Authorizing Statute

Section 133 of Public Law 107-279 The Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002

SEC. 133. DUTIES.

(a) GENERAL DUTIES.—The Research Center shall—

(1) maintain published peer-review standards and standards

for the conduct and evaluation of all research and development

carried out under the auspices of the Research Center

in accordance with this part;

(2) propose to the Director a research plan that—

(A) is consistent with the priorities and mission of

the Institute and the mission of the Research Center and

includes the activities described in paragraph (3); and

(B) shall be carried out pursuant to paragraph (4)

and, as appropriate, be updated and modified;

(3) carry out specific, long-term research activities that

are consistent with the priorities and mission of the Institute,

and are approved by the Director;

(4) implement the plan proposed under paragraph (2) to

carry out scientifically valid research that—

(A) uses objective and measurable indicators, including

timelines, that are used to assess the progress and results

of such research;

(B) meets the procedures for peer review established

by the Director under section 114(f)(5) and the standards

of research described in section 134; and

(C) includes both basic research and applied research,

which shall include research conducted through field-initiated

research and ongoing research initiatives;

(5) promote the use of scientifically valid research within

the Federal Government, including active participation in interagency

research projects described in section 118;

(6) ensure that research conducted under the direction

of the Research Center is relevant to education practice and

policy;

(7) synthesize and disseminate, through the National

Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, the

findings and results of education research conducted or supported

by the Research Center;

(8) assist the Director in the preparation of a biennial

report, as described in section 119;

(9) carry out research on successful State and local education

reform activities, including those that result in increased

academic achievement and in closing the achievement gap,

as approved by the Director;

(10) carry out research initiatives regarding the impact

of technology, including—

(A) research into how technology affects student

achievement;

(B) long-term research into cognition and learning

issues as they relate to the uses of technology;

(C) rigorous, peer-reviewed, large-scale, long-term, and

broadly applicable empirical research that is designed to

determine which approaches to the use of technology are

most effective and cost-efficient in practice and under what

conditions; and

(D) field-based research on how teachers implement

technology and Internet-based resources in the classroom,

including an understanding how these resources are being

accessed, put to use, and the effectiveness of such resources;

and

(11) carry out research that is rigorous, peer-reviewed,

and large scale to determine which methods of mathematics

and science teaching are most effective, cost efficient, and able

to be applied, duplicated, and scaled up for use in elementary

and secondary classrooms, including in low-performing schools,

to improve the teaching of, and student achievement in, mathematics

and science as required under the Elementary and Secondary

Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.).

(b) ELIGIBILITY.—Research carried out under subsection (a)

through contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements shall be carried

out only by recipients with the ability and capacity to conduct

scientifically valid research.

(c) NATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTERS.—

(1) SUPPORT.—In carrying out activities under subsection

(a)(3), the Research Commissioner shall support not less than

8 national research and development centers. The Research

Commissioner shall assign each of the 8 national research

and development centers not less than 1 of the topics described

in paragraph (2). In addition, the Research Commissioner may

assign each of the 8 national research and development centers

additional topics of research consistent with the mission and

priorities of the Institute and the mission of the Research

Center.

(2) TOPICS OF RESEARCH.—The Research Commissioner

shall support the following topics of research, through national

research and development centers or through other means:

(A) Adult literacy.

(B) Assessment, standards, and accountability

research.

(C) Early childhood development and education.

(D) English language learners research.

(E) Improving low achieving schools.

(F) Innovation in education reform.

(G) State and local policy.

(H) Postsecondary education and training.

(I) Rural education.

(J) Teacher quality.

(K) Reading and literacy.

(3) DUTIES OF CENTERS.—The national research and

development centers shall address areas of national need,

including in educational technology areas. The Research

Commissioner may support additional national research and

development centers to address topics of research not described

in paragraph (2) if such topics are consistent with the priorities

and mission of the Institute and the mission of the Research

Center. The research carried out by the centers shall incorporate

the potential or existing role of educational technology,

where appropriate, in achieving the goals of each center.

(4) SCOPE.—Support for a national research and development

center shall be for a period of not more than 5 years,

shall be of sufficient size and scope to be effective, and notwithstanding

section 134(b), may be renewed without competition

for not more than 5 additional years if the Director, in consultation

with the Research Commissioner and the Board, determines

that the research of the national research and development

center—

(A) continues to address priorities of the Institute;

and

(B) merits renewal (applying the procedures and standards

established in section 134).

(5) LIMIT.—No national research and development center

may be supported under this subsection for a period of more

than 10 years without submitting to a competitive process

for the award of the support.

(6) CONTINUATION OF AWARDS.—The Director shall continue

awards made to the national research and development centers

that are in effect on the day before the date of enactment

of this Act in accordance with the terms of those awards and

may renew them in accordance with paragraphs (4) and (5).

(7) DISAGGREGATION.—To the extent feasible, research conducted

under this subsection shall be disaggregated by age,

race, gender, and socioeconomic background.