Bill > S1094

Introduced Session

Strengthening America's Schools Act of 2013 - Revises and reauthorizes programs under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). Title I: College and Career Readiness for All Students - Amends title I of the ESEA to revise the school improvement program under part A. Eliminates the requirement that local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools make adequate yearly progress toward state academic performance standards or be subject to specified improvements, corrective action, or restructuring. Requires states to adopt college and career ready academic content and achievement standards and assessments in reading, mathematics, science, and English language proficiency. Requires states to adopt and implement assessments of student achievement and academic growth toward those standards that: (1) measure the overall performance of students in each public school; and (2) allow for the disaggregation of the results by gender, each major racial and ethnic group, English proficiency status, migrant status, status as a student with a disability, and economically disadvantaged status. Allows states to adopt alternate academic achievement standards and assessments for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. Allows states to develop and administer computer adaptive assessments that measure student growth above or below grade level. Directs states that use school improvement funds to support early childhood education to establish, or certify the existence of, early learning guidelines for preschool-aged children and early grade standards for children in kindergarten through grade three. Requires states to establish annual performance targets for LEAs and elementary and secondary schools that include targets for student proficiency, academic growth, English language proficiency for English learners, and high school graduation rates. Requires LEAs to ensure that each school that, after two consecutive years, has not met state performance targets for the same student subgroup develops and implements a locally designed intervention to improve student achievement in that subgroup. Subjects schools to improvement strategies if they are identified as: (1) focus schools due to their having among the largest achievement or graduation gaps among student subgroups in the state; or (2) priority schools due to their status as the lowest achieving schools in the state, high schools with graduation rates below 60%, or focus schools for the six preceding consecutive years. Requires each LEA that serves a focus school to develop and implement a measurable and data-driven correction plan to improve the performance of the school's low-achieving subgroups. Requires LEAs to conduct a data-driven needs analysis of each of their priority schools and use it to select and implement, as appropriate for each school: (1) a transformation strategy, (2) a turnaround strategy, (3) a whole school reform strategy, (4) a restart strategy, or (5) a school closure strategy. Requires LEAs to allow students at priority schools to transfer to another of its public schools that has not been identified as a priority school, unless that option is prohibited by state law. Repeals the School Support and Recognition program. Requires teachers teaching a core academic subject in a program supported with school improvement funds to be highly qualified and certified to teach that subject area, but makes this requirement applicable only to new teachers if the state has fully implemented a professional growth and improvement system. Requires LEAs to show that: (1) combined state and local per-pupil expenditures in each of their schools served under part A are not less than the average combined state and local per-pupil expenditures for their schools not served under part A; or (2) the average combined state and local per-pupil expenditures at its high-poverty schools are no less than those expenditures at its low-poverty schools, if LEAs serve all of their schools under part A. Establishes the Blue Ribbon Schools program that allows states to award their highest performing schools with increased autonomy, flexibility in using ESEA funds, and monetary rewards. Directs the Secretary of Education, acting jointly with the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), to designate exemplary early childhood education programs as centers of excellence in early childhood and award each of them a bonus grant to improve the quality of their program and others in their region. Authorizes the Secretary to identify and recognize exemplary schools, programs, and individuals. Directs the Secretary to award grants to states to develop, improve, or administer their college and career ready academic standards and assessments. Replaces part B (Student Reading Skills Improvement Grants) of title I with new Pathways to College grant programs that: (1) assist schools in implementing innovative and effective secondary school reform strategies, and (2) cover part or all of the Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) examination fee low-income students incur. Amends the program, under part C (Education of Migratory Children), providing grants to states for the education of migratory children. Requires migratory children to be given the opportunity to meet the same college and career readiness standards as other children. Amends part D (Prevention and Intervention Programs for Children and Youth Who are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk). Requires states to ensure that students who have been placed in the juvenile justice system are promptly re-enrolled in secondary school or placed in re-entry programs that best meet their educational and social needs. Includes at-risk Indian children and youth in the program. Replaces part E (National Assessment of Subchapter I) with a new part E (Educational Stability of Children in Foster Care) program to facilitate the educational transition of children that move to a new school attendance area as the result of being placed in foster care, changing their foster care placement, or leaving foster care. Eliminates parts F (Comprehensive School Reform), G (Advanced Placement Programs), and H (School Dropout Prevention). Title II: Supporting Teacher and Principal Excellence - Replaces title II (Preparing, Training, and Recruiting High Quality Teachers and Principals) with a new title II (Supporting Teacher and Principal Excellence). Strikes parts A (Teacher and Principal Training and Recruiting Fund), B (Mathematics and Science Partnerships), C (Innovation for Teacher Quality) and D (Enhancing Education Through Technology) of title II. Establishes a new: (1) part A (Continuous Improvement and Support for Teachers and Principals) program to train and increase the number and equitable distribution of high-quality teachers and principals; (2) part B (Teacher Pathways to the Classroom) program to support the recruitment, selection, preparation, placement, retention, and support of teachers in high-need subjects or fields at high-needs schools; (3) part C (Teacher Incentive Fund) program for the development, implementation, improvement, or expansion of strategies to ensure that the most effective teachers and principals are serving in the lowest-performing schools; and (4) part D program (under provisions entitled the "Achievement Through Technology and Innovation Act of 2013" or the "ATTAIN Act") to enhance the use of educational technology. Title III: Language and Academic Content Instruction for English Learners and Immigrant Students - Revises and renames title III (Language and Academic content Instruction for English Learners and Immigrant Students). Changes the current references to "limited English proficient students" to "English learners." Amends part A (English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement Act), which provides funding to states to improve the education of English learners. Requires each state to establish a performance target for the percentage of English learners they serve who are making progress in achieving English proficiency not more that five years after being identified as English learners. Requires states that fail to meet their performance target for two consecutive years to develop an improvement plan to meet the target. Authorizes Indian tribes or educational entities that receive grants under the part A program to use them for Native American immersion and restoration programs. Revises the professional development grant program for English language instructors. Directs the Secretary to establish an independent commission on the assessment and advancement of English learners to provide the Secretary with advice regarding the education of English learners and their inclusion in state assessment and accountability systems. Requires the Secretary to distribute English language acquisition technology innovation grants for the pursuit of breakthrough research and development in educational technology that benefits English learners. Strikes part B (Improving Language Instruction Educational Programs). Title IV: Supporting Successful, Well-Rounded Students - Replaces title IV (21st Century Schools) with a new title IV (Supporting Successful, Well-Rounded Students). Replaces part A (Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities) with a new part A (under provisions entitled the "Improving Literacy Instruction and Student Achievement Act"), which creates programs that provide funding to: (1) states to improve the literacy of children from birth through grade 12, and (2) LEAs to develop and enhance effective school library programs. Creates a new part B (Improving Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Instruction and Student Achievement), which creates programs that provide funding to: (1) states to improve preschool and elementary and secondary school science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education; and (2) LEAs or states, acting in partnership with institutions of higher education (IHEs) or nonprofit organizations, to establish STEM Master Teacher Corps programs. Establishes a new part C (Increasing Access to a Well-Rounded Education and Financial Literacy), which creates programs that provide funding to states to: (1) increase the access of low-income students to high-quality courses in the arts, civics and government, economics, environmental education, financial literacy, foreign languages, geography, health education, history, music, physical education, or social studies; and (2) integrate financial literacy education into their elementary and secondary schools and train their secondary school financial literacy or entrepreneurship teachers to teach financial literacy in core academic subjects (under provisions entitled the "Financial Literacy for Students Act"). Establishes a new part D (Successful, Safe, and Healthy Students), which provides funding to states to foster comprehensive improvements to school-level conditions for learning. Establishes a new part E (under provisions entitled the "Student Non-Discrimination Act of 2013"), which prohibits public school students from being excluded from participating in, or subject to discrimination under, any federally-assisted educational program on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity or that of their associates. Revises the program under part B (21st Century Community Learning Centers) and places it in a new part F. Includes summer learning and expanded learning time activities in the program. Requires the program to serve students who primarily attend: (1) high-need schools; (2) schools that, after two consecutive years, have not met state performance targets for the same student subgroup; and (3) focus schools. Establishes a new part G (under provisions entitled the "Promise Neighborhoods Act of 2013") awarding: (1) Promise Neighborhood Partnership grants to nonprofit organizations that work in coordination with certain educational and governmental entities to provide education and support services to children who live in distressed neighborhoods, and (2) Promise School grants to high-need LEAs and Indian schools that partner with nonprofit organizations or IHEs to provide education and student support services to children who attend high-poverty schools. Establishes a new part H (Parent and Family Information and Resource Centers), which provides funds to nonprofit organizations to operate state parent and family information and resource centers. Requires part I funds to support nationally significant programs that help all children meet the college and career ready academic content and achievement standards required by this Act. Establishes a new part K (Competency-Based Assessment and Accountability Demonstration Authority), which authorizes the Secretary to provide states with the authority to incorporate competency-based targets for student learning in their title I accountability systems. Title V: Promoting Innovation - Replaces title V (Promoting Informed Parental Choice and Innovative Programs) with a new title V (Promoting Innovation). Creates a new part A (Race to the Top) program that awards grants to states and high-need LEAs to carry out one or more educational goals selected by the Secretary. Lists those goals. Creates a new part B (Investing in Innovation) program to support the school innovation efforts of public schools and LEAs. Revises the Magnet Schools Assistance program under part C, which provides grants to LEAs to establish and operate magnet schools under a court-ordered desegregation plan or voluntary desegregation plan approved by the Secretary. Replaces the existing Public Charter Schools program under part B with a new Public Charter Schools program under part D. Establishes under part D: (1) a subpart 1 (Successful Charter Schools Program), to support the creation, expansion, or replication of high-performing charter schools; and (2) a subpart 2 (Charter School Facility Acquisition, Construction, and Renovation), to improve access to facilities and facilities financing for high-performing charter schools. Revises Voluntary Public School Choice Programs to support the establishment or expansion of inter- or intra-district public school choice programs that enable students attending focus or priority schools to attend high-quality public schools, including charter schools. Title VI: Promoting Flexibility; Rural Education - Redesignates title VI (Flexibility and Accountability) as title VI (Promoting Flexibility; Rural Education). Replaces part A (Improving Academic Achievement) with a new part A (Transferability) program that allows states and LEAs to transfer funds they are allotted for state-level and local-level activities, respectively, by an ESEA formula grant to other state or LEA formula grant programs under the ESEA. Prohibits states from transferring any funds that originate in titles I or III, and prohibits LEAs from transferring any funds that originate in title I, III, VII (part A), or VIII, out of each respective title. Amends part B (Rural Education Initiatives) of title VI to give LEAs that qualify for funding under both the Small, Rural School Achievement (SRSA) and Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) programs the option to choose the program for which they would prefer to receive funding. Title VII: Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native Education - Amends title VII (Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native Education). Amends part A (Indian Education) to revise the programs under subparts 1 (Formula Grants to Local Educational Agencies), 2 (Special Programs and Projects to Improve Educational Opportunities for Indian Children and Youth), 3 (National Activities), and 4 (Federal Administration). Provides support for Native American language immersion and restoration programs. Preserves the national research activities under subpart 3, but strikes: (1) the in-service training for teachers of Indian children program, (2) the fellowships for Indian students program, (3) the gifted and talented Indian students program, (4) the grants to tribes for education administrative planning and development program, and (5) the improvement of educational opportunities for adult Indians program. Revises the Native Hawaiian Education program. Includes among the approved uses of grant funds, workforce preparation and training for Native Hawaiian youth. Revises the Alaska Native Education program under provisions entitled the "Alaska Native Educational Equity, Support, and Assistance Act." Title VIII: Impact Aid - Amends title VIII (Impact Aid). Alters calculations made in determining the payments due LEAs for federal ownership of property, or for federally-connected children, within their areas. Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 to make the changes that Act made to the Impact Aid program permanent, including the requirement that the Secretary complete Impact Aid payments to eligible LEAs within three fiscal years of their appropriation. Title IX: General Provisions - Amends title IX (General Provisions) to establish additional definitions for terms that are applicable throughout the ESEA. Allows students who are threatened by, or the victim of, a criminal offense at their public school to attend a safe public school within the LEA's jurisdiction. (Currently, this unsafe school choice option is available only to students attending schools identified as persistently dangerous or to students who become victims of a criminal offense at their public school.) Title X: Commission on Effective Regulation and Assessment Systems for Public Schools - Commission on Effective Regulation and Assessment Systems for Public Schools Act - Establishes a Commission on Effective Regulation and Assessment Systems for Public Schools. Title XI: Amendments to Other Laws; Miscellaneous Provisions - McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Reauthorization Act of 2013- Amends the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to revise, and reauthorize appropriations for, the Education for Homeless Children and Youth program, which provides funds to states for the education of homeless youth. Amends the Department of Education Organization Act to establish in the Department of Education an Advanced Research Projects Agency-Education (ARPA-ED) to pursue breakthrough research and development in educational technology and provide for its effective use.

Committee Categories

Tom Harkin (D)*,  Tammy Baldwin (D),  Michael Bennet (D),  Bob Casey (D),  Al Franken (D),  Kay Hagan (D),  Barbara Mikulski (D),  Chris Murphy (D),  Patty Murray (D),  Bernie Sanders (I),  Elizabeth Warren (D),  Sheldon Whitehouse (D), 

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 218. (on 10/11/2013)

Official Document