20 U.S.C. § 1421
Section 1421 · Regional resource and Federal centers
Amended 6 times on record
The Secretary may make grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, institutions of higher education, public agencies, private nonprofit organizations, State educational agencies, or combinations of such agencies or institutions (which combinations may include one or more local educational agencies) within particular regions of the United States, to pay all or part of the cost of the establishment and operation of regional resource centers that focus on special education and related services and early intervention services. Each regional resource center shall provide consultation, technical assistance, and training, as requested, to State educational agencies and through such State educational agencies to local educational agencies and to other appropriate public agencies providing special education and related services and early intervention services. The services provided by a regional resource center shall be consistent with the priority needs identified by the States served by the center. Each regional resource center established or operated under this section shall—
(1) assist in identifying and solving persistent problems in providing quality special education and related services for children and youth with disabilities and early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families,
(2) assist in developing, identifying, and replicating successful programs and practices which will improve special education and related services to children and youth with disabilities and their families and early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families,
(3) gather and disseminate information to all State educational agencies within the region and coordinate activities with other centers assisted under this subsection and other relevant programs and projects conducted under this subchapter and subchapters IV through VII of this chapter and by the Department of Education,
(4) assist in the improvement of information dissemination to and training activities for professionals and parents of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities, and
(5) provide information to and training for agencies, institutions, and organizations, regarding techniques and approaches for submitting applications for grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements under this subchapter and subchapters IV through VII of this chapter.
In determining whether to approve an application for a project under subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary shall utilize criteria for setting criteria that are consistent with the needs identified by States within the region served by such center, consistent with requirements established by the Secretary under subsection (f) of this section, and, to the extent appropriate, consistent with requirements under section 1409 of this title, and shall consider the need for such a center in the region to be served by the applicant and the capability of the applicant to fulfill the responsibilities under subsection (a) of this section.
Each regional resource center shall report a summary of materials produced or developed and the summaries reported shall be included in the annual report to Congress required under section 1418 of this title.
The Secretary may establish one coordinating technical assistance center focusing on national priorities established by the Secretary to assist the regional resource centers in the delivery of technical assistance, consistent with such national priorities. Such coordinating technical assistance center is authorized to—
(1) provide information to, and training for, agencies, institutions, and organizations, regarding techniques and approaches for submitting applications for grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements under this subchapter and subchapters IV through VII of this chapter, and shall make such information available to the regional resource centers on request;
(2) give priority to providing technical assistance concerning the education of children with disabilities from minority backgrounds;
(3) exchange information with, and, where appropriate, cooperate with, other centers addressing the needs of children with disabilities from minority backgrounds; and
(4) provide assistance to State educational agencies, through the regional resource centers, for the training of hearing officers.
Before using funds made available in any fiscal year to carry out this section for purposes of subsection (d) of this section, not less than the amount made available in the previous fiscal year for regional resource centers under subsection (a) of this section shall be made available for such centers and in no case shall more than $500,000 be made available for the center under subsection (d) of this section.
(1) The Secretary shall develop guidelines and criteria for the operation of Regional and Federal Resource Centers. In developing such criteria and guidelines, the Secretary shall establish a panel representing the Office of Special Education Programs staff, State special education directors, representatives of disability advocates, and, when appropriate, consult with the regional resource center directors.
(2) Such guidelines and criteria shall include—
(A) a description of how the Federal and Regional Resource Centers Program will be administered by the Secretary;
(B) a description of the geographic region each Center is expected to serve;
(C) a description of the role of a Center in terms of expected leadership and dissemination efforts;
(D) a description of expected relationships with State agencies, research and demonstration centers, and with other entities deemed necessary;
(E) a description of how a Center will be evaluated; and
(F) other guidelines and criteria deemed necessary.
(3) The Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register by July 1, 1991, for review and comment, proposed and (then following such review and comment) final guidelines developed by the panel.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
Amendments
1991—Pub. L. 102 119 amended directory language of Pub. L. 101 476, §901(b). See 1990 Amendment note below.
1990—Pub. L. 101 476, §901(b), was amended in its directory language by Pub. L. 102 119, requiring no change in text.
Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101 476, §301(a)(1) (3), in introductory provisions inserted “that focus on special education and related services and early intervention services” after “regional resource centers”, “, as requested,” after “training”, and “special education and related services and” after “agencies providing”, and struck out “and the findings of the Secretary in monitoring reports prepared by the Secretary under section 1417 of this title” after “served by the center”.
Subsec. (a)(1), (2). Pub. L. 101 476, §901(b)(95) (98), substituted “children and youth with disabilities” and “infants and toddlers with disabilities” for “handicapped children and youth” and “handicapped infants and toddlers”, respectively.
Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 101 476, §301(a)(4), substituted “relevant programs and projects conducted under this subchapter and subchapters IV through VII of this chapter and by” for “relevant projects conducted by”.
Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 101 476, §901(b)(99), substituted “infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities” for “handicapped infants, toddlers, children, and youth”.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101 476, §301(b), inserted provisions relating to criteria consistent with needs identified by States, with requirements established by Secretary under subsec. (f) of this section, and with requirements of section 1409 of this title.
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 101 476, §301(c), inserted “Such coordinating technical assistance center is authorized to—” and added pars. (1) to (4).
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 101 476, §301(d), added subsec. (f).
1988—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 100 630, §103(b)(1), substituted “appropriate public agencies” for “appropriate State agencies” in second sentence.
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 100 630, §103(b)(2), substituted “in the previous fiscal year for regional resource centers under subsection (a) of this section shall be made available for such centers” for “for this section in the previous fiscal year shall be made available for regional resource centers under subsection (a) of this section”.
1986—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99 457 amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) read as follows: “The Secretary is authorized to make grants to, or to enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, institutions of higher education, private nonprofit organizations, State educational agencies, or combinations of such agencies and institutions (which combinations may include one or more local educational agencies) within particular regions of the United States, to pay all or part of the cost of the establishment and operation of regional resource centers. Each regional resource center shall provide consultation, technical assistance, and training to State educational agencies and through such State agencies to local educational agencies. Each center established or operated under this section shall—
“(1) assist in identifying and solving persistent problems in providing quality special education and related services for handicapped children and youth;
“(2) assist in developing, identifying, and replicating successful programs and practices which will improve special education and related services to handicapped children and youth and their families;
“(3) gather and disseminate information to all State educational agencies within the region and coordinate activities with other centers assisted under this section and other relevant projects conducted by the Department of Education; and
“(4) assist in the improvement of information dissemination to and training activities for professionals and parents of handicapped children.”
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99 457, in amending subsec. (b) generally, substituted “project under subsection (a) of this section” for “project under this section”.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99 457, in amending subsec. (c) generally, substituted “the summaries reported” for “this information”.
Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 99 457, in amending section generally, added subsecs. (d) and (e).
1983—Pub. L. 98 199, §10, amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section read as follows:
“(a) The Secretary is authorized to make grants to or contracts with institutions of higher education, State educational agencies, or combinations of such agencies or institutions, which combinations may include one or more local educational agencies, within particular regions of the United States, to pay all or part of the cost of the establishment and operation of regional centers which will develop and apply the best methods of appraising the special educational needs of handicapped children referred to them and will provide other services to assist in meeting such needs. Centers established or operated under this section shall (1) provide testing and educational evaluation to determine the special educational needs of handicapped children referred to such centers, (2) develop educational programs to meet those needs, and (3) assist schools and other appropriate agencies, organizations, and institutions in providing such educational programs through services such as consultation (including, in appropriate cases, consultation with parents or teachers of handicapped children at such regional centers), periodic reexamination and reevaluation of special educational programs, and other technical services.
“(b) In determining whether to approve an application for a project under this section, the Secretary shall consider the need for such a center in the region to be served by the applicant and the capability of the applicant to develop and apply, with the assistance of funds under this section, new methods, techniques, devices, or facilities relating to educational evaluation or education of handicapped children.”
Pub. L. 98 199, §3(b), substituted “Secretary” for “Commissioner” wherever appearing.
Effective Date of 1990 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 101 476 effective Oct. 1, 1990, see section 1001 of Pub. L. 101 476, set out as a note under section 1087ee of this title.
Effective Date of 1983 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 98 199 effective Dec. 2, 1983, with an exception for previously obligated funds and certain interim provisions for financial assistance, see section 18 of Pub. L. 98 199 set out as a note under section 1401 of this title.