[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6928 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6928

  To award grants to improve after-school interdisciplinary education 
                   programs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 17, 2008

 Ms. McCollum of Minnesota (for herself and Mrs. Lowey) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
                                 Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To award grants to improve after-school interdisciplinary education 
                   programs, 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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``After School Partnerships Improve 
Results in Education Act'' or ``ASPIRE''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Nearly 14,000,000 students have no place to go after 
        school hours, which are associated with high rates of juvenile 
        crime.
            (2) Studies show that almost one-third of all public high 
        school students in the United States fail to graduate.
            (3) High school dropouts on average earn less than high 
        school graduates and are more likely to be unemployed.
            (4) High dropout rates have a significant effect on 
        communities through loss of productivity and revenues, and 
        higher costs associated with incarceration, health care, and 
        social services.
            (5) Students consistently cite a lack of interest in core 
        curriculum and a lack of relevancy to their future careers as 
        the major reason for dropping out of high school.
            (6) It is in the best interest of the United States to 
        ensure students are qualified to compete in the global economy.
            (7) Eighty percent of jobs are classified as skilled and 
        only 32 percent of high school graduates are prepared for 
        college.
            (8) Microsoft's Bill Gates warned that American companies 
        ``face a severe shortfall of scientists and engineers with 
        expertise to develop the next generation of breakthroughs''.
            (9) Business leaders have stated that a qualified workforce 
        is important to keeping jobs in the United States.
            (10) Corporate Voices for Working Families has called for 
        public and private efforts to create after-school programs in 
        which young people can develop skills for the 21st century.
            (11) Opportunities for real-world learning and seeing the 
        connection between school and getting a good job improves 
        students' chances of staying in school.
            (12) Students involved in after-school programs have 
        significantly higher attendance rates, score higher on 
        mathematics and writing assessments, and are more likely to 
        graduate from high school than those who are not involved in 
        such programs.
            (13) Reinforcing core curriculum by integrating academic 
        work within alternative course material can lead to significant 
        improvements in student achievement and engagement, as was 
        shown by the National Research Center for Career and Technical 
        Education.
            (14) After-school programs and community partnerships offer 
        youth opportunities to develop social and citizenship skills, 
        and to have access to a variety of mentors and role models from 
        their own communities.
            (15) After-school programs can also provide youth who have 
        extra time for the academic enrichment, career exploration, and 
        skills development they need to succeed.

SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are to establish and to expand after-
school programs (and other similar programs)--
            (1) to improve high school student academic achievement, 
        overall school success, and graduation rates by reinforcing 
        core curriculum;
            (2) to increase student knowledge of, and interest in, 
        high-demand career opportunities;
            (3) to increase student engagement in learning by 
        demonstrating how academic content relates to career 
        opportunities, providing opportunities for civic engagement and 
        service learning, and providing students with marketable 
        skills; and
            (4) to provide opportunities for students to broaden their 
        curriculum, to expose students to learning opportunities 
        outside of their core curriculum of study, and to provide 
        opportunities for students to gain credit towards graduation 
        through learning outside the traditional classroom.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL MODEL AFTER-SCHOOL INTERDISCIPLINARY EDUCATION PROGRAM 
              GRANTS.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--
            (1) In general.--From the amounts made available to carry 
        out this section, the Secretary of Education shall award 
        grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to 
        establish or to expand, in accordance with section 8, national 
        model after-school interdisciplinary education programs that 
        would serve to expand the knowledge base for other after-school 
        interdisciplinary education programs and to disseminate 
        effective practices.
            (2) Duration of grants.--Each grant awarded under this 
        section shall be for a period of not less than 3 years and not 
        more than 5 years and shall be renewable, based on grant 
        performance, for a period of not less than 3 years and not more 
        than 5 years.
            (3) Grant amounts.--The grant amounts awarded pursuant to 
        this section may not be less than $5,000,000 total for all 
        grant years.
            (4) Required match.--Eligible entities shall match the 
        grant amount with private funding on an equal basis.
    (b) Application.--To qualify to receive a grant under this section, 
an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary in such 
form and manner as the Secretary may specify, and containing the 
information described in section 7.
    (c) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 
shall give priority to applications that propose to target services 
to--
            (1) a high percentage of students who--
                    (A) are from low income families;
                    (B) are struggling students; or
                    (C) attend schools located in a rural, sparsely 
                populated area; and
            (2) the families of students described in subparagraph (1).

SEC. 5. STATE GRANTS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall award grants in accordance 
with the allotments under subsection (b) to each State with an approved 
application.
    (b) Allotments.--
            (1) Formula.--From the amounts made available to carry out 
        this section and remaining after the Secretary makes a 
        reservation under subsection (d), the Secretary shall allot to 
        each State for each fiscal year an amount that bears the same 
        relationship to the remainder as the amount the State received 
        under subpart 2 of part A of title I of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6331 et seq.) for 
        the preceding fiscal year bears to the amount all States 
        received under that subpart for the preceding fiscal year, 
        except that no State shall receive less than an amount equal to 
        one-half of 1 percent of the total amount made available to all 
        States under this subsection.
            (2) Reallotment of unused funds.--If a State does not 
        receive an allotment under this section for a fiscal year, the 
        Secretary shall reallot the amount of the State's allotment to 
        the remaining States in accordance with this section.
    (c) Application and Application Procedures.--
            (1) Application requirements.--In order to receive a grant 
        under this section for any fiscal year, a State shall submit to 
        the Secretary, in such form and manner as the Secretary may 
        require, an application that--
                    (A) designates the State educational agency in such 
                State as the agency responsible for the administration 
                and supervision of programs assisted under this Act;
                    (B) describes how the State educational agency will 
                use funds received under this Act, including funds 
                reserved for State-level activities;
                    (C) contains an assurance that the State 
                educational agency will make subgrants under section 6 
                only to eligible partnerships that propose to serve--
                            (i) a high percentage of students who--
                                    (I) are from low income families;
                                    (II) are struggling students; or
                                    (III) attend schools located in a 
                                rural, sparsely populated area; and
                            (ii) the families of students described in 
                        clause (i);
                    (D) describes the procedures and criteria the State 
                educational agency will use for reviewing applications 
                and awarding subgrants under section 6 to eligible 
                entities on a competitive basis, which shall include 
                procedures and criteria that take into consideration 
                the likelihood that a proposed program will help 
                participating students meet local content and student 
                academic achievement standards;
                    (E) describes how the State educational agency will 
                ensure that subgrant awards made under this section 6 
                are--
                            (i) of sufficient size and scope to support 
                        high-quality, effective programs that are 
                        consistent with the purpose of this Act; and
                            (ii) in amounts that are consistent with 
                        section 6(a)(4);
                    (F) describes the steps the State educational 
                agency will take to ensure that such programs implement 
                effective strategies, including providing ongoing 
                technical assistance and training, evaluation, and 
                dissemination of promising practices;
                    (G) describes how programs under section 6 will be 
                coordinated with programs under this Act, and other 
                programs as appropriate;
                    (H) contains an assurance that the State 
                educational agency--
                            (i) will make awards for subgrants under 
                        section 6 for a period of not less than 3 years 
                        and not more than 5 years and that are 
                        renewable, based on grant performance, for a 
                        period of not less than 3 years and not more 
                        than 5 years; and
                            (ii) will require each eligible entity 
                        seeking such subgrant to submit a plan 
                        describing how the program funded through such 
                        subgrant will continue after funding under this 
                        Act ends;
                    (I) contains an assurance that funds appropriated 
                to carry out this section will be used to supplement, 
                and not supplant, other Federal, State, and local 
                public funds expended to provide programs and 
                activities authorized under this Act and other similar 
                programs;
                    (J) contains an assurance that the State 
                educational agency will require eligible entities to 
                describe in their applications under section 7 how the 
                transportation needs of participating students will be 
                addressed;
                    (K) contains an assurance that the State's 
                application was developed in consultation and 
                coordination with appropriate State officials, 
                including the chief State school officer and the State 
                director of career technical education, and other State 
                agencies administering before and after school (or 
                summer school) programs, and representatives of teacher 
                organizations, parents, students, the business 
                community, community-based organizations, and labor 
                unions;
                    (L) describes the results of the State's needs and 
                resources assessment for before- and after-school 
                activities, which shall be based on the results of on-
                going State evaluation activities;
                    (M) describes how the State educational agency will 
                evaluate the effectiveness of programs and activities 
                carried out under section 6, which shall include, at a 
                minimum--
                            (i) a description of the performance 
                        indicators and performance measures that will 
                        be used to evaluate programs and activities; 
                        and
                            (ii) public dissemination of the 
                        evaluations of programs and activities carried 
                        out under section 6; and
                    (N) provides for timely public notice of intent to 
                file an application under this section and an assurance 
                that the application will be available for public 
                review after submission.
            (2) Application procedures.--
                    (A) Deemed approval.--An application submitted by a 
                State pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be deemed to be 
                approved by the Secretary unless the Secretary makes a 
                written determination, prior to the expiration of the 
                120-day period beginning on the date on which the 
                Secretary received the application, that the 
                application is not in compliance with this section.
                    (B) Disapproval.--The Secretary shall not finally 
                disapprove the application, except after giving the 
                State notice and an opportunity for a hearing.
                    (C) Notification.--If the Secretary finds that the 
                application is not in compliance, in whole or in part, 
                the Secretary shall--
                            (i) give the State notice and an 
                        opportunity for a hearing; and
                            (ii) notify the State of the finding of 
                        noncompliance, and, in such notification--
                                    (I) cite the specific provisions in 
                                the application that are not in 
                                compliance; and
                                    (II) request additional information 
                                (only as to the noncompliant 
                                provisions) needed to make the 
                                application compliant.
                    (D) Response.--If the State responds to the 
                Secretary's notification described in subparagraph (C) 
                during the 45-day period beginning on the date on which 
                the State received the notification by resubmitting the 
                application with the requested information described in 
                subparagraph (C)(ii)(II), the Secretary shall approve 
                or disapprove such application prior to the later of--
                            (i) the expiration of the 45-day period 
                        beginning on the date on which the State 
                        resubmits the application; or
                            (ii) the expiration of the 120-day period 
                        described in subparagraph (A).
                    (E) Failure to respond.--If the State does not 
                respond to the Secretary's notification described in 
                subparagraph (C) during the 45-day period beginning on 
                the date on which the State received the notification, 
                such application shall be deemed to be disapproved.
    (d) Reservation.--From the amounts appropriated under section 11 
for this section, the Secretary shall reserve at least 1 percent but 
not more than 5 percent for payments to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 
to be allotted in accordance with its respective needs for assistance 
under this Act, as determined by the Secretary, to enable the Bureau of 
Indian Affairs to carry out the purposes of this Act.
    (e) State Use of Funds.--
            (1) Awarding of subgrants.--Each State that receives a 
        grant under this section shall reserve not less than 93 percent 
        of such grant for subgrant awards to eligible entities under 
        section 6.
            (2) State administration.--A State may use not more than 2 
        percent of the amount made available to such State under 
        subsection (b) for--
                    (A) the administrative costs of carrying out its 
                responsibilities under this section and section 6;
                    (B) establishing and implementing a peer review 
                process for subgrant applications submitted under 
                section 6 (including consultation with other State 
                agencies responsible for administering youth 
                development programs and adult learning activities); 
                and
                    (C) supervising the awarding of subgrants to 
                eligible entities under section 6 (including 
                consultation with other State agencies responsible for 
                administering youth development programs and adult 
                learning activities).
            (3) State activities.--
                    (A) In general.--A State may use up to 5 percent of 
                the amount made available to the State under subsection 
                (b) for the following activities:
                            (i) Monitoring and evaluation of programs 
                        and activities assisted under section 6.
                            (ii) Providing capacity building, training, 
                        and technical assistance under section 6.
                            (iii) Comprehensive evaluation (directly, 
                        or through a grant or contract) of the 
                        effectiveness of programs and activities 
                        assisted under section 6.
                            (iv) Providing training and technical 
                        assistance to eligible entities who are 
                        applicants for, or recipients of, subgrants 
                        under section 6.
                            (v) Supporting State-level efforts and 
                        infrastructure to ensure the quality and 
                        availability of after-school programs.
                    (B) Reporting requirement.--Not later than 2 years 
                after the date of the enactment of this Act, and 
                annually thereafter, each State using funds under 
                paragraph (A) shall report to the Secretary how such 
                funds are spent.

SEC. 6. SUBGRANTS TO ELIGIBLE ENTITIES FOR AFTER-SCHOOL 
              INTERDISCIPLINARY EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

    (a) Authorization of Grants.--
            (1) In general.--A State (acting through the State 
        educational agency in such State) that receives funds under 
        section 5 shall award subgrants to eligible entities to expand 
        and to establish after-school interdisciplinary education 
        programs in accordance with section 8.
            (2) Eligible entities.--To qualify for a subgrant under 
        this section, an eligible entity shall not have received a 
        grant under section 4.
            (3) Duration of awards.--Subgrants awarded under this 
        section may be awarded for a period of not less than 3 years 
        and not more than 5 years and are renewable, based on grant 
        performance, for a period of not less than 3 years and not more 
        than 5 years.
            (4) Amount of awards.--A subgrant awarded under this 
        section shall be not less than $50,000 per grant year.
            (5) Priority.--
                    (A) In general.--In awarding subgrants under this 
                section, a State shall give priority to applications--
                            (i) proposing to serve--
                                    (I) a high percentage of students 
                                who--
                                            (aa) are from low income 
                                        families;
                                            (bb) are struggling 
                                        students; or
                                            (cc) attend schools located 
                                        in a rural, sparsely populated 
                                        area, and
                                    (II) the families of students 
                                described in clause (i); or
                            (ii) submitted by an eligible entity 
                        consisting of not less than one local 
                        educational agency serving a middle school or 
                        high school that receives funds under part A of 
                        title I of the Elementary and Secondary 
                        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311 et seq.).
                    (B) Special rule.--The State shall provide the same 
                priority under subparagraph (A) to an application 
                submitted by a local educational agency if the local 
                educational agency demonstrates that it is unable to 
                partner with a community-based organization in 
                reasonable geographic proximity and of sufficient 
                quality to meet the requirements of this section.
                    (C) Geographic diversity.--To the extent 
                practicable, a State shall distribute subgrant funds 
                under this section equitably among geographic areas 
                within a State, including urban and rural communities.
    (b) Application.--
            (1) In general.--To qualify to receive a subgrant under 
        this section, an eligible entity shall submit an application to 
        the State in such form and manner as the State may specify, and 
        containing the information described in section 7.
            (2) Approval of certain applications.--The State may 
        approve an application under this section for a program to be 
        located in a facility other than a secondary school only if the 
        program will be at least as available and accessible to the 
        students to be served as if the program were located in a 
        secondary school.
            (3) Peer review.--In reviewing applications under this 
        section, a State shall use a peer review process or other 
        method of assuring the quality of such applications in 
        accordance with section 5(c)(1)(D).
    (c) Permissive Local Match.--
            (1) In general.--A State may require an eligible entity to 
        match funds awarded under this section, except that such match 
        may not exceed the amount of the subgrant award and may not be 
        derived from other Federal or State funds.
            (2) Sliding scale.--The amount of a match under paragraph 
        (1) shall be established based on a sliding fee scale that 
        takes into account--
                    (A) the relative poverty of the population to be 
                targeted by the eligible entity; and
                    (B) the ability of the eligible entity to obtain 
                such matching funds.
            (3) In-kind contributions.--Each State that requires an 
        eligible entity to match funds under this section shall permit 
        the eligible entity to provide all or any portion of such match 
        in the form of in-kind contributions.
            (4) Consideration.--Notwithstanding this subsection, a 
        State shall not consider an eligible entity's ability to match 
        funds when determining which eligible entities will receive 
        subgrants under this section.

SEC. 7. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.

    To receive a grant under section 4 or a subgrant under section 6, 
an eligible entity shall submit an application that includes--
            (1) a description of the programs and activities to be 
        funded, including--
                    (A) an assurance that the programs and activities 
                will take place in a safe and easily accessible 
                facility;
                    (B) a description of how students participating in 
                the programs and activities will travel safely to and 
                from the location of the programs; and
                    (C) a description of how the eligible entity will 
                disseminate information about the programs and 
                activities (including their locations) to the community 
                in a manner that is understandable and accessible;
            (2) a description of how the programs and activities are 
        expected to meet the purposes outlined in section 3;
            (3) an identification of Federal, State, and local programs 
        that will be combined or coordinated with the proposed programs 
        and activities to make the most effective use of public 
        resources;
            (4) an assurance that the proposed programs and activities 
        were developed, and will be carried out, in active 
        collaboration with the schools the students attend;
            (5) a description of how the programs and activities will 
        meet the principles of effectiveness described in section 8(b);
            (6) an assurance that the programs and activities will 
        primarily target students who are from low income families or 
        are struggling students and the families of such students;
            (7) an assurance that funds under this Act will be used to 
        increase the level of State, local, and other non-Federal funds 
        that would, in the absence of funds under this Act, be made 
        available for programs and activities authorized under this 
        Act, and in no case supplant Federal, State, local, or non-
        Federal funds;
            (8) a description of the partnership between a local 
        educational agency serving a high school or middle school and a 
        career technical student organization, institution of higher 
        education or tribal college, nonprofit organization, community-
        based organization, tribal organization, business, or labor 
        union;
            (9) a description of a preliminary plan for how the 
        proposed programs and activities will continue after funding 
        under this Act ends;
            (10) an assurance that the community will be given notice 
        of an intent to submit an application and that the application 
        and any waiver request will be available for public review 
        after submission of the application; and
            (11) such other information and assurances as the State may 
        reasonably require.

SEC. 8. REQUIRED USES.

    (a) Required Activities.--
            (1) In general.--Each eligible entity that receives a grant 
        under section 4 or a subgrant under section 6 shall use the 
        funds to expand and to establish after-school programs and 
        activities that meet the purposes outlined in section 3, 
        including--
                    (A) not less than one--
                            (i) mathematics and science education 
                        activity;
                            (ii) language arts, writing, and reading 
                        activity; or
                            (iii) history, geography, or social studies 
                        activity; and
                    (B) not less than one--
                            (i) career technical education activity;
                            (ii) business and entrepreneurial education 
                        program;
                            (iii) health and wellness activity;
                            (iv) environmental and conservation 
                        activity; or
                            (v) arts and music education activity.
            (2) Activity and program times.--In addition to after 
        school, the activities and programs described in paragraph (1) 
        may take place before school, or at any other time that school 
        is not in session, including on weekends and during vacation 
        and summer recess periods.
    (b) Principles of Effectiveness.--
            (1) In general.--Each program or activity developed under 
        this Act shall meet principles of effectiveness that are--
                    (A) based upon an assessment of objective data 
                regarding the need for the programs and activities 
                described in subsection (a), including activities in 
                the schools and communities;
                    (B) based upon an established set of performance 
                measures, including academic, social, and behavioral 
                measures, aimed at ensuring opportunities for high-
                quality academic enrichment; and positive youth 
                development; and
                    (C) if appropriate, based upon scientifically based 
                research that provides evidence that such programs or 
                activities will help students improve academic 
                achievement, deepen student engagement in learning, and 
                promote positive youth development.
            (2) Periodic evaluation.--
                    (A) In general.--Each program or activity developed 
                under this Act shall undergo a periodic evaluation to 
                assess its progress toward achieving its goal of 
                providing high quality opportunities for academic 
                enrichment and positive youth development.
                    (B) Use of results.--The results of evaluations 
                under subparagraph (A) shall be--
                            (i) used to refine, improve, and strengthen 
                        each program or activity, and to refine the 
                        performance measures; and
                            (ii) made available to the public upon 
                        request, with public notice of such 
                        availability provided.

SEC. 9. SECRETARIAL PEER REVIEW AND APPROVAL.

    The Secretary shall establish--
            (1) a peer-review process to assist in the review and 
        approval of grant applications submitted under section 4 and 
        State applications submitted under section 5; and
            (2) appoint individuals to the peer-review process who are 
        educators and experts in educational standards, assessments, 
        accountability, high school improvement, youth development, 
        dropout prevention, and other educational needs of high school 
        students.

SEC. 10. NATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

    (a) National Activities.--From the amounts made available to carry 
out this section, the Secretary shall carry out national activities 
(directly or through grants and contracts), such as providing technical 
assistance (as described in subsection (b)) to States or eligible 
entities carrying out programs or activities under this Act or 
conducting a national evaluation of the effectiveness of programs and 
activities assisted under this Act.
    (b) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary is authorized to provide 
technical assistance to States and eligible entities carrying out 
programs and activities under this Act, such as--
            (1) conducting outreach to ensure widespread knowledge of 
        the availability of such programs and activities;
            (2) annually convening participating States, eligible 
        entities, and organizations providing support to such States 
        and eligible entities to provide training and education on best 
        practices;
            (3) disseminating information on best practices and 
        successful program models for serving high school youth; and
            (4) providing capacity building and training to ensure high 
        quality programming.

SEC. 11. REGULATIONS.

    The Secretary is authorized to prescribed regulations necessary to 
implement this Act.

SEC. 12. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, and 
such sums as may be necessary for each succeeding fiscal year.
    (b) Allocations.--Of the amounts appropriated under subsection (b), 
the Secretary shall allocate--
            (1) 45 percent for grants under section 4;
            (2) 45 percent for grants under section 5; and
            (3) 10 percent for national activities under section 10.

SEC. 13. LIMITATION ON AUTHORITY.

    Any new spending authority or new authority to enter into contracts 
provided by this Act, and under which the United States is obligated to 
make outlays, shall be effective only to the extent, and in such 
amounts, as are provided in advance in appropriations Acts.

SEC. 14. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) In general.--The terms ``local educational agency'', 
        ``secondary school'', 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).
            (2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a 
        partnership that includes--
                    (A) not less than 1--
                            (i) State educational agency; or
                            (ii) local educational agency serving a 
                        high school or middle school; and
                    (B) not less than 1--
                            (i) career technical student organization;
                            (ii) institution of higher education or 
                        tribal college;
                            (iii) nonprofit organization;
                            (iv) community-based organization;
                            (v) tribal organization;
                            (vi) business; or
                            (vii) labor union.
            (3) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001).
            (4) National model after-school interdisciplinary education 
        program.--The term ``national model after-school 
        interdisciplinary education program'' means a high quality, 
        multisite after-school program, including a program that 
        operates in multiple States.
            (5) Struggling student.--The term ``struggling 
        student''means a high school-aged student who is not making 
        sufficient progress toward graduating from secondary school 
        with a regular diploma in the standard number of years; and 
        includes a student who--
                    (A) has been retained in grade level;
                    (B) is a high school student who lacks either the 
                necessary credits or courses, as determined by the 
                local educational agency or State educational agency 
                serving such student, to graduate from secondary school 
                with a regular diploma in the standard number of years; 
                or
                    (C) is a high school student who--
                            (i) enters a school served by a local 
                        educational agency at grade 9 or higher; and
                            (ii) is identified by the local educational 
                        agency as being limited English proficient and 
                        as having experienced interrupted formal 
                        education.
            (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
            (7) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several 
        States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the 
        Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, 
        Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
        Islands, and the Republic of Palau.
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