20 USC 7291 - Awards for academic enrichment

Collapse to view only § 7291. Awards for academic enrichment

§ 7291. Awards for academic enrichment
§ 7292. Assistance for arts education
§ 7293. Ready to learn programming
§ 7294. Supporting high-ability learners and learning

§ 7291. Awards for academic enrichment

(a) Program authorized

From funds reserved under section 7251(b)(2)(C) of this title, the Secretary shall award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities for the purposes of enriching the academic experience of students by promoting—

(1) arts education for disadvantaged students and students who are children with disabilities, as described in section 7292 of this title;

(2) school readiness through the development and dissemination of accessible instructional programming for preschool and elementary school children and their families, as described in section 7293 of this title; and

(3) support for high-ability learners and high-ability learning, as described in section 7294 of this title.

(b) Annual awards

(Pub. L. 89–10, title IV, § 4641, as added Pub. L. 114–95, title IV, § 4601, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2033.)

§ 7292. Assistance for arts education

(a) Awards to provide assistance for arts education

(1) In general

Awards made to eligible entities to fulfill the purpose described in section 7291(a)(1) of this title, shall be used for a program (to be known as the “Assistance for Arts Education program”) to promote arts education for students, including disadvantaged students and students who are children with disabilities, through activities such as—

(A) professional development for arts educators, teachers, and principals;

(B) development and dissemination of accessible instructional materials and arts-based educational programming, including online resources, in multiple arts disciplines; and

(C) community and national outreach activities that strengthen and expand partnerships among schools, local educational agencies, communities, or centers for the arts, including national centers for the arts.

(b) Conditions

As conditions of receiving assistance made available under this section, the Secretary shall require each eligible entity receiving such assistance—

(1) to coordinate, to the extent practicable, each project or program carried out with such assistance with appropriate activities of public or private cultural agencies, institutions, and organizations, including museums, arts education associations, libraries, and theaters; and

(2) to use such assistance only to supplement, and not to supplant, any other assistance or funds made available from non-Federal sources for the activities assisted under this subpart.

(d) Priority

(e) Definitions

In this section:

(1) Eligible entity

The term “eligible entity” means—

(A) a local educational agency in which 20 percent or more of the students served by the local educational agency are from families with an income below the poverty line;

(B) a consortium of such local educational agencies;

(D) an institution of higher education;

(E) a museum or cultural institution;

(F) the Bureau of Indian Education;

(G) an eligible national nonprofit organization; or

(H) another private agency, institution, or organization.

(2) Eligible national nonprofit organization

The term “eligible national nonprofit organization” means an organization of national scope that—

(A) is supported by staff, which may include volunteers, or affiliates at the State and local levels; and

(B) demonstrates effectiveness or high-quality plans for addressing arts education activities for disadvantaged students or students who are children with disabilities.

(Pub. L. 89–10, title IV, § 4642, as added Pub. L. 114–95, title IV, § 4601, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2033.)

§ 7293. Ready to learn programming

(a) Awards to promote school readiness through ready to learn programming

(1) In generalAwards made to eligible entities described in paragraph (3) to fulfill the purpose described in section 7291(a)(2) of this title shall—

(A) be known as “Ready to Learn Programming awards”; and

(B) be used to—

(i) develop, produce, and distribute accessible educational and instructional video programming for preschool and elementary school children and their parents in order to facilitate student academic achievement;

(ii) facilitate the development, directly or through contracts with producers of children’s and family educational television programming, of educational programming for preschool and elementary school children, and the accompanying support materials and services that promote the effective use of such programming;

(iii) facilitate the development of programming and digital span containing Ready-to-Learn programming and resources for parents and caregivers that is specially designed for nationwide distribution over public television stations’ digital broadcasting channels and the Internet;

(iv) contract with entities (such as public telecommunications entities) so that programming developed under this section is disseminated and distributed to the widest possible audience appropriate to be served by the programming, and through the use of the most appropriate distribution technologies; and

(v) develop and disseminate education and training materials, including interactive programs and programs adaptable to distance learning technologies, that are designed—(I) to promote school readiness; and(II) to promote the effective use of materials developed under clauses (ii) and (iii) among parents, family members, teachers, principals and other school leaders, Head Start providers, providers of family literacy services, child care providers, early childhood educators, elementary school teachers, public libraries, and after-school program personnel caring for preschool and elementary school children.

(2) Availability

(3) Eligible entitiesTo be eligible to receive a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this section, an entity shall be a public telecommunications entity that is able to demonstrate each of the following:

(A) A capacity for the development and national distribution of educational and instructional television programming of high quality that is accessible by a large majority of disadvantaged preschool and elementary school children.

(B) A capacity to contract with the producers of children’s television programming for the purpose of developing educational television programming of high quality.

(C) A capacity, consistent with the entity’s mission and nonprofit nature, to negotiate such contracts in a manner that returns to the entity an appropriate share of any ancillary income from sales of any program-related products.

(D) A capacity to localize programming and materials to meet specific State and local needs and to provide educational outreach at the local level.

(4) Coordination of activitiesAn entity receiving a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this section shall consult with the Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services—

(A) to maximize the use of high-quality educational programming by preschool and elementary school children, and make such programming widely available to Federally funded programs serving such populations; and

(B) to coordinate activities with Federal programs that have major training components for early childhood development, including programs under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) and State training activities funded under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.) [42 U.S.C. 9857 et seq.], regarding the availability and utilization of materials developed under paragraph (1)(B)(v) to enhance parent and child care provider skills in early childhood development and education.

(b) ApplicationsTo be eligible to receive a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under subsection (a), an entity shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may reasonably require. The application shall include—

(1) a description of the activities to be carried out under this section;

(2) a list of the types of entities with which such entity will enter into contracts under subsection (a)(1)(B)(iv);

(3) a description of the activities the entity will undertake widely to disseminate the span developed under this section; and

(4) a description of how the entity will comply with subsection (a)(2).

(1) Annual report to SecretaryAn entity receiving a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this section shall prepare and submit to the Secretary an annual report. The report shall describe the program activities undertaken with funds received under the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, including each of the following:

(A) The programming that has been developed, directly or indirectly, by the eligible entity, and the target population of the programming.

(B) The support and training materials that have been developed to accompany the programming, and the method by which the materials are distributed to consumers and users of the programming.

(C) The means by which programming developed under this section has been distributed, including the distance learning technologies that have been utilized to make programming available, and the geographic distribution achieved through such technologies.

(D) The initiatives undertaken by the entity to develop public-private partnerships to secure non-Federal support for the development, distribution, and broadcast of educational and instructional programming.

(2) Report to CongressThe Secretary shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives a biannual report that includes the following:

(A) A summary of the activities assisted under subsection (a).

(B) A description of the education and training materials made available under subsection (a)(1)(B)(v), the manner in which outreach has been conducted to inform parents and child care providers of the availability of such materials, and the manner in which such materials have been distributed in accordance with such subsection.

(d) Administrative costs

(e) Funding rule

(Pub. L. 89–10, title IV, § 4643, as added Pub. L. 114–95, title IV, § 4601, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2034.)

§ 7294. Supporting high-ability learners and learning

(a) Purpose

(b) Program authorized

(1) In general

(2) ApplicationEach entity seeking assistance under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may reasonably require. Each application shall describe how—

(A) the proposed identification methods, as well as gifted and talented services, materials, and methods, can be adapted, if appropriate, for use by all students; and

(B) the proposed programs can be evaluated.

(1) Conducting evidence-based research on methods and techniques for identifying and teaching gifted and talented students and for using gifted and talented programs and methods to identify and provide the opportunity for all students to be served, particularly low-income and at-risk students.

(2) Establishing and operating programs and projects for identifying and serving gifted and talented students, including innovative methods and strategies (such as summer programs, mentoring programs, peer tutoring programs, service learning programs, and cooperative learning programs involving business, industry and education) for identifying and educating students who may not be served by traditional gifted and talented programs.

(3) Providing technical assistance and disseminating information, which may include how gifted and talented programs and methods may be adapted for use by all students, particularly low-income and at-risk students.

(d) Center for research and development

(1) In general

(2) Director

(e) CoordinationEvidence-based activities supported under this section—

(1) shall be carried out in consultation with the Institute of Education Sciences to ensure that such activities are coordinated with and enhance the research and development activities supported by the Institute; and

(2) may include collaborative evidence-based activities that are jointly funded and carried out with such Institute.

(f) General priorityIn carrying out this section, the Secretary shall give highest priority to programs and projects designed to—

(1) develop new information that—

(A) improves the capability of schools to plan, conduct, and improve programs to identify and serve gifted and talented students; or

(B) assists schools in the identification of, and provision of services to, gifted and talented students (including economically disadvantaged individuals, individuals who are English learners, and children with disabilities) who may not be identified and served through traditional assessment methods; or

(2) implement evidence-based activities, defined in this paragraph as activities meeting the requirements of section 7801(21)(A)(i) of this title.

(g) Participation of private school children and teachers

(h) Review, dissemination, and evaluationThe Secretary shall—

(1) use a peer-review process in reviewing applications under this section;

(2) ensure that information on the activities and results of programs and projects funded under this section is disseminated to appropriate State educational agencies, local educational agencies, and other appropriate organizations, including private nonprofit organizations; and

(3) evaluate the effectiveness of programs under this section in accordance with section 7981 of this title, in terms of the impact on students traditionally served in separate gifted and talented programs and on other students, and submit the results of such evaluation to Congress not later than 2 years after December 10, 2015.

(i) Program operationsThe Secretary shall ensure that the programs under this section are administered within the Department by a person who has recognized professional qualifications and experience in the field of the education of gifted and talented students and who shall—

(1) administer and coordinate the programs authorized under this section;

(2) serve as a focal point of national leadership and information on the educational needs of gifted and talented students and the availability of educational services and programs designed to meet such needs;

(3) assist the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences in identifying research priorities that reflect the needs of gifted and talented students; and

(4) disseminate, and consult on, the information developed under this section with other offices within the Department.

(Pub. L. 89–10, title IV, § 4644, as added Pub. L. 114–95, title IV, § 4601, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2037.)