article: SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following: (1) Extension services such as the Manufacturing Extension Partnership and the Agricultural Extension Service have proven to be effective public-private partnerships to integrate new technologies and to improve utilization of existing technologies by small to medium sized manufacturers and the United States agricultural community. (2) Undergraduate institutions of higher education working with nonprofit organizations and State and Federal agencies can tailor educational technology extension programs to meet specific local and regional requirements. (3) Undergraduate institutions of higher education, often with the assistance of the National Science Foundation, have during the past 20 years been integrating educational technologies into their curriculums, and as such can draw upon their own experiences to advise elementary and secondary school educators on ways to integrate a variety of educational technologies into the educational process. (4) Many elementary and secondary school systems, particularly in rural and traditionally underserved areas, lack general information on the most effective methods to integrate their existing technology infrastructure, as well as new educational technology, into the educational process and curriculum. (5) Most Federal and State educational technology programs have focused on acquiring educational technologies with less emphasis on the utilization of those technologies in the classroom and the training and infrastructural requirements needed to efficiently support those types of technologies. As a result, in many instances, the full potential of educational technology has not been realized. (6) Our global economy is increasingly reliant on a workforce not only comfortable with technology, but also able to integrate rapid technological changes into the production process. As such, in order to remain competitive in a global economy, it is imperative that we maintain a work-ready labor force. (7) According to ``Teacher Quality: A Report on the Preparation and Qualifications of Public School Teachers'', prepared by the Department of Education, only 1 in 5 teachers felt well prepared to work in a modern classroom. (8) The most common form of professional development for teachers continues to be workshops that typically last no more than 1 day and have little relevance to teachers' work in the classroom. (9) A 1998 national survey completed by the Department of Education found that only 19 percent of teachers had been formally mentored by another teacher, and that 70 percent of these teachers felt that this collaboration was very helpful to their teaching. (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to improve the utilization of educational technologies in elementary and secondary education by creating an educational technology extension service based at intermediate school districts, regional education service agencies, or undergraduate institutions of higher education. SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: (1) The term ``Director'' means the Director of the National Science Foundation. (2) The term ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given that term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). SEC. 3. EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY UTILIZATION EXTENSION ASSISTANCE. (a) Program Authorized.-- (1) General authority--The Director, in cooperation with the Secretary of Education and the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, is authorized to provide assistance for the creation and support of regional centers for the utilization of educational technologies (hereinafter in this Act referred to as ``ETU Centers''). (2) Functions of centers-- (A) Establishment.--ETU Centers may be established at any intermediate school district, regional education service agency, institution of higher education, or consortium of such entities, but such Centers may include the participation of nonprofit entities. (B) Objectives of centers.--The objective of ETU Centers is to enhance the utilization of educational technologies in elementary and secondary education through-- (i) advising elementary and secondary school administrators, school boards, and teachers on the adoption and utilization of new educational technologies and the utility of local schools' existing educational technology assets and infrastructure; (ii) participation of individuals from the private sector, universities, State and local governments, and other Federal agencies; (iii) active dissemination of technical and management information about the use of educational technologies; and (iv) utilization, if appropriate, of the expertise and capabilities that exist in Federal laboratories and Federal agencies. (C) Activities of centers.--The activities of ETU Centers shall include the following: (i) The active transfer and dissemination of research findings and ETU Center expertise to local school authorities, including school administrators, school boards, and teachers. (ii) The training of teachers in the integration of local schools' existing educational technology infrastructure into their instructional design. (iii) The training and advising of teachers, administrators, and school board members in the acquisition, utilization, and support of educational technologies. (iv) Support services to teachers, administrators, and school board members as agreed upon by ETU Center representatives and local school authorities. (v) The advising of teachers, administrators, and school board members on current skill set standards employed by private industry. (3) Program administration.-- (A) Proposed rules.--The Director, after consultation with the Secretary of Education and the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall publish in the Federal Register, not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, proposed rules for the program for establishing ETU Centers, including-- (i) a description of the program; (ii) the procedures to be followed by applicants; (iii) the criteria for determining qualified applicants; and (iv) the criteria, including those listed in this section, for choosing recipients of financial assistance under this Act from among qualified applicants. (B) Final rules.--The Director shall publish final rules for the program under this Act after the expiration of a 30-day comment period on such proposed rules. (4) Eligibility and selection.-- (A) Applications required.--Any intermediate school district, regional education service agency, undergraduate institution of higher education, or consortium of any of those entities may submit an application for financial support under this Act in accordance with the procedures established under this Act. In order to receive assistance under this Act, an applicant shall provide adequate assurances that the applicant will contribute 50 percent or more of the proposed ETU Center's capital and annual operating and maintenance costs. (B) Selection.--The Director, in conjunction with the Secretary of Education and the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall subject each application to competitive, merit-based review. In making a decision whether to approve such application and provide financial support under this Act, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall consider, at a minimum-- (i) the merits of the application, particularly those portions of the application regarding the adaptation of training and educational technologies to the needs of particular regions; (ii) the quality of service to be provided; (iii) the geographical diversity and extent of service area, with particular emphasis on rural and traditionally underdeveloped areas; and (iv) the percentage of funding and amount of in-kind commitment from other sources. (C) Evaluation.--Each ETU Center that receives financial assistance under this Act shall be evaluated during its third year of operation by an evaluation panel appointed by the Director. Each evaluation panel shall measure the involved ETU Center's performance against the objectives specified in this Act. Funding for an ETU Center shall not be renewed unless the evaluation is positive. (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation to carry out this Act $7,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, $8,500,000 for fiscal year 2003, and $9,500,000 for fiscal year 2004.
summary: Authorizes the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), in cooperation with the Secretary of Education and the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), to provide assistance for the creation and support of regional centers for the utilization of educational technologies (ETU Centers). Allows ETU Centers to be established at any intermediate school district, regional education service agency, institution of higher education, or consortium of such entities, and to include the participation of non-profit entities.Requires ETU Centers to enhance the use of educational technologies in elementary and secondary education through: (1) advice to school administrators, school boards, and teachers on adopting and using new educational technologies and the usefulness of local schools' existing educational technology assets and infrastructure; (2) participation of individuals from the private sector, universities, State and local governments, and other Federal agencies; (3) active dissemination of technical and management information about the use of educational technologies; and (4) appropriate use of the expertise and capabilities that exist in Federal laboratories and Federal agencies.Requires ETU Centers' activities to include: (1) active transfer and dissemination of research findings and ETU Center expertise to local school authorities; (2) training of teachers in integrating schools' existing educational technology infrastructure into their instructional design; (3) training and advising of teachers, administrators, and school board members in acquiring, using, and supporting educational technologies; (4) support services to teachers, administrators, and school board members; and (5) advising of teachers, administrators, and school board members on current skill set standards employed by private industry.