The Goals 2000: Educate America Act is designed to improve learning and teaching by providing a national framework for education reform. Its goals also are to promote the research, coordination, and changes needed to ensure equitable educational opportunities for all students. The reauthorization of federal education programs and the establishment of a voluntary national system of skill standards and certifications are additional goals of the act. Title I establishes National Education Goals in seven areas: school readiness, school completion, student achievement and citizenship, teacher education and professional development, mathematics and science, adult literacy and lifelong learning, and safe, disciplined, and drug-free schools. Title II establishes a mechanism for building a national consensus for educational improvement, reporting on goals achievement, and monitoring voluntary national content and student-performance standards. The purpose of Title III is to improve the quality of education and opportunity for all students through federal encouragement of state and local programs. Title IV establishes oversight to a national system of standards and certification. Title V covers miscellaneous aspects of the act (definitions and limitations). Title VI establishes a grant program to provide training and information to parents. Also included are background, bill history, and Congressional dissenting opinions. (JPT)