Library / Laws / 113th / s / S. 940 / Introduced in Senate
II
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 940
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 14, 2013
Mr. Udall of New Mexico
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor,
and Pensions
A BILL
To provide grants to States to improve high schools and
raise graduation rates while ensuring rigorous standards, to develop and
implement effective school models for struggling students and dropouts, and to
improve State policies to raise graduation rates, and for other
purposes.
1.
Short title; table of
contents
(a)
Short
title
This Act may be cited
as the Graduation Promise Act of
2013.
(b)
Table of
Contents
The table of
contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
TITLE I—High school improvement and dropout reduction
fund
Sec. 101. Purposes.
Sec. 102. Definitions.
Sec. 103. Grants authorized.
Sec. 104. Secretarial peer review and approval.
Sec. 105. State plan to develop differentiated high school
improvement system.
Sec. 106. Use of grant funds.
Sec. 107. Statewide differentiated high school improvement
system.
Sec. 108. Subgrants to local educational agencies.
Sec. 109. Local educational agency implementation of school
improvement system.
Sec. 110. School improvement activities.
Sec. 111. Evaluation and reporting.
Sec. 112. Authorization of appropriations.
TITLE II—Development of effective school models
Sec. 201. Purposes.
Sec. 202. Definitions.
Sec. 203. Grants authorized.
Sec. 204. Application.
Sec. 205. Secretarial peer review and approval.
Sec. 206. Use of funds.
Sec. 207. Evaluation and reporting.
Sec. 208. Authorization of appropriations.
2.
Definitions
In this Act:
(1)
In
general
The terms distance learning,
educational service agency, highly qualified,
local educational agency, outlying area,
secondary school, and State educational agency have
the meanings given the terms in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(2)
Graduation
rate
The term graduation rate has the meaning given
the term in section 1111(b)(2)(C)(vi) of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)(C)(vi)), as clarified in section 200.19(b)(1)
of title 34, Code of Federal Regulations.
(3)
High
school
The term high school means a secondary school
in which the—
(A) entering grade of
the school is not lower than grade 7; and
(B) highest grade of
the school is—
(i) grade 12;
or
(ii) in
the case of a secondary school approved by a State to issue a regular diploma
concurrently with a postsecondary degree or with not more than 2 years' worth
of postsecondary academic credit, grade 13.
(4)
Industry-recognized
credential
The term industry-recognized credential
means a credential—
(A) that is sought or
accepted by employers within the industry or sector involved as a recognized,
preferred, or required credential for recruitment, screening, hiring,
retention, or advancement purposes;
(B) that, where
appropriate, is endorsed by a nationally recognized trade association or
organization representing a significant part of the industry or sector;
and
(C) earned from a
program determined by the State grantee to be a program of high quality.
(5)
Institution of
higher education
The term institution of higher
education has the meaning given the term in section 101(a) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
(6)
Secretary
The
term Secretary means the Secretary of Education.
(7)
State
The
term State means each of the several States of the United States,
the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
I
High
school improvement and dropout reduction fund
101.
Purposes
The purposes of this title are to—
(1) improve high
school student academic achievement and graduation rates and prepare all
students for postsecondary education and the workforce;
(2) help States and
local educational agencies develop high school improvement systems to deliver
support and technical assistance to high schools identified for whole school
reform or replacement, as described in clause (ii) and (iii) of section
105(b)(2)(B);
(3) ensure students
graduate from high school with the education and skills necessary to compete in
a global economy; and
(4) help build the
capacity to develop and implement research-based, sustainable, and replicable
high school improvement models and interventions that are for high schools in
whole school reform and replacement and that engage the whole community.
102.
Definitions
In this title:
(1)
Annual
measurable growth
The term annual measurable growth
means a rate of annual growth determined by a State educational agency that is
approved by the Secretary.
(2)
External
partner
The term external partner means an
entity—
(A) that is an
organization such as a nonprofit organization, community-based organization,
local education fund, service organization, educational service agency, or
institution of higher education; and
(B) that has
demonstrated expertise and effectiveness in providing targeted support such as
data analysis, professional development, or provision of nonacademic support
and integrated student services to local educational agencies, schools, or
students that leads to improved teaching, learning, and outcomes for students,
including for those students who are failing to make sufficient progress to
graduate in the standard amount of years or who have dropped out of high
school.
(3)
Low-income local
educational agency
The term low-income local educational
agency means a local educational agency—
(A) that serves not
fewer than 10,000 children from families with incomes below the poverty line;
or
(B) for which not
less than 20 percent of the children served by the agency are from families
with incomes below the poverty line.
(4)
Middle
grades
The term middle grades means any of grades 5
through 8.
(5)
Poverty
line
The term poverty
line means the poverty line described in section 673 of the Community
Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9902), applicable to a family of the size
involved.
(6)
Secondary school
reform partner
The term secondary school reform
partner means an organization, such as a school reform organization,
community-based organization, local education fund, educational service agency,
or institution of higher education, with expertise in analyzing school
performance data and a track record of success in improving student achievement
and graduation rates in low-performing high schools.
103.
Grants
authorized
(a)
In
general
The Secretary is
authorized to make grants, through allotments under subsection (b), to State
educational agencies with approved State plans that will—
(1) improve student achievement and graduation
rates;
(2) effectively target resources and technical
assistance to high schools in whole school reform or replacement, as described
in clause (ii) or (iii) of section 105(b)(2)(B); and
(3) ensure
coordination with other Federal programs, where applicable, including programs
authorized under 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. 1401
et seq.), and the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006
(20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.).
(b)
Determination of
allotments
(1)
Reservation of
funds
From the total amount appropriated under section 112, the
Secretary shall reserve not more than—
(A) the lesser of 3
percent or $50,000,000, to—
(i) provide technical
assistance and ongoing regional training programs that are equitably
distributed—
(I) among the
different geographic regions of the United States; and
(II) among State and
local educational agencies serving urban and rural areas;
(ii) evaluate
activities authorized under this title in order to determine the most effective
strategies for improving student achievement and outcomes for students
attending high schools identified for targeted intervention, whole school
reform, or replacement under section 105(b)(2); and
(iii) disseminate the
findings of such evaluations;
(B) the lesser of 4
percent or $75,000,000, to build the capacity of secondary school reform
partners and external partners to provide services under this Act that benefit
high schools and support the development or enhancement of research-based whole
secondary school reform or new secondary school models, of which not less than
35 percent of such reserved funds shall be awarded, on a competitive basis, to
secondary school reform partners or external partners that will provide
services under this Act that benefit high schools designated with a school
locale code of Fringe Rural (41), Distant Rural (42), or Remote Rural (43), as
determined by the Secretary;
(C) 2 percent to the
Secretary of the Interior, to enable the Secretary to carry out the purposes of
this Act for schools operated or funded by the Bureau of Indian Education of
the Department of the Interior; and
(D) one-half of 1
percent to award assistance under this title to the outlying areas according to
their respective needs for assistance under this title.
(2)
State
allotment
From the total amount appropriated under section 112
for a fiscal year and not reserved under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall
make allotments as follows:
(A)
Low-income local
educational agencies
From such amount, the Secretary shall allot
to each State an amount that bears the same ratio to 50 percent of the sums
being allotted as the percentage of students enrolled in schools served by
low-income local educational agencies in the State bears to the total of such
percentages for all the States.
(B)
Lowest
graduation rate calculation
From such amount, the Secretary shall
allot to each State for which the graduation rate is within the lowest
one-third of the graduation rates for all States, an amount that bears the same
ratio to 25 percent of the sums being allotted as the number of students
enrolled in high schools in the State bears to the total of such students in
all of such States with the lowest one-third graduation rates.
(C)
Middle
graduation rate calculation
From such amount, the Secretary shall
allot to each State for which the graduation rate is within the middle
one-third of the graduation rates for all States, an amount that bears the same
ratio to 15 percent of the sums being allotted as the number of students
enrolled in high schools in the State bears to the total of such students in
all of such States within the middle one-third graduation rates.
(D)
Highest
graduation rate calculation
From such amount, the Secretary shall
allot to each State for which the graduation rate is within the highest
one-third of the graduation rates for all States, an amount that bears the same
ratio to 10 percent of the sums being allotted as the number of students
enrolled in high schools in the State bears to the total of such students in
all of such States within the highest one-third graduation rates.
(3)
Reallotment
If
any State does not apply for an allotment under this subsection for any fiscal
year, the Secretary shall reallot the amount of the allotment to the remaining
States in accordance with this subsection.
(4)
Using first-year
data
In calculating allotments under this subsection for the
second and each subsequent year of the grant period, the Secretary shall use
the data relating to low-income local educational agencies and graduation rates
used for the first year of the grant period.
(5)
Hold
harmless
Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection
but subject to paragraph (6), no State shall receive an allotment under this
section for a fiscal year in an amount that is less than the amount the State
received under this section for the first fiscal year of the grant
period.
(6)
Ratable
reduction
If the amount appropriated in a fiscal year is not
sufficient to pay the minimum allotments to all eligible institutions under
paragraph (5), the amount of the minimum allotment to each such eligible
institution shall be ratably reduced.
(c)
Supplement, not
supplant
A State educational agency that receives a grant under
this title shall use the grant funds to supplement, and not supplant, Federal
and non-Federal funds available to high schools.
(d)
Matching
funds
(1)
In
general
A State educational agency that receives a grant under
this section shall provide matching funds, from non-Federal sources, in an
amount equal to 25 percent of the amount of grant funds provided to the State
to carry out the activities supported by the grant. Such matching funds may be
provided in cash or in-kind, except that—
(A) not more than 10
percent of the amount of grant funds may be provided through in-kind
contributions; and
(B) any in-kind
contributions shall be directed toward supporting the State educational
agency's technical assistance efforts or the operation of the State’s
differentiated high school improvement system under section 105.
(2)
Waiver
The
Secretary may waive the requirements under paragraph (1).
104.
Secretarial
peer review and approval
(a)
In
general
The Secretary shall—
(1) establish a
peer-review process to assist in the review and approval of State plans;
(2) appoint
individuals to the peer-review process who are educators and experts in
educational standards, assessments, accountability, high school improvement,
dropout prevention, academic needs of English language learners, and other
educational needs of high school students;
(3) approve a State
plan submitted under this title not later than 120 days after the date of the
submission of the plan unless the Secretary determines that the plan does not
meet the requirements of this title;
(4) if the Secretary
determines that the State plan does not meet the requirements of this title,
immediately notify the State of such determination and the reasons for such
determination;
(5) if the Secretary
determines that the State does not have the capacity to carry out the school
improvement activities described in sections 105(b)(2) and 107, offer technical
assistance to carry out such activities for States directly or through
contracts with secondary school reform partners;
(6) not deny a State's
plan before—
(A) offering the State
an opportunity to revise the State's plan;
(B) providing the
State with technical assistance in order to submit a successful plan;
and
(C) providing the
State an opportunity for a hearing or accepting input from the State;
and
(7) have the authority
to deny a State plan for not meeting the requirements of this title.
(b)
Accuracy
In
approving a State plan, the Secretary shall ensure that—
(1) the process the
State educational agency proposes for differentiating school improvement
actions under sections 105(b)(2) and 107, which process will assign high
schools to each of the school improvement categories described in section
105(b)(2) in such a way that accurately identifies the high school and leads to
the implementation of the interventions necessary to meet the needs of the
students attending the high school; and
(2) the annual growth
targets proposed by the State educational agency under section 105(b)(3)(D) are
meaningful and achievable, and demonstrate continuous and substantial
progress.
105.
State plan to
develop differentiated high school improvement system
(a)
In
general
For a State to be
eligible to receive a grant under this title, the State educational agency
shall submit a plan to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.
(b)
Contents
Each
plan submitted under this section shall include the following:
(1)
School
improvement process
The State educational agency shall describe
how the State educational agency will use funds authorized under this title to
establish or expand a statewide differentiated high school improvement system
described in section 107.
(2)
Statewide
differentiated high school improvement
(A)
Process of
differentiation
The State educational agency shall describe a
data-driven process for categorizing high schools into the categories described
in subparagraph (B) using—
(i) the indicators
used to determine annual measurable growth; and
(ii) data from the
school performance indicators described in paragraph (3).
(B)
Differentiated
high school improvement categories
The State educational agency
shall describe how local educational agencies will use the process established
under subparagraph (A) to categorize the high schools in the State that do not
make annual measurable growth for 2 consecutive years into one of the following
school improvement categories:
(i)
Schools needing
targeted interventions
High schools whose performance on the
school performance indicators described in paragraph (3) demonstrate a need for
targeted interventions described in section 110(b) to improve student outcomes
and make annual measurable growth.
(ii)
Schools needing
whole school reforms
High schools whose performance on the school
performance indicators demonstrate a need for comprehensive schoolwide reform
described in section 110(c) to improve student outcomes and make annual
measurable growth.
(iii)
Schools
needing replacement
High schools whose school performance
indicators demonstrate a need for replacement, as described in section
110(d).
(C)
Special
rule
A State educational agency may propose in the plan under
this section additional levels of differentiation within a particular school
improvement category described in subparagraph (B) to further target and
prioritize school needs and to align differentiation with the State's existing
State accountability systems.
(D)
Demonstration
of development
The State shall demonstrate how the State plan was
developed in consultation with a representative group of local educational
agencies.
(E)
Continuous
improvement
The State educational agency shall describe how the
State educational agency will evaluate annually the progress of high schools to
ensure that each high school is making continuous and substantial improvement
in accordance with the annual growth targets described in paragraph (3)(D) and
consistent with the requirements described in section 110.
(F)
Automatic
designation
The process of categorization proposed by the State
educational agency shall ensure that a high school shall be automatically
identified as a school in need of whole school reform or as a school in need of
replacement, if the high school has a graduation rate of 50 percent or less in
the most recent year for which data are available.
(3)
School
performance indicators
(A)
In
general
The State educational
agency shall define, in consultation with representatives from urban and rural
local educational agencies in the State, a comprehensive set of school
performance indicators that—
(i) shall be used, in addition to the
indicators used to determine annual measurable growth, to—
(I) analyze the performance of high schools in
the State;
(II) determine the amount, intensity, and type
of support each high school needs; and
(III) guide the school improvement
process;
(ii) demonstrate
whether a high school is making substantial and continuous progress toward the
goal of graduating all of the school's students prepared for success in higher
education and careers; and
(iii)
(I) directly measure
student achievement and advancement in high school; or
(II) have been demonstrated by research to
have a direct impact on high school student achievement and advancement.
(B)
Categories
(i)
In
general
The comprehensive set
of school performance indicators required by subparagraph (A) shall include
indicators of—
(I) high school student engagement and
effort;
(II) student advancement;
(III) educator effectiveness; and
(IV) academic
learning.
(ii)
Indicators of
high school student engagement and effort
With respect to high
school student engagement and effort, the indicators—
(I) shall include
student attendance rates; and
(II) may
include—
(aa) the
percentage of student suspensions and expulsions;
(bb) surveys of high
school student engagement and effort; or
(cc) other
indicators of student engagement proposed by the State educational agency and
approved by the Secretary as part of the peer review process described in
section 104(a).
(iii)
Indicators of
student advancement
With respect to student achievement, the
indicators—
(I) shall
include—
(aa) (AA) student-earned on-time
promotion rates from grade to grade for all grades in the high school;
or
(BB) the percentage of students who have
on-time credit accumulation at the end of each grade; and
(bb) the
percentage of students—
(AA) failing a core,
credit-bearing, English language arts, mathematics, or science course;
or
(BB) failing 2 or
more courses of any type; and
(II) may
include—
(aa) measures of
enrollment, retention, persistence, and degree attainment in two-year and
four-year institutions of higher education;
(bb) measures of the
employment success of students who graduated from the high school; or
(cc) other
indicators of student advancement proposed by the State educational agency and
approved by the Secretary as part of the peer review process described in
section 104(a).
(iv)
Indicators of
educator effectiveness
With respect to educator effectiveness,
the indicators—
(I) shall
include—
(aa) measures of
teacher attendance, vacancies, and turnover; and
(bb) the
percentage of highly qualified teachers by grade level; and
(II) may
include—
(aa) student
performance and growth, observations, and portfolio review; and
(bb) other indicators
of educator effectiveness proposed by the State educational agency and approved
by the Secretary as part of the peer review process described in section
104(a).
(v)
Indicators of
academic learning
With respect to academic learning, the
indicators—
(I) shall
include—
(aa) the
percentage of students taking a college-preparatory curriculum, which may
include the percentage of students taking Advanced Placement courses,
International Baccalaureate courses, or postsecondary courses for dual
credit;
(bb) the
percentage of students reaching proficiency on the State academic assessments
in reading and mathematics required under section 1111 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311), disaggregated by the
categories of students identified in section 1111(b)(2)(C)(v) of such Act (20
U.S.C. 1111(b)(2)(C)(v));
(cc) student success
on State or local educational agency end-of-course examinations or
performance-based assessments with standardized scoring rubrics aligned to
State standards, where such assessments are available; and
(dd) the percentage
of students who earn a postsecondary credential while enrolled in secondary
school (including an industry-recognized credential); and
(II) may also
include—
(aa) student
achievement on college entrance and placement examinations such as the ACT or
SAT, or Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate examinations;
or
(bb) other
indicators of academic learning proposed by the State educational agency and
approved by the Secretary as part of the peer-review process described in
section 104(a).
(C)
Demonstration of
capacity to collect and report indicators
The State educational
agency shall demonstrate its capacity to collect, report, and use the
indicators defined and used to meet the requirements of subparagraph (A),
including through the use of a statewide longitudinal data system.
(D)
Annual growth
targets
The State educational agency shall set State annual
growth targets that—
(i) include a goal
and a minimum percentage of expected annual growth for each school performance
indicator; and
(ii) demonstrate
continuous and substantial progress toward the State-defined goal and making
annual measurable growth.
(4)
Demonstration of
capacity to support system
The State educational agency shall
demonstrate capacity to support the statewide differentiated high school
improvement system, which shall include, at a minimum, the following:
(A)
System
alignment
(i)
Alignment with
accountability system
The State shall demonstrate an alignment of
the State accountability system described in section 1111(b)(2) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)) with
other accountability systems approved by the Secretary under such section
1111.
(ii)
Additional
requirements
The State educational agency shall demonstrate, if
the State's statewide differentiated high school improvement system includes
additional requirements not required under section 107, how such additional
requirements will lead to improved student achievement and graduation rates and
system alignment.
(iii)
Strengthening
and aligning policies
The State educational agency shall
demonstrate how the State educational agency will strengthen and align policies
affecting—
(I) interventions in
schools in whole school reform or replacement under clause (ii) or (iii) of
paragraph (2)(B);
(II) new school
development; and
(III) implementation
of effective school improvement activities that address the education needs of
high school students who are off-track or who have dropped out.
(B)
Data
systems
The State educational agency shall demonstrate the State
educational agency's use and support of a statewide longitudinal data system,
including demonstrating—
(i) that
such system exists, or is being developed, and includes the elements described
in section 6401(e)(2)(D) of the America COMPETES Act (20 U.S.C.
9871(e)(2)(D));
(ii) a
commitment to the maintenance and growth of such system;
(iii) State policies
that ensure the protection of personally identifiable information in such
system and authorize such system to collect, share, and link data from multiple
systems for the purposes of evaluations and continuous improvement;
(iv) governance
structures to guide the collection, sharing and use of the data in such system;
and
(v) that
such system includes linkages between kindergarten through grade 12 data
systems with early learning, postsecondary education, workforce, social
services and other critical State agency data systems in order to achieve
interoperability with systems in other States.
(C)
Capacity and
technical assistance
The State educational agency shall
demonstrate how it will support the statewide differentiated high school
improvement system, including—
(i) a
description of the statewide system of support, including regional support
services and how schools identified under this Act and the local educational
agencies that serve such schools can utilize such supports to improve teaching,
learning, and student outcomes;
(ii) a
description of how the State educational agency will review, support, monitor,
and provide technical support for local educational agency plans in accordance
with paragraph (5);
(iii) a
description of the State educational agency staffing structure that is designed
to—
(I) carry out the
activities described in clause (ii);
(II) assist local
educational agency school improvement teams described in section 109(b)(2),
including supporting local educational agencies and school officials in
developing and implementing school improvement plans, including through the
provision of resources, training and technical assistance; and
(III) coordinate
services across other State agencies to streamline and improve support provided
to schools identified as needing targeted intervention, whole school reform, or
replacement under paragraph (2)(B);
(iv) a
description of how the State educational agency will develop and identify
school improvement planning tools for use by the local educational agencies and
schools, such as needs assessments; and
(v) a
description of how the State educational agency will ensure local educational
agencies with high numbers of schools in whole school reform and replacement
and such schools will be prioritized and targeted with support.
(D)
Increasing local
capacity for improvement
The State educational agency shall
demonstrate how the State educational agency will align its resources and
policies to increase State and local capacity to ensure comprehensive support
for schools identified as needing targeted intervention, whole school reform,
or replacement under paragraph (2)(B), including how the State educational
agency will—
(i) target resources,
including resources from additional funding sources, to improve teacher and
school leader quality or effectiveness in such schools including using data for
decisionmaking;
(ii) leverage
resources from other funding sources, such as school improvement funds,
technology and data funds, and professional development funds;
(iii) provide local
educational agencies with support in finding and utilizing secondary school
reform partners and other external partners;
(iv) increase access
to State and regional technical assistance services;
(v) ensure an
equitable distribution of teachers and school leaders with a demonstrated
record of improving student achievement and graduation rates among the schools
in the State that are identified for targeted intervention, whole school
reform, or replacement under paragraph (2)(B), particularly those schools in
whole school reform or replacement, as compared to schools not identified under
paragraph (2)(B);
(vi) ensure that local
educational agencies in the State have adequate resources to serve
schools;
(vii) support the
development of effective school leaders for high schools identified for
targeted intervention, whole school reform, or replacement under paragraph
(2)(B);
(viii) assist local
educational agencies in developing early warning indicator systems described in
section 109(b)(6)(A); and
(ix) assist local
educational agencies in developing education options as described in section
109(b)(6)(B).
(5)
State review of
local educational agency plans
(A)
Review local
educational agency plans
The State educational agency shall
describe how the State educational agency will collect and review high school
improvement plans described in section 109(b)(4), including a description
of—
(i) how
the State educational agency will measure and ensure local educational agencies
have the capacity to carry out such high school improvement plans;
(ii) how
a local educational agency may propose additional levels of differentiation
within a particular school improvement category described in paragraph (2)(B)
that are aligned with the State accountability system under section 1111(b)(2)
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
6311(b)(2));
(iii) how the State
educational agency will allow consortia of local educational agencies,
particularly those in rural areas, to collaborate to develop and implement
school improvement plans;
(iv) how
the State educational agency will review plans with the assistance and advice
of a peer review panel that includes educators and individuals who are experts
in—
(I) educational
standards, assessments, and accountability;
(II) high school
improvement;
(III) dropout
prevention, intervention, and recovery;
(IV) parental
involvement; and
(V) other educational
needs of high school students;
(v) how
the State, in consultation with the peer review panel, shall ensure the local
educational agency has identified the school improvement category described in
section 105(b)(2) for each high school served by the local educational agency
that did not make annual measurable growth for 2 consecutive years in such a
way that accurately identifies the high school and leads to the implementation
of the interventions necessary to meet student needs;
(vi) how
the State will provide local educational agencies the opportunity to revise
high school improvement plans, including, if the State educational agency, in
consultation with the peer review panel described in clause (iv), determines
that the local educational agency’s plan does not meet the requirements of this
title—
(I) immediately
notifying the local educational agency of such determination and the reasons
for such determination; and
(II) offering the
local educational agency an opportunity to revise the plan, and technical
assistance for revising the plan; and
(vii) how the State
will make the school improvement plans available to the public.
(B)
Allocation of
subgrants
The State educational agency shall describe how it will
award subgrants to local educational agencies consistent with section
108.
(C)
Monitoring of
school improvement plans
The State educational agency shall
describe how the State educational agency will review and monitor the
implementation of high school improvement plans, including how the State will
analyze the implementation of the high school improvement plans of high schools
that do not meet the annual growth targets set in accordance with paragraph
(3)(D) and defined in the school improvement plan described in section
109(b)(4).
(D)
Providing
technical assistance
The
State educational agency shall describe how it will provide technical
assistance to local educational agencies and high schools that need support to
develop and to implement high school improvement plans described in section
109(b)(4) and improve graduation rates and student achievement, including
through the use of secondary school reform partners, where appropriate.
(6)
Evaluation of
success
The State educational
agency shall describe how, every 5 years, the State educational agency will
evaluate how the activities assisted under this title have been successful in
improving student achievement and outcomes of the cohort of students whose year
of entry into high school was 4 years before the evaluation, including
measurement of the State educational agency’s effectiveness in carrying out the
activities described in the application under this subsection.
106.
Use of grant
funds
A State educational
agency that receives a grant under this title—
(1) shall reserve not
more than 10 percent of the grant funds—
(A) to carry out the
activities described in the State plan under section 105; and
(B) to establish or
expand a statewide differentiated high school improvement system described in
section 107; and
(2) shall use not less
than 90 percent of the grant funds to make subgrants to local educational
agencies in accordance with section 108.
107.
Statewide
differentiated high school improvement system
A statewide differentiated high school
improvement system shall be designed by the State educational agency to—
(1) use data to
identify high schools for targeted intervention, whole school reform, or
replacement, as described in section 105(b)(2)(B), within the State;
(2) differentiate
school improvement actions under section 105(b)(2) based on the amount and type
of supports necessary to improve student achievement and graduation rates in
high schools within the State;
(3) provide resources
to support the evidence-based activities that school improvement teams choose,
based on school performance data, to carry out under section 110;
(4) target resources
and support to those high schools in the State that are identified for whole
school reform or replacement;
(5) ensure that each
high school identified for targeted intervention, whole school reform, or
replacement that is making progress on the State's school performance
indicators described in section 105(b)(3) continues to implement effective
school improvement strategies identified in the high school's school
improvement plan;
(6) ensure that high
schools identified for whole school reform or replacement making progress on
the State's school performance indicators have the resources and supports
necessary to improve high school graduation rates and student
achievement;
(7) build the capacity
of the State educational agency and local educational agencies to assist in
improving student achievement and graduation rates in high schools identified
for whole school reform and replacement; and
(8) ensure that high
schools identified for whole school reform and replacement making progress on
school performance indicators continue to have the resources and support
necessary to further improve high school graduation rates and student
achievement.
108.
Subgrants to
local educational agencies
(a)
Award
basis
(1)
Priority of
whole school reform and replacement
In awarding subgrants under this section, a
State educational agency shall—
(A) before awarding any subgrants to local
educational agencies serving high schools identified for targeted intervention
under section 105(b)(2), award subgrants to, on a competitive basis, local
educational agencies serving high schools identified as needing whole school
reform and replacement; and
(B) ensure that each
subgrant awarded to a local educational agency provides funding adequate to
fulfill the school improvement needs outlined in the local educational agency's
school plan, as approved by the State educational agency.
(2)
Targeted
interventions
If subgrant funds remain after the application of
subsection (a), then the State educational agency shall award remaining
subgrant funds to local educational agencies serving high schools needing
targeted interventions.
(3)
Competitive
basis
A State educational agency that receives a grant under this
title shall award subgrants, in accordance with subsections (a) and (b), to
local educational agencies on the basis of—
(A) the quality of
the school improvement plan to improve student graduation rates and student
achievement in high schools that have not made annual measurable growth for 2
consecutive years;
(B) the capacity of
the local educational agency to implement the plan; and
(C) the need of the local educational agency,
based on student high school graduation rates and the percentage of students
from families with incomes below the poverty line.
(b)
Application
(1)
In
general
To be eligible to receive a subgrant under this title, a
local educational agency shall submit an application to the State educational
agency at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the
State educational agency may reasonably require.
(2)
Contents
Each
application submitted under this subsection shall include—
(A) a description, for
each high school identified pursuant to section 109(b)(1), of how the local
educational agency will carry out activities described in section 110 for the
high school;
(B) a description of
the local educational agency staffing structure that is designed to—
(i) carry out the
activities described in section 109(a);
(ii) assist school
improvement teams, including supporting local educational agency and school
officials in developing and implementing high school improvement plans, by
providing resources, training, and technical assistance, and through other
means; and
(iii) coordinate
services across other governmental agencies and nongovernmental organizations
to streamline and improve support provided to schools identified for a school
improvement category described in section 105(b)(2);
(C) a description of
the policies and procedures the local educational agency shall implement to
ensure the distribution and assignment of high-quality teachers and leaders in
a manner that first fulfills the needs of the schools identified as needing
targeted intervention, whole school reform, or replacement;
(D) an assurance that
the local educational agency will use subgrant funds under this title first to
meet the needs of high schools served by the local educational agency that are
identified for whole school reform or replacement under clause (ii) or (iii) of
section 105(b)(2);
(E) an assurance that
the local educational agency shall provide ongoing support and resources to
high schools identified for whole school reform or replacement, and are making
progress on the State's school performance indicators described in section
105(b)(3), to ensure continued improvement;
(F) a description of
how the local educational agency will increase its capacity to improve high
schools with low student achievement and graduation rates; and
(G) an assurance that
the local educational agency will conduct the capacity and needs assessment
required under subsection (b)(9) and provide the results of the assessment to
the State educational agency.
(3)
Use of
Data
The local educational agency shall describe how data will be
used, consistent with the requirements of this section, to inform the
classification of high schools, and development and implementation of school
improvement plans, including that data described in section
109(b)(1)(A).
(c)
Supplement, not
supplant
A local educational agency that receives a subgrant
under this section shall use the subgrant funds to supplement, and not
supplant, other Federal and non-Federal funds available for high schools served
by the local educational agency.
(d)
Matching
funds
(1)
In
general
A local educational agency receiving a subgrant under
this section shall provide matching funds, from non-Federal sources, in an
amount equal to not less than 15 percent of the total subgrant award for the
local educational agency, which may be provided in cash or in-kind.
(2)
Use of matching
funds
The matching funds shall be used to provide technical
assistance to high schools served by the local educational agency in—
(A) developing the
high schools' high school improvement plans described in section
109(b)(4);
(B) conducting the
capacity and needs assessments described in section 109(b)(9); and
(C) implementing and
monitoring the implementation of the high school improvement plans.
(3)
Waiver
The
Secretary may waive all or part of the matching requirement described in
paragraph (1) for any fiscal year for a local educational agency if the
Secretary determines that applying the matching requirement to such local
educational agency would result in serious hardship or an inability to carry
out the authorized activities described in section 110.
109.
Local
educational agency implementation of school improvement system
(a)
District-Wide
high school improvement
A local educational agency that receives
a subgrant under section 108 shall use subgrant funds to develop, lead, and
implement a district-wide approach to high school improvement that meets the
requirements of subsection (b) and carry out the activities described in
section 110.
(b)
System
requirements
(1)
Differentiate
high schools
The local educational agency shall—
(A) identify the
category of high school improvement, as described in section 105(b)(2), using
data from the school performance indicators as prescribed by the State
educational agency in accordance with section 105(b), for each high school
served by such agency that does not make annual measurable growth for 2
consecutive years; and
(B) publicly identify
such schools by school improvement category.
(2)
School
improvement teams
(A)
In
general
The local educational agency shall convene a school
improvement team for each high school served by such agency that is assigned to
one of the school improvement categories described in section 105(b)(2).
(B)
Members
(i)
Mandatory
members
The school improvement team for a high school shall
include—
(I) the school leader
of the high school;
(II) if applicable,
at least 1 teacher from the high school representing career and technical
education;
(III) at least 2
teachers from the high school representing different grade levels or
disciplines;
(IV) local educational
agency staff;
(V) a school
counselor from the high school; and
(VI) a local
representative of the business community, with preference given to a member of
a school’s business advisory council, if applicable.
(ii)
Additional
members
The school improvement team for a high school shall
include at least one of the following:
(I) A parent of a
student in the high school.
(II) A community
representative, such as a representative of nonprofit organizations serving
young people and the business community.
(III) A pupil service
representative.
(IV) In the case of a
school in whole school reform or replacement, secondary school reform
partners.
(iii)
Optional
members
The school improvement team for a high school may include
State educational agency staff, if requested by the local educational agency or
assigned by the State educational agency.
(C)
Collaboration
The
local educational agency shall ensure collaboration—
(i) of
school improvement teams with personnel of middle grades schools served by the
local educational agency whose students will attend high schools that are
identified for one of the categories described in section 105(b)(2), to the
extent appropriate; and
(ii) among or between
school improvement teams at schools assigned to one of the school improvement
categories and school leadership and other personnel at schools served by the
local educational agency that have made annual measurable growth.
(3)
Use of
data
Consistent with the requirements of this section, the local
educational agency shall use, at minimum, data on the following to inform the
classification of high schools:
(A) School
performance indicators described in section 105(b)(3).
(B) Indicators used
to determine annual measurable growth.
(C) Information about
incoming students in the initial grade of the high school.
(D) Information about
the student population, including data provided through the early warning
indicator system described in paragraph (6)(A).
(E) The schools’
capacity and needs, as described in paragraph (9).
(4)
Develop high
school improvement plans
The school improvement team convened
under paragraph (2) for each school shall use the data described in paragraph
(3), and other relevant data and knowledge regarding the school, to develop a
multiyear school improvement plan. Such plan shall—
(A) identify the
school annual growth targets for the State's school performance indicators
described in section 105(b)(3) that meet or exceed the State's annual growth
targets described in such section;
(B) define the
evidence-based academic and nonacademic interventions and resources necessary
to meet the school annual growth targets and make annual measurable
growth;
(C) identify the roles
of the State educational agency, the local educational agency, the school, and
secondary school reform partners and other external partners, as appropriate,
in providing such interventions and the resources necessary to meet the school
annual growth targets and make annual measurable growth;
(D) provide for the
involvement of business and community organizations and other entities,
including parents and institutions of higher education, in the activities to be
assisted under the subgrant; and
(E) describe and
direct the use of—
(i) any
additional funding to be provided by the State educational agency, the local
educational agency, or other sources to support activities carried out under
this title; and
(ii) in
the case of a high school identified for whole school reform or replacement,
secondary school reform partners and external partners.
(5)
Implement high
school improvement
The local educational agency shall use funds
to—
(A) engage in a
planning period of not longer than 180 days to prepare to implement the school
improvement plan for each high school, including preparation activities such
as—
(i) creating a skilled
leadership team and providing professional development in best practice and
successful school models that educate similar student populations;
(ii) working with
secondary school reform partners to identify roles and responsibilities to
create a comprehensive approach and effort to implementing the school
improvement plan for each school identified for targeted intervention, whole
school improvement, or replacement;
(iii) planning and
providing professional development to high school teachers in instruction, use
of data, and working in the identified schools;
(iv) appropriately
identifying teachers for each grade and course;
(v) establishing and
implementing use of the early warning indicator system described in paragraph
(6)(A); and
(vi) establishing a
school schedule that enables the implementation of the high school improvement
plan; and
(B) ensure the
implementation of the high school improvement plans for the high schools
identified for one of the categories described in section 105(b)(2).
(6)
Implement
district-wide activities
The local educational agency shall
support successful implementation of high school improvement plans and
district-wide improvement through—
(A) establishing an
early warning indicator system to identify students who are at risk of dropping
out of high school and to guide preventive and recuperative school improvement
strategies, including—
(i) identifying and
analyzing the academic risk factors that most reliably predict dropouts, such
as by using longitudinal data of past cohorts of students;
(ii) identifying
specific indicators of student progress and performance, such as attendance,
academic performance in core courses, and credit accumulation, to guide
decisionmaking;
(iii) identifying or
developing a mechanism for regularly collecting and analyzing data about the
impact of interventions on the indicators of student progress and performance;
and
(iv) analyzing
academic indicators to determine whether students are on track to graduate
secondary school in the standard number of years;
(B) providing
academically rigorous education options that lead to a secondary school diploma
consistent with readiness for postsecondary education and the workforce, based
on an analysis of data described in paragraph (3) and other student-level data
and designed to meet the students’ needs and interests, such as—
(i) effective
research-based dropout prevention, credit and dropout recovery, and
recuperative education programs for students who are not making sufficient
progress to graduate high school in the standard number of years or have
dropped out of high school;
(ii) providing
students with post-secondary learning opportunities, such as through access to
a relevant curriculum or course of study that enables a student to earn a
secondary school diploma and—
(I) an associate’s
degree;
(II) an
industry-recognized credential; or
(III) transferable
credit toward a postsecondary degree or credential;
(iii) combining
rigorous academic education with career training, including training that leads
to postsecondary or industry-recognized credentials, for students;
(iv) increasing
access to Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses and
examinations;
(v) developing and
utilizing innovative, high quality distance learning strategies to improve
student academic achievement; or
(vi) increasing
access to work-based learning opportunities;
(C) providing targeted
research-based interventions for middle schools that feed into the high schools
identified by the local educational agency as needing whole school reform or
replacement;
(D) identifying and
implement strategies for pairing academic support with integrated student
services and case-managed interventions for students requiring intensive
supports, which may include partnership with other external partners;
(E) providing
technical assistance to high schools identified for 1 of the categories
described in section 105(b)(2) through—
(i) streamlining and
prioritizing resources to organize support for schools in whole school reform
or replacement, such as through identifying and developing categories or
clusters of schools with similar school improvement needs; and
(ii) assisting schools
in identifying secondary school reform partners and other external partners;
and
(F) supporting the use
of data to improve teaching and learning, including—
(i) improving
longitudinal student data systems;
(ii) regularly
analyzing and communicating data to educators, parents, and students that they
can use; and
(iii) building school
leaders' and teachers' data and assessment literacy.
(7)
Ensure
continuous high school improvement
(A)
In
general
The local educational agency shall ensure the continuous
improvement of high schools by—
(i) evaluating the
progress of each high school in making continuous and substantial progress
based on the high school's annual growth targets identified under paragraph (4)
for the school; and
(ii) determining the
high school's progress and taking appropriate actions, as provided in
subparagraphs (B) and (C).
(B)
On
track
Each high school that is meeting the school's annual growth
targets identified in the high school improvement plan for the high school,
shall continue to implement school improvement activities in accordance with
the high school improvement plan.
(C)
Not on
track
(i)
Annual
review
For each high school that is not meeting the high school's
annual growth targets, the local educational agency shall—
(I) after the first
year that the high school fails to meet the high school's annual growth
targets, review the high school improvement plan and develop and implement a
new plan; and
(II) after the high
school fails to meet the high school's annual growth targets for 2 or more
consecutive years, reclassify the school as a school in need of whole school
reform or replacement, as appropriate based on the State educational agency's
categorization system described in section 105(b)(2).
(ii)
Resubmission of
school plan
For each high school that fails to meet the high
school's annual growth targets for 2 or more consecutive years, the local
educational agency may develop and submit to the State educational agency for
review a new school improvement plan, as the local educational agency
determines appropriate.
(8)
Assurances
The
local educational agency shall ensure that high schools receiving additional
students due to other high schools being replaced under subsection (c) will
have sufficient capacity, resources, and funding to deliver a high quality
education to all students.
(9)
Capacity and
needs assessment
(A)
In
general
Each school improvement team described in subsection
(b)(2) and the local educational agency shall conduct a high school capacity
and needs assessment for the high school served by the team that
includes—
(i) a
description and analysis of the high school’s capacity to implement the school
improvement activities identified in the high school improvement plan,
including an analysis of—
(I) the number,
experience, training level, responsibilities, and stability of existing
administrative, instructional, and noninstructional staff for the high school;
and
(II) a review of the
budget, including how Federal, State, and local funds are being spent, as of
the time of the assessment, for instruction and operations at the school level
for staff salaries, instructional materials, professional development, and
student support services, in order to establish the extent to which existing
resources need to and can be reallocated to support the needed school
improvement activities;
(ii) additional
resources and staff necessary to implement the school improvement activities
identified in the high school improvement plan; and
(iii) an
analysis of the local educational agency's capacity to provide technical
assistance, additional staff, and resources to implement the high school
improvement plan and to improve the high school's performance.
(B)
Assessment
requirements
A local educational agency shall use the information
provided in the capacity and needs assessment for a high school, in
coordination with the high school's school improvement plan and the
understanding of the reform history of high schools, to—
(i) determine the
level and direct the use of—
(I) the funds
requested by the local educational agency for the high school under the
subgrant under this section; and
(II) any additional
funding to be provided by the State educational agency, the local educational
agency, or other sources; and
(ii) to
determine the number and direct the use of secondary school reform partners and
external partners.
(C)
Technical
assistance
A local educational agency may request technical
assistance from the State educational agency in preparing the plan and the
capacity and needs assessment required under this paragraph.
(c)
Authority To
intervene
The State educational agency may intervene to develop
or implement the high school improvement plans, or enter into contracts with
secondary school reform partners to assist local educational agencies with the
development and implementation of high school improvement plans, if the State
educational agency determines that—
(1) a local
educational agency serving a high school in whole school reform or replacement
has not submitted an application described in section 108(b); or
(2) a local
educational agency does not have the capacity to implement the school
improvement activities described in the school improvement plan submitted under
subsection (b)(4).
110.
School
improvement activities
(a)
In
general
The school improvement team described in section
109(b)(2) for each high school identified for a school improvement category
described in section 105(b)(2) shall ensure that the school improvement
activities included in the school improvement plan are implemented.
(b)
Targeted
interventions
A high school
identified for targeted interventions under section 109(b)(1) or the local
educational agency serving such high school, shall implement research-based
targeted interventions, using data from the school performance indicators, the
early warning indicator system, other student indicators, and the capacity and
needs assessment for the high school. The targeted interventions shall be
designed, at a minimum, to address the specific problems identified by the
indicators, including the needs of students who are not making sufficient
progress to graduate in the standard number of years.
(c)
Whole school
reform
The local educational
agency or State educational agency, with technical assistance from secondary
school reform partners, shall enable and assist each school identified as
needing whole school reform pursuant to section 109(b)(1) to implement whole
school reform based on scientifically valid research using the data described
in section 109(b)(3). Such reform—
(1) shall address the
comprehensive aspects of high school reform, including—
(A) schoolwide
needs;
(B) students who need
targeted assistance; and
(C) students who need
intensive interventions, including those who are not making sufficient progress
to graduate on time;
(2) shall address
schoolwide factors to improve student achievement, including—
(A) setting high
expectations and infusing relevance into learning for all students;
(B) personalizing the
high school experience; and
(C) improving school
climate, including student attendance and behavior;
(3) shall include
activities that—
(A) ensure continuous
improvement by—
(i) ensuring the
school improvement plan is supported to the extent practicable by all school
staff;
(ii) establishing
clear—
(I) goals and growth
targets for implementation outcomes; and
(II) school annual
growth targets; and
(iii) regularly
evaluating implementation of and fidelity to the high school improvement plan,
such as dedicating a staff member to support implementation of the school
improvement plan;
(B) organize the
school to improve teaching and learning, including through—
(i) strategic use of
time, such as—
(I) establishing
common planning time for subject area teachers and interdisciplinary teams who
share common groups of students;
(II) utilizing block
scheduling or redesigning the school calendar year or day to create extended
learning time in core subjects; or
(III) creating a
flexible school period to address specific student academic needs and interests
such as credit recovery, electives, or service learning;
(ii) alignment of
resources to improvement goals, such as through ensuring that students in their
initial year in the high school are taught by teachers prepared to meet their
specific learning needs; and
(iii) development of
effective leadership structures, supports, and clear decisionmaking processes,
such as through developing distributive leadership and leadership teams;
(C) improve curriculum
and instruction, including through—
(i) increasing access
to rigorous and advanced coursework, including adoption and implementation of a
college- and work-ready curriculum, and evidence-based, engaging instructional
materials aligned with such a curriculum, for all students;
(ii) increasing access
to contextualized learning opportunities aligned with readiness for
postsecondary education and the workforce, such as—
(I) providing
work-based, project-based, and service-learning opportunities;
(II) providing a high
quality, college preparatory curriculum in the context of a rigorous career and
technical education core; or
(III) implementing
career academies or programs of study in high-demand fields leading to
industry-recognized credentials or postsecondary credit;
(iii) regularly
collecting and using data to inform instruction, such as—
(I) through use of
formative assessments;
(II) creating and
using common grading rubrics; or
(III) identifying
effective instructional approaches to meet student needs; and
(iv) emphasizing core
skills instruction, such as literacy, across content areas;
(D) provide students
with academic and social support to address individual student learning needs,
including through—
(i) increasing
personalization through learning structures that facilitate the development of
student and staff relationships such as—
(I) implementing grade
9 academies, career academies, or programs of study;
(II) establishing
teams of teachers who work exclusively with small groups of students; or
(III) creating advisor
positions to provide students with study, organizational, and social
skills;
(ii) offering
extended-learning, credit recovery, mentoring, or tutoring options of
sufficient scale to meet student needs;
(iii) providing
evidence-based accelerated learning for students with academic skill levels
below grade level;
(iv) coordinating and
increasing access to integrated services, such as providing additional
counselors, social workers, and behavior and mental health providers to deliver
such services;
(v) providing
graduation and postsecondary planning and transition supports, including
college awareness and planning; and
(vi) providing
up-to-date, regionally relevant workforce information;
(E) increase teacher
and school leader effectiveness, including through—
(i) professional
development activities that respond to student and schoolwide needs as
identified through the data described in section 109(b)(3), such as—
(I) training teachers,
leaders, and administrators together with staff from high schools making annual
measurable growth that serve similar populations and in such schools;
and
(II) establishing peer
learning and coaching among teachers; and
(ii) facilitating
collaboration, including through professional communities across subject area
and interdisciplinary groups and similar high schools; and
(F) engage families
and community partners, including community-based organizations, organizations
assisting parent involvement, institutions of higher education, and industry,
in school improvement activities through evidence-based strategies; and
(4) may
include—
(A) providing enabling
policies, such as additional flexibility regarding staffing and compensation,
budgeting, student credit attainment, or use of school time, that support the
implementation of effective school improvement activities and educational
options, including flexibility provided under section 1114(a)(3) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6314(a)(3));
(B) implementing
multiple school options or effective school models that address the needs of
students who are not making sufficient progress to graduate in the standard
number of years or have dropped out of high school, as informed by analysis of
school performance indicator data described in section 105(b)(3) and early
warning indicator system data described in section 109(b)(6)(A); and
(C) other activities
designed to address whole school needs, such as implementing a comprehensive
reform model for the high school.
(d)
Replacement
The
local educational agency, in consultation with the State educational agency,
secondary school reform partners, and external partners, shall replace each
high school that, using data under section 109(b)(3), is identified for
replacement pursuant to section 109(b)(1). The local educational agency shall
ensure successful implementation of the replacement strategy through—
(1) closing and
reopening the schools or implementing multiple school options or effective
school models that address the needs of students in the replaced schools,
including students who are not making sufficient progress to graduate in the
standard number of years or have dropped out of high school;
(2) providing enabling
policies, such as additional flexibility regarding staffing and compensation,
budgeting, or use of school time; and
(3) implementing
activities described in subsection (c).
111.
Evaluation and
reporting
(a)
Local
educational agency reporting
On an annual basis, each local
educational agency receiving a subgrant under section 108 shall report to the
State educational agency and to the public on—
(1) the identified
category of school improvement for each high school in the school that failed
to make annual measurable growth for the most recent 2 consecutive
years;
(2) the school
performance indicators (as described in section 105(b)(3)) for each such high
school, in the aggregate and disaggregated by the subgroups described in
section 1111(b)(2)(C)(v)(II) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)(C)(v)(II));
(3) each such high
school's progress in meeting the high school's annual growth targets under
section 109(b)(4)(A); and
(4) the use of
subgrant funds in carrying out the purposes of this title by the local
educational agency and each such school.
(b)
State
educational agency reporting
On an annual basis, each State
educational agency receiving a grant under this title shall prepare and submit
to the Secretary, and make available to the public, a report on—
(1) the school
performance indicators (as described in section 105(b)(3)) for each high school
served by the State educational agency that receives assistance under this
title, in the aggregate and disaggregated by the subgroups described in section
1111(b)(2)(C)(v)(II) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)(C)(v)(II));
(2) progress in
meeting the annual growth targets under section 109(b)(4)(A) for each such high
school;
(3) the high schools
in the State that have changed school improvement categories pursuant to
section 109(b)(7);
(4) the use of funds
in carrying out the purposes of this title by each local educational agency and
each school served with such funds;
(5) the State
definition of a new school, for purposes of whole school reform or
replacement;
(6) the number of
schools closed for each local educational agency in the State;
(7) the number of new
schools for each local educational agency in the State; and
(8) the new schools
in the State that have made annual measurable growth.
(c)
Report to
congress
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of
this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to
Congress and make available to the public—
(1) a
summary of the State reports under subsection (b); and
(2) a
report on the use of funds by each State under this title.
112.
Authorization
of appropriations
There is
authorized to be appropriated to carry out the activities authorized under this
title, $2,440,000,000 for fiscal year 2014 and each of the 4 succeeding fiscal
years.
II
Development of
effective school models
201.
Purposes
The purposes of this title are—
(1) to facilitate the
development and implementation of effective secondary school models for
struggling students and dropouts in order to raise secondary school graduation
rates and more effectively prepare students for postsecondary education and the
workforce; and
(2) to build the
capacity of State educational agencies, local educational agencies, nonprofit
organizations, and institutions of higher education to implement effective
secondary school models for struggling students and dropouts.
202.
Definitions
In this title:
(1)
Dropout
The
term dropout means an individual who—
(A) is not older than
21;
(B) is not attending
any school; and
(C) has not received a
secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent.
(2)
Effective school
model
The term
effective school model means—
(A) an existing
secondary school model with demonstrated effectiveness in improving student
academic achievement and outcomes for off-track students or dropouts; or
(B) a proposed new
secondary school model design that is based on research-based organizational
and instructional practices for improving student academic achievement and
outcomes for struggling students or dropouts.
(3)
Eligible
entity
The term eligible entity means—
(A) a local
educational agency, nonprofit organization, or institution of higher
education—
(i) that
proposes to enhance or expand an existing effective school model for off-track
students or dropouts; or
(ii) that has a track
record of serving struggling students or dropouts and proposes to develop a new
effective school model for off-track students or dropouts; or
(B) a partnership
involving 2 or more entities described in subparagraph (A).
(4)
Late entrant
English language learner
The term late entrant English
language learner means a high school student who—
(A) enters a school
served by a local educational agency at grade 9 or higher; and
(B) is identified by
the local educational agency as being limited English proficient and as having
experienced interrupted formal education.
(5)
Struggling
student
The term struggling student—
(A) means a
high-school-aged student who is not making sufficient progress toward
graduating from secondary school with a regular diploma in the standard number
of years; and
(B) includes a student
who—
(i) has
been retained in grade level;
(ii) is
an undercredited student; or
(iii) is a late
entrant English language learner.
(6)
Undercredited
student
The term undercredited student means a high
school student who lacks either the necessary credits or courses, as determined
by the relevant local educational agency and State educational agency, to
graduate from secondary school with a regular diploma in the standard number of
years.
203.
Grants
authorized
(a)
In
general
The Secretary is
authorized to award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to
enable the eligible entities to develop and implement, or replicate, effective
school models for struggling students and dropouts.
(b)
Period of
grant
A grant awarded under this section shall be for a period of
5 years.
204.
Application
(a)
In
general
Each eligible entity
desiring a grant under this title shall submit an application to the Secretary
at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary
may require.
(b)
Contents
Each
application submitted under this section shall include a description of—
(1) how the eligible
entity will carry out the mandatory activities under section 206(a);
(2) the research or
evidence concerning the effective school model that the eligible entity
proposes to develop and implement or replicate, including—
(A) for an existing
effective school model described in section 202(2)(A), the evidence that the
model has improved academic outcomes for struggling students or dropouts;
or
(B) for a proposed
effective school model described in section 202(2)(B), the research that
supports the key organizational and instructional practices of the proposed
effective school model;
(3) the eligible
entity’s school design elements and principles that will be used in the
effective school model, including—
(A) the academic
program;
(B) the career and
technical education program, if applicable;
(C) the instructional
practices;
(D) the methods of
assessment; and
(E) student supports
and services, such as the supports and services provided by the school or
offered by other organizations and agencies in the community, to support
positive student academic achievement and outcomes;
(4) how the eligible
entity will use student data from the local educational agency or State
educational agency to evaluate and improve academic outcomes for struggling
students or dropouts;
(5) for each school in
which the eligible entity implements or replicates an effective school model
under this title, how the eligibility entity will sustain the implementation or
replication of the effective school model, including the financing mechanism to
be used;
(6) how the eligible
entity will collect data and information to assess the performance of the
effective school model and will make necessary adjustments to ensure continuous
and substantial improvement in student academic achievement and outcomes;
and
(7) how the eligible
entity will make the performance data available to State educational agencies,
local educational agencies, and schools serving struggling students or
dropouts.
205.
Secretarial
peer review and approval
The
Secretary shall—
(1) establish a
peer-review process to assist in the review and approval of applications
submitted by eligible entities under section 204; and
(2) appoint
individuals to the peer-review process who are experts in high school reform,
dropout prevention and recovery, new school development for struggling students
and dropouts, and adolescent and academic development.
206.
Use of
funds
(a)
Mandatory use of
funds
An eligible entity
receiving a grant under this title shall use grant funds to—
(1) enhance and
expand, or replicate an existing effective school model described in section
202(2)(A), or develop a proposed effective school model described in section
202(2)(B), for struggling students and dropouts;
(2) assess the
progress of the implementation or replication of the effective school model and
make necessary adjustments to ensure continuous improvement;
(3) provide
opportunities for professional development associated with the continuous
improvement and implementation or replication of the effective school
model;
(4) collect data and
information on the school model's effectiveness in improving student academic
achievement and outcomes for struggling students and dropouts and disseminate
such data and information to State educational agencies, local educational
agencies, and schools; and
(5) build the capacity
of the eligible entity to—
(A) sustain the
implementation or replication of the effective school model assisted under
paragraph (1) after the grant period has ended; and
(B) replicate the
effective school model.
(b)
Optional use of
funds
An eligible entity receiving a grant under this title may
use grant funds—
(1) to identify and
create partnerships needed to improve the academic achievement and outcomes of
the students attending a school assisted under this title;
(2) to support family
and community engagement in the effective school model; and
(3) to carry out any
additional activities that the Secretary determines are within the purposes
described in section 201.
207.
Evaluation and
reporting
(a)
Contents of
report
Each eligible entity
receiving a grant under this title shall annually report to the Secretary
on—
(1) the data and
information being gathered to assess the effective school model’s effectiveness
in improving student academic achievement and outcomes for struggling students
and dropouts;
(2) the implementation
status of the models, any barriers to implementation, and actions taken to
overcome the barriers;
(3) any professional
development activities to build the capacity of—
(A) the eligible
entity to sustain or replicate the effective school model; or
(B) the staff of a
school assisted under this title to implement or improve the effective school
model;
(4) the progress made
in improving student academic achievement and outcomes in the effective school
models for struggling students and dropouts; and
(5) the use of grant
funds by the eligible entity.
(b)
Independent
evaluations
The Secretary shall reserve not more than $5,000,000
to carry out an independent evaluation of the grant program under this title
and the progress of the eligible entities receiving grants under this
title.
(c)
Report to
Congress
The Secretary shall submit a report to Congress—
(1) on the activities
carried out with grant funds under this title; and
(2) that includes,
for the purpose of making publicly available, effective secondary school models
for struggling students and dropouts developed with grant funds under this
title.
208.
Authorization of
appropriations
There is
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title $60,000,000 for fiscal
year 2014 and each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.