S 3184 ISCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To make grants to States to implement statewide portal initiatives, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

June 24 (legislative day, June 23), 2008CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. KERRY introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on FinanceCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To make grants to States to implement statewide portal initiatives, 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 ‘Empowering Teaching and Learning Through Education Portals Act’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) 21st CENTURY SKILLS- The term ‘21st century skills’--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) means skills that students need to succeed in school, work, and life; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) includes--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) skills related either to core academic subjects or to 21st century themes;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) learning and innovation skills, such as--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(I) creativity and innovation;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(II) critical thinking and problem solving; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(III) communication and collaboration; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iii) life and career skills to prepare students for the global economy, such as--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(I) flexibility and adaptability;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(II) productivity and accountability; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(III) leadership and responsibility.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) CORE ACADEMIC SUBJECTS; EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES; SCHOOLS; STATE- The terms ‘core academic subjects’, ‘elementary school’, ‘local educational agency’, ‘secondary school’, ‘State’, 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).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) COVERED EDUCATOR- The term ‘covered educator’ means a teacher, administrator, or other professional staff member, at a covered school.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) COVERED PARENT- The term ‘covered parent’ means the parent of a covered student.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) COVERED SCHOOL- The term ‘covered school’ means a Head Start agency operating a Head Start program, or a public school that is a preschool, elementary school, secondary school, or institution of higher education (including such an institution offering a program leading to a baccalaureate degree or a program leading to an advanced degree).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) COVERED STUDENT- The term ‘covered student’ means a student at a covered school.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) COVERED TEACHER- The term ‘covered teacher’ means a teacher at a covered school.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(8) EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY- The term ‘education technology’ means any technology resource that improves the learning, training, and engagement of students or helps teachers learn, improve their knowledge, and practice.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(9) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION- The term ‘institution of higher education’ has the meaning given the term in sections 101 and 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001, 1002).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(10) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT- The term ‘professional development’ means a resource or training that increases a teacher’s skills, content knowledge, or other information that has a positive impact on student learning.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(11) SECRETARY- The term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary of Education.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. GRANTS.

(a) In General- The Secretary may award grants to eligible States, to pay for the Federal share of the cost of implementing and maintaining education portal initiatives.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Amounts- The Secretary may award the grants for periods of not less than 1 year and not more than 3 years.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Federal Share-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- The Federal share of the cost described in subsection (a) shall be 50 percent.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) NON-FEDERAL SHARE- The State may provide the non-Federal share of the cost in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, including plant, equipment, or services. The State may provide the non-Federal share from State, local, or private sources.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. APPLICATIONS AND AWARDS.

(a) In General- To be eligible to receive a grant under this section for an initiative, a State shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Contents- The application shall contain, at a minimum--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) a comprehensive plan for the initiative for which the State seeks the grant, including evidence that the initiative meets the requirements of subsections (a) and (c) of section 5;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) information describing how the State will provide the non-Federal share of the cost described in section 3(a), and will continue to provide that share during the implementation of the initiative and the remainder of the grant period;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) information describing how the State will meet the maintenance of effort requirements in section 6;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) information explaining the protocol the State will use to ensure safe and legal access to the education portal;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) an assurance that the State has established or will establish an advisory panel, to provide advice on the implementation and maintenance of the initiative, including representatives of leaders in school districts, leaders at institutions of higher education, State educational agencies, parents, and teachers; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) a plan to ensure sufficient statewide bandwidth capacity and systems access to implement and maintain the State education portal.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Awards- In determining the amounts of grants under this Act, the Secretary--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) shall take into consideration the extent to which a State has developed and implemented an education portal initiative prior to the date of the submission of the application involved; butCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) shall not penalize States that have made greater progress in developing and implementing such initiatives.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 5. USE OF FUNDS.

(a) Required Uses- A State that receives a grant under this Act for a fiscal year shall use the funds made available through the grant to implement or maintain an education portal initiative that includes--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) collecting and making available--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) high quality resources (including data, tools, and digital media content) for covered educators, covered students, and covered parents, that support teaching, leading, and learning, and are, as appropriate, aligned with State education standards; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) information for covered teachers to use in assisting covered students to attain skills such as 21st century skills; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) collecting resources for ongoing and sustainable professional development for covered educators, related to the use of education technology, and making the resources available through the implementation of research-based methods and strategies for teacher coaching, collaborating, or mentoring.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Allowable Uses- The State may use the funds made available through the grant for such an initiative, for a portal that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) gives covered educators access to formative assessment and other resources to address various student learning styles, needs, and achievement levels;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) provides an entry point to other information or services, including information on model examples of effective classroom practices, subscriptions or data systems, content standards, lesson plans, courses of study, engaging interactive media, Web resources, e-mail list management software, online portfolios, after-school program resources, and other educational resources;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) provides access to technology-based curriculum resources and tools that promote the teaching and learning of 21st century skills;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) enables covered educators to quickly search for lesson plans, professional development resources, model examples of effective classroom practices, or other resources, by content standard, grade level, or topic;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) provides an online support network or community for covered educators to collaborate on and discuss teaching, learning, curricula, and experiences, and serves as a communication tool between covered educators and covered parents;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) includes digital media content developed by a television public broadcasting entity in coordination with the grant recipient; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) makes available access to 1 or more resource sections of the education portal, subject to the protocol described in section 4(b)(4), by covered education, covered students, and covered parents, from other States (with no requirement for State-specific log-ins), so that those covered educators, covered students, and covered parents can benefit from resources developed in the State, thereby expanding access to the national learning community.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Provision of and Access to Resources- The covered educators, covered students, and covered parents in the State may provide resources and information for the education portal, subject to the protocol described in section 4(b)(4). The resources and information in the education portal shall be accessible statewide by the educators, students, and parents, subject to the protocol.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Other Federal Funds- A State that receives a grant under part A of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.) may use funds made available through that grant to maintain (but not implement) the State’s education portal initiative under this Act, after the end of the period in which the State receives funding under this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Conforming Amendment- Section 2113(a) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6613(a)) is amended by striking ‘A’ and inserting ‘Subject to section 5 of the Empowering Teaching and Learning Through Education Portals Act, a’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 6. MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.

(a) In General- A State that receives a grant under this Act for a fiscal year shall maintain the expenditures of the State for education portal initiatives at a level not less than the level of such expenditures of the State for the fiscal year preceding the first fiscal year for which the State received such a grant.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Reduction- If the Secretary determines that a State, during a fiscal year, expends less than the sum required to comply with subsection (a), the Secretary shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) determine the difference between the required sum and the expenditure; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) reduce the State’s grant under this Act for the following year by the amount of the difference.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 7. EVALUATIONS AND CONFERENCE.

(a) Federal Evaluation- The Secretary shall conduct an evaluation of each initiative funded under this Act. The Secretary shall submit a report containing the results of the evaluation to Congress.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Federal Conference- Not less often than once every 2 years, the Secretary shall hold a conference for advisory panels described in section 4(b)(5), to share information on best practices relating to education portal initiatives.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) State Evaluations- Each State that receives a grant under this Act shall conduct an evaluation of the initiative funded under the grant, using funds provided as part of the non-Federal share of the costs described in section 3(a). The State shall prepare and submit to the Secretary a report containing the results of the evaluation.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2012, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the following 2 fiscal years.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 9. SPECIAL RULES RELATING TO CORPORATE CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO EDUCATION PORTAL PROJECTS OF ELIGIBLE STATES.

(a) In General- Paragraph (2) of Section 170(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (related to percentage limitations) is amended by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D), respectively, and by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new subparagraph:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) SPECIAL RULE FOR CORPORATE CONTRIBUTIONS TO EDUCATION PORTAL PROJECTS OF ELIGIBLE STATES-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) IN GENERAL- In the case of qualified education portal project contributions--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(I) subparagraph (A) shall be applied separately with respect to such contributions and with respect to other charitable contributions of the taxpayer, andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(II) in applying subparagraph (A) to such qualified education portal project contributions, subparagraph (A) shall be applied by substituting ‘50 percent’ for ‘10 percent’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) QUALIFIED EDUCATION PORTAL PROJECT CONTRIBUTION- For purposes of this paragraph, the term ‘qualified education portal project contribution’ means a charitable contribution in cash--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(I) to a State (as defined in section 2 of the Empowering Teaching and Learning Through Education Portals Act) which has a grant application approved under section 4 of such Act, andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(II) for the purpose of paying the non-Federal share of the cost of implementing and maintaining education portal initiatives (within the meaning of section 3 of such Act).’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall apply to contributions made after the date of the enactment of this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink