20 USC 9602 - Comprehensive centers

U.S Code last checked for updates: May 02, 2026

§ 9602.

Comprehensive centers

(a)

Authorization

(1)

In general

(2)

Regions

In awarding grants under paragraph (1), the Secretary—

(A)

shall ensure that not less than 1 comprehensive center is established in each of the 10 geographic regions served by the regional educational laboratories established under section 941(h) of the Educational Research, Development, Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 1994 (as such provision existed on the day before November 5, 2002); and

(B)

after meeting the requirements of subparagraph (A), shall consider, in awarding the remainder of the grants, the school-age population, proportion of economically disadvantaged students, the increased cost burdens of service delivery in areas of sparse population, and the number of schools implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities and targeted support and improvement activities under section 1111(d) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 6311(d)] in the population served by the local entity or consortium of such entities.

(b)

Eligible applicants

(1)

In general

(2)

Outreach

(3)

Objectives and indicators

(c)

Application

(1)

Submission

(2)

Plan

(d)

Allocation

(e)

Scope of work

Each comprehensive center established under this section shall work with State educational agencies, local educational agencies, regional educational agencies, and schools in the region where such center is located on school improvement activities that take into account factors such as the proportion of economically disadvantaged students in the region, and give priority to—

(1)

schools in the region with high percentages or numbers of students from low-income families, as determined under section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6313(a)(5)), including such schools in rural and urban areas, and schools receiving assistance under title I of that Act (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.);

(2)

local educational agencies in the region in which high percentages or numbers of school-age children are from low-income families, as determined under section 1124(c)(1)(A) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6333(c)(1)(A)), including such local educational agencies in rural and urban areas; and

(3)

schools in the region that are implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities or targeted support and improvement activities under section 1111(d) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 6311(d)].

(f)

Activities

(1)

In general

A comprehensive center established under this section shall support dissemination and technical assistance activities by—

(A)

providing training, professional development, and technical assistance regarding, at a minimum—

(i)

the administration and implementation of programs under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.);

(ii)

the use of scientifically valid teaching methods and assessment tools for use by teachers and administrators in, at a minimum—

(I)

the core academic subjects of mathematics, science, and reading or language arts;

(II)

English language acquisition; and

(III)

education technology; and

(iii)

the facilitation of communication between education experts, school officials, teachers, parents, and librarians, as appropriate; and

(B)

disseminating and providing information, reports, and publications that are usable for improving academic achievement, closing achievement gaps,, 1

 So in original.

and particularly assisting those schools implementing comprehensive support and improvement and targeted support and improvement activities under section 1111(d) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [

(C)

developing teacher and school leader inservice and preservice training models that illustrate best practices in the use of technology in different content areas.

(2)

Coordination and collaboration

(g)

Comprehensive center advisory board

(1)

Establishment

(2)

Duties

Each advisory board established under paragraph (1) shall advise the comprehensive center—

(A)

concerning the activities described in subsection (d);

(B)

on strategies for monitoring and addressing the educational needs of the region, on an ongoing basis;

(C)

on maintaining a high standard of quality in the performance of the center’s activities; and

(D)

on carrying out the center’s duties in a manner that promotes progress toward improving student academic achievement.

(3)

Composition

(A)

In general

Each advisory board shall be composed of—

(i)

the chief State school officers, or such officers’ designees or other State officials, in each State served by the comprehensive center who have primary responsibility under State law for elementary and secondary education in the State; and

(ii)

not more than 15 other members who are representative of the educational interests in the region served by the comprehensive center and are selected jointly by the officials specified in clause (i) and the chief executive officer of each State served by the comprehensive center, including the following:

(I)

Representatives of local educational agencies and regional educational agencies, including representatives of local educational agencies serving urban and rural areas.

(II)

Representatives of institutions of higher education.

(III)

Parents.

(IV)

Practicing educators, including classroom teachers, principals, and administrators.

(V)

Representatives of business.

(VI)

Policymakers, expert practitioners, and researchers with knowledge of, and experience using, the results of research, evaluation, and statistics.

(B)

Special rule

(h)

Report to Secretary

Each comprehensive center established under this section shall submit to the Secretary an annual report, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, which shall include the following:

(1)

A summary of the comprehensive center’s activities during the preceding year.

(2)

A listing of the States, local educational agencies, and schools the comprehensive center assisted during the preceding year.

(Pub. L. 107–279, title II, § 203, Nov. 5, 2002, 116 Stat. 1975; Pub. L. 114–95, title IX, § 9215(gg)(2), Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2174.)

cite as: 20 USC 9602