1.This Act may be cited as
the Secondary School Reentry Act of
2011
.
2.It is the purpose of this Act—
(1)to amend the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) to increase the role of State
educational agencies and local educational agencies in implementing secondary
school reentry programs;
(2)to increase the role of State educational
agencies and local educational agencies in demonstrating leadership in reaching
out to and re-engaging disconnected youth;
(3)to encourage State educational agencies and
local educational agencies to develop and implement a plan for identifying and
re-engaging young people in a secondary education program that leads to the
attainment of a regular secondary school diploma;
(4)to encourage State educational agencies and
local educational agencies to establish partnerships with community-based
organizations, institutions of higher education, government agencies,
businesses, qualified intermediaries, or other education providers, to provide
a broad range of educational options and services, including services for
individuals who are beyond the State's established age of compulsory school
attendance;
(5)to encourage State educational agencies and
local educational agencies to establish a variety of secondary education
reentry programs, including such programs that provide opportunities
for—
(A)multiple pathways to a secondary school
diploma;
(B)compressed and
expanded programs that may be combined with dual enrollment in institutions of
higher education;
(C)integrated
academic and career-themed curricula, with opportunities for students to engage
in coordinated, sequenced, and scaled work-based learning opportunities;
and
(D)flexibility in
awarding credit toward graduation based on demonstrated competency in addition
to seat time; and
(6)to support local
community partnerships in integrating existing, and often disparate, services
into a comprehensive, cross-systems dropout reentry approach.
3.Congress finds the following:
(1)Each year
approximately 1,300,000 students fail to graduate from high school, which is an
average of 7,000 students dropping out of high school each day, or 1 student
every 9 seconds. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, of
those who fail to graduate with their peers, only one-fourth eventually earn a
regular high school diploma, one-fourth earn a General Education Diploma, and
about one-half do not earn a high school credential.
(2)The National
Center for Education Statistics reports that more than half of high school
dropouts are students of color. A low-income student is 10 times more likely to
drop out than a middle-income or high-income student, and minority students
have a graduation rate of nearly 50 percent. The graduation rate of students of
color is as much as 25 percentage points below the graduation rate of White
students.
(3)Nearly 38 percent
of young female dropouts, ages 16 to 24, were mothers, and becoming a mother
was the most common reason that females, ages 16 to 24, dropped out of
school.
(4)In the 2008–2009
school year, only 59 percent of persons with disabilities ages 14 to 21
graduated with a standard high school diploma.
(5)The Denver Public
Schools and Colorado Youth for a Change analyzed data from students who dropped
out of high school in the 2006–2007 school year and found that only 3 percent
of students who dropped out of high school were in situations where they could
easily return to the traditional school system.
(6)According to a
2008 study of students who reenrolled in the San Bernardino City Unified School
District over a 5-year period, only 18 percent ultimately earned a high school
diploma, representing just 6 percent of the students who dropped out of high
school.
(7)The Alliance for
Excellent Education reports that dropouts from the class of 2010 alone will
result in more than $337,000,000,000 in lost wages over the course of such
individuals' lifetimes. Increasing the graduation rate and rate of
matriculation at institutions of higher education of male students in the
United States by just 5 percent could result in a reduction of crime-related
costs that would lead to a combined savings and revenue of almost
$8,000,000,000.
(8)Over the course
of a lifetime, a student who has dropped out of high school earns, on average,
about $260,000 less than a high school graduate. According to the Center for
Labor Studies at Northeastern University, 54 percent of the Nation’s dropouts,
ages 16 to 24, were jobless in an average month during 2008. African-American
students who dropped out of high school experienced the highest jobless rate,
at 69 percent, followed by Asian-American students who dropped out of high
school, at 57 percent, and White students who dropped out of high school, at 54
percent. Hispanic students who dropped out of high school had the lowest
jobless rate at 47 percent. In sharp contrast, only about 13 percent of young
adults with a postsecondary degree were jobless, on average, in the same time
period.
(9)The estimated
lifetime revenue loss for male dropouts ages 25 to 34 is $944,000,000,000. If
high schools and institutions of higher education in the United States were to
raise the graduation rates of Hispanic, African-American, and Native American
students to the level of White students by 2020, more than $310,000,000,000
could potentially be added to the economy of the United States, due to the
increase in personal income. Individuals who dropped out of high school are
also substantially more likely to rely on public assistance than individuals
with a high school diploma.
(10)The Center for
Labor Studies at Northeastern University reports that male students of all
races who have dropped out of high school were 47 times more likely to be
incarcerated than their peers of a similar age who had graduated from a 4-year
institution of higher education. Three-quarters of State prison inmates dropped
out of high school, and 59 percent of Federal prison inmates dropped out of
high school.
(11)The annual cost
to the public overall in terms of crime related and welfare benefit costs for
individuals who drop out of high school is $24,000,000,000.
4.Enhanced Reentry
programs under the Dropout Prevention ActPart H of title I of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6551 et seq.) is amended—
(1)in section
1821—
(A)by redesignating
paragraph (2) as paragraph (5);
(B)by inserting
after paragraph (1) the following:
(2)The term qualified intermediary means
an entity that—
(A)works with key
partners to broker services, resources, and supports to youth and the
organizations and systems that are designed to serve youth; and
(B)has demonstrated
expertise in building, connecting, sustaining, and measuring partnerships with
employers, schools, community-based organizations, postsecondary institutions,
social service organizations, economic development organizations, and workforce
systems that directly support student success.
(3)The term reentry program means a program
that is designed to encourage and support school dropouts in returning to an
educational system, program, or institution in order to obtain a secondary
school diploma.
(4)The term school dropout
means an
individual who—
(A)is no longer
attending school (which may include a student with an extended absence);
(B)has not received
a secondary school diploma; and
(C)is not more than
24 years of age.
;
and
(C)by inserting
after paragraph (5) (as redesignated by subparagraph (A)) the following:
(6)Student with an
extended absenceThe term student with an extended
absence means an individual who is enrolled in school but attends school
with insufficient frequency to participate as a regular
student.
;
(2)in section
1822—
(A)in subsection
(a)(1)—
(i)in
subparagraph (A)(ii), by inserting , or consortia of local educational
agencies,
after local educational agencies
; and
(ii)in
subparagraph (B), by striking subsection (b)(2)
and inserting
subsection (b)(3)
; and
(B)in subsection
(b)—
(i)by
redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (3) and (4),
respectively;
(ii)in
paragraph (1), by inserting , or consortia of local educational
agencies,
after local educational agencies
;
(iii)in paragraph
(3), as redesignated by clause (i)—
(I)in the matter
preceding subparagraph (A), by striking paragraph (3)
and
inserting paragraph (4)
;
(II)in subparagraph
(A)—
- (aa)in
the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting
, or a consortium of local
educational agencies,
after a local educational agency
;
and
- (bb)in
clause (i) of subparagraph (A), by inserting
, or the consortium of
local educational agencies
after the local educational
agency
; and
(III)in
subparagraphs (B) through (D), by inserting , or the consortium of local
educational agencies,
after the local educational agency
each place the term appears; and
(iv)by
inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
(2)The State educational agency shall ensure that each
local educational agency, or consortium of local educational agencies, that is
awarded a subgrant under this subsection shall use not less than 30 percent of
the subgrant funds for the implementation of reentry
programs.
;
(3)in section
1823—
(A)in subsection
(a)—
(i)in
paragraph (1), by striking or local educational agency
and
inserting , local educational agency, or consortium of local educational
agencies
; and
(ii)in
paragraph (2), by inserting , or a consortium of local educational
agencies,
after a local educational agency
;
(B)in subsection
(b)—
(i)in
paragraph (1)—
(I)in subparagraph
(A)(i), by striking or local educational agency's
and inserting
local educational agency's, or consortium's
each place the term
appears;
(II)in subparagraph
(B), by inserting , or the consortium of local educational
agencies,
after local educational agency
;
(III)in subparagraph
(F), by striking and
at the end;
(IV)in subparagraph
(G), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and
;
and
(V)by adding at the
end the following:
(H)include a
description of each reentry program established by the State educational
agency, local educational agency, or consortium of local educational agencies
as part of a grant or subgrant awarded under this subpart, addressing each
reentry program requirement, as described in paragraph
(4).
;
and
(ii)in
paragraph (2)—
(I)in the matter
preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting , or a consortium of local
educational agencies,
after a local educational agency
;
and
(II)in subparagraphs
(A) and (B), by inserting , or the consortium,
after the
local educational agency
each place the term appears; and
(C)by adding at the
end the following:
(3)Applications
for Competitive GrantsEach application and plan submitted for a
grant under paragraph (1) or (2) of section 1822(a) shall include, in addition
to the requirements described in paragraphs (1) and (2), as applicable, a
statement of the percentage of grant funds received under this subpart that
will be directed toward reentry programs.
(4)Reentry Program
RequirementsEach reentry program that is assisted with grant or
subgrant funds under this subpart shall include the following:
(A)A
designated setting that is appropriate for a reentry program in accordance with
the purposes of the Secondary School Reentry
Act of 2011.
(B)A
description (including an initial needs assessment, projected program
enrollment capacity, and clearly delineated partnership roles) of a partnership
between the State educational agency, local educational agency, or consortium
of local educational agencies, and not less than 1 of the following entities
that has a demonstrated record of expertise and success in assisting the
targeted student population and implementing reentry programs in order to
provide any of the individual program requirements:
(i)A
community-based organization.
(ii)An institution
of higher education.
(iii)A local
government agency, which may include a law enforcement agency, the juvenile
justice system, or a social agency that provides direct services to vulnerable
youth.
(iv)An education
provider.
(v)A
business group that provides on-site job training and internships that help
students simultaneously earn a secondary school diploma, gain vocational
experience and qualifications, and earn income.
(vi)A community or
national service program, including a program authorized under the Serve
America Act (42 U.S.C. 12501).
(vii)A qualified
intermediary.
(viii)A provider of
a program authorized under chapter 1 of subpart 2 of part A of title IV of the
Higher Education Act of 1965.
(C)A description of why the State educational agency, local
educational agency, or consortium of local educational agencies has selected a
particular strategy, or strategies, or the provision of particular services,
and how such selection will be effective in meeting the needs of students who
are targeted and served by the reentry program, by—
(i)having a
demonstrated history of effectively serving youth;
(ii)reflecting the
different challenges faced by the community (which may be based on rural,
urban, or suburban status) such as outreach and transportation needs;
and
(iii)including a
range of approaches for working with disconnected youth.
(D)The assignment to each participant in the reentry
program, a reenrollment counselor who will be responsible for—
(i)student outreach
and family engagement;
(ii)an initial
student assessment and timely enrollment of each student in a program that best
meets the needs of the student;
(iii)the monitoring
of student progress, including the creation of a student graduation plan
that—
(I)identifies
specific goals for the student; and
(II)includes
coursework and experiences that prepare the student for success in college and
careers upon graduation; and
(iv)the coordination
of any special education and related services that may be needed by the student
in order to complete the student graduation plan.
(E)A well-developed, rigorous, interdisciplinary, education
component aligned to State standards, which shall include the following:
(i)Meaningful and
differentiated curricula that sets high expectations, actively involves
students, establishes a clear code of conduct, and provides an emphasis on
basic literacy and the skills needed in science, technology, engineering,
mathematics, and financial literacy.
(ii)Flexible
scheduling designed to address the barriers students face in returning to, and
remaining in, school, such as—
(I)open-entry and
open-exit enrollment;
(II)year-round
enrollment that allows students to return to school at any time;
(III)classes in the
morning, afternoon, and evening, and weekend sessions;
(IV)classes in
various locations and settings in order to accommodate overage students;
(V)self-paced
classes to accommodate working students and variations in attendance; or
(VI)a variety of
course delivery methods to accommodate individual learning styles and
alternative modes of course completion.
(iii)A low
staff-to-student ratio.
(iv)Opportunities
for students to make up previous course failures and take required and elective
courses.
(v)A
continuum of educational programs for students in the custody of the State’s
division of family services or juvenile justice system.
(vi)A policy of
prioritizing, and encouraging students to attain, a regular secondary school
diploma rather than a recognized equivalent of a secondary school diploma.
Students may be permitted to obtain a recognized equivalent of a secondary
school diploma only if the attainment of such equivalent is an element of a
pathway toward the achievement of a postsecondary credential or employment in a
high-wage, high-growth industry.
(vii)A policy of
encouraging students to continue their education by—
(I)informing
students of postsecondary education opportunities, including open enrollment
opportunities at State and local institutions of higher education; and
(II)supporting
students in the transition from secondary school to postsecondary
education.
(viii)Special
education and related services, as required under part B of the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act or section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973.
(ix)If appropriate,
transitional programs, such as residential programs.
(F)College and
Career Ready ServicesThe provision of not less than 1 of the
following college and career ready services that provide credit for
participation (such as an opportunity to earn secondary school and
postsecondary education credits through dual enrollment or credit for
internships, work experience, community service, or service-learning, which may
also increase opportunities for employment):
(i)Academic
instruction combined with training for an industry-recognized credential, in
order to create opportunities for students in careers identified as high-need
industries in the local community, which may include—
(I)on-the-job
training or school-to-work internships that will expose students to work
practices, help students gain qualifications, and create opportunities for
entry in the workforce, including paid work; or
(II)informing
students of career opportunities and supporting students in the transition from
secondary school to full-time employment.
(ii)Service learning
projects or national or community service participation that—
(I)enhances a sense
of civic responsibility; and
(II)promotes the
development of applied skills, such as oral and written communication,
teamwork, leadership, and critical thinking.
(iii)Career
exploration and development activities for students, such as—
(I)career academies
in areas such as health, military, technology, or green jobs;
(II)access to
mentors and instructors from local businesses;
(III)instruction in
the soft skills
needed for employment, including communication
skills; or
(IV)guest speakers,
campus visits, and informational interviews.
(G)The provision of not less than 2 of the following
wrap-around student support services (including a needs assessment and
identification of the appropriate service) to address the challenges that cause
students to leave school without a secondary school diploma, such as the
following:
(i)Targeted programs
for—
(I)individuals who
are gang-involved (including violence prevention and conflict resolution
programs); and
(II)pregnant or
parenting youth.
(ii)Additional
academic instruction, such as individual tutoring.
(iii)Classes in
areas such as parenting, life skills, and skills needed for the
workplace.
(iv)Opportunities
for character education and student self-esteem building.
(v)Child care or
family support services.
(vi)Mental and
emotional health services (including psychological assessments), learning
disability diagnosis or assessment, referral and access to special education
and related services required under part B of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (either as a result of such diagnosis or existing diagnosis),
counseling, crisis intervention, birth control and other preventive health
resources, or substance abuse services.
(vii)Access to legal
aid services in order to help participants eliminate barriers to reentry
program attendance.
(viii)Access to
resources that will provide participants with transportation or housing
assistance, or case managers to coordinate additional services, such as access
to Medicaid, food stamps, and other social programs that address the needs of
the entire family, and to serve as a point of access and continued
support.
(ix)Mentors to
provide ongoing support during the transition to postsecondary education or
employment, and to assist participants with obtaining and maintaining
employment or completing a postsecondary education program.
(H)Staff involvement that is designed to build strong
relationships with students and garner community support, including the
following:
(i)Collaborative
meetings between teachers, families, and students to establish learning goals
and develop an individually tailored educational program plan.
(ii)Teacher
monitoring of student attendance, program participation, behavior, and academic
performance, and the timely referral to appropriate resources and
services.
(iii)Attention to a
student's instructional needs and course credit requirements, as well as a
student's day-to-day needs, including any need for special education and
related services.
(iv)Staff who is
accessible, both during school and after school hours.
(I)Outreach
initiatives, through which the State educational agency, local educational
agency, or consortium of local educational agencies shall collaborate and
coordinate with the partners described in subparagraph (B) to conduct outreach
and provide information sharing between partners. The outreach initiative shall
include—
(i)visitation by the
designated reenrollment counselor with youth who are currently in a detention
facility, in order to establish a relationship and create a reentry
plan;
(ii)an outreach
campaign, such as targeted efforts to make personal contact with the parents or
legal guardians of students whose age is within the State’s established age for
compulsory school attendance in order to develop a comprehensive needs
assessment and provide information on the broad range of educational options
and services for youth;
(iii)a
community-wide outreach campaign, such as targeted efforts to make personal
contact with disengaged youth through either home visitation or phone calls, or
the use of print and electronic media; or
(iv)the
establishment of an Internet, call-in, or on the ground information center
where disengaged youth can access information regarding reentry
programs.
(J)Staff Retention
StrategiesA collaboration between the State educational agency,
local educational agency, or consortium of local educational agencies and the
partners described in subparagraph (B) to increase program staff retention by
providing—
(i)competitive pay
and benefits;
(ii)professional
development;
(iii)a low caseload
for the reenrollment counselor;
(iv)opportunities
for staff input in program development; and
(v)opportunities for
staff recognition.
(K)An
assurance that the activities that will be carried out through the grant
project conform with best practices regarding school dropout reentry
programs.
(L)Clearly
identified goals, input resources, intended outcomes, service quality and
processes, and performance measures to evaluate the reentry program.
(M)A
program placement and outcome database system that tracks, for each reentry
program—
(i)the number of
students enrolled in the reentry program;
(ii)the rate of
attendance;
(iii)the rate of
completion;
(iv)the number of
students who obtain a secondary school diploma;
(v)the rate of
enrollment at institutions of higher education;
(vi)job placement
rates;
(vii)data relating
to engagement in criminal activity;
(viii)data relating
to the support services utilized by students; and
(ix)demographic
information about students enrolled in the reentry program, including race or
ethnicity, gender, disability status, socioeconomic status, and sexual
orientation.
(N)An effort to address the variety of reasons that students
drop out of school, including the identification of particularly vulnerable
groups and strategies for targeting, engaging, and providing services to such
groups to meet the particular needs of each group. Vulnerable groups may
include individuals who are, or have previously been, homeless, in foster care,
under the custody of the juvenile justice system or criminal justice system,
eligible for special education and related services under part B of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, or identified as high risk, including
African-American, Hispanic or Latino, and Native American youth, English
Language Learners, migrant youth, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
(LGBT) youth, youth whose parents are incarcerated, youth with a history of
substance abuse or mental health needs, and teen parents.
(O)A demonstration of how programs and services funded
under the grant will align with, complement, and not duplicate services
provided under this Act, the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (20 U.S.C. 9201
et seq.), and the Federal Trio Programs established under chapter 1 of subpart
2 of part A of title IV of the Higher Education Act of
1965.
(c)In
awarding grants under paragraphs (1) or (2) of section 1822(a), the Secretary
shall give priority to applications from State educational agencies or, in the
case of grants awarded under section 1822(a)(1)(A), local educational agencies
or consortia of local educational agencies, that—
(1)serve areas with
disproportionately high percentages of young people who have left secondary
school without obtaining a secondary school diploma;
(2)serve areas with
high concentrations of young people in families whose family income is not more
than 200 percent of the poverty line (as determined under section 673(2) of the
Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9902(2)));
(3)serve areas with
high numbers or percentages of young people who are unemployed or
underemployed; and
(4)demonstrate
coordination between the education system, the workforce system, and other
public systems (such as the juvenile justice and child welfare systems) in
order to leverage resources and
funding.
;
(4)in section 1825,
in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting , or consortium of
local educational agencies,
after local educational
agency
;
(5)in section
1826—
(A)in subsection
(a), by inserting , or consortia of local educational agencies,
after local educational agencies
; and
(B)in subsection
(b), by inserting , or consortium of local educational agencies,
after local educational agency
each place the term
appears;
(6)in section 1827,
by inserting , or a consortium of local educational agencies,
after local educational agency
;
(7)in section
1828—
(A)by inserting
, or consortium,
after local educational agency
;
and
(B)by inserting
, or consortium of local educational agencies,
after the
agency
;
(8)in section
1830—
(A)in subsection
(a)—
(i)by
inserting , or consortium of local educational agencies,
after
local educational agency
each place the term appears; and
(ii)by
adding at the end the following:
(3)Data relating
to reentry programsThe report described in paragraph (1) shall
include the following data regarding reentry programs offered by the local
educational agency or consortium of local educational agencies:
(A)The types of
reentry programs offered, including information about any partnerships with
organizations to provide such programs.
(B)Information about
the targeted participants.
(C)A description of
outreach, coordination, and participant support efforts.
(D)Information about
funding levels for each program.
(E)The rates of
participation and completion of reentry programs.
(F)The number and
percentage of students who receive secondary school diplomas.
(G)The number and
percentage of students who receive a recognized equivalent of a secondary
school diploma.
(H)The number and
percentage of students who are enrolled in an institution of higher education
not more than 6 months after completing a reentry program.
(I)The number and
percentage of students who receive a postsecondary credential.
(J)Information
regarding student participation in career pathway programs and the outcomes of
such participation.
(K)The number and
percentage of students who participated in a dual enrollment program, and the
average number of credits earned by such students.
(L)The types of
support services utilized by each
student.
;
and
(B)by striking
subsection (c) and inserting the following:
(c)
(1)The Secretary shall conduct a rigorous and high-quality
evaluation of the effectiveness of the activities assisted under this subpart
on the successful reentry of an individual that results in such individual
attaining a secondary school diploma.
(2)The Secretary may partner with, or provide a grant to, a
third party to conduct the evaluation described in paragraph (1).
(3)The
Secretary may use not more than 2 percent of the funds appropriated for subpart
1 to carry out the evaluation described in paragraph
(1).
.
5.Enhanced
Federally Mandated Secondary School IndicatorsPart A of title I of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311 et seq.) is amended—
(1)in section
1111(h)(4)—
(A)in subparagraph
(F), by striking and
after the semicolon;
(B)in subparagraph
(G), by striking the period and inserting a semicolon; and
(C)by adding at the
end the following:
(H)grade 8
completion data for each local educational agency and each school that serves
students in grade 8;
(I)the number of
students who have dropped out of secondary school, enrolled in a reentry
program, and received a regular secondary school diploma;
(J)any demonstrated
increase in the rate of student reentry into secondary school or reentry
programs over time;
(K)a description of
programs, existing at the time of the report, that are targeted toward
increasing secondary school reentry, the number of students participating in
each program, and any success rate data related to such programs; and
(L)the number of
students reentering a secondary school pathway and receiving a recognized
equivalent of a secondary school
diploma.
;
and
(2)in section
1112(c)(1)—
(A)in subparagraph
(N), by striking and
after the semicolon;
(B)in subparagraph
(O), by striking the period and inserting ; and
; and
(C)by adding at the
end the following:
(P)require each
school that is served by the local educational agency and enrolls students in
grade 8, to track and report to the local educational agency the rate of
student completion of grade
8.
.
6.Prevention and
Intervention Programs for Children and Youth Who are Neglected, Delinquent, or
At-RiskPart D of title I of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6421 et seq.) is
amended—
(1)in section
1401—
(A)in subsection
(a)—
(i)in
paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and inserting the following:
and attainment of a secondary school diploma through participation in a
secondary school reentry program.
; and
(ii)by
adding at the end the following:
(4)to increase the
role of State educational agencies and local educational agencies in ensuring
that at-risk youth, school dropouts, and children and youth returning from
correctional facilities or institutions for neglected or delinquent children
receive a secondary school diploma and support for continuing their education
or progressing on a career pathway to employment in a high-wage, high-growth
industry.
;
(2)in section
1414(a)(2)—
(A)in subparagraph
(B), by striking and
after the semicolon;
(B)in subparagraph
(C)(iv), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon;
and
(C)by adding at the
end the following:
(D)include a plan
for secondary school diploma attainment, which shall include—
(i)a
description of the programs and partnerships that the State educational agency
and local educational agency will establish to support the attainment of a
secondary school diploma;
(ii)a plan for
outreach; and
(iii)a description
of how the State educational agency or local educational agency will support
the transition for such children and youth returning to a public school;
(E)describe how the
State educational agency or local educational agency will provide services to
students returning to school after placement in the juvenile justice system,
which shall include—
(i)academic and
disciplinary interventions; and
(ii)counseling,
health services, and housing; and
(F)provide
assurances that the State educational agency or local educational agency has
established—
(i)procedures to
ensure that each student who has been placed in the juvenile justice system is
promptly reenrolled in secondary school or placed in a reentry program that
best meets the educational and social needs of the student;
(ii)procedures for
facilitating the transfer of credits that such students have earned during
placement in the juvenile justice system;
(iii)innovative
practices aimed at ensuring the educational success of such students;
and
(iv)opportunities
for such students to participate in higher education or career
pathways.
;
(3)in section
1414(c)—
(A)by striking
paragraph (16) and inserting the following:
(16)provides an
assurance that the State educational agency will share responsibility with
local educational agencies in developing and implementing secondary school
reentry programs, which shall include working with children and youth who
dropped out of school before, or as a result of, entering a correctional
facility or institution for neglected or delinquent children and youth,
to—
(A)ensure that such
children and youth attain a regular secondary school diploma or its recognized
equivalent, if the attainment of such equivalent is an element of a pathway,
planned by the State agency, local educational agency, or a partner of such
agencies, toward a career or the achievement of a postsecondary credential;
and
(B)develop a plan
for outreach and dissemination of program information regarding academic or
career pathway opportunities for
youth;
;
(B)in paragraph
(18), by striking and
after the semicolon;
(C)in paragraph
(19), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and
;
and
(D)by adding at the
end the following:
(20)describes how
school-based administrators will—
(A)track students
who are involved with the reentry program; and
(B)share
responsibility with program providers in supporting the transition process for
returning students who enter a reentry
program.
;
and
(4)in section
1415(a)(2)(B)—
(A)in clause (ii),
by striking and
after the semicolon;
(B)in clause (iii),
by inserting and
after the semicolon; and
(C)by adding at the
end the following:
(iv)emphasize the
attainment of a secondary school diploma rather than a recognized equivalent of
a secondary school
diploma;
.