 CHAPTER 70--STRENGTHENING AND IMPROVEMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY 
                                 SCHOOLS
 
                SUBCHAPTER III--TECHNOLOGY FOR EDUCATION
 
                      Part B--Star Schools Program
 
Sec. 6896. Applications


(a) Applications required

    Each eligible entity which desires to receive a grant under section 
6894 of this title shall submit an application to the Secretary, at such 
time, in such manner, and containing or accompanied by such information 
as the Secretary may reasonably require.

(b) Star school award applications

    Each application submitted pursuant to subsection (a) of this 
section shall--
        (1) describe how the proposed project will assist in achieving 
    the National Education Goals, how such project will assist all 
    students to have an opportunity to learn to challenging State 
    standards, how such project will assist State and local educational 
    reform efforts, and how such project will contribute to creating a 
    high quality system of lifelong learning;
        (2) describe the telecommunications facilities and equipment and 
    technical assistance for which assistance is sought, which may 
    include--
            (A) the design, development, construction, acquisition, 
        maintenance and operation of State or multistate educational 
        telecommunications networks and technology resource centers;
            (B) microwave, fiber optics, cable, and satellite 
        transmission equipment or any combination thereof;
            (C) reception facilities;
            (D) satellite time;
            (E) production facilities;
            (F) other telecommunications equipment capable of serving a 
        wide geographic area;
            (G) the provision of training services to instructors who 
        will be using the facilities and equipment for which assistance 
        is sought, including training in using such facilities and 
        equipment and training in integrating programs into the 
        classroom curriculum; and
            (H) the development of educational and related programming 
        for use on a telecommunications network;

        (3) in the case of an application for assistance for 
    instructional programming, describe the types of programming which 
    will be developed to enhance instruction and training and provide 
    assurances that such programming will be designed in consultation 
    with professionals (including classroom teachers) who are experts in 
    the applicable subject matter and grade level;
        (4) describe how the eligible entity has engaged in sufficient 
    survey and analysis of the area to be served to ensure that the 
    services offered by the eligible entity will increase the 
    availability of courses of instruction in English, mathematics, 
    science, foreign languages, arts, history, geography, or other 
    disciplines;
        (5) describe the professional development policies for teachers 
    and other school personnel to be implemented to ensure the effective 
    use of the telecommunications facilities and equipment for which 
    assistance is sought;
        (6) describe the manner in which historically underserved 
    students (such as students from low-income families, limited English 
    proficient students, students with disabilities, or students who 
    have low literacy skills) and their families, will participate in 
    the benefits of the telecommunications facilities, equipment, 
    technical assistance, and programming assisted under this part;
        (7) describe how existing telecommunications equipment, 
    facilities, and services, where available, will be used;
        (8) provide assurances that the financial interest of the United 
    States in the telecommunications facilities and equipment will be 
    protected for the useful life of such facilities and equipment;
        (9) provide assurances that a significant portion of any 
    facilities and equipment, technical assistance, and programming for 
    which assistance is sought for elementary and secondary schools will 
    be made available to schools or local educational agencies that have 
    a high number or percentage of children eligible to be counted under 
    part A of subchapter I of this chapter;
        (10) provide assurances that the applicant will use the funds 
    provided under this part to supplement and not supplant funds 
    otherwise available for the purposes of this part;
        (11) if any member of the consortia receives assistance under 
    subpart 3 of part A of this subchapter, describe how funds received 
    under this part will be coordinated with funds received for 
    educational technology in the classroom under such section; \1\
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    \1\ So in original. Probably should be ``such subpart;''.
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        (12) describe the activities or services for which assistance is 
    sought, such as--
            (A) providing facilities, equipment, training services, and 
        technical assistance;
            (B) making programs accessible to students with disabilities 
        through mechanisms such as closed captioning and descriptive 
        video services;
            (C) linking networks around issues of national importance 
        (such as elections) or to provide information about employment 
        opportunities, job training, or student and other social service 
        programs;
            (D) sharing curriculum resources between networks and 
        development of program guides which demonstrate cooperative, 
        cross-network listing of programs for specific curriculum areas;
            (E) providing teacher and student support services including 
        classroom and training support materials which permit student 
        and teacher involvement in the live interactive distance 
        learning telecasts;
            (F) incorporating community resources such as libraries and 
        museums into instructional programs;
            (G) providing professional development for teachers, 
        including, as appropriate, training to early childhood 
        development and Head Start teachers and staff and vocational 
        education teachers and staff, and adult and family educators;
            (H) providing programs for adults to maximize the use of 
        telecommunications facilities and equipment;
            (I) providing teacher training on proposed or established 
        voluntary national content standards in mathematics and science 
        and other disciplines as such standards are developed; and
            (J) providing parent education programs during and after the 
        regular school day which reinforce a student's course of study 
        and actively involve parents in the learning process;

        (13) describe how the proposed project as a whole will be 
    financed and how arrangements for future financing will be developed 
    before the project expires;
        (14) provide an assurance that a significant portion of any 
    facilities, equipment, technical assistance, and programming for 
    which assistance is sought for elementary and secondary schools will 
    be made available to schools in local educational agencies that have 
    a high percentage of children counted for the purpose of part A of 
    subchapter I of this chapter;
        (15) provide an assurance that the applicant will provide such 
    information and cooperate in any evaluation that the Secretary may 
    conduct under this part; and
        (16) include such additional assurances as the Secretary may 
    reasonably require.

(c) Priorities

    The Secretary, in approving applications for grants authorized under 
section 6894 of this title, shall give priority to applications 
describing projects that--
        (1) propose high-quality plans to assist in achieving one or 
    more of the National Education Goals, will provide instruction 
    consistent with State content standards, or will otherwise provide 
    significant and specific assistance to States and local educational 
    agencies undertaking systemic education reform;
        (2) will provide services to programs serving adults, especially 
    parents, with low levels of literacy;
        (3) will serve schools with significant numbers of children 
    counted for the purposes of part A of subchapter I of this chapter;
        (4) ensure that the eligible entity will--
            (A) serve the broadest range of institutions, programs 
        providing instruction outside of the school setting, programs 
        serving adults, especially parents, with low levels of literacy, 
        institutions of higher education, teacher training centers, 
        research institutes, and private industry;
            (B) have substantial academic and teaching capabilities, 
        including the capability of training, retraining, and inservice 
        upgrading of teaching skills and the capability to provide 
        professional development;
            (C) provide a comprehensive range of courses for educators 
        to teach instructional strategies for students with different 
        skill levels;
            (D) provide training to participating educators in ways to 
        integrate telecommunications courses into existing school 
        curriculum;
            (E) provide instruction for students, teachers, and parents;
            (F) serve a multistate area; and
            (G) give priority to the provision of equipment and linkages 
        to isolated areas; and

        (5) involve a telecommunications entity (such as a satellite, 
    cable, telephone, computer, or public or private television 
    stations) participating in the eligible entity and donating 
    equipment or in-kind services for telecommunications linkages.

(d) Geographic distribution

    In approving applications for grants authorized under section 6894 
of this title, the Secretary shall, to the extent feasible, ensure an 
equitable geographic distribution of services provided under this part.

(Pub. L. 89-10, title III, Sec. 3206, as added Pub. L. 103-382, title I, 
Sec. 101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3657.)

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 6899 of this title.
