[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 166 (Tuesday, December 20, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S14187-S14189]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. OBAMA (for himself and Ms. Mikulski):
  S. 2149. A bill to authorize resources to provide students with 
opportunities for summer learning through summer learning grants; to 
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. OBAMA. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill--the 
``STEP UP Act''--to establish grants for summer school enrichment 
programs to increase the academic skills of students in need.
  According to the 2005 Nation's Report Card of Educational Progress, 
the gap in reading scores between fourth grade children in poverty and 
their more affluent peers did not decrease between 1998 and 2005. Fewer 
than half of the fourth graders eligible for free or reduced priced 
lunch are able to read at even the basic level--a level attained by 
more than three-quarters of wealthier students. This data confirms that 
too many of our children are not attaining skills at levels that will 
lead to success, and too often, it is the children most in need who are 
left behind by the educational system.

[[Page S14188]]

  Teachers understand that students return to school in the fall at 
levels below their performance of the previous spring. Educators know 
this as summer learning loss. Research has shown that students, on 
average, lose more than one month of reading skills and two months of 
math skills over the summer. That is the average.
  But the impact of summer learning loss is greatest for children 
living in poverty, children with learning disabilities, and children 
who do not speak English at home. Achievement levels for such children 
often plummet during the summer, so that that the reading skills of 
disadvantaged students can fall more that three months behind the 
scores of their more affluent peers. The summer learning losses for 
children in poverty accumulate over the elementary school years, so 
these students end up falling further and further behind in school.
  Several programs have been successful in countering summer learning 
loss. The BELL programs and the Teach Baltimore Summer Academy provide 
evidence that students can achieve months of progress, rather than 
months of decline, when they participate in structured enrichment and 
education programs for several weeks during the summer. These programs 
are successful but reach too few of the students who need them.
  The bill I am introducing today establishes a grant program for 
states to support summer learning in selected local districts. These 
grants would be used to help students in the early elementary grades 
who are living in poverty, by supporting their participation in six 
weeks of summer school. These summer opportunities could be offered by 
a variety of providers, including the public schools, but also by other 
community organizations that have shown success in providing 
educational enrichment, such as youth development organizations, 
nonprofits, and summer enrichment camps. These summer programs would be 
aligned with the school year curriculum to increase the reading and 
math skills of students in need and to provide them with learning 
opportunities to avoid a path that might otherwise lead to failure in 
school--a path that too often ends, years later, with these students 
dropping out of the educational system.
  The achievement gap in education begins in the early grades and 
remains a burden for too many throughout their time in school. It is 
becoming increasingly clear that much of this early difference can be 
combated by structured summer learning opportunities. That is the 
purpose of this bill, and I hope my colleagues will support this 
important legislation.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2149

       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 ``Summer Term Education 
     Programs for Upward Performance Act of 2005'' or the ``STEP 
     UP Act of 2005''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) All students experience learning losses when they do 
     not engage in educational activities during the summer.
       (2) Students on average lose more than 1 month's worth of 
     reading skills, and 2 months or more in mathematics facts and 
     skills, during the summer.
       (3) The impact of summer learning loss is greatest for 
     children living in poverty, for children with learning 
     disabilities, and for children who do not speak English at 
     home.
       (4) While middle-class children's test scores plateau or 
     even rise during the summer months, scores plummet for 
     children living in poverty. Disparities grow, so that reading 
     scores of disadvantaged students can fall more than 3 months 
     behind the scores of their middle-class peers.
       (5) Summer learning losses by children living in poverty 
     accumulate over the elementary school years, so that their 
     achievement scores fall further and further behind the scores 
     of their more advantaged peers as the children progress 
     through school.
       (6) This summer slide is costly for American education. 
     Analysis by Professor Harris Cooper and his colleagues finds 
     that 2 months of the school year are lost: 1 month spent in 
     reteaching and 1 month spent not providing new instruction.
       (7) Analysis of summer learning programs has demonstrated 
     their effectiveness. In the BELL programs in Boston, New 
     York, and Washington, DC, students gained several months' 
     worth of reading and mathematics skills in 6 weeks, with a 
     majority of those students moving to a higher performance 
     category, as assessed by standardized mathematics and reading 
     tests. In the Center for Summer Learning's Teach Baltimore 
     Summer Academy, randomized studies show that students who 
     regularly attended the program for not less than 2 summers 
     gained advantages of 70 to 80 percent of 1 full grade level 
     in reading over control-group peers who did not attend summer 
     school.
       (8) Summer learning programs are proven to remedy, 
     reinforce, and accelerate learning, and can serve to close 
     the achievement gap in education.

     SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

       The purpose of this Act is to create opportunities for 
     summer learning by providing summer learning grants to 
     eligible students, in order to--
       (1) provide the students with access to summer learning;
       (2) facilitate the enrollment of students in elementary 
     schools or youth development organizations during the summer;
       (3) promote collaboration between teachers and youth 
     development professionals in order to bridge gaps between 
     schools and youth programs; and
       (4) encourage teachers to try new techniques, acquire new 
     skills, and mentor new colleagues.

     SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Educational service agency.--The term ``educational 
     service agency'' has the meaning given the term in section 
     9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
     (20 U.S.C. 7801).
       (2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means an 
     entity that--
       (A) desires to participate in a summer learning grant 
     program under this Act by providing summer learning 
     opportunities described in section 6(d)(1)(B) to eligible 
     students; and
       (B) is--
       (i) a local educational agency;
       (ii) a for-profit educational provider, nonprofit 
     organization, or summer enrichment camp, that has been 
     approved by the State educational agency to provide the 
     summer learning opportunity described in section 6(d)(1)(B), 
     including an entity that is in good standing that has been 
     previously approved by a State educational agency to provide 
     supplemental educational services; or
       (iii) a consortium consisting of a local educational agency 
     and 1 or more of the following entities:

       (I) Another local educational agency.
       (II) A community-based youth development organization with 
     a demonstrated record of effectiveness in helping students 
     learn.
       (III) An institution of higher education.
       (IV) An educational service agency.
       (V) A for-profit educational provider described in clause 
     (ii).
       (VI) A nonprofit organization described in clause (ii).
       (VII) A summer enrichment camp described in clause (ii)

       (3) Eligible student.--The term ``eligible student'' means 
     a student who--
       (A) is eligible for a free lunch under the Richard B. 
     Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.);
       (B) is served by a local educational agency identified by 
     the State educational agency in the application described in 
     section 5(b); or
       (C)(i) in the case of a summer learning grant program 
     authorized under this Act for fiscal year 2006, 2007, or 
     2008, is eligible to enroll in any of the grades kindergarten 
     through grade 3 for the school year following participation 
     in the program; or
       (ii) in the case of a summer learning grant program 
     authorized under this Act for fiscal year 2009 or 2010, is 
     eligible to enroll in any of the grades kindergarten through 
     grade 5 for the school year following participation in the 
     program.
       (4) Institution of higher education.--The term 
     ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
     term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
     (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
       (5) Local educational agency.--The term ``local educational 
     agency'' has the meaning given the term in section 9101 of 
     the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     7801).
       (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Education.
       (7) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several 
     States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the 
     Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United 
     States Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern 
     Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the 
     Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.
       (8) State educational agency.--The term ``State educational 
     agency'' has the meaning given the term in section 9101 of 
     the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     7801).

     SEC. 5. DEMONSTRATION GRANT PROGRAM.

       (a) Program Authorized.--
       (1) In general.--From the funds appropriated under section 
     8 for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall carry out a 
     demonstration grant program in which the Secretary awards 
     grants, on a competitive basis, to State educational agencies 
     to enable the

[[Page S14189]]

     State educational agencies to pay the Federal share of summer 
     learning grants for eligible students.
       (2) Number of grants.--For each fiscal year, the Secretary 
     shall award not more than 5 grants under this section.
       (b) Application.--A State educational agency that desires 
     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. Such application shall identify the areas in the 
     State where the summer learning grant program will be offered 
     and the local educational agencies that serve such areas.
       (c) Award Basis.--In awarding grants under this section, 
     the Secretary shall take into consideration an equitable 
     geographic distribution of the grants.

     SEC. 6. SUMMER LEARNING GRANTS.

       (a) Use of Grants for Summer Learning Grants.--
       (1) In general.--Each State educational agency that 
     receives a grant under section 5 for a fiscal year shall use 
     the grant funds to provide summer learning grants for the 
     fiscal year to eligible students in the State who desire to 
     attend a summer learning opportunity offered by an eligible 
     entity that enters into an agreement with the State 
     educational agency under subsection (d)(1).
       (2) Amount; federal and non-federal shares.--
       (A) Amount.--The amount of a summer learning grant provided 
     under this Act shall be--
       (i) for each of the fiscal years 2006 through 2009, $1,600; 
     and
       (ii) for fiscal year 2010, $1,800.
       (B) Federal share.--The Federal share of each summer 
     learning grant shall be not more than 50 percent of the 
     amount of the summer learning grant determined under 
     subparagraph (A).
       (C) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of each 
     summer learning grant shall be not less than 50 percent of 
     the amount of the summer learning grant determined under 
     subparagraph (A), and shall be provided from non-Federal 
     sources, such as State or local sources.
       (b) Designation of Summer Scholars.--Eligible students who 
     receive summer learning grants under this Act shall be known 
     as ``summer scholars''.
       (c) Selection of Summer Learning Opportunity.--
       (1) Dissemination of information.--A State educational 
     agency that receives a grant under section 5 shall 
     disseminate information about summer learning opportunities 
     and summer learning grants to the families of eligible 
     students in the State.
       (2) Application.--The parents of an eligible student who 
     are interested in having their child participate in a summer 
     learning opportunity and receive a summer learning grant 
     shall submit an application to the State educational agency 
     that includes a ranked list of preferred summer learning 
     opportunities.
       (3) Process.--A State educational agency that receives an 
     application under paragraph (2) shall--
       (A) process such application;
       (B) determine whether the eligible student shall receive a 
     summer learning grant;
       (C) coordinate the assignment of eligible students 
     receiving summer learning grants with summer learning 
     opportunities; and
       (D) if demand for a summer learning opportunity exceeds 
     capacity--
       (i) in a case where information on the school readiness 
     (based on school records and assessments of student 
     achievement) of the eligible students is available, give 
     priority for the summer learning opportunity to eligible 
     students with low levels of school readiness; or
       (ii) in a case where such information on school readiness 
     is not available, rely on randomization to assign the 
     eligible students.
       (4) Flexibility.--A State educational agency may assign a 
     summer scholar to a summer learning opportunity program that 
     is offered in an area served by a local educational agency 
     that is not the local educational agency serving the area 
     where such scholar resides.
       (5) Requirement of acceptance.--An eligible entity shall 
     accept, enroll, and provide the summer learning opportunity 
     of such entity to, any summer scholar assigned to such summer 
     learning opportunity by a State educational agency pursuant 
     to this subsection.
       (d) Agreement With Eligible Entity.--
       (1) In general.--A State educational agency shall enter 
     into an agreement with the eligible entity offering a summer 
     learning opportunity, under which--
       (A) the State educational agency shall agree to make 
     payments to the eligible entity, in accordance with paragraph 
     (2), for a summer scholar; and
       (B) the eligible entity shall agree to provide the summer 
     scholar with a summer learning opportunity that--
       (i) provides a total of not less than the equivalent of 30 
     full days of instruction (or not less than the equivalent of 
     25 full days of instruction, if the equivalent of an 
     additional 5 days is devoted to field trips or other 
     enrichment opportunities) to the summer scholar;
       (ii) employs small-group, research-based educational 
     programs, materials, curricula, and practices;
       (iii) provides a curriculum that--

       (I) emphasizes reading and mathematics;
       (II) is primarily designed to increase the literacy and 
     numeracy of the summer scholar; and
       (III) is aligned with the standards and goals of the school 
     year curriculum of the local educational agency serving the 
     summer scholar;

       (iv) applies assessments to measure the skills taught in 
     the summer learning opportunity and disaggregates the results 
     of the assessments for summer scholars by race and ethnicity, 
     economic status, limited English proficiency status, and 
     disability category, in order to determine the opportunity's 
     impact on each subgroup of summer scholars;
       (v) collects daily attendance data on each summer scholar; 
     and
       (vi) meets all applicable Federal, State, and local civil 
     rights laws.
       (2) Amount of payment.--
       (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), a 
     State educational agency shall make a payment to an eligible 
     entity for a summer scholar in the amount determined under 
     subsection (a)(2)(A).
       (B) Adjustment.--In the case in which a summer scholar does 
     not attend the full summer learning opportunity, the State 
     educational agency shall reduce the amount provided to the 
     eligible entity pursuant to subparagraph (A) by a percentage 
     that is equal to the percentage of the summer learning 
     opportunity not attended by such scholar.
       (e) Use of School Facilities.--State educational agencies 
     are encouraged to require local educational agencies in the 
     State to allow eligible entities, in offering summer learning 
     opportunities, to make use of school facilities in schools 
     served by such local educational agencies at reasonable or no 
     cost.
       (f) Access of Records.--An eligible entity offering a 
     summer learning opportunity under this Act is eligible to 
     receive, upon request, the school records and any previous 
     supplemental educational services assessment records of a 
     summer scholar served by such entity.
       (g) Administrative Costs.--A State educational agency or 
     eligible entity receiving funding under this Act may use not 
     more than 5 percent of such funding for administrative costs 
     associated with carrying out this Act.

     SEC. 7. EVALUATIONS; REPORT; WEBSITE.

       (a) Evaluation and Assessment.--For each year that an 
     eligible entity enters into an agreement under section 6(d), 
     the eligible entity shall prepare and submit to the Secretary 
     a report on the activities and outcomes of each summer 
     learning opportunity that enrolled a summer scholar, 
     including--
       (1) information on the design of the summer learning 
     opportunity;
       (2) the alignment of the summer learning opportunity with 
     State standards; and
       (3) data from assessments of student mathematics and 
     reading skills for the summer scholars and on the attendance 
     of the scholars, disaggregated by the subgroups described in 
     section 6(d)(1)(B)(iv).
       (b) Report.--For each year funds are appropriated under 
     section 8 for this Act, the Secretary shall prepare and 
     submit a report to Congress on the summer learning grant 
     programs, including the effectiveness of the summer learning 
     opportunities in improving student achievement.
       (c) Summer Learning Grants Website.--The Secretary shall 
     make accessible, on the Department of Education website, 
     information for parents and school personnel on successful 
     programs and curricula, and best practices, for summer 
     learning opportunities.

     SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
     Act $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2006 and such sums as may be 
     necessary for each of the fiscal years 2007 through 2010.

                                 ______