 CHAPTER 70--STRENGTHENING AND IMPROVEMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY 
                                 SCHOOLS
 
                     SUBCHAPTER V--PROMOTING EQUITY
 
                   Part B--Women's Educational Equity
 
Sec. 7233. Programs authorized


(a) In general

    The Secretary is authorized--
        (1) to promote, coordinate, and evaluate gender equity policies, 
    programs, activities and initiatives in all Federal education 
    programs and offices;
        (2) to develop, maintain, and disseminate materials, resources, 
    analyses, and research relating to education equity for women and 
    girls;
        (3) to provide information and technical assistance to assure 
    the effective implementation of gender equity programs;
        (4) to coordinate gender equity programs and activities with 
    other Federal agencies with jurisdiction over education and related 
    programs;
        (5) to assist the Assistant Secretary of the Office of 
    Educational Research and Improvement in identifying research 
    priorities related to education equity for women and girls; and
        (6) to perform any other activities consistent with achieving 
    the purposes of this part.

(b) Grants authorized

                           (1) In general

        The Secretary is authorized to make grants to, and enter into 
    contracts and cooperative agreements with, public agencies, private 
    nonprofit agencies, organizations, institutions, student groups, 
    community groups, and individuals, for a period not to exceed four 
    years, to--
            (A) provide grants to develop model equity programs; and
            (B) provide funds for the implementation of equity programs 
        in schools throughout the Nation.

                (2) Support and technical assistance

        To achieve the purposes of this part, the Secretary is 
    authorized to provide support and technical assistance--
            (A) to implement effective gender-equity policies and 
        programs at all educational levels, including--
                (i) assisting educational agencies and institutions to 
            implement policies and practices to comply with title IX of 
            the Education Amendments of 1972 [20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.];
                (ii) training for teachers, counselors, administrators, 
            and other school personnel, especially preschool and 
            elementary school personnel, in gender equitable teaching 
            and learning practices;
                (iii) leadership training for women and girls to develop 
            professional and marketable skills to compete in the global 
            marketplace, improve self-esteem, and benefit from exposure 
            to positive role models;
                (iv) school-to-work transition programs, guidance and 
            counseling activities, and other programs to increase 
            opportunities for women and girls to enter a technologically 
            demanding workplace and, in particular, to enter highly 
            skilled, high paying careers in which women and girls have 
            been underrepresented;
                (v) enhancing educational and career opportunities for 
            those women and girls who suffer multiple forms of 
            discrimination, based on sex and on race, ethnic origin, 
            limited-English proficiency, disability, socioeconomic 
            status, or age;
                (vi) assisting pregnant students and students rearing 
            children to remain in or to return to secondary school, 
            graduate, and prepare their preschool children to start 
            school;
                (vii) evaluating exemplary model programs to assess the 
            ability of such programs to advance educational equity for 
            women and girls;
                (viii) introduction into the classroom of textbooks, 
            curricula, and other materials designed to achieve equity 
            for women and girls;
                (ix) programs and policies to address sexual harassment 
            and violence against women and girls and to ensure that 
            educational institutions are free from threats to the safety 
            of students and personnel;
                (x) nondiscriminatory tests of aptitude and achievement 
            and of alternative assessments that eliminate biased 
            assessment instruments from use;
                (xi) programs to increase educational opportunities, 
            including higher education, vocational training, and other 
            educational programs for low-income women, including 
            underemployed and unemployed women, and women receiving 
            assistance under a State program funded under part A of 
            title IV of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.];
                (xii) programs to improve representation of women in 
            educational administration at all levels; and
                (xiii) planning, development and initial implementation 
            of--
                    (I) comprehensive institution- or districtwide 
                evaluation to assess the presence or absence of gender 
                equity in educational settings;
                    (II) comprehensive plans for implementation of 
                equity programs in State and local educational agencies 
                and institutions of higher education; including 
                community colleges; and
                    (III) innovative approaches to school-community 
                partnerships for educational equity.

            (B) for research and development, which shall be coordinated 
        with each of the research institutes of the Office of 
        Educational Research and Improvement to avoid duplication of 
        research efforts, designed to advance gender equity nationwide 
        and to help make policies and practices in educational agencies 
        and institutions, and local communities, gender equitable, 
        including--
                (i) research and development of innovative strategies 
            and model training programs for teachers and other education 
            personnel;
                (ii) the development of high quality and challenging 
            assessment instruments that are nondiscriminatory;
                (iii) the development and evaluation of model curricula, 
            textbooks, software, and other educational materials to 
            ensure the absence of gender stereotyping and bias;
                (iv) the development of instruments and procedures that 
            employ new and innovative strategies to assess whether 
            diverse educational settings are gender equitable;
                (v) the development of instruments and strategies for 
            evaluation, dissemination, and replication of promising or 
            exemplary programs designed to assist local educational 
            agencies in integrating gender equity in their educational 
            policies and practices;
                (vi) updating high quality educational materials 
            previously developed through awards made under this part;
                (vii) the development of policies and programs to 
            address and prevent sexual harassment and violence to ensure 
            that educational institutions are free from threats to 
            safety of students and personnel;
                (viii) the development and improvement of programs and 
            activities to increase opportunity for women, including 
            continuing educational activities, vocational education, and 
            programs for low-income women, including underemployed and 
            unemployed women, and women receiving assistance under the 
            State program funded under part A of title IV of the Social 
            Security Act [42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.]; and
                (ix) the development of guidance and counseling 
            activities, including career education programs, designed to 
            ensure gender equity.

(Pub. L. 89-10, title V, Sec. 5203, as added Pub. L. 103-382, title I, 
Sec. 101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3696; amended Pub. L. 104-193, title 
I, Sec. 110(j)(3), Aug. 22, 1996, 110 Stat. 2172.)

                       References in Text

    The Education Amendments of 1972, referred to in subsec. 
(b)(2)(A)(i), is Pub. L. 92-318, June 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 235, as 
amended. Title IX of the Act is classified principally to chapter 38 
(Sec. 1681 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this 
Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1972 Amendment note set out under 
section 1001 of this title and Tables.
    The Social Security Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(2)(A)(xi), 
(B)(viii), is act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, 49 Stat. 620, as amended. Part 
A of title IV of the Act is classified generally to part A (Sec. 601 et 
seq.) of subchapter IV of chapter 7 of Title 42, The Public Health and 
Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see 
section 1305 of Title 42 and Tables.


                               Amendments

    1996--Subsec. (b)(2)(A)(xi). Pub. L. 104-193, Sec. 110(j)(3)(A), 
substituted ``assistance under a State program funded under part A of 
title IV of the Social Security Act'' for ``Aid to Families with 
Dependent Children benefits''.
    Subsec. (b)(2)(B)(viii). Pub. L. 104-193, Sec. 110(j)(3)(B), 
substituted ``assistance under the State program funded under part A of 
title IV of the Social Security Act'' for ``Aid to Families with 
Dependent Children''.


                    Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 104-193 effective July 1, 1997, with transition 
rules relating to State options to accelerate such date, rules relating 
to claims, actions, and proceedings commenced before such date, rules 
relating to closing out of accounts for terminated or substantially 
modified programs and continuance in office of Assistant Secretary for 
Family Support, and provisions relating to termination of entitlement 
under AFDC program, see section 116 of Pub. L. 104-193, as amended, set 
out as an Effective Date note under section 601 of Title 42, The Public 
Health and Welfare.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 7234, 7235, 7238 of this 
title.
