(2) the term "State higher education agency" means the officer or agency primarily responsible for the State supervision of higher education. SEC. 805. [20 U.S.C. 5985] APPLICATIONS. (a) APPLICATION REQUIRED.-Each eligible entity desiring a grant under this title shall submit an application to the Secretary, at such time, in such manner and containing or accompanied by such information as the Secretary may reasonably require. (b) CONTENTS OF APPLICATION.-Each application submitted pursuant to subsection (a) shall (1) define the learning objectives and course content of each seminar to be held and describe the manner in which seminar participants shall receive substantive academic instruction in the principles, institutions and processes of American government; (2) provide assurances that educators successfully participating in each seminar will qualify for either graduate credit or professional development or advancement credit according to the criteria established by a State or local educational agen су; (3) describe the manner in which seminar participants shall receive exposure to a broad array of individuals who are actively involved in the political process, including political party representatives drawn equally from the major political parties, as well as representatives of other organizations involved in the political process; (4) provide assurances that the seminars will be conducted on a nonpartisan basis; (5) describe the manner in which the seminars will address the role of minorities or Native Americans in the American political process, including such topics as (A) the history and current political state of minorities or Native Americans; (B) recent research on minority or Native American political socialization patterns and cognitive learning styles; and (C) studies of political participation patterns of minorities or Native Americans; (6) describe the pedagogical elements for teachers that will enable teachers to develop effective strategies and lesson plans for teaching minorities or Native American students at the elementary and secondary school levels; (7) identify the eligible entities which will conduct the seminars for which assistance is sought; (8) in the case that the eligible entity is an institution of higher education, describe the plans for collaborating with national organizations in American government and civics education; (9) provide assurances that during the academic year educators participating in the summer seminars will provide inservice training programs based upon what such educators have learned and the curricular materials such educators have developed or acquired for their peers in their school systems with the approval and support of their school administrators; and (10) describe the activities or services for which assistance is sought, including activities and services such as (A) development of seminar curricula; (B) development and distribution of instructional materials; (C) scholarships for participating teachers; and (D) program assessment and evaluation. (c) PRIORITY.-The Secretary, in approving applications for assistance under this title, shall give priority to applications which demonstrate that (1) the applicant will serve teachers who teach in schools. with a large number or concentration of economically disadvantaged students; (2) the applicant has demonstrated national experience in conducting or coordinating accredited summer seminars in American government or civics education for elementary and secondary school teachers; (3) the applicant will coordinate or conduct seminars on a national or multistate basis through a collaboration with an institution of higher education, State higher education agency or a public or private nonprofit organization, with experience in coordinating or conducting teacher training programs in American government and civics education; (4) the applicant will coordinate or conduct seminars designed for more than one minority student population and for Native Americans; and (5) the applicant will coordinate or conduct seminars that offer a combination of academic instruction in American government, exposure to the practical workings of the political system, and training in appropriate pedagogical techniques for working with minority and Native American students. TITLE IX-EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT SEC. 901. [20 U.S.C. 6001] SHORT TITLE. This title may be cited as the "Educational Research, Development, Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994”. SEC. 902. [20 U.S.C. 6002] FINDINGS. The Congress finds as follows with respect to improving education in the United States: (1) A majority of public schools in the United States are failing to prepare students to achieve the National Education Goals. The Federal Government should support an extensive program of educational research, development, dissemination, replication and assistance to identify and support the best responses for the challenges ahead. A significant investment in attaining a deeper understanding of the processes of learning and schooling and developing new ideas holds the best hope of making a substantial difference to the lives of every student in the United States. The Office of Educational Research and Im provement within the Department of Education should be at the center of this campaign in order to coordinate such efforts. (2) The Federal role in educational research has been closely identified with youths who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, are minorities, belong to a language minority, or have a disability. The Federal commitment to education was sufficient to serve not more than (A) in 1993, 1 out of every 6 low-income children in need of preschool education; (B) in 1990, 3 out of every 5 children in need of remediation; (C) in 1991, 1 out of every 5 children in need of bilingual education; and (D) in 1992, 1 out of every 20 youths eligible for assistance under the Job Training Partnership Act. (3) The failure of the Federal Government to adequately invest in educational research and development has denied the United States a sound foundation of knowledge on which to design school improvements. The educational achievement of minority children is of particular concern because at least half of the public school students in 25 of the largest cities of the United States are minority children, and demographers project that, by the year 2005, almost all urban public school students will be minority children or other children in poverty. (4) The investment goal of the Federal research, development, and dissemination function should be at least 1 percent of the total amount of funds spent on education. (5) Nationwide model programs and reliable interventions should be demonstrated and replicated, and for such purposes, programs should be established to conduct research and evaluations, and to disseminate information. (6) The Office should develop a national dissemination policy that will advance the goal of placing a national treasure chest of research results, models, and materials at the disposal of the education decisionmakers of the United States. (7) A National Educational Research Policy and Priorities Board should be established to work collaboratively with the Assistant Secretary to forge a national consensus with respect to a long-term agenda for educational research, development, dissemination, and the activities of the Office. (8) Existing research and development entities should adopt expanded, proactive roles and new institutions should be created to promote knowledge development necessary to accelerate the application of research findings to high priority areas. (9) Greater use should be made of existing technologies in efforts to improve the educational system of the United States, including efforts to disseminate research findings. (10) Minority educational researchers are inadequately represented throughout the Department of Education, but particularly in the Office. The Office therefore should assume a leadership position in the recruitment, retention, and promotion of qualified minority educational researchers. (11) The coordination of the mission of the Office with that of other components of the Department of Education is critical. The Office should improve the coordination of the educational research, development, and dissemination function with those of other Federal agencies. PART A-GENERAL PROVISIONS REGARDING THE OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT 1 PART B-NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH POLICY AND PRIORITIES BOARD1 PART C-NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTES 1 PART D-NATIONAL EDUCATION PART E-NATIONAL LIBRARY OF EDUCATION 1 [Section 961 made an amendment to section 908(a) of the Star Schools Assistance Act (20 U.S.C. 4085b(a)).] PART G-OFFICE OF COMPREHENSIVE [Section 971(a) made amendments to section 4605(c) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 3155(c)).] (b) TRANSITION.-The Secretary shall take all appropriate actions to facilitate the transfer of the Office of Comprehensive School Health Education pursuant to the amendment made by subsection (a). PART H-FIELD READERS [Section 981 made amendments to section 402 of the Department of Education Organization Act.] PART I-AMENDMENTS TO THE CARL D. PERKINS VOCATIONAL AND APPLIED TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION ACT [Section 991 made amendments to section 422 of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act (20 U.S.C. 2422).] 1 Section 403(2) of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-279; 116 Stat. 1985) repealed parts A-E. PART J-CERTAIN MULTIYEAR GRANTS AND CONTRACTS SEC. 995. [20 U.S.C. 6052] CONTINUATION OF AWARDS. (a) IN GENERAL.-Notwithstanding any other provision of law, from funds appropriated under subsection (b), the Secretary (1) shall continue to fund any multiyear grant or contract awarded under section 3141 and parts A and C of title XIII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (as such provisions were in effect on the day preceding the date of enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001), for the duration of that multiyear award in accordance with its terms; and (2) may extend, on a year-to-year basis, any multiyear grant or contract awarded under an authority described in paragraph (1) that expires after the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, but before the enactment of successor authority to this Act. (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.-There are authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year such sums as may be necessary to carry out subsection (a). SEC. 1011. [20 U.S.C. 6061] SCHOOL PRAYER. No funds authorized to be appropriated under this Act may be used by any State or local educational agency to adopt policies that prevent voluntary prayer and meditation in public schools. SEC. 1012. [20 U.S.C. 6062] FUNDING FOR THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT. (a) FINDINGS.-The Congress finds that (1) the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was established with the commitment of forty percent Federal funding but currently receives only eight percent Federal funding; (2) this funding shortfall is particularly burdensome to school districts and schools in low-income areas which serve 1 Section 403(2) of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-279; 116 Stat. 1985) repealed parts K-N. |