National Diffusion Network
Encyclopedia
The National Diffusion Network (1974-1995) was the first federally sponsored effort to identify and spread to the nation's schools innovative education programs. The program was created administratively by the then-Office of Education in the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare as an effort to make use of the best of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
Title III education innovations.
The NDN operated successfully, at a Congressionally approved appropriations level varying between $8-million and $14-million per year, for 20 years. It, like several other small programs then administered by the U.S. Department of Education
was eliminated by having its funding stopped by the 105th Congress, under the implementation of a cost-cutting initiative sponsored by new Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich
, called the Contract with America
.
There were several components of the National Diffusion Network. The most central were Developer Demonstrators, projects of educational innovations that had been rigorously reviewed and validated by a federal panel, the Joint Dissemination Review Panel. The Developer Demonstration projects, or DDs, offered their professional development and other services to schools and school districts who had need for the specific education reform and improvement innovations.
A catalog listing all the DDs available to schools, Educational Programs That Work was published yearly by Sopris West, a private contractor, and distributed nationally.
A second critical component of the NDN were its State Facilitators. There was at least one State Facilitator (SF) grantee in each of the 50 states, plus designated agencies in the District of Columbia and U.S. Territories. The role of the SFs was to act as liaisons between schools in their state that had need for assistance and the NDN-approved Developer Demonstrators. Matches were called "program adoptions."
The principal Congressional sponsors of the NDN were Rep. Dale Kildee (D-MI) and Sen. Claiborne Pell
(D-RI), both of whom sponsored legislation to maintain and extend the work of the program throughout the nation. When the National Diffusion Network's funding was threatened by David Stockman
, OMB director in 1981, during the first year of the Ronald Reagan
administration, personnel staffing National Diffusion Network projects formed a professional advocacy group, the National Dissemination Association. The association was led by Max McConkey,, artist , later the chief policy officer at WestEd
and board president of Knowledge Alliance. NDA appealed to both Education Secretary Terrel Bell
and to Congressman Kildee and Senator Pell. The three collaborated in a successful effort to save the Network.
While the National Diffusion Network officially ended in 1995, many of its innovative programs continue to be disseminated to schools throughout the nation, contributing to the resources used for the implementation of the ESEA reauthorization of 2001—the No Child Left Behind Act
.
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act , is a United States federal statute enacted April 11, 1965. It was passed as a part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's "War on Poverty" and has been the most far-reaching federal legislation affecting education ever passed by Congress...
Title III education innovations.
The NDN operated successfully, at a Congressionally approved appropriations level varying between $8-million and $14-million per year, for 20 years. It, like several other small programs then administered by the U.S. Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
was eliminated by having its funding stopped by the 105th Congress, under the implementation of a cost-cutting initiative sponsored by new Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich
Newton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich is a U.S. Republican Party politician who served as the House Minority Whip from 1989 to 1995 and as the 58th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999....
, called the Contract with America
Contract with America
The Contract with America was a document released by the United States Republican Party during the 1994 Congressional election campaign. Written by Larry Hunter, who was aided by Newt Gingrich, Robert Walker, Richard Armey, Bill Paxon, Tom DeLay, John Boehner and Jim Nussle, and in part using text...
.
There were several components of the National Diffusion Network. The most central were Developer Demonstrators, projects of educational innovations that had been rigorously reviewed and validated by a federal panel, the Joint Dissemination Review Panel. The Developer Demonstration projects, or DDs, offered their professional development and other services to schools and school districts who had need for the specific education reform and improvement innovations.
A catalog listing all the DDs available to schools, Educational Programs That Work was published yearly by Sopris West, a private contractor, and distributed nationally.
A second critical component of the NDN were its State Facilitators. There was at least one State Facilitator (SF) grantee in each of the 50 states, plus designated agencies in the District of Columbia and U.S. Territories. The role of the SFs was to act as liaisons between schools in their state that had need for assistance and the NDN-approved Developer Demonstrators. Matches were called "program adoptions."
The principal Congressional sponsors of the NDN were Rep. Dale Kildee (D-MI) and Sen. Claiborne Pell
Claiborne Pell
Claiborne de Borda Pell was a United States Senator from Rhode Island, serving six terms from 1961 to 1997, and was best known as the sponsor of the Pell Grant, which provides financial aid funding to U.S. college students. A Democrat, he was that state's longest serving senator.-Early years:Pell...
(D-RI), both of whom sponsored legislation to maintain and extend the work of the program throughout the nation. When the National Diffusion Network's funding was threatened by David Stockman
David Stockman
David Alan Stockman is a former U.S. politician and businessman, serving as a Republican U.S. Representative from the state of Michigan and as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget ....
, OMB director in 1981, during the first year of the Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
administration, personnel staffing National Diffusion Network projects formed a professional advocacy group, the National Dissemination Association. The association was led by Max McConkey,, artist , later the chief policy officer at WestEd
WestEd
WestEd is a San Francisco-based nonpartisan, nonprofit, mission-focused organization. The organization's mission states: "WestEd, a research, development, and services agency, works with education and other communities to promote excellence, achieve equity, and improve learning for children, youth,...
and board president of Knowledge Alliance. NDA appealed to both Education Secretary Terrel Bell
Terrel Bell
Terrel Howard Bell was the Secretary of Education in the Cabinet of President Ronald Reagan.-Early life and career:...
and to Congressman Kildee and Senator Pell. The three collaborated in a successful effort to save the Network.
While the National Diffusion Network officially ended in 1995, many of its innovative programs continue to be disseminated to schools throughout the nation, contributing to the resources used for the implementation of the ESEA reauthorization of 2001—the No Child Left Behind Act
No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is a United States Act of Congress concerning the education of children in public schools.NCLB was originally proposed by the administration of George W. Bush immediately after he took office...
.