Mary Minow: Tell us how the idea for the National Center for Learning Science and Technology Trust Fund (formerly known as the Digital Opportuntiy Investment Trust, or DO IT) began.
Newton Minow: Years ago, several large foundations approached Larry Grossman and me to examine the opportunities presented by the new digital technologies, with the idea of doing good in education. Larry and I spent a year and wrote a book with an idea, called The Digital Promise.
Mary Minow: What is the idea, in a nutshell?
Newton Minow: The original idea relates back to a concept from over 150 years ago, when the [Morrill] Land Grant College Act was signed by President Lincoln during the Civil War. It set aside proceeds from federal funds to establish land grant colleges. We wanted to take part of the money available from public auctions of the airwaves which total over $20 billion, and put it into education.
Mary Minow: But the bill doesn’t mention taking funds from the auctions of airwaves.
Newton Minow: No. Apparently Congress had already spent the money before it was received.
Mary Minow: I didn’t know that.
Newton Minow: We didn’t either. Apparently they use a system called “scoring” which means they’ve already counted that money in their budget. If you did that in private life, you’d go to jail
Mary Minow: So what’s the source of the money then?
Newton Minow: It’s the normal federal appropriations process. This bill sets up the National Center for Learning Science and Technology Trust Fund, with a board to oversee the distribution of funds to not for profits.
Mary Minow: How did you get to this point in the legislation?
Newton Minow: We had enormous help from librarians, educational institutions and other not for profits who care about how we can use new technology for education in our country.
Mary Minow: What can we do now to support the plan?
Newton Minow: Let your senators know.
Text of bill
College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007 (Reported in House)
SEC. 812. NATIONAL CENTER FOR LEARNING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TRUST FUND.
(a) Establishment- There is established a nonprofit corporation to be known as the National Center for Learning Science and Technology (referred to in this Act as the `Center') which shall not be an agency or establishment of the United States Government. The Center shall be subject to the provisions of this section, and, to the extent consistent with this section, to the District of Columbia Nonprofit Corporation Act (D.C. Code, section 29-501 et seq.).
(b) Funding-
(1) IN GENERAL- There is established in the Treasury a separate fund to be known as the National Center for Learning Science and Technology Trust Fund (referred to in this Act as the `Trust Fund'). The Trust Fund shall contain such amounts as are credited to the Trust Fund under paragraph (2) and other funds obtained under paragraph (3).
(2) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Trust Fund such sums as may be necessary for the fiscal years 2008 and each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.
(3) ADDITIONAL FUNDS- The Trust Fund is authorized--
(A) to accept funds from any Federal agency or entity;
(B) to accept, hold, administer, invest, and spend any gift, devise, or bequest of real or personal property made to the Center; and
(C) to enter into contracts with individuals, public or private organizations, professional societies, and government agencies for the purpose of carrying out the functions of the Center.
(c) Board of Directors; Functions, and Duties-
(1) IN GENERAL- A board of directors of the Center (referred to in this Act as the `Board') shall be established to oversee the administration of the Center. Such Board shall consist of 9 members to be appointed by the Secretary of Education, who--
(A) reflect representation from the public and private sectors; and
(B) shall provide, as nearly as practicable, a broad representation of various regions of the United States, various professions and occupations, and various kinds of talent and experience appropriate to the functions and responsibilities of the Center.
(2) ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION- The board shall incorporate and operate the center in accordance with the laws governing tax exempt organizations in the District of Columbia.
(d) Trust Fund Uses-
(1) USES OF FUNDS- To achieve the objectives of this Act, the Director of the Center, after consultation with the Board, may use Trust funds--
(A) to support basic and applied research development and demonstrations of innovative learning and assessment systems as well as the components and tools needed to create them;
(B) to support the testing and evaluation of these systems; and
(C) to encourage the widespread adoption and use of effective approaches to learning.
(2) CONTRACTS AND GRANTS-
(A) IN GENERAL- In order to carry out the activities described in paragraph (1), the Director of the Center, with the agreement of a majority of the members of the Board, may award contracts and grants to colleges and universities, museums, libraries, public broadcasting entities and similar nonprofit organizations and public institutions (with or without private partners).
(B) PUBLIC DOMAIN-
(i) IN GENERAL- The research and development properties and materials associated with a project in which a majority of the funding used to carry out the project is from a grant or contract under this Act shall be freely and nonexclusively available to the general public in a timely manner.
(ii) EXEMPTION- The Director of the Center may exempt specific projects from the requirement of clause (i) if the Director of the Center and a majority of the members of the Board determine that the general public will benefit significantly due to the project not being freely and nonexclusively available to the general public in a timely manner.
(C) PEER REVIEW- To the extent practicable, proposals for grants or contracts shall be evaluated on the basis of comparative merit by panels of experts who represent diverse interests and perspectives, and who are appointed by the Director of the Center from recommendations from the fields served and from the Board of Directors.
(e) Accountability and Reporting-
(1) REPORT-
(A) IN GENERAL- Not later than April 30 of each year, the Director of the Center shall prepare a report for the preceding fiscal year that contains the information described in subparagraph (B).
(B) CONTENTS- A report under subparagraph (A) shall include--
(i) a comprehensive and detailed report of the Center's operations, activities, financial condition, and accomplishments, and such recommendations as the Director of the Center determines appropriate;
(ii) a comprehensive and detailed inventory of funds distributed from the Trust Fund during the fiscal year for which the report is being prepared; and
(iii) an independent audit of the Trust Fund's finances and operations, and of the implementation of the goals established by the Board.
(C) STATEMENT OF THE BOARD- Each report under subparagraph (A) shall include a statement from the Board containing--
(i) a clear description of the plans and priorities of the Board for the subsequent 5-year period for expenditures from the Trust Fund; and
(ii) an estimate of the funds that will be available for such expenditures from the Trust Fund.
(D) SUBMISSION TO THE PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS- A report under this subsection shall be submitted to the President and the authorizing committees (as such term is defined in section 103 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1003)).
(2) TESTIMONY- The Director and principal officers of the Center shall testify before the appropriate committees of Congress, upon request of such committees, with respect to--
(A) a report prepared under paragraph (1)(A); and
(B) any other matter that such committees may determine appropriate.
(f) Use of Funds Subject to Appropriations- The authority to award grants, enter into contracts, or otherwise to expend funds under this section is subject to the availability of amounts deposited into the Trust Fund under subsection (b)(3)(A) or (B), or amounts otherwise appropriated for such purposes by an Act of Congress.
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