U.S. Department of Education, Grants and Contracts Service, 7th & D Streets, SW, ROB, Room 3661, Washington, D.C. 20202

U -- SCHOOL FINANCE EQUALIZATION EFFORTS IN THE STATES DUE 063095 POC Harry Kessler 202-708-9943. U - It is anticipated that one sole source contract will be awarded to the National Academy of Sciences (the Academy) to conduct a comprehensive study of education finance at the K-12 level. the United States Congress in its' 1995 education appropriation conference report (report 103-733) requested that the study be carried out by the Academy. This will be a 3 1/2 year contract. The fundamental purpose of this study is to substantially advance the theory and practice of education finance in the United States Of America. The work will be focusing on the following key question: How can education finance systems be designed and implemented to (1) provide the capacity and incentives to assure that all students achieve high levels of learning, and (2) assure that education funds are used in the most productive manner possible? To achieve these ends requires a comprehensive study of the complex legal, economic, structural, and pedegogical issues that surround the relationship between the field of education finance and student achievement. The Academy shall convene a Committee on Equity, Adequacy, and Productivity in Education. The Committee will be deliberately composed to reflect the best knowledge, research, and experience on the constellation of critical issues surrounding the area of education finance and will consist of up to 20 members drawn from such areas to expertise as school finance policy, economics, law, the psychology of learning, program evaluation, quantitative and qualitative analysis, measurement and assessment, management, the sociology of organizations, teacher professional development, education technology, and education research. in addition, the Academy shall establish technical panels to assist the committee. These technical panels will focus on such critical topics as legal issues, finance models, or the development of indices of education need and methods for measuring need. No organization other than the National Academy of Sciences can provide this unique capability for the U.S. Government. The reasons for this are (1) to a degree unmatched elsewhere, the Academy fan elicit the participation of virtually any scientist whom it invites to serve, (2) the recognized absolute impartiality of the institution, and (3) for studies such as that required through this procurement which involve sharply divergent and well-fixed points of view, the Academy has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to constructively conspicuously reluctant to address mutual issues. Created by congressional charter, the mission of the Academy is to act as ana offical, yet independent advisor to the federal government in matters or science and technology. Contractors interested in this procurement or who feel that they are qualified and able to perform this procurement should contact Harry Kessler at 9202) 708-9943. All formal responses to this notice must be submitted in writing at the above address by June 30, 1995. (0123)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0176 19950504\U-0005.SOL)