(A) access data and resources to develop curricula and instructional materials;

(B) enable teachers

(i) to use the Internet and other technology to communicate with parents, other teachers, principals, and administrators; and

(ii) to retrieve Internet-based learning resources; and

(C) lead to improvements in classroom instruction in the core academic subjects, that effectively prepare students to meet challenging State academic content standards and student academic achievement standards.

(4) Assisting recipients of funds under this subpart in providing all students (including students with disabilities and students with limited English proficiency) and teachers with access to educational technology.

(5) Developing performance measurement systems to determine the effectiveness of educational technology programs funded under this subpart, particularly in determining the extent to which activities funded under this subpart are effective in integrating technology into curricula and instruction, increasing the ability of teachers to teach, and enabling students to meet challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards.

(6) Collaborating with other State educational agencies on distance learning, including making specialized or rigorous academic courses and curricula available to students in areas that would not otherwise have access to such courses and curricula.

SEC. 2416. [20 U.S.C. 6766] LOCAL ACTIVITIES.

(a) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

(1) IN GENERAL. A recipient of funds made available under section 2412(a)(2) shall use not less than 25 percent of such funds to provide ongoing, sustained, and intensive, highquality professional development. The recipient shall provide professional development in the integration of advanced technologies, including emerging technologies, into curricula and instruction and in using those technologies to create new learning environments, such as professional development in the use of technology

(A) to access data and resources to develop curricula and instructional materials;

(B) to enable teachers

(i) to use the Internet and other technology to communicate with parents, other teachers, principals, and administrators; and

(ii) to retrieve Internet-based learning resources; and

(C) to lead to improvements in classroom instruction in the core academic subjects, that effectively prepare students to meet challenging State academic content standards, including increasing student technology literacy, and student academic achievement standards.

(2) WAIVERS.-Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a recipient of funds made available under section 2412(a)(2) that demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the State educational agency involved, that the recipient already provides ongoing, sustained, and intensive, high-quality professional development that is based on a review of relevant research, to all teachers in core academic subjects in the integration of advanced technologies, including emerging technologies, into curricula and instruction.

(b) OTHER ACTIVITIES.-In addition to the activities described in subsection (a), a recipient of funds made available by a State educational agency under section 2412(a)(2) shall use such funds to carry out other activities consistent with this subpart, which may include the following:

(1) Establishing or expanding initiatives, particularly initiatives involving public-private partnerships, designed to increase access to technology for students and teachers, with special emphasis on the access of high-need schools to technology.

(2) Adapting or expanding existing and new applications of technology to enable teachers to increase student academic achievement, including technology literacy

(A) through the use of teaching practices that are based on a review of relevant research and are designed to prepare students to meet challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards; and

(B) by the development and utilization of innovative distance learning strategies to deliver specialized or rigorous academic courses and curricula to areas that would not otherwise have access to such courses and curricula. (3) Acquiring proven and effective courses and curricula that include integrated technology and are designed to help students meet challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards.

(4) Utilizing technology to develop or expand efforts to connect schools and teachers with parents and students to promote meaningful parental involvement, to foster increased communication about curricula, assignments, and assessments between students, parents, and teachers, and to assist parents to understand the technology being applied in their child's education, so that parents are able to reinforce at home the instruction their child receives at school.

(5) Preparing one or more teachers in elementary schools and secondary schools as technology leaders who are provided with the means to serve as experts and train other teachers in the effective use of technology, and providing bonus payments to the technology leaders.

(6) Acquiring, adapting, expanding, implementing, repairing, and maintaining existing and new applications of technology, to support the school reform effort and to improve student academic achievement, including technology literacy.

(7) Acquiring connectivity linkages, resources, and services (including the acquisition of hardware and software and other electronically delivered learning materials) for use by teachers, students, academic counselors, and school library media personnel in the classroom, in academic and college counseling

centers, or in school library media centers, in order to improve student academic achievement.

(8) Using technology to collect, manage, and analyze data to inform and enhance teaching and school improvement efforts.

(9) Implementing performance measurement systems to determine the effectiveness of education technology programs funded under this subpart, particularly in determining the extent to which activities funded under this subpart are effective in integrating technology into curricula and instruction, increasing the ability of teachers to teach, and enabling students to meet challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards.

(10) Developing, enhancing, or implementing information technology courses.

Subpart 2-National Technology Activities

SEC. 2421. [20 U.S.C. 6771] NATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

(a) STUDY.-Using funds made available under section 2404(b)(2), the Secretary

(1) shall conduct an independent, long-term study, utilizing scientifically based research methods and control groups or control conditions

(A) on the conditions and practices under which educational technology is effective in increasing student academic achievement; and

(B) on the conditions and practices that increase the ability of teachers to integrate technology effectively into curricula and instruction, that enhance the learning environment and opportunities, and that increase student academic achievement, including technology literacy;

(2) shall establish an independent review panel to advise the Secretary on methodological and other issues that arise in conducting the long-term study;

(3) shall consult with other interested Federal departments or agencies, State and local educational practitioners and policymakers (including teachers, principals, and superintendents), and experts in technology, regarding the study; and

(4) shall submit to Congress interim reports, when appropriate, and a final report, to be submitted not later than April 1, 2006, on the findings of the study.

(b) DISSEMINATION.-Using funds made available under section 2404(b)(2), the Secretary shall make widely available, including through dissemination on the Internet and to all State educational agencies and other recipients of funds under this part, findings identified through activities carried out under this section regarding the conditions and practices under which educational technology is effective in increasing student academic achievement.

(c) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.-Using funds made available under section 2404(b)(2), the Secretary may provide technical assistance (directly or through the competitive award of grants or contracts) to State educational agencies, local educational agencies, and other recipients of funds, particularly in rural areas, under this part, in

order to assist such State educational agencies, local educational agencies, and other recipients to achieve the purposes of this part. SEC. 2422. [20 U.S.C. 6772] NATIONAL EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY PLAN. (a) IN GENERAL.-Based on the Nation's progress and an assessment by the Secretary of the continuing and future needs of the Nation's schools in effectively using technology to provide all students the opportunity to meet challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards, the Secretary shall update and publish, in a form readily accessible to the public, a national long-range technology plan, by not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

(b) CONTENTS.-The plan referred to in subsection (a) shall include each of the following:

(1) A description of the manner in which the Secretary will promote

(A) higher student academic achievement through the integration of advanced technologies, including emerging technologies, into curricula and instruction;

(B) increased access to technology for teaching and learning for schools with a high number or percentage of children from families with incomes below the poverty line; and

(C) the use of technology to assist in the implementation of State systemic reform strategies.

(2) A description of joint activities of the Department of Education and other Federal departments or agencies that will promote the use of technology in education.

Subpart 3-Ready-to-Learn Television

SEC. 2431. [20 U.S.C. 6775] READY-TO-LEARN TELEVISION. (a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—

(1) IN GENERAL.-The Secretary is authorized to award grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, eligible entities described in paragraph (3) to enable such entities

(A) to develop, produce, and distribute educational and instructional video programming for preschool and elementary school children and their parents in order to facilitate student academic achievement;

(B) to facilitate the development, directly or through contracts with producers of children and family educational television programming, of educational programming for preschool and elementary school children, and the accompanying support materials and services that promote the effective use of such programming;

(C) to facilitate the development of programming and digital content containing Ready-to-Learn-based children's programming and resources for parents and caregivers that is specially designed for nationwide distribution over public television stations' digital broadcasting channels and the Internet;

(D) to contract with entities (such as public telecommunications entities) so that programs developed under this section are disseminated and distributed to the widest possible audience appropriate to be served by the programming, and through the use of the most appropriate distribution technologies; and

(E) to develop and disseminate education and training materials, including interactive programs and programs adaptable to distance learning technologies, that are designed

(i) to promote school readiness; and

(ii) to promote the effective use of materials developed under subparagraphs (B) and (C) among parents, teachers, Head Start providers, Even Start providers, providers of family literacy services, child care providers, early childhood development personnel, elementary school teachers, public libraries, and afterschool program personnel caring for preschool and elementary school children.

(2) AVAILABILITY.-In awarding grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that eligible entities make programming widely available, with support materials as appropriate, to young children, parents, child care workers, Head Start providers, Even Start providers, and providers of family literacy services to increase the effective use of such programming.

(3) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.-To be eligible to receive a grant, contract, or cooperative agreements under this section, an entity shall be a public telecommunications entity that is able to demonstrate each of the following:

(A) A capacity for the development and national distribution of educational and instructional television programming of high quality that is accessible by a large majority of disadvantaged preschool and elementary school children.

(B) A capacity to contract with the producers of children's television programming for the purpose of developing educational television programming of high quality.

(C) A capacity, consistent with the entity's mission and nonprofit nature, to negotiate such contracts in a manner that returns to the entity an appropriate share of any ancillary income from sales of any program-related products.

(D) A capacity to localize programming and materials to meet specific State and local needs and to provide educational outreach at the local level.

(4) COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES.-An entity receiving a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this section shall consult with the Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services

(A) to maximize the utilization of quality educational programming by preschool and elementary school children, and make such programming widely available to federally funded programs serving such populations; and