MONITORING AND EVALUATION.

SEC. 135. MONITORING AND EVALUATION. (a) Education of the Deaf Act.— Section 205 of the Education of the Deaf Act of 1986, as redesignated by section 101(b)(6) of this Act, is amended to read as follows: “SEC. 206. MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND REPORTING. “(a) Activities.— The Secretary shall conduct monitoring and evaluation activities of the education programs and activities and the administrative operations of the University (including the elementary, secondary, preparatory, undergraduate, and graduate programs) and of NTID. The Secretary may also conduct studies related to the provision of preschool, elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education and other related services to individuals who are deaf. In carrying out the responsibilities described in this section, the Secretary is authorized to employ such consultants106 STAT. 2159 as may be necessary pursuant to the provisions of section 3109 of title 5, United States Code. “(b) Report.— The Secretary, as part of the annual report required under section 426 of the Department of Education Organization Act, shall include a description of the monitoring and evaluation activities pursuant to subsection (a), together with such recommendations, including recommendations for legislation, as the Secretary may consider necessary. “(c) Authorization of Appropriations.— There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997 to carry out the monitoring and evaluation activities authorized under this section.”. (b) Report.— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Education of the Deaf Act Amendments of 1992, the Secretary of Education shall submit a report to Congress regarding progress made by the Department of Education in implementing the recommendations of the Commission on Education of the Deaf pertaining to the provision of a free and appropriate public education to children who are deaf, and children who are hard of hearing, and with respect to the establishment of standards for programs and personnel to meet the educational, communicative, and psychological needs of children who are deaf, and children who are hard of hearing. In preparing this report, the Secretary of Education shall solicit input from the community of individuals who are deaf, and individuals who are hard of hearing.