Part A—Comprehensive Regional Assistance Centers

Part Referred to in Other Sections

This part is referred to in sections 6317, 6318, 7453, 7455, 8651 of this title.

§8621. Program authorized

(a) Comprehensive regional assistance centers

(1) In general

The Secretary is authorized to award grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, public or private nonprofit entities or consortia of such entities in order to establish a networked system of 15 comprehensive regional assistance centers to provide comprehensive training and technical assistance, related to administration and implementation of programs under this chapter, to States, local educational agencies, schools, tribes, community-based organizations, and other recipients of funds under this chapter.

(2) Consideration

In establishing comprehensive regional assistance centers and allocating resources among the centers, the Secretary shall consider—

(A) the geographic distribution of students assisted under subchapter I of this chapter;

(B) the geographic and linguistic distribution of students of limited-English proficiency;

(C) the geographic distribution of Indian students;

(D) the special needs of students living in urban and rural areas; and

(E) the special needs of States and outlying areas in geographic isolation.

(3) Special rule

The Secretary shall establish 1 comprehensive regional assistance center under this section in Hawaii.

(b) Service to Indians and Alaska Natives

The Secretary shall ensure that each comprehensive regional assistance center that serves a region with a significant population of Indian or Alaska Native students shall—

(1) be awarded to a consortium which includes a tribally controlled community college or other Indian organization; and

(2) assist in the development and implementation of instructional strategies, methods and materials which address the specific cultural and other needs of Indian or Alaska Native students.

(c) Accountability

To ensure the quality and effectiveness of the networked system of comprehensive regional assistance centers supported under this part, the Secretary shall—

(1) develop, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, the Director of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs, and the Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement, a set of performance indicators that assesses whether the work of the centers assists in improving teaching and learning under this chapter for all children, particularly children at risk of educational failure;

(2) conduct surveys every two years of populations to be served under this chapter to determine if such populations are satisfied with the access to and quality of such services;

(3) collect, as part of the Department's reviews of programs under this chapter, information about the availability and quality of services provided by the centers, and share that information with the centers; and

(4) take whatever steps are reasonable and necessary to ensure that each center performs its responsibilities in a satisfactory manner, which may include—

(A) termination of an award under this part (if the Secretary concludes that performance has been unsatisfactory) and the selection of a new center; and

(B) whatever interim arrangements the Secretary determines are necessary to ensure the satisfactory delivery of services under this part to an affected region.

(d) Duration

Grants, contracts or cooperative agreements under this section shall be awarded for a period of 5 years.

(Pub. L. 89–10, title XIII, §13101, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title I, §101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3877.)

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in section 8622 of this title.

§8622. Requirements of comprehensive regional assistance centers

(a) In general

Each comprehensive regional assistance center established under section 8621(a) of this title shall—

(1) maintain appropriate staff expertise and provide support, training, and assistance to State educational agencies, tribal divisions of education, local educational agencies, schools, and other grant recipients under this chapter, in—

(A) improving the quality of instruction, curricula, assessments, and other aspects of school reform, supported with funds under subchapter I of this chapter;

(B) implementing effective schoolwide programs under section 6314 of this title;

(C) meeting the needs of children served under this chapter, including children in high-poverty areas, migratory children, immigrant children, children with limited-English proficiency, neglected or delinquent children, homeless children and youth, Indian children, children with disabilities, and, where applicable, Alaska Native children and Native Hawaiian children;

(D) implementing high-quality professional development activities for teachers, and where appropriate, administrators, pupil services personnel and other staff;

(E) improving the quality of bilingual education, including programs that emphasize English and native language proficiency and promote multicultural understanding;

(F) creating safe and drug-free environments, especially in areas experiencing high levels of drug use and violence in the community and school;

(G) implementing educational applications of technology;

(H) coordinating services and programs to meet the needs of students so that students can fully participate in the educational program of the school;

(I) expanding the involvement and participation of parents in the education of their children;

(J) reforming schools, school systems, and the governance and management of schools;

(K) evaluating programs; and

(L) meeting the special needs of students living in urban and rural areas and the special needs of local educational agencies serving urban and rural areas;

(2) ensure that technical assistance staff have sufficient training, knowledge, and expertise in how to integrate and coordinate programs under this chapter with each other, as well as with other Federal, State, and local programs and reforms;

(3) provide technical assistance using the highest quality and most cost-effective strategies possible;

(4) coordinate services, work cooperatively, and regularly share information with, the regional educational laboratories, the Eisenhower regional consortia under part C of this subchapter, research and development centers, State literacy centers authorized under the National Literacy Act of 1991, and other entities engaged in research, development, dissemination, and technical assistance activities which are supported by the Department as part of a Federal technical assistance system, to provide a broad range of support services to schools in the region while minimizing the duplication of such services;

(5) work collaboratively with the Department's regional offices;

(6) consult with representatives of State educational agencies, local educational agencies, and populations served under this chapter;

(7) provide services to States, local educational agencies, tribes, and schools, in coordination with the National Diffusion Network State Facilitators activities under section 8651 of this title, in order to better implement the purposes of this part and provide the support and assistance diffusion agents need to carry out such agents' mission effectively; and

(8) provide professional development services to State educational agencies, local educational agencies, and the National Diffusion Network State Facilitators to increase the capacity of such entities to provide high-quality technical assistance in support of programs under this chapter.

(b) Priority

Each comprehensive regional assistance center assisted under this part shall give priority to servicing—

(1) schoolwide programs under section 6314 of this title; and

(2) local educational agencies and Bureau-funded schools with the highest percentages or numbers of children in poverty.

(Pub. L. 89–10, title XIII, §13102, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title I, §101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3878.)

References in Text

The National Literacy Act of 1991, referred to in subsec. (a)(4), was Pub. L. 102–73, July 25, 1991, 105 Stat. 333, as amended, which was repealed by Pub. L. 105–220, title II, §251(a)(2), Aug. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1079. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in section 8623 of this title.

§8623. Maintenance of service and application requirements

(a) Maintenance of service

The Secretary shall ensure that the comprehensive regional assistance centers funded under this part provide technical assistance services that address the needs of educationally disadvantaged students, including students in urban and rural areas, and bilingual, migrant, immigrant, and Indian students, that are at least comparable to the level of such technical assistance services provided under programs administered by the Secretary on the day preceding October 20, 1994.

(b) Application requirements

Each entity or consortium desiring assistance under this part shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner and accompanied by such information, as the Secretary may require. Each such application shall—

(1) demonstrate how the comprehensive regional assistance center will provide expertise and services in the areas described in section 8622 of this title;

(2) demonstrate how such centers will work with the National Diffusion Network under section 8651 of this title to conduct outreach to local educational agencies receiving priority under section 8701 of this title;

(3) demonstrate support from States, local educational agencies and tribes in the area to be served;

(4) demonstrate how such centers will ensure a fair distribution of services to urban and rural areas; and

(5) provide such other information as the Secretary may require.

(Pub. L. 89–10, title XIII, §13103, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title I, §101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3879.)

§8624. Transition

(a) In general

The Secretary shall use funds appropriated to carry out this part for fiscal years 1995 and 1996 in order to ensure an orderly transition and phase in of the comprehensive regional assistance centers assisted under this part.

(b) Extension of previous centers

(1) In general

The Secretary shall, notwithstanding any other provision of law, use funds appropriated under section 8625 of this title to extend or continue contracts and grants for existing categorical technical assistance centers assisted under this Act (as such Act was in effect on the day preceding October 20, 1994) through fiscal year 1996, and take other necessary steps to ensure a smooth transition of services provided under this part and that such services will not be interrupted, curtailed, or substantially diminished.

(2) Staff expertise

In planning for the competition for the new comprehensive regional assistance centers under this part, the Secretary may draw on the expertise of staff from existing categorical assistance centers assisted under this Act prior to October 20, 1994.

(Pub. L. 89–10, title XIII, §13104, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title I, §101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3880.)

References in Text

This Act, as such Act was in effect on the day preceding October 20, 1994, and this Act prior to October 20, 1994, referred to in subsec. (b), are Pub. L. 89–10, as added by Pub. L. 100–297, title I, §1001, Apr. 28, 1988, 102 Stat. 140, as amended known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, which was classified generally to chapter 47 (§2701 et seq.) of this title prior to the general amendment of that Act by Pub. L. 103–382, title I, §101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3519.

§8625. Authorization of appropriations

For the purpose of carrying out this part, there are authorized to be appropriated $70,000,000 for fiscal year 1995 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the four succeeding fiscal years.

(Pub. L. 89–10, title XIII, §13105, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title I, §101, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3880.)

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in section 8624 of this title.