[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1311 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1311

 To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 regarding 
                21st century community learning centers.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 30, 2011

  Mr. Sanders (for himself, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Bennet, and Mrs. Hagan) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
          Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 regarding 
                21st century community learning centers.

    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 ``Improving Student Achievement and 
Engagement through Expanded Learning Time Act of 2011''.

SEC. 2. 21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS.

    Part B of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7171 et seq.) is amended to read as follows:

           ``PART B--21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS.

``SEC. 4201. PURPOSE.

    ``The purpose of this part is to assist local educational agencies, 
nonprofit organizations, and partnerships between local educational 
agencies and nonprofit organizations or local governmental entities, in 
developing and implementing 21st century community learning centers 
that increase the extent to which--
            ``(1) students are provided additional time to engage in 
        activities that improve their academic achievement and 
        engagement;
            ``(2) students are provided additional time to participate 
        in enrichment activities and to take advantage of opportunities 
        to experience a fuller, richer education; and
            ``(3) local educational agencies, nonprofit organizations, 
        and local governmental entities work in partnership to improve 
        educational outcomes for students.

``SEC. 4202. DEFINITIONS.

    ``In this part:
            ``(1) Community learning center.--The term `community 
        learning center' means a program (such as an expanded learning 
        time program, a before or after school program, a summer 
        enrichment program or a summer school program) that provides 
        additional time--
                    ``(A) for students, including students with the 
                greatest academic needs and students who are already 
                meeting State academic achievement standards adopted 
                under section 1111(b)(1), to participate in academic 
                activities that are aligned with the instruction those 
                students receive during the regular school day and are 
                targeted to their academic needs;
                    ``(B) for students to engage in enrichment and 
                other activities that complement the academic program; 
                and
                    ``(C) which may be used to provide teachers with 
                time to collaborate, plan, and engage in professional 
                development within and across grades and subjects.
            ``(2) Eligible local entity.--The term `eligible local 
        entity' means--
                    ``(A) a local educational agency that receives 
                funds under part A of title I, acting by itself or in 
                partnership with a nonprofit organization or local 
                governmental entity; or
                    ``(B) a nonprofit organization, including a 
                community-based organization.
            ``(3) Expanded learning time program.--The term `expanded 
        learning time program' means a program that is implemented for 
        all students in a school and that--
                    ``(A) increases the total number of school hours 
                for the school year at a school by not fewer than 300 
                hours through an expanded school day, expanded school 
                week, or expanded school year schedule;
                    ``(B) comprehensively redesigns and implements an 
                expanded school schedule in order to provide additional 
                time for instruction in core academic subjects (as well 
                as other subjects or enrichment activities) and 
                additional time for teachers and staff to collaborate, 
                plan, and engage in professional development within and 
                across grades and subjects; and
                    ``(C) may be implemented in partnership with 
                nonprofit organizations, including community-based 
                organizations.

``SEC. 4203. RESERVATION OF FUNDS.

    ``From the funds appropriated under section 4204 for any fiscal 
year, the Secretary shall reserve--
            ``(1) not more than 1 percent for national activities, 
        including research development, data collection, technical 
        assistance, outreach, dissemination, and other activities 
        related to the purpose of this part; and
            ``(2) not more than 1 percent for the outlying areas and 
        the Bureau of Indian Education to carry out the purpose of this 
        part.

``SEC. 4204. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part 
$2,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2012 and each of the subsequent 5 years.

           ``Subpart 1--Grants for State Educational Agencies

``SEC. 4211. STATE ALLOTMENTS.

    ``(a) Determination.--From the funds appropriated under section 
4204 for any fiscal year and remaining after the Secretary makes 
reservations under section 4203, the Secretary shall allot for the 
fiscal year, to each State with an approved application under section 
4212, an amount that bears the same relationship to the remainder as 
the amount the State received under subpart 2 of part A of title I for 
the preceding fiscal year bears to the amount all such States received 
under that subpart for the preceding fiscal year, except that no State 
shall receive less than an amount equal to one-half of 1 percent of the 
total amount made available to all such States under this subsection.
    ``(b) Reallotment of Unused Funds.--If a State does not receive an 
allotment under this subpart for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall 
reallot the amount of the State's allotment to the remaining States in 
accordance with this section.

``SEC. 4212. APPLICATION.

    ``(a) Application Requirements.--A State educational agency that 
desires to receive a grant under this subpart shall submit an 
application at such time, in such form, and including such information 
as the Secretary may require. At a minimum, the application shall 
include--
            ``(1) a description of how the State educational agency 
        will--
                    ``(A) use the grant funds, including funds reserved 
                for State-level activities;
                    ``(B) run a rigorous, high-quality competition for 
                subgrants under subpart 2, including the criteria the 
                State educational agency will use to select subgrant 
                recipients;
                    ``(C) coordinate the activities carried out under 
                the grant with activities supported by other programs 
                under this Act and the Individuals with Disabilities 
                Education Act, as appropriate;
                    ``(D) use the grant funds in a manner consistent 
                with the State plan submitted under section 1111(a) to 
                improve students' readiness for success in 
                postsecondary education and the workforce;
                    ``(E) assist local educational agencies in 
                coordinating the activities the local educational 
                agencies carry out with grant funds with activities 
                under other Federal and State programs in order to 
                support a coherent approach to meeting the objectives 
                of this part;
                    ``(F) assist local educational agencies in 
                identifying and partnering with nonprofit organizations 
                with demonstrated experience in improving student 
                achievement and engagement and demonstrated success in 
                making progress in the applicable areas described in 
                paragraphs (1) through (4) of section 4214;
                    ``(G)(i) prioritize awarding subgrants to eligible 
                local entities that will target the use of these funds 
                on high-need schools in the State in order to 
                significantly improve student academic achievement at 
                these schools; and
                    ``(ii) provide an equitable distribution of the 
                grant funds among high-need elementary schools, middle 
                schools, and high schools, based on the numbers of 
                high-need students enrolled at such schools;
                    ``(H) monitor and evaluate, on a regular basis, 
                activities carried out by eligible entities receiving 
                subgrants;
                    ``(I) use benchmarks and performance goals to hold 
                eligible local entities receiving subgrants accountable 
                and to determine whether to provide the entities with 
                an additional 2 years of expansion funds after the 
                initial 3-year grant period;
                    ``(J) develop, implement, or enhance a system of 
                training and technical assistance that the State 
                educational agency will provide to such eligible local 
                entities that are not meeting the State educational 
                agency's performance goals;
                    ``(K) offer a range of activities that capture 
                student interest and support student engagement to 
                promote higher class attendance, reduce grade 
                retention, decrease dropout rates, and include 
                activities that promote good health; and
                    ``(L) consider and implement, to the extent 
                practicable, consistent scheduling across schools to 
                support students who are also the primary caregivers of 
                a student enrolled in another school within the school 
                district in order to support increased attendance; and
            ``(2) an assurance that the State educational agency will--
                    ``(A) make subgrants of sufficient size and scope 
                to meet the purpose of this part;
                    ``(B) collect program-level outcome data from 
                eligible entities on the performance indicators 
                described in section 4214; and
                    ``(C) ensure that grant funds will supplement, and 
                not supplant, other Federal, State, and local education 
                funds available to carry out these activities.

``SEC. 4213. USE OF FUNDS.

    ``(a) In General.--Each State educational agency that receives an 
implementation grant under this subpart--
            ``(1) may reserve not more than 5 percent of its grant for 
        State-level activities as described in subsections (b) and (c); 
        and
            ``(2) shall use not less than 95 percent of its grant for 
        each fiscal year to make subgrants to eligible local entities 
        under subpart 2.
    ``(b) Required State-Level Activities.--A State educational agency 
that receives an implementation grant shall use funds reserved under 
subsection (a)(1) to--
            ``(1) monitor and evaluate the eligible local entities 
        receiving subgrants under subpart 2 to ensure that the entities 
        are meeting program requirements; and
            ``(2) collect and analyze information on program outcomes.
    ``(c) Authorized State-Level Activities.--In addition to carrying 
out the activities described in subsection (b), a State educational 
agency that receives a grant under this section may use funds reserved 
under subsection (a)(1) to--
            ``(1) provide training and technical assistance to eligible 
        local entities and the schools they are serving under the grant 
        in such areas as--
                    ``(A) identifying outside partners to work with 
                when implementing community learning centers;
                    ``(B) working with teachers, principals, other 
                relevant school staff, parents, and other stakeholders 
                to review and improve local policies and practices in 
                order to support the implementation of effective 
                programs;
                    ``(C) coordinating activities carried out under 
                this program with other Federal, State, and local 
                programs so as to implement high-quality programs; and
                    ``(D) aligning activities carried out under this 
                program with State academic content standards under 
                section 1111(b)(1); and
            ``(2) administer the grant, including holding high-quality 
        subgrant competitions and collecting and reporting data on 
        performance indicators to the Secretary.

``SEC. 4214. PERFORMANCE INDICATORS.

    ``Each State educational agency that receives a grant under this 
section shall collect information and, on an annual basis, report to 
the Secretary on the following performance indicators with respect to 
each program carried out under this section:
            ``(1) The average time added by the program to each of the 
        following:
                    ``(A) The school day.
                    ``(B) The school week.
                    ``(C) The school year.
            ``(2) The additional learning time provided to students 
        through program funding under this part by activity type.
            ``(3) For the students participating in the program, in the 
        aggregate and disaggregated by the categories described in 
        section 1111(b)(2)(C)(v)(II):
                    ``(A) Student participation and attendance rates in 
                programs funded under this part.
                    ``(B) Regular school day attendance.
                    ``(C) Student achievement in core academic 
                subjects.
                    ``(D) Secondary school graduation rates.
                    ``(E) Of the students who complete grade 8, the 
                number who enroll and take courses in grade 9 in the 
                following year.
            ``(4) Other performance indicators, as determined by the 
        Secretary.

           ``Subpart 2--Subgrants for Eligible Local Entities

``SEC. 4221. SUBGRANTS AUTHORIZED.

    ``(a) Program Authority.--A State receiving a grant under section 
4211 shall award, on a competitive basis--
            ``(1) one-year planning subgrants to eligible local 
        entities to enable the eligible local entities to develop and 
        implement expanded learning time programs as part of a 
        community learning center; and
            ``(2) multi-year implementation subgrants to eligible local 
        entities to establish and operate community learning centers.
    ``(b) Program Eligibility.--
            ``(1) Planning grants.--The State shall award planning 
        subgrants under subsection (a)(1) only for eligible local 
        entities planning to implement expanded learning time programs 
        and not for any other program offered by a community learning 
        center.
            ``(2) Implementation grants.--
                    ``(A) Duration.--An implementation subgrant under 
                subsection (a)(2) shall be for an initial period of not 
                more than 3 years.
                    ``(B) Extension.--A State receiving a grant under 
                section 4211 shall extend a subgrant under subsection 
                (a)(2) for not more than 2 additional years if a 
                grantee--
                            ``(i) is achieving the intended outcomes of 
                        the grant; and
                            ``(ii) shows improvement against some or 
                        all of the baseline measures on the performance 
                        indicators described in paragraphs (1) through 
                        (4) of section 4214, as applicable.

``SEC. 4222. APPLICATIONS; AWARD BASIS.

    ``(a) Application Requirements.--In order to receive a subgrant 
under section 4221 from a State educational agency, an eligible local 
entity shall submit an application at such time, in such form, and 
including such information as the State educational agency may require. 
At a minimum, the application for a subgrant shall include a 
description of--
            ``(1) how the eligible local entity will use funds received 
        under this subpart, including--
                    ``(A) how the eligible local entity will select 
                schools and nonprofit organizations to participate;
                    ``(B) the time period and quality of the program 
                that those schools and nonprofit organizations will 
                operate;
                    ``(C) how the activities will be aligned with the 
                regular instruction those students receive during the 
                regular school day and are targeted to their academic 
                needs; and
                    ``(D) how the program will be designed to make 
                progress in the areas described in paragraphs (1) 
                through (4) of section 4214;
            ``(2) evidence demonstrating that the proposed program is 
        likely to succeed in improving student performance, student 
        academic achievement, student academic growth, and student 
        engagement;
            ``(3) how the eligible local entity will coordinate 
        activities carried out using subgrant funds with other Federal, 
        State, and local programs in a manner consistent with the 
        State's plan submitted under section 1111(a) in order to 
        improve students' readiness for postsecondary education and 
        careers;
            ``(4) the role of nonprofit organizations that have been or 
        will be working with the eligible local entity, including such 
        organizations' experience improving student achievement and 
        demonstrated success in making progress in the areas described 
        in paragraphs (1) through (4) of section 4214;
            ``(5) how the eligible entity will promote regular 
        participation throughout the time period of the program by all 
        students, and particularly those with the greatest academic 
        need, served by the project;
            ``(6) how the eligible entity will serve students with the 
        greatest academic needs; and
            ``(7) how the applicant will continue to fund and implement 
        the proposed project after the Federal funding ends.
    ``(b) Priorities.--In awarding subgrants, the State shall give 
priority to eligible local entities that--
            ``(1) agree to provide, toward the costs of the program 
        carried out under the subgrant, a significant amount of local 
        matching funds, which may be provided in-cash or -kind, 
        including services or materials;
            ``(2) propose to develop and implement an expanded learning 
        time program;
            ``(3) will focus the use of subgrant funds on schools 
        served by the eligible local entity that are among the schools 
        identified under section 1116(b)(1)(A) in the State, in order 
        to significantly improve student academic achievement and 
        engagement at these schools; and
            ``(4) are partnerships that include--
                    ``(A) one or more local educational agencies that 
                are eligible under part A of title I; and
                    ``(B) one or more nonprofit organizations or local 
                governmental entities.

``SEC. 4223. USE OF FUNDS.

    ``(a) In General.--An eligible local entity that receives a 
subgrant under section 4221(b)(2) shall use the subgrant funds to carry 
out one or more of the following programs as part of its community 
learning center:
            ``(1) Expanded learning time programs.
            ``(2) Before or after school programs, summer enrichment 
        programs, or summer school programs, that--
                    ``(A) provide students with additional time for 
                instruction in core academic subjects, other subjects 
                and enrichment activities; and
                    ``(B) may provide additional time for teachers and 
                staff to collaborate, plan, and engage in professional 
                development within and across grades and subjects.
    ``(b) Additional Content.--A program described in subsection (a) 
may include activities designed to--
            ``(1) engage students in learning outside of the 
        traditional school setting by providing enrichment and 
        experiential learning activities, such as service learning or 
        work-based learning;
            ``(2) improve nutrition and education;
            ``(3) improve safety and mental and physical health 
        activities designed to--
                    ``(A) prevent and reduce substance use (including 
                the use of tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs, and the 
                unauthorized use of pharmaceuticals);
                    ``(B) prevent and reduce violence (including teen 
                dating violence), harassment, and bullying; and
                    ``(C) provide positive behavioral interventions and 
                supports;
            ``(4) provide comprehensive supports, including providing 
        support for pregnant and parenting students;
            ``(5) implement innovative family and community engagement 
        activities;
            ``(6) support the development of positive student-adult 
        relationships, including one-on-one and group mentoring 
        programs;
            ``(7) develop post secondary education and career awareness 
        and readiness programs, and
            ``(8) prevent students from dropping out of school.
    ``(c) Performance Indicators.--Each eligible local entity receiving 
a subgrant under this subpart shall annually report to the State 
educational agency awarding the subgrant on student performance on the 
performance indicators described in section 4214.''.
                                 <all>