,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #bfci ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,may #i1 #bjai,ms4 ,fudge 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,scott of ,virginia1 and ,mr4 ,sablan7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,education and ,labor ,a ,,bill ,to establish the ,strength in ,diversity ,program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,strength in ,diversity ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,purpose ,the purpose of this ,act is to support the development1 implementation1 and evaluation of comprehensive strategies to address the effects of racial isolation or concentrated poverty by increasing diversity1 including racial diversity and socioeconomic diversity1 in covered schools4 #c4 ,reservation for national activities ,the ,secretary may reserve not more than #e percent of the amounts made available under section #i for a fiscal year to carry out activities of national significance relating to this ,act1 which may include-- 7#a7 research1 development1 data collection1 monitoring1 technical assistance1 evaluation1 or dissemination activities2 and 7#b7 the development and maintenance of best practices for recipients of grants under section #d and other experts in the field of school diversity4 #d4 ,grant program authorized 7a7 ,authorization 7#a7 ,in general ,from the amounts made available under section #i and not reserved under section #c for a fiscal year1 the ,secretary shall award grants in accordance with subsection 7b7 to eligible entities to develop or implement plans to improve diversity and reduce or eliminate racial or socioeconomic isolation in covered schools4 7#b7 ,types of grants ,the ,secretary may1 in any fiscal year1 award under paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 planning grants to carry out the activities described in section #f7;a72 7,b7 implementation grants to carry out the activities described in section #f7;b72 or 7,c7 both such planning grants and implementation grants4 7b7 ,award basis 7#a7 ,criteria for evaluating applications ,the ,secretary shall award grants under this section on a competitive basis1 based on-- 7,a7 the quality of the application submitted by an eligible entity under section #e2 and 7,b7 the likelihood1 as determined by the ,secretary1 that the eligible entity will use the grant to improve student outcomes or outcomes on other performance measures described in section #g4 7#b7 ,priority ,in awarding grants under this section1 the ,secretary shall give priority to the following eligible entities3 7,a7 ,first1 to an eligible entity that proposes1 in an application submitted under section #e1 to use the grant to support a program that addresses racial isolation4 7,b7 ,second1 to an eligible entity that proposes1 in an application submitted under section #e1 to use the grant to support a program that extends beyond one local educational agency1 such as an inter-district or regional program4 7c7 ,duration of grants 7#a7 ,planning grant ,a planning grant awarded under this section shall be for a period of not more than #a year4 7#b7 ,implementation grant ,an implementation grant awarded under this section shall be for a period of not more than #c years1 except that the ,secretary may extend an implementation grant for an additional #b-year period if the eligible entity receiving the grant demonstrates to the ,secretary that the eligible entity is making significant progress1 as determined by the ,secretary1 on the program performance measures described in section #g4 #e4 ,applications ,in order to receive a grant under section #d1 an eligible entity shall submit an application to the ,secretary at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require1 including-- 7#a7 a description of the program for which the eligible entity is seeking a grant1 including-- 7,a7 how the eligible entity proposes to use the grant to improve the academic and life outcomes of students in racial or socioeconomic isolation in covered schools by supporting interventions that increase diversity in such covered schools2 7,b7 in the case of an implementation grant1 the implementation grant plan described in section #f7;b77#a72 and 7,c7 evidence1 or if such evidence is not available1 a rationale based on current research1 regarding how the program will increase diversity2 7#b7 in the case of an eligible entity proposing to use any of the grant to benefit covered schools that are racially isolated1 a description of how the eligible entity will identify and define racial isolation2 7#c7 in the case of an eligible entity proposing to use any portion of the grant to benefit high-poverty covered schools1 a description of how the eligible entity will identify and define income level and socioeconomic status2 7#d7 a description of the plan of the eligible entity for continuing the program after the grant period ends2 7#e7 a description of how the eligible entity will assess1 monitor1 and evaluate the impact of the activities funded under the grant on student achievement and student enrollment diversity2 7#f7 an assurance that the eligible entity has conducted1 or will conduct1 robust parent and community engagement1 while planning for and implementing the program1 such as through-- 7,a7 consultation with appropriate officials from ,indian ,tribes or ,tribal organizations approved by the ,tribes located in the area served by the eligible entity2 7,b7 consultation with other community entities1 including local housing or transportation authorities2 7,c7 public hearings or other open forums to inform the development of any formal strategy to increase diversity2 and 7,d7 outreach1 in a language that parents can understand1 and consultation with families in the targeted district or region that is designed to ensure participation in the planning and development of any formal strategy to increase diversity2 7#g7 an estimate of the number of students that the eligible entity plans to serve under the program and the number of students to be served through additional expansion of the program after the grant period ends2 7#h7 an assurance that the eligible entity will-- 7,a7 cooperate with the ,secretary in evaluating the program1 including any evaluation that might require data and information from multiple recipients of grants under section #d2 and 7,b7 engage in the best practices developed under section #c7b72 7#i7 an assurance that1 to the extent possible1 the eligible entity has considered the potential implications of the grant activities on the demographics and student enrollment of nearby covered schools not included in the activities of the grant2 and 7#aj7 in the case of an eligible entity applying for an implementation grant1 a description of how the eligible entity will-- 7,a7 implement1 replicate1 or expand a strategy based on a strong or moderate level of evidence 7as described in subclause 7,i7 or 7,,ii7 of section #haja7ba77;,a77i7 of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja772 or 7,b7 will test a promising strategy to increase diversity in covered schools4 #f4 ,uses of funds 7a7 ,planning grants ,each eligible entity that receives a planning grant under section #d shall use the grant to support students in covered schools through the following activities3 7#a7 ,completing a comprehensive assessment of1 with respect to the geographic area served by such eligible entity-- 7,a7 the educational outcomes and racial and socioeconomic stratification of children attending covered schools2 and 7,b7 an analysis of the location and capacity of program and school facilities and the adequacy of local or regional transportation infrastructure4 7#b7 ,developing and implementing a robust family and community engagement plan1 including1 where feasible1 public hearings or other open forums that would precede and inform the development of a formal strategy to improve diversity in covered schools4 7#c7 ,developing options1 including timelines and cost estimates1 for improving diversity in covered schools1 such as weighted lotteries1 revised feeder patterns1 school boundary redesign1 or regional coordination4 7#d7 ,developing an implementation plan based on community preferences among the options developed under paragraph 7#c74 7#e7 ,building the capacity to collect and analyze data that provide information for transparency1 continuous improvement1 and evaluation4 7#f7 ,engaging in best practices developed under section #c7b74 7b7 ,implementation grants 7#a7 ,implementation grant plan ,each eligible entity that receives an implementation grant under section #d shall implement a high-quality plan to support students in covered schools that includes-- 7,a7 a comprehensive set of strategies designed to improve academic outcomes for all students1 particularly students of color and low-income students1 by increasing diversity in covered schools2 7,b7 evidence of strong family and community support for such strategies1 including evidence that the eligible entity has engaged in meaningful family and community outreach activities2 7,c7 goals to increase diversity in covered schools over the course of the grant period2 7,d7 collection and analysis of data to provide transparency and support continuous improvement throughout the grant period2 and 7,e7 a rigorous method of evaluation of the effectiveness of the program4 7#b7 ,implementation grant activities ,each eligible entity that receives an implementation grant under section #d may use the grant to carry out one or more of the following activities3 7,a7 ,recruiting1 hiring1 or training additional teachers1 administrators1 and other instructional and support staff in new1 expanded1 or restructured covered schools1 or other professional development activities for staff and administrators4 7,b7 ,investing in specialized academic programs or facilities designed to encourage inter-district school attendance patterns4 7,c7 ,developing or initiating a transportation plan for bringing students to and from covered schools1 if such transportation is sustainable beyond the grant period and does not represent a significant portion of the grant received by an eligible entity under section #d4 #g4 ,performance measures ,the ,secretary shall establish performance measures for the programs and activities carried out through a grant under section #d4 ,these measures1 at a minimum1 shall track the progress of each eligible entity in-- 7#a7 improving academic and other developmental or noncognitive outcomes for each subgroup described in section #aaaa7;b77#b77;,b77xi7 of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #fcaa7;b77#b77;,b77xi77 that is served by the eligible entity on measures1 including1 as applicable1 by-- 7,a7 increasing school readiness2 7,b7 increasing student achievement and decreasing achievement gaps2 7,c7 increasing high school graduation rates2 7,d7 increasing readiness for postsecondary education and careers2 and 7,e7 any other indicator the ,secretary or eligible entity may identify2 and 7#b7 increasing diversity and decreasing racial or socioeconomic isolation in covered schools4 #h4 ,annual reports ,an eligible entity that receives a grant under section #d shall submit to the ,secretary1 at such time and in such manner as the ,secretary may require1 an annual report that includes-- 7#a7 information on the progress of the eligible entity with respect to the performance measures described in section #g2 and 7#b7 the data supporting such progress4 #i4 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this ,act such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year #bjbj and each of the #e succeeding fiscal years4 #aj4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,covered school ,the term covered school means-- 7,a7 a publicly funded early childhood education program2 7,b7 a public elementary school2 or 7,c7 a public secondary school4 7#b7 ,eligible entity ,the term eligible entity means a local educational agency1 a consortium of such agencies1 an educational service agency1 or regional educational agency that at the time of the application of such eligible entity has significant achievement gaps and socioeconomic or racial segregation within or between the school districts served by such entity4 7#c7 ,,esea terms ,the terms educational service agency1 elementary school1 local educational agency1 secondary school1 and ,secretary have the meanings given such terms in section #haja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja74 7#d7 ,publicly funded early childhood education program ,the term publicly funded early childhood education program means an early childhood education program 7as defined in section #ajc7h7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajjc7h777 that receives ,state or ,federal funds4