II 110th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 3353 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 29 (legislative day, July 28), 2008 Mr. Casey introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To provide temporary financial relief for rural school districts adversely impacted by the current energy crisis, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Rural Fuel for School Act of 2008.

2.

Findings and purposes

(a)

Findings

Congress finds the following: (1)Many rural schools are in sparsely populated areas, leading to problems such as high transportation costs and limited access to cultural and educational resources. (2)Rural schools have severe fiscal constraints due to declining enrollment and a limited tax base to generate revenue. (3)In 2006, the National Center for Education Statistics determined that there were approximately 7,900 rural school districts in the United States. (b)

Purposes

The purposes of this Act are the following: (1)To provide temporary financial relief for rural local educational agencies adversely impacted by the current energy crisis. (2)To establish a temporary grant program to provide eligible local educational agencies with grants to help cover the cost of transporting elementary and secondary students.

3.

Definitions

In this Act: (1)

Eligible local educational agency

The term eligible local educational agency means a local educational agency that— (A)is classified as fringe rural, distant rural, or remote rural by the National Center for Education Statistics; and (B)meets 1 or more of the following conditions: (i)The agency has experienced an increase in annual fuel costs of not less than 20 percent compared to the previous fiscal year. (ii)The agency has experienced an increase in contract transportation costs of not less than 20 percent compared to the previous fiscal year. (iii)The Secretary certifies that the agency has experienced extreme hardship in providing transportation to elementary and secondary students due to increased fuel prices. (2)

Local educational agency

The term local educational agency has the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). (3)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Education.

4.

Grant program authorized

(a)

In general

The Secretary shall make grants to eligible local educational agencies to enable the eligible local educational agencies to continue providing transportation to elementary and secondary students. (b)

Announcement

The Secretary shall publish a notice announcing a grant competition under this Act, and solicit proposals for grants, not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act. (c)

Award basis

The Secretary shall award grants under this Act in such a manner as to assist as many eligible local educational agencies as possible. (d)

Limitations

(1)

Frequency

An eligible local educational agency shall only receive a grant under this Act once in a 3 year period. (2)

Amount of grant

Each grant under this Act shall be in an amount that is not less than 10 percent and not more than 50 percent of an eligible local educational agency's annual total transportation costs for the previous fiscal year.

5.

Applications

(a)

In general

An eligible local educational agency that desires a grant under this Act shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require. (b)

Contents

An application submitted under subsection (a) shall— (1)describe the activities for which assistance under this section is sought; and (2)provide such additional assurances as the Secretary determines to be necessary to ensure compliance with this section.

6.

Reports

Not later than 1 year after the end of the grant period, each eligible local educational agency receiving a grant under this Act shall submit a report to the Secretary detailing the eligible local educational agency's performance of the activities described in section 5(b)(1).

7.

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act— (1)$5,000,000 for fiscal years 2009 through 2013; and (2)$2,500,000 for fiscal year 2014.

8.

Sunset provision

The authority to make grants under this Act shall expire on December 31, 2013.