20 USC 6041: Establishment within Office of Educational Research and Improvement
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20 USC 6041: Establishment within Office of Educational Research and Improvement Text contains those laws in effect on January 2, 2001
From Title 20-EDUCATIONCHAPTER 68-NATIONAL EDUCATION REFORMSUBCHAPTER IX-EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENTPart D-National Education Dissemination System

§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.

(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.

(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;

(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, §941, Mar. 31, 1994, 108 Stat. 243 ; Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, §101(f) [title VIII, §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 (§5881 et seq.) of this chapter. Title III of Pub. L. 103–227 was repealed by Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, §1000(a)(4) [title III, §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.

1 So in original. Probably should be "Dissemination Office".

2 So in original. Probably should be section "6031".

3 See References in Text note below.