[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1236 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1236

 To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 regarding 
  highly qualified teachers, growth models, adequate yearly progress, 
 Native American language programs, and parental involvement, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 26, 2007

 Ms. Murkowski (for herself and Mr. Stevens) introduced the following 
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 regarding 
  highly qualified teachers, growth models, adequate yearly progress, 
 Native American language programs, and parental involvement, 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 ``School Accountability Improvements 
Act''.

SEC. 2. HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS IN SMALL SCHOOLS.

    (a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to ensure that 
teachers in public elementary and secondary schools know the subject 
matter and curriculum that they are teaching and can convey the subject 
matter to students.
    (b) Highly Qualified Teachers of Multiple Academic Subjects in 
Small Schools.--Section 1119(a) of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6319(a)) is amended by adding at the 
end the following:
            ``(4) Exception for multi-subject teachers in small 
        schools.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding section 9101(23) 
                or any other provision of this Act, a middle or 
                secondary school teacher who is employed to teach 
                multiple core academic subjects in a school designated 
                as a small school under subparagraph (B) but who is not 
                highly qualified as the term is defined in such 
                section, shall be deemed to be highly qualified for 
                purposes of this Act if the teacher--
                            ``(i) meets the requirements of 
                        subparagraph (A) of such section;
                            ``(ii) meets the requirements of subclause 
                        (I) or (II) of subparagraph (B)(ii) of such 
                        section for 1 or more of the core academic 
                        subjects that the teacher teaches; and
                            ``(iii) demonstrates highly effective 
                        delivery of instruction on a performance 
                        assessment, developed or adopted by the State 
                        within which the small school is located, that 
                        assesses skills that are widely accepted as 
                        necessary for the effective delivery of 
                        instruction.
                    ``(B) Small school.--A State educational agency 
                shall designate a school as a small school for a school 
                year if the State educational agency determines, based 
                on evidence provided by the local educational agency 
                serving the school, that the school--
                            ``(i) has unique staffing or hiring 
                        challenges that require 1 or more teachers at 
                        the school to teach multiple core academic 
                        subjects for such year;
                            ``(ii) has made a reasonable effort to 
                        recruit and retain for such year middle or 
                        secondary school teachers who meet the 
                        requirements of subparagraph (A) and either 
                        subparagraph (B) or (C) of section 9101(23), to 
                        teach all students attending the school; and
                            ``(iii) had an average daily student 
                        membership of less than 200 students for the 
                        previous full school year.''.

SEC. 3. GROWTH MODELS.

    Section 1111(b)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
(20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(L) Growth models.--
                            ``(i) In general.--In the case of a State 
                        that desires to satisfy the requirements of a 
                        single, statewide State accountability system 
                        under subparagraph (A) through the use of a 
                        growth model, the Secretary shall approve such 
                        State's use of the growth model if--
                                    ``(I) the State plan ensures that 
                                100 percent of students in each group 
                                described in subparagraph (C)(v)--
                                            ``(aa) meet or exceed the 
                                        State's proficient level of 
                                        academic achievement on the 
                                        State assessments under 
                                        paragraph (3) by the 2013-2014 
                                        school year; or
                                            ``(bb) are making 
                                        sufficient progress to enable 
                                        each student to meet or exceed 
                                        the State's proficient level on 
                                        such assessments for the 
                                        student's corresponding grade 
                                        level not later than the 
                                        student's final year in 
                                        secondary school;
                                    ``(II) the State plan complies with 
                                all of the requirements of this 
                                paragraph, except as provided in clause 
                                (ii);
                                    ``(III) the growth model is based 
                                on a fully approved assessment system;
                                    ``(IV) the growth model calculates 
                                growth in student proficiency for the 
                                purposes of determining adequate yearly 
                                progress either by individual students 
                                or by cohorts of students, and may use 
                                methodologies, such as confidence 
                                intervals and the State-approved 
                                minimum designations, that will yield 
                                statistically reliable data;
                                    ``(V) the growth model includes all 
                                students; and
                                    ``(VI) in the case of a growth 
                                model that tracks individual students, 
                                the State has the capacity to track and 
                                manage the data efficiently and 
                                effectively.
                            ``(ii) Special rule.--Notwithstanding any 
                        other provision of law, for purposes of any 
                        provision that requires the calculation of a 
                        number or percentage of students who must meet 
                        or exceed the proficient level of academic 
                        achievement on a State assessment under 
                        paragraph (3), a State using a growth model 
                        approved under clause (i) shall calculate such 
                        number or percentage by counting--
                                    ``(I) the students who meet or 
                                exceed the proficient level of academic 
                                achievement on the State assessment; 
                                and
                                    ``(II) the students who, as 
                                demonstrated through the growth model, 
                                are making sufficient progress to 
                                enable each student to meet or exceed 
                                the proficient level on the assessment 
                                for the student's corresponding grade 
                                level not later than the student's 
                                final year in secondary school.''.

SEC. 4. SCHOOL CHOICE AND SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICES.

    (a) School Choice and Supplemental Educational Services.--Section 
1116(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 6316(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) by striking subparagraph (E) and inserting the 
                following:
                    ``(E) Supplemental educational services.--In the 
                case of a school identified for school improvement 
                under this paragraph, the local educational agency 
                shall, not later than the first day of the school year 
                following such identification, make supplemental 
                educational services available consistent with 
                subsection (e)(1).''; and
                    (B) by striking subparagraph (F);
            (2) by striking paragraph (5) and inserting the following:
            ``(5) Failure to make adequate yearly progress after 
        identification.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In the case of any school served 
                under this part that fails to make adequate yearly 
                progress, as set out in the State's plan under section 
                1111(b)(2), by the end of the first full school year 
                after identification under paragraph (1), the local 
                educational agency serving such school shall--
                            ``(i) provide students in grades 3 through 
                        12 who are enrolled in the school and who did 
                        not meet or exceed the proficient level on the 
                        most recent State assessment in mathematics or 
                        in reading or language arts with the option to 
                        transfer to another public school served by the 
                        local educational agency in accordance with 
                        subparagraph (B);
                            ``(ii) continue to make supplemental 
                        educational services available consistent with 
                        subsection (e)(1); and
                            ``(iii) continue to provide technical 
                        assistance.
                    ``(B) Public school choice.--
                            ``(i) In general.--In carrying out 
                        subparagraph (A)(i) with respect to a school, 
                        the local educational agency serving such 
                        school shall, not later than the first day of 
                        the school year following such identification, 
                        provide all students described in subparagraph 
                        (A)(i) with the option to transfer to another 
                        public school served by the local educational 
                        agency, which may include a public charter 
                        school, that has not been identified for school 
                        improvement under this paragraph, unless such 
                        an option is prohibited by State law.
                            ``(ii) Rule.--In providing students the 
                        option to transfer to another public school, 
                        the local educational agency shall give 
                        priority to the lowest achieving children from 
                        low-income families, as determined by the local 
                        educational agency for purposes of allocating 
                        funds to schools under section 1113(c)(1).
                    ``(C) Transfer.--Students who use the option to 
                transfer under subparagraph (A)(i), paragraph (7)(C)(i) 
                or (8)(A)(i), or subsection (c)(10)(C)(vii) shall be 
                enrolled in classes and other activities in the public 
                school to which the students transfer in the same 
                manner as all other children at the public school.''; 
                and
            (3) in paragraph (8)(A)(i), by striking ``all''.
    (b) Supplemental Educational Services Providers.--Section 1116(e) 
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
6316(e)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraph (12) as paragraph (13);
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (11) the following:
            ``(12) Rule regarding providers.--Notwithstanding paragraph 
        (13)(B), a local educational agency identified under subsection 
        (c) that is required to arrange for the provision of 
        supplemental educational services under this subsection may 
        serve as a provider of such services in accordance with this 
        subsection.''; and
            (3) in paragraph (13)(A) (as redesignated by paragraph 
        (1)), by inserting ``, who is in any of grades 3 through 12 and 
        who did not meet or exceed the proficient level on the most 
        recent State assessment in mathematics or in reading or 
        language arts'' before the semicolon.

SEC. 5. CALCULATING ADEQUATE YEARLY PROGRESS FOR STUDENTS WITH 
              DISABILITIES AND STUDENTS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH 
              PROFICIENCY.

    Section 1116 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(as amended by section 4) (20 U.S.C. 6316) is further amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection (i); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (g) the following:
    ``(h) Partial Satisfaction of AYP.--
            ``(1) Schools.--Notwithstanding this section or any other 
        provision of law, in the case of a school that failed to make 
        adequate yearly progress under section 1111(b)(2) solely 
        because the school did not meet or exceed 1 or more annual 
        measurable objectives set by the State under section 
        1111(b)(2)(G) for the subgroup of students with disabilities or 
        students with limited English proficiency, or both such 
        subgroups--
                    ``(A) if such school is identified for school 
                improvement under subsection (b)(1), such school shall 
                only be required to develop or revise and implement a 
                school plan under subsection (b)(3) with respect to 
                each such subgroup that did not meet or exceed each 
                annual measurable objective; and
                    ``(B) if such school is identified for 
                restructuring under subsection (b)(8), the local 
                educational agency serving such school shall not be 
                required to implement subsection (b)(8)(B) if the local 
                educational agency demonstrates to the State 
                educational agency that the school would have made 
                adequate yearly progress for each assessment and for 
                each such subgroup for the most recent school year if 
                the percentage of students who met or exceeded the 
                proficient level of academic achievement on the State 
                assessment was calculated by counting--
                            ``(i) the students who met or exceeded such 
                        proficient level; and
                            ``(ii) the students who are making 
                        sufficient progress to enable each such student 
                        to meet or exceed the proficient level on the 
                        assessment for the student's corresponding 
                        grade level not later than the student's final 
                        year in secondary school, as demonstrated 
                        through a growth model that meets the 
                        requirements described in subclauses (III) 
                        through (VI) of section 1111(b)(2)(L)(i).
            ``(2) Local educational agencies.--Notwithstanding this 
        section or any other provision of law, in the case of a local 
        educational agency that is identified for corrective action 
        under subsection (c)(10) solely because the local educational 
        agency did not meet or exceed 1 or more annual measurable 
        objectives set by the State under section 1111(b)(2)(G) for the 
        subgroup of students with disabilities or students with limited 
        English proficiency, or both such subgroups, the State 
        educational agency shall not be required to implement 
        subsection (c)(10) if the State educational agency demonstrates 
        to the Secretary that the school would have made adequate 
        yearly progress for each assessment and for each such subgroup 
        if the percentage of students who met or exceeded the 
        proficient level of academic achievement on the State 
        assessment was calculated by counting--
                    ``(A) the students who meet or exceed such 
                proficient level; and
                    ``(B) the students who are making sufficient 
                progress to enable each such student to meet or exceed 
                the proficient level on the assessment for the 
                student's corresponding grade level not later than the 
                student's final year in secondary school, as 
                demonstrated through a growth model that meets the 
                requirements described in subclauses (III) through (VI) 
                of section 1111(b)(2)(L)(i).''.

SEC. 6. NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE PROGRAMS.

    Section 1111(b)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (as amended by section 3) (20 U.S.C. 6316(b)(2)) is further 
amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(M) Native american language programs.--
                Notwithstanding subparagraph (I) or any other provision 
                of law--
                            ``(i) a school serving students who receive 
                        not less than a half day of daily Native 
                        language instruction in an American Indian 
                        language, an Alaska Native language, or Native 
                        Hawaiian in at least grades kindergarten 
                        through grade 2 for a school year that does not 
                        have State assessments under paragraph (3) 
                        available in the Native American language 
                        taught at the school as provided for in 
                        paragraph (3)(C)(ix)(III)--
                                    ``(I) shall assess students in 
                                grade 3 as required under paragraph 
                                (3), and such students shall be 
                                included in determining if the school 
                                met the participation requirements for 
                                all groups of students as required 
                                under subparagraph (I)(ii) for such 
                                school year; and
                                    ``(II) shall not include such 
                                assessment results for students in 
                                grade 3 in determining if the school 
                                met or exceeded the annual measurable 
                                objectives for all groups of students 
                                as required under subparagraph (I)(i) 
                                for such school year; and
                            ``(ii) in the case of a school serving 
                        students in any of grades 4 through 8 who 
                        received such Native American language 
                        instruction, such school shall count for 
                        purposes of calculating the percentage of 
                        students who met or exceeded the proficient 
                        level of academic achievement on the State 
                        assessment--
                                    ``(I) the students who met or 
                                exceeded such proficient level; and
                                    ``(II) the students who are making 
                                sufficient progress to enable each such 
                                student to meet or exceed such 
                                proficient level on the assessment for 
                                the student's corresponding grade level 
                                by the time the student enters grade 7, 
                                as demonstrated through a growth model 
                                that meets the requirements described 
                                in subclauses (III) through (VI) of 
                                paragraph (L)(i).''.

SEC. 7. IMPROVING EFFECTIVE PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT.

    Section 2134 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 6634) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(2)(C), by inserting ``one or more 
        parent teacher associations or organizations,'' after ``such 
        local educational agencies,'';
            (2) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); and
            (3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
    ``(b) Optional Use of Funds.--An eligible partnership that receives 
a subgrant under this section may use subgrant funds remaining after 
carrying out all of the activities described in subsection (a) for--
            ``(1) developing parental engagement strategies, with 
        accountability goals, as a key part of the ongoing school 
        improvement plan under section 1116(b)(3)(A) for a school 
        identified for improvement under section 1116(b)(1); or
            ``(2) providing training to teachers, principals, and 
        parents in skills that will enhance effective communication, 
        which training shall--
                    ``(A) include the research-based standards and 
                methodologies of effective parent or family involvement 
                programs; and
                    ``(B) to the greatest extent possible, involve the 
                members of the local and State parent teacher 
                association or organization in such training activities 
                and in the implementation of school improvement plans 
                under section 1116(b)(3)(A).''.

SEC. 8. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    Section 1116 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(as amended by sections 4 and 5) (20 U.S.C. 6316) is further amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (6)(F), by striking ``(1)(E),'';
                    (B) in paragraph (7)(C)(i), by striking ``paragraph 
                (1)(E) and (F)'' and inserting ``subparagraphs (B) and 
                (C) of paragraph (5)'';
                    (C) in paragraph (8)(A)(i), by striking ``paragraph 
                (1)(E) and (F)'' and inserting ``subparagraphs (B) and 
                (C) of paragraph (5)'';
                    (D) in paragraph (9)--
                            (i) by striking ``paragraph (1)(E)'' and 
                        inserting ``paragraph (5)(B)''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``(1)(A), (5),'' and 
                        inserting ``(5)(A),''; and
                    (E) in paragraph (11), by striking ``(1)(A),'';
            (2) in subsection (c)(10)(C)(vii), by striking 
        ``subsections (b)(1)(E) and (F),'' and inserting 
        ``subparagraphs (B) and (C) of subsection (b)(5)'';
            (3) in subsection (e)(1), by inserting ``(1),'' after 
        ``described in paragraph'';
            (4) in subsection (f)(1)(A)(ii), by inserting ``(A)'' after 
        ``(b)(5)''; and
            (5) in subsection (g)(3)(A), by striking ``subsection 
        (b)(1)(E)'' and inserting ``subsection (b)(5)(B)''.
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