H.R. 6419

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6419 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6419

To amend the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 to establish a 
National Center for Advanced Development in Education at the Institute 
for Education Sciences, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 4, 2025

Ms. Bonamici (for herself and Mr. Fitzpatrick) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 to establish a 
National Center for Advanced Development in Education at the Institute 
for Education Sciences, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``New Essential Education Discoveries 
Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL CENTER FOR ADVANCED DEVELOPMENT IN EDUCATION.

(a) Organization.--Section 111(c)(3) of the Education Sciences 
Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 9511(c)(3)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at the end 
and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(E) the National Center for Advanced Development 
in Education (as described in part G).''.
(b) Definitions.--Section 102 of the Education Sciences Reform Act 
of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 9501) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(24) Science of learning and development.--The term 
`science of learning and development' means the body of peer-
reviewed knowledge from a variety of academic fields and 
disciplines that demonstrates how students best learn and 
develop.''.
(c) Establishment.--Title I of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 
2002 (20 U.S.C. 9501 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``PART G--NATIONAL CENTER FOR ADVANCED DEVELOPMENT IN EDUCATION

``SEC. 195. ESTABLISHMENT.

``(a) Establishment.--There is established in the Institute a 
National Center for Advanced Development in Education (in this part 
referred to as the `Advanced Development Center').
``(b) Mission.--The mission of the Advanced Development Center is 
to--
``(1) identify, develop, and promote advances in and new 
solutions for teaching and learning, with an emphasis on 
breakthrough technologies, new pedagogical approaches, 
innovative learning models, and more efficient, reliable, and 
valid forms of assessments;
``(2) identify, develop, and promote transformative, 
community-informed solutions to address disparities in 
achievement and opportunity for students;
``(3) identify, develop, and promote community-informed 
advances in teaching and learning that have the potential to 
transform education practices across--
``(A) early childhood education;
``(B) elementary and secondary education;
``(C) postsecondary education;
``(D) adult education;
``(E) special education and services for students 
with disabilities; and
``(F) services for English learners;
``(4) identify, develop, test, and promote strategies and 
interventions that support student relationships and skill-
building consistent with the science of learning and 
development;
``(5) identify and provide community-informed 
recommendations and solutions that address additional factors 
that can improve student outcomes, including--
``(A) access to a diverse teaching workforce; and
``(B) institutional barriers, including with 
respect to students from underrepresented communities; 
and
``(6) investigate transformative research opportunities, 
including--
``(A) technologies to analyze speech samples and 
identify speech and reading disorders;
``(B) identifying tools to support skill 
acquisition outside of school (including tools for 
parents); and
``(C) developing tools to provide feedback directly 
to students on their competencies.

``SEC. 196. COMMISSIONER FOR ADVANCED EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT.

``The Advanced Development Center shall be headed by a Commissioner 
for Advanced Education Development (in this part referred to as the 
`Advanced Development Commissioner') who shall be highly qualified and 
have substantial knowledge of the methodologies used and activities 
undertaken by the Advanced Development Center.

``SEC. 197. DUTIES.

``(a) General Duties.--The Advanced Development Center shall--
``(1) collect, report, analyze, and disseminate data 
related to transforming education in the United States;
``(2) approve and terminate projects in accordance with 
subsection (f)(2)(B);
``(3) set priorities that align with the mission of the 
Advanced Development Center, including by identifying areas 
that can be furthered by research and development, including--
``(A) interventions for learning acceleration, with 
a particular focus on students who score below 
proficient on the academic assessments in mathematics 
or reading or language arts described in section 
1111(b)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2));
``(B) pedagogy; and
``(C) assessments administered to students, 
including such assessments that are summative, 
formative, competency-based, performance-based, 
administered throughout the school year to produce a 
single summative assessment score, or incorporated into 
an instructional sequence or lesson;
``(4) support the use of scientific discoveries and 
inventions to improve teaching and learning;
``(5) carry out the evaluation and dissemination 
requirements under subsection (e); and
``(6) convene and engage an advisory panel under section 
198.
``(b) Plan.--Not later than 6 months after the date of the 
enactment of this part, and every 3 years thereafter, the Advanced 
Development Commissioner shall submit to the Director a research plan 
that--
``(1) is consistent with the priorities and mission of the 
Institute and the mission of the Advanced Development Center; 
and
``(2) describes how the Advanced Development Center will 
use the performance management system described in section 185 
to assess and improve the activities of the Advanced 
Development Center.
``(c) Training Program.--The Advanced Development Commissioner may 
establish a program to train employees of public and private 
educational agencies, organizations, and institutions and may establish 
a fellowship program to appoint such employees as temporary fellows at 
the Advanced Development Center in order to assist the Advanced 
Development Center in carrying out its duties.
``(d) Collaboration.--
``(1) In general.--In carrying out the duties under this 
section, the Advanced Development Commissioner may award grants 
and cash prizes, enter into contracts and cooperative 
agreements, and provide technical assistance.
``(2) Entities.--In awarding grants and cash prizes and 
entering into contracts and cooperative agreements under 
paragraph (1), the Advanced Development Commissioner shall--
``(A) solicit applications from public and private 
entities; and
``(B) build research collaborations between a 
variety of stakeholders--
``(i) from the private and public sectors; 
and
``(ii) with expertise in education 
practices, including teachers, principals and 
other school leaders, and local and State 
educational agency leaders.
``(3) Applicable programs.--For purposes of carrying out an 
applicable program under subsection (f)(2), a program manager 
may enter into contracts and cooperative agreements in the 
manner described in paragraph (2).
``(e) Evaluation and Dissemination.--
``(1) Evaluation.--
``(A) In general.--The Advanced Development 
Commissioner shall obtain independent, periodic, and 
rigorous evaluation of--
``(i) the effectiveness of the processes 
that the Advanced Development Center is using 
to achieve the mission described in section 
195(b);
``(ii) the relevance, accessibility, and 
utility of the awards made and transactions 
entered into under subsection (d) to education 
practitioners; and
``(iii) the effectiveness of the projects 
carried out through such awards and 
transactions, using evidence standards 
developed in consultation with the Institute of 
Education Sciences, and the suitability of such 
projects for further investment or increased 
scale.
``(B) Best practices.--The Advanced Development 
Commissioner shall assess the information obtained from 
the evaluation and identify best practices for the 
Advanced Development Center.
``(2) Dissemination.--
``(A) In general.--The Advanced Development Center 
shall disseminate, through the entities listed in 
subparagraph (B), information obtained from the 
evaluation under paragraph (1) and any other 
information determined to be relevant by the Advanced 
Development Commissioner with respect to effective 
practices and technologies developed under the Advanced 
Development Center, as appropriate, to--
``(i) education professionals, including 
teachers, principals, and local and State 
superintendents; and
``(ii) parents and other caregivers.
``(B) Entities.--The Advanced Development Center 
shall distribute the information described in 
subparagraph (A) through--
``(i) the comprehensive centers established 
under 203 of the Educational Technical 
Assistance Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 9602);
``(ii) the regional laboratories system 
established under section 174 of the Education 
Sciences Reform Act (20 U.S.C. 9564); and
``(iii) such other means as the Advanced 
Development Commissioner, in consultation with 
the Director and the Secretary, determines to 
be appropriate.
``(3) Use and adoption.--The Advanced Development 
Commissioner shall support the use and adoption of the best 
practices identified in paragraph (1)(B) at all levels of 
education and training.
``(f) Hiring.--
``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding section 188, the 
Advanced Development Commissioner, with the approval of and in 
collaboration with the Director, shall--
``(A) make appointments of scientific, engineering, 
and professional personnel, which may include temporary 
or time-limited appointments as determined by the 
Director to be necessary to carry out the mission 
described in section 195(b), without regard to the 
provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing 
appointment in the competitive service and fix the 
compensation of such personnel at a rate to be 
determined by the Director;
``(B) hire staff with sufficient qualifications and 
expertise (as determined by the Commissioner in 
consultation with the Director) to enable the Advanced 
Development Center to carry out the duties described in 
subsection (a) in conjunction with other operations of 
the Institute, without regard to the provisions of 
title 5, United States Code, governing appointment in 
the competitive service and fix the compensation of 
such staff at a rate to be determined by the Director; 
and
``(C) use all existing authorities of the Director 
to hire administrative, financial, and clerical staff 
as necessary to carry out this subsection and pay such 
staff in accordance with the provisions of chapter 51 
and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United 
States Code, relating to classification and General 
Schedule pay rates.
``(2) Program managers.--
``(A) In general.--The Advanced Development 
Commissioner, with the approval of and in collaboration 
with the Director, shall designate staff appointed or 
hired under subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1), 
respectively, to serve as program managers for the 
Advanced Development Center.
``(B) Duties.--A program manager shall be 
responsible for--
``(i) establishing research and development 
goals for an applicable program, including by 
developing and hosting workshops and consulting 
with outside experts;
``(ii) publicizing such goals;
``(iii) soliciting applications from 
eligible entities for projects that advance 
such goals and contribute to making rapid 
advances in teaching and learning, to be 
submitted by such entities at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as 
the program manager, in conjunction with the 
Advanced Development Commissioner, may require;
``(iv) selecting, on a competitive basis, 
such projects to be supported under an 
applicable program, taking into consideration--
``(I) the novelty and scientific 
and technical merit of a proposed 
project;
``(II) the demonstrated 
capabilities of the eligible entity to 
successfully carry out such proposed 
project;
``(III) the extent to which the 
eligible entity considered, as part of 
the application submitted under clause 
(iii), future commercial applications 
of a proposed project to increase the 
likelihood of scalability of such 
project; and
``(IV) such other criteria as the 
program manager, in conjunction with 
the Advanced Development Commissioner, 
may require;
``(v) terminating such projects, as 
applicable; and
``(vi) establishing the research 
collaborations described in subsection (d)(3).
``(C) Definitions.--In this paragraph:
``(i) Applicable program.--The term 
`applicable program' means a program--
``(I) for which a project manager 
establishes research and development 
goals;
``(II) that supports projects 
aligned with such goals; and
``(III) that receives funds from 
the Advanced Development Center.
``(ii) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible 
entity' means--
``(I) a State educational agency;
``(II) a local educational agency;
``(III) a public or private 
nonprofit institution of higher 
education;
``(IV) a nonprofit educational 
organization; and
``(V) a federally funded research 
and development center.

``SEC. 198. ADVISORY PANEL.

``(a) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date on 
which the Advanced Development Commissioner is appointed, the 
Commissioner shall establish an advisory panel to identify, evaluate, 
and make recommendations with respect to improving education research 
in order to promote the mission of the Advanced Development Center.
``(b) Duties.--
``(1) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date on 
which the advisory panel is established, the advisory panel 
shall create and update on an annual basis a report that--
``(A) identifies, analyzes, and evaluates the state 
of--
``(i) education research and development; 
and
``(ii) education research priorities at the 
State and local levels;
``(B) identifies and promotes advances in teaching 
and learning; and
``(C) highlights factors that can have an impact on 
student learning outcomes, with particular attention to 
opportunity and achievement disparities for students, 
including the factors addressed in section 195(b)(6).
``(2) Submission and publication.--Not later than 1 month 
after the date on which the report described in paragraph (1) 
is created and not later than 1 month after each subsequent 
update of such report, the advisory panel shall--
``(A) submit such report to--
``(i) the Advanced Development 
Commissioner;
``(ii) the Director;
``(iii) the Secretary;
``(iv) the Committee on Appropriations of 
the House of Representatives;
``(v) the Committee on Appropriations of 
the Senate;
``(vi) the Committee on Education and 
Workforce of the House of Representatives; and
``(vii) the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; and
``(B) make such report publicly available on the 
website of the Institute.
``(c) Membership.--The advisory panel shall be composed of at least 
8, but not more than 12, members appointed by the Advanced Development 
Commissioner as follows:
``(1) At least 1 but not more than 2 members shall be 
parents.
``(2) At least 1 but not more than 2 members shall be 
education professionals.
``(3) At least 1 but not more than 2 members shall be 
experts in technology.
``(4) At least 1 but not more than 2 members shall be 
specialists in rapid gains in student achievement and school 
improvement.
``(5) At least 1 but not more than 2 members shall be 
specialists in personalized learning.
``(6) At least 1 but not more than 2 members shall be 
education and social science researchers.
``(7) At least 1 but not more than 2 members shall be 
representatives from the Department or National Science 
Foundation.
``(8) At least 1 but not more than 2 members shall be 
individuals with expertise in education issues not otherwise 
represented who will contribute to the overall rigor and 
quality of the Advanced Development Center.
``(d) Advisory Nature.--The function of the advisory panel shall be 
advisory in nature. Nothing in this section shall be construed as 
giving the advisory panel authority over the activities authorized 
under this part.
``(e) Termination.--The advisory panel shall terminate 5 years 
after the date of establishment of such panel.

``SEC. 199. COMMUNITY-INFORMED DEFINED.

``In this part, the term `community-informed' means to be informed 
by input from State educational agencies, local educational agencies, 
parents, students, and education practitioners, including teachers, 
principals, and other school leaders within the community or regional 
area where activities planned and carried out by the Advanced 
Development Center will occur.

``SEC. 200. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

``(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this part $500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
``(b) Timing.--Amounts made available for a fiscal year under 
subsection (a) shall remain available until expended.
``(c) Reservation.--The Secretary may reserve not more than 5 
percent of the funds appropriated for a fiscal year under subsection 
(a) for administrative expenses and technical assistance.''.

SEC. 3. IMPROVING STATEWIDE LONGITUDINAL DATA SYSTEMS.

Section 208 of the Education Sciences Reform Act (20 U.S.C. 9607) 
is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 208. GRANT PROGRAM FOR STATEWIDE LONGITUDINAL DATA SYSTEMS.

``(a) Grants Authorized.--
``(1) Grants for statewide longitudinal data systems.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall award, on a 
competitive basis, grants to eligible agencies to 
enable such agencies to design, develop, implement, and 
improve statewide longitudinal data systems.
``(B) Period.--
``(i) In general.--Except as provided in 
clause (ii), a grant awarded under subparagraph 
(A) shall be for a period of not longer than 4 
years.
``(ii) Renewal.--Upon the conclusion of the 
grant period described in clause (i), the 
Secretary may renew a grant awarded under 
subparagraph (A) for 2 additional years if the 
eligible agency demonstrates significant 
progress in meeting its goals, as determined by 
the Secretary.
``(2) Planning grants.--
``(A) In general.--Of the amounts made available to 
carry out this section, the Secretary may reserve not 
more than 10 percent to award planning grants to 
eligible agencies to support planning related to the 
design, development, implementation, improvement, and 
sustainability of statewide longitudinal data systems, 
which may include planning to support--
``(i) the integration or coordination of 
additional Federal, State, Tribal, or local 
data sources in the statewide longitudinal data 
system, which may include facilitating 
interoperability and linkages across such data 
sources, including from across other Federal, 
State, Tribal, or local agencies;
``(ii) alignment with the voluntary 
standards and guidelines described in section 
143(a)(6), which may include the use of linked, 
open, and interoperable data standards;
``(iii) the development of products, tools, 
or interfaces that provide appropriate access 
to data insights produced by the statewide 
longitudinal data system; and
``(iv) upgrading data infrastructure or 
reporting systems.
``(B) Period.--A grant awarded under subparagraph 
(A) shall be for a period of not longer than 18 months.
``(C) Engagement.--In carrying out planning 
activities under this paragraph, an eligible agency 
shall, to the greatest extent practicable, engage 
students, families, practitioners, education system 
leaders, policymakers, community organizations, and 
State, Tribal, and local public agencies.
``(b) Application.--An eligible agency desiring a grant under 
subsection (a)(1) shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the 
Secretary may reasonably require, including the following:
``(1) A description of how the eligible agency will design, 
develop, implement, or improve a statewide longitudinal data 
system that will integrate data in accordance with the 
individual privacy and data security requirements specified in 
section 183, from the following data sources, to the greatest 
extent practicable:
``(A) Early childhood education, in accordance with 
the guidance developed pursuant to subsection (g)(2).
``(B) Elementary and secondary education, including 
data reported from local educational agencies and the 
State educational agency.
``(C) Career and technical education.
``(D) Postsecondary education, including data 
reported from public institutions of higher education 
and public systems of institutions of higher education.
``(E) Adult education and workforce development 
programs.
``(F) Unemployment insurance or other statewide 
data sources with access to labor market outcomes or 
wage record data and in accordance with privacy and 
data security requirements of the State.
``(G) The Bureau of Indian Education, as 
applicable.
``(2) A description of how the eligible agency will design, 
develop, implement, or improve a statewide longitudinal data 
system that may integrate data from other Federal, State, or 
local public or private agencies or organizations, in 
accordance with Federal and State privacy laws.
``(3) A description of how the eligible agency will ensure 
that the statewide longitudinal data system will--
``(A) be able to publicly disaggregate student data 
by each subgroup of students (as defined in section 
1111(c)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(c)(2)));
``(B) ensure technical quality, including validity 
and reliability, of the data managed by the statewide 
longitudinal data system;
``(C) enable the development of tools, products, or 
interfaces that will provide publicly accessible and 
useful information to students, families, 
practitioners, education system leaders, policymakers, 
community organizations, State and local public 
agencies, and the public in a manner that protects and 
promotes individual privacy and data security; and
``(D) enable researchers to conduct scientifically 
valid research in a manner that adheres to Federal or 
State privacy laws and protections.
``(4) A description of how the statewide longitudinal data 
system will, to the extent practicable, promote standardized 
data definitions, open data formats, other widely recognized 
and adopted standards, and linkages utilized in multiple 
States, and be aligned with subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 
44, United States Code.
``(5) A description of how the eligible agency will protect 
and promote individual privacy and data security in 
implementing the State longitudinal data system, including by--
``(A) defining policies, guidelines, or protocols 
as appropriate for data collection, storage, data 
sharing, use, data destruction, and disclosure 
avoidance to secure any personally identifiable 
information;
``(B) reviewing how researchers, State agencies, 
local agencies, and other entities that will have 
access to the statewide longitudinal data systems under 
this section will adhere to Federal and State privacy 
laws and protections in the building, maintenance, and 
use of such data systems; and
``(C) providing training or professional 
development to any employee or contractor of such 
system to ensure compliance with section 444 of the 
General Education Provisions Act (commonly known as the 
`Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974'), 
section 445 of that Act (commonly known as the 
`Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment'), the Children's 
Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (15 U.S.C. 6501 
et seq.), the Health Insurance Portability and 
Accountability Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-191), and 
any other relevant Federal or State privacy law as 
determined by the Secretary.
``(6) A description of the data governance structure for 
the statewide longitudinal data system, which shall, to the 
greatest extent practicable, support the implementation of 
statewide data governance structures that involve all relevant 
State agencies, and which may include establishing a State 
chief privacy officer or a data governance coordinator.
``(7) A description of how the eligible agency will promote 
long-term sustainability of the statewide longitudinal data 
system, including by identifying State and local funding that 
will be used to support the operation, maintenance, and 
upgrades of such system.
``(c) Selection.--
``(1) In general.--In awarding grants under subsection 
(a)(1), the Secretary shall use a peer review process that, 
with respect to the entities selected--
``(A) ensures technical quality (including validity 
and reliability), promotes data linkages within the 
State, and ensures the protection of individual privacy 
consistent with section 183;
``(B) promotes the generation and accurate and 
timely use of data that is needed--
``(i) to support implementation of--
``(I) the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965;
``(II) the Higher Education Act of 
1965;
``(III) the Individuals with 
Disabilities Education Act;
``(IV) the Carl D. Perkins Career 
and Technical Education Act of 2006;
``(V) the Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et 
seq.);
``(VI) the Head Start Act (42 
U.S.C. 9831 et seq.);
``(VII) the Child Care and 
Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 
U.S.C. 9857 et seq.); and
``(VIII) other relevant Federal 
laws as determined by the Secretary; 
and
``(ii) to facilitate research to improve 
educational and employment opportunities and 
outcomes, including student academic 
achievement, postsecondary education access and 
completion, labor market outcomes, and the 
closing of opportunity and achievement gaps 
between subgroups of students (as defined in 
section 1111(c)(2) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
6311(c)(2))).
``(2) Priority.--In awarding grants under subsection 
(a)(1), the Secretary shall give priority to eligible agencies 
that--
``(A) received a planning grant under subsection 
(a)(2) and propose to carry out activities informed by 
such planning;
``(B) propose the development of products, tools, 
or interfaces that provide appropriate access to data 
insights produced by the statewide longitudinal data 
system; or
``(C) require the use of the voluntary standards 
and guidelines described in section 153(a)(5).
``(d) Use of Funds.--An eligible agency receiving an award under 
subsection (a)(1)--
``(1) shall use funds--
``(A) to enhance or modernize data infrastructure 
and analytics capacity to integrate data across early 
childhood education through postsecondary study and 
labor market outcomes into the statewide longitudinal 
data system; and
``(B) to carry out the activities described in 
paragraphs (1) through (7) of subsection (b); and
``(2) may carry out 1 or more of the following activities:
``(A) Award subgrants to public agencies or 
institutions of higher education to improve the 
capacity of such agencies or institutions to 
participate in statewide longitudinal data systems.
``(B) Integrate additional Federal, State, or local 
data sources in the statewide longitudinal data system 
or facilitate interoperability between such data 
sources.
``(C) Develop or increase the access of the public 
to products, tools, or interfaces that provide 
appropriate access to data insights produced by the 
statewide longitudinal data system.
``(D) Implement policies to protect and promote 
student privacy and data security.
``(E) Provide professional development to 
individuals, practitioners, and education system 
leaders to better understand, use, and analyze data 
from the statewide longitudinal data system.
``(e) Supplement Not Supplant.--Funds made available under this 
section shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, other State or 
local funds used for developing State data systems.
``(f) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
the New Essential Education Discoveries Act of 2025, and again 3 years 
after such date of enactment, the Secretary, in consultation with the 
National Academies Committee on National Statistics shall make publicly 
available a report on the implementation and effectiveness of Federal, 
State, and local efforts related to the activities carried out by 
eligible entities that receive a grant under subsection (a)(1), 
including--
``(1) identifying and analyzing State practices regarding 
the development and use of statewide longitudinal data systems;
``(2) evaluating the ability of such systems to manage 
individual student data, promote linkages across States, and 
protect student privacy consistent with section 183; and
``(3) identifying best practices and areas for improvement.
``(g) Guidance.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of the New Essential Education Discoveries Act of 
2025, and on an ongoing basis thereafter, the Secretary shall 
issue guidance and provide technical assistance on--
``(A) protecting and promoting individual privacy 
and data security in implementing statewide 
longitudinal data systems in accordance with applicable 
Federal, State, and local privacy laws;
``(B) developing or increasing the public's access 
to products, tools, or interfaces that provide 
appropriate access to data insights produced by 
statewide longitudinal data systems, which may support 
the public, researchers, policymakers, practitioners, 
and States in efficiently and accurately accessing, 
managing, analyzing, and using data to inform decision 
making and improve educational opportunities and 
outcomes, including academic achievement, postsecondary 
education access and completion, and labor market 
outcomes; and
``(C) supporting data linkages between a statewide 
longitudinal data system and data from postsecondary 
education, workforce programs, unemployment insurance, 
or other statewide data sources with access to wage 
record data, which shall include the use of different 
unique identifiers and may include the use of Social 
Security numbers, in accordance with applicable 
Federal, State, and local privacy laws.
``(2) Early childhood education data.--The Secretary of 
Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Statistics 
Commissioner, shall develop guidance for eligible agencies with 
respect to integrating data voluntarily reported under the Head 
Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) and other early childhood 
education data in the statewide longitudinal data system.
``(3) Early college high school or dual or concurrent 
enrollment programs.--The Statistics Commissioner shall provide 
technical assistance to eligible agencies to collect and report 
data related to enrollment, retention, transfer, and completion 
rates in early college high school or dual or concurrent 
enrollment programs.
``(h) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Eligible agency.--The term `eligible agency' means--
``(A) a State educational agency;
``(B) the office of the Governor of a State;
``(C) a State agency, data governance body, or 
public sector organization, as determined and 
designated by the Governor;
``(D) an outlying area; and
``(E) a consortium of entities described in 
subparagraphs (A) through (C) located in a single State 
or a consortium of such entities located in 2 or more 
States.
``(2) Statewide longitudinal data system.--The term 
`statewide longitudinal data system' means a data system 
operated by an eligible agency at the State level that connects 
individual-level data from early childhood education, 
elementary and secondary education, postsecondary education, 
adult education, workforce development, labor market outcomes, 
and other data sources, as determined by the State, in a manner 
that--
``(A) protects and promotes individual privacy and 
data security, in accordance with applicable Federal, 
State, and local privacy laws, increases data 
transparency, and minimizes reporting burden; and
``(B) enhances the ability of the public, 
researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and States to 
efficiently and accurately access, manage, 
disaggregate, analyze, and use data to inform decision 
making and improve educational opportunities and 
outcomes, including academic achievement, postsecondary 
education access and completion, and labor market 
outcomes.
``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section--
``(1) $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2026; and
``(2) for each fiscal year thereafter, not less than the 
amount appropriated for fiscal year 2026.''.
<all>