§2324. National activities
(a) Program performance information
(1) In general
The Secretary shall collect performance information about, and report on, the condition of vocational and technical education and on the effectiveness of State and local programs, services, and activities carried out under this subchapter in order to provide the Secretary and Congress, as well as Federal, State, local, and tribal agencies, with information relevant to improvement in the quality and effectiveness of vocational and technical education. The Secretary annually shall report to Congress on the Secretary's aggregate analysis of performance information collected each year pursuant to this subchapter, including an analysis of performance data regarding special populations.
(2) Compatibility
The Secretary shall, to the extent feasible, ensure that the performance information system is compatible with other Federal information systems.
(3) Assessments
As a regular part of its assessments, the National Center for Education Statistics shall collect and report information on vocational and technical education for a nationally representative sample of students. Such assessment may include international comparisons.
(b) Miscellaneous provisions
(1) Collection of information at reasonable cost
The Secretary shall take such action as may be necessary to secure at reasonable cost the information required by this subchapter. To ensure reasonable cost, the Secretary, in consultation with the National Center for Education Statistics, the Office of Vocational and Adult Education, and an entity assisted under section 2328 of this title shall determine the methodology to be used and the frequency with which information is to be collected.
(2) Cooperation of States
All eligible agencies receiving assistance under this chapter shall cooperate with the Secretary in implementing the information systems developed pursuant to this chapter.
(c) Research, development, dissemination, evaluation and assessment
(1) Single plan
(A) In general
The Secretary may, directly or through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements, carry out research, development, dissemination, evaluation and assessment, capacity building, and technical assistance with regard to the vocational and technical education programs under this chapter. The Secretary shall develop a single plan for such activities.
(B) Plan
Such plan shall-
(i) identify the vocational and technical education activities described in subparagraph (A) the Secretary will carry out under this section;
(ii) describe how the Secretary will evaluate such vocational and technical education activities in accordance with paragraph (3); and
(iii) include such other information as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
(2) Independent advisory panel
The Secretary shall appoint an independent advisory panel, consisting of vocational and technical education administrators, educators, researchers, and representatives of labor organizations, businesses, parents, guidance and counseling professionals, and other relevant groups, to advise the Secretary on the implementation of the assessment described in paragraph (3), including the issues to be addressed, the methodology of the studies involved, and the findings and recommendations resulting from the assessment. The panel shall submit to the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate, and the Secretary an independent analysis of the findings and recommendations resulting from the assessment described in paragraph (3). The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the panel established under this subsection.
(3) Evaluation and assessment
(A) In general
From amounts made available under paragraph (8), the Secretary shall provide for the conduct of an independent evaluation and assessment of vocational and technical education programs under this chapter through studies and analyses conducted independently through grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements that are awarded on a competitive basis.
(B) Contents
The assessment required under paragraph (1) shall include descriptions and evaluations of-
(i) the extent to which State, local, and tribal entities have developed, implemented, or improved State and local vocational and technical education programs and the effect of programs assisted under this chapter on that development, implementation, or improvement, including the capacity of State, tribal, and local vocational and technical education systems to achieve the purpose of this chapter;
(ii) the extent to which expenditures at the Federal, State, tribal, and local levels address program improvement in vocational and technical education, including the impact of Federal allocation requirements (such as within-State allocation formulas) on the delivery of services;
(iii) the preparation and qualifications of teachers of vocational and technical, and academic, curricula in vocational and technical education programs, as well as shortages of such teachers;
(iv) participation of students in vocational and technical education programs;
(v) academic and employment outcomes of vocational and technical education, including analyses of-
(I) the number of vocational and technical education students and tech-prep students who meet State adjusted levels of performance;
(II) the extent and success of integration of academic, and vocational and technical, education for students participating in vocational and technical education programs; and
(III) the extent to which vocational and technical education programs prepare students for subsequent employment in high-wage, high-skill careers or participation in postsecondary education;
(vi) employer involvement in, and satisfaction with, vocational and technical education programs;
(vii) the use and impact of educational technology and distance learning with respect to vocational and technical education and tech-prep programs; and
(viii) the effect of State adjusted levels of performance and State levels of performance on the delivery of vocational and technical education services.
(C) Reports
(i) In general
The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate-
(I) an interim report regarding the assessment on or before January 1, 2002; and
(II) a final report, summarizing all studies and analyses that relate to the assessment and that are completed after the assessment, on or before July 1, 2002.
(ii) Prohibition
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the reports required by this subsection shall not be subject to any review outside the Department of Education before their transmittal to the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate, and the Secretary, but the President, the Secretary, and the independent advisory panel established under paragraph (2) may make such additional recommendations to Congress with respect to the assessment as the President, the Secretary, or the panel determine to be appropriate.
(4) Collection of State information and report
(A) In general
The Secretary may collect and disseminate information from States regarding State efforts to meet State adjusted levels of performance described in section 2323 of this title.
(B) Report
The Secretary shall gather any information collected pursuant to subparagraph (A) and submit a report to the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate.
(5) Research
(A) In general
The Secretary, after consulting with the States, shall award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements on a competitive basis to an institution of higher education, a public or private nonprofit organization or agency, or a consortium of such institutions, organizations, or agencies to establish a national research center or centers-
(i) to carry out research for the purpose of developing, improving, and identifying the most successful methods for successfully addressing the education, employment, and training needs of participants in vocational and technical education programs, including research and evaluation in such activities as-
(I) the integration of vocational and technical instruction, and academic, secondary and postsecondary instruction;
(II) education technology and distance learning approaches and strategies that are effective with respect to vocational and technical education;
(III) State adjusted levels of performance and State levels of performance that serve to improve vocational and technical education programs and student achievement; and
(IV) academic knowledge and vocational and technical skills required for employment or participation in postsecondary education;
(ii) to carry out research to increase the effectiveness and improve the implementation of vocational and technical education programs, including conducting research and development, and studies, providing longitudinal information or formative evaluation with respect to vocational and technical education programs and student achievement;
(iii) to carry out research that can be used to improve teacher training and learning in the vocational and technical education classroom, including-
(I) effective inservice and preservice teacher education that assists vocational and technical education systems; and
(II) dissemination and training activities related to the applied research and demonstration activities described in this subsection, which may also include serving as a repository for information on vocational and technical skills, State academic standards, and related materials; and
(iv) to carry out such other research as the Secretary determines appropriate to assist State and local recipients of funds under this chapter.
(B) Report
The center or centers conducting the activities described in subparagraph (A) shall annually prepare a report of key research findings of such center or centers and shall submit copies of the report to the Secretary, the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate, the Library of Congress, and each eligible agency.
(C) Dissemination
The center or centers shall conduct dissemination and training activities based upon the research described in subparagraph (A).
(6) Demonstrations and dissemination
(A) Demonstration program
The Secretary is authorized to carry out demonstration vocational and technical education programs, to replicate model vocational and technical education programs, to disseminate best practices information, and to provide technical assistance upon request of a State, for the purposes of developing, improving, and identifying the most successful methods and techniques for providing vocational and technical education programs assisted under this chapter.
(B) Demonstration partnership
(i) In general
The Secretary shall carry out a demonstration partnership project involving a 4-year, accredited postsecondary institution, in cooperation with local public education organizations, volunteer groups, and private sector business participants to provide program support, and facilities for education, training, tutoring, counseling, employment preparation, specific skills training in emerging and established professions, and for retraining of military medical personnel, individuals displaced by corporate or military restructuring, migrant workers, as well as other individuals who otherwise do not have access to such services, through multisite, multistate distance learning technologies.
(ii) Program
Such program may be carried out directly or through grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, or through the national center or centers established under paragraph (5).
(7) Definition
In this section, the term "institution of higher education" has the meaning given the term in section 1001 of this title.
(8) Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999 and each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.
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References in Text
The Federal Advisory Committee Act, referred to in subsec. (c)(2), is
Prior Provisions
A prior section 2324,
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in section 2307 of this title.