women’s educational equity

women’s educational equity Sec. 408. (a) This section may be cited as the “Women’s Educational Equity Act of 1974.” (b) (1) The Congress hereby finds and declares that educational programs in the United States (including its possessions), as presently conducted, are frequently inequitable as such programs relate to women and frequently limit the full participation of all individuals in American society. (2) It is the purpose of this section to provide educational equity for women in the United States. (c) As used in this section, the term “Council” means the Advisory Council on Women’s Educational Programs. (d) (1) The Commissioner is authorized to make grants to, and enter into contracts with, public agencies and private nonprofit organizations and with individuals for activities designed to carry out the purposes of this section at all levels of education, including preschool, elementary and secondary education, higher education, and adult education. These activities shall include— (A) the development, evaluation, and dissemination by the applicant of curricula, textbooks, and other educational materials related to educational equity; (B) preservice and inservice training for educational personnel including guidance and counseling with special emphasis on programs and activities designed to provide educational equity; (C) research, development, and educational activities designed to advance educational equity; (D) guidance and counseling activities, including the development of nondiscriminatory tests, designed to assure educational equity; (E) educational activities to increase opportunities for adult women, including continuing educational activities and programs for underemployed and unemployed women; (F) the expansion and improvement of educational programs and activities for women in vocational education, career education, physical education and educational administration. (2) A grant may be made and a contract may be entered into under this section only upon application to the Commissioner, at such time, in such form, and containing or accompanied by such information as the Commissioner may prescribe. Each such application shall— (A) provide that the program or activity for which assistance is sought will be administered by or under the supervision of the applicant; (B) describe a program for carrying out one of the purposes set forth in subsection (a) which holds promise of making a substantial contribution toward attaining such purposes; and (C) set forth policies and procedures which insure adequate evaluation of the activities intended to be carried out under the application. (3) The Commissioner shall approve applicants and amendments thereto which meet the requirements of paragraph (2). (4) Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting men from participating in any programs or activities assisted under this section. (e) In addition to the authority of the Commissioner under subsection (d), the Commissioner shall carry out a program of small grants, not to exceed $15,000, each, in order to support innovative approaches to achieving the purpose of this section; and for that 88 Stat. 555purpose the Commissioner is authorized to make grants to public and private nonprofit, agencies and to individuals. (f) (1) There is established in the Office of Education an Advisory Council on Women’s Educational Programs. The Council shall be composed of— (A) seventeen individuals, some of whom shall be students, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, from among individuals broadly representative of the general public who, by virtue of their knowledge or experience, are versed in the role and status of women in American society; (B) the Chairman of the Civil Rights Commission; (C) the Director of the Women’s Bureau of the Department of Labor; and (D) the Director of the Women’s Action Program of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. The Council shall elect its own Chairman. (2) The term of office of each member of the Council appointed under clause (A) of paragraph (1) shall be three years, except that— (A) the members first appointed under such clause shall serve as designated by the President, six for a term of one year, five for a term of two years, and six for a term of three years; and (B) any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of such term. (3) The Council shall— (A) advise the Commissioner with respect to general policy matters relating to the administration of this section; (B) advise and make recommendations to the Assistant Secretary concerning the improvement of educational equity for women; (C) make recommendations to the Commissioner with respect to the allocation of any funds pursuant to this section, including criteria developed to insure an appropriate geographical distribution of approved programs and projects throughout the Nation; and (D) develop criteria for the establishment of program priorities. (4) From the sums available for the purposes of this section, the Commissioner is authorized and directed to conduct a national, comprehensive review of sex discrimination in education, to be submitted to the Council not later’ than a year after the date of enactment of this section. The Council shall review the report of the Commissioner and shall make such recommendations, including recommendations for additional legislation, as it deems advisable. (5) The provisions of part D of the General Education Provisions Act shall apply with respect to the Council established under this subsection. (f) The Commissioner is directed, at the end of each fiscal year, to submit to the President and the Congress and to the Council a report setting forth the programs and activities assisted under this section, and to provide for the distribution of this report to all interested groups and individuals, including the Congress, from funds authorized under this section. After receiving the report from the Commissioner, the Council shall evaluate the programs and projects assisted under this section and include such evaluation in its annual report. (h) For the purpose of carrying out this section, the Commissioner is authorized to expend not to exceed $30,000,000 for each fiscal year prior to July 1, 1978.