[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 597 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 597

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide 
                grants for core curriculum development.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 15, 2009

 Ms. Woolsey (for herself, Mr. Loebsack, and Mr. Sarbanes) introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education 
                               and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide 
                grants for core curriculum development.

    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 ``Access to Complete Education Act''.

SEC. 2. NEW PART I (CORE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT).

    (a) In General.--Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965 is amended by redesignating part I as J and inserting after 
part H the following:

                 ``PART I--CORE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

``SEC. 1851. GRANTS AUTHORIZED.

    ``(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to support systemic, 
comprehensive education reform by strengthening the instruction of 
music and arts, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, 
history, geography, and physical education and health as an integral 
part of the elementary and secondary school curriculum.
    ``(b) Authority.--The Secretary is authorized to award grants to 
local educational agencies to promote and strengthen one or more of the 
subjects specified in subsection (a) as an integral part of the 
elementary school and secondary school curriculum.
    ``(c) Application.--To seek a grant under this section, a local 
educational agency shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
may require.
    ``(d) Priority.--In awarding grants to local educational agencies 
under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to local 
educational agencies with greater--
            ``(1) numbers of children who are counted under section 
        1124(c); and
            ``(2) percentages of children from families below the 
        poverty line.
    ``(e) Use of Funds.--Funds may be used to expand access to the 
subjects specified in subsection (a) by--
            ``(1) expanding the amount of instructional time on these 
        subjects;
            ``(2) providing for curriculum development that is aligned 
        with State standards where relevant;
            ``(3) providing essential materials and text books that are 
        aligned with State standards where relevant;
            ``(4) partnering with Federal, State, and community-based 
        organizations and institutions to increase student learning in 
        these subjects;
            ``(5) providing professional development to ensure 
        curricula are implemented effectively; and
            ``(6) creating and using formative assessments where 
        appropriate to advance student achievement and improve 
        instruction.
    ``(f) Conditions.--As a condition of receiving assistance made 
available under this section, the Secretary shall require each local 
educational agency receiving such assistance--
            ``(1) to coordinate, to the extent practicable, each 
        project or program carried out with such assistance with 
        appropriate activities of public or private cultural agencies, 
        institutions, and organizations, including museums, education 
        associations, libraries, and theaters; and
            ``(2) to use such assistance only to supplement, and not to 
        supplant, any other assistance or funds made available from 
        non-Federal sources for the activities assisted under this 
        section.
    ``(g) Evaluations.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each local educational agency that 
        receives funds under this section shall provide the Secretary, 
        at the conclusion of every fiscal year during which the funds 
        are received, with an evaluation, in a form prescribed by the 
        Secretary. This evaluation shall include--
                    ``(A) a description of the programs and activities 
                conducted by the local educational agency with funds 
                received;
                    ``(B) data on curriculum and partnerships 
                developed;
                    ``(C) data on the amount of time spent on subjects 
                allowed for under the grant; and
                    ``(D) other information as determined by the 
                Secretary.
            ``(2) Use of evaluation.--An evaluation provided by a local 
        educational agency shall be used by the local educational 
        agency and the State educational agency for improvement of 
        programs and activities.
    ``(h) Consultation.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary 
shall consult with relevant Federal and State agencies or institutions, 
educators (including professional education associations), 
organizations representing subjects funded under this part.
    ``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated for grants under this section the following:
            ``(1) $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.
            ``(2) $300,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.
            ``(3) $350,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.
            ``(4) $400,000,000 for fiscal year 2013.
            ``(5) $450,000,000 for fiscal year 2014.
            ``(6) $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2015.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--The following provisions of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 are each amended by 
striking ``part I'' and inserting ``part J'':
            (1) Section 1304(c)(2) (20 U.S.C. 6394(c)(2)).
            (2) Section 1415(a)(2)(C) (20 U.S.C. 6435(a)(2)(C)).
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