Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 108 Part 5.djvu/419

 PUBLIC LAW 103-382—OCT. 20, 1994 108 STAT. 3909 I) for evaluation activities, then the Secretary shall reserve no additional funds pursuant to the authority in subsection (a)(1) to evaluate such program, but shall coordinate the evaluation of such program with the national evaluation described in subsection (b). " (b) NATIONAL EVALUATIONS.— "(1) IN GENERAL.— The Secretary shall use the funds made available under subsection (a) to carry out— "(A) independent studies of categorical and demonstration programs under this Act and the administrative impact of such programs on schools and local educational agencies, that are coordinated with research supported through the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, using rigorous methodological designs and techniques, including longitudinal designs, control groups, and random assignment, as appropriate, to determine— "(i) the success of such programs in meeting the measurable goals and objectives, through appropriate targeting, quality services, and efficient administration, and in contributing to achieving the National Education Goals, with a priority on assessing program impact on student performance; "(ii) the short- and long-term effects of program participation on program participants, as appropriate; "(iii) the cost and efficiency of such programs; "(iv) to the extent feasible, the cost of serving all students eligible to be served under such programs; "(v) specific intervention strategies and implementation of such strategies that, based on theory, research and evaluation, offer the promise of improved achievement of program objectives; "(vi) promising means of identifying and disseminating effective management and educational practices; "(vii) the effect of such programs on school and local educational agencies' administrative responsibilities and structure, including the use of local and State resources, with particular attention to schools and agencies serving a high concentration of disadvantaged students; and "(viii) the effect of Federal categorical programs at the elementary and secondary levels on the proliferation of State categorical education aid programs and regulations, including an evaluation of the State regulations that are developed in response to Federal education laws; "(B) in collaboration with the national assessment conducted pursuant to section 1601, a comprehensive evaluation of how the Federal Government has assisted the States to reform their educational systems through the various education laws enacted during the 103d Congress, which evaluation shall— "(i) encompass the changes made in Federal programs pursuant to the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 as well as in any other law enacted during the 103d Congress that amended a Federal program assisting preschool, elementary, or secondary education;

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