Digital Education Act of 1999

(Sec. 2) Renames and revises ESEA title III part C as Ready-to-Learn Digital Television (currently Ready-to-Learn Television). Directs the Secretary of Education to award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to eligible public telecommunications entities to: (1) develop educational programming, and related support materials and services, for preschool and elementary school children; (2) develop programming and digital content designed for nationwide distribution over public television stations' digital broadcasting channels and the Internet, containing Ready-to-Learn-based children's programming and resources for parents and caregivers; and (3) disseminate and distribute such programs to the widest possible appropriate audience by the most appropriate distribution technologies. Authorizes appropriations.

(Sec. 3) Establishes the New Century Program for Distributed Teacher Professional Development as ESEA title III part D. (Replaces current part D provisions for a Technology Demonstration Project for Mathematics Project.) Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to a nonprofit telecommunications entity, or partnership of such entities for a national telecommunications-based program to improve teaching in core curriculum areas. Requires such program to be designed to assist elementary school and secondary school teachers in preparing all students for achieving State content standards. Authorizes appropriations.

(Sec. 4) Establishes a Digital Education Content Collaborative as a new part F of ESEA title III. Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive matching grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, eligible local public television communications entities to develop, produce, and distribute educational and instructional video programming designed for use by kindergarten through grade 12 schools and based on State standards. Requires such eligible entities to enter into multiyear content development collaborative arrangements with State educational agencies, local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, businesses, or other agencies and organizations. Authorizes appropriations.