The Bill and It's Contents

The bill which passed the last Congress and reorganized huge portions of the Department of Education is PL 107-279. Available on Thomas with summaries and links from it's original bill number:

HR 3801

Formal Names are:

.pdf of entire Act. (49 pages).
A summary from the Democratic perspective is at http://www.cosn.org/members/memo030602.htm

Part 172 is particularly relevant for this issue.

Here from CRS Summary, available on Thomas:

Part D: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance -
(Sec. 171) Establishes in the Institute a National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (EERA), headed by an EERA Commissioner.
(Sec. 172) Sets forth the duties of the EERA Commissioner. Requires the Director to continue, for their duration, current awards for the support of the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) Clearinghouses and contracts for regional educational laboratories. Establishes within the EERA Center the National Library of Education.
(Sec. 173) Requires the Director, through the EERA Commissioner, to: (1) conduct or support evaluations consistent with the Center's mission; (2) evaluate programs under title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) (and administer all operations and contracts associated with evaluations authorized by part E of title I of ESEA); (3) coordinate Center activities with other evaluation activities in the Department; and (4) review and supplement Federal education program evaluations.
(Sec. 174) Requires the Director to make contracts with regional entities to establish a networked system of ten regional educational laboratories for applied research, development, dissemination, and technical assistance to other appropriate entities in: (1) the core academic areas of reading, mathematics, and science; (2) English language acquisition; (3) education technology; and (4) replicating and adapting promising educational methods and practices. Requires the same ten geographical regions as served by the regional educational laboratories to be served under this part. Directs the EERA Commissioner to coordinate activities among the regions. Includes collaboration with the National Education Centers among required activities of regional educational laboratories.

Text of Section 172:

SEC. 172. <> COMMISSIONER FOR EDUCATION EVALUATION AND REGIONAL ASSISTANCE.

  1. In General.--The National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance shall be headed by a Commissioner for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (in this part referred to as the ``Evaluation and Regional Assistance Commissioner'') who is highly qualified and has demonstrated a capacity to carry out the mission of the Center and shall--
    1. conduct evaluations pursuant to section 173;
    2. widely disseminate information on scientifically valid research, statistics, and evaluation on education, particularly to State educational agencies and local educational agencies, to institutions of higher education, to the public, the media, voluntary organizations, professional associations, and other constituencies, especially with respect to information relating to, at a minimum--
      1. the core academic areas of reading, mathematics, and science;
      2. closing the achievement gap between high- performing students and low-performing students; [[Page 116 STAT. 1963]]
      3. educational practices that improve academic achievement and promote learning;
      4. education technology, including software; and
      5. those topics covered by the Educational Resources Information Center Clearinghouses (established under section 941(f) of the Educational Research, Development, Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994 (20 U.S.C. 6041(f)) (as such provision was in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act);
    3. make such information accessible in a user-friendly, timely, and efficient manner (including through use of a searchable Internet-based online database that shall include all topics covered in paragraph (2)(E)) to schools, institutions of higher education, educators (including early childhood educators), parents, administrators, policymakers, researchers, public and private entities (including providers of early childhood services), entities responsible for carrying out technical assistance through the Department, and the general public;
    4. support the regional educational laboratories in conducting applied research, the development and dissemination of educational research, products and processes, the provision of technical assistance, and other activities to serve the educational needs of such laboratories' regions;
    5. manage the National Library of Education described in subsection (d), and other sources of digital information on education research;
    6. assist the Director in the preparation of a biennial report, described in section 119; and
    7. award a contract for a prekindergarten through grade 12 mathematics and science teacher clearinghouse.
  2. Additional Duties.--In carrying out subsection (a), the Evaluation and Regional Assistance Commissioner shall--
    1. ensure that information disseminated under this section is provided in a cost-effective, nonduplicative manner that includes the most current research findings, which may include through the continuation of individual clearinghouses authorized under the Educational Research, Development, Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994 (title IX of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act; 20 U.S.C. 6001 et seq.) (as such Act existed on the day before the date of enactment of this Act);
    2. describe prominently the type of scientific evidence that is used to support the findings that are disseminated;
    3. explain clearly the scientifically appropriate and inappropriate uses of--
      1. the findings that are disseminated; and
      2. the types of evidence used to support those findings; and
    4. respond, as appropriate, to inquiries from schools, educators, parents, administrators, policymakers, researchers, public and private entities, and entities responsible for carrying out technical assistance.
  3. Continuation.--The Director shall continue awards for the support of the Educational Resources Information Center Clearinghouses and contracts for regional educational laboratories (established under subsections (f) and (h) of section 941 of the Educational Research, Development, Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994 (20 U.S.C. 6041(f) and (h)) (as such awards were in effect [[Page 116 STAT. 1964]] on the day before the date of enactment of this Act)) for the duration of those awards, in accordance with the terms and agreements of such awards.
  4. National Library of Education.--
    1. Establishment.--There is established within the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance a National Library of Education that shall--
      1. (A) be headed by an individual who is highly qualified in library science;
      2. collect and archive information;
      3. provide a central location within the Federal Government for information about education;
      4. provide comprehensive reference services on matters related to education to employees of the Department of Education and its contractors and grantees, other Federal employees, and members of the public; and
      5. promote greater cooperation and resource sharing among providers and repositories of education information in the United States.
    2. Information.--The information collected and archived by the National Library of Education shall include--
      1. products and publications developed through, or supported by, the Institute; and
      2. other relevant and useful education-related research, statistics, and evaluation materials and other information, projects, and publications that are--
        1. consistent with--
          1. scientifically valid research; or
          2. the priorities and mission of the Institute; and
        2. developed by the Department, other Federal agencies, or entities (including entities supported under the Educational Technical Assistance Act of 2002 and the Educational Resources Information Center Clearinghouses (established under section 941(f) of the Educational Research, Development, Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994 (20 U.S.C. 6041(f)) (as such provision was in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act))).

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March 13, 2003