[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 756 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 756

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide 
grants to provide programs that benefit the educational, health, social 
service, cultural, and recreational needs of inner and small cities and 
             rural and disadvantaged suburban communities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 27, 2001

 Mrs. McCarthy of New York (for herself, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Kildee, Mr. 
 Etheridge, Mr. George Miller of California, Mrs. Morella, Mr. Payne, 
Mr. Scott, Mr. Andrews, Mr. Tierney, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Wu, Mrs. Meek 
 of Florida, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Hinojosa, and Ms. Woolsey), introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education 
                           and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide 
grants to provide programs that benefit the educational, health, social 
service, cultural, and recreational needs of inner and small cities and 
             rural and disadvantaged suburban communities.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Quality After-School Expansion Act 
of 2001''.

SEC. 2. 21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS.

    Part I of title X of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 8241 et seq.) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 10901. SHORT TITLE.

    ``This part may be cited as the `21st Century Community Learning 
Centers Act'.

``SEC. 10902. FINDINGS.

    ``The Congress finds that--
            ``(1) a local public school often serves as a center for 
        the delivery of education and human resources for all members 
        of a community;
            ``(2) evaluations show that collaboration between public 
        schools (particularly in inner and small cities and rural and 
        disadvantaged suburban communities) and other public and 
        nonprofit agencies and organizations, local businesses, 
        educational entities, recreational, cultural, and other 
        community and human service entities helps to meet the needs 
        of, and expands the opportunities available to, all residents 
        of the communities served by such schools;
            ``(3) participation in high-quality programs can result in 
        better grades and conduct in school, and is particularly 
        beneficial for children living in high-risk environments. In 
        particular, children who participate in a high-quality after-
        school program spend more time in academic and enrichment 
        activities; watch less television; have significantly lower 
        incidences of drug use and unwanted teenage pregnancies; and 
        communicate better with adults and their peers.
            ``(4) by using school facilities, equipment, and resources, 
        communities can promote a more efficient use of public 
        education facilities, especially in rural and inner city areas 
        where limited financial resources have enhanced the necessity 
        for local public schools to become social service centers;
            ``(5) the high technology, global economy of the 21st 
        century will require lifelong learning to keep America's 
        workforce competitive and successful, and local public schools 
        should provide centers for lifelong learning and educational 
        opportunities for individuals of all ages; and
            ``(6) 21st Century Community Learning Centers enable the 
        entire community to develop an education strategy that 
        addresses the educational needs of all members of local 
        communities.

``SEC. 10903. PROGRAM AUTHORIZATION.

    ``(a) Program Authority.--The Secretary is authorized, in 
accordance with the provisions of this part, to award grants to State 
educational agencies to enable its schools to plan, implement, or to 
expand projects that benefit the educational, health, social service, 
cultural, and recreational needs of inner and small cities and rural 
and disadvantaged suburban communities with a substantial need for 
expanded learning opportunities because--
            ``(1) they lack resources to establish or expand before- 
        and after-school centers that benefit the educational, health, 
        social service, cultural, and recreational needs of the 
        community; or
            ``(2) they have other needs consistent with the purposes of 
        this part.
    ``(b) Reservation.--From the funds appropriated under section 10913 
to carry out this part for each fiscal year, the Secretary--
            ``(1) shall reserve an amount necessary to make 
        continuation grants to existing grantees under this part, as it 
        was in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of 
        the Quality After-School Expansion Act of 2001;
            ``(2) shall reserve the lesser of .5 percent or $3,000,000 
        of such amount for grants under this part to Guam, American 
        Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern 
        Mariana Islands, the Republic of Palau, the Marshall Islands, 
        and the Federated States of Micronesia;
            ``(3) shall reserve .5 percent of such amount for the 
        Bureau of Indian Affairs of the Department of Interior to carry 
        out programs under this part for Indian children; and
            ``(4) shall reserve the lesser of 2.5 percent or 
        $20,000,000 for evaluation and national activities under 
        section 10910.
    ``(c) State Educational Agency Allotments.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), and 
        after making the reservations in subsection (b), the Secretary 
        shall, for each fiscal year, allocate among the States the 
        remainder according to the ratio between the amount each State 
        received under part A of title I for the preceding year and the 
        sum of such amounts received by all the States.
            ``(2) Minimum.--For any fiscal year, no State (including 
        for the purposes of this part, the Bureau of Indian Affairs) 
        shall be allotted under this subsection an amount that is less 
        than .5 percent of the total amount allotted to all the States 
        under this subsection.
            ``(3) Reallotment.--The Secretary may reallot any amount of 
        any allotment to a State if the Secretary determines that the 
        State will be unable to use such amount within 2 years of such 
        allotment. Such reallotments shall be made on the same basis as 
        allotments are made under paragraph (1).
    ``(d) Within State Distribution of Funds.--Each State educational 
agency having an approved application pursuant to section 10904 and 
receiving an allocation under subsection (c), shall--
            ``(1) use not less than 95 percent of the funds made 
        available to it under section 10903(c) to award grants, on a 
        competitive basis, to eligible local entities acting on behalf 
        of one or more public elementary or secondary schools; and
            ``(2) use up to 5 percent for State level activities and 
        evaluation, of which 40 percent may be used for administration.

``SEC. 10904. STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCY APPLICATIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--Each State educational agency seeking a grant 
under this part shall submit an application in such form, and 
containing such information, as the Secretary may reasonably require. 
At a minimum, the application shall--
            ``(1) designate the State educational agency as the agency 
        responsible for the administration and supervision of programs 
        assisted under this part;
            ``(2) describe the competitive procedures and criteria the 
        State will use to ensure that grants under this part will 
        support high-quality programs in communities with a substantial 
        need for expanding learning opportunities, with a priority for 
        those that--
                    ``(A) have a high proportion of high-poverty 
                students; and
                    ``(B) lack resources to establish or expand before- 
                and after-school centers that benefit the educational 
                health, social service, cultural, and recreational 
                needs of the community;
            ``(3) describe the steps the State will take to ensure that 
        programs implement effective strategies, including providing 
        ongoing technical assistance and training, evaluation, 
        dissemination of promising practices, and monitoring;
            ``(4) contain an assurance that the State educational 
        agency shall provide for the annual submission of data 
        regarding the uses of funds under this part, including the 
        activities provided and populations served under this part, and 
        such other information as the Secretary may require;
            ``(5) contain an assurance that the State educational 
        agency shall comply with the requirements of this part;
            ``(6) contain a description of how the State will 
        coordinate Federal, State, and local programs in order to use 
        most effectively the resources available to support the 
        project;
            ``(7) provide that the State educational agency will keep 
        such records and provide such information to the Secretary as 
        may be required for fiscal audit and program evaluation 
        (consistent with all State educational agency fiscal audit and 
        program evaluation responsibilities required under this Act);
            ``(8) describe how the State will evaluate the 
        effectiveness of programs and activities carried out with funds 
        under this part; and
            ``(9) provide for timely public notice and public 
        dissemination of the data submitted under this part.
    ``(b) Approval Standard.--The Secretary shall approve a State 
application under this section if the Secretary determines that it 
satisfies the requirements, and holds reasonable promise for 
accomplishing the purposes of this part.

``SEC. 10905. STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCY ACTIVITIES.

    ``Each State having an approved application under section 10904 
shall use funds allocated under section 10903(d)(2) for one or more of 
the following activities:
            ``(1) Establishment and implementation of a peer review 
        process for grant applications.
            ``(2) Supervision of the awarding of funds to eligible 
        local entities.
            ``(3) Planning, supervision, and processing of funds made 
        available under this section
            ``(4) Monitoring and evaluation of programs and activities 
        assisted under this part.
            ``(5) Providing technical assistance under this part.

``SEC. 10906. STATE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS.

    ``Each State educational agency shall establish performance 
indicators and acceptable goals of progress to evaluate the 
effectiveness of programs funded under this part.

``SEC. 10907. LOCAL COMPETITIVE GRANTS

    ``(a) Competitive Grants.--The State educational agency shall 
distribute funds provided under section 10903(d)(1) on a competitive 
basis to eligible local entities, acting on behalf of one or more 
public elementary or secondary schools, to enable such schools to plan, 
implement, or expand community learning centers that address the 
educational, health, social service, cultural, and recreational needs 
of the local community.
    ``(b) Extended Learning Time.--In order to receive a grant under 
this part, an eligible local entity shall provide significant expanded 
learning opportunities, such as before and after school, for children 
and youth in the community that--
            ``(1) are designed to help students in the school or 
        schools and in the community achieve to challenging State 
        content and performance standards;
            ``(2) provide academic instruction by trained and qualified 
        teachers;
            ``(3) utilize research-based practices, to the extent 
        available and feasible, that show success in raising student 
        achievement and increasing literacy skills;
            ``(4) include a parent and family involvement component;
            ``(5) include professional development that is aligned to 
        the extended learning curriculum;
            ``(6) indicate how the school or schools will provide a 
        continuity of extended learning curriculum over multiple years; 
        and
            ``(7) include ongoing evaluation to assess the 
        effectiveness of the program.
    ``(c) Equitable Distribution.--In awarding grants under this part, 
the State educational agency shall ensure that both urban and rural 
areas of the State are served.
    ``(d) Grant Period; Reapplication.--
            ``(1) Grant period.--A State educational agency shall award 
        grants under this part for a period not to exceed 5 years.
            ``(2) Reapplication.--An eligible local entity that 
        receives a grant under this part may reapply under this part 
        for additional grants, except that no such entity may receive 
        funding under this part for more than 10 years.
    ``(e) Amount.--A State educational agency shall not award a grant 
under this part in any fiscal year in an amount less than $75,000.

``SEC. 10908. LOCAL APPLICATION.

    ``(a) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
part, an eligible local entity, acting on behalf of one or more public 
elementary or secondary schools, shall submit an application to the 
State educational agency at such time, in such manner, and accompanied 
by such information as the State educational agency may reasonably 
require.
    ``(b) Contents.--Each such application shall include--
            ``(1) a comprehensive local plan that enables the school or 
        schools to serve as a center for the delivery of education and 
        human resources for members of a community;
            ``(2) an evaluation of the needs, available resources, and 
        goals and objectives for the proposed project in order to 
        determine which activities will be undertaken to address such 
        needs;
            ``(3) a description of the proposed project, including--
                    ``(A) in any case in which the application is 
                submitted by an eligible local entity other than a 
                single local educational agency, a copy of the 
                memorandum of understanding between the entities 
                comprising the eligible local entity that details the 
                roles and responsibilities of each participating entity 
                as they relate to the project to be funded;
                    ``(B) a description of how the program will provide 
                services in a manner that will meet the needs of 
                working families;
                    ``(C) a description of the manner in which the 
                program will assist students in meeting challenging 
                State academic standards;
                    ``(D) a description of the manner in which the 
                program will assist students in developing personal, 
                social, health, and related competencies;
                    ``(E) a description of the mechanism that will be 
                used to disseminate information in a manner that is 
                understandable and accessible to the community;
                    ``(F) a description of how the applicant will 
                coordinate Federal, State, and local programs in order 
                to use most effectively the resources available to 
                support the project;
                    ``(G) a description of the collaborative efforts to 
                be undertaken with community-based organizations, 
                related public agencies, businesses, or other 
                appropriate organizations in order to promote community 
                involvement in the planning and implementation of 
                services provided under this part;
                    ``(H) a description of how the community learning 
                center will serve as a delivery center for existing and 
                new services, especially for interactive 
                telecommunication used for education and professional 
                training; and
                    ``(I) an assurance that the school or schools will 
                establish a facility utilization policy that 
                specifically states--
                            ``(i) the rules and regulations applicable 
                        to building and equipment use; and
                            ``(ii) supervision guidelines;
            ``(4) information demonstrating that the school or schools 
        will provide at least 50 percent of the cost of the project 
        from other sources, which may include other Federal funds and 
        may be provided in cash or in-kind, fairly evaluate;
            ``(5) an assurance that the school or schools will, each 
        year of the project, expend, from non-Federal sources, at least 
        as much for the services under this part as it expended for the 
        preceding year; and
            ``(6) information demonstrating how the school or schools 
        will continue the project after completion of the grant.

``SEC. 10909. USES OF FUNDS.

    ``Grants awarded under section 10907, either directly or through 
contracts with community-based organizations with demonstrated ability 
to provide high-quality programming, shall be used to establish or 
expand community learning centers that provide activities that offer 
significant expanded learning opportunities, such as before and after 
school, for children and youth in the community. A grantee shall use at 
least a portion of its grant under section 10907 to implement or expand 
before- and after-school learning opportunities, and shall use the 
remainder of its grant to carry out not less than three of the 
following activities:
            ``(1) Literacy education programs.
            ``(2) Senior citizen programs.
            ``(3) Children's day care services.
            ``(4) Integrated education, health, social service, 
        recreational, or cultural programs.
            ``(5) Summer and weekend school programs in conjunction 
        with recreation programs.
            ``(6) Nutrition and health programs.
            ``(7) Expanded library service hours to serve community 
        needs.
            ``(8) Telecommunications and technology education programs 
        for individuals of all ages.
            ``(9) Parenting skills education programs.
            ``(10) Support and training for child day care providers.
            ``(11) Employment counseling, training, and placement.
            ``(12) Services for individuals who leave school before 
        graduating from secondary school, regardless of the age of such 
        individual.
            ``(13) Services for individuals with disabilities.
            ``(14) Mentoring of at-risk children, including mentoring 
        by senior citizens.

``SEC. 10910. NATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

    ``The Secretary shall use funds reserved under section 10903(b)(4) 
for technical assistance, evaluation, dissemination of information, 
activities to encourage the spread and adoption of successful extended 
learning opportunities programs, and other national activities that 
support programs under this part.

``SEC. 10911. DEFINITIONS.

    ``For the purpose of this part:
            ``(1) Community learning center.--The term `community 
        learning center' means an entity within a public elementary or 
        secondary school building that--
                    ``(A) provides expanded learning opportunities, and 
                educational, recreational, health, and social service 
                programs for residents of all ages within a local 
                community in a safe and drug-free environment;
                    ``(B) is operated by a local educational agency in 
                conjunction with local governmental agencies, 
                businesses, vocational education programs, institutions 
                of higher education, community colleges, and cultural, 
                recreational, and other community and human service 
                entities; and
                    ``(C) includes expanded learning opportunities, 
                such as before and after school.
            ``(2) Eligible local entity.--The term `eligible local 
        entity' means any of the following:
                    ``(A) A local educational agency.
                    ``(B) A consortium of local educational agencies.
                    ``(C) A local educational agency in collaboration 
                with a community-based organization.
                    ``(D) A consortium of local educational agencies in 
                collaboration with one or more community-based 
                organizations.

``SEC. 10912. SUPPLEMENT.

    ``Funds made available under this part shall be used to supplement 
and not supplant other Federal, State, and local funds expended to 
carry out activities relating to expanded learning opportunities.

``SEC. 10913. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2002, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the four 
succeeding fiscal years, to carry out this part.''.
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