S 3431 ISCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To establish expanded learning time initiatives, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

August 1, 2008CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. REID (for Mr. KENNEDY (for himself, Mr. BINGAMAN, and Mr. SANDERS)) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and PensionsCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To establish expanded learning time 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 ‘Time for Innovation Matters in Education Act of 2008’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

The purposes of this Act are--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) to increase opportunities for students to participate in expanded learning time initiatives with expanded school days, expanded school weeks, or expanded school years, in order to increase student academic achievement and student engagement and success in schools by providing--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) students with more in-depth and rigorous learning opportunities in reading or language arts, mathematics, science, and other core academic subjects;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) students with more time for additional subjects and enrichment activities that contribute to a well-rounded education, which may include music and the arts, physical education, drama, service-learning, and experiential and work-based learning opportunities (such as community service, learning apprenticeships, internships, and job shadowing); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) teachers with increased opportunities to work collaboratively and to participate in professional planning to improve instruction;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) to improve teaching and learning by--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) creating a seamless program or curriculum with regular and expanded teaching and learning opportunities within a school program that is comprehensively redesigned for students and teachers; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) improving access to instructional supports for struggling students;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) to encourage States, local educational agencies, and schools to develop high-quality, innovative, replicable, and sustainable initiatives to expand learning time; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) to create partnerships between schools and local educational agencies, and external organizations such as community-based organizations, institutions of higher education, community learning centers, cultural organizations, and health and mental health agencies to provide expanded learning and development opportunities for students.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS AND REFERENCES.

(a) Definitions- In this Act:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER- The term ‘community learning center’ means a community learning center, as defined in section 4201(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7171(b)), that receives assistance under part B of title IV of that Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION TERMS- The terms ‘community-based organization’, ‘core academic subjects’, ‘elementary school’, ‘highly qualified’, ‘institution of higher education’, ‘local educational agency’, ‘other staff’, ‘parent’, ‘professional development’, ‘secondary school’, ‘Secretary’, ‘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) ELIGIBLE ENTITY- The term ‘eligible entity’ means--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) a local educational agency; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) a partnership that includes a local educational agency and 1 or more of the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) An additional local educational agency.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) A nonprofit community-based organization, such as an organization focused on after-school learning, alternative learning, or dropout prevention, or an organization with demonstrated experience in expanding learning opportunities and helping schools redesign their educational programs to better meet student needs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iii) An institution of higher education.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iv) A community learning center.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(v) Any other public or nonprofit private entity.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) EXPANDED LEARNING TIME INITIATIVE- The term ‘expanded learning time initiative’ means a program at a school that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) has an expanded school day, expanded school week, or expanded school year schedule, that increases the total number of school hours for the school year by not less than 30 percent, compared to the school year that is standard in the school district in which the school is located, for schools of the comparable level (elementary school, middle school, or high school, as defined under applicable State law);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) uses the expanded learning time schedule to redesign the school’s academic program in a manner that includes additional time--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) for academic work to improve participating students’ proficiency in reading or language arts, mathematics, science, and other core academic subjects;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) to advance student learning for students who already meet or exceed student academic achievement standards, as measured by State academic assessments required under section 1111(b)(3) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(3));CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iii) for additional subjects and enrichment activities that contribute to a well-rounded education, which may include music and the arts, physical education, drama, service-learning, and experiential and work-based learning opportunities (such as community service, learning apprenticeships, internships, and job shadowing); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iv) for teachers for collaboration within and across grades and subjects and professional planning; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C)(i) in the case of a school that is not a high school, will expand learning time for all students in all grade levels in the school; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) in the case of a high school, will expand learning time for not less than 1 entire grade level of students in the school, and if the school expands learning time for additional students under this Act, will expand learning time for additional entire grade levels.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) EXPANDED LEARNING TIME SCHOOL- The term ‘expanded learning time school’ means a school that has implemented an expanded learning time initiative using funds received under this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) HIGH-NEED SCHOOL-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) IN GENERAL- The term ‘high-need school’ means--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) a public elementary school or secondary school at which 50 percent or more of the students are eligible to be counted under 1 of the measures of poverty described in section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6313(a)(5)); orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) a school for which an eligible entity has obtained approval under subparagraph (B).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) SPECIAL RULE FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS- An eligible entity seeking a grant from the Secretary or a subgrant from a State educational agency under this Act may apply to the Secretary or State educational agency, respectively, for approval to treat a public secondary school as a high-need school under this Act. The application shall include information, supplied by the secondary school, explaining why the school should be treated as a high-need school. Such information shall include information on the number and percentage of students attending such school who are low-income students, the graduation rate for such school (as defined 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)), and information about the student academic achievement of students at such school.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) HIGH SCHOOL- The term ‘high school’ means a public high school, as defined under applicable State law.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(8) LOW-INCOME STUDENT- The term ‘low-income student’ means a student who is eligible to be counted under 1 of the measures of poverty described in section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6313(a)(5)).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) References- In this Act--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) a reference to a school day, school week, or school year includes a reference to a combination thereof; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) a reference to a school day, school week, or school year program (or schedule) includes a reference to a combination thereof.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

(a) Grants to State Educational Agencies- From the amount appropriated under section 11, the Secretary is authorized to award grants on a competitive basis under section 5 to State educational agencies having applications approved pursuant to section 5(c) to enable such agencies to award subgrants on a competitive basis to eligible entities as described in sections 6 and 7.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Reservation- From the amount made available under this Act for each fiscal year, the Secretary may reserve--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) 5 percent of the amount to carry out the activities described in section 9; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) from the remainder--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) not more than 10 percent of the remainder to award grants under section 8; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) not more than $1,000,000 to carry out the review of applications for, selection of recipients of, and distribution of, grants to State educational agencies and eligible entities under sections 5 and 8.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 5. GRANTS TO STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES.

(a) Grants-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary is authorized to award grants to State educational agencies on a competitive basis to assist the agencies in developing State expanded learning time and school redesign grant programs in accordance with this Act, which shall involve awarding subgrants on a competitive basis to eligible entities in accordance with this Act, to plan and implement expanded learning time initiatives.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) DISTRIBUTION- The Secretary shall ensure that grants awarded under this section and section 8 are distributed to State educational agencies and eligible entities from diverse geographical regions and from a diverse group of States with a range of sizes and populations.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Duration- The Secretary shall award each grant described in subsection (a) for a period of 6 years, and may renew each grant for additional periods of not more than 6 years.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Applications- A State educational agency that desires to receive a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require, containing--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) a description of how the State educational agency will use grant funds under this section;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) a description of the peer review process and selection criteria the State educational agency will use to evaluate applications from, and select, eligible entities to receive expanded learning time and school redesign planning and implementation subgrants, which shall include a description of how the State educational agency will assess the capacity of eligible entities to plan and implement, and the effectiveness of eligible entities in planning and implementing, expanded learning time initiatives;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) a description of the process the State educational agency will use to encourage local educational agencies and schools to implement expanded learning time initiatives;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) a description of how the State educational agency will provide technical assistance and support to eligible entities, local educational agencies, and schools receiving funds through the State educational agency under this Act, in implementing expanded learning time initiatives, including--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) assisting the local educational agencies in identifying potential partners that are external organizations with demonstrated experience in expanding learning opportunities and helping schools redesign their educational programs to better meet student needs; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) assisting the eligible entities, local educational agencies, and schools in collecting, reviewing, and analyzing data on student academic achievement;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) an assurance that each school receiving funds through the State educational agency under this Act--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) will implement an expanded learning time initiative that meets the requirements in the definition in section 3(a)(4); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B)(i) in the case of a school that is not a high school, will expand learning time for all students in all grade levels in the school; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) in the case of a high school, will expand learning time for not less than 1 entire grade level of students in the school, and if the school expands learning time for additional students under this Act, will expand learning time for additional entire grade levels;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) a description of how the State educational agency will use the expanded learning time and school redesign grant program involved, and lessons learned from such program, to improve student academic achievement in schools that have not made adequate yearly progress under section 1111(b)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)) for 2 or more years;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) a description of how the State educational agency will evaluate, on a regular basis, activities carried out by eligible entities receiving funds through the State educational agency under this Act, including a description of any measures, in addition to those described in section 9(b)(3)--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) on which the State educational agency will require eligible entities to report results; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) that the State educational agency will use for its evaluation;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(8) a description of how the State educational agency will collect, analyze, and disseminate, to local educational agencies and other schools within the State, information on best practices learned from schools receiving funding under this Act;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(9) an assurance that the State educational agency, and any eligible entity receiving funds through the State educational agency under this Act will, if requested, participate in the evaluation under section 9(b)(4); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(10) any other information that the Secretary may reasonably require.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Authorized Activities-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) DISTRIBUTION- A State educational agency that receives a grant under this section--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) may reserve not more than 15 percent of the grant funds to carry out the activities described in paragraphs (2) through (4); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) shall use an amount consisting of not less than 85 percent of the grant funds to award subgrants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities under section 6 or 7 to enable the eligible entities to carry out the authorized activities described in section 6(e) or 7(f), except that not more than 10 percent of that amount shall be used for subgrants under section 6.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) STATE-LEVEL PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION- A State educational agency that receives a grant under this section may use grant funds reserved under paragraph (1)(A) for planning and administration, including--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) evaluating applications from eligible entities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) administering the distribution of subgrants to eligible entities; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) assessing and evaluating, on a regular basis, activities carried out by eligible entities receiving funds through the State educational agency under this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR ELIGIBLE ENTITIES- A State educational agency that receives a grant under this section may use grant funds reserved under paragraph (1)(A) for technical assistance, including--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) assisting eligible entities in planning and implementing expanded learning time initiatives, including assisting local educational agencies in identifying potential partners that are external organizations with demonstrated experience in expanding learning opportunities and helping schools redesign their educational programs to better meet student needs; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) implementing a program of professional development for teachers and administrators, in schools that receive funding under this Act, that prepares teachers and administrators to implement the authorized activities described in section 7(f).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) REPORTING- A State educational agency that receives a grant under this section shall annually prepare and submit to the Secretary a report on the implementation of expanded learning time initiatives under this Act, which shall include reports submitted under section 7(h).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Match-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- Each State educational agency that receives a grant under this section shall provide matching funds to carry out the activities supported by the grant in an amount not less than--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) for the first year of an initial grant under this section, 10 percent of the cost of the activities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) for the second year of such a grant, 20 percent of the cost of the activities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) for the third or fourth year of such a grant, 25 percent of the cost of the activities; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) for the fifth year of such a grant or any year of a subsequent grant under this section, 30 percent of the cost of the activities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) MATCHING FUNDS- The State educational agency may provide the matching funds in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, including plant, equipment, or services, but may not provide more than 50 percent of the matching funds in kind. The State educational agency may provide the matching funds from State, local, or private sources.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(f) Supplement Not Supplant- Funds used to make grants under this Act shall be used to supplement and not supplant other Federal, State, and local public funds expended to plan or implement expanded learning time initiatives.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 6. EXPANDED LEARNING TIME AND SCHOOL REDESIGN PLANNING SUBGRANTS.

(a) Subgrants Authorized- A State educational agency receiving a grant under section 5 is authorized to award expanded learning time and school redesign planning subgrants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Duration- The State educational agency shall award each subgrant described in subsection (a) for a period of not more than 1 year. Such grants shall be nonrenewable.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Subgrant Amount- The State educational agency shall award each subgrant described in subsection (a) in an amount that is not less than $15,000 and not more than $60,000.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Applications- An eligible entity that desires to receive an expanded learning time and school redesign planning subgrant pursuant to this section shall submit an application to the State educational agency at such time and in such manner as the agency may require, containing--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) a description of the eligible entity’s proposal to establish expanded learning time initiatives at high-need schools served by the eligible entity;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) information identifying the number of high-need schools the eligible entity proposes to serve using funds made available under this Act, and a description of the process, considerations, and criteria the eligible entity will use to select schools to implement the expanded learning time initiatives--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) which considerations shall include the percentage of low-income students attending each school; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) which criteria shall include the local educational agency’s determination of the capacity of each school to implement successfully a proposed expanded learning time initiative;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) if the eligible entity receives a subgrant under section 7, an assurance that each school receiving funding through the subgrant will implement an expanded school day, expanded school week, or expanded school year schedule;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) if the eligible entity receives a subgrant under section 7, an assurance that each school receiving funding through the subgrant--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) in the case of a school that is not a high school, will expand learning time for all students in all grade levels in the school; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) in the case of a high school, will expand learning time for not less than 1 entire grade level of students in the school, and if the school expands learning time for additional students under this Act, will expand learning time for additional entire grade levels;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) a description of the process by which the eligible entity will ensure the meaningful involvement of teachers, teacher organizations, parents, and community-based organizations in the development of the expanded learning time initiatives;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) a description of how the local educational agency involved and participating high-need schools will work with external organizations that comprise the eligible entity involved, and any other external organizations as applicable, such as a community-based organization, an institution of higher education, a community learning center, an entity carrying out an after-school program, or an organization that will provide students with internships and work-based learning opportunities, to develop and implement expanded learning time initiatives;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) an assurance that the eligible entity has the infrastructure in place to collect the data necessary for an evaluation of the impact of the expanded learning time initiatives on measures of student academic achievement and student engagement and success, and other measures described in section 9(b)(3), to be submitted in the report described in section 7(h); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(8) an assurance that each participating local educational agency will use the subgrant period to negotiate and reach an agreement with the exclusive recognized representatives of the employees of each participating high-need school served by the agency or, where there is no such representative, with the employees of each participating high-need school served by the agency.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Authorized Activities- An eligible entity receiving a subgrant under this section shall use the subgrant funds to develop a detailed plan to implement expanded learning time initiatives at high-need schools served by the eligible entities as specified in this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(f) Priority- In awarding subgrants under this section, a State educational agency shall give priority to an application from an eligible entity if--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) for each local educational agency in the eligible entity, a high percentage of the students served by the local educational agency are eligible to be counted under section 1124(c)(1)(A) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6333(c)(1)(A)); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) the eligible entity includes a community-based organization, an institution of higher education, a community learning center, or an entity carrying out an after-school program.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 7. EXPANDED LEARNING TIME AND SCHOOL REDESIGN IMPLEMENTATION SUBGRANTS.

(a) Subgrants Authorized- A State educational agency receiving a grant under section 5 is authorized to award expanded learning time and school redesign implementation subgrants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities that have received subgrants pursuant to section 6.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Duration- The State educational agency shall award each subgrant described in subsection (a) for a period of not less than 5 years, and may renew each subgrant for additional periods of not more than 5 years.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Subgrant Amount- In awarding a subgrant described in subsection (a) to an eligible entity, a State educational agency shall determine the amount of the subgrant by taking into account the number of students expected to participate in the expanded learning time initiatives involved, as specified in the application submitted by the eligible entity under subsection (d), and the approximate per student cost of implementing a high-quality expanded learning time initiative.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Applications- An eligible entity that desires to receive an expanded learning time and school redesign implementation subgrant pursuant to this section shall submit an application to the State educational agency at such time and in such manner as the agency may require, containing--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) an identification and description of each high-need school (selected in accordance with the process, considerations, and criteria described in section 6(d)(2)) that will receive funding from the eligible entity to participate in an expanded learning time initiative, including information identifying the grade levels at the school for which the expanded learning time initiative will be implemented (which shall be the grade levels described in paragraph (1) or (2), as appropriate, of subsection (g)), the number of students that will be served through the initiative at the school, and student academic achievement, demographic, and socioeconomic data for students at the school;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) a description of how the eligible entity will implement at each such school an expanded learning time initiative that involves an expanded school day, expanded school week, or expanded school year schedule, and that involves comprehensive redesigning of the school day, school week, or school year, as applicable, consistent with section 3(a)(4), which description shall include--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) a description of how the expanded learning time schedule will expand learning time by not less than 30 percent, consistent with section 3(a)(4); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) a description of how the eligible entity will meet each of the other requirements of the definition in section 3(a)(4);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) a description of the plan the eligible entity will use to evaluate, on an annual basis, the impact of each expanded learning time initiative on measures of student academic achievement and student engagement and success, and other appropriate measures;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) a description of the additional subjects and enrichment activities that will be offered at each such school that contribute to a well-rounded education, which may include music and the arts, physical education, drama, service-learning, and experiential and work-based learning opportunities (such as community service, learning apprenticeships, internships, and job shadowing);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) a comprehensive plan, developed in collaboration with teachers and, as appropriate, other staff, for professional development at each such school that includes a description of intended changes in teaching practices and curriculum delivery that will result in improved student academic achievement and student engagement and success;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) a description of how the eligible entity will use the expanded learning time initiatives, and lessons learned from such initiatives, to improve student academic achievement in schools that have not made adequate yearly progress under section 1111(b)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)) for 2 or more consecutive years;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) a description of school staffing for each such school, including an assurance that the local educational agency is implementing a plan sufficient to meet the goal of ensuring all teachers of core academic subjects are highly qualified;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(8) evidence of an agreement reached between each participating local educational agency and the exclusive recognized representatives of the employees of each participating high-need school served by the agency, for employees to work the expanded learning time schedules involved or, where there is no such representative, evidence of an agreement supported by at least two-thirds of the employees of each participating high-need school served by the agency, to work the expanded learning time schedules involved;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(9) a description of how the local educational agency involved and participating high-need schools will work with external organizations that comprise the eligible entity involved, and any other external organizations as applicable, such as a community-based organization, an institution of higher education, a community learning center, an entity carrying out an after-school program, or an organization that will provide students with internships and work-based learning opportunities, to implement expanded learning time initiatives, including a description of the specific roles and responsibilities of such external organizations;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(10) a description of the process by which the eligible entity ensured the meaningful involvement of teachers, teacher organizations where applicable, administrators, parents, and community-based organizations in the development (including the design) of the expanded learning time initiatives;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(11) an assurance that the eligible entity will work with a community learning center, or an entity carrying out an after-school program, where appropriate, to provide after-school programs for students participating in the expanded learning time initiatives after the conclusion of the school day; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(12) an assurance that the eligible entity will report to the State educational agency all data necessary for the State educational agency’s report, under section 5(d)(4).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Priority- In awarding subgrants under this section, a State educational agency shall give priority to an application from an eligible entity that meets the criteria described in section 6(f).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(f) Authorized Activities- An eligible entity receiving a subgrant under this section shall use the subgrant funds to implement high-quality expanded learning time initiatives, at high-need schools served by such eligible entity, that are consistent with section 3(a)(4).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(g) Student Participation in the Initiatives- For each school receiving funding under this Act--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) in the case of a school that is not a high school, all students in all grade levels in the school shall be required to attend the school on the expanded learning time schedule; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) in the case of a high school, all students in the grade levels in which the school expands learning time shall be required to attend the school on the expanded learning time schedule.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(h) Reports by Eligible Entities- Each eligible entity receiving a subgrant under this section for expanded learning time initiatives shall, not later than 1 year after the first day of the first school year in which the expanded learning time initiatives were implemented, prepare and submit to the State educational agency a report regarding--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) the extent to which the proposal for the expanded learning time initiatives was carried out;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) the technical assistance the eligible entity provided to expanded learning time schools;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) for each expanded learning time school--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) the budget for, and actual expenses associated with carrying out, the expanded learning time initiatives in the first school year; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) the amount of time by which the school day, school week, or school year, was expanded in the school; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) information on the impact of the expanded learning time initiatives, including data on the measures described in section 9(b)(3) and (for secondary schools) graduation rates (and any additional measures developed by the eligible entity or associated State educational agency under section 5(c)(7) or this subsection, with respect to the eligible entity), for students participating in the expanded learning time initiatives and for similar students in schools, sewed by the local educational agencies involved, that did not implement expanded learning time initiatives.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) Publication and Availability of Report Summaries- The Secretary shall publish and make widely available to the public, including through a website or other means, a summary of the eligible entity reports received under section 5(d)(4) and subsection (h).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 8. GRANTS TO ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.

(a) In General- The Secretary may award a grant under this section to an eligible entity that serves 1 or more areas within 1 or more States.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Planning and Implementation Grants- The Secretary may award a planning grant under subsection (a), to the eligible entity, to carry out the activities described in section 6(e). In the case of an eligible entity that has received a planning grant under subsection (a), the Secretary may award an implementation grant under subsection (a) to the eligible entity, to carry out the activities described in section 7(f).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Applications- To be qualified to receive a grant under subsection (a), an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an application that contains (for a planning grant) information describing how the entity will undertake the activities described in section 5(c)(8) and the information described in section 6(d) and (for an implementation grant) the information described in section 7(d), other than paragraph (12) of that section. In determining whether to award a grant under subsection (a) to an eligible entity, the Secretary shall give priority to an eligible entity that meets the criteria described in section 6(f).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Period; Amount- The subgrant period and amount described in subsections (b) and (c) of section 6 or 7, as appropriate, shall apply to the grant.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Authorities; Responsibilities- The eligible entity shall have the same authorities and responsibilities under this Act as an eligible entity that receives a subgrant under section 6 or 7, as appropriate. In carrying out the report responsibilities described in section 7(h), the eligible entity shall submit the reports to the Secretary.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(f) Match-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- Each eligible entity that receives an implementation grant under this section shall comply with the matching requirements described in section 5(e)(1), except that references in that section to a grant under section 5 shall be considered to be references to an implementation grant under this section.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) MATCHING FUNDS- The eligible entity may provide the matching funds in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, including plant, equipment, or services, but may not provide more than 50 percent of the matching funds in kind. The eligible entity may provide the matching funds from State, local, or private sources, or Federal sources under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 9. NATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

(a) Technical Assistance and Support-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary is authorized to provide, directly or by entering into a contract with an independent organization, technical assistance to State educational agencies, eligible entities, including eligible entities receiving grants under section 8, local educational agencies, and schools in developing and implementing expanded learning time initiatives under this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE- The Secretary or such organization shall provide technical assistance that shall include--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) assisting State educational agencies (and eligible entities receiving grants under section 8, at the election of the Secretary) with developing expanded learning time initiatives, including disseminating information and research on existing State and local expanded learning time efforts;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) annually convening participating State educational agencies, eligible entities, and organizations providing support to State educational agencies and eligible entities to provide technical assistance to the agencies, entities, and organizations on best practices, for expanding learning time, that relate to finance, educational programming, partnerships with community-based organizations, and measures of student academic achievement and student engagement and success and other appropriate measures;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) identifying and disseminating information about eligible entities, local educational agencies, and schools that have effectively planned and implemented expanded learning time initiatives; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) supporting the continued identification and dissemination of information on expanded learning time initiatives that can lead to improved teaching and learning outcomes for children, youth, and adults.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Evaluation and Dissemination-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall enter into a contract with an independent organization with expertise in school improvement, program evaluation, and measurement (such as an institution of higher education or other research organization) to assist with the provision of the technical assistance, and conduct the evaluation and analyses, described in this subsection.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON DATA COLLECTION AND MEASURES- The independent organization shall provide technical assistance to State educational agencies and eligible entities receiving funds under this Act with data collection and analysis of the measures described in paragraph (3), including data collection and analysis to enable State educational agencies to prepare reports pursuant to section 5(d)(4) and eligible entities to prepare reports pursuant to sections 7(h) (including reports described in section 8(e)).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) TYPES OF MEASURES-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) IN GENERAL- A State educational agency shall establish measures to assess the success of eligible entities and schools receiving funds through such State educational agency under this Act, which shall include--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) measures of student academic achievement and student engagement and success;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) measures of teacher collaboration and professional planning; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iii) detailed measures of the amount of time devoted to core academic subjects and additional subjects and enrichment activities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) SPECIAL RULE FOR ELIGIBLE ENTITIES RECEIVING GRANTS UNDER SECTION 8- If an eligible entity receives a grant under section 8, the eligible entity shall establish measures in lieu of a State educational agency under subparagraph (A) to assess the success of the eligible entity and schools receiving funds through the eligible entity under this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) REPORT-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) IN GENERAL- The independent organization shall prepare a report that shall include the evaluation described in subparagraph (B), including the analyses described in subparagraph (C), and the analyses described in subparagraph (D).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) EVALUATION- The independent organization shall conduct an evaluation of the impact and implementation of the program funded under this Act, which evaluation shall rely in part on the reports prepared by States under section 5(d)(4) and eligible entities pursuant to sections 7(h) (including reports described in section 8(e)).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) CONTENTS- In conducting the evaluation, the independent organization shall conduct an analysis of the impact of the expanded learning time initiatives funded under this Act, by analyzing data on the measures described in paragraph (3) and other appropriate measures for students participating in expanded learning time initiatives in all expanded learning time schools, with results from that analysis disaggregated by expanded school day, expanded school week, or expanded school year program, as appropriate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) ANALYSES- The independent organization shall conduct--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) an analysis of how variation in school design, instructional practices, and other conditions influence the success of the implementation of the expanded learning time initiatives;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) an analysis of the conditions and activities that impact the planning and implementation of the expanded learning time initiatives, including teaching and leadership practices at a school, student and teacher schedules, the additional costs of operating an expanded learning time school, how the additional school hours required for the initiative involved are used to enhance teaching and learning, and how external organizations are utilized for the initiative;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iii) an analysis of the similarities and differences in the ways in which schools implemented an expanded school day, expanded school week, or expanded school year schedule; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iv) any other analysis requested by the Secretary.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) DISSEMINATION- The independent organization shall submit the report described in paragraph (4) to Congress and the Secretary, and disseminate the report to the general public. The Secretary shall ensure that the report described in paragraph (4) is provided to eligible entities and local educational agencies on a periodic basis for use in improving initiatives.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 10. CONSTRUCTION.

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to alter or otherwise affect the rights, remedies, and procedures afforded to the employees of local educational agencies under Federal, State, or local law (including applicable regulations or court orders) or under the terms of collective bargaining agreements, memoranda of understanding, or other agreements between such employees and their employers.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $350,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, $380,000,000 for fiscal year 2010, $420,000,000 for fiscal year 2011, $460,000,000 for fiscal year 2012, and $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2013.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink