Classroom Technology Act of 1994

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Title I: Leadership in Educational Technology

Title II: State Planning for Improving Student Achievement

Through Integration of Technology Into the Curriculum

Title III: National Telecommunications and Information

Infrastructure Development

Title III: (sic): Universal Service for Education

Classroom Technology Act of 1994 - Title I: Leadership in Educational Technology - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to carry out Federal leadership activities in promoting higher student achievement through the use of technology in education. Directs the Secretary to: (1) develop and publish a national long-range technology plan; and (2) provide assistance to States for planning use of technology in schools.

(Sec. 103) Amends the Department of Education Organization Act and the General Education Provisions Act to establish an Office of Educational Technology, with a Director, in the Department of Education.

(Sec. 104) Sets forth authorized uses of funds under this title and non-Federal share provisions.

(Sec. 106) Amends the Training Technology Transfer Act of 1988 to: (1) transfer the Office of Training Technology Transfer to the Office of Educational Technology (from the Office of Educational Research and Improvement); and (2) authorize appropriations to carry out such Act.

(Sec. 107) Authorizes appropriations to carry out this title.

Title II: State Planning for Improving Student Achievement Through Integration of Technology into the Curriculum - Directs the Secretary of Education to award grants, according to an allocation formula, to State education agencies to plan for improved student learning in all schools through the use of technology as a integral part of the State improvement plan under the Goals 2000: Educate America Act. Authorizes appropriations.

Title III: National Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Development - Amends the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to establish a Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Development Program to promote widespread availability of advanced telecommunications technologies to: (1) enhance delivery of diverse social services, including education and health care, to the public; and (2) support formation of a nationwide, multimedia, high-speed, interactive infrastructure of varied information technologies, through interconnection and improvement of existing facilities and deployment of new ones.

(Sec. 301) Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to make program grants to eligible applicants. Gives special consideration to applications that will increase participation by underserved populations.

Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to provide funds for training, planning, and studies.

Directs the Secretary of Commerce to provide for collection and dissemination of information on distance learning.

Authorizes appropriations to carry out this title.

Title III: (sic): Universal Service for Education - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to establish requirements for universal service protection and advancement.

(Sec. 301 (sic)) Makes it the duty of every common carrier engaged in intrastate, interstate, or foreign communication by wire or radio to contribute to the preservation and advancement of universal service. Includes among such contributions monetary payment, certain service obligations, in-kind payment, or other forms of contribution determined by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and States.

Directs the FCC to: (1) set guidelines for defining universal service; and (2) prescribe and implement regulations to ensure that interstate telecommunications providers make such a contribution on a competitively neutral basis (with any funds so contributed to be distributed to each State).

Establishes the Educational Telecommunications and Technology Fund for activities that ensure that elementary and secondary schools have complete access to existing and innovative telecommunications and information technologies and services. Directs the FCC to prescribe regulations relating to deposits in the Fund. Directs the FCC and the Secretaries of Education and Commerce to jointly prescribe regulations relating to disbursements from the Fund, including specified provisions.

Directs the FCC to delegate to each State the primary responsibility for defining universal service and ensuring that universal service goals are met. Allows each State to impose a nondiscriminatory charge on intrastate telecommunications or take other actions to protect and advance universal service, considering specified options. Requires, to the extent a State establishes a fund to support universal service, that all telecommunications services providers be eligible to receive payments from such fund. Directs the FCC to assume such responsibilities if a State has not done so within two years after enactment of this Act.

(Sec. 302) Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to make it the duty of all telecommunications carriers that use public rights of way to permit educational institutions, health-care institutions, local and State governments, public broadcast stations, public libraries, other public entities, community newspapers, and broadcasters in the smallest markets to obtain access at preferential rates to intrastate and interstate services provided by such carriers. Prohibits reselling such services, except to other entities eligible for such preferential rates.

Directs the FCC to commence a rulemaking proceeding to prescribe regulations to: (1) enhance availability of advanced telecommunications services to all public elementary and secondary school classrooms, health-care institutions, and libraries; and (2) ensure establishment of appropriate functional requirements and/or interoperability standards for telecommunications arrangements that interconnect such entities with the public switched network.

Directs the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to issue a notice of inquiry, review alternatives, and publish recommendations to the FCC and the Secretaries of Education and of Commerce with respect to establishing an educational telecommunications corporation to provide credit and grant funds to support the national goal of access to existing and innovative telecommunications and information technologies and services.