Technology for the Classroom Act of 1991

Technology for the Classroom Act of 1991 - Directs the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) to award competitive grants to eligible consortia to develop instructional programs and technology-based systems for complete courses or units of study for a specific subject and grade level, if these are commercially unavailable locally.

Requires that an eligible consortium consist of: (1) State or local educational agencies in partnership with businesses; and (2) institutions of higher education or other public or private nonprofit organizations. Requires priority to be given to applications describing programs that are developed: (1) so that the program may be adapted and applied nationally; and (2) to raise the achievement levels of students, particularly disadvantaged students who are not realizing their potential. Sets forth application requirements and criteria for awarding such grants.

Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to States to carry out specified types of activities to improve access to technology. Requires States to use such grants to: (1) identify schools or school districts which have a large number of educationally disadvantaged students and limited access to technology-based learning resources; and (2) develop, in conjunction, with local educational agencies or individual schools, strategies to improve accessibility and use of technology-based learning resources, including specific plans for teacher and school personnel training, hardware or software acquisition (if this is a major barrier to accessibility), and partnership arrangements with businesses, institutions of higher education, and other public or private nonprofit organizations. Sets forth State plan requirements.

Directs the Secretary to coordinate and share information regarding curriculum-based educational technology programs assisted under this Act with other Federal agencies which administer programs supporting development of such programs.

Directs the Secretary to: (1) collect information about products developed pursuant to this Act and the evaluation of such products; and (2) disseminate such information in regular reports to State and local educational agencies and other appropriate organizations or individuals.

Requires that any royalties paid to any State or local educational agency as a result of assistance provided under this Act be used for further development of curriculum-based learning resources authorized by this Act.

Authorizes appropriations.

 
HR 3800 IH
102d CONGRESS
1st Session
 H. R. 3800
To establish a Classrooms for the Future program, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 18, 1991
Mr. MARTINEZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and Labor
A BILL
To establish a Classrooms for the Future program, and for other purposes.
  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
  States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  This Act may be cited as the `Technology for the Classroom Act of 1991'.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
  It is the purpose of this Act to establish a program to develop and
  expand the use of high quality curriculum-based learning resources using
  state-of-the-art technologies and techniques which are or can be designed
  to increase the achievement levels of students in subject areas including
  mathematics, science, geography, history, and English.
SEC. 3. ACHIEVEMENT GRANTS.
  (a) COMPETITIVE GRANTS-
  (1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to
  eligible consortia to enable such eligible consortia to develop instructional
  programs and technology-based systems for complete courses or units of study
  for a specific subject and grade level, if such programs and systems are
  commercially unavailable in the local area served by such eligible consortia.
  (2) ELIGIBLE CONSORTIUM- For the purpose of this section the term `eligible
  consortium' means a consortium consisting of--
  (A) State or local educational agencies in partnership with businesses; and
  (B) institutions of higher education or other public or private nonprofit
  organizations.
  (b) PRIORITY- In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall
  give priority to applications describing programs that are developed--
  (1) so that the program may be adapted and applied nationally; and
  (2) to raise the achievement levels of students, particularly disadvantaged
  students who are not realizing their potential.
  (c) DURATION AND AMOUNT- Each grant made under this section shall be awarded
  for a period not to exceed 3 years and in an amount not to exceed $3,000,000.
  (d) APPLICATION-
  (1) IN GENERAL- Each consortium that desires to receive a grant under this
  section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such
  manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may prescribe.
  (2) CONTENTS- Each application submitted pursuant to paragraph (1)
  shall include--
  (A) a description of how the program shall improve the achievement levels
  of students; and
  (B) an assurance that the program shall effectively serve a large number
  or percentage of economically disadvantaged students.
  (e) CRITERIA FOR AWARDING GRANTS- In awarding grants under this section
  to develop programs, the Secretary shall consider the appropriateness and
  quality of the following elements of the programs:
  (1) Identification of specific learning objectives and strategies of the
  proposed course or unit of study.
  (2) Incorporation in creative ways of a variety of technology-based learning
  resources such as computer software, databases, films, transparencies,
  video and audio discs, telecommunications (including educational radio
  and television), and print materials.
  (3) Design that allows tailoring of the program to meet individual needs
  of students, particularly students at the greatest risk of not reaching
  their educational potential.
  (4) Flexibility of use by teachers or local schools.
  (5) Methods for updating or revising information and material.
  (6) Programs or materials to train and guide teachers.
  (7) Coordination with teacher training programs.
  (8) Explanatory materials for students and parents.
  (9) Field testing and evaluation of stated learning objectives.
  (10) Plans for pricing technology-based materials that are affordable for
  public schools and agencies.
  (11) Plans for distribution that ensure access for the poorest schools
  and school districts.
  (12) Demonstration of cost-effectiveness in relation to existing programs
  and the achievement of stated learning objectives.
SEC. 4. GRANTS TO STATES TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY.
  (a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED-
  (1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary is authorized to award grants to States to
  enable States to carry out the activities described in the plan submitted
  pursuant to subsection (b).
  (2) AMOUNT OF GRANT- (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the
  Secretary shall award grants under this section to each State having a plan
  approved under subsection (b) in an amount which bears the same relationship
  to the amount reserved to carry out this section under section 9 as the
  amount such State received under chapter 1 of title I of the Elementary
  and Secondary Education Act of 1965 bears to the amount received under
  such chapter by all States.
  (B) No State shall receive a grant pursuant to subparagraph (A) in an
  amount which is less than $100,000.
  (b) USE OF GRANT- Grants awarded under this section shall be used to--
  (1) identify schools or school districts which have a large number of
  educationally disadvantaged students and limited access to technology-based
  learning resources; and
  (2) develop, in conjunction with local education agencies or individual
  schools, strategies to improve the accessibility and use of technology-based
  learning resources, including specific plans for--
  (A) training of teachers and school personnel;
  (B) acquisition of hardware or software, if such acquisition presents a
  major barrier for accessibility to participation in the activities assisted
  under this section; and
  (C) partnership arrangements with businesses, institutions of higher
  education, or other public or private nonprofit organizations.
  (c) PLAN-
  (1) IN GENERAL- Each State desiring a grant under this section shall submit
  to the Secretary a plan at such time, in such manner and accompanied by
  such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.
  (2) CONTENTS- Each plan submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall--
  (A) describe the activities and services for which assistance is sought;
  (B) indicate how such State shall identify schools in need of the assistance
  provided under this section;
  (C) include a strategy for providing such assistance; and
  (D) contain assurances that such grant funds shall be used for schools
  with a large percentage of educationally disadvantaged students.
SEC. 5. FEDERAL INTERAGENCY COORDINATION.
  The Secretary shall coordinate and share information regarding
  curriculum-based educational technology programs assisted under this Act
  with other Federal agencies which administer programs that support the
  development of such programs, including the National Science Foundation,
  the Department of Defense, and the Office of Technology Assessment.
SEC. 6. CONSUMER REPORT.
  The Secretary shall collect information about products developed pursuant
  to provisions of this Act and the evaluation of such products, and shall
  disseminate such information in regular reports to State and local
  educational agencies, and other organizations or individuals as the
  Secretary determines to be appropriate.
SEC. 7. ROYALTIES.
  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any royalties paid to any
  State or local educational agency as a result of assistance provided
  under this Act shall be used by such agency for further development of
  curriculum-based learning resources authorized by this Act.
SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.
  As used in this Act, the terms `institution of higher education' and `local
  educational agency' have the meanings given the terms in subsections (a)
  and (g), respectively, of section 1201 of the Higher Education Act of 1965
  (20 U.S.C. 1141).
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF FUNDS.
  There are authorized to be appropriated $93,000,000 for the fiscal year
  1992 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1993,
  1994, 1995, and 1996 to carry out the provisions of this Act, of which
  $20,000,000 shall be available to award grants pursuant to section 4.