Subpart 1 - Program Development and Enhancement

SEC. 3211 | SEC. 3212 | SEC. 3213 | SEC. 3214 | SEC. 3215 | SEC. 3216 | SEC. 3217 | SEC. 3218

SEC. 3211. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS.

The purpose of this subpart is to assist local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, and community-based organizations, through the grants authorized under sections 3212 and 3213 —

(1) to develop and enhance their capacity to provide high-quality instruction through language instruction educational programs or special alternative instruction programs to limited English proficient children; and

(2) to help such children —

(A) develop English proficiency and, to the extent possible, proficiency in their native language; and

(B) meet the same challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards as all children are expected to meet under section 1111(b)(1).

SEC. 3212. PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT ACTIVITIES.

(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED-

(1) AUTHORITY-

(A) IN GENERAL- The Secretary is authorized to award grants to eligible entities having applications approved under section 3214 to enable such entities to provide innovative, locally designed, high-quality instruction to limited English proficient children, by expanding, developing, or strengthening language instruction educational programs or special alternative instruction programs.

(B) PERIOD- Each grant awarded under this section shall be awarded for a period of 3 years.

(2) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES-

(A) MANDATORY ACTIVITIES- Grants awarded under this section shall be used for —

(i) developing, implementing, expanding, or enhancing comprehensive preschool, elementary, or secondary education programs for limited English proficient children, that are —

(I) aligned with State and local academic content and student academic achievement standards, and local school reform efforts; and

(II) coordinated with related academic services for children;

(ii) providing high-quality professional development to classroom teachers, administrators, and other school or community-based organization personnel to improve the instruction and assessment of limited English proficient children; and

(iii) annually assessing the English proficiency of all limited English proficient children served by activities carried out under this section.

(B) PERMISSIBLE ACTIVITIES- Grants awarded under this section may be used for —

(i) implementing programs to upgrade the reading and other academic skills of limited English proficient children;

(ii) developing accountability systems to monitor the academic progress of limited English proficient and formerly limited English proficient children;

(iii) implementing family education programs and parent outreach and training activities designed to assist parents to become active participants in the education of their children;

(iv) improving the instruction programs for limited English proficient children by identifying, acquiring, and applying effective curricula, instruction materials (including materials provided through technology), and assessments that are all aligned with State and local standards;

(v) providing intensified instruction, including tutorials and academic, or vocational and technical, training, for limited English proficient children;

(vi) adapting best practice models for meeting the needs of limited English proficient children;

(vii) assisting limited English proficient children with disabilities;

(viii) implementing applied learning activities such as service learning to enhance and support comprehensive elementary and secondary language instruction educational programs;

(ix) acquiring or developing education technology or instruction materials for limited English proficient children, including materials in languages other than English;

(x) participating in electronic networks for materials, training, and communication, and incorporating information derived from such participation in curricula and programs; and

(xi) carrying out such other activities related to the purpose of this part as the Secretary may approve.

(b) PRIORITY- In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary may give priority to an entity that—

(1) serves a school district—

(A) that has a total district enrollment that is less than 10,000 students; or

(B) with a large percentage or number of limited English proficient children; and

(2) has limited or no experience in serving limited English proficient children.

(1) one or more local educational agencies;

(2) one or more local educational agencies in collaboration with an institution of higher education, community-based organization, or State educational agency; or

(3) a community-based organization or an institution of higher education that has an application approved by the local educational agency to participate in programs carried out under this subpart by enhancing early childhood education or family education programs or conducting instruction programs that supplement the educational services provided by a local educational agency.

SEC. 3213. COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL AND SYSTEMWIDE IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITIES.

(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED-

(1) AUTHORITY- The Secretary is authorized to award grants to eligible entities having applications approved under section 3214 to enable such entities to develop and implement language instruction educational programs, and improve, reform, or upgrade programs or operations that serve significant percentages or numbers of limited English proficient children.

(2) MANDATORY ACTIVITIES- Grants awarded under this section shall be used for —

(A) improving instruction programs for limited English proficient children by acquiring and upgrading curricula and related instruction materials;

(B) aligning the activities carried out under this section with State and local school reform efforts;

(C) providing training, aligned with State and local standards, to school personnel and participating community-based organization personnel to improve the instruction and assessment of limited English proficient children;

(D) developing and implementing plans, coordinated with plans for programs carried out under title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (where applicable), and title II of this Act (where applicable), to recruit teachers trained to serve limited English proficient children;

(E) implementing culturally and linguistically appropriate family education programs, or parent outreach and training activities, that are designed to assist parents of limited English proficient children to become active participants in the education of their children;

(F) coordinating the activities carried out under this section with other programs, such as programs carried out under this title;

(G) providing services to meet the full range of the educational needs of limited English proficient children;

(H) annually assessing the English proficiency of all limited English proficient children served by the activities carried out under this section; and

(I) developing or improving accountability systems to monitor the academic progress of limited English proficient children.

(3) PERMISSIBLE ACTIVITIES- Grants awarded under this section may be used for —

(A) implementing programs to upgrade reading and other academic skills of limited English proficient children;

(B) developing and using educational technology to improve learning, assessments, and accountability to meet the needs of limited English proficient children;

(D) providing tutorials and academic, or vocational and technical, training for limited English proficient children;

(E) developing and implementing State and local academic content and student academic achievement standards for learning English as a second language, as well as for learning other languages;

(F) developing and implementing programs for limited English proficient children to meet the needs of changing populations of such children;

(G) implementing policies to ensure that limited English proficient children have access to other education programs (other than programs designed to address limited English proficiency);

(H) assisting limited English proficient children with disabilities;

(I) developing and implementing programs to help children become proficient in English and other languages;

(J) acquiring or developing education technology or instruction materials for limited English proficient children, including materials in languages other than English;

(K) participating in electronic networks for materials, training, and communication and incorporating information derived from such participation in curricula and programs; and

(L) carrying out such other activities related to the purpose of this part as the Secretary may approve.

(4) SPECIAL RULE-

(A) PLANNING- A recipient of a grant under this section, before carrying out activities under this section, shall plan, train personnel, develop curricula, and acquire or develop materials, but shall not use funds made available under this section for planning purposes for more than 45 days.

(B) COMMENCEMENT OF ACTIVITIES- The recipient shall commence carrying out activities under this section not later than the later of —

(i) the beginning of the first school year that begins after the grant is received; or

(ii) 30 days after the date of receipt of the grant.

(b) AVAILABILITY OF APPROPRIATIONS-

(1) RESERVATION OF FUNDS FOR CONTINUED PAYMENTS-

(A) COVERED GRANT- In this paragraph, the term covered grant' means a grant —

(i) that was awarded under section 7112, 7113, 7114, or 7115 (as such sections were in effect on the day before the date of enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001); and

(ii) for which the grant period has not ended.

(B) RESERVATION- For any fiscal year that is part of the grant period of a covered grant, the Secretary shall reserve funds for the payments described in subparagraph (C) from the amount appropriated for the fiscal year under section 3001(a) and made available for carrying out this section.

(C) PAYMENTS- The Secretary shall continue to make grant payments to each entity that received a covered grant, in accordance with the terms of that grant, for the duration of the grant period of the grant, to carry out activities in accordance with the appropriate section described in subparagraph (A)(i).

(2) AVAILABILITY- Of the amount appropriated for a fiscal year under section 3001(a) that is made available to carry out this section, and that remains after the Secretary reserves funds for payments under paragraph (1) —

(A) not less than one-third of the remainder shall be used to award grants to eligible entities for activities carried out within an entire school district; and

(B) not less than two-thirds of the remainder shall be used to award grants to eligible entities for activities carried out within individual schools.

(1) experiences a significant increase in the number or percentage of limited English proficient children enrolled in the applicant's programs and has limited or no experience in serving limited English proficient children;

(2) is a local educational agency that serves a school district that has a total district enrollment that is less than 10,000 students;

(3) demonstrates that the applicant has a proven track record of success in helping limited English proficient children learn English and meet high academic standards; or

(4) serves a school district with a large number or percentage of limited English proficient children.

(d) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES- In this section, the term eligible entity' means —

(1) one or more local educational agencies; or

(2) one or more local educational agencies, in collaboration with an institution of higher education, community-based organization, or State educational agency.

SEC. 3214. APPLICATIONS.

(a) IN GENERAL-

(1) SECRETARY- To receive a grant under this subpart, an eligible entity described in section 3212 or 3213 shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such form, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

(2) STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCY- The eligible entity, with the exception of schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, shall submit a copy of the application submitted by the entity under this section to the State educational agency.

(b) STATE REVIEW AND COMMENTS-

(1) DEADLINE- The State educational agency, not later than 45 days after receipt of an application under this section, shall review the application and submit the written comments of the agency regarding the application to the Secretary.

(2) COMMENTS-

(A) SUBMISSION OF COMMENTS- Regarding applications submitted under this subpart, the State educational agency shall —

(i) submit to the Secretary written comments regarding all such applications; and

(ii) submit to each eligible entity the comments that pertain to such entity.

(B) SUBJECT- For purposes of this subpart, such comments shall address —

(i) how the activities to be carried out under the grant will further the academic achievement and English proficiency of limited English proficient children served under the grant; and

(ii) how the grant application is consistent with the State plan required under section 1111.

(c) ELIGIBLE ENTITY COMMENTS- An eligible entity may submit to the Secretary comments that address the comments submitted by the State educational agency.

(d) COMMENT CONSIDERATION- In making grants under this subpart, the Secretary shall take into consideration comments made by State educational agencies.

(e) WAIVER- Notwithstanding subsection (b), the Secretary is authorized to waive the review requirement specified in subsection (b) if a State educational agency can demonstrate that such review requirement may impede such agency's ability to fulfill the requirements of participation in the program authorized in section 3224, particularly such agency's ability to carry out data collection efforts and such agency's ability to provide technical assistance to local educational agencies not receiving funds under this subpart.

(f) REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION- Such application shall include documentation that —

(1) the applicant has the qualified personnel required to develop, administer, and implement the program proposed in the application; and

(2) the leadership personnel of each school participating in the program have been involved in the development and planning of the program in the school.

(g) CONTENTS-

(1) IN GENERAL- An application for a grant under this subpart shall contain the following:

(A) A description of the need for the proposed program, including —

(i) data on the number of limited English proficient children in the school or school district to be served;

(ii) information on the characteristics of the children, including —

(I) the native languages of the children;

(II) the proficiency of the children in English and their native language;

(III) achievement data (current as of the date of submission of the application) for the limited English proficient children in —

(aa) reading or language arts (in English and in the native language, if applicable); and

(bb) mathematics;

(IV) a comparison of that data for the children with that data for the English proficient peers of the children; and

(V) the previous schooling experiences of the children;

(iii) the professional development needs of the instruction personnel who will provide services for the limited English proficient children under the proposed program; and

(iv) how the services provided through the grant will supplement the basic services provided to limited English proficient children.

(B) A description of the program to be implemented and how such program's design —

(i) relates to the linguistic and academic needs of the limited English proficient children to be served;

(ii) will ensure that the services provided through the program will supplement the basic services the applicant provides to limited English proficient children;

(iii) will ensure that the program is coordinated with other programs under this Act and other Acts;

(iv) involves the parents of the limited English proficient children to be served;

(v) ensures accountability in achieving high academic standards; and

(vi) promotes coordination of services for the limited English proficient children to be served and their families.

(C) A description, if appropriate, of the applicant's collaborative activities with institutions of higher education, community-based organizations, local educational agencies or State educational agencies, private schools, nonprofit organizations, or businesses in carrying out the proposed program.

(D) An assurance that the applicant will not reduce the level of State and local funds that the applicant expends for language instruction educational programs or special alternative instruction programs if the applicant receives an award under this subpart.

(E) An assurance that the applicant will employ teachers in the proposed program who, individually or in combination, are proficient in —

(i) English, with respect to written, as well as oral, communication skills; and

(ii) the native language of the majority of the children who the teachers teach, if instruction in the program is in the native language as well as English.

(F) A budget for the grant funds.

(2) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION- Each application for a grant under section 3213 shall —

(A) describe —

(i) current services (as of the date of submission of the application) the applicant provides to limited English proficient children;

(ii) what services limited English proficient children will receive under the grant that such children will not otherwise receive;

(iii) how funds received under this subpart will be integrated with all other Federal, State, local, and private resources that may be used to serve limited English proficient children;

(iv) specific achievement and school retention goals for the children to be served by the proposed program and how progress toward achieving such goals will be measured; and

(v) the current family education programs (as of the date of submission of the application) of the eligible entity, if applicable; and

(B) provide assurances that —

(i) the program funded with the grant will be integrated with the overall educational program of the children served through the proposed program; and

(ii) the application has been developed in consultation with parents and other representatives of the children to be served in such program.

(h) APPROVAL OF APPLICATIONS- An application for a grant under this subpart may be approved only if the Secretary determines that —

(1) the program proposed in the application will use qualified personnel, including personnel who are proficient in the language or languages used for instruction;

(2) in designing the program, the eligible entity has, after consultation with appropriate private school officials —

(A) taken into account the needs of children in nonprofit private elementary schools and secondary schools; and

(B) in a manner consistent with the number of such children enrolled in such schools in the area to be served, whose educational needs are of the type and whose language, and grade levels are of a similar type to the needs, language, and grade levels that the program is intended to address, provided for the participation of such children on a basis comparable to the basis on which public school children participate;

(3)(A) student evaluation and assessment procedures in the program are valid and reliable for limited English proficient children; and

(B) limited English proficient children with disabilities will be identified and served through the program in accordance with the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act;

(4) Federal funds made available for the program will be used to supplement the State and local funds that, in the absence of such Federal funds, would be expended for special programs for children of limited English proficient individuals, and in no case to supplant such State and local funds, except that nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to preclude a local educational agency from using funds made available under this subpart —

(A) for activities carried out under an order of a Federal or State court respecting services to be provided to such children; or

(B) to carry out a plan approved by the Secretary as adequate under title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with respect to services to be provided to such children;

(5)(A) the assistance provided through the grant will contribute toward building the capacity of the eligible entity to provide a program on a regular basis, similar to the proposed program, that will be of sufficient size, scope, and quality to promise significant improvement in the education of limited English proficient children; and

(B) the eligible entity will have the resources and commitment to continue the program of sufficient size, scope, and quality when assistance under this subpart is reduced or no longer available; and

(6) the eligible entity will use State and national dissemination sources for program design and dissemination of results and products.

SEC. 3215. CAPACITY BUILDING.

Each recipient of a grant under this subpart shall use the grant in ways that will build such recipient's capacity to continue to offer high-quality language instruction educational programs and special alternative instruction programs to limited English proficient children after Federal assistance is reduced or eliminated.

SEC. 3216. PROGRAMS FOR NATIVE AMERICANS AND PUERTO RICO.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, programs authorized under this subpart that serve Native American (including Native American Pacific Islander) children and children in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico may include programs of instruction, teacher training, curriculum development, evaluation, and assessment designed for Native American children learning and studying Native American languages and children of limited Spanish proficiency, except that an outcome of programs serving such children shall be increased English proficiency among such children.

SEC. 3217. EVALUATIONS.

(a) EVALUATION- Each recipient of funds under this subpart for a program shall annually conduct an evaluation of the program and submit to the Secretary a report concerning the evaluation, in the form prescribed by the Secretary.

(b) USE OF EVALUATION- Such evaluation shall be used by the grant recipient —

(1) for program improvement;

(2) to further define the program's goals and objectives; and

(3) to determine program effectiveness.

(1) use the data provided in the application submitted by the recipient under section 3214 as baseline data against which to report academic achievement and gains in English proficiency for children in the program;

(2) disaggregate the results of the evaluation by gender, native languages spoken by children, socioeconomic status, and whether the children have disabilities;

(3) include data on the progress of the recipient in achieving the objectives of the program, including data demonstrating the extent to which children served by the program are meeting the challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards, and including data comparing limited English proficient children with English proficient children with regard to school retention and academic achievement concerning —

(A) reading and language arts;

(B) English proficiency;

(D) the native language of the children, if the program develops native language proficiency;

(4) include information on the extent that professional development activities carried out through the program have resulted in improved classroom practices and improved student academic achievement;

lude a description of how the activities carried out through the program are coordinated and integrated with the other Federal, State, or local programs serving limited English proficient children; and

(6) include such other information as the Secretary may require.

SEC. 3218. CONSTRUCTION.

Nothing in this subpart shall be construed to prohibit a local educational agency from serving limited English proficient children simultaneously with children with similar educational needs, in the same educational settings where appropriate.

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