Collapse to view only § 9606. Priorities

§ 9601. Definitions
In this subchapter:
(1) In general
(2) Secretary
(Pub. L. 107–279, title II, § 202, Nov. 5, 2002, 116 Stat. 1975; Pub. L. 114–95, title IX, § 9215(gg)(1), Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2174.)
§ 9602. Comprehensive centers
(a) Authorization
(1) In general
(2) RegionsIn awarding grants under paragraph (1), the Secretary—
(A) shall ensure that not less than 1 comprehensive center is established in each of the 10 geographic regions served by the regional educational laboratories established under section 941(h) of the Educational Research, Development, Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994 (as such provision existed on the day before November 5, 2002); and
(B) after meeting the requirements of subparagraph (A), shall consider, in awarding the remainder of the grants, the school-age population, proportion of economically disadvantaged students, the increased cost burdens of service delivery in areas of sparse population, and the number of schools implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities and targeted support and improvement activities under section 1111(d) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 6311(d)] in the population served by the local entity or consortium of such entities.
(b) Eligible applicants
(1) In general
(2) Outreach
(3) Objectives and indicators
(c) Application
(1) Submission
(2) Plan
(d) Allocation
(e) Scope of workEach comprehensive center established under this section shall work with State educational agencies, local educational agencies, regional educational agencies, and schools in the region where such center is located on school improvement activities that take into account factors such as the proportion of economically disadvantaged students in the region, and give priority to—
(1) schools in the region with high percentages or numbers of students from low-income families, as determined under section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6313(a)(5)), including such schools in rural and urban areas, and schools receiving assistance under title I of that Act (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.);
(2) local educational agencies in the region in which high percentages or numbers of school-age children are from low-income families, as determined under section 1124(c)(1)(A) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6333(c)(1)(A)), including such local educational agencies in rural and urban areas; and
(3) schools in the region that are implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities or targeted support and improvement activities under section 1111(d) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 6311(d)].
(f) Activities
(1) In generalA comprehensive center established under this section shall support dissemination and technical assistance activities by—
(A) providing training, professional development, and technical assistance regarding, at a minimum—
(i) the administration and implementation of programs under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.);
(ii) the use of scientifically valid teaching methods and assessment tools for use by teachers and administrators in, at a minimum—(I) the core academic subjects of mathematics, science, and reading or language arts;(II) English language acquisition; and(III) education technology; and
(iii) the facilitation of communication between education experts, school officials, teachers, parents, and librarians, as appropriate; and
(B) disseminating and providing information, reports, and publications that are usable for improving academic achievement, closing achievement gaps,, 1
1 So in original.
and particularly assisting those schools implementing comprehensive support and improvement and targeted support and improvement activities under section 1111(d) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 6311(d)],, 1 to schools, educators, parents, and policymakers within the region in which the center is located; and
(C) developing teacher and school leader inservice and preservice training models that illustrate best practices in the use of technology in different span areas.
(2) Coordination and collaboration
(g) Comprehensive center advisory board
(1) Establishment
(2) DutiesEach advisory board established under paragraph (1) shall advise the comprehensive center—
(A) concerning the activities described in subsection (d);
(B) on strategies for monitoring and addressing the educational needs of the region, on an ongoing basis;
(C) on maintaining a high standard of quality in the performance of the center’s activities; and
(D) on carrying out the center’s duties in a manner that promotes progress toward improving student academic achievement.
(3) Composition
(A) In generalEach advisory board shall be composed of—
(i) the chief State school officers, or such officers’ designees or other State officials, in each State served by the comprehensive center who have primary responsibility under State law for elementary and secondary education in the State; and
(ii) not more than 15 other members who are representative of the educational interests in the region served by the comprehensive center and are selected jointly by the officials specified in clause (i) and the chief executive officer of each State served by the comprehensive center, including the following:(I) Representatives of local educational agencies and regional educational agencies, including representatives of local educational agencies serving urban and rural areas.(II) Representatives of institutions of higher education.(III) Parents.(IV) Practicing educators, including classroom teachers, principals, and administrators.(V) Representatives of business.(VI) Policymakers, expert practitioners, and researchers with knowledge of, and experience using, the results of research, evaluation, and statistics.
(B) Special rule
(h) Report to SecretaryEach comprehensive center established under this section shall submit to the Secretary an annual report, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, which shall include the following:
(1) A summary of the comprehensive center’s activities during the preceding year.
(2) A listing of the States, local educational agencies, and schools the comprehensive center assisted during the preceding year.
(Pub. L. 107–279, title II, § 203, Nov. 5, 2002, 116 Stat. 1975; Pub. L. 114–95, title IX, § 9215(gg)(2), Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2174.)
§ 9603. Evaluations

The Secretary shall provide for ongoing independent evaluations by the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance of the comprehensive centers receiving assistance under this subchapter, the results of which shall be transmitted to the appropriate congressional committees and the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences. Such evaluations shall include an analysis of the services provided under this subchapter, the extent to which each of the comprehensive centers meets the objectives of its respective plan, and whether such services meet the educational needs of State educational agencies, local educational agencies, and schools in the region.

(Pub. L. 107–279, title II, § 204, Nov. 5, 2002, 116 Stat. 1979.)
§ 9604. Existing technical assistance providers

The Secretary shall continue awards for the support of the Eisenhower Regional Mathematics and Science Education Consortia established under part M of the Educational Research, Development, Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994 (as such part existed on the day before November 5, 2002), the Regional Technology in Education Consortia under section 3141 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (as such section existed on the day before January 8, 2002), and the Comprehensive Regional Assistance Centers established under part K of the Educational Research, Development, Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994 (as such part existed on the day before November 5, 2002), in accordance with the terms of such awards, until the comprehensive centers authorized under section 9602 of this title are established.

(Pub. L. 107–279, title II, § 205, Nov. 5, 2002, 116 Stat. 1979.)
§ 9605. Regional advisory committees
(a) Establishment
(b) Membership
(1) Composition
The membership of each regional advisory committee shall—
(A) not exceed 25 members;
(B) contain a balanced representation of States in the region; and
(C) include not more than one representative of each State educational agency geographically located in the region.
(2) Eligibility
The membership of each regional advisory committee may include the following:
(A) Representatives of local educational agencies, including rural and urban local educational agencies.
(B) Representatives of institutions of higher education, including individuals representing university-based education research and university-based research on subjects other than education.
(C) Parents.
(D) Practicing educators, including classroom teachers, principals, administrators, school board members, and other local school officials.
(E) Representatives of business.
(F) Researchers.
(3) Recommendations
(4) Special rule
(A) Total number
(B) Dissolution
(c) Duties
Each regional advisory committee shall advise the Secretary on the following:
(1) An educational needs assessment of its region (using the results of the assessment conducted under subsection (d)), in order to assist in making decisions regarding the regional educational priorities.
(2) Not later than 6 months after the committee is first convened, a report based on the assessment conducted under subsection (d).
(d) Regional assessments
Each regional advisory committee shall—
(1) assess the educational needs within the region to be served;
(2) in conducting the assessment under paragraph (1), seek input from chief executive officers of States, chief State school officers, educators, and parents (including through a process of open hearings to solicit the views and needs of schools (including public charter schools), teachers, administrators, members of the regional educational laboratory governing board, parents, local educational agencies, librarians, businesses, State educational agencies, and other customers (such as adult education programs) within the region) regarding the need for the activities described in section 9564 of this title and section 9602 of this title and how those needs would be most effectively addressed; and
(3) submit the assessment to the Secretary and to the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.
(Pub. L. 107–279, title II, § 206, Nov. 5, 2002, 116 Stat. 1979; Pub. L. 108–446, title II, § 203, Dec. 3, 2004, 118 Stat. 2803.)
§ 9606. Priorities

The Secretary shall establish priorities for the regional educational laboratories (established under section 9564 of this title) and comprehensive centers (established under section 9602 of this title) to address, taking onto account the regional assessments conducted under section 9605 of this title and other relevant regional surveys of educational needs, to the extent the Secretary deems appropriate.

(Pub. L. 107–279, title II, § 207, Nov. 5, 2002, 116 Stat. 1981.)
§ 9607. Grant program for statewide, longitudinal data systems
(a) Grants authorized
(b) Applications
(c) Awarding of grantsIn awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall use a peer review process that—
(1) ensures technical quality (including validity and reliability), promotes linkages across States, and protects student privacy consistent with section 9573 of this title;
(2) promotes the generation and accurate and timely use of data that is needed—
(A) for States and local educational agencies to comply with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) and other reporting requirements and close achievement gaps; and
(B) to facilitate research to improve student academic achievement and close achievement gaps; and
(3) gives priority to applications that meet the voluntary standards and guidelines described in section 9543(a)(5) of this title.
(d) Supplement not supplant
(e) ReportNot later than 1 year after November 5, 2002, and again 3 years after such date, the Secretary, in consultation with the National Academies Committee on National Statistics, shall make publicly available a report on the implementation and effectiveness of Federal, State, and local efforts related to the goals of this section, including—
(1) identifying and analyzing State practices regarding the development and use of statewide, longitudinal data systems;
(2) evaluating the ability of such systems to manage individual student data consistent with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.), promote linkages across States, and protect student privacy consistent with section 9573 of this title; and
(3) identifying best practices and areas for improvement.
(Pub. L. 107–279, title II, § 208, Nov. 5, 2002, 116 Stat. 1981.)
§ 9608. Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subchapter $80,000,000 for fiscal year 2003 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.

(Pub. L. 107–279, title II, § 209, Nov. 5, 2002, 116 Stat. 1982.)