Authorizing Legislation

Individuals with Disabilities

Education Act Amendments of 1997

SEC. 674. STUDIES <<NOTE: 20 USC 1474.>> AND EVALUATIONS.

``(a) Studies and Evaluations.--

``(1) In general.--The <<NOTE: Grants. Contracts.>>

Secretary shall, directly or through grants, contracts, or

cooperative agreements, assess the progress in the

implementation of this Act, including the effectiveness of State

and local efforts to provide--

``(A) a free appropriate public education to

children with disabilities; and

``(B) early intervention services to infants and

toddlers with disabilities and infants and toddlers who

would be at risk of having substantial developmental

delays if early intervention services were not provided

to them.

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``(2) Authorized activities.--In carrying out this

subsection, the Secretary may support studies, evaluations, and

assessments, including studies that--

``(A) analyze measurable impact, outcomes, and

results achieved by State educational agencies and local

educational agencies through their activities to reform

policies, procedures, and practices designed to improve

educational and transitional services and results for

children with disabilities;

``(B) analyze State and local needs for professional

development, parent training, and other appropriate

activities that can reduce the need for disciplinary

actions involving children with disabilities;

``(C) assess educational and transitional services

and results for children with disabilities from minority

backgrounds, including--

``(i) data on--

``(I) the number of minority

children who are referred for special

education evaluation;

``(II) the number of minority

children who are receiving special

education and related services and their

educational or other service placement;

and

``(III) the number of minority

children who graduated from secondary

and postsecondary education programs;

and

``(ii) the performance of children with

disabilities from minority backgrounds on State

assessments and other performance indicators

established for all students;

``(D) measure educational and transitional services

and results of children with disabilities under this

Act, including longitudinal studies that--

``(i) examine educational and transitional

services and results for children with

disabilities who are 3 through 17 years of age and

are receiving special education and related

services under this Act, using a national,

representative sample of distinct age cohorts and

disability categories; and

``(ii) examine educational results,

postsecondary placement, and employment status of

individuals with disabilities, 18 through 21 years

of age, who are

receiving or have received special education and

related services under this Act; and

``(E) identify and report on the placement of

children with disabilities by disability category.

``(b) National Assessment.--

``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a national

assessment of activities carried out with Federal funds under

this Act in order--

``(A) to determine the effectiveness of this Act in

achieving its purposes;

``(B) to provide information to the President, the

Congress, the States, local educational agencies, and

the public on how to implement the Act more effectively;

and

[[Page 111 STAT. 145]]

``(C) to provide the President and the Congress with

information that will be useful in developing

legislation to achieve the purposes of this Act more

effectively.

``(2) Consultation.--The Secretary shall plan, review, and

conduct the national assessment under this subsection in

consultation with researchers, State practitioners, local

practitioners, parents of children with disabilities,

individuals with disabilities, and other appropriate

individuals.

``(3) Scope of assessment.--The national assessment shall

examine how well schools, local educational agencies, States,

other recipients of assistance under this Act, and the Secretary

are achieving the purposes of this Act, including--

``(A) improving the performance of children with

disabilities in general scholastic activities and

assessments as compared to nondisabled children;

``(B) providing for the participation of children

with disabilities in the general curriculum;

``(C) helping children with disabilities make

successful transitions from--

``(i) early intervention services to preschool

education;

``(ii) preschool education to elementary

school; and

``(iii) secondary school to adult life;

``(D) placing and serving children with

disabilities, including minority children, in the least

restrictive environment appropriate;

``(E) preventing children with disabilities,

especially children with emotional disturbances and

specific learning disabilities, from dropping out of

school;

``(F) addressing behavioral problems of children

with disabilities as compared to nondisabled children;

``(G) coordinating services provided under this Act

with each other, with other educational and pupil

services (including preschool services), and with health

and social services funded from other sources;

``(H) providing for the participation of parents of

children with disabilities in the education of their

children; and

``(I) resolving disagreements between education

personnel and parents through activities such as

mediation.

``(4) Interim and final reports.--The Secretary shall

submit to the President and the Congress--

``(A) an interim report that summarizes the

preliminary findings of the assessment not later than

October 1, 1999; and

``(B) a final report of the findings of the

assessment not later than October 1, 2001.

``(c) Annual Report.--The Secretary shall report annually to the

Congress on--

``(1) an analysis and summary of the data reported by the

States and the Secretary of the Interior under section 618;

``(2) the results of activities conducted under subsection

(a);

``(3) the findings and determinations resulting from reviews

of State implementation of this Act.

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``(d) Technical Assistance to LEAS.--

<<NOTE: Grants. Contracts.>> The Secretary shall provide directly, or

through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements, technical

assistance to local educational agencies to assist them in carrying out

local capacity-building and improvement projects under section 611(f

)(4) and other LEA systemic improvement activities under this Act.

``(e) Reservation for Studies and Technical Assistance.--

``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2) and

notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Secretary

may reserve up to one-half of one percent of the amount

appropriated under parts B and C for each fiscal year to carry

out this section.

``(2) Maximum amount.--For the first fiscal year in which

the amount described in paragraph (1) is at least $20,000,000,

the maximum amount the Secretary may reserve under paragraph (1)

is $20,000,000. For each subsequent fiscal year, the maximum

amount the Secretary may reserve under paragraph (1) is

$20,000,000, increased by the cumulative rate of inflation since

the fiscal year described in the previous sentence.

``(3) Use of maximum amount.--In any fiscal year described

in paragraph (2) for which the Secretary reserves the maximum

amount described in that paragraph, the

Secretary shall use at least half of the reserved amount for

activities under subsection (d).