;
                (ii) are relevant to the needs of adult literacy staff 
            and volunteers, including onsite courses on how to--
                    (I) use instructional technology; and
                    (II) develop instructional materials for adult 
                learning; and

                (iii) are aligned with the needs of teachers and 
            administrators in the region;

            (C) establish a repository of professional development and 
        technical assistance resources;
            (D) identify and link technical assistance providers to 
        State and local educational agencies, as needed;
            (E) ensure that training, professional development, and 
        technical assistance meet the needs of educators, parents, and 
        students served by the region;
            (F) assist colleges and universities within the region to 
        develop and implement preservice training programs for students 
        enrolled in teacher education programs; and
            (G) assist local educational agencies and schools in working 
        with community members and parents to develop support from 
        communities and parents for educational technology programs and 
        projects.

             (3) Information and resource dissemination

        Each consortium receiving a grant under this section shall, to 
    the extent practicable--
            (A) assist State and local educational agencies in the 
        identification and procurement of financial, technological and 
        human resources needed to implement technology plans;
            (B) provide outreach and, at the request of a State or local 
        educational agency, work with such agency to assist in the 
        development and validation of instructionally based technology 
        education resources; and
            (C) coordinate activities and establish partnerships with 
        organizations and institutions of higher education that 
        represent the interests of the region as such interests pertain 
        to the application of technology in teaching, learning, 
        instructional management, dissemination, collection and 
        distribution of educational statistics, and the transfer of 
        student information.

                          (4) Coordination

        Each consortium receiving a grant under this section shall work 
    collaboratively, and coordinate the services the consortium 
    provides, with appropriate regional and other entities assisted in 
    whole or in part by the Department.

(Pub. L. 89-10, title III, Sec. 3141, as added Pub. L. 103-382, title I, 
Sec. 101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3649.)
