CIVIL RIGHTS
Subpart 1 — Grants to States

SEC. 2111. ALLOTMENTS TO STATES.

    (a) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall make grants to States with applications approved under section 2112 to pay for the Federal share of the cost of carrying out the activities specified in section 2113. Each grant shall consist of the allotment determined for a State under subsection (b).

    (b) DETERMINATION OF ALLOTMENTS-

      (1) RESERVATION OF FUNDS-

        (A) IN GENERAL- From the total amount appropriated under section 2103(a) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve —

          (i) one-half of 1 percent for allotments for the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, to be distributed among those outlying areas on the basis of their relative need, as determined by the Secretary, in accordance with the purpose of this part; and

          (ii) one-half of 1 percent for the Secretary of the Interior for programs under this part in schools operated or funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

      (2) STATE ALLOTMENTS-

        (A) HOLD HARMLESS-

          (i) IN GENERAL- Subject to subparagraph (B), from the funds appropriated under section 2103(a) for any fiscal year and not reserved under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall allot to each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico an amount equal to the total amount that such State received for fiscal year 2001 under —

            (I) section 2202(b) of this Act (as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001); and

            (II) section 306 of the Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2001 (as enacted into law by section 1(a)(1) of Public Law 106-554).

          (ii) RATABLE REDUCTION- If the funds described in clause (i) are insufficient to pay the full amounts that all States are eligible to receive under clause (i) for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall ratably reduce those amounts for the fiscal year.

        (B) ALLOTMENT OF ADDITIONAL FUNDS-

          (i) IN GENERAL- Subject to clause (ii), for any fiscal year for which the funds appropriated under section 2103(a) and not reserved under paragraph (1) exceed the total amount required to make allotments under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall allot to each of the States described in subparagraph (A) the sum of —

            (I) an amount that bears the same relationship to 35 percent of the excess amount as the number of individuals age 5 through 17 in the State, as determined by the Secretary on the basis of the most recent satisfactory data, bears to the number of those individuals in all such States, as so determined; and

            (II) an amount that bears the same relationship to 65 percent of the excess amount as the number of individuals age 5 through 17 from families with incomes below the poverty line, in the State, as determined by the Secretary on the basis of the most recent satisfactory data, bears to the number of those individuals in all such States, as so determined.

          (ii) EXCEPTION- No State receiving an allotment under clause (i) may receive less than one-half of 1 percent of the total excess amount allotted under such clause for a fiscal year.

      (3) REALLOTMENT- If any State does not apply for an allotment under this subsection for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall reallot the amount of the allotment to the remaining States in accordance with this subsection.

SEC. 2112. STATE APPLICATIONS.

    (a) IN GENERAL- For a State to be eligible to receive a grant under this part, the State educational agency shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.

    (b) CONTENTS- Each application submitted under this section shall include the following:

      (1) A description of how the activities to be carried out by the State educational agency under this subpart will be based on a review of scientifically based research and an explanation of why the activities are expected to improve student academic achievement.

      (2) A description of how the State educational agency will ensure that a local educational agency receiving a subgrant to carry out subpart 2 will comply with the requirements of such subpart.

      (3) A description of how the State educational agency will ensure that activities assisted under this subpart are aligned with challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards, State assessments, and State and local curricula.

      (4) A description of how the State educational agency will use funds under this part to improve the quality of the State's teachers and principals.

      (5)(A) A description of how the State educational agency will coordinate professional development activities authorized under this part with professional development activities provided under other Federal, State, and local programs.

      (B) A description of the comprehensive strategy that the State educational agency will use, as part of such coordination effort, to ensure that teachers are trained in the use of technology so that technology and applications of technology are effectively used in the classroom to improve teaching and learning in all curricula and academic subjects, as appropriate.

      (6) A description of how the State educational agency will encourage the development of proven, innovative strategies to deliver intensive professional development programs that are both cost-effective and easily accessible, such as strategies that involve delivery through the use of technology, peer networks, and distance learning.

      (7)(A) A description of how the State educational agency will ensure compliance with the requirements for professional development activities described in section 9101 and how the activities to be carried out under the grant will be developed collaboratively and based on the input of teachers, principals, parents, administrators, paraprofessionals, and other school personnel.

      (B) In the case of a State in which the State educational agency is not the entity responsible for teacher professional standards, certification, and licensing, an assurance that the State activities carried out under this subpart are carried out in conjunction with the entity responsible for such standards, certification, and licensing under State law.

      (8) A description of how the State educational agency will ensure that the professional development (including teacher mentoring) needs of teachers will be met using funds under this subpart and subpart 2.

      (9) A description of the State educational agency's annual measurable objectives under section 1119(a)(2).

      (10) A description of how the State educational agency will use funds under this part to meet the teacher and paraprofessional requirements of section 1119 and how the State educational agency will hold local educational agencies accountable for meeting the annual measurable objectives described in section 1119(a)(2).

      (11) In the case of a State that has a charter school law that exempts teachers from State certification and licensing requirements, the specific portion of the State law that provides for the exemption.

      (12) An assurance that the State educational agency will comply with section 9501 (regarding participation by private school children and teachers).

    (c) DEEMED APPROVAL- An application submitted by a State educational agency pursuant to subsection (a) shall be deemed to be approved by the Secretary unless the Secretary makes a written determination, prior to the expiration of the 120-day period beginning on the date on which the Secretary received the application, that the application is not in compliance with this subpart.

    (d) DISAPPROVAL- The Secretary shall not finally disapprove the application, except after giving the State educational agency notice and an opportunity for a hearing.

    (e) NOTIFICATION- If the Secretary finds that the application is not in compliance, in whole or in part, with this subpart, the Secretary shall--

      (1) give the State educational agency notice and an opportunity for a hearing; and

      (2) notify the State educational agency of the finding of noncompliance and, in such notification, shall--

        (A) cite the specific provisions in the application that are not in compliance; and

        (B) request additional information, only as to the noncompliant provisions, needed to make the application compliant.

    (f) RESPONSE- If the State educational agency responds to the Secretary's notification described in subsection (e)(2) during the 45-day period beginning on the date on which the agency received the notification, and resubmits the application with the requested information described in subsection (e)(2)(B), the Secretary shall approve or disapprove such application prior to the later of--

      (1) the expiration of the 45-day period beginning on the date on which the application is resubmitted; or

      (2) the expiration of the 120-day period described in subsection (c).

    (g) FAILURE TO RESPOND- If the State educational agency does not respond to the Secretary's notification described in subsection (e)(2) during the 45-day period beginning on the date on which the agency received the notification, such application shall be deemed to be disapproved.

SEC. 2113. STATE USE OF FUNDS.

    (a) IN GENERAL- A State that receives a grant under section 2111 shall —

      (1) reserve 95 percent of the funds made available through the grant to make subgrants to local educational agencies as described in subpart 2;

      (2) reserve 2.5 percent (or, for a fiscal year described in subsection (b), the percentage determined under subsection (b)) of the funds to make subgrants to local partnerships as described in subpart 3; and

      (3) use the remainder of the funds for State activities described in subsection (c).

    (b) SPECIAL RULE- For any fiscal year for which the total amount that would be reserved by all States under subsection (a)(2), if the States applied a 2.5 percentage rate, exceeds $125,000,000, the Secretary shall determine an alternative percentage that the States shall apply for that fiscal year under subsection (a)(2) so that the total amount reserved by all States under subsection (a)(2) equals $125,000,000.

    (c) STATE ACTIVITIES- The State educational agency for a State that receives a grant under section 2111 shall use the funds described in subsection (a)(3) to carry out one or more of the following activities, which may be carried out through a grant or contract with a for-profit or nonprofit entity:

      (1) Reforming teacher and principal certification (including recertification) or licensing requirements to ensure that —

        (A)(i) teachers have the necessary subject matter knowledge and teaching skills in the academic subjects that the teachers teach; and

        (ii) principals have the instructional leadership skills to help teachers teach and students learn;

        (B) teacher certification (including recertification) or licensing requirements are aligned with challenging State academic content standards; and

        (C) teachers have the subject matter knowledge and teaching skills, including technology literacy, and principals have the instructional leadership skills, necessary to help students meet challenging State student academic achievement standards.

      (2) Carrying out programs that provide support to teachers or principals, including support for teachers and principals new to their profession, such as programs that —

        (A) provide teacher mentoring, team teaching, reduced class schedules, and intensive professional development; and

        (B) use standards or assessments for guiding beginning teachers that are consistent with challenging State student academic achievement standards and with the requirements for professional development activities described in section 9101.

      (3) Carrying out programs that establish, expand, or improve alternative routes for State certification of teachers and principals, especially in the areas of mathematics and science, for highly qualified individuals with a baccalaureate or master's degree, including mid-career professionals from other occupations, paraprofessionals, former military personnel, and recent college or university graduates with records of academic distinction who demonstrate the potential to become highly effective teachers or principals.

      (4) Developing and implementing mechanisms to assist local educational agencies and schools in effectively recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers, including specialists in core academic subjects, principals, and pupil services personnel, except that funds made available under this paragraph may be used for pupil services personnel only —

        (A) if the State educational agency is making progress toward meeting the annual measurable objectives described in section 1119(a)(2); and

        (B) in a manner consistent with mechanisms to assist local educational agencies and schools in effectively recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers and principals.

      (5) Reforming tenure systems, implementing teacher testing for subject matter knowledge, and implementing teacher testing for State certification or licensing, consistent with title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

      (6) Providing professional development for teachers and principals and, in cases in which a State educational agency determines support to be appropriate, supporting the participation of pupil services personnel in the same type of professional development activities as are made available to teachers and principals.

      (7) Developing systems to measure the effectiveness of specific professional development programs and strategies to document gains in student academic achievement or increases in teacher mastery of the academic subjects the teachers teach.

      (8) Fulfilling the State educational agency's responsibilities concerning proper and efficient administration of the programs carried out under this part, including provision of technical assistance to local educational agencies.

      (9) Funding projects to promote reciprocity of teacher and principal certification or licensing between or among States, except that no reciprocity agreement developed under this paragraph or developed using funds provided under this part may lead to the weakening of any State teaching certification or licensing requirement.

      (10) Developing or assisting local educational agencies in the development and use of proven, innovative strategies to deliver intensive professional development programs that are both cost-effective and easily accessible, such as strategies that involve delivery through the use of technology, peer networks, and distance learning.

      (11) Encouraging and supporting the training of teachers and administrators to effectively integrate technology into curricula and instruction, including training to improve the ability to collect, manage, and analyze data to improve teaching, decisionmaking, school improvement efforts, and accountability.

      (12) Developing, or assisting local educational agencies in developing, merit-based performance systems, and strategies that provide differential and bonus pay for teachers in high-need academic subjects such as reading, mathematics, and science and teachers in high-poverty schools and districts.

      (13) Providing assistance to local educational agencies for the development and implementation of professional development programs for principals that enable the principals to be effective school leaders and prepare all students to meet challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards, and the development and support of school leadership academies to help exceptionally talented aspiring or current principals and superintendents become outstanding managers and educational leaders.

      (14) Developing, or assisting local educational agencies in developing, teacher advancement initiatives that promote professional growth and emphasize multiple career paths (such as paths to becoming a career teacher, mentor teacher, or exemplary teacher) and pay differentiation.

      (15) Providing assistance to teachers to enable them to meet certification, licensing, or other requirements needed to become highly qualified by the end of the fourth year for which the State receives funds under this part (as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001).

      (16) Supporting activities that ensure that teachers are able to use challenging State academic content standards and student academic achievement standards, and State assessments, to improve instructional practices and improve student academic achievement.

      (17) Funding projects and carrying out programs to encourage men to become elementary school teachers.

      (18) Establishing and operating a center that —

        (A) serves as a statewide clearinghouse for the recruitment and placement of kindergarten, elementary school, and secondary school teachers; and

        (B) establishes and carries out programs to improve teacher recruitment and retention within the State.

    (d) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS- A State educational agency or State agency for higher education receiving a grant under this part may use not more than 1 percent of the grant funds for planning and administration related to carrying out activities under subsection (c) and subpart 3.

    (e) COORDINATION- A State that receives a grant to carry out this subpart and a grant under section 202 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 shall coordinate the activities carried out under this subpart and the activities carried out under that section.

    (f) SUPPLEMENT, NOT SUPPLANT- Funds received under this subpart shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, non-Federal funds that would otherwise be used for activities authorized under this subpart.


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Last Modified: 09/15/2004