HR 6856 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to award grants to prepare individuals for the 21st century workplace and to increase America’s global competitiveness, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

September 10, 2008CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. YARMUTH (for himself and Mr. LAHOOD) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and LaborCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to award grants to prepare individuals for the 21st century workplace and to increase America’s global competitiveness, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Ready to Compete Act’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

TITLE I--READY TO LEARN: EARLY CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL READINESSCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 101. READY TO LEARN GRANTS.

Subpart 3 of part D of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6775) is amended by striking section 2431 and inserting the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 2431. SHORT TITLE.

‘This subpart may be cited as ‘Ready-to-Learn Act’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 2432. READY-TO-LEARN EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION PROGRAMMING AND RELATED SERVICES.

‘(a) In General- The Secretary is authorized to award a grant to a public broadcasting entity to enable the public broadcasting entity--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) to provide a coordinated Ready-to-Learn television service described in subsection (c); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) to award subgrants or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with an eligible entity to enable the eligible entity to operate a high-quality Ready-to-Learn program that is a part of the coordinated Ready-to-Learn television service.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Ready-to-Learn Program Requirements- Each eligible entity receiving a subgrant or entering into a contract or cooperative agreement under this subpart shall operate a Ready-to-Learn program that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) develops, produces, and distributes educational television programming and related services for preschool and elementary school children (especially preschool and elementary school children served under part A of title I), and the parents, educators, and caregivers of such children in order to help improve early childhood development and student achievement in the areas of--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) reading;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) mathematics;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) science;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) health and wellness;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(E) social and emotional development; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(F) other academic or developmentally appropriate areas;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) facilitates the development of--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) educational television programming and related services, directly or through contracts, with producers of educational television programming and related services for preschool and elementary school children;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) support materials and services that accompany such educational television programming and related services, including outreach services, in order to promote the effective use of such educational television programming and related services; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) related support resources for parents and caregivers that are designed for nationwide distribution over public television stations’ digital broadcasting channels and other high-tech delivery platforms; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) contracts with an entity that owns and operates a television public broadcast station, as defined in section 397(6) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 397(6))--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) that demonstrates that the station is a member of a strong, local, community-based partnership, in order to deliver effective services which meet the educational needs of the children in the community served by the broadcast area; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) so that educational television programming and related services developed under this subpart are disseminated and distributed to the widest possible audience appropriately served by the most appropriate distribution technologies; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) develops and disseminates educational or training material, directly related to the television programs assisted under this subpart, that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) is designed--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) to promote school readiness for all children, especially children served under part A of title I, including English language learners; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) to promote the effective use of related services and related support resources developed under paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively, among parents, teachers, Head Start programs, Even Start programs, Early Reading First programs, Reading First programs, Reading is Fundamental program providers, providers of family literacy services, child care providers, early childhood development personnel, elementary school teachers, public libraries, museums, State educational agencies, businesses, institutions of higher education, and after school program personnel; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) may include interactive programs or programs adaptable to distance learning technologies.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(c) Coordinated Ready-to-Learn Television Service- In awarding subgrants and entering into contracts and cooperative agreements under this subpart, a public broadcasting entity shall provide a coordinated Ready-to-Learn television service that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) shall include--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) educational television programming, determined by the public broadcasting entity to be of sound content and artistic excellence, delivered on-air and on-line, aligned to--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) State kindergarten through grade 12 academic standards and State early learning standards, as appropriate; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) related services;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) effective, ongoing community outreach programs and ongoing partnerships with local organizations to help ensure that the programming--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) addresses specific community and school needs;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) reaches children served under part A of title I; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(iii) engages multiple constituencies of children, parents, caregivers, and educators;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) academic and developmental television programming described in subsection (b)(l) in--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) the topics described in subparagraphs (A) and (E) of subsection (b)(l); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) not less than 1 other topic described in subparagraphs (B), (C), (D), and (F) of subsection (b)(l); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) a rigorous evaluation of the impact of the television programming and related services described in subsection (b)(l) on--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) school readiness skills of children in various socioeconomic areas, including rural and urban areas;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) teacher quality and effectiveness; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(iii) community engagement and awareness; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) may include--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) a comprehensive preschool curriculum based upon the Ready-to-Learn programs; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) ongoing professional development based upon the Ready-to-Learn programs designed to help parents, teachers, librarians, or caregivers.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(d) Technical Assistance, Materials, Training, and Curricula- A public broadcasting entity receiving a grant under this subpart shall provide eligible entities that receive a subgrant or enter into a contract or cooperative agreement under this subpart with technical assistance, supporting materials, training, and curricula to ensure effective implementation of subsection (c).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(e) Reservation of Funding- A public broadcasting entity shall use not less than 30 percent of the funds the public broadcasting entity receives under this subpart to award subgrants to or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with eligible entities that are public broadcast stations, as defined in section 397(6) of the Communications Act of 1934, to carry out subsection (c)(1)(B) and section 2435(c).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(f) Availability of Programming and Related Services- In awarding a grant under this subpart, the Secretary shall ensure that a public broadcasting entity receiving a grant under this subpart makes educational television programming and related services widely available, with support materials available, as appropriate, to young children, parents, teachers, Head Start programs, Even Start programs, Early Reading First programs, Reading First programs, Reading is Fundamental programs, providers of family literacy services, child care providers, early childhood development personnel, elementary school teachers, public libraries, and after school programs in order to increase the effective use of educational television programming and related services.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 2433. COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES.

‘In carrying out this subpart, a public broadcasting entity receiving a grant under this subpart shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) consult with the Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) to maximize the use of high-quality educational television programming and related services by preschool and elementary school children, and to make such programming widely available to federally-funded programs serving such children; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) to coordinate activities assisted under this subpart with Federal programs that have a major training component for early childhood development, including programs under the Head Start Act, Even Start, and Early Reading First, and State training activities funded under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990, regarding the availability and use of the related services developed under section 2432(b)(2)(A) to enhance parent and childcare provider skills in early childhood development and education; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) ensure that all materials acquired or produced by any eligible entity are determined to be of sufficient age-appropriate aesthetic appeal and educational effectiveness to warrant national distribution and support in order to maximize the impact of televised materials and the use of digital content.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 2434. APPLICATION.

‘To be eligible to receive a grant under this subpart, a public broadcasting entity shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 2435. REPORTS AND EVALUATIONS.

‘(a) Annual Report to the Secretary- A public broadcasting entity receiving a grant under this subpart shall prepare and submit to the Secretary an annual report that contains such information as the Secretary may require. At a minimum, the report shall describe the activities undertaken with funds received under the grant awarded to the public broadcasting entity under this subpart, including each of the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) PROGRAMMING AND RELATED SERVICES; TARGET POPULATION- The educational television programming and related services developed, directly or indirectly, by the public broadcasting entity, and the target population served by the programming and services.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) SUPPORT OR TRAINING MATERIALS- The support or training materials developed to accompany the educational television programming and related services, and the method by which the materials were distributed to consumers and users of the educational television programming and related services.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) MEANS OF DISTRIBUTION- The means by which educational television programming and related services developed under this subpart were distributed, including the distance learning technologies that were used to make the educational television programming and related services available, and the geographic distribution achieved through such technologies.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) INITIATIVES- The initiatives undertaken by the public broadcasting entity to develop public-private partnerships to secure non-Federal support for the development, distribution, and broadcast of educational television programming and related services.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) IMPACT- The impact of the educational television programming and related services on teaching and learning, including the impact on improving school readiness skills, early reading skills, early mathematics skills, early science skills, and skills in other developmentally appropriate content areas.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Report to Congress- The Secretary shall prepare and submit to the relevant committees of Congress a biannual report that includes the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) ACTIVITY SUMMARY- A summary of the activities assisted under section 2432.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) EDUCATION AND TRAINING MATERIALS- A description of the education and training materials described in section 2432(b)(2)(B) that are made available under this subpart, the manner in which outreach was conducted to inform parents and child care providers of the availability of such materials, and the manner in which such materials were distributed in accordance with section 2432.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(c) Evaluation of Outreach Activities- A public broadcasting entity receiving a grant under this subpart shall require each eligible entity that receives a subgrant or enters into a contract or cooperative agreement under this subpart to provide evaluation data that include descriptions of the impact of outreach activities carried out under this subpart, including--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) the manner in which outreach was conducted to inform parents and child care providers of the availability of the educational television programming and related services produced under this subpart, including specific strategies used to reach a wide audience;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) the extent to which the outreach programs included multiple outreach efforts with the same organizations or groups and resulted in lasting relationships with those organizations or groups and the members of those organizations or groups; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) the effectiveness of the outreach programs and services conducted and the number of children, families, and child care providers that had access to and utilized the educational television programming and related services provided under this subpart to improve school readiness skills.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(d) Evaluation of Impact on School Readiness- The Secretary shall evaluate the impact of the outreach content and services provided under this subpart on improving school readiness skills nationwide, particularly with respect to children in the most disadvantaged communities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 2436. ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.

‘An eligible entity that receives a subgrant or enters into a contract or cooperative agreement under this subpart may use not more than 5 percent of the amount received under the subgrant, contract, or cooperative agreement, respectively, for the normal and customary expenses of administering the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, respectively.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 2437. CONTINUATION OF AWARDS.

‘Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an eligible entity that received a subgrant or enters into a contract or cooperative agreement under this subpart (as this subpart existed on the day before the date of enactment of the Ready-to-Learn Act) shall continue to receive funds in accordance with the terms of the subgrant, contract, or cooperative agreement, respectively, until the date on which the subgrant, contract, or cooperative agreement, respectively, terminates under such terms.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 2438. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

‘There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subpart $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 2439. DEFINITIONS.

‘In this subpart--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) the term ‘eligible entity’ means--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) a national nonprofit membership organization that acquires and distributes programming to noncommercial educational television broadcasters through the national public television interconnection system that the organization manages and operates;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) a local or statewide public television station or system; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) a nonprofit producer of high-quality children’s educational television and other media programming; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) the term ‘public broadcasting entity’ means--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) the Corporation for Public Broadcasting;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) any licensee or permittee of a public broadcasting station; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) any nonprofit institution engaged primarily in the production, acquisition, distribution, or dissemination of educational and cultural television or radio programs.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

TITLE II--READY TO TEACH: HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND EFFECTIVE TEACHERSCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 201. READY TO TEACH GRANTS.

Section 5481 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7257) is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) in subsection (a)--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) by striking ‘a nonprofit telecommunications entity, or partnership of such entities’ and inserting ‘an eligible entity described in subsection (b)’;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) by striking ‘telecommunications-based’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) by striking ‘achieve’ and inserting ‘meet’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Eligible Entities- To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall be a public broadcasting entity.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 202. APPLICATION REQUIRED.

Section 5482 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7257a) is amended to read as follows:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 5482. APPLICATION REQUIRED.

‘(a) In General- To be eligible to receive a grant under section 5481, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary. Each such application shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) demonstrate that the applicant will use the public broadcasting infrastructure, and other high-tech delivery platforms to deliver educational content and services in an integrated service and to provide professional development on the use of materials and learning technologies for achieving challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) contain an assurance that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) such integrated service will be conducted in cooperation with appropriate State educational agencies, local educational agencies, and State or local affiliates of the eligible entities, if any;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) in partnership with local television public broadcast stations, a significant portion of the benefits of such integrated service will be available to local educational agencies that have high percentages of children counted under section 1124(c), particularly those schools that have failed to make adequate yearly progress for 2 or more consecutive years under section 1111(c); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) contain such additional information as the Secretary may reasonably require.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Sites- In approving applications under subsection (a), the Secretary shall ensure that the program authorized under section 5481 is conducted at elementary schools and secondary schools served by the local educational agencies described in subsection (a)(2)(B) of this section throughout the United States.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 203. REPORTS AND EVALUATION.

Section 5483 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7257b) is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) by striking ‘An entity’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) inserting ‘(a) In General--An entity’;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) in paragraph (1)--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) by striking ‘core curriculum areas’ and inserting ‘curriculum core academic subjects’;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) by striking ‘core curriculum area’ and inserting ‘curriculum core academic subject’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) by striking ‘and’ after the semicolon;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) the impact of the program on the academic achievement of all children served, particularly children in schools identified for school improvement under 1116;’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) in paragraph (3) (as redesignated by paragraph (3)), by striking the period at the end and inserting ‘; and’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) by adding at the end the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) the percentage of elementary school and secondary school teachers who had access to and utilized the program funded under this part, including the percentage of teachers in schools that have failed to make adequate yearly progress for 2 or more consecutive years under section 1111(c).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

TITLE III--READY TO ACHIEVE: MATH, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND INNOVATIONCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 301. DIGITAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING GRANTS.

Section 5484 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7257c) is amended to read as follows:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 5484. DIGITAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING GRANTS.

‘(a) In General- The Secretary is authorized to award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities (described in subsection (b)) for the purpose of developing, disseminating, and providing training through high-quality, innovative educational digital content and services to improve math, science, and technology education in elementary schools and secondary schools.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Eligible Entities- To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) be--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) a television public broadcast station as defined in section 397(6) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 397(6));CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) a partnership of entities described in subparagraph (A); orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) a partnership among entities described in subparagraph (A) and a national nonprofit membership organization that acquires and distributes programming to non-commercial educational television broadcasters through the national public television interconnection system that it manages and operates that demonstrates a capacity for the development and distribution of high-quality, innovative educational digital content and services in core curriculum content areas;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) partner with--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) a State educational agency or a local educational agency (or a consortium of such agencies) that receives funds under part A of title I; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) a high-quality academic research and evaluation entity to ensure that the content developed pursuant to this section effectively addresses the needs of teachers and students and delivers a positive impact on student academic achievement in core curriculum areas.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(c) Application- An eligible entity that desires to receive a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(d) Required Use of Funds- An eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) develop and use innovative, high-quality tools, products, and educational digital content and services for classroom learning in core curriculum content areas, particularly math, science, and technology, that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) include built-in teacher utilization and support components to ensure that teachers can easily understand and use the content of the programming either for group instruction of individual student use; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) are created for, or adaptable to, challenging State academic content standards and student academic achievement standards;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) provide professional development for teachers in the use of the content developed in paragraph (1);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) conduct an evaluation as described in subsection (g); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) provide age-appropriate programs, training, materials, and access to technology that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) build the critical and higher-order thinking skills of students in elementary schools and secondary schools; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) are capable of distribution through digital broadcasting and school digital networks.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(e) Matching Requirement- An eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall contribute to the activities assisted under such grant non-Federal matching funds in an amount equal to not less than 100 percent of the amount of the grant. Such matching funds may include funds provided for the transition to digital broadcasting, as well as in-kind contributions.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(f) Duration- A grant under this section shall be awarded for a period of 5 years in order to provide a sufficient period of time for the creation of a substantial body of significant content.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(g) Reports and Evaluation- An eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall prepare and submit to the Secretary an annual report that contains such information as the Secretary may require. At a minimum, such report shall describe the program activities undertaken with funds received under the grant, including--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) the effectiveness of the comprehensive, high-quality program to improve the curriculum core academic subjects, including mathematics, science, and technology teaching and learning in elementary schools and secondary schools; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) the success of professional development in the use of materials described in subsection (d)(l).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(h) Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 302. NATIONAL ON-DEMAND DIGITAL EDUCATION MEDIA SERVICE.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 5485 the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 5486. NATIONAL ON-DEMAND DIGITAL EDUCATION MEDIA SERVICE.

‘(a) Purpose- It is the purpose of this section to develop and operate a national on-demand digital education media service that provides high-quality educational digital content, programming, professional development lessons, and other support available to all educators, parents, institutions of higher education, research institutions, States, local educational agencies, and the public at low or no cost.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Grants Authorized- The Secretary shall award grants under this section to eligible entities to develop and to operate a national on-demand digital education media service.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(c) Eligible Entities- To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) be a television public broadcasting entity, as defined in section 397(11) of the Communications Act of 1934, or a consortium of such entities, that is able to demonstrate a capacity for the development, operation, management, and marketing of a new national on-line, on-demand digital education media service; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) have the capacity to establish and to coordinate an advisory committee to advise on the development and implementation of the national media service to ensure that such service meets the needs of communities, schools, educators, and eligible entities, which members shall include not less than 1 of each of the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) A representative of television public broadcast stations that are not grantees under this subpart.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) A representative of a State educational agency and a local educational agency.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) A representative of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) A representative of the national organization representing the licensees and permittees of noncommercial broadcast television stations.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(E) A representative of a national non-profit membership organization that acquires and distributes programming to noncommercial educational television broadcasters through the national public television interconnection system that it manages and operates.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(F) A teacher, principal, and administrator.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(G) A parent.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(H) An early education provider, such as a Head Start program.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(I) A community based organization addressing family literacy.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(J) An expert in evaluation and research in best practices in education, early education, and family literacy.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(K) An expert in the use of media and technology.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(L) A for-profit content provider.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(d) Applications- An eligible entity that desires to receive a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such assurances and information as the Secretary may reasonably require. Each application shall describe--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) the plan for how such entity will develop and operate the service in accordance with this section;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) the advisory committee that the entity will use and the plan for ensuring active participation by the committee to ensure that the media service will be high-quality and serve the needs of schools, parents, and communities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) how the entity will ensure that the programs and materials available on the service will be high-quality, easily accessible to educators and parents, and available at low or no cost;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) how the service funded under this section will provide products, materials, and services that will help all children, including children with disabilities and English-language learners--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) meet challenging State academic content standards and student academic achievement standards,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) come to school ready to learn, andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) achieve in mathematics, science, and technology;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) how the service funded under this section will provide products, materials, and services that will help all adults, including English language learners, meet their literacy and work force needs;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(6) how the service funded under this section will provide products, materials, and services that will help engage parents and communities in improving education for all children;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(7) how the entity will continuously evaluate and improve the service to continuously meet the needs of the public and educators;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(8) how the entity will develop and deliver the service so that the service will integrate into, or be interoperable with, existing local and State educational Internet-based portals already in use by schools and State educational agencies;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(9) how other leading nonprofit or for-profit content providers will be engaged in the effort and how such providers’ content resources may be accessed through or referenced within the service;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(10) how the entity will leverage the distribution infrastructure of public broadcasting’s distribution infrastructure, including on-air digital broadcast channels and local community outreach mechanisms, to raise awareness about the availability of the service and support the successful adoption and implementation of the service; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(11) the fair and balanced process that the entity will use to establish the advisory committee described in subsection (c)(2), how it will coordinate such committee, and how the entity will ensure that it takes into account the advice of such committee in planning and implementing all effective service.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(e) Required Uses of Funds- An eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall use the grant funds for--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) the development and operation of a national on-line, on-demand digital education media service;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) professional development and training of teachers and staff to use the service;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) the evaluation, as described in subsection (g);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) outreach and marketing activities, particularly to schools in need of improvement pursuant to section 1116, and disadvantaged schools and communities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) quality control of the service and its contents;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(6) coordination and engagement with the advisory committee;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(7) digitization of appropriate analog content; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(8) other activities as needed to meet the purpose of this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(f) Duration- A grant under this section shall be awarded for a period of 10 years.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(g) Reports and Evaluation- An eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall prepare and submit to the Secretary an annual report that contains such information as the Secretary may require. At a minimum, such report shall describe the program activities undertaken with funds received under the grant, including--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) the quality, breadth, and depth of the content provided by the service;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) the use of the program by educators, parents, and communities, particularly in the most disadvantaged communities and by schools that have failed to make adequate yearly progress for 2 or more consecutive years under section 1111(c);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) the effectiveness of the service and the availability of effective, low or no-cost resources;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) the effectiveness of the outreach and marketing activities in reaching a wide audience, particularly in the most disadvantaged communities and in schools in need of improvement pursuant to section 1116; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) the impact and effectiveness of the advisory committee on the service.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(h) Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

TITLE IV--READY TO EARN GRANTSCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 401. READY TO EARN GRANTS.

Chapter 4 of subtitle A of title II of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 9251 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 244. TELEVISION BROADCAST WORKFORCE TRAINING GRANT PROGRAM.

‘(a) In General- The Secretary is authorized to award grants, on a competitive basis, to an entity that owns and operates a television public broadcast station, as defined in section 397(6) of the Communications Act of 1934, or a partnership of such entities, for the purpose of developing, disseminating, and providing on-line and on-air education and training services for adults, including adult education, adult literacy, GED preparation, workforce training, and related outreach services that are priorities for the community.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Eligible Entities- To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) own or operate a local television public broadcast station, as defined in section 397(6) of the Communications Act of 1934, that is able to demonstrate a capacity for the development and distribution of high-quality educational digital content and services in the areas of adult education, adult literacy, GED preparation, workforce training, and related outreach services; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) partner with an eligible agency as defined in section 203(4) or a State Board as described in section 111 or institutions of higher education in order to implement a high-quality program in accordance with this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(c) Application-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) IN GENERAL- To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity that owns and operates a television public broadcast station, as defined in section 397(6) of the Communications Act of 1934, or partnership of such entities, shall submit an application to the Secretary. Each application shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) describe the innovative, high-quality training, tools, products, and educational digital content and services that will be developed and used to improve the quality and delivery of adult education, adult literacy, GED preparation, work force training, and related outreach services;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) describe the partnership and the roles of the partners in implementing a high-quality program in accordance with this section;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) describe how the eligible entity or entities will address the needs of adults who are non-English speakers;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) describe the results of the needs assessment of the community and how the comprehensive program described in this section will meet the needs of that community and include partnerships with community-based organizations that serve adults in need of such services;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(E) describe the research-based practices and advanced technologies that the program funded under this section will use to carry out the purposes of this section;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(F) describe the rigorous evaluation the eligible entity or entities will use to support continuous improvement of the program and services; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(G) contain such additional assurances as the Secretary may reasonably require.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(d) Required Uses of Funds- Grant funds provided under this section shall be used for--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) the development, training and use of innovative, high-quality tools, products, and educational digital content and services for--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) professional development,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) community and family outreach, andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) adult education, adult literacy, GED preparation, work force training, and related outreach services;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) professional development and training of staff;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) evaluation as described in subsection (g);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) outreach activities to engage adult learners and community organizations;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) English language education and services for non-English speakers; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(6) other activities as needed to meet the purposes of this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(e) Duration- A grant under this section shall be awarded for a period of 5 years.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(f) Administrative Costs- An entity that receives a grant under this section may not use more than 5 percent of the amount received under the grant for administrative costs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(g) Reports and Evaluation- An entity receiving a grant under this section shall prepare and submit to the Secretary an annual report that contains such information as the Secretary may require. At a minimum, such report shall describe the program activities undertaken with funds received under the grant, including--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) the success in engaging families and communities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) the success of professional development and training for staff;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) the effectiveness of the comprehensive, high-quality program to provide adult education, adult literacy, GED preparation, workforce training, and related outreach services;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) the effectiveness of the specific, innovative, high-quality training, tools, products, and educational digital content and services developed and used to improve the quality and delivery of adult education, adult literacy, GED preparation, work force training, and related outreach services; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) the impact of the program on adult literacy and English language skills, workforce skills, job placements, and GED passage rates.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(h) Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) Definitions- In this section--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) the term ‘GED’ means General Educational Development as recognized by the American Council on Education; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) the term ‘institution of higher education’ has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 402. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 9241 et seq.) is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) in section 111(b)(1)(C)(vii), by inserting ‘, and public broadcasting entities’ after ‘juvenile justice programs’;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) in section 117(b)(2)(B), by inserting ‘including public broadcasting entities’ after ‘entities’;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) in section 122(a)(2)(C), by inserting ‘, including a public broadcasting entity’ after ‘training services’;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) in section 129(c)(2)(A), by inserting ‘, including educational digital content and services’ after ‘instruction’;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) in section 203(5)(H), by inserting ‘including a public broadcasting entity’ after ‘institution’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) in section 231(e)(6), by inserting ‘and educational digital content and services’ after ‘computers’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink