[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2882 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2882

                   To support Promise Neighborhoods.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 24, 2015

 Mr. Payne (for himself, Mr. Conyers, Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois, 
    Ms. Norton, Ms. Brown of Florida, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Rangel, Mr. 
Richmond, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Takano, 
Ms. Fudge, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Ms. Plaskett, Mr. Meeks, Ms. Lee, Mr. 
Scott of Virginia, Mr. Butterfield, Ms. Jackson Lee, and Ms. Clarke of 
  New York) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
                   To support Promise Neighborhoods.

    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 ``Promise Neighborhoods Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Between 2007 and 2009, the number of children in the 
        United States living in poverty increased by 2,200,000, to 
        15,500,000 children.
            (2) According to the National Center for Children in 
        Poverty, the number of poor children under age 6 increased by 
        24 percent between 2000 and 2007. The Center also found that, 
        in Iowa, 20 percent of children under age 6 live in poor 
        families.
            (3) According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation 
        and Development (OECD), in 2008, the United States had a child 
        poverty rate of 20.6 percent, making the United States the OECD 
        nation with the fourth worst level of child poverty. Of the 4 
        most developed countries in the world, the United States has 
        the highest rate of child poverty.
            (4) According to the National Center for Children in 
        Poverty, at age 4, children who live below the poverty line are 
        18 months below normal learning and achievement for their age 
        group, and by age 10 that gap is still present. For children 
        living in the poorest families, the gap is even larger.
            (5) Children from low-income families are more likely to 
        have low levels of school engagement, to be chronically absent 
        from school, to have emotional and behavioral problems, and to 
        live in stressful home environments.
            (6) By age 3, children in low-income homes will have heard 
        one-third as many words as children in middle-income and high-
        income homes.
            (7) Studies show that children who attend high-quality 
        early childhood education programs are less likely to repeat 
        grades, less likely to be assigned to special education, and 
        more likely to perform better on standardized tests, experience 
        reduced rates of teenage pregnancy, and graduate from high 
        school. Additionally, such children are less likely to engage 
        in criminal behavior and more likely to obtain employment at 
        higher wages. Economically disadvantaged children gain even 
        larger benefits from such high-quality programs.
            (8) Compared with children in kindergarten from low-income 
        families, children in kindergarten from high-income families 
        live in homes with 3 times the number of books and such 
        children are 4 times as likely to have a computer at home. 
        Children from high-income families also watch far less 
        television and are more likely to visit museums or libraries.
            (9) By the time children from low-income families enter 
        kindergarten, they are already 3 months behind the national 
        average in reading and mathematics skills, a gap that persists 
        through high school.
            (10) A child from a middle-income family typically enters 
        first grade with about 1,000 hours of one-on-one picture book 
        reading time with parents, other relatives, or teachers, but a 
        child from a low-income family averages less than 100 hours of 
        such reading time.
            (11) The percentage of households with children reporting 
        food insecurity (limited or uncertain access to nutritious, 
        safe foods) increased by 25 percent between 2007 and 2008. Poor 
        nutrition is linked to behavioral problems, lower educational 
        performance, and delayed socio-emotional development.
            (12) Twenty-nine percent of high-achieving 8th graders from 
        low-income families complete college. This is the same rate of 
        college completion as low-achieving 8th graders from high-
        income families.
            (13) About one-fourth of all students who start 9th grade 
        will not graduate 4 years later. For African-American and 
        Latino students, that figure increases to 40 percent. A 16- to 
        24-year-old coming from a high-income family is about 7 times 
        as likely to have completed high school as a 16- to 24-year-old 
        coming from a low-income family.
            (14) The average annual cost to incarcerate a youth in the 
        United States is approximately $88,000, while per pupil annual 
        spending for a student in kindergarten through grade 12 is 
        $10,000.

SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to significantly improve academic 
outcomes, including school readiness, high school graduation, and 
college entry and success of children living in our Nation's most 
distressed neighborhoods, by using data-driven decisionmaking and 
existing external resources to provide children in such neighborhoods 
with access to a community-based continuum of high-quality pipeline 
services that include access to early learning opportunities, high-
quality schools, and best available evidence that address the needs of 
such children from birth through college and career.

SEC. 4. 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) Child.--The term ``child'' means an individual from 
        birth through age 21.
            (3) College and career readiness.--The term ``college and 
        career readiness'' means the level of preparation a student 
        needs in order to--
                    (A) enroll and succeed, without remediation, in 
                credit-bearing courses at an institution of higher 
                education;
                    (B) demonstrate the full range of knowledge and 
                perform the full range of workplace skills necessary to 
                succeed and advance in 21st century careers, such as 
                higher-order thinking, collaboration and teamwork, and 
                oral and written communication skills; and
                    (C) complete a program leading to an industry-
                recognized credential that prepares graduates to obtain 
                employment with family-sustaining wages and 
                opportunities for advancement.
            (4) Community of practice.--The term ``community of 
        practice'' means a group of entities that interact regularly to 
        share best practices to address one or more persistent 
        problems, or improve practice with respect to such problems, in 
        one or more neighborhoods.
            (5) Expanded learning time.--The term ``expanded learning 
        time'' means using a longer school day, week, or year schedule 
        to significantly increase the total number of school hours to 
        include additional time for--
                    (A) instruction in core academic subjects;
                    (B) instruction in other subjects and enrichment 
                and other activities that contribute to a well-rounded 
                education, including music and the arts, physical 
                education, service-learning, and experiential and work-
                based learning opportunities (such as community 
                service, learning apprenticeships, internships, and job 
                shadowing); and
                    (C) instructional and support staff to collaborate, 
                plan, and engage in professional development, including 
                on family and community engagement, within and across 
                grades and subjects.
            (6) Family and community engagement.--The term ``family and 
        community engagement'' means the process of engaging family and 
        community members in education meaningfully and at all stages 
        of the planning, implementation, and school and neighborhood 
        improvement process, including, at a minimum--
                    (A) disseminating a clear definition of the 
                neighborhood to the members of the neighborhood;
                    (B) ensuring representative participation by the 
                members of such neighborhood in the planning and 
                implementation of the activities of each grant awarded 
                under this Act;
                    (C) regular engagement by the eligible entity and 
                the partners of the eligible entity with family members 
                and community partners;
                    (D) the provision of strategies and practices to 
                assist family and community members in actively 
                supporting student achievement and child and youth 
                development; and
                    (E) collaboration with institutions of higher 
                education and employers to align expectations and 
                programming with college and career readiness.
            (7) Family and student supports.--The term ``family and 
        student supports'' includes--
                    (A) health programs (including both mental health 
                and physical health services);
                    (B) school-, public-, and child-safety programs;
                    (C) programs that improve family stability;
                    (D) employment programs (including those that meet 
                local business needs, such as internships and 
                externships);
                    (E) social service programs;
                    (F) legal aid programs;
                    (G) financial education programs;
                    (H) adult education and family literacy programs;
                    (I) family and community engagement programs; and
                    (J) programs that increase access to learning 
                technology and enhance the digital literacy skills of 
                students.
            (8) Family member.--The term ``family member'' means a 
        parent (as defined in section 9101 the Elementary and Secondary 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)), relative, or other 
        adult who is responsible for the education, care, and well-
        being of a child.
            (9) Integrated student supports.--The term ``integrated 
        student supports'' means services, supports, and community 
        resources, which shall be offered through a site coordinator 
        for at-risk students, that have been shown by evidence-based 
        research--
                    (A) to increase academic achievement and 
                engagement;
                    (B) to support positive child and youth 
                development; and
                    (C) to increase student preparedness for success in 
                college and the workforce.
            (10) Neighborhood.--The term ``neighborhood'' means a 
        defined geographical area in which there are multiple signs of 
        distress, demonstrated by indicators of need, including 
        poverty, childhood obesity rates, academic failure, and rates 
        of juvenile delinquency, adjudication, or incarceration.
            (11) Pipeline.--The term ``pipeline'' means a continuum of 
        supports and services (including pipeline services, as defined 
        in this Act) for children from birth through college entry, 
        college success, and career attainment.
            (12) Pipeline services.--The term ``pipeline services'' 
        includes, at a minimum, strategies to address through services 
        or programs (including integrated student supports and 
        wraparound services) the following:
                    (A) Prenatal education and support for expectant 
                parents.
                    (B) High-quality early learning opportunities.
                    (C) High-quality schools and out-of-school-time 
                programs and strategies.
                    (D) Support for a child's transition to elementary 
                school, between elementary school and middle school, 
                from middle school to high school, and from high school 
                into and through college and into the workforce.
                    (E) Family and community engagement.
                    (F) Family and student supports.
                    (G) Activities that support college and career 
                readiness, such as--
                            (i) assistance with college admissions, 
                        financial aid, and scholarship applications, 
                        especially for low-income and low-achieving 
                        students; and
                            (ii) career preparation services and 
                        supports.
                    (H) Neighborhood-based support for college-age 
                students who have attended the schools in the pipeline, 
                or students who are members of the community, 
                facilitating their continued connection to the 
                community and success in college and the workforce.

            TITLE I--PROMISE NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERSHIP GRANTS

SEC. 101. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

    (a) In General.--From amounts appropriated under section 204, the 
Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible 
entities to implement a comprehensive, evidence-based pipeline that 
engages community partners to improve academic achievement, student 
development, and college and career readiness, measured by common 
outcomes, by carrying out the activities described in section 104 in 
neighborhoods with high concentrations of low-income individuals and 
persistently low-achieving schools or schools with an achievement gap.
    (b) Duration.--
            (1) In general.--Grants awarded under this title shall be 
        for a period of not more than 5 years.
            (2) Renewal.--The Secretary may renew grants under this 
        title for an additional period of not more than 5 years, if an 
        eligible entity demonstrates significant success in--
                    (A) ensuring school readiness, including success in 
                early learning;
                    (B) improving academic outcomes, including academic 
                achievement and graduation rates;
                    (C) increasing college and career readiness, 
                including rates of enrollment in institutions of higher 
                education; and
                    (D) improving the health, mental health, and social 
                and emotional well-being of children.
    (c) Continued Funding.--Continued funding after the third year of 
the grant period shall be contingent on the eligible entity's progress 
toward meeting the performance metrics described in section 106(a).
    (d) Matching Requirement.--
            (1) In general.--Each eligible entity receiving a grant 
        under this title shall contribute matching funds in an amount 
        equal to not less than 100 percent of the amount of the grant.
            (2) Private funds.--A portion of such funds shall come from 
        private, nongovernmental sources as follows:
                    (A) An eligible entity that includes a local 
                educational agency eligible to receive funding under 
                subpart 1 or 2 of part B of title VI of the Elementary 
                and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7341 et 
                seq.)--
                            (i) shall contribute not less than 10 
                        percent of the amount of the grant from 
                        private, nongovernmental sources; and
                            (ii) shall increase this portion gradually 
                        over the life of the grant until it equals or 
                        exceeds 15 percent of the amount of the grant.
                    (B) An eligible entity that includes an Indian 
                tribe or tribal organization, as defined under section 
                4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education 
                Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b)--
                            (i) shall contribute not less than 10 
                        percent of the amount of the grant from 
                        private, nongovernmental sources; and
                            (ii) shall increase this portion gradually 
                        over the life of the grant until it equals or 
                        exceeds 15 percent of the amount of the grant.
                    (C) An eligible entity not described in 
                subparagraph (A) or (B)--
                            (i) shall contribute not less than 10 
                        percent of the amount of the grant from 
                        private, nongovernmental sources; and
                            (ii) shall increase this portion gradually 
                        over the life of the grant until it equals or 
                        exceeds 25 percent of the amount of the grant.
    (e) Financial Hardship Waiver.--The Secretary may waive or reduce 
the matching requirement described in subsection (d) if the eligible 
entity demonstrates a need due to significant financial hardship.

SEC. 102. ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.

    In this title, the term ``eligible entity'' means a nonprofit 
entity acting as the lead applicant for a grant under this title in 
partnership with a local educational agency. Such partnership may also 
include any of the following entities:
            (1) An institution of higher education, as defined in 
        section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1002).
            (2) The office of a chief elected official of a unit of 
        local government.
            (3) An Indian tribe or tribal organization, as defined 
        under section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education 
        Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b).

SEC. 103. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) In General.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
title, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary 
at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the 
Secretary may require.
    (b) Contents of Application.--At a minimum, an application 
described in subsection (a) shall include the following:
            (1) A description of a plan to significantly improve the 
        academic outcomes of children living in an identified 
        neighborhood by providing a pipeline that addresses the 
        neighborhood's needs, as identified by the needs analysis 
        described in paragraph (4) and supported by evidence-based 
        practices.
            (2) A description of the neighborhood that the eligible 
        entity will serve.
            (3) Measurable annual goals for the outcomes of the grant, 
        including--
                    (A) performance goals, in accordance with the 
                metrics described in section 106(a), for each year of 
                the grant; and
                    (B) projected participation rates and any plans to 
                expand the number of children served or the 
                neighborhood proposed to be served by the grant 
                program.
            (4) An analysis of the needs and assets of the neighborhood 
        identified in paragraph (2), including--
                    (A) a description of the process through which the 
                needs analysis was produced, including a description of 
                how family and community members were engaged in such 
                analysis;
                    (B) an analysis of community assets within, or 
                accessible to, the neighborhood, including, at a 
                minimum--
                            (i) early learning programs, including 
                        high-quality child care, Early Head Start 
                        programs, Head Start programs, and 
                        prekindergarten programs;
                            (ii) the availability of healthy food 
                        options and opportunities for physical 
                        activity;
                            (iii) existing family and student supports;
                            (iv) locally owned businesses and 
                        employers; and
                            (v) institutions of higher education;
                    (C) evidence of successful direct services and 
                collaboration within the neighborhood;
                    (D) the steps that the eligible entity is taking, 
                at the time of the application, to meet the needs 
                identified in the needs analysis; and
                    (E) any barriers the eligible entity, public 
                agencies, and other community-based organizations have 
                faced in meeting such needs.
            (5) A description of the data and evidence base used to 
        identify the pipeline services to be provided, including data 
        regarding--
                    (A) school readiness;
                    (B) academic achievement and college and career 
                readiness;
                    (C) secondary school graduation rates;
                    (D) health indicators, such as rates of childhood 
                obesity or other health and developmental risk factors;
                    (E) college enrollment, persistence, and completion 
                rates; and
                    (F) conditions for learning, including school 
                climate surveys, discipline rates, and student 
                attendance and incident data.
            (6) A description of the process used to develop the 
        application, including the involvement of family and community 
        members.
            (7) An estimate of--
                    (A) the number of children, by age, who will be 
                served by each pipeline service over time; and
                    (B) for each age group, the percentage of children 
                (of such age group), within the neighborhood, who the 
                eligible entity proposes to serve, disaggregated by 
                each service, and the goals for increasing such 
                percentage over time.
            (8) A description of how the pipeline services will include 
        the following activities:
                    (A) Providing high-quality early learning 
                opportunities for children, beginning prenatally and 
                extending through grade 3, by--
                            (i) establishing or supporting high-quality 
                        early learning opportunities that provide 
                        children with full-day, full-year access to 
                        programs that support the cognitive and 
                        developmental skills, including social and 
                        emotional skills, needed for success in 
                        elementary school;
                            (ii) providing for opportunities, through 
                        parenting classes, baby academies, home visits, 
                        or other evidence-based strategies, for 
                        families and expectant parents to--
                                    (I) acquire the skills to promote 
                                early learning, development, and health 
                                and safety, including learning about 
                                child development and positive 
                                discipline strategies (such as through 
                                the use of technology and public media 
                                programming);
                                    (II) learn about the role of 
                                families and expectant parents in their 
                                child's education; and
                                    (III) become informed about 
                                educational opportunities for their 
                                children, including differences in 
                                quality among early learning 
                                opportunities;
                            (iii) ensuring successful transitions 
                        between early learning programs and elementary 
                        school, including through the establishment of 
                        memoranda of understanding between early 
                        learning providers and local educational 
                        agencies serving young children and families;
                            (iv) ensuring appropriate screening, 
                        diagnostic assessments, and referrals for 
                        children with disabilities, developmental 
                        delays, or other special needs;
                            (v) improving the early learning workforce 
                        in the community, including through--
                                    (I) investments in the recruitment, 
                                retention, distribution, and support of 
                                high-quality professionals, especially 
                                those with certification and experience 
                                in child development;
                                    (II) the provision of high-quality 
                                teacher preparation and professional 
                                development;
                                    (III) the use of joint professional 
                                development for early learning 
                                providers and elementary school 
                                teachers and administrators; or
                                    (IV) efforts to increase the pay 
                                and benefits of early learning 
                                professionals; and
                            (vi) enhancing data systems and data 
                        sharing among the eligible entity, partners, 
                        early learning providers, schools, and local 
                        educational agencies operating in the 
                        neighborhood.
                    (B) Supporting, enhancing, operating, or expanding 
                ambitious, rigorous, and comprehensive education 
                reforms designed to significantly improve educational 
                outcomes for children and youth in early learning 
                programs through grade 12, which may include--
                            (i) operating schools or working in close 
                        collaboration with local schools to provide 
                        high-quality academic programs, curricula, and 
                        integrated student supports;
                            (ii) the provision of expanded learning 
                        time; and
                            (iii) the provision of programs and 
                        activities that ensure that students--
                                    (I) are prepared for the college 
                                admissions, scholarship, and financial 
                                aid application processes; and
                                    (II) graduate college and career 
                                ready.
                    (C) Supporting access to a healthy lifestyle, which 
                may include--
                            (i) the provision of high-quality and 
                        nutritious meals;
                            (ii) access to programs that promote 
                        physical activity, physical education, and 
                        fitness; and
                            (iii) education to promote a healthy 
                        lifestyle and positive body image.
                    (D) Providing social, health, and mental health 
                services and supports, including referrals for 
                essential care and preventative screenings, for 
                children, family, and community members, which may 
                include--
                            (i) dental services;
                            (ii) vision care; and
                            (iii) oral and auditory screenings and 
                        referrals.
                    (E) Supporting students and family members as they 
                transition from early learning programs into elementary 
                school, from elementary school to middle school, from 
                middle school to high school, from high school into and 
                through college and into the workforce, including 
                through specialized resources to address challenges 
                that students may face as they transition, such as the 
                following:
                            (i) Early college high schools.
                            (ii) Dual enrollment programs.
                            (iii) Career academies.
                            (iv) Counseling and support services.
                            (v) Dropout prevention and recovery 
                        strategies.
                            (vi) Collaboration with the juvenile 
                        justice system and reentry counseling for 
                        adjudicated youth.
                            (vii) Advanced Placement (AP) or 
                        International Baccalaureate (IB) programs.
                            (viii) Teen parent classrooms.
                            (ix) Graduation and career coaches.
            (9) A description of the strategies that will be used to 
        provide pipeline services (including a description of the 
        process used to identify such strategies and the outcomes 
        expected, and a description of which programs and services will 
        be provided to children, family members, community members, and 
        children not attending schools or programs operated by the 
        eligible entity or its partner providers) to support the 
        purpose of this Act.
            (10) An explanation of the process the eligible entity will 
        use to establish and maintain family and community engagement.
            (11) An explanation of how the eligible entity will 
        continuously evaluate and improve the pipeline, including--
                    (A) a description of the metrics, consistent with 
                section 106(a), that will be used to inform each 
                component of the pipeline; and
                    (B) the processes for using data to improve 
                instruction, optimize integrated student supports, 
                provide for continuous program improvement, and hold 
                staff and partner organizations accountable.
            (12) An identification of the fiscal agent, which may be 
        any entity described in section 102.
            (13) A list of Federal and non-Federal sources of funding 
        that the eligible entity will secure to comply with the 
        matching-funds requirement described in section 101(d), 
        including other programs funded by the Department of Education, 
        or programs in the Department of Health and Human Services, the 
        Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of 
        Justice, or the Department of Labor.
    (c) Memorandum of Understanding.--An eligible entity, as part of 
the application described in this section, shall submit a preliminary 
memorandum of understanding, signed by each partner entity or agency. 
The preliminary memorandum of understanding shall describe, at a 
minimum--
            (1) each partner's financial and programmatic commitment 
        with respect to the strategies described in the application, 
        including an identification of the fiscal agent;
            (2) each partner's long-term commitment to providing 
        pipeline services that, at a minimum, accounts for the cost of 
        supporting the pipeline (including after grant funds are no 
        longer available) and potential changes in local government;
            (3) each partner's mission and plan that will govern the 
        work that partners do together;
            (4) each partner's long-term commitment to supporting the 
        pipeline through data collection, monitoring, reporting, and 
        sharing; and
            (5) each partner's commitment to ensure sound fiscal 
        management and controls, including evidence of a system of 
        supports and personnel.

SEC. 104. USE OF FUNDS.

    (a) In General.--Each eligible entity that receives a grant under 
this title shall use the grant funds to--
            (1) implement the pipeline services, as described in the 
        application under section 103; and
            (2) continuously evaluate the success of the program and 
        improve the program based on data and outcomes.
    (b) Special Rules.--Each eligible entity that receives a grant 
under this title--
            (1) shall, in the 3rd year of the grant and each subsequent 
        year, including each year of a renewal grant, use not less than 
        80 percent of grant funds to carry out the activities described 
        in subsection (a)(1);
            (2) if it includes an institution of higher education, 
        shall ensure that the institution limits the overhead rate 
        charged by the institution (to cover costs for items such as 
        administration, insurance, and taxes) to not more than 20 
        percent.

SEC. 105. REPORT AND PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATA.

    (a) Report.--Each eligible entity that receives a grant under this 
title shall prepare and submit an annual report to the Secretary, which 
shall include--
            (1) information about the number and percentage of 
        children, family members, and community members in the 
        neighborhood who are served by the grant program, including a 
        description of the number and percentage of children accessing 
        each of the pipeline services;
            (2) data (disaggregated by the categories described in 
        section 205(a)(1)) about the grant program's success in--
                    (A) narrowing achievement gaps and improving 
                student achievement;
                    (B) ensuring school readiness and healthy socio-
                emotional development;
                    (C) increasing student persistence;
                    (D) increasing student attendance, and decreasing 
                incidences of violence, suspension, and expulsion;
                    (E) improving conditions for learning, as measured 
                by a school climate survey;
                    (F) increasing the number and percentage of family 
                members who participate in adult education and family 
                literacy programs and other community activities; and
                    (G) increasing secondary school graduation rates 
                and college entry and completion rates;
            (3) information relating to the performance metrics 
        described in section 106(a); and
            (4) other indicators that may be required by the Secretary, 
        in consultation with the Director of the Institute of Education 
        Sciences.
    (b) Publicly Available Data.--Each eligible entity that receives a 
grant under this title shall make publicly available, including through 
electronic means, the information described in subsection (a). To the 
extent practicable, such information shall be provided in a form and 
language accessible to parents and families in the neighborhood, and 
such information shall be a part of statewide longitudinal data 
systems.

SEC. 106. ACCOUNTABILITY.

    (a) Performance Metrics.--The Secretary shall establish performance 
metrics relevant to the evaluation of the grant program under this 
title.
    (b) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall evaluate the implementation 
and impact of the activities funded under this title, in accordance 
with section 202.

                      TITLE II--GENERAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 201. PLANNING GRANTS.

    (a) Purpose.--The purposes of the planning grant program 
established under this section are to--
            (1) enable communities to assess their needs and assets 
        regarding the unmet needs of children and youth;
            (2) develop appropriate plans to address such unmet needs 
        through the provision of pipeline services; and
            (3) support communities as such communities prepare to 
        apply for a grant under title I.
    (b) Planning Grants Authorized.--From the amounts appropriated 
under section 204, the Secretary may reserve not more than 10 percent 
for planning grants to entities eligible for grants under title I.
    (c) Duration.--Grants awarded under this section shall be for a 
period of not more than 1 year, and such grants shall not be renewed.
    (d) Application.--
            (1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        this section, an eligible entity shall submit an application to 
        the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
        information as the Secretary may require.
            (2) Contents.--At a minimum, the application described in 
        paragraph (1) shall describe--
                    (A) how the eligible entity will conduct a needs 
                and assets analysis;
                    (B) how the eligible entity will use planning grant 
                funds in accordance with the purpose of this Act, 
                including to establish a process to prioritize and 
                allocate resources and services to address the unmet 
                needs of children and youth in the community; and
                    (C) how the eligible entity will use planning grant 
                funds to become more competitive in applying for a 
                grant under title I.
    (e) Limitation.--No entity may receive a grant under this section 
while concurrently receiving grant funding under title I of this Act.
    (f) Matching Funds.--The Secretary shall require that each eligible 
entity receiving a grant under this section contribute matching funds 
in an amount equal to not less than 50 percent of the amount of the 
grant. Such matching funds may come from Federal or non-Federal 
sources.

SEC. 202. EVALUATION.

    From the amounts appropriated under section 204, the Secretary may 
reserve not more than 3 percent for a national evaluation of the 
activities carried out under title I. In conducting such evaluations, 
the Secretary shall--
            (1) direct the Director of the Institute of Education 
        Sciences, in consultation with the relevant program office at 
        the Department, to evaluate the implementation and impact of 
        the activities funded under title I, including the costs and 
        benefits of such activities, relative expenditures on different 
        activities in the pipeline, and the impacts of such activities 
        on incarceration and recidivism rates of children in 
        neighborhoods served by grants under such title;
            (2) direct the Director of the Institute of Education 
        Sciences to identify best practices to improve the 
        effectiveness of activities funded under title I; and
            (3) disseminate research on best practices to significantly 
        improve the academic outcomes of children living in our 
        Nation's most distressed communities.

SEC. 203. NATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

    From the amounts appropriated under section 204 for a fiscal year, 
the Secretary may reserve not more than 5 percent for national 
activities, which may include--
            (1) research on the activities carried out under title I;
            (2) identifying and disseminating best practices;
            (3) support for the community of practice related to the 
        purposes of this grant, which may include technical assistance 
        and conferences;
            (4) professional development; and
            (5) other activities consistent with the purpose of this 
        Act.

SEC. 204. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act such 
sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016 and each of the 4 
succeeding fiscal years.
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