20 U.S.C. § 6041 — Findings

The Congress finds as follows with respect to improving education in the United States: (1) A majority of public schools in the United States are failing to prepare students to achieve the National Education Goals. The Federal Government should support an extensive program of educational research, development, dissemination, replication and assistance to identify and support the best responses for the challenges ahead. A significant investment in attaining a deeper understanding of the processes of learning and schooling and developing new ideas holds the best hope of making a substantial difference to the lives of every student in the United States. The Office of Educational Research and Improvement within the Department of Education should be at the center of this campaign in order to coordinate such efforts. (2) The Federal role in educational research has been closely identified with youths who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, are minorities, belong to a language minority, or have a disability. The Federal commitment to education was sufficient to serve not more than— (A) in 1993, 1 out of every 6 low-income children in need of preschool education; (B) in 1990, 3 out of every 5 children in need of remediation; (C) in 1991, 1 out of every 5 children in need of bilingual education; and (D) in 1992, 1 out of every 20 youths eligible for assistance under the Job Training Partnership Act. (3) The failure of the Federal Government to adequately invest in educational research and development has denied the United States a sound foundation of knowledge on which to design school improvements. The educational achievement of minority children is of particular concern because at least half of the public school students in 25 of the largest cities of the United States are minority children, and demographers project that, by the year 2005, almost all urban public school students will be minority children or other children in poverty. (4) The investment goal of the Federal research, development, and dissemination function should be at least 1 percent of the total amount of funds spent on education. (5) Nationwide model programs and reliable interventions should be demonstrated and replicated, and for such purposes, programs should be established to conduct research and evaluations, and to disseminate information. (6) The Office should develop a national dissemination policy that will advance the goal of placing a national treasure chest of research results, models, and materials at the disposal of the education decisionmakers of the United States. (7) A National Educational Research Policy and Priorities Board should be established to work collaboratively with the Assistant Secretary to forge a national consensus with respect to a long-term agenda for educational research, development, dissemination, and the activities of the Office. (8) Existing research and development entities should adopt expanded, proactive roles and new institutions should be created to promote knowledge development necessary to accelerate the application of research findings to high priority areas. (9) Greater use should be made of existing technologies in efforts to improve the educational system of the United States, including efforts to disseminate research findings. (10) Minority educational researchers are inadequately represented throughout the Department of Education, but particularly in the Office. The Office therefore should assume a leadership position in the recruitment, retention, and promotion of qualified minority educational researchers. (11) The coordination of the mission of the Office with that of other components of the Department of Education is critical. The Office should improve the coordination of the educational research, development, and dissemination function with those of other Federal agencies.