Research Priorities Plan; Invitation for Public Comment and Notice of Availability of the Proposed Research Priorities Plan: ``Building on What We've Learned: Developing Priorities for Education Research''

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Research Priorities Plan; Invitation for Public Comment and

Notice of Availability of the Proposed Research Priorities Plan:

``Building on What We've Learned: Developing Priorities for Education

Research''

SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and

Improvement is developing a research priorities plan which shall

recommend priorities for the investment of the resources of the Office

of Educational Research and Improvement over the next five-, ten-, and

fifteen-year periods. The development of this plan is required by the

Office of Educational Research and Improvement's authorizing

legislation, the ``Educational Research, Development, Dissemination,

and Improvement Act of 1994.'' In accordance with 20 U.S.C.

6011(f)(2)(B), the Assistant Secretary has issued a proposed research

priorities plan and seeks public comment on the content of the proposed

plan.

DATES: All comments concerning this proposed plan must be received on

or before August 5, 1996.

ADDRESSES: All comments concerning this proposed plan should be

addressed to Judith I. Anderson, U.S. Department of Education, Office

of Educational Research and Improvement, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW.,

Room 510, Washington, DC 20208-5573. Comments may also be sent through

Internet to (Judith__A[email protected]).

TO RECEIVE A COPY OF THIS PROPOSED PLAN AND FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT: Tammra Gill. Telephone (202) 219-1556. Internet electronic

mail address ([email protected]). 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:

Background

On March 31, 1994, President Clinton signed Public Law 103-227,

which includes Title IX--the ``Educational Research, Development,

Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994'' (the ``Act'') (20 U.S.C.

6001 et seq.). The Act restructured the Office of Educational Research

and Improvement (OERI) and endowed it with a broad mandate to conduct

an array of research, development, dissemination, and improvement

activities aimed at strengthening the education of all students. The

Act established the following five national research institutes within

OERI:

(1) The National Institute on Student Achievement, Curriculum, and

Assessment;

(2) The National Institute on the Education of At-Risk Students;

(3) The National Institute on Educational Governance, Finance,

Policymaking, and Management;

(4) The National Institute on Early Childhood Development and

Education; and

(5) The National Institute on Postsecondary Education, Libraries,

and Lifelong Learning.

The Act authorized the Assistant Secretary to conduct research,

development, demonstration, and evaluation activities to carry out the

purposes for which these Institutes were established.

The Act also required the establishment of a National Educational

Research Policy and Priorities Board (the ``Board'') to work

collaboratively with the Assistant Secretary to identify priorities to

guide the work of OERI.

Statutory Requirements

The legislation directed the Assistant Secretary to work

collaboratively with the Board to develop a research priorities plan

that will recommend priorities for the investment of resources over the

next five-, ten-, and fifteen-year periods, including as priorities

those areas of inquiry in which further research, development and

dissemination--

(a) is necessary to attain the National Education Goals;

(b) promises to yield the greatest practical benefits to teachers

and other educators in terms of improving education; and

(c) will not be undertaken in sufficient scope or intensity by the

other Federal and non-Federal entities engaged in Education research

and development.

Invitation To Comment

Interested persons are invited to submit comments including

suggestions on how to strengthen this document. The Department is

especially interested in hearing what commenters believe to be the most

important and promising educational research opportunities for the next

five, ten and fifteen years.

All comments submitted in response to this proposed plan will be

available for public inspection, during and after the comment period,

in Room 510, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW., Washington, DC, between the

hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday of each week

except Federal holidays.

Dated: May 30, 1996.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number does not apply)

Sharon P. Robinson,

Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement.

[FR Doc. 96-14164 Filed 6-5-96; 8:45 am]

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