[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 106 (Thursday, July 9, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S4964]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2179. Mr. CRAPO submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 2089 submitted by Mr. Alexander (for himself and Mrs. 
Murray) to the bill S. 1177, to reauthorize the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 to ensure that every child achieves; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of the bill, add the following:

                 PART C--LOCAL LEADERSHIP IN EDUCATION

     SEC. 10301. SHORT TITLE.

       This part may be cited as the ``Local Leadership in 
     Education Act''.

     SEC. 10302. PROHIBITIONS IN THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY 
                   EDUCATION ACT.

       (a) General Prohibitions.--Section 9527 of the Elementary 
     and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7907), as 
     amended by section 9110, is further amended--
       (1) by striking subsections (a) and (b) and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(a) General Prohibitions.--
       ``(1) In general.--An officer or employee of the Federal 
     Government shall not directly or indirectly, through grants, 
     contracts, or other cooperative agreements under this Act 
     (including waivers under section 9401)--
       ``(A) mandate, direct, or control a State, local 
     educational agency, or school's academic standards, 
     curriculum, program of instruction, or allocation of State or 
     local resources;
       ``(B) mandate a State or any subdivision thereof to spend 
     any funds or incur any costs not paid for under this Act;
       ``(C) incentivize a State, local educational agency, or 
     school to adopt any specific academic standards or a specific 
     curriculum or program of instruction, which shall include 
     providing any priority, preference, or special consideration 
     during an application process based on any specific academic 
     standards, curriculum, or program of instruction;
       ``(D) make financial support available in a manner that is 
     conditioned upon a State, local educational agency, or 
     school's adoption of specific instructional content, academic 
     standards, or curriculum, or on the administration of 
     assessments or tests, even if such requirements are specified 
     in this Act; or
       ``(E) mandate or require States to administer assessments 
     or tests to students.
       ``(2) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be 
     construed to authorize an officer or employee of the Federal 
     Government directly or indirectly, whether through grants, 
     contracts, or other cooperative agreements under this Act 
     (including waivers under section 9401), to do any activity 
     prohibited under subsection (a).'';
       (2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (a); and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(b) Prohibition on Assessments in Title I.--Part A of 
     title I shall be carried out without regard to any 
     requirement that a State carry out academic assessments or 
     that local educational agencies, elementary schools, and 
     secondary schools make adequate yearly progress.''.
       (b) Prohibition on Waiver Conditions, Requirements, or 
     Preferences.--Section 9401 (20 U.S.C. 7861), as amended by 
     section 9105, is further amended by striking subsection (h) 
     and inserting the following:
       ``(h) Prohibition on Waiver Conditions.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall not establish as a 
     condition for granting a waiver under this section--
       ``(A) the approval of academic standards by the Federal 
     government; or
       ``(B) the administration of assessments or tests to 
     students.
       ``(2) Effect on previously issued waivers.--
       ``(A) In general.--Any requirement described in paragraph 
     (1) that was required for a waiver provided to a State, local 
     educational agency, Indian tribe, or school under this 
     section before the date of enactment of the Local Leadership 
     in Education Act shall be void and have no force of law.
       ``(B) Prohibited actions.--The Secretary shall not--
       ``(i) enforce any requirement that is void pursuant to 
     subparagraph (A); and
       ``(ii) require the State, local educational agency, Indian 
     tribe, or school to reapply for a waiver, or to agree to any 
     other condition to replace any requirement that is void 
     pursuant to subparagraph (A), until the end of the period of 
     time specified under the waiver.
       ``(C) No effect on other provisions.--Any other provisions 
     or requirements of a waiver provided under this section 
     before the date of enactment of the Local Leadership in 
     Education Act that are not affected by subparagraph (A) shall 
     remain in effect for the period of time specified under the 
     waiver.''.

     SEC. 10303. PROHIBITION IN THE GENERAL EDUCATION PROVISIONS 
                   ACT.

       Section 438 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 
     U.S.C. 1232a) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``No provision of any applicable program 
     shall be construed to authorize any department, agency, 
     officer, or employee of the United States to'' and inserting 
     ``A department, agency, officer, or employee of the United 
     States shall not'';
       (2) by inserting ``(including the development of 
     curriculum)'' after ``over the curriculum''; and
       (3) by striking ``to'' after ``institution or school 
     system, or''.

     SEC. 10304. PROHIBITION IN RACE TO THE TOP FUNDING.

       Title XIV of Division A of the American Recovery and 
     Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5) is amended by 
     inserting after section 14007 the following:

     ``SEC. 14007A. PROHIBITION ON ASSESSMENTS.

       ``Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no funds 
     provided under section 14006 of the American Recovery and 
     Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5, 123 Stat. 283) 
     shall be used to develop, pilot test, field test, implement, 
     administer, or distribute any assessment or testing 
     materials.''.
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