[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1179 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1179

To promote advanced placement and International Baccalaureate programs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              June 9, 2011

 Mr. Bingaman introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To promote advanced placement and International Baccalaureate programs.

    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 ``Advanced Programs Act of 2011''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this Act--
            (1) to raise academic achievement through advanced 
        placement and International Baccalaureate programs by 
        increasing the number of teachers serving high-need schools who 
        are qualified to teach advanced placement courses or 
        International Baccalaureate courses;
            (2) to increase, to 1,000,000 per year, the number of 
        students attending high-need schools who--
                    (A) take and score a 3, 4, or 5 on an advanced 
                placement examination administered by the College 
                Board; or
                    (B) achieve a passing score on--
                            (i) an examination administered by the 
                        International Baccalaureate Organization; or
                            (ii) a test or examination for another 
                        advanced placement course or international 
                        baccalaureate course;
            (3) to increase the availability of, and enrollment in, 
        advanced placement courses or International Baccalaureate 
        courses, and pre-advanced placement or pre-International 
        Baccalaureate courses, in high-need schools; and
            (4) to support statewide efforts to increase the 
        availability of, and enrollment in, advanced placement courses 
        or International Baccalaureate courses and pre-advanced 
        placement or pre-International Baccalaureate courses in high-
        need schools.

SEC. 3. FUNDING DISTRIBUTION RULE; NATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

    (a) In General.--From amounts appropriated under section 8 for a 
fiscal year, and subject to subsection (b), the Secretary shall give 
priority to funding activities under section 4 and shall distribute any 
remaining funds under section 5.
    (b) National Activities.--The Secretary may reserve not more than 2 
percent of the amount appropriated for a fiscal year under section 8 to 
be used for research, dissemination of best practices, evaluation, and 
technical assistance.

SEC. 4. ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMINATION FEE PROGRAM.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--From amounts made available under section 
3(a) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall award grants to State 
educational agencies having applications approved under this section to 
enable the State educational agencies to reimburse low-income students 
to cover part or all of the costs of advanced placement examination 
fees or International Baccalaureate examination fees, if the low-income 
students--
            (1) are enrolled in an advanced placement course or 
        International Baccalaureate course; and
            (2) plan to take an advanced placement examination or an 
        International Baccalaureate examination.
    (b) Award Basis.--In determining the amount of the grant awarded to 
a State educational agency under this section for a fiscal year, the 
Secretary shall consider the number of children eligible to be counted 
under section 1124(c) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6333(c)) in the State in relation to the number of such 
children so counted in all States.
    (c) Information Dissemination.--A State educational agency that is 
awarded a grant under this section shall disseminate information 
regarding the availability of advanced placement examination and 
International Baccalaureate examination fee payments under this section 
to eligible students through secondary school teachers and guidance 
counselors.
    (d) Applications.--Each State educational agency desiring to 
receive a grant under this section shall submit an application to the 
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such 
information as the Secretary may require. At a minimum, each State 
educational agency application shall--
            (1) describe the advanced placement examination and 
        International Baccalaureate examination fees the State 
        educational agency will pay on behalf of low-income students in 
        the State from grant funds awarded under this section;
            (2) provide an assurance that any grant funds awarded under 
        this section shall be used only to pay for advanced placement 
        examination fees and International Baccalaureate examination 
        fees; and
            (3) contain such information as the Secretary may require 
        to demonstrate that the State educational agency will ensure 
        that a student is eligible for payments authorized under this 
        section, including ensuring that the student is a low-income 
        student.
    (e) Regulations.--The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as 
are necessary to carry out this section.
    (f) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Each State educational agency awarded a 
        grant under this section shall, with respect to each advanced 
        placement course subject and International Baccalaureate course 
        subject, annually report to the Secretary the following data 
        for the preceding year:
                    (A) The number of students in the State who are 
                taking an advanced placement course or International 
                Baccalaureate course in such subject.
                    (B) The number of advanced placement examinations 
                and International Baccalaureate examinations taken by 
                students in the State who have taken an advanced 
                placement course or International Baccalaureate course 
                in such subject.
                    (C) The number of students in the State scoring at 
                different levels on advanced placement examinations or 
                International Baccalaureate examinations in that 
                subject.
                    (D) Demographic information regarding students in 
                the State taking advanced placement courses and 
                examinations and International Baccalaureate courses 
                and examinations in that subject, disaggregated by 
                race, ethnicity, sex, English proficiency status, and 
                socioeconomic status.
            (2) Report to congress.--The Secretary shall annually 
        compile the information received from each State educational 
        agency under paragraph (1) and report to the authorizing 
        committees of Congress regarding the information.
    (g) BIA as SEA.--For purposes of this section, the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs shall be treated as a State educational agency.

SEC. 5. ADVANCED PLACEMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM GRANTS.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--
            (1) In general.--From amounts made available under section 
        3 for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall award grants, on a 
        competitive basis, to eligible entities to enable such entities 
        to carry out the authorized activities described in subsection 
        (e).
            (2) Duration and payments.--
                    (A) Duration.--The Secretary shall award a grant 
                under this section for a period of not more than 5 
                years.
                    (B) Payments.--The Secretary shall make grant 
                payments under this section on an annual basis.
    (b) Definition of Eligible Entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' 
means--
            (1) a State educational agency;
            (2) a local educational agency; or
            (3) a partnership consisting of--
                    (A) a national, regional, or statewide nonprofit 
                organization, with expertise and experience in 
                providing advanced placement course or International 
                Baccalaureate course services; and
                    (B) a State educational agency or local educational 
                agency.
    (c) Application.--
            (1) In general.--Each eligible entity desiring a grant 
        under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary 
        at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such 
        information as the Secretary may require.
            (2) Contents.--The application shall, at a minimum, include 
        a description of--
                    (A) the goals and objectives for the project 
                supported by the grant under this section, including--
                            (i) increasing the number of teachers 
                        serving high-need schools who are qualified to 
                        teach advanced placement courses or 
                        International Baccalaureate courses;
                            (ii) increasing the number of advanced 
                        placement courses or International 
                        Baccalaureate courses that are offered at high-
                        need schools; and
                            (iii) increasing the number of students 
                        attending a high-need school, particularly low-
                        income students, who enroll in and pass--
                                    (I) advanced placement courses or 
                                International Baccalaureate courses; 
                                and
                                    (II) if offered by the school, pre-
                                advanced placement courses or pre-
                                International Baccalaureate courses;
                    (B) how the eligible entity will ensure that 
                students have access to courses, including pre-advanced 
                placement courses or pre-International Baccalaureate 
                courses, that will prepare students to enroll and 
                succeed in advanced placement courses or International 
                Baccalaureate courses;
                    (C) how the eligible entity will provide 
                professional development for teachers that will further 
                the goals and objectives of the grant project;
                    (D) how the eligible entity will ensure that 
                teachers serving high-need schools are qualified to 
                teach advanced placement courses or International 
                Baccalaureate courses;
                    (E) how the eligible entity will provide for the 
                involvement of business and community organizations and 
                other entities, including institutions of higher 
                education, in carrying out the activities described in 
                subsection (e);
                    (F) how the eligible entity will use funds received 
                under this section; and
                    (G) how the eligible entity will evaluate the 
                success of the grant project.
    (d) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 
shall give priority to applications from eligible entities that--
            (1) are of a statewide or districtwide strategy, as 
        applicable, for increasing the availability of advanced 
        placement courses or International Baccalaureate courses, and 
        pre-advanced placement courses or pre-International 
        Baccalaureate courses, in high-need schools;
            (2) demonstrate a focus on increasing the availability of 
        advanced placement courses or International Baccalaureate 
        courses in the core academic areas of English, mathematics, and 
        science; and
            (3) propose to carry out activities that target schools 
        with a high concentration of low-income students.
    (e) Authorized Activities.--
            (1) In general.--Each eligible entity that receives a grant 
        under this section shall use the grant funds to carry out 
        activities designed to increase--
                    (A) the number of qualified teachers serving high-
                need schools who are teaching advanced placement 
                courses or International Baccalaureate courses; and
                    (B) the number of students attending high-need 
                schools who enroll in, and pass, the examinations for 
                such courses, including through reimbursing low-income 
                students attending high-need schools for part or all of 
                the cost of advanced placement examination fees or 
                International Baccalaureate examination fees.
            (2) Permissive activities.--In addition to the activities 
        described in paragraph (1), an eligible entity that receives a 
        grant under this section may use grant funds for--
                    (A) teacher professional development, in order to 
                expand the pool of teachers in the participating State, 
                local educational agency, or high-need school who are 
                qualified to teach advanced placement courses or 
                International Baccalaureate courses;
                    (B) pre-advanced placement courses or pre-
                International Baccalaureate teacher and counselor 
                professional development in secondary school to prepare 
                students for success in advanced placement courses or 
                International Baccalaureate courses;
                    (C) coordination and articulation between grade 
                levels to prepare students to enroll and succeed in 
                advanced placement courses or International 
                Baccalaureate courses;
                    (D) purchase of instructional materials for 
                advanced placement courses or International 
                Baccalaureate courses;
                    (E) activities to increase the availability of, and 
                participation in, online advanced placement courses or 
                International Baccalaureate courses;
                    (F) carrying out the requirements of subsection 
                (g);
                    (G) in the case of an eligible entity described in 
                subsection (b)(1), awarding subgrants to local 
                educational agencies to enable the local educational 
                agencies to carry out authorized activities described 
                in subparagraphs (A) through (F); and
                    (H) providing salary increments or bonuses to 
                teachers serving high-need schools who--
                            (i) become qualified to teach, and teach, 
                        advanced placement courses or International 
                        Baccalaureate courses in mathematics, science, 
                        or a critical foreign language; or
                            (ii) increase the number of low-income 
                        students who take advanced placement 
                        examinations or International Baccalaureate 
                        examinations with the goal of successfully 
                        passing such examinations.
    (f) Contracts.--An eligible entity that is awarded a grant to 
provide online advanced placement courses or International 
Baccalaureate courses under this Act may enter into a contract with an 
organization to provide the online advanced placement courses or 
International Baccalaureate courses, including contracting for 
necessary support services.
    (g) Collecting and Reporting Requirements.--
            (1) Report.--Each eligible entity receiving a grant under 
        this section shall collect and report to the Secretary annually 
        such data regarding the results of the grant as the Secretary 
        may reasonably require, including--
                    (A) the number of students served by the eligible 
                entity enrolling in advanced placement courses or 
                International Baccalaureate courses and pre-advanced 
                placement courses or pre-International Baccalaureate 
                courses, disaggregated by grade level of the student, 
                and the grades received by such students in the 
                courses;
                    (B) the number of students taking an advanced 
                placement examination or International Baccalaureate 
                examination and the distribution of scores on those 
                examinations, disaggregated by the grade level of the 
                student at the time of examination;
                    (C) the number of teachers who are currently, as of 
                the date of the report, receiving training to teach 
                advanced placement courses or International 
                Baccalaureate courses and will teach such courses in 
                the next school year;
                    (D) the number of teachers becoming qualified to 
                teach advanced placement courses or International 
                Baccalaureate courses; and
                    (E) the number of qualified teachers who are 
                teaching advanced placement courses or International 
                Baccalaureate courses in high-need schools served by 
                the eligible entity.
            (2) Reporting of data.--Each eligible entity receiving a 
        grant under this section shall report the data required under 
        paragraph (1)--
                    (A) disaggregated by subject area;
                    (B) in the case of student data, disaggregated in 
                the same manner as information is disaggregated under 
                section 1111(b)(2)(C)(v) of the Elementary and 
                Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
                6311(b)(2)(C)(v)); and
                    (C) in a manner that allows for an assessment of 
                the effectiveness of the grant program.
    (h) Matching Requirement.--
            (1) In general.--Notwithstanding paragraph (2), each 
        eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall 
        provide toward the cost of the activities assisted under the 
        grant, from non-Federal sources, an amount equal to 100 percent 
        of the amount of the grant, except that an eligible entity that 
        is a high-need local educational agency, as determined by the 
        Secretary, shall provide an amount equal to not more than 50 
        percent of the amount of the grant.
            (2) Waiver.--The Secretary may waive all or part of the 
        matching requirement described in paragraph (1) for any fiscal 
        year for an eligible entity if the Secretary determines that 
        applying the matching requirement to such eligible entity would 
        result in serious hardship or an inability to carry out the 
        authorized activities described in subsection (e).

SEC. 6. SUPPLEMENT, NOT SUPPLANT.

    Grant funds provided under this Act shall supplement, and not 
supplant, other non-Federal funds that are available to assist low-
income students to pay for the cost of advanced placement examination 
fees or International Baccalaureate examination fees or to expand 
access to advanced placement and pre-advanced placement courses or 
International Baccalaureate and pre-International Baccalaureate 
courses.

SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) In general.--Except as otherwise provided, the terms 
        used in this Act have the meanings given the terms in section 
        9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 7801).
            (2) Advanced placement course.--The term ``advanced 
        placement course'' means--
                    (A) a course of instruction at the level of an 
                institution of higher education, as described in 
                section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1001(a)), provided to secondary school students, 
                terminating in an examination administered by the 
                College Board, or another such examination approved by 
                the Secretary; or
                    (B) another highly rigorous, evidence-based, 
                postsecondary preparatory program terminating in an 
                examination administered by a nationally recognized 
                educational association, as approved by the Secretary.
            (3) Advanced placement examination.--The term ``advanced 
        placement examination'' means an advanced placement examination 
        administered by the College Board or approved by the Secretary.
            (4) High-need school.--The term ``high-need school'' means 
        a secondary school--
                    (A) with a pervasive need for advanced placement 
                courses or International Baccalaureate courses; and
                    (B) that--
                            (i) has a high concentration of low-income 
                        students; or
                            (ii) is designated with a school locale 
                        code of 41, 42, or 43, as determined by the 
                        Secretary.
            (5) International baccalaureate course.--The term 
        ``International Baccalaureate course'' means--
                    (A) a course of instruction at the level of an 
                institution of higher education, as described in 
                section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1001(a)), provided to secondary school students, 
                terminating in an examination administered by the 
                International Baccalaureate Organization, or another 
                such examination approved by the Secretary; or
                    (B) another highly rigorous, evidence-based, 
                postsecondary preparatory program terminating in an 
                examination administered by a nationally recognized 
                educational association, as approved by the Secretary.
            (6) International baccalaureate examination.--The term 
        ``International Baccalaureate examination'' means an 
        International Baccalaureate examination administered by the 
        International Baccalaureate Organization or approved by the 
        Secretary.
            (7) Low-income student.--The term ``low-income student'' 
        means a student who is eligible for a free or reduced-price 
        lunch under the school lunch program established under the 
        Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et 
        seq.).

SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act such 
sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2012 and each of the 4 
succeeding fiscal years.
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