A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

What's New in the GOALS 2000 Act

The GOALS 2000: Educate America Act was amended in 1996. Here's what's new:

• Six additional ED-Flex states were authorized by Congress. This program allows the secretary of education to delegate to state education agencies the authority to waive statutory and regulatory requirements in most federal education programs.

• The provisions in GOALS 2000 to establish the National Education Standards and Improvement Council (NESIC) were repealed.

• The authority to establish opportunity-to-learn standards and the requirement that states describe the "standards or strategies" for providing all students an opportunity to learn the content in state academic standards have been repealed.

• The specific requirements governing the composition of the state planning panels and local planning panels have been eliminated. State plans must be developed by a broad-based state panel in cooperation with the state education agency and the governor.

• As an alternative to submitting a plan for education improvement to the secretary of education, in order to be eligible for continued funding after two years of participation in GOALS 2000 a state may instead: 1) submit an assurance from the governor and the chief state school officer that it has a completed plan that meets the requirements of the GOALS 2000 Act; 2) submit benchmarks and timelines for implementation of the plan and improvement of student performance; 3) make its education improvement plan, and the indicators it will use to judge progress in implementing the plan, widely available to the public within the state; and 4) report annually to the public on progress the state is making in meeting its indicators of progress.

• Local education agencies in any state that was not participating in GOALS 2000 as of October 20, 1995 (Alabama, Montana, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, and Virginia) may, with the approval of the state education agency, apply directly to the U.S. Department of Education for a portion of their state's GOALS 2000 allotment. (Montana, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma are taking advantage of this option.)

• GOALS 2000 may not be construed to require a state, local education agency, or a school, as a condition of receiving GOALS 2000 assistance, to provide outcomes-based education, school-based health clinics, or social services.

• GOALS 2000 funds may be used to acquire technology and implement technology-enhanced curricula and instruction.

"I was really pleased that this legislation finally became the law of the land. . . . GOALS 2000 is the first federal program to focus on improving the quality of education in this country. . . . This law encourages states and localities to set high academic standards for America's children, and it makes it clear that we have high expectations for our future generations."

-Congressman Bill Goodling, Chairman of the Economic and Educational Opportunities Committee, 1994

[Supporting Local Reform: Fishermen and University Presidents]

[State Contacts for GOALS 2000]