20 USC § 1231a - Collection and dissemination of information

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t20/s1231a"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "20 USC § 1231a - Collection and dissemination of information"
title_number: 20
title_name: "EDUCATION"
section_number: "1231a"
section_name: "Collection and dissemination of information"
chapter_number: 31
chapter_name: "GENERAL PROVISIONS CONCERNING EDUCATION"
subchapter_number: "III"
subchapter_name: "GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND CONDITIONS CONCERNING OPERATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS: GENERAL AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY"
part_number: "1"
part_name: "General Authority"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 90–247, title IV, § 431, formerly § 412, as added Pub. L. 91–230, title IV, § 401(a)(10), Apr. 13, 1970, 84 Stat. 166; renumbered § 422 and amended Pub. L. 92–318, title III, § 301(a)(1), (b)(2)(B), June 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 326, 332; Pub. L. 94–482, title IV, § 409(b), Oct. 12, 1976, 90 Stat. 2233; renumbered § 431, renumbered § 422, and amended Pub. L. 103–382, title II, §§ 212(b)(1), 242, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3913, 3922; renumbered § 431, Pub. L. 107–110, title X, § 1062(1), Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 2087.)"
---


# § 1231a. Collection and dissemination of information

The Secretary shall—

**(1)** prepare and disseminate to State and local educational agencies and institutions information concerning applicable programs, and cooperate with other Federal officials who administer programs affecting education in disseminating information concerning such programs;

**(2)** inform the public regarding federally supported education programs; and

**(3)** collect data and information on applicable programs for the purpose of obtaining objective measurements of the effectiveness of such programs in achieving the intended purposes of such programs.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 90–247, title IV, § 431, formerly § 412, as added Pub. L. 91–230, title IV, § 401(a)(10), Apr. 13, 1970, 84 Stat. 166; renumbered § 422 and amended Pub. L. 92–318, title III, § 301(a)(1), (b)(2)(B), June 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 326, 332; Pub. L. 94–482, title IV, § 409(b), Oct. 12, 1976, 90 Stat. 2233; renumbered § 431, renumbered § 422, and amended Pub. L. 103–382, title II, §§ 212(b)(1), 242, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3913, 3922; renumbered § 431, Pub. L. 107–110, title X, § 1062(1), Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 2087.)

## Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior  was renumbered section 437, and is classified to .

Another prior  was renumbered section 441, and was classified to  prior to repeal by .

### Amendments

1994—, amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section consisted of subsecs. (a) to (c) relating to duty to collect and disseminate information about applicable programs and to submit an annual report to Congress and authorizing use of contract to carry out this section.

1976—Subsec. (b).  substituted “June 30” for “March 31”.

1972—Subsec. (a)(4). , substituted “(as set forth in )” for “(as set forth in )”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1976 Amendment

Amendment by  effective 30 days after , except either as specifically otherwise provided or, if not so specifically otherwise provided, effective , for those amendments providing for authorization of appropriations, see , set out as a note under .

### Effective Date of 1972 Amendment

, , , provided that the amendment made by  is effective .

### Evaluation Practices and Procedures at National, State, and Local Levels for Federally Funded Elementary and Secondary Educational Programs; Report to Congress

, , , as amended by , , ; , title V, § 507, , , 692, directed Secretary of Education to conduct a study of evaluation practices and procedures at the national, State, and local levels with respect to federally funded elementary and secondary educational programs and include in the first annual report to Congress submitted more than eighteen months after , proposals and recommendations for the revision or modification of any part or all of such practices and procedures.