[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 968 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 968
To award competitive grants to eligible partnerships to enable the
partnerships to implement innovative strategies at the secondary school
level to improve student achievement and prepare at-risk students for
postsecondary education and the workforce.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 4, 2009
Mr. Reid (for himself, Mr. Pryor, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Menendez, and Mr.
Bennet) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To award competitive grants to eligible partnerships to enable the
partnerships to implement innovative strategies at the secondary school
level to improve student achievement and prepare at-risk students for
postsecondary education and the workforce.
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 ``Secondary School Innovation Fund
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Since almost 90 percent of the fastest growing and best
paying jobs now require some postsecondary education, a
secondary school diploma and the skills to succeed in
postsecondary education and the modern workplace are essential.
(2) Only \1/3\ of all high school students in the United
States graduate in 4 years prepared for a 4-year institution of
higher education. Another \1/3\ graduate, but without the
skills and qualifications necessary for success in
postsecondary education or the workplace, and the rest will not
graduate from high school in 4 years, if at all.
(3) Dropouts from the class of 2008 will cost the United
States more that $319,000,000,000 in reduced earnings.
(4) The Nation's failure to meet the increasing demand for
skilled workers means that American companies cannot fill a
large number of jobs. 81 percent of American manufacturing
companies report experiencing a moderate to severe shortage of
qualified workers.
(5) The education system of the United States should
support critical thinking, creativity, and innovative
approaches to problem-solving--all skills that cannot easily be
outsourced. The Program for International Student Assessment is
an international assessment that measures these high-demand
skills. Unfortunately, when the results on this assessment of
students from the United States are compared to those of
students from 27 other countries, many of which are economic
competitors of the United States, the United States students
rank 24th in problem-solving, 21st in scientific literacy, and
25th in mathematical literacy.
(6) As the bar for success continues to be raised, the
responsibility to engender these attributes with progressive
programs and original models lies squarely with the education
system. It is imperative that the United States develop and
implement new, innovative approaches to fully prepare every
student for the 21st century.
(7) Realigning the education system to meet new, demanding
requirements and face intensifying competition requires
effective, systemic reform. Identifying effective, replicable
models that achieve this goal is a critical step towards
enhancing the prospects of all students entering the modern
workforce.
SEC. 3. SECONDARY SCHOOL INNOVATION FUND.
(a) Secondary School Innovation Fund.--Title I of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) is
amended--
(1) by redesignating part I as part J; and
(2) by inserting after section 1830 the following:
``PART I--SECONDARY SCHOOL INNOVATION FUND
``SEC. 1851. PURPOSES.
``The purposes of this part are--
``(1) to improve the achievement of at-risk secondary
school students and prepare such students for postsecondary
education and the workforce;
``(2) to create evidence-based, replicable models of
innovation in secondary schools at the State and local level;
and
``(3) to support partnerships to create and inform
innovation at the State and local level to improve learning
outcomes and transitions for secondary school students.
``SEC. 1852. DEFINITIONS.
``In this part:
``(1) Eligible partnership.--The term `eligible
partnership' means a partnership that includes--
``(A) not less than 1--
``(i) State educational agency; or
``(ii) local educational agency that is
eligible for assistance under part A; and
``(B) not less than 1--
``(i) institution of higher education;
``(ii) nonprofit organization;
``(iii) community-based organization;
``(iv) business; or
``(v) school development organization or
intermediary.
``(2) Eligible school.--The term `eligible school' means a
public secondary school served by a local educational agency
that is eligible for assistance under part A.
``(3) High school.--The term `high school' means a public
school, including a public charter high school, that provides
secondary education, as determined under State law, in 1 or
more of grades 9 through 12.
``(4) Middle school.--The term `middle school' means a
public school, including a public charter middle school, that
provides middle or secondary education, as determined under
State law, in 1 or more of grades 5 through 8.
``SEC. 1853. SECONDARY SCHOOL INNOVATION FUND.
``(a) Program Authorized.--
``(1) Grants to eligible partnerships.--The Secretary is
authorized to award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible
partnerships to enable the eligible partnerships to pay the
Federal share of the costs of implementing innovative
strategies described in subsection (f) to improve the
achievement of at-risk students in secondary schools.
``(2) Subgrants to eligible schools.--An eligible
partnership that receives a grant under this part may use the
grant funds to award a subgrant to an eligible school to enable
the eligible school to implement innovative strategies
described in subsection (f) to improve the achievement of at-
risk students at the eligible school.
``(3) Duration of grant period.--A grant awarded under
paragraph (1) shall be for not longer than a 5-year period.
``(b) Reservation of Funds.--The Secretary shall reserve 5 percent
of the amounts appropriated under this part for a fiscal year for the
evaluation described in subsection (h).
``(c) Application.--
``(1) In general.--An eligible partnership desiring a grant
under this part shall submit an application to the Secretary at
such time, in such manner, and containing such information as
the Secretary may require.
``(2) Contents.--The application described in paragraph (1)
shall include--
``(A) a description of the eligible partnership,
the partners forming the eligible partnership, and the
roles and responsibilities of each partner, and a
demonstration of each partner's capacity to support the
outlined roles and responsibilities;
``(B) a description of how funds will be used to
improve the achievement of at-risk students in
secondary schools;
``(C) a description of how the activities funded by
the grant will be innovative, systemic, evidence-based,
and replicable;
``(D) a description of each subgrant the eligible
partnership will award to an eligible school, including
a description of the eligible school;
``(E) a description of how the eligible partnership
will measure and report improvement using the data
collected under subsection (g) and additional
indicators of improvement proposed by the partnership,
such as--
``(i) student attendance or participation;
``(ii) credit accumulation rates;
``(iii) core course completion rates;
``(iv) college enrollment and persistence
rates; or
``(v) number or percentage of students
taking--
``(I) Advanced Placement (AP),
International Baccalaureate (IB), or
other postsecondary education courses;
``(II) rigorous postsecondary
education preparatory courses; or
``(III) registered apprenticeship
and workforce training programs; and
``(F) a description of the planning phase of not
more than 90 days that the eligible partnership will
undertake for the grant, including--
``(i) the activities and goals of the
planning phase; and
``(ii) how each partner in the eligible
partnership will participate in the planning
phase.
``(d) Application Review and Award Basis.--
``(1) Grant review and approval.--The Secretary shall--
``(A) establish a peer review process to assist in
the review of the grant applications and approval of
the grants under this section; and
``(B) appoint to the peer review process--
``(i) individuals who are educators and
experts in--
``(I) secondary school reform;
``(II) accountability;
``(III) secondary school
improvement;
``(IV) innovative education models;
``(V) postsecondary education
preparation and access; and
``(VI) workforce preparation; and
``(ii) not less than 1 parent or community
representative; and
``(C) ensure that each grant award is of sufficient
size and scope to carry out the activities proposed in
the grant application, including the evaluation
required under subsection (g)(3).
``(2) Award basis.--In awarding grants under this part, the
Secretary shall ensure, to the extent practicable--
``(A) diversity in the type of activities funded
under the grants, including statewide and local
initiatives;
``(B) an equitable geographic distribution of the
grants, including urban and rural areas and small and
large school districts; and
``(C) that the grants support activities--
``(i) that target different grade levels of
students at the secondary school level;
``(ii) in a variety of types of secondary
schools, including middle schools and high
schools; and
``(iii) in secondary schools of varying
sizes, including small and large schools.
``(e) Federal Share, Non-Federal Share.--
``(1) Federal share.--The Federal share of a grant under
this part shall be not more than 75 percent of the costs of the
activities assisted under the grant.
``(2) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share shall be
not less than 25 percent of the costs of the activities
assisted under the grant, of which not more than 10 percent of
the costs of the activities assisted under the grant may be
provided in-kind, fairly evaluated.
``(f) Use of Funds.--An eligible partnership receiving a grant
under this part, or an eligible school receiving a subgrant under this
part, shall use grant or subgrant funds, respectively, to carry out 1
or more of the following effective models or innovative programs:
``(1) Effective school models.--
``(A) Multiple education pathways.--A model
creating a range of academically rigorous multiple
education pathways, based on the analysis of student
data, that lead to a secondary school diploma, that are
consistent with readiness for postsecondary education
and the workforce, and that offer students a range of
educational options designed to meet the students'
needs and interests, including through the creation of
new schools. Such pathways may include--
``(i) an effective dropout prevention and
recovery model that--
``(I) prepares students for
postsecondary education and career
readiness;
``(II) uses re-engagement and
recuperative strategies based in youth
development;
``(III) uses innovative strategies
for credit recovery and acceleration,
such as flexible hours or online access
to curricula, courses, assessments,
resources, and supports;
``(IV) provides competency-based
instruction and performance-based
assessment to improve educational
outcomes for various populations of
overaged or undercredited students or
students who have previously dropped
out of secondary school, such as--
``(aa) students not making
sufficient progress to graduate
with a regular secondary school
diploma in the standard number
of years;
``(bb) students who need to
work to support themselves or
their families;
``(cc) pregnant and
parenting teens; and
``(dd) students returning
from the juvenile justice
system; and
``(V) combines rigorous academic
education with career training for
students that are not making sufficient
progress to graduate from secondary
school in the standard number of years;
``(ii) a career and technical education
program;
``(iii) a career academy or other model
that delivers high quality, college preparatory
curriculum in the context of a rigorous
technical core; and
``(iv) creating a more personalized and
engaging learning environment for secondary
school students, such as--
``(I) establishing smaller learning
communities;
``(II) creating student advisories
and developing peer engagement
strategies;
``(III) creating mechanisms for
increased educator collaboration around
individual student needs;
``(IV) involving students and
parents in the development of
individualized student plans for
secondary school success and graduation
and transition to postsecondary
education; and
``(V) creating mechanisms for
increased student participation in
school improvement efforts and in
decisions affecting the students' own
learning, including students leading
guidance activities, mentoring, or
tutoring efforts.
``(B) Early college and dual enrollment schools.--
An early college high school or other dual enrollment
learning opportunity that provides a course of study
that enables a student to earn a secondary school
diploma and either an associate degree or not more than
2 years of transferable postsecondary education credit
toward a postsecondary degree or credential.
``(C) Secondary schools using early warning
systems.--A secondary school that enables at-risk
students to graduate from secondary school ready to
succeed in postsecondary education and the workforce,
through use of an early warning indicator and
intervention system that combines--
``(i) research-based whole school reform
focused on improving attendance, behavior, and
course performance;
``(ii) targeted interventions provided by
trained teams of adults working full-time in
the school, which may include--
``(I) participants or volunteers
under the National and Community
Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12501 et
seq.) or the Domestic Volunteer Service
Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4950 et seq.);
``(II) student and family
advocates; and
``(III) college and career access
and success counselors;
``(iii) integrated student services and
case-managed interventions for students
requiring intensive supports; and
``(iv) an on-track indicator system to
identify students in need of additional support
and to monitor the effectiveness of the
interventions described in clause (ii).
``(2) Innovative programs.--
``(A) Expanded learning-time opportunities.--The
creation of an expanded learning-time opportunity,
which may include--
``(i) establishing a mandatory expanded
day, for all students transitioning into the
first year of high school, for academic catch-
up and enrichment;
``(ii) providing arts, service-learning (as
defined in section 101 of the National and
Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C.
12511)), or youth development opportunities
with community-based cultural and civic
organizations;
``(iii) providing higher education and
work-based exposure, experience, and credit-
bearing learning opportunities in partnership
with postsecondary education institutions and
the workforce;
``(iv) providing technology-enabled
collaboration and access for students to
receive assistance from content experts,
instructors, and peers and to utilize resources
for remediation and enrichment; or
``(v) providing quality summer experiences,
which may include youth development.
``(B) Successful transitions to high school.--A
program improving student transitions from middle
school to high school and ensuring successful entry
into high school, which may include--
``(i) establishing summer transition
programs for students transitioning from middle
school to high school to ensure the students'
connection to the students' new high school and
to orient the students to the study skills and
social skills necessary for success in the high
school;
``(ii) providing for the sharing of data
between high schools and feeder middle schools;
``(iii) establishing early warning
indicator and intervention programs in high
school for students transitioning into the
students' first year of high school so that
such students do not become truant or fall too
far behind in academics;
``(iv) increasing the level of student
supports, including academic and nonacademic
supports that meet the comprehensive needs of
struggling students;
``(v) aligning academic standards,
curricula, and assessments between middle and
high schools; and
``(vi) providing electronic access to
detailed information on student performance and
all content and skill areas to students
transitioning into high school and their
parents.
``(C) Successful transitions to postsecondary
education and the workforce.--Improvements to assist
student transition from secondary school to
postsecondary education and the workforce, which may
include--
``(i) providing for the sharing of data
between secondary schools and institutions of
higher education, including data on remediation
and completion rates;
``(ii) enabling dual enrollment and post-
secondary credit-bearing learning
opportunities;
``(iii) creating new opportunities to
better utilize grades 11 and 12 and creating
better connections to postsecondary education,
which may include internships, externships, job
shadowing, and technology-enabled
collaboration;
``(iv) providing enhanced planning and
counseling for postsecondary education,
including financial aid counseling; and
``(v) aligning the academic standards of
secondary school with the academic standards of
postsecondary education and the requirements
and expectations of the workforce, including
partnering with local industry to align
technical curricula to workforce needs.
``(D) Increased school autonomy and flexibility.--A
program of providing secondary schools with increased
autonomy and flexibility, which may include--
``(i) establishing a process whereby
existing schools can apply for flexibility in
such areas as scheduling, curricula, budgeting,
and governance; and
``(ii) starting new small public secondary
schools that are guaranteed such autonomy.
``(E) Rural opportunities.--A program to improve
learning opportunities for secondary school students in
rural schools, including through the use of distance-
learning opportunities and other technology-based
tools.
``(F) Middle grade improvements.--A program to
improve learning opportunities for students in the
middle grades--
``(i) to prevent student disengagement and
improve achievement; and
``(ii) to better respond to early warning
signs that students are at risk of dropping out
of school, such as poor attendance, poor
behavior, or course failure, through the use of
an early warning indicator system and
interventions.
``(G) Improving teaching and academics.--A program
of improving teaching and increasing academic rigor at
the secondary school level, which may include--
``(i) improving the alignment of academic
standards with the requirements and
expectations of postsecondary education and the
workforce;
``(ii) improving the teaching and
assessment of 21st century skills, including
through the development of formative assessment
models;
``(iii) providing high-quality professional
development on data literacy, including on use
of data to inform classroom instruction;
``(iv) addressing the learning needs of
various student populations, including students
who are limited English proficient, late
entrant English language learners, and students
with disabilities; and
``(v) developing value-added measures for
use in determining teacher ability and
effectiveness, including for use in recruitment
and hiring decisions.
``(H) Improved community and parental
involvement.--A program improving community and
parental involvement, which may include--
``(i) increasing community involvement,
including leveraging community-based services
and opportunities to provide every student with
the academic and comprehensive nonacademic
supports necessary for academic success; and
``(ii) increasing parental involvement,
including providing parents with the tools to
navigate, support, and influence their child's
academic career and choices through secondary
school graduation and into postsecondary
education and the workforce, including through
electronic access to student data.
``(g) Data Collection and Evaluation.--
``(1) Collection of data.--Each eligible partnership
receiving a grant under this part shall collect and report
annually to the Secretary such information on the results of
the activities assisted under the grant as the Secretary may
reasonably require, including information on--
``(A) the number and percentage of students who--
``(i) are served by the eligible
partnership;
``(ii) are assisted under this part; and
``(iii) graduate from secondary school with
a regular secondary school diploma in the
standard number of years;
``(B) the number and percentage of students, at
each grade level, who are--
``(i) served by the eligible partnership;
``(ii) assisted under this part; and
``(iii) on track to graduate from secondary
school with a regular secondary school diploma
in the standard number of years;
``(C) the number and percentage of students, at
each grade level, who--
``(i) are served by the eligible
partnership;
``(ii) are assisted under this part; and
``(iii) meet or exceed State challenging
student academic achievement standards in
mathematics, reading or language arts, or
science, as measured by the State academic
assessments under section 1111(b)(3);
``(D) information consistent with the additional
indicators of improvement proposed by the eligible
partnership in the grant application; and
``(E) other information the Secretary may require
as necessary for the evaluation described in subsection
(h).
``(2) Reporting of data.--Each eligible partnership
receiving a grant under this part shall disaggregate the
information required under paragraph (1) in the same manner as
information is disaggregated under section 1111(h)(1)(C)(i).
``(3) Evaluation.--
``(A) In general.--Each eligible partnership
receiving a grant under this part shall, immediately
after the receipt of grant funds, enter into a contract
with an outside evaluator to enable the evaluator to
conduct--
``(i) an evaluation of the effects of the
grant after the third year of implementation of
the grant; and
``(ii) an evaluation of the effects of the
grant after the final year of the grant period.
``(B) Distribution.--Upon completion of an
evaluation described in subparagraph (A), the eligible
partnership shall submit a copy of the evaluation to
the Secretary in a timely manner.
``(h) Evaluation; Best Practices.--
``(1) In general.--From amounts reserved under subsection
(b), the Secretary shall--
``(A) enter into a contract with an outside
evaluator to enable the evaluator to conduct--
``(i) a comprehensive evaluation after the
third year of implementation on the
effectiveness of all grants awarded under this
part; and
``(ii) a final evaluation following the
final year of the grant period--
``(I) with a focus on the
improvement in student achievement and
the indicators described in subsection
(g)(1) as a result of innovative
strategies; and
``(II) to the extent practicable,
that compares the relative
effectiveness of different types of
programs and compares the relative
effectiveness of variations in
implementation within types of
programs; and
``(B) disseminate, and provide technical assistance
regarding, best practices in improving the achievement
of secondary school students.
``(2) Peer review.--
``(A) In general.--An evaluator receiving a
contract under this subsection shall--
``(i) establish a peer-review process to
assist in the review and approval of the
evaluations conducted under this subsection;
and
``(ii) appoint individuals to the peer-
review process who are educators and experts
in--
``(I) research and evaluation; and
``(II) the areas of expertise
described in subclauses (I) through
(VI) of subsection (d)(1)(B)(i).
``(B) Restrictions on use.--The Secretary shall not
distribute or use the results of any evaluation
described in paragraph (1)(A) until the results are
peer-reviewed in accordance with subparagraph (A).
``(i) Continuation of Funding.--An eligible partnership that
receives a grant under this part shall only be eligible to receive a
grant payment for a fourth or fifth year of the grant if the Secretary
determines, on the basis of the evaluation of the grant under
subsection (h)(1)(A)(i), that the performance of the eligible
partnership under the grant has been satisfactory.
``(j) Rule of Construction Regarding Discrimination.--Nothing in
this section shall be construed to permit discrimination on the basis
of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or disability in any
program or activity funded under this part.
``SEC. 1854. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part
$500,000,000 for fiscal year 2010 and for each of the succeeding 5
years.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--The table of contents in section 2 of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301
note) is amended--
(1) by striking the item relating to Part I and inserting
the following:
``Part J--General Provisions'';
and
(2) by inserting after the item relating to section 1830
the following:
``Part I--Secondary School Innovation Fund
``Sec. 1851. Purposes.
``Sec. 1852. Definitions.
``Sec. 1853. Secondary school innovation fund.
``Sec. 1854. Authorization of appropriations.''.
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