🚀 go-pugleaf

The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and
Improvement (OERI) is soliciting written public comment on implementation of its
new authorizing legislation.  Comments will be used to help the Assistant
Secretary plan for the reorganization of OERI and the activities it will carry
out, as well as establish, in collaboration with the National Educational
Research Policy and Priorities Board, priorities for OERI's future work.

Included below is the text of the "Notice to Solicit Public Comments" which was
submitted by the Department for publication in the _Federal Register_ on July 7,
1994.

Please note that, for the first time, comments may be submitted to the
Department of Education at the Internet electronic mail address:
reauth_comments@inet.ed.gov.  Of course, traditionalists may mail written
comments to the postal address given in the _Federal Register_ notice (see
below).  Requests for further information may be sent to
reauth_questions@inet.ed.gov.

Please DO NOT submit comments to this listserv or the poster of this message.

Please DO consider passing this notice along to other lists and individuals who
may have an interest in commenting on the implementation of OERI's new
authorizing legislation.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     Federal Register Notice
                          July 7, 1994
                         pp. 34802-34803

4000-01

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT (OERI)

AGENCY:  Department of Education

ACTION:  Notice to Solicit Public Comments

SUMMARY:  The Assistant Secretary solicits written public comment
on the implementation by the Office of Educational Research and
Improvement (OERI) of its new authorizing legislation, the
"Educational Research, Development, Dissemination, and
Improvement Act of 1994."  Comments will be used to help the
Assistant Secretary plan for the reorganization of OERI and the
activities it will carry out, as well as establish, in
collaboration with the National Educational Research Policy and
Priorities Board, priorities for OERI's future work.

DATES:  Comments must be received on or before September 6, 1994.

ADDRESSES:  All comments concerning this notice, as well as
requests for copies of the Educational Research, Development,
Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994 and the topic papers
(discussed below under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION), should be
addressed to Dr. Laurence Peters, U.S. Department of Education,
555 New Jersey Avenue, N.W., Room 600, Washington, D.C. 20208-
5530.  Comments on this notice may also be sent to the
Department of Education at the Internet electronic mail address:
reauth_comments@inet.ed.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Dr. Laurence Peters.
Telephone:  (202) 219-2050.  FAX:  (202) 219-1466.  Internet
electronic mail address:  reauth_questions@inet.ed.gov.
Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at
1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time, Monday
through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  On March 31, 1994, President Clinton
signed Public Law 103-227, which includes both the "Goals 2000:
Educate America Act" and the "Educational Research, Development,
Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994."  The latter Act
creates a new Office of Educational Research and Improvement with
a broad mandate to conduct an array of research, development,
dissemination, and improvement activities aimed at strengthening
the education of all students.  It also requires the
establishment of a National Educational Research Policy and
Priorities Board, which is to work collaboratively with the
Assistant Secretary to identify priorities to guide the work of
OERI.
     The mission of OERI, which the new authorizing legislation
requires be accomplished in collaboration with researchers,
teachers, school administrators, parents, students, employers,
and policymakers, is to provide national leadership in:
(1) expanding fundamental knowledge and understanding of
education; (2) promoting excellence and equity in education and
the achievement of the National Education Goals by spurring
reform in the school systems of the United States; (3) promoting
the use and application of research and development to improve
practice in the classroom; and (4) monitoring the state of
education.
     The statute requires that OERI establish five new research
institutes and a national dissemination system.  Specifically,
the new OERI must include:
  o  The National Institute on Student Achievement, Curriculum,
     and Assessment;
  o  The National Institute on the Education of At-Risk Students;
  o  The National Institute on Early Childhood Development and
     Education;
  o  The National Institute on Educational Governance, Finance,
     Policymaking, and Management;
  o  The National Institute on Postsecondary Education,
     Libraries, and Lifelong Learning;
  o  The Office of Reform Assistance and Dissemination; and
  o  The National Library of Education.
     The Assistant Secretary is interested in receiving comments
and recommendations from the public regarding the functions and
responsibilities of these new organizational components, the
priorities that should govern their work, and the mix of
activities that would best serve OERI's mission.  The Assistant
Secretary welcomes recommendations related to any aspect of the
implementation of the "Educational Research, Development,
Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994," but is especially
interested in recommendations regarding:
  o  Research priorities for each institute, especially those
     topics and issues that should be the focus of long-term,
     sustained, systematic, and integrated research and
     development;
  o  Strategies to help ensure that the research agenda is
     relevant to the needs of educators working with students;
  o  Dissemination strategies that will be most effective in
     meeting the needs of a range of different customers--
     education researchers, practitioners, policymakers, parents,
     students, and employers;
  o  Strategies and technical assistance activities that will
     help ensure that knowledge gained from research will help
     improve teaching and learning;
  o  Strategies for identifying proven and promising educational
     practices and programs;
  o  Coordination of OERI's research, development and
     dissemination with similar activities of other agencies and
     organizations, including other units of the Department and
     other federal agencies, to ensure that customer needs are
     met and the federal investment is maximized;
  o  Peer review and program evaluation activities to ensure that
     the programs and projects OERI supports meet the highest
     standards of professional excellence;
  o  Education topic areas in which syntheses of research-based
     information are urgently needed to help guide improvement
     efforts; and
  o  Information services, resources and materials that should be
     available to the public through a National Library of
     Education.
     The Assistant Secretary is interested in wide public
comment--from education researchers, practitioners, policymakers,
parents, students, employers and others interested in systemic
education reform -- regarding the policies and priorities OERI
must identify and develop.
     In seeking public comment, OERI is committed to supporting
Executive Order 12862, Setting Customer Service Standards, which
provides that the Federal Government be "customer driven."  To
deliver the highest quality service, OERI must understand its
customers' needs and interests and how it can be most responsive
to these needs and interests.

AVAILABILITY OF REAUTHORIZATION LEGISLATION AND TOPIC PAPERS:  To
provide the public with a complete description of the provisions
of the new legislation, OERI will make available upon request a
copy of the "Educational Research, Development, Dissemination,
and Improvement Act of 1994."  Prior to submitting any comments,
OERI encourages commenters to review this legislation.  In
addition, OERI has prepared topic papers on a number of discrete
subject areas, including each of the major OERI organizational
entities required by the new legislation.  Individuals who wish
to respond to this notice may find these topic papers helpful as
they develop their comments.  The purpose of these topic papers
is to share information and to generate discussion and
recommendations.

INVITATION TO COMMENT
     Interested persons are invited to submit comments and
recommendations regarding this notice.
     All comments and recommendations will be available for
public inspection, during and after the comment period, in room
600, 555 New Jersey Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. between the
hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday of each week
except Federal holidays.
Dated:  June 30, 1994


                              ___________________________________
                              Sharon P. Robinson,
                              ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EDUCATIONAL
                                RESEARCH AND IMPROVEMENT.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Keith M. Stubbs                                      (voice) 202-219-1803
Director, Education Info. Resources Div.               (fax) 202-219-1817
US Dept of Education/OERI                  Internet:  kstubbs@inet.ed.gov
555 New Jersey Avenue, NW  Rm 214c
Washington, DC  20208-5725

-------**********======================================**********--------
Gene V Glass                                         glass@asu.edu
College of Education                                 atgvg@asuacad.bitnet
Arizona State University                             602-965-2692
Box 872411                                           Tempe, AZ 85287-2411