[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1874 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1874

 To amend the provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
   of 1965 regarding school library media specialists, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 16, 2015

 Mr. Grijalva introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
   of 1965 regarding school library media specialists, and for other 
                               purposes.

    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 ``Strengthening Kids' Interest in 
Learning and Libraries Act'' or the ``SKILLs Act''.

         TITLE I--SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST REQUIREMENTS

SEC. 101. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 1002(b)(4) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6302) is amended by striking ``2002'' and inserting 
``2016''.

SEC. 102. STATE PLANS.

    (a) Academic Standards, Academic Assessments, and Accountability.--
Section 1111(b)(8) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(8)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (2) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (F); 
        and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following:
                    ``(E) how the State educational agency will meet 
                the goal of ensuring that there is not less than 1 
                highly qualified school library media specialist in 
                each school receiving funds under this part, as 
                described in section 1119(h)(2); and''.
    (b) Other Provisions To Support Teaching and Learning.--Section 
1111(c) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 6311(c)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (13), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (2) in paragraph (14), by striking the period and inserting 
        ``; and''; and
            (3) by inserting after paragraph (14) the following:
            ``(15) the State educational agency will establish a goal 
        of having not less than 1 State-certified school library media 
        specialist in each public school that receives funds under this 
        part.''.

SEC. 103. LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY PLANS.

    (a) Plan Provisions.--Section 1112(b)(1)(N) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6312(b)(1)(N)) is amended by 
inserting ``, including ensuring that there is not less than 1 highly 
qualified school library media specialist in each school'' before the 
semicolon.
    (b) Assurances.--Section 1112(c)(1) of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6312(c)(1)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (N), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (2) in subparagraph (O), by striking the period and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (O) the following:
                    ``(P) ensure, to the extent feasible, that each 
                school served by the local educational agency and 
                receiving funds under this part employs not less than 1 
                State-certified school library media specialist.''.

SEC. 104. SCHOOLWIDE PROGRAMS.

    Section 1114(b)(1)(D) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6314(b)(1)(D)) is amended by inserting ``school 
library media specialists,'' after ``teachers,''.

SEC. 105. TARGETED ASSISTANCE SCHOOLS.

    Section 1115(c)(1)(F) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6315(c)(1)(F)) is amended by inserting ``school 
library media specialists,'' after ``teachers,''.

SEC. 106. QUALIFICATIONS FOR TEACHERS, PARAPROFESSIONALS, AND SCHOOL 
              LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALISTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 1119 of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6319) is amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by striking ``teachers and 
        paraprofessionals'' and inserting ``teachers, 
        paraprofessionals, and school library media specialists'';
            (2) by redesignating subsections (h) through (l) as 
        subsections (i) through (m), respectively;
            (3) by inserting after subsection (g) the following:
    ``(h) School Library Media Specialists.--
            ``(1) Local educational agency requirement.--Each local 
        educational agency receiving assistance under this part shall 
        ensure, to the extent feasible, that each school that is served 
        by the local educational agency and receives funds under this 
        part employs not less than 1 highly qualified school library 
        media specialist.
            ``(2) State goal.--Each State educational agency receiving 
        assistance under this part shall--
                    ``(A) establish a goal of having not less than 1 
                highly qualified school library media specialist in 
                each public school that is served by the State 
                educational agency and receives funds under this part; 
                and
                    ``(B) specify a date by which the State will reach 
                this goal, which date shall be not later than the 
                beginning of the 2016-2017 school year.''; and
            (4) in subsection (i) (as redesignated by subsection 
        (a)(2)), by striking ``and paraprofessionals'' and inserting 
        ``, paraprofessionals, and school library and media 
        specialists''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 1119(l) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (as redesignated by subsection (a)(2)) 
(20 U.S.C. 6319(l)) is amended by striking ``subsection (1)'' and 
inserting ``subsection (m)''.

SEC. 107. IMPROVING LITERACY THROUGH SCHOOL LIBRARIES.

    Section 1251 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 6383) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``well-trained, 
        professionally certified'' and inserting ``highly qualified'';
            (2) in subsection (e)(3)--
                    (A) by striking ``Distribution.--The'' and 
                inserting the following: ``Distribution.--
                    ``(A) Geographic distribution.--The''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(B) Balance among types of schools.--In awarding 
                grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall take 
                into consideration whether funding is proportionally 
                distributed among projects serving students in 
                elementary, middle, and high schools.'';
            (3) in subsection (f)(2)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A)--
                            (i) by inserting ``the need for student 
                        literacy improvement at all grade levels,'' 
                        before ``the need for''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``well-trained, 
                        professionally certified'' and inserting 
                        ``highly qualified'';
            (4) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the 
        following:
                    ``(B) a needs assessment of which grade spans are 
                served, ensuring funding is proportionally distributed 
                to serve students in elementary, middle, and high 
                schools;''; and
            (5) in subsection (g)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking the semicolon at 
                the end and inserting ``and reading materials, such as 
                books and materials that--
                    ``(A) are appropriate for students in all grade 
                levels to be served and for students with special 
                learning needs, including students who are limited 
                English proficient; and
                    ``(B) engage the interest of readers at all reading 
                levels;''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (4), by striking ``professional 
                development described in section 1222(d)(2)'' and 
                inserting ``professional development in information 
                literacy instruction that is appropriate for all 
                grades, including the assessment of student literacy 
                needs, the coordination of reading and writing 
                instruction across content areas, and training in 
                literacy strategies in all content areas''.

 TITLE II--PREPARING, TEACHING, AND RECRUITING HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS, 
            SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALISTS, AND PRINCIPALS

SEC. 201. TEACHER, SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST, AND PRINCIPAL 
              TRAINING AND RECRUITING FUND.

    Title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 6601 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) in the title heading, by striking ``HIGH QUALITY 
        TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS'' and inserting ``HIGH QUALITY 
        TEACHERS, SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALISTS, AND PRINCIPALS''; 
        and
            (2) in the part heading, by striking ``teacher and 
        principal'' and inserting ``teacher, school library media 
        specialist, and principal''.

SEC. 202. PURPOSE.

    Section 2101(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6601(1)) is amended to read as follows:
            ``(1) increase student academic achievement through 
        strategies such as--
                    ``(A) improving teacher, school library media 
                specialist, and principal quality; and
                    ``(B) increasing the number of highly qualified 
                teachers in the classroom, highly qualified school 
                library media specialists in the library, and highly 
                qualified principals and assistant principals in 
                schools; and''.

SEC. 203. STATE APPLICATIONS.

    Section 2112(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6612(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (4), by inserting ``, school library media 
        specialists,'' before ``and principals''; and
            (2) in paragraph (10), by inserting ``, school library 
        media specialist,'' before ``and paraprofessional''.

SEC. 204. STATE USE OF FUNDS.

    Section 2113(c) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6613(c)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (4)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
                inserting ``highly qualified school library media 
                specialists,'' before ``principals''; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``, highly 
                qualified school library media specialists,'' before 
                ``and principals''; and
            (2) in paragraph (6), by striking ``teachers and 
        principals'' each place the term appears and inserting 
        ``teachers, school library media specialists, and principals''.

SEC. 205. LOCAL USES OF FUNDS.

    Section 2123(a) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6623(a)) is amended by inserting after paragraph (8) 
the following:
            ``(9)(A) Developing and implementing strategies to assist 
        in recruiting and retaining highly qualified school library 
        media specialists.
            ``(B) Providing appropriate professional development for 
        such specialists, particularly related to skills necessary to 
        assist students to improve the students' academic achievement, 
        including skills related to information literacy.''.

                     TITLE III--GENERAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 301. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 9101(23) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801(23)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (B)(ii)(II), by striking ``and'' after 
        the semicolon;
            (2) in subparagraph (C)(ii)(VII), by striking the period at 
        the end and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(D) when used with respect to a school library 
                media specialist employed in an elementary school or 
                secondary school in a State, means that the school 
                library media specialist--
                            ``(i) holds at least a bachelor's degree;
                            ``(ii) has obtained full State 
                        certification as a school library media 
                        specialist or passed the State teacher 
                        licensing examination, with State certification 
                        in library media, in such State, except that 
                        when used with respect to any school library 
                        media specialist teaching in a public charter 
                        school, the term means that the school library 
                        media specialist meets the requirements set 
                        forth in the State's public charter school law; 
                        and
                            ``(iii) has not had certification or 
                        licensure requirements waived on an emergency, 
                        temporary, or provisional basis.''.

SEC. 302. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    (a) Table of Contents.--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 section 1119 and 
        inserting the following:

``Sec. 1119. Qualifications for teachers, paraprofessionals, and school 
                            library media specialists.'';
            (2) by striking the item relating to title II and inserting 
        the following:

``TITLE II--PREPARING, TRAINING, AND RECRUITING HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS, 
          SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALISTS, AND PRINCIPALS'';

        and
            (3) by striking the item relating to part A of title II and 
        inserting the following:

   ``Part A--Teacher, School Library Media Specialist, and Principal 
                    Training and Recruiting Fund''.

                                 <all>