(c) PARTNERSHIPS.-From funds appropriated under section 1002(e)(1) for any fiscal year, the Secretary may, directly or through grants or contracts, work in partnership with State educational agencies, local educational agencies, other public agencies, and nonprofit organizations to disseminate and use the highest quality research and knowledge about effective practices to improve the quality of teaching and learning in schools assisted under this title.

SEC. 1503. [20 U.S.C. 6493] ASSESSMENT EVALUATION.

(a) IN GENERAL.-The Secretary shall conduct an independent study of assessments used for State accountability purposes and for making decisions about the promotion and graduation of students. Such research shall be conducted over a period not to exceed 5 years and shall address the components described in subsection (d).

(b) CONTRACT AUTHORIZED.-The Secretary is authorized to award a contract, through a peer review process, to an organization or entity capable of conducting rigorous, independent research. The Assistant Secretary of Educational Research and Improvement 1 shall appoint peer reviewers to evaluate the applications for this contract.

(c) STUDY.-The study shall—

(1) synthesize and analyze existing research that meets standards of quality and scientific rigor; and

(2) evaluate academic assessment and accountability systems in State educational agencies, local educational agencies, and schools; and

(3) make recommendations to the Department and to the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the United States House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the United States Senate, based on the findings of the study.

(d) COMPONENTS OF THE RESEARCH PROGRAM.-The study described in subsection (a) shall examine

(1) the effect of the assessment and accountability systems described in section (c) on students, teachers, parents, families, schools, school districts, and States, including correlations between such systems and

(A) student academic achievement, progress to the State-defined level of proficiency, and progress toward closing achievement gaps, based on independent measures;

(B) changes in course offerings, teaching practices, course content, and instructional material;

(C) changes in turnover rates among teachers, principals, and pupil-services personnel;

(D) changes in dropout, grade-retention, and gradua

tion rates for students; and

(E) such other effects as may be appropriate;

(2) the effect of the academic assessments on students with disabilities;

1 The reference in section 1503(b) to the "Assistant Secretary of Educational Research and Improvement" probably should be to the "Director of the Institute of Education Sciences". The Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 established the Institute of Education Sciences. The Office of Educational Research and Improvement expired upon enactment of that Act.

(3) the effect of the academic assessments on low, middle, and high socioeconomic status students, limited and nonlimited English proficient students, racial and ethnic minority students, and nonracial or nonethnic minority students;

(4) guidelines for assessing the validity, reliability, and consistency of those systems using nationally recognized professional and technical standards;

(5) the relationship between accountability systems and the inclusion or exclusion of students from the assessment system; and

(6) such other factors as the Secretary finds appropriate. (e) REPORTING.-Not later than 3 years after the contract described in subsection (b) is awarded, the organization or entity conducting the study shall submit an interim report to the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the United States House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions of the United States Senate, and to the President and the States, and shall make the report widely available to the public. The organization or entity shall submit a final report to the same recipients as soon as possible after the completion of the study. Additional reports may be periodically prepared and released as nec

essary.

(f) RESERVATION OF FUNDS.-The Secretary may reserve up to 15 percent of the funds authorized to be appropriated for this part to carry out the study, except such reservation of funds shall not exceed $1,500,000.

SEC. 1504. [20 U.S.C. 6494] CLOSE UP FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.

(a) PROGRAM FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS.

(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—

(A) GENERAL AUTHORITY.-In accordance with this subsection, the Secretary may make grants to the Close Up Foundation of Washington, District of Columbia, a nonpartisan, nonprofit foundation, for the purpose of assisting the Close Up Foundation in carrying out its programs of increasing civic responsibility and understanding of the Federal Government among middle school and secondary school students.

(B) USE OF FUNDS.-Grants under this subsection shall be used only to provide financial assistance to economically disadvantaged students who participate in the programs described in subparagraph (A).

(C) NAME OF FELLOWSHIPS.-Financial assistance received by students pursuant to this subsection shall be known as Close Up fellowships.

(2) APPLICATIONS.—

(A) APPLICATION REQUIRED.-No grant under this subsection may be made except upon an application at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.

(B) CONTENTS OF APPLICATION.-Each application submitted under this paragraph shall contain assurances that

(i) Close Up fellowships provided under this subsection shall be made to economically disadvantaged middle school and secondary school students;

(ii) every effort shall be made to ensure the participation of students from rural, small town, and urban areas;

(iii) in awarding the fellowships to economically disadvantaged students, special consideration shall be given to the participation of those students with special educational needs, including students with disabilities, ethnic minority students, and students with migrant parents; and

(iv) the funds received under this subsection shall be properly disbursed.

(b) PROGRAM FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS.

(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—

(A) GENERAL AUTHORITY.-In accordance with this subsection, the Secretary may make grants to the Close Up Foundation of Washington, District of Columbia, a nonpartisan, nonprofit foundation, for the purpose of assisting the Close Up Foundation in carrying out its programs of professional development for middle school and secondary school teachers and its programs to increase civic responsibility and understanding of the Federal Government among the teachers' students.

(B) USE OF FUNDS.-Grants under this subsection shall be used only to provide financial assistance to teachers who participate in the programs described in subparagraph (A).

(C) NAME OF FELLOWSHIPS.-Financial assistance received by teachers pursuant to this subsection shall be known as Close Up fellowships.

(2) APPLICATIONS.

(A) APPLICATION REQUIRED.-No grant under this subsection may be made except upon an application at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.

(B) CONTENTS OF APPLICATION.-Each application submitted under this paragraph shall contain assurances that

(i) Close Up fellowships provided under this subsection shall be made only to a teacher who has worked with at least one student from such teacher's school who participates in a program described in subsection (a)(1)(A);

(ii) no teacher shall receive more than one such fellowship in any fiscal year; and

(iii) the funds received under this subsection shall be properly disbursed.

(c) PROGRAMS FOR NEW AMERICANS.

(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—

(A) GENERAL AUTHORITY.-In accordance with this subsection, the Secretary may make grants to the Close Up Foundation of Washington, District of Columbia, a non

partisan, nonprofit foundation, for the purpose of assisting the Close Up Foundation in carrying out its programs of increasing civic responsibility and understanding of the Federal Government among economically disadvantaged middle school and secondary school recent immigrant students.

(B) DEFINITION.-In this subsection, the term "recent immigrant student" means a student who is a member of a family that immigrated to the United States within 5 years of the student's participation in such a program.

(C) USE OF FUNDS.-Grants under this subsection shall be used only to provide financial assistance to economically disadvantaged recent immigrant students and their teachers who participate in the programs described in subparagraph (A).

(D) NAME OF FELLOWSHIPS.-Financial assistance received by students and teachers pursuant to this subsection shall be known as Close Up Fellowships for New Americans.

(2) APPLICATIONS.—

(A) APPLICATION REQUIRED.-No grant under this subsection may be made except upon an application at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.

(B) CONTENTS OF application submitted under this paragraph shall contain assurances that

(i) Close Up Fellowships for New Americans shall be made to economically disadvantaged middle school and secondary school recent immigrant students;

(ii) every effort shall be made to ensure the participation of recent immigrant students from rural, small town, and urban areas;

(iii) in awarding the fellowships to economically disadvantaged recent immigrant students, special consideration shall be given to the participation of those students with special educational needs, including students with disabilities, students with migrant parents, and ethnic minority students;

(iv) fully describe the activities to be carried out with the proceeds of the grant made under paragraph (1); and

(v) the funds received under this subsection shall be properly disbursed.

(d) GENERAL PROVISIONS.

(1) ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.—

(A) ACCOUNTABILITY.-In consultation with the Secretary, the Close Up Foundation shall devise and implement procedures to measure the efficacy of the programs authorized in subsections (a), (b), and (c) in attaining objectives that include the following:

(i) Providing young people with an increased understanding of the Federal Government.

(ii) Heightening a sense of civic responsibility among young people.

(iii) Enhancing the skills of educators in teaching young people about civic responsibility, the Federal Government, and attaining citizenship competencies.

(B) GENERAL RULE.-Payments under this section may be made in installments, in advance, or by way of reimbursement, with necessary adjustments on account of underpayments or overpayments.

(C) AUDIT RULE.-The Comptroller General of the United States or any of the Comptroller General's duly authorized representatives shall have access for the purpose of audit and examination to any books, documents, papers, and records that are pertinent to any grant under this section.

(2) CONTINUATION OF AWARDS.-Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, any person or entity that was awarded a grant under part G of title X before the date of enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 shall continue to receive funds in accordance with the terms of such award until the date on which the award period terminates under such terms.

PART F-COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL REFORM

SEC. 1601. [20 U.S.C. 6511] PURPOSE.

The purpose of this part is to provide financial incentives for schools to develop comprehensive school reforms, based upon scientifically based research and effective practices that include an emphasis on basic academics and parental involvement so that all children can meet challenging State academic content and academic achievement standards.

SEC. 1602. [20 U.S.C. 6512] PROGRAM AUTHORIZATION.

(a) 1 PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—

(1) IN GENERAL.-The Secretary is authorized to award grants to State educational agencies, from allotments under paragraph (2), to enable the State educational agencies to award subgrants to local educational agencies to carry out the purpose described in section 1601.

(2) ALLOTMENTS.—

(A) RESERVATIONS. Of the amount appropriated under section 1002(f), the Secretary may reserve

(i) not more than 1 percent for each fiscal year to provide assistance to schools supported by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and in the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands according to their respective needs for assistance under this part;

(ii) not more than 1 percent for each fiscal year to conduct national evaluation activities described in section 1607; and

(iii) not more than 3 percent of the amount appropriated in fiscal year 2002 to carry out this part, for quality initiatives described in section 1608.

1 So in law. There is no subsection (b).