---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 9515"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "9515"
heading: "Priorities"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/9515"
units:
  - "Chapter 76 — Education Research, Statistics, Evaluation, Information, and Dissemination"
  - "Subchapter I — Education Sciences Reform"
  - "Part A — The Institute of Education Sciences"
---

# §9515. Priorities

- (a) **Proposal—** The [Director](/usc/20/9501.md?p=9) shall propose to the [Board](/usc/20/9501.md?p=4) priorities for the [Institute](/usc/20/9501.md?p=14) (taking into consideration long-term research and [development](/usc/20/9501.md?p=8) on core issues conducted through the [national research and development centers](/usc/20/9501.md?p=16)). The [Director](/usc/20/9501.md?p=9) shall identify topics that may require long-term research and topics that are focused on understanding and solving particular education problems and issues, including those associated with the goals and requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ([20 U.S.C. 6301](/usc/20/6301.md) et seq.), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ([20 U.S.C. 1400](/usc/20/1400.md) et seq.), and the Higher Education Act of 1965 ([20 U.S.C. 1001](/usc/20/1001.md) et seq.), such as—
  - (1) closing the achievement gap between high-performing and low-performing children, especially achievement gaps between minority and nonminority children and between disadvantaged children and such children’s more advantaged peers; and
  - (2) ensuring—
    - (A) that all children have the ability to obtain a high-quality education (from early childhood through postsecondary education) and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging [State](/usc/20/9501.md?p=22) academic achievement standards and [State](/usc/20/9501.md?p=22) academic assessments, particularly in mathematics, science, and reading or language arts;
    - (B) access to, and opportunities for, postsecondary education; and
    - (C) the efficacy, impact on academic achievement, and cost-effectiveness of technology use within the Nation’s schools.
- (b) **Approval—** The [Board](/usc/20/9501.md?p=4) shall approve or disapprove the priorities for the [Institute](/usc/20/9501.md?p=14) proposed by the [Director](/usc/20/9501.md?p=9), including any necessary revision of those priorities. The [Board](/usc/20/9501.md?p=4) shall transmit any priorities so approved to the appropriate congressional committees.
- (c) **Consistency—** The [Board](/usc/20/9501.md?p=4) shall ensure that priorities of the [Institute](/usc/20/9501.md?p=14) and the National Education Centers are consistent with the mission of the [Institute](/usc/20/9501.md?p=14).
- (d) **Public availability and comment—**
  - (1) **Priorities—** Before submitting to the [Board](/usc/20/9501.md?p=4) proposed priorities for the [Institute](/usc/20/9501.md?p=14), the [Director](/usc/20/9501.md?p=9) shall make such priorities available to the public for comment for not less than 60 days (including by means of the Internet and through publishing such priorities in the Federal Register). The [Director](/usc/20/9501.md?p=9) shall provide to the [Board](/usc/20/9501.md?p=4) a copy of each such comment submitted.
  - (2) **Plan—** Upon approval of such priorities, the [Director](/usc/20/9501.md?p=9) shall make the [Institute](/usc/20/9501.md?p=14)’s plan for addressing such priorities available for public comment in the same manner as under [paragraph (1)](#d-1).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–279, title I, § 115, Nov. 5, 2002, 116 Stat. 1948; Pub. L. 108–446, title II, § 201(b)(2)(C), Dec. 3, 2004, 118 Stat. 2802.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 89–10, Apr. 11, 1965, 79 Stat. 27, which is classified generally to chapter 70 (§ 6301 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 6301 of this title and Tables.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is title VI of Pub. L. 91–230, Apr. 13, 1970, 84 Stat. 175, which is classified generally to chapter 33 (§ 1400 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1400 of this title and Tables.

The Higher Education Act of 1965, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 89–329, Nov. 8, 1965, 79 Stat. 1219, which is classified generally to chapter 28 (§ 1001 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1001 of this title and Tables.

### Amendments

2004—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108–446, in introductory provisions, substituted “including those associated with the goals and requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.), and the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.), such as” for “including those associated with the goals and requirements established in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) and the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.), such as”.