[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1687 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1687

To provide financial assistance to eligible local educational agencies 
          to improve rural education, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 2, 1993

 Mr. Williams (for himself, Mr. de la Garza, Mr. Fazio, Mr. Gunderson, 
  Mr. Oberstar, Mr. Parker, Mr. Wise, Mr. Abercrombie, Mr. Jefferson, 
Mrs. Clayton, Mr. Volkmer, Mr. Johnson of South Dakota, Mr. Olver, and 
 Mr. Boucher) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide financial assistance to eligible local educational agencies 
          to improve rural education, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Schools of 
America (RSA) Act of 1993''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Statement of purpose.
                   TITLE I--RURAL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

Sec. 101. Authorization.
Sec. 102. Allotment of funds.
Sec. 103. Application.
Sec. 104. Planning period.
Sec. 105. Uses of funds.
Sec. 106. Accountability.
Sec. 107. Incentive awards to exemplary programs.
Sec. 108. Regulatory assessment.
Sec. 109. Local advisory group.
Sec. 110. Special rules.
            TITLE II--SCHOOL BUILDING REPAIR AND RENOVATION

Sec. 201. Purpose; authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 202. Allotment of funds.
Sec. 203. Application.
Sec. 204. Repair and renovation.
Sec. 205. Environment and safety.
Sec. 206. Waiver.
Sec. 207. Application of the Davis-Bacon Act.
                    TITLE III--EVALUATION OF RESULTS

                    Subtitle A--Assistant Secretary

Sec. 301. Assistant Secretary for rural education.
            Subtitle B--Rural School Research and Evaluation

Sec. 311. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 312. Establishment; operation; uses of funds.
Sec. 313. Local rural school evaluation.
Sec. 314. Local applications.
                      TITLE IV--GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 401. Interagency Council and Rural Schools.
Sec. 402. White House Conference on Rural Education.
Sec. 403. Federal funds to supplement not supplant non-Federal funds.
Sec. 404. Definitions.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) the ability of America's rural school systems to meet 
        the National Education Goals will contribute to the economic 
        competitiveness and academic standing of the Nation in the 
        world community;
            (2) the quality of public education in the rural areas of 
        the Nation has a direct effect on the economic development of 
        the rural communities of the Nation;
            (3) the success of rural schools in boosting the 
        achievement of minority youth attending such schools will 
        determine the ability of the Nation to close the gap between 
        the ``haves and have-nots'' in society;
            (4) the cost to America's businesses to provide remedial 
        education to high school graduates is approximately 
        $30,000,000,000 per year;
            (5) approximately one-third of the Nation's work force will 
        be minority by the year 2000;
            (6) rural schools enroll a disproportionately large share 
        of the Nation's poor and ``at-risk'' youth;
            (7) approximately 60 percent of the Nation's public school 
        districts are rural with a population of less than 2,500;
            (8) approximately one out of every four of America's rural 
        children are living below the poverty line;
            (9) the academic performance of students in the average 
        rural school system is below that of students in most other 
        suburban school systems;
            (10) rural preschoolers have less access to early childhood 
        development programs than other children;
            (11) shortages of teachers for rural school systems is 
        greater than in other kinds of school systems;
            (12) a declining number of rural high school graduates are 
        pursuing postsecondary education opportunities;
            (13) the average age of rural public school buildings is 
        more than 45 years old and are often in serious disrepair, 
        creating poor and demoralizing working and learning conditions;
            (14) solving the challenges facing the Nation's rural 
        schools will require the concerted and collaborative efforts of 
        all levels of government and all sectors of the community;
            (15) State and Federal funding of rural schools has not 
        adequately reflected need; and
            (16) Federal funding that is well targeted, flexible and 
        accountable would contribute significantly to addressing the 
        comprehensive needs of rural schools.

SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this Act to provide financial assistance for 
those rural schools most in need to encourage the comprehensive 
restructuring of America's rural schools, the appropriate use of 
telecommunications technologies for learning and to support innovative 
programs which improve performance through programs and projects 
designed to--
            (1) assist rural schools in meeting National Education 
        Goals;
            (2) encourage rural schools to engage in school reform;
            (3) develop pilot projects that experiment with innovative 
        ways to teach rural public school children more effectively;
            (4) improve the educational and social well being of rural 
        public school children;
            (5) close the achievement gap between children attending 
        rural schools and other children, while improving the 
        achievement level of all children nationally;
            (6) renovate and repair aging rural school buildings and 
        facilities;
            (7) conduct coordinated research on rural education 
        problems, solutions, promising practices, and distance learning 
        technologies;
            (8) improve the Nation's global economic and educational 
        competitiveness by improving the country's rural schools;
            (9) encourage community, parental and business 
        collaboration in the improvement of rural schools;
            (10) review regulations the simplification of which might 
        improve the achievement of rural school children;
            (11) encourage rural school consortia for the purpose of 
        increasing efficiency and course offerings;
            (12) encourage a positive role for rural public schools in 
        local rural entrepreneurship and the identification of rural 
        community economic development opportunities;
            (13) encourage ``community as school'' concepts, which 
        include the role public schools can play to assist with rural 
        community economic revitalization; and
            (14) provide meaningful inservice opportunities for rural 
        public school teachers.

                   TITLE I--RURAL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

SEC. 101. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated $1,500,000,000 for 1994 and 
such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1995, 1996, 
1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 to carry out the provisions of this title.

SEC. 102. ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS.

    (a) Reservation.--From the amount appropriated or otherwise made 
available to carry out the provisions of this title for any fiscal year 
after the first fiscal year in which the Secretary awards allotments to 
State educational agencies under this title, the Secretary shall 
reserve 5 percent of such funds to provide competitive awards in 
accordance with section 107.
    (b) Allotments.--
            (1) Federal allotment.--From the remainder of the funds not 
        reserved under subsection (a), the Secretary shall allot to 
        each State educational agency with an approved application in 
        each fiscal year an amount which bears the same relationship to 
        such funds as the amount all eligible local educational 
        agencies with approved applications in the State were allocated 
        under sections 1005 and 1006 of the Elementary and Secondary 
        Education Act of 1965 in the preceding fiscal year bears to the 
        total amount received under such sections in such preceding 
        fiscal year by all eligible local educational agencies with 
        approved applications in all States.
            (2) State allotment.--
                    (A) Reservation.--From amounts received pursuant to 
                paragraph (1), each State educational agency may 
                reserve 1 percent of such amount for administrative 
                expenses.
                    (B) Formula.--From the remainder of amounts 
                received pursuant to paragraph (1) in each fiscal year, 
                each State educational agency shall allot to each 
                eligible local educational agency with an approved 
                application an amount which bears the same relationship 
                to such funds as the amount such eligible local 
                educational agency was allocated under sections 1005 
                and 1006 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
                of 1965 in the preceding fiscal year bears to the total 
                amount received under such sections in such preceding 
                fiscal year by all eligible local educational agencies 
                with approved applications in the State.
                    (C) Administrative costs.--Not more than 5 percent 
                of any eligible local educational agency's allotment 
                under this subsection may be used for administrative 
                costs.
    (c) Reallotment.--Any amounts available for reallotment pursuant to 
subsections (a) and (b) shall be reallotted in the same manner as the 
original allotments were made.
    (d) Reservation for Community-Based Organizations and Nonprofit 
Partnerships.--
            (1) In general.--From the amounts allotted under subsection 
        (b)(2) for any fiscal year, each eligible local educational 
        agency shall reserve not more than 5 percent to make as many 
        grants as practicable for activities in accordance with the 
        National Education Goals and described in section 105 to--
                    (A) community-based organizations; or
                    (B) nonprofit partnerships among the eligible local 
                educational agency, local colleges or universities, or 
                area-wide collaboratives with private sector businesses 
                who enter into a written agreement with the eligible 
                local educational agency.
            (2) Special rule.--Grants awarded pursuant to paragraph (1) 
        shall be of sufficient size, scope and quality to be effective.

SEC. 103. APPLICATION.

    (a) State Application.--
            (1) In general.--Each State educational agency desiring to 
        receive an allotment in any fiscal year to carry out the 
        provisions of this title shall submit an application to the 
        Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such 
        information as the Secretary may reasonably require.
            (2) Contents.--Each application submitted pursuant to 
        paragraph (1) shall--
                    (A) contain such information as the Secretary may 
                reasonably require in order to make the allotment 
                described in section 102(b)(1);
                    (B) inform the Secretary regarding any eligible 
                local educational agency that fails to comply with the 
                provisions of this title; and
                    (C) contain such other information or assurances as 
                the Secretary determines necessary to ensure compliance 
                with the provisions of this title.
    (b) Local Application.--
            (1) In general.--Any eligible local educational agency 
        desiring to receive an allotment to carry out the provisions of 
        this title, shall--
                    (A) develop and prepare an application with the 
                local advisory group in accordance with section 109 of 
                this Act;
                    (B) submit the application described in 
                subparagraph (A) to the State educational agency at 
                such time, in such manner and accompanied by such 
                information as the State educational agency may 
                reasonably require.
            (2) Contents of local educational agency application.--Each 
        application submitted by an eligible local educational agency 
        pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include a description of--
                    (A) the ranking of all schools in the eligible 
                local educational agency by achievement, poverty, and 
                racial isolation and how such schools will be served in 
                accordance with section 110(a);
                    (B) the community served by the eligible local 
                educational agency and the effects of the community on 
                the educational conditions within the schools served by 
                the eligible local educational agency;
                    (C) the collaboration in program planning with the 
                local advisory group described in section 109;
                    (D) the goals selected by the eligible local 
                educational agency pursuant to section 106(b), the 
                rationale for choosing such goals over others, and a 
                description of whether the goals selected differ 
                between elementary and secondary schools in the 
                district;
                    (E) how funds received under this title will be 
                used to meet the National Educational Goals selected by 
                the eligible local educational agency;
                    (F) how promising or successful models or programs 
                will be replicated in designing activities assisted 
                under this title;
                    (G) which federally funded programs and activities 
                are being expanded under this title; and
                    (H) the statistical indicators and other criteria 
                that the eligible local educational agency will use to 
                measure progress toward meeting National Education 
                Goals, and a description of what the local educational 
                agency has done to ensure that any assessments used to 
                measure such progress will not have a negative effect 
                on minority or language minority students;
            (3) Duration.--Except as provided in section 106, the 
        application described in paragraph (1) may be for a period of 
        not more than 3 years.
    (c) Community-Based Organizations and Nonprofit Partnerships.--Any 
community-based organization or nonprofit partnership described in 
section 102(d) desiring to receive a grant from an eligible local 
educational agency pursuant to such section shall--
            (1) prepare an application for approval by the local 
        advisory group described in section 109 and submit such 
        application to the eligible local educational agency;
            (2) describe in the application the collaborative efforts 
        undertaken with the eligible local educational agency in 
        designing a program to meet the purposes of the Act; and
            (3) describe in the application how funds will be used to 
        help meet the education goals selected by the eligible local 
        educational agency pursuant to subsection (b) of this section.

SEC. 104. PLANNING PERIOD.

    Any eligible local educational agency requiring additional planning 
efforts to meet the provisions of this title may use the first 6 months 
of the initial program year for planning purposes, subject to approval 
by the State educational agency, except that no more than 15 percent of 
the first year's allotment shall be used for such purposes. A written 
report of the results of the plan shall be submitted to the State 
educational agency.

SEC. 105. USES OF FUNDS.

    (a) In General.--Funds allotted under section 102(b)(2) shall be 
used by eligible local educational agencies, or community-based 
organizations or nonprofit partnerships described in section 102(d) to 
meet national education goals through programs designed to--
            (1) increase the academic achievement of rural school 
        children to at least the national average, including such 
        education reform initiatives as--
                    (A) effective schools programs;
                    (B) tutoring, mentoring, and other activities to 
                improve academic achievement directly;
                    (C) supplementary academic instruction;
                    (D) efforts to improve problem-solving and higher-
                order critical thinking skills;
                    (E) programs to increase student motivation for 
                learning;
                    (F) efforts to lengthen the school day, school year 
                or reduce class sizes; and
                    (G) encouraging the establishment of rural school 
                consortia to increase efficiency and course offerings; 
                and
            (2) ensure the readiness of all rural children for school, 
        including--
                    (A) full workday, full calendar-year comprehensive 
                early childhood development programs;
                    (B) parenting classes and parent involvement 
                activities;
                    (C) activities designed to coordinate 
                prekindergarten and child care programs;
                    (D) efforts to integrate developmentally 
                appropriate prekindergarten services into the overall 
                school program;
                    (E) upgrading the qualifications of early childhood 
                education staff and standards for programs;
                    (F) collaborative efforts with health and social 
                service agencies to provide comprehensive services and 
                to facilitate the transition from home to school;
                    (G) establishment of comprehensive child care 
                centers in high schools for student-parents and their 
                children; and
                    (H) augmenting early childhood development programs 
                to meet the special educational and cultural needs of 
                limited-English proficient and migrant preschool 
                children;
            (3) increase the graduation rates of rural students to at 
        least the national average, including--
                    (A) dropout prevention activities and support 
                services for students at-risk of dropping out of 
                school;
                    (B) re-entry, outreach and support activities to 
                recruit students who have dropped out of school to 
                return to school;
                    (C) development of systemwide policies and 
                practices that encourage students to stay in school;
                    (D) efforts to provide individualized student 
                support, such as mentoring programs;
                    (E) collaborative activities between schools, 
                parents, community groups, agencies and institutions of 
                higher education aimed at preventing individuals from 
                dropping out of school;
                    (F) programs to increase student attendance; and
                    (G) alternative programs for students, especially 
                bilingual, special education and migrant students, who 
                have dropped out of school or are at-risk of dropping 
                out of school;
            (4) prepare rural school graduates to enter higher 
        education, pursue careers and exercise their responsibilities 
        as citizens, including--
                    (A) activities designed to increase the number and 
                percentages of students, enrolling in postsecondary 
                educational institutions after graduation from 
                secondary schools;
                    (B) in-school youth employment, vocational 
                education, and career education programs that improve 
                the transition from school to work;
                    (C) activities designed in collaboration with 
                colleges and universities to assist rural school 
                graduates in completing higher education;
                    (D) activities designed in conjunction with 
                community colleges to provide a K-14 experience for 
                rural school secondary school students;
                    (E) efforts to increase voter registration among 
                eligible high school students attending schools served 
                by eligible local educational agencies;
                    (F) activities designed to promote community 
                service and volunteerism among students, parents, 
                teachers, and the community;
                    (G) civic education, law-related education and 
                other programs designed to enhance responsible 
                citizenship and understanding of the political process; 
                and
                    (H) encouraging a positive role for rural public 
                schools in local rural entrepreneurship and the 
                identification of rural community economic development 
                opportunities;
            (5) recruit and retain qualified teachers, including--
                    (A) school-based management projects and 
                activities;
                    (B) programs designed to increase the status of the 
                teaching profession;
                    (C) alternative routes to certification for 
                qualified individuals from business, the military and 
                other fields;
                    (D) efforts to recruit and retain teachers in 
                critical shortage areas, including early childhood 
                teachers, mathematics and science teachers, and special 
                education and bilingual teachers;
                    (E) upgrading the skills of existing classroom 
                teachers through the use of year-round, systematic, 
                comprehensive inservice training programs;
                    (F) upgrading the skills of teacher aides and 
                paraprofessionals to assist such individuals in 
                becoming certified teachers;
                    (G) efforts specifically designed to increase the 
                number of minority teachers in rural schools;
                    (H) programs designed to ``grow your own'' 
                teachers;
                    (I) incentives for teachers to work in rural 
                schools;
                    (J) collaborative activities with colleges and 
                universities to revise and upgrade teacher training 
                programs to meet the needs of rural school students; 
                and
                    (K) training activities for the purpose of 
                incorporating distance learning technologies;
            (6) decrease the use of drugs and alcohol among rural 
        students, and to enhance the physical and emotional health of 
        such students, including--
                    (A) activities designed to improve the self-esteem 
                and self-worth of rural students;
                    (B) the provision of health care services and other 
                social services and the coordination of such services 
                with other health care providers;
                    (C) programs designed to improve safety and 
                discipline and reduce in-school violence and vandalism;
                    (D) activities that begin in the early grades and 
                are designed to prevent drug and alcohol abuse and 
                smoking among students;
                    (E) collaborative activities with other agencies, 
                businesses, and community groups to discourage the 
                advertisement and glorification of drugs and alcohol;
                    (F) efforts to enhance health education and 
                nutrition education; and
                    (G) alternative schools, and schools-within-schools 
                programs, including bilingual, migrant and special 
                education programs for students with special needs.
    (b) Special Rule.--Funds allotted under section 102(b)(2) may be 
used by eligible local educational agencies, community-based 
organizations, or nonprofit partnerships described in section 102(d) 
for the planning, development, operation, or expansion of programs and 
activities which are designed to assist rural schools in meeting 
National Education Goals, and may include--
            (1) training of teachers and other educational personnel in 
        subject areas, or instructional technology and methods that 
        would improve the delivery of services in rural settings in any 
        of the National Education Goal areas, including staff 
        development efforts which emphasize multicultural, gender and 
        disability bias-free curricula;
            (2) coordination and collaboration with other rural 
        agencies, including State rural development councils, child 
        care organizations, universities or the private sector;
            (3) parental involvement and outreach efforts and other 
        activities designed to enhance parental encouragement of 
        student learning;
            (4) guidance counseling, psychological, social work, and 
        other support services that contribute to progress in achieving 
        national education goals;
            (5) efforts to acquire and improve access to educational 
        technology, including distance learning technologies;
            (6) programs to serve homeless children, desegregating 
        children, immigrants, migrants, or other highly mobile 
        populations, even if such individuals do not attend a rural 
        project school assisted under this title;
            (7) efforts to improve, reform and strengthen the 
        curriculum, especially efforts to enhance critical thinking 
        skills among rural students, and efforts to coordinate services 
        across grade levels; and
            (8) other activities designed to assist in achieving the 
        national education goals.
    (c) Priority.--Each local educational agency submitting an 
application under this section shall give priority in designing the 
program assisted under this title to activities that replicate 
successful efforts in other local educational agencies or expand 
successful programs within the eligible local educational agency.

SEC. 106. ACCOUNTABILITY.

    (a) In General.--The State educational agency may award an 
allotment under this title to an eligible local educational agency to 
enable such an agency to operate a program under this title for a 
period of not more than 3 years. If an eligible local educational 
agency receiving an allotment under this title meets the accountability 
requirements described in subsection (b) at the end of 3 years and the 
requirements described in subsection (c) at the end of each year, as 
determined by the State educational agency, such agency shall be 
eligible to continue the project with funds under this title for an 
additional 3 years if such agency so desires.
    (b) Requirements To Move Toward National Education Goals.--
            (1) Program continuation.--If, after 3 years of receiving 
        an allotment under this title, an eligible local educational 
        agency is able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the State 
        educational agency that it has increased the achievement within 
        the lowest 2 quartiles of students in schools assisted under 
        this title as measured by the statistical indicators and other 
        criteria specified in the application in comparison to the year 
        prior to the initiation of the project, then such agency shall 
        be eligible to continue the project with funds under this title 
        for an additional 3 years upon reapplication under section 103.
            (2) Special rule.--If, after 3 years of receiving an 
        allotment under this title, an eligible local educational 
        agency is able to demonstrate progress on meeting at least 3 
        other National Education Goals as measured by the criteria 
        described in paragraph (3), then such agency shall be deemed to 
        have met the requirements of paragraph (1) so long as the 
        average achievement level of the schools assisted under this 
        title did not decline in any of the 3 previous school years.
            (3) Criteria.--For purposes of paragraph (2), the criteria 
        are:
                    (A) The number or percentage of preschool children 
                served by the eligible local educational agency is 
                greater than the average such number or percentage in 
                the 3 previous school years.
                    (B) The secondary school graduation rate in the 
                eligible local educational agency is greater than the 
                average such rate for the 3 previous school years.
                    (C) The percentage of secondary school graduates in 
                the eligible local educational agency enrolled in 
                postsecondary education is greater than such percentage 
                for the 3 previous school years.
                    (D) The incidence of discipline, drug-related or 
                in-school crime in the eligible local educational 
                agency is less than the average such incidence in the 3 
                previous school years.
    (c) Collection of Data and Certification.--
            (1) In general.--Each eligible local educational agency, 
        community-based organization, or nonprofit partnership 
        described in section 102(d) receiving an allotment under this 
        title shall annually collect and submit to the State 
        educational agency data based on the statistical indicators and 
        other criteria described in the application submitted by such 
        eligible local educational agency for the purposes of 
        monitoring progress in achieving the National Education Goals 
        in accordance with paragraph (2). Such data shall include 
        multiple measures or indicators of each variable, and may take 
        into consideration the mobility of students in the schools 
        served under this title or other special factors.
            (2) Certification.--
                    (A) Each eligible local educational agency 
                receiving an allotment pursuant to section 102(b)(2) 
                shall annually certify to the State educational agency 
                that such eligible local educational agency has--
                            (i) complied with the provisions of section 
                        106(c); and
                            (ii) made progress toward meeting national 
                        education goals and the goals described in 
                        section 103(b)(2)(D).
                    (B) The certification described in subparagraph (A) 
                shall be reviewed by an independent educational 
                performance auditor for compliance with clauses (i) and 
                (ii) of subparagraph (A).

SEC. 107. INCENTIVE AWARDS TO EXEMPLARY PROGRAMS.

    From amounts reserved pursuant to section 102(a) or otherwise made 
available, the Secretary is authorized to make competitive awards to 
eligible local educational agencies on behalf of individual schools 
participating in a program assisted under this title which demonstrate 
to the satisfaction of the Secretary at least 3 of the following:
            (1) Unusual or exemplary progress in achieving the National 
        Education Goals through programs described in section 105.
            (2) Exemplary or unusually effective collaborative 
        arrangements between the schools, community-based 
        organizations, agencies, parent groups, colleges and 
        businesses.
            (3) Identification, review and removal of potential 
        barriers to student performance in the National Education Goal 
        areas, such as suspensions and expulsions, in-grade retentions, 
        ability grouping, and lack of access to course offerings in 
        prealgebra, introductory algebra, higher mathematics, science, 
        foreign languages, and critical thinking skills.
            (4) Substantial expansion of the hours schools assisted 
        under this title remain open for community use or student 
        after-school recreation.

SEC. 108. REGULATORY ASSESSMENT.

    (a) Report on Rural Public Schools.--In order to assist eligible 
local educational agencies under this Act in improving the performance 
of the school children enrolled in the schools served by such agencies, 
the Secretary shall, not later than January 1, 1995, prepare a report 
on the impact of Federal regulations, guidelines and policies on rural 
public schools.
    (b) Contents of Report.--The report shall analyze the impact of 
Federal legal, regulatory, policy and organizational requirements on 
the time and resources that eligible local educational agencies 
assisted under this Act have for educating students, including fiscal 
resources, staff time, facilities, instructional equipment, and 
services. The report shall make recommendations on how best to simplify 
Federal regulations, guidelines and policies so that more resources can 
be devoted to improving rural school performance. The report shall also 
identify the regulations whose waiver might be used as incentives or 
rewards for unusual progress toward meeting National Education Goals.
    (c) Specific Issues for Analysis.--In preparing the report required 
by subsection (a), the Secretary shall analyze--
            (1) the effect of regulatory requirements on local program 
        flexibility and management within eligible local educational 
        agencies;
            (2) the effect of regulatory requirements on the size, cost 
        and composition of administrative practices within eligible 
        local educational agencies;
            (3) the extent to which regulatory requirements are 
        duplicative or contradictory;
            (4) the amount of time and resources that school 
        administrators and teachers must spend responding to data 
        requests and reporting requirements pursuant to Federal law;
            (5) the extent to which regulatory requirements are related 
        to instructional rather than noninstructional practices in 
        eligible local educational agencies;
            (6) the relationship between specific regulatory 
        requirements and the educational performance of rural students; 
        and
            (7) how the waiver or simplification of regulatory 
        requirements could enhance the performance of rural school 
        children and the progress of rural schools in meeting National 
        Education Goals.
    (d) Sample Data.--The Secretary may, in developing the report 
described in subsection (a), use appropriate sampling techniques.
    (e) Consultation With Congress.--The Secretary shall consult with 
the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate concerning 
the design of the report described in this section.

SEC. 109. LOCAL ADVISORY GROUP.

    (a) Establishment.--Any eligible local educational agency desiring 
to receive an allotment under this Act shall form a local advisory 
group.
    (b) Composition.--
            (1) In general.--Each local advisory group described in 
        subsection (a) shall be composed of representatives of groups 
        such as--
                    (A) local government agencies;
                    (B) community-based organizations;
                    (C) service providers;
                    (D) teachers;
                    (E) parents;
                    (F) colleges and universities;
                    (G) businesses;
                    (H) principals, other school administrators and 
                school personnel, including the local vocational 
                education administrator;
                    (I) counselors, school psychologists and social 
                workers;
                    (J) students;
                    (K) State educational agencies and State boards of 
                education;
                    (L) labor;
                    (M) offices of the Mayor;
                    (N) religious leaders; and
                    (O) organizations with an interest in improving 
                rural education and expertise in the delivery of 
                services needed by the schools selected to participate 
                in a program assisted under this Act.
            (2) Appointment.--The superintendent of schools and the 
        president of the board of education of the eligible rural local 
        educational agency applying for funds under this title shall 
        appoint the members of the local advisory group, in 
        consultation with teachers from the eligible local educational 
        agency and the teacher's local bargaining agent where one 
        exists. The local advisory group may contain as many members as 
        is necessary to ensure a comprehensive community-wide program 
        to improve education in the schools served by the eligible 
        local educational agency.
            (3) Representation.--The local advisory group shall be 
        representative of the community and shall be balanced according 
        to the race, ethnicity, native language background, and gender 
        of its members, to the extent practicable.
    (c) Functions.--The local advisory group shall--
            (1) advise the eligible local educational agency on the 
        design and conduct of a needs assessment for all schools 
        expected to participate in the program assisted under this 
        title;
            (2) assist in planning for community-wide collaboration in 
        service delivery for students in schools expected to be served 
        by the program assisted under this title;
            (3) advise the eligible local educational agency and the 
        community on how they can work together to use multiple service 
        providers;
            (4) advise and assist the eligible local educational agency 
        on the implementation of the program assisted under this title 
        and review evaluations of such program's success;
            (5) review and approve applications submitted to the 
        eligible local educational agency by community-based 
        organizations pursuant to section 103(c);
            (6) advise the eligible local educational agency on 
        strategies for increasing parent involvement and the number of 
        school volunteers and role models in schools; and
            (7) review the success of community-based programs assisted 
        under this title for progress on the national education goals.
    (d) Use of Existing Local Advisory Group.--To the extent that an 
eligible local educational agency has established a broadly 
representative local advisory group before enactment of this Act that 
is comparable to the local advisory group described in this section, 
such existing local advisory group shall be considered to be in 
compliance with the provisions of this section.

SEC. 110. SPECIAL RULES.

    (a) Ranking of Schools in Local Educational Agencies Serving More 
Than One School To Determine Relative Need.--
            (1) Ranking.--
                    (A) In general.--Each eligible local educational 
                agency desiring to receive an allotment under this 
                title shall, in order to determine which schools are 
                most in need of services under this title, separately 
                rank all schools under the jurisdiction of such agency 
                on the basis of--
                            (i) achievement;
                            (ii) poverty; and
                            (iii) racial isolation.
                    (B) Special rules.--(i) Eligible local educational 
                agencies may rank elementary and secondary schools 
                separately or together for purposes of this subsection.
                    (ii) Eligible local educational agencies 
                participating in a consortium may rank elementary and 
                secondary schools separately for each local educational 
                agency participating in the consortium for purposes of 
                this subsection.
            (2) Percentage of schools to be served.--Each eligible 
        local educational agency that receives an allotment under this 
        title shall serve at least 10 percent, but not more than 20 
        percent, of the schools under the jurisdiction of such agency, 
        except that in school districts with less than 2,500 students, 
        an eligible local educational agency may use all of its funds 
        for districtwide reform activities.
            (3) Criteria for schools to be served.--Subject to the 
        provisions of paragraph (2) of this section, each eligible 
        local educational agency that receives an allotment under this 
        title--
                    (A) shall serve any school that is determined to be 
                most in need with respect to both rankings described in 
                paragraph (1);
                    (B) may serve any school that is determined to be 
                most in need with respect to any 1 of such rankings; 
                and
                    (C) may serve any school that received assistance 
                under this title in a previous fiscal year.
    (b) Exclusion.--Local educational agencies with not more than 5 
buildings used for instruction purposes shall be exempt from the 
ranking process and shall receive funding as determined under 
subsection (d).
    (c) Flexibility.--Each eligible local educational agency shall have 
the flexibility to serve homeless children, desegregating students, 
immigrants, migrants, or other highly mobile populations within the 
program assisted under this title.
    (d) Chapter 1 School Improvement Plan.--The approved program for 
any school served under sections 1020 and 1021 of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965, may be considered sufficient to meet 
the requirements of the provisions of section 106(b)(1) of this title.

            TITLE II--SCHOOL BUILDING REPAIR AND RENOVATION

SEC. 201. PURPOSE; AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this title to provide assistance 
to eligible local educational agencies to assist such agencies in 
building or repairing, and renovating instructional facilities in rural 
schools including but not limited to the appropriate use of 
telecommunications techniques for learning.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated $1,500,000,000 for 1994 and such sums as may be necessary 
for each of the fiscal years 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 to 
carry out the provisions of this title.

SEC. 202. ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS.

    (a) Allotments.--
            (1) Federal allotment.--In each fiscal year, the Secretary 
        shall allot to each State educational agency with an approved 
        application, an amount which bears the same relationship to 
        such funds as the amount all eligible local educational 
        agencies with approved applications in the State were allocated 
        under sections 1005 and 1006 of the Elementary and Secondary 
        Education Act of 1965 in the preceding fiscal year bears to the 
        total amount received under such sections in such preceding 
        fiscal year by all eligible local educational agencies with 
        approved applications in all States.
            (2) State allotment.--
                    (A) Reservation.--From amounts received pursuant to 
                paragraph (1), each State educational agency may 
                reserve 1 percent of such amount for administrative 
                expenses.
                    (B) Formula.--From the remainder of amounts 
                received pursuant to subparagraph (A) in each fiscal 
                year, each State educational agency shall allot to each 
                eligible local educational agency within the State with 
                an approved application--
                            (i) 33 percent of such funds on the basis 
                        of the number of children in the eligible local 
                        educational agency between the ages of 5 and 17 
                        who are members of families whose income does 
                        not exceed the income official poverty line (as 
                        defined by the Office of Management and 
                        Budget), according to the most recent decennial 
                        census, divided by the number of all such 
                        children in all eligible local educational 
                        agencies in the State;
                            (ii) 33 percent of such funds on the basis 
                        of the number of school buildings used for 
                        instructional purposes in the eligible local 
                        educational agency, divided by the number of 
                        all such buildings in all eligible local 
                        educational agencies in the State; and
                            (iii) 33 percent of such funds on the basis 
                        of the number of school buildings in the 
                        eligible local educational agency which are 
                        used for instructional purposes and which are 
                        more than 25 years old, divided by the number 
                        of all such buildings in all eligible local 
                        educational agencies in the State.
    (b) Reallotment.--Any amounts available for reallotment pursuant to 
subsections (a) and (b) shall be reallotted in the same manner as the 
original allotments were made.

SEC. 203. APPLICATION.

    (a) State Application.--
            (1) In general.--Each State educational agency desiring to 
        receive an allotment in any fiscal year to carry out the 
        provisions of this title shall submit to the Secretary an 
        application at such time, in such manner and accompanied by 
        such information as the Secretary reasonably may require.
            (2) Contents.--Each application submitted pursuant to 
        paragraph (1) shall--
                    (A) contain such information as the Secretary may 
                reasonably require in order to make the allotment 
                described in section 202(a)(1); and
                    (B) contain such other information and assurances 
                as the Secretary determines necessary to ensure 
                compliance with the provisions of this title.
    (b) Local Application.--
            (1) In general.--Any eligible local educational agency 
        desiring to receive an allotment to carry out the provisions of 
        this title shall submit to the State educational agency an 
        application at such time, in such manner and accompanied by 
        such information as the State educational agency may reasonably 
        require.
            (2) Duration.--Each application submitted pursuant to 
        paragraph (1) shall be for a period of not more than 3 years.
            (3) Annual review.--Each application submitted pursuant to 
        paragraph (1) shall be subject to annual review.
            (4) Contents.--Each application submitted pursuant to 
        paragraph (1) shall contain--
                    (A) an assessment of needs for building repair, 
                renovation and construction;
                    (B) the name and location of all sites scheduled 
                for repair, renovation or construction and a 
                description of the activities planned at each site; and
                    (C) a description of accounting procedures used to 
                assure proper disbursement of Federal funds.

SEC. 204. REPAIR AND RENOVATION.

    Each eligible local educational agency receiving an allotment under 
section 202(a)(2) shall use 50 percent of such allotment to conduct 
programs for--
            (1) repair and renovation of school buildings used for 
        instruction;
            (2) upgrading of and alterations to buildings to 
        accommodate new instructional technology, including the 
        installation and/or improvement of telecommunications 
        facilities for learning and related technologies.
            (3) installation or upgrading of school security and 
        communications systems;
            (4) construction of new buildings that will serve to 
        replace old facilities that are most cost effectively torn down 
        rather than renovated;
            (5) alterations to buildings to meet special program, 
        curricula, or school-site management needs;
            (6) alterations to buildings to meet certain special 
        population needs, such as the needs of homeless children and 
        preschool children;
            (7) alterations to school buildings to enable such 
        buildings to serve as one-stop family support centers; and
            (8) facilities' costs associated with lengthening the 
        school day or school year.

SEC. 205. ENVIRONMENT AND SAFETY.

    Each eligible local educational agency receiving an allotment under 
section 202(a)(2) shall use 50 percent of such allotment to conduct 
programs for--
            (1) energy conservation;
            (2) removal or containment of environmentally hazardous 
        material;
            (3) meeting the requirements of section 504 of the 
        Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and
            (4) meeting local, State or Federal laws or regulations 
        enacted or promulgated since the initial construction of a 
        building related to fire, air, light, noise, waste disposal, or 
        building height.

SEC. 206. WAIVER.

    The State educational agency may waive the 50 percent requirements 
described in sections 204 and 205 for any eligible local educational 
agency that demonstrates to the satisfaction of the State educational 
agency a greater need for services described in section 204 or 205.

SEC. 207. APPLICATION OF THE DAVIS-BACON ACT.

    All laborers and mechanics employed by contractors or 
subcontractors in any construction, alteration, or repair, including 
painting and decorating, of projects, buildings, and works which are 
federally assisted under this Act, shall be paid wages at rates not 
less than those prevailing on similar construction in the locality as 
determined by the Secretary of Labor in accordance with the Act of 
March 3, 1931 (commonly known as the Davis-Bacon Act), as amended (40 
U.S.C. 276a-276a-5). The Secretary of Labor shall have, with respect to 
such labor standards, the authority and functions set forth in 
Reorganization Plan Numbered 14 of 1950 (15 F.R. 3176; 64 Stat. 1267) 
and section 2 of the Act of June 1, 1934, as amended (48 Stat. 948, as 
amended; 40 U.S.C. 276(c)).

                    TITLE III--EVALUATION OF RESULTS

                    Subtitle A--Assistant Secretary

SEC. 301. ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR RURAL EDUCATION.

    (a) Amendment to the Department of Education Organization Act.--
Title II of the Department of Education Organization Act (20 U.S.C. 
3401 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) in section 202(b)(1) by--
                    (A) striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph 
                (F);
                    (B) striking the period at the end of subparagraph 
                (G) and inserting a semicolon and ``and''; and
                    (C) inserting at the end thereof the following new 
                subparagraph:
                    ``(H) an Assistant Secretary for Rural 
                Education.''.

            Subtitle B--Rural School Research and Evaluation

SEC. 311. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary for each of the fiscal years 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 
1999, and 2000 to carry out the provisions of this subtitle.

SEC. 312. ESTABLISHMENT; OPERATION; USES OF FUNDS.

    (a) Establishment.--From amounts appropriated pursuant to the 
authority of section 311, the Secretary shall establish for each region 
a center to be known as the ``National Rural Regional Education 
Research Center'' (in this subtitle referred to as the ``Center'').
    (b) Operation.--Each Center shall be operated by the regional 
educational laboratory that is located in the region in which the 
Center is located and supported by the Secretary pursuant to section 
405(d)(4)(A) of the General Education Provisions Act.
    (c) Use of Funds.--Each Center shall--
            (1) conduct independent research in rural education and 
        distance learning technologies;
            (2) evaluate the progress of rural schools receiving funds 
        under title I of this Act toward meeting the National Education 
        Goals;
            (3) serve as clearinghouses on rural education research 
        findings, policies, and practices;
            (4) develop measurements of progress of rural schools;
            (5) disseminate results of evaluations and research on 
        rural schools to other Centers and rural school district 
        teachers and parents;
            (6) develop collaborative arrangements and consortia among 
        rural schools in each region to conduct joint research and 
        evaluation activities;
            (7) replicate successful models and program approaches in 
        rural schools;
            (8) provide technical assistance and outreach services for 
        rural schools in each region;
            (9) provide staff training; and
            (10) develop curricula to assist rural schools in moving 
        toward meeting the National Education Goals.

SEC. 313. LOCAL RURAL SCHOOL EVALUATION.

    From the amount appropriated pursuant to the authority of section 
311 or otherwise made available to carry out the provisions of this 
subtitle in any fiscal year, each Center shall reserve 25 percent of 
such funds received for direct grants to rural eligible local 
educational agencies within the region served by such Center and which 
are participating in a program assisted under title I to conduct local 
school district research and evaluation of efforts toward meeting the 
National Education Goals.

SEC. 314. LOCAL APPLICATIONS.

    Any eligible rural local educational agency desiring to receive a 
grant under this subtitle shall--
            (1) submit an application to the Center;
            (2) describe in such application the research and 
        evaluation activities for measuring progress on the National 
        Education Goals;
            (3) consult with local universities, research institutes, 
        and other rural groups in developing a local research and 
        evaluation application; and
            (4) describe capacities for conducting evaluations with 
        funds provided under this subtitle.

                      TITLE IV--GENERAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 401. INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON RURAL SCHOOLS.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established the Interagency Council on 
Rural Schools (hereafter in this section referred to as the 
``Council'').
    (b) Composition.--
            (1) In general.--The Council shall consist of--
                    (A) the Secretary of Education, who shall serve as 
                Chairperson of the Council;
                    (B) the Secretary of Labor;
                    (C) the Secretary of Health and Human Services;
                    (D) the Secretary of Agriculture;
                    (E) the Secretary of Energy;
                    (F) the Secretary of Commerce;
                    (G) the Director of the Environmental Protection 
                Agency;
                    (H) the Director of the Commission on Civil Rights;
                    (I) the Chairperson of the Advisory Commission on 
                Intergovernmental Relations;
                    (J) the Chairperson of the National Endowments on 
                the Arts and the Humanities;
                    (K) the Director of the National Science 
                Foundation;
                    (L) such other officers of the Federal Government 
                as may be designated by the President or the 
                Chairperson of the Council to serve wherever matters 
                within the jurisdiction of the agency headed by such an 
                officer are to be considered by the Council.
            (2) Representation.--Each individual described in paragraph 
        (1) may designate a person to represent such individual on the 
        Council.
            (3) Duration.--Each member shall be appointed for as long 
        as such member serves as the head of the appropriate department 
        or agency.
            (4) Principal advisor.--The Chairperson of the Council 
        shall be the President's principal advisor on rural schools.
    (c) Quorum.--Seven members of the Council shall constitute a quorum 
for the purposes of transmitting recommendations and proposals to the 
President, but a lesser number may meet for other reasons.
    (d) Meetings.--The Council shall meet at least 2 times each year. 
When a Council member is unable to attend a meeting, the Council member 
shall appoint an appropriate Assistant Secretary or an equivalent 
individual from the department or agency of the member to represent the 
member for that meeting.
    (e) Duties of the Council.--The Council shall--
            (1) review programs and activities conducted by each 
        department or agency represented on the Council to determine 
        the effects of such programs and activities on the ability of 
        rural schools to meet National Education Goals;
            (2) track progress of rural schools in meeting National 
        Education Goals;
            (3) solicit information and advice from experts in rural 
        education and representatives of rural schools, including 
        representatives from rural postsecondary education, on how the 
        Federal Government may improve the programs and activities of 
        the Federal Government which serve rural school students;
            (4) review regulations across various departments or 
        agencies of the Federal Government for duplication or 
        contradiction;
            (5) issue an annual report to Congress and the President on 
        the progress rural schools are making in meeting the National 
        Education Goals, and on how Congress might change Federal 
        programs to improve the effectiveness of such programs in rural 
        schools;
            (6) review and make recommendations regarding ways to 
        improve or streamline various Federal data collection 
        activities in rural schools; and
            (7) conduct such research as may be helpful to rural school 
        practitioners at the elementary, secondary and postsecondary 
        level in improving the performance of students attending rural 
        schools.

SEC. 402. WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON RURAL EDUCATION.

    (a) Authorization To Call Conference.--
            (1) In general.--The President is authorized to call and 
        conduct a White House Conference on Rural Education (hereafter 
        in this section referred to as the ``Conference'').
            (2) Special rule.--For the purpose of this section the term 
        ``Conference'' means the Conference on Rural Education.
            (3) Date.--The Conference described in paragraph (2) shall 
        be held not earlier than November 1, 1994, and not later than 
        October 30, 1996.
            (4) Purpose.--The purposes of the Conference shall be to--
                    (A) develop recommendations and strategies for the 
                improvement of rural education;
                    (B) marshal the forces of the private sector, 
                governmental agencies at all levels, parents, teachers, 
                communities, and education officials to assist rural 
                schools in achieving National Education Goals, and make 
                recommendations on the roles rural public schools can 
                play to assist with local rural community economic 
                revitalization; and
                    (C) conduct the initial planning for a permanent 
                national commission on rural education.
    (b) Composition of Conference.--
            (1) In general.--The Conference shall be composed of--
                    (A) representatives of eligible public school 
                systems, including board of education members, school 
                superintendents and classroom teachers;
                    (B) representatives of the Congress, the Department 
                of Education and other Federal agencies;
                    (C) State elected officials and representatives 
                from State educational agencies;
                    (D) individuals with special knowledge of and 
                expertise in rural education, including individuals 
                involved with rural postsecondary education; and
                    (E) individuals with special knowledge of and 
                expertise in rural business.
            (2) Selection.--The President shall select one-third of the 
        participants of the Conference, the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives shall select one-third of such participants, 
        and the majority leader of the Senate shall select the 
        remaining one-third of such participants.
            (3) Representation.--In selecting the participants of the 
        Conference the President, the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives, and the majority leader of the Senate shall 
        ensure that the participants are as representative of the 
        ethnic, racial, and language diversity of rural areas as is 
        practicable.
    (c) Reports.--
            (1) In general.--The final reports of the Conference, 
        containing such findings and recommendations as may be made by 
        the Conference, shall be submitted to the President not later 
        than 120 days following the termination of the Conference. The 
        final reports shall be made public and, within 90 days after 
        receipt by the President, transmitted to the Congress together 
        with a statement of the President containing recommendations 
        for implementing the reports.
            (2) Publication and distribution.--The Conference is 
        authorized to publish and distribute the reports described in 
        this section. Copies of the reports shall be provided to the 
        Federal depository libraries and made available to local rural 
        school leaders and teachers.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
        for fiscal years 1994, 1995, and 1996 such sums as may be 
        necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.
            (2) Availability.--Amounts made available pursuant to the 
        authority of paragraph (1) shall remain available until 
        expended.

SEC. 403. FEDERAL FUNDS TO SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT NON-FEDERAL FUNDS.

    An eligible local educational agency may use funds received under 
this Act only to supplement and, to the extent practicable, increase 
the level of funds that would, in the absence of such Federal funds, be 
made available from non-Federal sources for the education of students 
participating in activities assisted under this Act and in no such case 
may such funds be used to supplant funds from non-Federal sources.

SEC. 404. DEFINITIONS.

    Except as otherwise provided, for the purposes of this Act--
            (1) the term ``community-based organization'' means a 
        private nonprofit organization which is representative of a 
        community or significant segments of a community and which has 
        a proven record of providing effective educational or related 
        services to individuals in the community;
            (2) the term ``Community as School Concept'' means the 
        mutual sharing of the local public school's and the local 
        community's human, financial, technical, and environmental 
        resources to help meet each others needs;
            (3) the term ``local educational agency'' includes a rural 
        eligible local educational agency;
            (4) the term ``institution of higher education'' has the 
        meaning given to such term in section 1201(a) of the Higher 
        Education Act of 1965;
            (5) the term ``local educational agency'' has the meaning 
        given to such term in section 1471(12) of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965;
            (6) the term ``poverty level'' means the criteria of 
        poverty used by the Bureau of Census in compiling the most 
        recent decennial census for a family of 4 in such form as those 
        criteria have been updated by increases in the Consumer Price 
        Index for All Rural Consumers;
            (7) the term ``rural eligible local educational agency'' 
        means a local educational agency--
                    (A) that is located in a county--
                            (i) in which at least 15 percent of the 
                        children enrolled in the schools of such county 
                        are eligible to be counted under section 1005 
                        of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
                        of 1965; and
                            (ii) which is not in a metropolitan 
                        statistical area;
                    (B) in which at least 15 percent of the children 
                enrolled in the schools of such local educational 
                agency live at or below the poverty level; or
                    (C) in which the total enrollment in the schools of 
                such local educational agency is less than 2,500 
                students and that does not serve schools located in a 
                metropolitan statistical area;
            (8) the term ``rural school consortia'' means two or more 
        local rural public school districts cooperating together for 
        the purpose of increasing their ability to provide educational 
        services;
            (9) the term ``Secretary'', except as otherwise specified, 
        means the Secretary of Education;
            (10) the term ``State'' means each of the several States, 
        but does not include the District of Columbia, Guam, American 
        Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States 
        Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
        Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated 
        States of Micronesia, and Palau; and
            (11) the term ``State educational agency'' has the meaning 
        given to such term in section 1471(23) of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965.

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