,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #egi ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,february #bg1 #bjai ,mr4 ,merkley 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,bennet1 ,mrs4 ,gillibrand1 ,ms4 ,harris1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 and ,ms4 ,warren7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to provide grants to eligible local educational agencies to help public schools reduce class size in the early elementary grades1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,smaller ,class ,sizes for ,students and ,educators ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,,esea terms ,the terms elementary school1 local educational agency1 and poverty line have the meanings given the terms in section #haja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja74 7#b7 ,early elementary grades ,the term early elementary grades means kindergarten through grade #c4 7#c7 ,eligible local educational agency ,the term eligible local educational agency means a local educational agency-- 7,a7 for a school district in which #ge percent or more of the population have incomes below the poverty line2 and 7,b7 that is within a ,state1 as such term is defined in section #haja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja74 7#d7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,education4 7#e7 ,targeted school ,the term targeted school means a public elementary school in which not less than #ge percent of the students attending the elementary school are from families with incomes below the poverty line4 #c4 ,reducing class size in kindergarten through grade #c classrooms 7a7 ,program authorized 7#a7 ,in general ,from amounts made available under subsection 7g71 the ,secretary shall award grants1 on a competitive basis1 to eligible local educational agencies to enable the eligible local educational agencies to reduce class sizes in the early elementary grades4 7#b7 ,duration of grant ,a grant awarded under this section shall be for a period of #e years4 7b7 ,application 7#a7 ,in general ,an eligible local educational agency that desires a grant under this section shall submit an application to the ,secretary at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require4 7#b7 ,contents ,the application required under paragraph 7#a7 shall include an evidence-based plan to lower class sizes in the early elementary grades that includes the following3 7,a7 ,a description of-- 7i7 how the eligible local educational agency will reduce the class size for early elementary grade classes in the targeted schools served by the eligible local educational agency to not more than #ah students per class1 recognizing that class size maximums must be based on type of students1 grade level1 subject area1 physical facilities1 and workload maximums for educators2 and 7ii7 the continuum of small class sizes based on grade level the eligible local educational agency will provide for students in the early elementary grades in targeted schools4 7,b7 ,a description of how the eligible local educational agency will recruit1 hire1 and retain individuals1 including individuals from populations underrepresented in the teaching profession1 as teachers for the early elementary grades4 7,c7 ,a description of how the eligible local educational agency will provide additional professional development and training for teachers hired for class size reduction4 7,d7 ,a description of how the eligible local educational agency will provide time for collaboration between teachers at the targeted schools for activities such as analyzing student work1 instruction and assessment planning1 or curriculum and instruction-specific professional development4 7,e7 ,a description of how the eligible local educational agency will ensure that any new teachers hired using grant funds are certified to teach in the field of hire1 qualified1 effective1 and able to teach to ,state standards1 as determined by the ,state for purposes of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #fcja et seq474 7,f7 ,in the case of an eligible local educational agency that is using funds available under part ,a of title ,,ii of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ffaa et seq47 for class size reduction1 information regarding such use and the extent to which the funds are being used to reduce class size in the early elementary grades in targeted public schools4 7,g7 ,the average class size1 by grade1 in the early elementary grades of the public schools served by the eligible local educational agency at the time the application is submitted and during the prior #b academic years4 7,h7 ,a description of how the eligible local educational agency will determine or define class size4 7c7 ,award basis ,in awarding grants under this section1 the ,secretary shall give priority to eligible local educational agencies with the greatest number of students from families with incomes below the poverty line4 7d7 ,use of funds 7#a7 ,administrative expenses ,an eligible local educational agency receiving a grant under this section may use not more than #c percent of the grant funds for the administrative expenses of the grant4 7#b7 ,reducing class size 7,a7 ,in general ,an eligible local educational agency shall use not less than #ig percent of the grant funds to reduce class sizes in the early elementary grades at targeted schools by-- 7i7 recruiting1 training1 and hiring qualified teachers1 both general education teachers and teachers of special-needs children1 for the early elementary grades at targeted schools2 7ii7 in the case of an eligible local educational agency for which all targeted schools have class sizes at or less than the levels established by the local educational agency in the plan submitted under subsection 7b77#b71 obtaining additional space1 or renovating school buildings1 to provide more classroom space1 except that not more than #ae percent of the funds provided under the grant may be used for this purpose2 and 7iii7 in the case of an eligible local educational agency for which all targeted schools have class sizes at or less than the levels established by the local educational agency in the plan submitted under subsection 7b77#b71 providing professional development for teachers of the early elementary grades at targeted schools1 except that not more than #ae percent of the funds provided under the grant may be used for this purpose4 7,b7 ,highest need ,in carrying out activities under the grant1 the eligible local educational agency shall first prioritize targeted schools that serve the highest percentage of students from families with incomes below the poverty line and then prioritize schools with the highest average class sizes in the early elementary grades4 7e7 ,reporting 7#a7 ,annual ,reports by eligible local educational agencies ,each eligible local educational agency receiving a grant under this section shall prepare and submit to the ,secretary an annual report that includes an evaluation of the activities carried out under grant1 including an evaluation of-- 7,a7 the progress of the eligible local educational agency in reducing class size in the early elementary grades at the targeted schools served by the local educational agency2 7,b7 student academic achievement1 which may include locally developed assessments1 in the early elementary grades of the targeted schools receiving support through the local educational agency under the grant where pre- and post-assessment data is available2 7,c7 a climate study of teachers in such targeted schools that addresses working conditions1 job satisfaction1 and teacher stress2 7,d7 teacher qualifications for newly hired teachers in such targeted schools for class size reduction2 7,e7 targeted professional development and training provided to newly hired teachers in targeted schools for class size reduction2 7,f7 the time added to be used for teachers to collaborate in targeted schools2 7,g7 teacher retention and turnover rates pre- and post-class size reduction efforts2 and 7,h7 a description of rates of student discipline problems and in chronic student absenteeism4 7#b7 ,annual reports by the ,secretary ,by not later than #cj days after the date by which the reports under paragraph 7#a7 are first due1 and annually thereafter1 the ,secretary shall prepare and submit a report to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,education and ,labor of the ,house of ,representatives regarding the grants awarded under this section4 7f7 ,supplement1 not supplant ,a local educational agency receiving funds under this section shall use such funds to supplement1 and not supplant1 any other funds available to the local educational agency for the purposes of reducing class size in the early elementary grades4 7g7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #b1jjj1jjj1jjj for the first fiscal year and such sums as are necessary for each succeeding fiscal year4