20 USC 6311 - State plans

Collapse to view only § 6311. State plans

§ 6311. State plans
§ 6312. Local educational agency plans
§ 6313. Eligible school attendance areas
§ 6314. Schoolwide programs
§ 6315. Targeted assistance schools
§§ 6316, 6317. Repealed.
§ 6318. Parent and family engagement
§ 6319. Repealed.
§ 6320. Participation of children enrolled in private schools
§ 6321. Fiscal requirements
§ 6322. Coordination requirements

§ 6311. State plans

(a) Filing for grants

(1) In generalFor any State desiring to receive a grant under this part, the State educational agency shall file with the Secretary a plan that is—

(A) developed by the State educational agency with timely and meaningful consultation with the Governor, members of the State legislature and State board of education (if the State has a State board of education), local educational agencies (including those located in rural areas), representatives of Indian tribes located in the State, teachers, principals, other school leaders, charter school leaders (if the State has charter schools), specialized instructional support personnel, paraprofessionals, administrators, other staff, and parents; and

(B) is coordinated with other programs under this chapter, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (20 U.S.C. 701 et seq.),1

1 So in original. Probably should be “(29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.),”.

the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.), the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.), the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.), the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.),2

2 So in original. Probably should be “9857 et seq.),”.

the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 9501 et seq.), the Education 3

3 So in original. Probably should be “Educational”.

Technical Assistance Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 9601 et. seq.), the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. 9621 et seq.), the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11301 et seq.), and the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (29 U.S.C. 3271 et seq.).

(2) Limitation

(3) Consolidated plan

(4) Peer review and Secretarial approval

(A) In generalThe Secretary shall—

(i) establish a peer-review process to assist in the review of State plans;

(ii) establish multidisciplinary peer-review teams and appoint members of such teams—(I) who are representative of—(aa) parents, teachers, principals, other school leaders, specialized instructional support personnel, State educational agencies, local educational agencies, and the community (including the business community); and(bb) researchers who are familiar with—(AA) the implementation of academic standards, assessments, or accountability systems; and(BB) how to meet the needs of disadvantaged students, children with disabilities, and English learners, the needs of low-performing schools, and other educational needs of students;(II) that include, to the extent practicable, majority representation of individuals who, in the most recent 2 years, have had practical experience in the classroom, school administration, or State or local government (such as direct employees of a school, local educational agency, or State educational agency); and(III) who represent a regionally diverse cross-section of States;

(iii) make available to the public, including by such means as posting to the Department’s website, the list of peer reviewers who have reviewed State plans under this section;

(iv) ensure that the peer-review teams consist of varied individuals so that the same peer reviewers are not reviewing all of the State plans;

(v) approve a State plan not later than 120 days after its submission, unless the Secretary meets the requirements of clause (vi);

(vi) have the authority to disapprove a State plan only if—(I) the Secretary—(aa) determines how the State plan fails to meet the requirements of this section;(bb) immediately provides to the State, in writing, notice of such determination, and the supporting information and rationale to substantiate such determination;(cc) offers the State an opportunity to revise and resubmit its State plan, and provides the State—(AA) technical assistance to assist the State in meeting the requirements of this section;(BB) in writing, all peer-review comments, suggestions, recommendations, or concerns relating to its State plan; and(CC) a hearing, unless the State declines the opportunity for such hearing; and(II) the State—(aa) does not revise and resubmit its State plan; or(bb) in a case in which a State revises and resubmits its State plan after a hearing is conducted under subclause (I)(cc)(CC), or after the State has declined the opportunity for such a hearing, the Secretary determines that such revised State plan does not meet the requirements of this section.

(B) Purpose of peer reviewThe peer-review process shall be designed to—

(i) maximize collaboration with each State;

(ii) promote effective implementation of the challenging State academic standards through State and local innovation; and

(iii) provide transparent, timely, and objective feedback to States designed to strengthen the technical and overall quality of the State plans.

(D) Prohibition

(5) Public reviewAll written communications, feedback, and notifications under this subsection shall be conducted in a manner that is transparent and immediately made available to the public on the Department’s website, including—

(A) plans submitted or resubmitted by a State;

(B) peer-review guidance, notes, and comments and the names of the peer reviewers (once the peer reviewers have completed their work);

(D) notices and transcripts of hearings under this section.

(6) Duration of the plan

(A) In generalEach State plan shall—

(i) remain in effect for the duration of the State’s participation under this part; and

(ii) be periodically reviewed and revised as necessary by the State educational agency to reflect changes in the State’s strategies and programs under this part.

(B) Additional information

(i) In general

(ii) Review of revised plans

(iii) Special rule for standards

(7) Failure to meet requirements

(8) Public comment

(b) Challenging academic standards and academic assessments

(1) Challenging State academic standards

(A) In general

(B) Same standardsExcept as provided in subparagraph (E), the standards required by subparagraph (A) shall—

(i) apply to all public schools and public school students in the State; and

(ii) with respect to academic achievement standards, include the same knowledge, skills, and levels of achievement expected of all public school students in the State.

(D) Alignment

(i) In general

(ii) Rule of construction

(E) Alternate academic achievement standards for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities

(i) In generalThe State may, through a documented and validated standards-setting process, adopt alternate academic achievement standards for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, provided those standards—(I) are aligned with the challenging State academic span standards under subparagraph (A);(II) promote access to the general education curriculum, consistent with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.);(III) reflect professional judgment as to the highest possible standards achievable by such students;(IV) are designated in the individualized education program developed under section 614(d)(3) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(3)) for each such student as the academic achievement standards that will be used for the student; and(V) are aligned to ensure that a student who meets the alternate academic achievement standards is on track to pursue postsecondary education or employment, consistent with the purposes of Public Law 93–112 [29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.], as in effect on July 22, 2014.

(ii) Prohibition on any other alternate or modified academic achievement standards

(F) English language proficiency standardsEach State plan shall demonstrate that the State has adopted English language proficiency standards that—

(i) are derived from the 4 recognized domains of speaking, listening, reading, and writing;

(ii) address the different proficiency levels of English learners; and

(iii) are aligned with the challenging State academic standards.

(G) Prohibitions

(i) Standards review or approval

(ii) Federal control

(H) Existing standards

(2) Academic assessments

(A) In general

(B) RequirementsThe assessments under subparagraph (A) shall—

(i) except as provided in subparagraph (D), be—(I) the same academic assessments used to measure the achievement of all public elementary school and secondary school students in the State; and(II) administered to all public elementary school and secondary school students in the State;

(ii) be aligned with the challenging State academic standards, and provide coherent and timely information about student attainment of such standards and whether the student is performing at the student’s grade level;

(iii) be used for purposes for which such assessments are valid and reliable, consistent with relevant, nationally recognized professional and technical testing standards, objectively measure academic achievement, knowledge, and skills, and be tests that do not evaluate or assess personal or family beliefs and attitudes, or publicly disclose personally identifiable information;

(iv) be of adequate technical quality for each purpose required under this chapter and consistent with the requirements of this section, the evidence of which shall be made public, including on the website of the State educational agency;

(v)(I) in the case of mathematics and reading or language arts, be administered—(aa) in each of grades 3 through 8; and(bb) at least once in grades 9 through 12;(II) in the case of science, be administered not less than one time during—(aa) grades 3 through 5;(bb) grades 6 through 9; and(cc) grades 10 through 12; and(III) in the case of any other subject chosen by the State, be administered at the discretion of the State;

(vi) involve multiple up-to-date measures of student academic achievement, including measures that assess higher-order thinking skills and understanding, which may include measures of student academic growth and may be partially delivered in the form of portfolios, projects, or extended performance tasks;

(vii) provide for—(I) the participation in such assessments of all students;(II) the appropriate accommodations, such as interoperability with, and ability to use, assistive technology, for children with disabilities (as defined in section 602(3) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1401(3))), including students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, and students with a disability who are provided accommodations under an Act other than the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.), necessary to measure the academic achievement of such children relative to the challenging State academic standards or alternate academic achievement standards described in paragraph (1)(E); and(III) the inclusion of English learners, who shall be assessed in a valid and reliable manner and provided appropriate accommodations on assessments administered to such students under this paragraph, including, to the extent practicable, assessments in the language and form most likely to yield accurate data on what such students know and can do in academic span areas, until such students have achieved English language proficiency, as determined under subparagraph (G);

(viii) at the State’s discretion—(I) be administered through a single summative assessment; or(II) be administered through multiple statewide interim assessments during the course of the academic year that result in a single summative score that provides valid, reliable, and transparent information on student achievement or growth;

(ix) notwithstanding clause (vii)(III), provide for assessments (using tests in English) of reading or language arts of any student who has attended school in the United States (not including the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico) for 3 or more consecutive school years, except that if the local educational agency determines, on a case-by-case individual basis, that academic assessments in another language or form would likely yield more accurate and reliable information on what such student knows and can do, the local educational agency may make a determination to assess such student in the appropriate language other than English for a period that does not exceed 2 additional consecutive years, provided that such student has not yet reached a level of English language proficiency sufficient to yield valid and reliable information on what such student knows and can do on tests (written in English) of reading or language arts;

(x) produce individual student interpretive, descriptive, and diagnostic reports, consistent with clause (iii), regarding achievement on such assessments that allow parents, teachers, principals, and other school leaders to understand and address the specific academic needs of students, and that are provided to parents, teachers, and school leaders, as soon as is practicable after the assessment is given, in an understandable and uniform format, and to the extent practicable, in a language that parents can understand;

(xi) enable results to be disaggregated within each State, local educational agency, and school by—(I) each major racial and ethnic group;(II) economically disadvantaged students as compared to students who are not economically disadvantaged;(III) children with disabilities as compared to children without disabilities;(IV) English proficiency status;(V) gender; and(VI) migrant status,

except that such disaggregation shall not be required in the case of a State, local educational agency, or a school in which the number of students in a subgroup is insufficient to yield statistically reliable information or the results would reveal personally identifiable information about an individual student;

(xii) enable itemized score analyses to be produced and reported, consistent with clause (iii), to local educational agencies and schools, so that parents, teachers, principals, other school leaders, and administrators can interpret and address the specific academic needs of students as indicated by the students’ achievement on assessment items; and

(xiii) be developed, to the extent practicable, using the principles of universal design for learning.

(C) Exception for advanced mathematics in middle schoolA State may exempt any 8th grade student from the assessment in mathematics described in subparagraph (B)(v)(I)(aa) if—

(i) such student takes the end-of-course assessment the State typically administers to meet the requirements of subparagraph (B)(v)(I)(bb) in mathematics;

(ii) such student’s achievement on such end-of-course assessment is used for purposes of subsection (c)(4)(B)(i), in lieu of such student’s achievement on the mathematics assessment required under subparagraph (B)(v)(I)(aa), and such student is counted as participating in the assessment for purposes of subsection (c)(4)(B)(vi); 4

4 So in original. No subsec. (c)(4)(B)(vi) has been enacted.

and

(iii) in high school, such student takes a mathematics assessment pursuant to subparagraph (B)(v)(I)(bb) that—(I) is any end-of-course assessment or other assessment that is more advanced than the assessment taken by such student under clause (i) of this subparagraph; and(II) shall be used to measure such student’s academic achievement for purposes of subsection (c)(4)(B)(i).

(D) Alternate assessments for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities

(i) Alternate assessments aligned with alternate academic achievement standardsA State may provide for alternate assessments aligned with the challenging State academic standards and alternate academic achievement standards described in paragraph (1)(E) for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, if the State—(I) consistent with clause (ii), ensures that, for each subject, the total number of students assessed in such subject using the alternate assessments does not exceed 1 percent of the total number of all students in the State who are assessed in such subject;(II) ensures that the parents of such students are clearly informed, as part of the process for developing the individualized education program (as defined in section 614(d)(1)(A) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(1)(A)))—(aa) that their child’s academic achievement will be measured based on such alternate standards; and(bb) how participation in such assessments may delay or otherwise affect the student from completing the requirements for a regular high school diploma;(III) promotes, consistent with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.), the involvement and progress of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities in the general education curriculum;(IV) describes in the State plan the steps the State has taken to incorporate universal design for learning, to the extent feasible, in alternate assessments;(V) describes in the State plan that general and special education teachers, and other appropriate staff—(aa) know how to administer the alternate assessments; and(bb) make appropriate use of accommodations for students with disabilities on all assessments required under this paragraph;(VI) develops, disseminates information on, and promotes the use of appropriate accommodations to increase the number of students with significant cognitive disabilities—(aa) participating in academic instruction and assessments for the grade level in which the student is enrolled; and(bb) who are tested based on challenging State academic standards for the grade level in which the student is enrolled; and(VII) does not preclude a student with the most significant cognitive disabilities who takes an alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards from attempting to complete the requirements for a regular high school diploma.

(ii) Special rules(I) Responsibility under IDEA(II) Prohibition on local cap(III) State support(IV) Waiver authority

(E) State authorityIf a State educational agency provides evidence, which is satisfactory to the Secretary, that neither the State educational agency nor any other State government official, agency, or entity has sufficient authority, under State law, to adopt challenging State academic standards, and academic assessments aligned with such standards, which will be applicable to all students enrolled in the State’s public elementary schools and secondary schools, then the State educational agency may meet the requirements of this subsection by—

(i) adopting academic standards and academic assessments that meet the requirements of this subsection, on a statewide basis, and limiting their applicability to students served under this part; or

(ii) adopting and implementing policies that ensure that each local educational agency in the State that receives grants under this part will adopt academic span and student academic achievement standards, and academic assessments aligned with such standards, which—(I) meet all of the criteria in this subsection and any regulations regarding such standards and assessments that the Secretary may publish; and(II) are applicable to all students served by each such local educational agency.

(F) Language assessments

(i) In general

(ii) Secretarial assistance

(G) Assessments of English language proficiency

(i) In general

(ii) Alignment

(H) Locally-selected assessment

(i) In general

(ii) State technical criteria

(iii) State approvalIf a State educational agency chooses to make a nationally-recognized high school assessment available for selection by a local educational agency under clause (i), which has not already been approved under this clause, such State educational agency shall—(I) conduct a review of the assessment to determine if such assessment meets or exceeds the technical criteria established by the State educational agency under clause (ii);(II) submit evidence in accordance with subsection (a)(4) that demonstrates such assessment meets the requirements of clause (v); and(III) after fulfilling the requirements of subclauses (I) and (II), approve such assessment for selection and use by any local educational agency that requests to use such assessment under clause (i).

(iv) Local educational agency option(I)(II) State educational agency

(v) RequirementsTo receive approval from the State educational agency under clause (iii), a locally-selected assessment shall—(I) be aligned to the State’s academic span standards under paragraph (1), address the depth and breadth of such standards, and be equivalent in its span coverage, difficulty, and quality to the State-designed assessments under this paragraph (and may be more rigorous in its span coverage and difficulty than such State-designed assessments);(II) provide comparable, valid, and reliable data on academic achievement, as compared to the State-designed assessments, for all students and for each subgroup of students defined in subsection (c)(2), with results expressed in terms consistent with the State’s academic achievement standards under paragraph (1), among all local educational agencies within the State;(III) meet the requirements for the assessments under subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, including technical criteria, except the requirement under clause (i) of such subparagraph; and(IV) provide unbiased, rational, and consistent differentiation between schools within the State to meet the requirements of subsection (c).

(vi) Parental notificationA local educational agency shall notify the parents of high school students served by the local educational agency—(I) of its request to the State educational agency for approval to administer a locally-selected assessment; and(II) upon approval, and at the beginning of each subsequent school year during which the locally selected assessment will be administered, that the local educational agency will be administering a different assessment than the State-designed assessments under subclause (I)(bb) and subclause (II)(cc) of subparagraph (B)(v).

(I) Deferral

(J) Adaptive assessments

(i) In generalSubject to clause (ii), a State retains the right to develop and administer computer adaptive assessments as the assessments described in this paragraph, provided the computer adaptive assessments meet the requirements of this paragraph, except that—(I) subparagraph (B)(i) shall not be interpreted to require that all students taking the computer adaptive assessment be administered the same assessment items; and(II) such assessment—(aa) shall measure, at a minimum, each student’s academic proficiency based on the challenging State academic standards for the student’s grade level and growth toward such standards; and(bb) may measure the student’s level of academic proficiency and growth using items above or below the student’s grade level, including for use as part of a State’s accountability system under subsection (c).

(ii) Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities and English learnersIn developing and administering computer adaptive assessments—(I) as the assessments allowed under subparagraph (D), a State shall ensure that such computer adaptive assessments—(aa) meet the requirements of this paragraph, including subparagraph (D), except such assessments shall not be required to meet the requirements of clause (i)(II); and(bb) assess the student’s academic achievement to measure, in the subject being assessed, whether the student is performing at the student’s grade level; and(II) as the assessments required under subparagraph (G), a State shall ensure that such computer adaptive assessments—(aa) meet the requirements of this paragraph, including subparagraph (G), except such assessment shall not be required to meet the requirements of clause (i)(II); and(bb) assess the student’s language proficiency, which may include growth towards such proficiency, in order to measure the student’s acquisition of English.

(K) Rule of construction on parent rights

(L) Limitation on assessment time

(3) Exception for recently arrived English learners

(A) AssessmentsWith respect to recently arrived English learners who have been enrolled in a school in one of the 50 States in the United States or the District of Columbia for less than 12 months, a State may choose to—

(i) exclude—(I) such an English learner from one administration of the reading or language arts assessment required under paragraph (2); and(II) such an English learner’s results on any of the assessments required under paragraph (2)(B)(v)(I) or (2)(G) for the first year of the English learner’s enrollment in such a school for the purposes of the State-determined accountability system under subsection (c); or

(ii)(I) assess, and report the performance of, such an English learner on the reading or language arts and mathematics assessments required under paragraph (2)(B)(v)(I) in each year of the student’s enrollment in such a school; and(II) for the purposes of the State-determined accountability system—(aa) for the first year of the student’s enrollment in such a school, exclude the results on the assessments described in subclause (I);(bb) include a measure of student growth on the assessments described in subclause (I) in the second year of the student’s enrollment in such a school; and(cc) include proficiency on the assessments described in subclause (I) in the third year of the student’s enrollment in such a school, and each succeeding year of such enrollment.

(B) English learner subgroup

(1) In general

(2) Subgroup of studentsIn this subsection and subsection (d), the term “subgroup of students” means—

(A) economically disadvantaged students;

(B) students from major racial and ethnic groups;

(D) English learners.

(3) Minimum number of studentsEach State shall describe—

(A) with respect to any provisions under this part that require disaggregation of information by each subgroup of students—

(i) the minimum number of students that the State determines are necessary to be included to carry out such requirements and how that number is statistically sound, which shall be the same State-determined number for all students and for each subgroup of students in the State;

(ii) how such minimum number of students was determined by the State, including how the State collaborated with teachers, principals, other school leaders, parents, and other stakeholders when determining such minimum number; and

(iii) how the State ensures that such minimum number is sufficient to not reveal any personally identifiable information.

(4) Description of systemThe statewide accountability system described in paragraph (1) shall be based on the challenging State academic standards for reading or language arts and mathematics described in subsection (b)(1) to improve student academic achievement and school success. In designing such system to meet the requirements of this part, the State shall carry out the following:

(A) Establishment of long-term goalsEstablish ambitious State-designed long-term goals, which shall include measurements of interim progress toward meeting such goals—

(i) for all students and separately for each subgroup of students in the State—(I) for, at a minimum, improved—(aa) academic achievement, as measured by proficiency on the annual assessments required under subsection (b)(2)(B)(v)(I); and(bb) high school graduation rates, including—(AA) the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate; and(BB) at the State’s discretion, the extended-year adjusted cohort graduation rate, except that the State shall set a more rigorous long-term goal for such graduation rate, as compared to the long-term goal set for the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate;(II) for which the term set by the State for such goals is the same multi-year length of time for all students and for each subgroup of students in the State; and(III) that, for subgroups of students who are behind on the measures described in items (aa) and (bb) of subclause (I), take into account the improvement necessary on such measures to make significant progress in closing statewide proficiency and graduation rate gaps; and

(ii) for English learners, for increases in the percentage of such students making progress in achieving English language proficiency, as defined by the State and measured by the assessments described in subsection (b)(2)(G), within a State-determined timeline.

(B) IndicatorsExcept for the indicator described in clause (iv), annually measure, for all students and separately for each subgroup of students, the following indicators:

(i) For all public schools in the State, based on the long-term goals established under subparagraph (A), academic achievement—(I) as measured by proficiency on the annual assessments required under subsection (b)(2)(B)(v)(I); and(II) at the State’s discretion, for each public high school in the State, student growth, as measured by such annual assessments.

(ii) For public elementary schools and secondary schools that are not high schools in the State—(I) a measure of student growth, if determined appropriate by the State; or(II) another valid and reliable statewide academic indicator that allows for meaningful differentiation in school performance.

(iii) For public high schools in the State, and based on State-designed long term goals established under subparagraph (A)—(I) the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate; and(II) at the State’s discretion, the extended-year adjusted cohort graduation rate.

(iv) For public schools in the State, progress in achieving English language proficiency, as defined by the State and measured by the assessments described in subsection (b)(2)(G), within a State-determined timeline for all English learners—(I) in each of the grades 3 through 8; and(II) in the grade for which such English learners are otherwise assessed under subsection (b)(2)(B)(v)(I) during the grade 9 through grade 12 period, with such progress being measured against the results of the assessments described in subsection (b)(2)(G) taken in the previous grade.

(v)(I) For all public schools in the State, not less than one indicator of school quality or student success that—(aa) allows for meaningful differentiation in school performance;(bb) is valid, reliable, comparable, and statewide (with the same indicator or indicators used for each grade span, as such term is determined by the State); and(cc) may include one or more of the measures described in subclause (II).(II) For purposes of subclause (I), the State may include measures of—(III)6

6 So in original. Designations (III) to (VIII) probably should be (aa) to (ff), respectively.

student engagement;(IV)6 educator engagement;(V)6 student access to and completion of advanced coursework;(VI)6 postsecondary readiness;(VII)6 school climate and safety; and(VIII)6 any other indicator the State chooses that meets the requirements of this clause.

(C) Annual meaningful differentiationEstablish a system of meaningfully differentiating, on an annual basis, all public schools in the State, which shall—

(i) be based on all indicators in the State’s accountability system under subparagraph (B), for all students and for each of 7

7 So in original. The word “of” probably should not appear.

subgroup of students, consistent with the requirements of such subparagraph;

(ii) with respect to the indicators described in clauses (i) through (iv) of subparagraph (B) afford—(I) substantial weight to each such indicator; and(II) in the aggregate, much greater weight than is afforded to the indicator or indicators utilized by the State and described in subparagraph (B)(v), in the aggregate; and

(iii) include differentiation of any such school in which any subgroup of students is consistently underperforming, as determined by the State, based on all indicators under subparagraph (B) and the system established under this subparagraph.

(D) Identification of schoolsBased on the system of meaningful differentiation described in subparagraph (C), establish a State-determined methodology to identify—

(i) beginning with school year 2017–2018, and at least once every three school years thereafter, one statewide category of schools for comprehensive support and improvement, as described in subsection (d)(1), which shall include—(I) not less than the lowest-performing 5 percent of all schools receiving funds under this part in the State;(II) all public high schools in the State failing to graduate one third or more of their students; and(III) public schools in the State described under subsection (d)(3)(A)(i)(II); and

(ii) at the discretion of the State, additional statewide categories of schools.

(E) Annual measurement of achievement

(i) Annually measure the achievement of not less than 95 percent of all students, and 95 percent of all students in each subgroup of students, who are enrolled in public schools on the assessments described under subsection (b)(2)(v)(I).

(ii) For the purpose of measuring, calculating, and reporting on the indicator described in subparagraph (B)(i), include in the denominator the greater of—(I) 95 percent of all such students, or 95 percent of all such students in the subgroup, as the case may be; or(II) the number of students participating in the assessments.

(iii) Provide a clear and understandable explanation of how the State will factor the requirement of clause (i) of this subparagraph into the statewide accountability system.

(F) Partial attendance

(i) In the case of a student who has not attended the same school within a local educational agency for at least half of a school year, the performance of such student on the indicators described in clauses (i), (ii), (iv), and (v) of subparagraph (B)—(I) may not be used in the system of meaningful differentiation of all public schools as described in subparagraph (C) for such school year; and(II) shall be used for the purpose of reporting on the State and local educational agency report cards under subsection (h) for such school year.

(ii) In the case of a high school student who has not attended the same school within a local educational agency for at least half of a school year and has exited high school without a regular high school diploma and without transferring to another high school that grants a regular high school diploma during such school year, the local educational agency shall, in order to calculate the graduation rate pursuant to subparagraph (B)(iii), assign such student to the high school—(I) at which such student was enrolled for the greatest proportion of school days while enrolled in grades 9 through 12; or(II) in which the student was most recently enrolled.

(5) Accountability for charter schools

(d) School support and improvement activities

(1) Comprehensive support and improvement

(A) In general

(B) Local educational agency actionUpon receiving such information from the State, the local educational agency shall, for each school identified by the State and in partnership with stakeholders (including principals and other school leaders, teachers, and parents), locally develop and implement a comprehensive support and improvement plan for the school to improve student outcomes, that—

(i) is informed by all indicators described in subsection (c)(4)(B), including student performance against State-determined long-term goals;

(ii) includes evidence-based interventions;

(iii) is based on a school-level needs assessment;

(iv) identifies resource inequities, which may include a review of local educational agency and school-level budgeting, to be addressed through implementation of such comprehensive support and improvement plan;

(v) is approved by the school, local educational agency, and State educational agency; and

(vi) upon approval and implementation, is monitored and periodically reviewed by the State educational agency.

(C) State educational agency discretionWith respect to any high school in the State identified under subsection (c)(4)(D)(i)(II), the State educational agency may—

(i) permit differentiated improvement activities that utilize evidence-based interventions in the case of such a school that predominantly serves students—(I) returning to education after having exited secondary school without a regular high school diploma; or(II) who, based on their grade or age, are significantly off track to accumulate sufficient academic credits to meet high school graduation requirements, as established by the State; and

(ii) in the case of such a school that has a total enrollment of less than 100 students, permit the local educational agency to forego implementation of improvement activities required under this paragraph.

(D) Public school choice

(i) In general

(ii) Priority

(iii) Treatment

(iv) Special rule

(v) Funding for transportation

(2) Targeted support and improvement

(A) In generalEach State educational agency receiving funds under this part shall, using the meaningful differentiation of schools described in subsection (c)(4)(C)—

(i) notify each local educational agency in the State of any school served by the local educational agency in which any subgroup of students is consistently underperforming, as described in subsection (c)(4)(C)(iii); and

(ii) ensure such local educational agency provides notification to such school with respect to which subgroup or subgroups of students in such school are consistently underperforming as described in subsection (c)(4)(C)(iii).

(B) Targeted support and improvement planEach school receiving a notification described in this paragraph, in partnership with stakeholders (including principals and other school leaders, teachers and parents), shall develop and implement a school-level targeted support and improvement plan to improve student outcomes based on the indicators in the statewide accountability system established under subsection (c)(4), for each subgroup of students that was the subject of notification that—

(i) is informed by all indicators described in subsection (c)(4)(B), including student performance against long-term goals;

(ii) includes evidence-based interventions;

(iii) is approved by the local educational agency prior to implementation of such plan;

(iv) is monitored, upon submission and implementation, by the local educational agency; and

(v) results in additional action following unsuccessful implementation of such plan after a number of years determined by the local educational agency.

(D) Special rule

(3) Continued support for school and local educational agency improvementTo ensure continued progress to improve student academic achievement and school success in the State, the State educational agency—

(A) shall—

(i) establish statewide exit criteria for—(I) schools identified by the State for comprehensive support and improvement under subsection (c)(4)(D)(i), which, if not satisfied within a State-determined number of years (not to exceed four years), shall result in more rigorous State-determined action, such as the implementation of interventions (which may include addressing school-level operations); and(II) schools described in paragraph (2)(C), which, if not satisfied within a State-determined number of years, shall, in the case of such schools receiving assistance under this part, result in identification of the school by the State for comprehensive support and improvement under subsection (c)(4)(D)(i)(III);

(ii) periodically review resource allocation to support school improvement in each local educational agency in the State serving—(I) a significant number of schools identified for comprehensive support and improvement under subsection (c)(4)(D)(i); and(II) a significant number of schools implementing targeted support and improvement plans under paragraph (2); and

(iii) provide technical assistance to each local educational agency in the State serving a significant number of—(I) schools implementing comprehensive support and improvement plans under paragraph (1); or(II) schools implementing targeted support and improvement plans under paragraph (2); and

(B) may—

(i) take action to initiate additional improvement in any local educational agency with—(I) a significant number of schools that are consistently identified by the State for comprehensive support and improvement under subsection (c)(4)(D)(i) and not meeting exit criteria established by the State under subparagraph (A)(i)(I); or(II) a significant number of schools implementing targeted support and improvement plans under paragraph (2); and

(ii) consistent with State law, establish alternative evidence-based State determined strategies that can be used by local educational agencies to assist a school identified for comprehensive support and improvement under subsection (c)(4)(D)(i).

(4) Rule of construction for collective bargaining

(e) Prohibition

(1) In generalNothing in this chapter shall be construed to authorize or permit the Secretary—

(A) when promulgating any rule or regulation, to promulgate any rule or regulation on the development or implementation of the statewide accountability system established under this section that would—

(i) add new requirements that are inconsistent with or outside the scope of this part;

(ii) add new criteria that are inconsistent with or outside the scope of this part; or

(iii) be in excess of statutory authority granted to the Secretary;

(B) as a condition of approval of the State plan, or revisions or amendments to, the State plan, or approval of a waiver request submitted under section 7861 of this title, to—

(i) require a State to add any requirements that are inconsistent with or outside the scope of this part;

(ii) require a State to add or delete one or more specific elements of the challenging State academic standards; or

(iii) prescribe—(I) numeric long-term goals or measurements of interim progress that States establish for all students, for any subgroups of students, and for English learners with respect to English language proficiency, under this part, including—(aa) the length of terms set by States in designing such goals; or(bb) the progress expected from any subgroups of students in meeting such goals;(II) specific academic assessments or assessment items that States or local educational agencies use to meet the requirements of subsection (b)(2) or otherwise use to measure student academic achievement or student growth under this part;(III) indicators that States use within the State accountability system under this section, including any requirement to measure student growth, or, if a State chooses to measure student growth, the specific metrics used to measure such growth under this part;(IV) the weight of any measure or indicator used to identify or meaningfully differentiate schools, under this part;(V) the specific methodology used by States to meaningfully differentiate or identify schools under this part;(VI) any specific school support and improvement strategies or activities that State or local educational agencies establish and implement to intervene in, support, and improve schools and improve student outcomes under this part;(VII) exit criteria established by States under subsection (d)(3)(A)(i);(VIII) provided that the State meets the requirements in subsection (c)(3), a minimum number of students established by a State under such subsection;(IX) any aspect or parameter of a teacher, principal, or other school leader evaluation system within a State or local educational agency;(X) indicators or specific measures of teacher, principal, or other school leader effectiveness or quality; or(XI) the way in which the State factors the requirement under subsection (c)(4)(E)(i) into the statewide accountability system under this section; or

(i) in seeking to provide explanation of requirements under this section for State or local educational agencies, either in response to requests for information or in anticipation of such requests, provides a strictly limited or exhaustive list to illustrate successful implementation of provisions under this section; or

(ii) purports to be legally binding; or

(D) to require data collection under this part beyond data derived from existing Federal, State, and local reporting requirements.

(2) Defining terms

(f) Existing State law

(g) Other plan provisions

(1) DescriptionsEach State plan shall describe—

(A) how the State will provide assistance to local educational agencies and individual elementary schools choosing to use funds under this part to support early childhood education programs;

(B) how low-income and minority children enrolled in schools assisted under this part are not served at disproportionate rates by ineffective, out-of-field, or inexperienced teachers, and the measures the State educational agency will use to evaluate and publicly report the progress of the State educational agency with respect to such description (except that nothing in this subparagraph shall be construed as requiring a State to develop or implement a teacher, principal, or other school leader evaluation system);

(C) how the State educational agency will support local educational agencies receiving assistance under this part to improve school conditions for student learning, including through reducing—

(i) incidences of bullying and harassment;

(ii) the overuse of discipline practices that remove students from the classroom; and

(iii) the use of aversive behavioral interventions that compromise student health and safety;

(D) how the State will support local educational agencies receiving assistance under this part in meeting the needs of students at all levels of schooling (particularly students in the middle grades and high school), including how the State will work with such local educational agencies to provide effective transitions of students to middle grades and high school to decrease the risk of students dropping out;

(E) the steps a State educational agency will take to ensure collaboration with the State agency responsible for administering the State plans under parts B and E of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 621 et seq. and 670 et seq.) to ensure the educational stability of children in foster care, including assurances that—

(i) any such child enrolls or remains in such child’s school of origin, unless a determination is made that it is not in such child’s best interest to attend the school of origin, which decision shall be based on all factors relating to the child’s best interest, including consideration of the appropriateness of the current educational setting and the proximity to the school in which the child is enrolled at the time of placement;

(ii) when a determination is made that it is not in such child’s best interest to remain in the school of origin, the child is immediately enrolled in a new school, even if the child is unable to produce records normally required for enrollment;

(iii) the enrolling school shall immediately contact the school last attended by any such child to obtain relevant academic and other records; and

(iv) the State educational agency will designate an employee to serve as a point of contact for child welfare agencies and to oversee implementation of the State agency responsibilities required under this subparagraph, and such point of contact shall not be the State’s Coordinator for Education of Homeless Children and Youths under section 722(d)(3) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11432(d)(3));

(F) how the State educational agency will provide support to local educational agencies in the identification, enrollment, attendance, and school stability of homeless children and youths; and

(G) such other factors the State educational agency determines appropriate to provide students an opportunity to achieve the knowledge and skills described in the challenging State academic standards.

(2) AssurancesEach State plan shall contain assurances that—

(A) the State will make public any methods or criteria the State is using to measure teacher, principal, or other school leader effectiveness for the purpose of meeting the requirements described in paragraph (1)(B);

(B) the State educational agency will notify local educational agencies, Indian tribes and tribal organizations, schools, teachers, parents, and the public of the challenging State academic standards, academic assessments, and State accountability system, developed under this section;

(C) the State educational agency will assist each local educational agency and school affected by the State plan to meet the requirements of this part;

(D) the State will participate in the biennial State academic assessments in reading and mathematics in grades 4 and 8 of the National Assessment of Educational Progress carried out under section 303(b)(3) of the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. 9622(b)(3)) if the Secretary pays the costs of administering such assessments;

(E) the State educational agency will modify or eliminate State fiscal and accounting barriers so that schools can easily consolidate funds from other Federal, State, and local sources to improve educational opportunities and reduce unnecessary fiscal and accounting requirements;

(F) the State educational agency will support the collection and dissemination to local educational agencies and schools of effective parent and family engagement strategies, including those included in the parent and family engagement policy under section 6318 of this title;

(G) the State educational agency will provide the least restrictive and burdensome regulations for local educational agencies and individual schools participating in a program assisted under this part;

(H) the State educational agency will ensure that local educational agencies, in developing and implementing programs under this part, will, to the extent feasible, work in consultation with outside intermediary organizations (such as educational service agencies), or individuals, that have practical expertise in the development or use of evidence-based strategies and programs to improve teaching, learning, and schools;

(I) the State educational agency has appropriate procedures and safeguards in place to ensure the validity of the assessment process;

(J) the State educational agency will ensure that all teachers and paraprofessionals working in a program supported with funds under this part meet applicable State certification and licensure requirements, including any requirements for certification obtained through alternative routes to certification;

(K) the State educational agency will coordinate activities funded under this part with other Federal activities as appropriate;

(L) the State educational agency has involved the committee of practitioners established under section 6573(b) of this title in developing the plan and monitoring its implementation;

(M) the State has professional standards for paraprofessionals working in a program supported with funds under this part, including qualifications that were in place on the day before December 10, 2015; and

(N) the State educational agency will provide the information described in clauses (ii), (iii), and (vii) of subsection (h)(1)(C) to the public in an easily accessible and user-friendly manner that can be cross-tabulated by, at a minimum, each major racial and ethnic group, gender, English proficiency status, and children with or without disabilities, which—

(i) may be accomplished by including such information on the annual State report card described subsection (h)(1)(C); and

(ii) shall be presented in a manner that—(I) is first anonymized and does not reveal personally identifiable information about an individual student;(II) does not include a number of students in any subgroup of students that is insufficient to yield statistically reliable information or that would reveal personally identifiable information about an individual student; and(III) is consistent with the requirements of section 1232g of this title (commonly known as the “Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974”).

(3) Rules of constructionNothing in paragraph (2)(N) shall be construed to—

(A) require groups of students obtained by any entity that cross-tabulates the information provided under such paragraph to be considered subgroups of students, as defined in subsection (c)(2), for the purposes of the State accountability system under subsection (c); or

(B) require or prohibit States or local educational agencies from publicly reporting data in a cross-tabulated manner, in order to meet the requirements of paragraph (2)(N).

(4) Technical assistanceUpon request by a State educational agency, the Secretary shall provide technical assistance to such agency to—

(A) meet the requirements of paragraph (2)(N); or

(B) in the case of a State educational agency choosing, at its sole discretion, to disaggregate data described in clauses (ii) and (iii)(II) of subsection (h)(1)(C) for Asian and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students using the same race response categories as the decennial census of the population, assist such State educational agency in such disaggregation and in using such data to improve academic outcomes for such students.

(h) Reports

(1) Annual State report card

(A) In general

(B) ImplementationThe State report card required under this paragraph shall be—

(i) concise;

(ii) presented in an understandable and uniform format that is developed in consultation with parents and, to the extent practicable, in a language that parents can understand; and

(iii) widely accessible to the public, which shall include making available on a single webpage of the State educational agency’s website, the State report card, all local educational agency report cards for each local educational agency in the State required under paragraph (2), and the annual report to the Secretary under paragraph (5).

(i) A clear and concise description of the State’s accountability system under subsection (c), including—(I) the minimum number of students that the State determines are necessary to be included in each of the subgroups of students, as defined in subsection (c)(2), for use in the accountability system;(II) the long-term goals and measurements of interim progress for all students and for each of the subgroups of students, as defined in subsection (c)(2);(III) the indicators described in subsection (c)(4)(B) used to meaningfully differentiate all public schools in the State;(IV) the State’s system for meaningfully differentiating all public schools in the State, including—(aa) the specific weight of the indicators described in subsection (c)(4)(B) in such differentiation;(bb) the methodology by which the State differentiates all such schools;(cc) the methodology by which the State differentiates a school as consistently underperforming for any subgroup of students described in section (c)(4)(C)(iii), including the time period used by the State to determine consistent underperformance; and(dd) the methodology by which the State identifies a school for comprehensive support and improvement as required under subsection (c)(4)(D)(i);(V) the number and names of all public schools in the State identified by the State for comprehensive support and improvement under subsection (c)(4)(D)(i) or implementing targeted support and improvement plans under subsection (d)(2); and(VI) the exit criteria established by the State as required under clause (i) of subsection (d)(3)(A), including the length of years established under clause (i)(II) of such subsection.

(ii) For all students and disaggregated by each subgroup of students described in subsection (b)(2)(B)(xi), homeless status, status as a child in foster care, and status as a student with a parent who is a member of the Armed Forces (as defined in section 101(a)(4) of title 10), information on student achievement on the academic assessments described in subsection (b)(2) at each level of achievement, as determined by the State under subsection (b)(1).

(iii) For all students and disaggregated by each of the subgroups of students, as defined in subsection (c)(2), and for purposes of subclause (II) of this clause, homeless status and status as a child in foster care—(I) information on the performance on the other academic indicator under subsection (c)(4)(B)(ii) for public elementary schools and secondary schools that are not high schools, used by the State in the State accountability system; and(II) high school graduation rates, including four-year adjusted cohort graduation rates and, at the State’s discretion, extended-year adjusted cohort graduation rates.

(iv) Information on the number and percentage of English learners achieving English language proficiency.

(v) For all students and disaggregated by each of the subgroups of students, as defined in subsection (c)(2), information on the performance on the other indicator or indicators of school quality or student success under subsection (c)(4)(B)(v) used by the State in the State accountability system.

(vi) Information on the progress of all students and each subgroup of students, as defined in subsection (c)(2), toward meeting the State-designed long term goals under subsection (c)(4)(A), including the progress of all students and each such subgroup of students against the State measurements of interim progress established under such subsection.

(vii) For all students and disaggregated by each subgroup of students described in subsection (b)(2)(B)(xi), the percentage of students assessed and not assessed.

(viii) Information submitted by the State educational agency and each local educational agency in the State, in accordance with data collection conducted pursuant to section 3413(c)(1) of this title, on—(I) measures of school quality, climate, and safety, including rates of in-school suspensions, out-of-school suspensions, expulsions, school-related arrests, referrals to law enforcement, chronic absenteeism (including both excused and unexcused absences), incidences of violence, including bullying and harassment; and(II) the number and percentage of students enrolled in—(aa) preschool programs; and(bb) accelerated coursework to earn postsecondary credit while still in high school, such as Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses and examinations, and dual or concurrent enrollment programs.

(ix) The professional qualifications of teachers in the State, including information (that shall be presented in the aggregate and disaggregated by high-poverty compared to low-poverty schools) on the number and percentage of—(I) inexperienced teachers, principals, and other school leaders;(II) teachers teaching with emergency or provisional credentials; and(III) teachers who are not teaching in the subject or field for which the teacher is certified or licensed.

(x) The per-pupil expenditures of Federal, State, and local funds, including actual personnel expenditures and actual nonpersonnel expenditures of Federal, State, and local funds, disaggregated by source of funds, for each local educational agency and each school in the State for the preceding fiscal year.

(xi) The number and percentages of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who take an alternate assessment under subsection (b)(2)(D), by grade and subject.

(xii) Results on the State academic assessments in reading and mathematics in grades 4 and 8 of the National Assessment of Educational Progress carried out under section 303(b)(3) of the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act (20 U.S.C. 9622(b)(3)), compared to the national average of such results.

(xiii) Where available, for each high school in the State, and beginning with the report card prepared under this paragraph for 2017, the cohort rate (in the aggregate, and disaggregated for each subgroup of students defined in subsection (c)(2)), at which students who graduate from the high school enroll, for the first academic year that begins after the students’ graduation—(I) in programs of public postsecondary education in the State; and(II) if data are available and to the extent practicable, in programs of private postsecondary education in the State or programs of postsecondary education outside the State.

(xiv) Any additional information that the State believes will best provide parents, students, and other members of the public with information regarding the progress of each of the State’s public elementary schools and secondary schools, which may include the number and percentage of students meeting State determined levels of performance for core indicators, as defined by section 113(b)(3)(A) of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2323(b)(3)(A)), and reported by States only in a manner consistent with section 113(b)(3)(C) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 2323(b)(3)(C)).

(D) Rules of constructionNothing in subparagraph (C)(viii) shall be construed as requiring—

(i) reporting of any data that are not collected in accordance with section 3413(c)(1) of this title; or

(ii) disaggregation of any data other than as required under subsection (b)(2)(B)(xi).

(2) Annual local educational agency report cards

(A) Preparation and dissemination

(B) ImplementationEach local educational agency report card shall be—

(i) concise;

(ii) presented in an understandable and uniform format, and to the extent practicable, in a language that parents can understand; and

(iii) accessible to the public, which shall include—(I) placing such report card on the website of the local educational agency; and(II) in any case in which a local educational agency does not operate a website, providing the information to the public in another manner determined by the local educational agency.

(C) Minimum requirementsThe State educational agency shall ensure that each local educational agency collects appropriate data and includes in the local educational agency’s annual report the information described in paragraph (1)(C), disaggregated in the same manner as required under such paragraph, except for clause (xii) of such paragraph, as applied to the local educational agency and each school served by the local educational agency, including—

(i) in the case of a local educational agency, information that shows how students served by the local educational agency achieved on the academic assessments described in subsection (b)(2) compared to students in the State as a whole;

(ii) in the case of a school, information that shows how the school’s students’ achievement on the academic assessments described in subsection (b)(2) compared to students served by the local educational agency and the State as a whole; and

(iii) any other information that the local educational agency determines is appropriate and will best provide parents, students, and other members of the public with information regarding the progress of each public school served by the local educational agency, whether or not such information is included in the annual State report card.

(D) Additional information

(3) Preexisting report cards

(4) Cost reduction

(5) Annual State report to the SecretaryEach State educational agency receiving assistance under this part shall report annually to the Secretary, and make widely available within the State—

(A) information on the achievement of students on the academic assessments required by subsection (b)(2), including the disaggregated results for the subgroups of students as defined in subsection (c)(2);

(B) information on the acquisition of English proficiency by English learners;

(i) identified for comprehensive support and improvement under subsection (c)(4)(D)(i); and

(ii) implementing targeted support and improvement plans under subsection (d)(2); and

(D) information on the professional qualifications of teachers in the State, including information on the number and the percentage of the following teachers:

(i) Inexperienced teachers.

(ii) Teachers teaching with emergency or provisional credentials.

(iii) Teachers who are not teaching in the subject or field for which the teacher is certified or licensed.

(6) Report to Congress

The Secretary shall transmit annually to the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a report that provides national and State-level data on the information collected under paragraph (5). Such report shall be submitted through electronic means only.

(i) Privacy

(1) In general

(2) Sufficiency

(3) Disaggregation

(j) Voluntary partnershipsA State retains the right to enter into a voluntary partnership with another State to develop and implement the challenging State academic standards and assessments required under this section, except that the Secretary shall not attempt to influence, incentivize, or coerce State—

(1) adoption of the Common Core State Standards developed under the Common Core State Standards Initiative or any other academic standards common to a significant number of States, or assessments tied to such standards; or

(2) participation in such partnerships.

(k) Special rule with respect to Bureau-funded schoolsIn determining the assessments to be used by each school operated or funded by the Bureau of Indian Education receiving funds under this part, the following shall apply until the requirements of section 7824(c) of this title have been met:

(1) Each such school that is accredited by the State in which it is operating shall use the assessments and other academic indicators the State has developed and implemented to meet the requirements of this section, or such other appropriate assessment and academic indicators as approved by the Secretary of the Interior.

(2) Each such school that is accredited by a regional accrediting organization (in consultation with and with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, and consistent with assessments and academic indicators adopted by other schools in the same State or region) shall adopt an appropriate assessment and other academic indicators that meet the requirements of this section.

(3) Each such school that is accredited by a tribal accrediting agency or tribal division of education shall use an assessment and other academic indicators developed by such agency or division, except that the Secretary of the Interior shall ensure that such assessment and academic indicators meet the requirements of this section.

(l) Construction

(Pub. L. 89–10, title I, § 1111, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title I, § 101, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1444; amended Pub. L. 107–279, title IV, § 404(d)(1), Nov. 5, 2002, 116 Stat. 1985; Pub. L. 108–446, title III, § 305(g)(1), Dec. 3, 2004, 118 Stat. 2805; Pub. L. 109–270, § 2(f)(1), Aug. 12, 2006, 120 Stat. 747; Pub. L. 114–95, title I, § 1005, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 1820; Pub. L. 115–224, title III, § 302(1), July 31, 2018, 132 Stat. 1623; Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title V, § 579, Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1407.)

§ 6312. Local educational agency plans

(a) Plans required

(1) SubgrantsA local educational agency may receive a subgrant under this part for any fiscal year only if such agency has on file with the State educational agency a plan, approved by the State educational agency, that—

(A) is developed with timely and meaningful consultation with teachers, principals, other school leaders, paraprofessionals, specialized instructional support personnel, charter school leaders (in a local educational agency that has charter schools), administrators (including administrators of programs described in other parts of this subchapter), other appropriate school personnel, and with parents of children in schools served under this part; and

(B) as appropriate, is coordinated with other programs under this chapter, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (20 U.S.C. 701 et seq.),1

1 So in original. Probably should be “(29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.),”.

the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.), the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.), the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.), the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11301 et seq.), the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (29 U.S.C. 3271 et seq.), and other Acts as appropriate.

(2) Consolidated application

(3) State approval

(A) In general

(B) ApprovalThe State educational agency shall approve a local educational agency’s plan only if the State educational agency determines that the local educational agency’s plan—

(i) provides that schools served under this part substantially help children served under this part meet the challenging State academic standards; and

(ii) meets the requirements of this section.

(4) Duration

(5) Review

(6) Rule of construction

(b) Plan provisionsTo ensure that all children receive a high-quality education, and to close the achievement gap between children meeting the challenging State academic standards and those children who are not meeting such standards, each local educational agency plan shall describe—

(1) how the local educational agency will monitor students’ progress in meeting the challenging State academic standards by—

(A) developing and implementing a well-rounded program of instruction to meet the academic needs of all students;

(B) identifying students who may be at risk for academic failure;

(C) providing additional educational assistance to individual students the local educational agency or school determines need help in meeting the challenging State academic standards; and

(D) identifying and implementing instructional and other strategies intended to strengthen academic programs and improve school conditions for student learning;

(2) how the local educational agency will identify and address, as required under State plans as described in section 6311(g)(1)(B) of this title, any disparities that result in low-income students and minority students being taught at higher rates than other students by ineffective, inexperienced, or out-of-field teachers;

(3) how the local educational agency will carry out its responsibilities under paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 6311(d) of this title;

(4) the poverty criteria that will be used to select school attendance areas under section 6313 of this title;

(5) in general, the nature of the programs to be conducted by such agency’s schools under sections 6314 and 6315 of this title and, where appropriate, educational services outside such schools for children living in local institutions for neglected or delinquent children, and for neglected and delinquent children in community day school programs;

(6) the services the local educational agency will provide homeless children and youths, including services provided with funds reserved under section 6313(c)(3)(A) of this title, to support the enrollment, attendance, and success of homeless children and youths, in coordination with the services the local educational agency is providing under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11301 et seq.);

(7) the strategy the local educational agency will use to implement effective parent and family engagement under section 6318 of this title;

(8) if applicable, how the local educational agency will support, coordinate, and integrate services provided under this part with early childhood education programs at the local educational agency or individual school level, including plans for the transition of participants in such programs to local elementary school programs;

(9) how teachers and school leaders, in consultation with parents, administrators, paraprofessionals, and specialized instructional support personnel, in schools operating a targeted assistance school program under section 6315 of this title, will identify the eligible children most in need of services under this part;

(10) how the local educational agency will implement strategies to facilitate effective transitions for students from middle grades to high school and from high school to postsecondary education including, if applicable—

(A) through coordination with institutions of higher education, employers, and other local partners; and

(B) through increased student access to early college high school or dual or concurrent enrollment opportunities, or career counseling to identify student interests and skills;

(11) how the local educational agency will support efforts to reduce the overuse of discipline practices that remove students from the classroom, which may include identifying and supporting schools with high rates of discipline, disaggregated by each of the subgroups of students, as defined in section 6311(c)(2) of this title;

(12) if determined appropriate by the local educational agency, how such agency will support programs that coordinate and integrate—

(A) academic and career and technical education span through coordinated instructional strategies, that may incorporate experiential learning opportunities and promote skills attainment important to in-demand occupations or industries in the State; and

(B) work-based learning opportunities that provide students in-depth interaction with industry professionals and, if appropriate, academic credit; and

(13) any other information on how the local educational agency proposes to use funds to meet the purposes of this part, and that the local educational agency determines appropriate to provide, which may include how the local educational agency will—

(A) assist schools in identifying and serving gifted and talented students; and

(B) assist schools in developing effective school library programs to provide students an opportunity to develop digital literacy skills and improve academic achievement.

(1) ensure that migratory children and formerly migratory children who are eligible to receive services under this part are selected to receive such services on the same basis as other children who are selected to receive services under this part;

(2) provide services to eligible children attending private elementary schools and secondary schools in accordance with section 6320 of this title, and timely and meaningful consultation with private school officials regarding such services;

(3) participate, if selected, in the National Assessment of Educational Progress in reading and mathematics in grades 4 and 8 carried out under section 9622(b)(3) of this title;

(4) coordinate and integrate services provided under this part with other educational services at the local educational agency or individual school level, such as services for English learners, children with disabilities, migratory children, American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children, and homeless children and youths, in order to increase program effectiveness, eliminate duplication, and reduce fragmentation of the instructional program;

(5) collaborate with the State or local child welfare agency to—

(A) designate a point of contact if the corresponding child welfare agency notifies the local educational agency, in writing, that the agency has designated an employee to serve as a point of contact for the local educational agency; and

(B) by not later than 1 year after December 10, 2015, develop and implement clear written procedures governing how transportation to maintain children in foster care in their school of origin when in their best interest will be provided, arranged, and funded for the duration of the time in foster care, which procedures shall—

(i) ensure that children in foster care needing transportation to the school of origin will promptly receive transportation in a cost-effective manner and in accordance with section 675(4)(A) of title 42; and

(ii) ensure that, if there are additional costs incurred in providing transportation to maintain children in foster care in their schools of origin, the local educational agency will provide transportation to the school of origin if—(I) the local child welfare agency agrees to reimburse the local educational agency for the cost of such transportation;(II) the local educational agency agrees to pay for the cost of such transportation; or(III) the local educational agency and the local child welfare agency agree to share the cost of such transportation; and 2

2 So in original. The word “and” probably should not appear.

(6) ensure that all teachers and paraprofessionals working in a program supported with funds under this part meet applicable State certification and licensure requirements, including any requirements for certification obtained through alternative routes to certification; and

(7) in the case of a local educational agency that chooses to use funds under this part to provide early childhood education services to low-income children below the age of compulsory school attendance, ensure that such services comply with the performance standards established under section 641A(a) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9836a(a)).

(d) Special ruleFor local educational agencies using funds under this part for the purposes described in subsection (c)(7), the Secretary shall—

(1) consult with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and establish procedures (taking into consideration existing State and local laws, and local teacher contracts) to assist local educational agencies to comply with such subsection; and

(2) disseminate to local educational agencies the education performance standards in effect under section 641A(a) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9836a(a)), and such agencies affected by such subsection (c)(7) shall plan to comply with such subsection (taking into consideration existing State and local laws, and local teacher contracts), including by pursuing the availability of other Federal, State, and local funding sources to assist with such compliance.

(e) Parents right-to-know

(1) Information for parents

(A) In generalAt the beginning of each school year, a local educational agency that receives funds under this part shall notify the parents of each student attending any school receiving funds under this part that the parents may request, and the agency will provide the parents on request (and in a timely manner), information regarding the professional qualifications of the student’s classroom teachers, including at a minimum, the following:

(i) Whether the student’s teacher—(I) has met State qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction;(II) is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which State qualification or licensing criteria have been waived; and(III) is teaching in the field of discipline of the certification of the teacher.

(ii) Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

(B) Additional informationIn addition to the information that parents may request under subparagraph (A), a school that receives funds under this part shall provide to each individual parent of a child who is a student in such school, with respect to such student—

(i) information on the level of achievement and academic growth of the student, if applicable and available, on each of the State academic assessments required under this part; and

(ii) timely notice that the student has been assigned, or has been taught for 4 or more consecutive weeks by, a teacher who does not meet applicable State certification or licensure requirements at the grade level and subject area in which the teacher has been assigned.

(2) Testing transparency

(A) In general

(B) Additional informationSubject to subparagraph (C), each local educational agency that receives funds under this part shall make widely available through public means (including by posting in a clear and easily accessible manner on the local educational agency’s website and, where practicable, on the website of each school served by the local educational agency) for each grade served by the local educational agency, information on each assessment required by the State to comply with section 6311 of this title, other assessments required by the State, and where such information is available and feasible to report, assessments required districtwide by the local educational agency, including—

(i) the subject matter assessed;

(ii) the purpose for which the assessment is designed and used;

(iii) the source of the requirement for the assessment; and

(iv) where such information is available—(I) the amount of time students will spend taking the assessment, and the schedule for the assessment; and(II) the time and format for disseminating results.

(3) Language instruction

(A) NoticeEach local educational agency using funds under this part or subchapter III to provide a language instruction educational program as determined under subchapter III shall, not later than 30 days after the beginning of the school year, inform parents of an English learner identified for participation or participating in such a program, of—

(i) the reasons for the identification of their child as an English learner and in need of placement in a language instruction educational program;

(ii) the child’s level of English proficiency, how such level was assessed, and the status of the child’s academic achievement;

(iii) the methods of instruction used in the program in which their child is, or will be, participating and the methods of instruction used in other available programs, including how such programs differ in span, instructional goals, and the use of English and a native language in instruction;

(iv) how the program in which their child is, or will be, participating will meet the educational strengths and needs of their child;

(v) how such program will specifically help their child learn English and meet age-appropriate academic achievement standards for grade promotion and graduation;

(vi) the specific exit requirements for the program, including the expected rate of transition from such program into classrooms that are not tailored for English learners, and the expected rate of graduation from high school (including four-year adjusted cohort graduation rates and extended-year adjusted cohort graduation rates for such program) if funds under this part are used for children in high schools;

(vii) in the case of a child with a disability, how such program meets the objectives of the individualized education program of the child, as described in section 614(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1414(d)); and

(viii) information pertaining to parental rights that includes written guidance—(I) detailing the right that parents have to have their child immediately removed from such program upon their request;(II) detailing the options that parents have to decline to enroll their child in such program or to choose another program or method of instruction, if available; and(III) assisting parents in selecting among various programs and methods of instruction, if more than 1 program or method is offered by the eligible entity.

(B) Special rule applicable during the school year

(i) In generalEach local educational agency receiving funds under this part shall implement an effective means of outreach to parents of English learners to inform the parents regarding how the parents can—(I) be involved in the education of their children; and(II) be active participants in assisting their children to—(aa) attain English proficiency;(bb) achieve at high levels within a well-rounded education; and(cc) meet the challenging State academic standards expected of all students.

(ii) Regular meetings

(D) Basis for admission or exclusion

(4) Notice and format

(Pub. L. 89–10, title I, § 1112, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title I, § 101, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1462; amended Pub. L. 107–279, title IV, § 404(d)(2), Nov. 5, 2002, 116 Stat. 1985; Pub. L. 109–270, § 2(f)(2), Aug. 12, 2006, 120 Stat. 747; Pub. L. 110–134, § 29(a), Dec. 12, 2007, 121 Stat. 1448; Pub. L. 114–95, title I, § 1006, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 1852.)

§ 6313. Eligible school attendance areas

(a) Determination

(1) In general

(2) Eligible school attendance areasFor the purposes of this part—

(A) the term “school attendance area” means, in relation to a particular school, the geographical area in which the children who are normally served by that school reside; and

(B) the term “eligible school attendance area” means a school attendance area in which the percentage of children from low-income families is at least as high as the percentage of children from low-income families served by the local educational agency as a whole.

(3) Ranking order

(A) RankingExcept as provided in subparagraph (B), if funds allocated in accordance with subsection (c) are insufficient to serve all eligible school attendance areas, a local educational agency shall—

(i) annually rank, without regard to grade spans, such agency’s eligible school attendance areas in which the concentration of children from low-income families exceeds 75 percent from highest to lowest according to the percentage of children from low-income families; and

(ii) serve such eligible school attendance areas in rank order.

(B) Exception

(4) Remaining fundsIf funds remain after serving all eligible school attendance areas under paragraph (3), a local educational agency shall—

(A) annually rank such agency’s remaining eligible school attendance areas from highest to lowest either by grade span or for the entire local educational agency according to the percentage of children from low-income families; and

(B) serve such eligible school attendance areas in rank order either within each grade-span grouping or within the local educational agency as a whole.

(5) Measures

(A) In generalExcept as provided in subparagraph (B), a local educational agency shall use the same measure of poverty, which measure shall be the number of children aged 5 through 17 in poverty counted in the most recent census data approved by the Secretary, the number of children eligible for a free or reduced price lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.), the number of children in families receiving assistance under the State program funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.], or the number of children eligible to receive medical assistance under the Medicaid Program, or a composite of such indicators, with respect to all school attendance areas in the local educational agency—

(i) to identify eligible school attendance areas;

(ii) to determine the ranking of each area; and

(iii) to determine allocations under subsection (c).

(B) Secondary schoolsFor measuring the number of students in low-income families in secondary schools, the local educational agency shall use the same measure of poverty, which shall be—

(i) the measure described under subparagraph (A); or

(ii) subject to meeting the conditions of subparagraph (C), an accurate estimate of the number of students in low-income families in a secondary school that is calculated by applying the average percentage of students in low-income families of the elementary school attendance areas as calculated under subparagraph (A) that feed into the secondary school to the number of students enrolled in such school.

(C) Measure of povertyThe local educational agency shall have the option to use the measure of poverty described in subparagraph (B)(ii) after—

(i) conducting outreach to secondary schools within such agency to inform such schools of the option to use such measure; and

(ii) a majority of such schools have approved the use of such measure.

(6) Exception

(7) Waiver for desegregation plansThe Secretary may approve a local educational agency’s written request for a waiver of the requirements of subsections (a) and (c), and permit such agency to treat as eligible, and serve, any school that children attend with a State-ordered, court-ordered school desegregation plan or a plan that continues to be implemented in accordance with a State-ordered or court-ordered desegregation plan, if—

(A) the number of economically disadvantaged children enrolled in the school is at least 25 percent of the school’s total enrollment; and

(B) the Secretary determines on the basis of a written request from such agency and in accordance with such criteria as the Secretary establishes, that approval of that request would further the purposes of this part.

(b) Local educational agency discretion

(1) In generalNotwithstanding subsection (a)(2), a local educational agency may—

(A) designate as eligible any school attendance area or school in which at least 35 percent of the children are from low-income families;

(B) use funds received under this part in a school that is not in an eligible school attendance area, if the percentage of children from low-income families enrolled in the school is equal to or greater than the percentage of such children in a participating school attendance area of such agency;

(C) designate and serve a school attendance area or school that is not eligible under this section, but that was eligible and that was served in the preceding fiscal year, but only for 1 additional fiscal year; and

(D) elect not to serve an eligible school attendance area or eligible school that has a higher percentage of children from low-income families if—

(i) the school meets the comparability requirements of section 6321(c) of this title;

(ii) the school is receiving supplemental funds from other State or local sources that are spent according to the requirements of section 6314 or 6315 of this title; and

(iii) the funds expended from such other sources equal or exceed the amount that would be provided under this part.

(2) Special rule

(1) In general

(2) Special rule

(A) In general

(B) Exception

(3) Reservation of funds

(A) In generalA local educational agency shall reserve such funds as are necessary under this part, determined in accordance with subparagraphs (B) and (C), to provide services comparable to those provided to children in schools funded under this part to serve—

(i) homeless children and youths, including providing educationally related support services to children in shelters and other locations where children may live;

(ii) children in local institutions for neglected children; and

(iii) if appropriate, children in local institutions for delinquent children, and neglected or delinquent children in community day programs.

(B) Method of determinationThe share of funds determined under subparagraph (A) shall be determined—

(i) based on the total allocation received by the local educational agency; and

(ii) prior to any allowable expenditures or transfers by the local educational agency.

(i) determined based on a needs assessment of homeless children and youths in the local educational agency, taking into consideration the number and needs of homeless children and youths in the local educational agency, and which needs assessment may be the same needs assessment as conducted under section 11433(b)(1) of title 42; and

(ii) used to provide homeless children and youths with services not ordinarily provided to other students under this part, including providing—(I) funding for the liaison designated pursuant to section 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii) of title 42; and(II) transportation pursuant to section 11432(g)(1)(J)(iii) of such title.

(4) Financial incentives and rewards reservation

(5) Early childhood education

(Pub. L. 89–10, title I, § 1113, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title I, § 101, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1469; amended Pub. L. 114–95, title I, § 1007, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 1859.)

§ 6314. Schoolwide programs

(a) In general

(1) Use of funds for schoolwide programs

(A) Eligibility

(B) Exception

(2) Identification of students not required

(A) In generalNo school participating in a schoolwide program shall be required to identify—

(i) particular children under this part as eligible to participate in a schoolwide program; or

(ii) individual services as supplementary.

(B) Supplemental funds

(3) Exemption from statutory and regulatory requirements

(A) Exemption

(B) Requirements

(b) Schoolwide program planAn eligible school operating a schoolwide program shall develop a comprehensive plan (or amend a plan for such a program that was in existence on the day before December 10, 2015) that—

(1) is developed during a 1-year period, unless—

(A) the local educational agency determines, in consultation with the school, that less time is needed to develop and implement the schoolwide program; or

(B) the school is operating a schoolwide program on the day before December 10, 2015, in which case such school may continue to operate such program, but shall develop amendments to its existing plan during the first year of assistance after that date to reflect the provisions of this section;

(2) is developed with the involvement of parents and other members of the community to be served and individuals who will carry out such plan, including teachers, principals, other school leaders, paraprofessionals present in the school, administrators (including administrators of programs described in other parts of this subchapter), the local educational agency, to the extent feasible, tribes and tribal organizations present in the community, and, if appropriate, specialized instructional support personnel, technical assistance providers, school staff, if the plan relates to a secondary school, students, and other individuals determined by the school;

(3) remains in effect for the duration of the school’s participation under this part, except that the plan and its implementation shall be regularly monitored and revised as necessary based on student needs to ensure that all students are provided opportunities to meet the challenging State academic standards;

(4) is available to the local educational agency, parents, and the public, and the information contained in such plan shall be in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, provided in a language that the parents can understand; and

(5) if appropriate and applicable, is developed in coordination and integration with other Federal, State, and local services, resources, and programs, such as programs supported under this chapter, violence prevention programs, nutrition programs, housing programs, Head Start programs, adult education programs, career and technical education programs, and schools implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities or targeted support and improvement activities under section 6311(d) of this title;

(6) is based on a comprehensive needs assessment of the entire school that takes into account information on the academic achievement of children in relation to the challenging State academic standards, particularly the needs of those children who are failing, or are at-risk of failing, to meet the challenging State academic standards and any other factors as determined by the local educational agency; and

(7) includes a description of—

(A) the strategies that the school will be implementing to address school needs, including a description of how such strategies will—

(i) provide opportunities for all children, including each of the subgroups of students (as defined in section 6311(c)(2) of this title) to meet the challenging State academic standards;

(ii) use methods and instructional strategies that strengthen the academic program in the school, increase the amount and quality of learning time, and help provide an enriched and accelerated curriculum, which may include programs, activities, and courses necessary to provide a well-rounded education; and

(iii) address the needs of all children in the school, but particularly the needs of those at risk of not meeting the challenging State academic standards, through activities which may include—(I) counseling, school-based mental health programs, specialized instructional support services, mentoring services, and other strategies to improve students’ skills outside the academic subject areas;(II) preparation for and awareness of opportunities for postsecondary education and the workforce, which may include career and technical education programs and broadening secondary school students’ access to coursework to earn postsecondary credit while still in high school (such as Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, dual or concurrent enrollment, or early college high schools);(III) implementation of a schoolwide tiered model to prevent and address problem behavior, and early intervening services, coordinated with similar activities and services carried out under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.);(IV) professional development and other activities for teachers, paraprofessionals, and other school personnel to improve instruction and use of data from academic assessments, and to recruit and retain effective teachers, particularly in high-need subjects; and(V) strategies for assisting preschool children in the transition from early childhood education programs to local elementary school programs; and

(B) if programs are consolidated, the specific State educational agency and local educational agency programs and other Federal programs that will be consolidated in the schoolwide program.

(d) Delivery of services

(e) Use of funds for dual or concurrent enrollment programs

(1) In general

(2) Flexibility of fundsA secondary school using funds received under this part for a dual or concurrent enrollment program described in paragraph (1) may use such funds for any of the costs associated with such program, including the costs of—

(A) training for teachers, and joint professional development for teachers in collaboration with career and technical educators and educators from institutions of higher education, where appropriate, for the purpose of integrating rigorous academics in such program;

(B) tuition and fees, books, required instructional materials for such program, and innovative delivery methods; and

(3) Rule of construction

(Pub. L. 89–10, title I, § 1114, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title I, § 101, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1471; amended Pub. L. 109–270, § 2(f)(3), Aug. 12, 2006, 120 Stat. 747; Pub. L. 114–95, title I, § 1008, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 1862.)

§ 6315. Targeted assistance schools

(a) In general

(b) Targeted assistance school programTo assist targeted assistance schools and local educational agencies to meet their responsibility to provide for all their students served under this part the opportunity to meet the challenging State academic standards, each targeted assistance program under this section shall—

(1) determine which students will be served;

(2) serve participating students identified as eligible children under subsection (c), including by—

(A) using resources under this part to help eligible children meet the challenging State academic standards, which may include programs, activities, and academic courses necessary to provide a well-rounded education;

(B) using methods and instructional strategies to strengthen the academic program of the school through activities, which may include—

(i) expanded learning time, before- and after-school programs, and summer programs and opportunities; and

(ii) a schoolwide tiered model to prevent and address behavior problems, and early intervening services, coordinated with similar activities and services carried out under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.);

(C) coordinating with and supporting the regular education program, which may include services to assist preschool children in the transition from early childhood education programs such as Head Start, the literacy program under subpart 2 of part B of subchapter II, or State-run preschool programs to elementary school programs;

(D) providing professional development with resources provided under this part, and, to the extent practicable, from other sources, to teachers, principals, other school leaders, paraprofessionals, and, if appropriate, specialized instructional support personnel, and other school personnel who work with eligible children in programs under this section or in the regular education program;

(E) implementing strategies to increase the involvement of parents of eligible children in accordance with section 6318 of this title; and 1

1 So in original. The word “and” probably should not appear.

(F) if appropriate and applicable, coordinating and integrating Federal, State, and local services and programs, such as programs supported under this chapter, violence prevention programs, nutrition programs, housing programs, Head Start programs, adult education programs, career and technical education programs, and comprehensive support and improvement activities or targeted support and improvement activities under section 6311(d) of this title; and

(G) provide 2

2 So in original. Probably should be “providing”.

to the local educational agency assurances that the school will—

(i) help provide an accelerated, high-quality curriculum;

(ii) minimize the removal of children from the regular classroom during regular school hours for instruction provided under this part; and

(iii) on an ongoing basis, review the progress of eligible children and revise the targeted assistance program under this section, if necessary, to provide additional assistance to enable such children to meet the challenging State academic standards.

(1) Eligible population

(A) In generalThe eligible population for services under this section is—

(i) children not older than age 21 who are entitled to a free public education through grade 12; and

(ii) children who are not yet at a grade level at which the local educational agency provides a free public education.

(B) Eligible children from eligible population

(2) Children included

(A) In general

(B) Head Start and preschool children

(D) Neglected or delinquent children

(E) Homeless children

(3) Special rule

(d) Integration of professional developmentTo promote the integration of staff supported with funds under this part into the regular school program and overall school planning and improvement efforts, public school personnel who are paid with funds received under this part may—

(1) participate in general professional development and school planning activities; and

(2) assume limited duties that are assigned to similar personnel who are not so paid, including duties beyond classroom instruction or that do not benefit participating children, so long as the amount of time spent on such duties is the same proportion of total work time as prevails with respect to similar personnel at the same school.

(e) Special rules

(1) Simultaneous service

(2) Comprehensive servicesIf—

(A) health, nutrition, and other social services are not otherwise available to eligible children in a targeted assistance school and such school, if appropriate, has engaged in a comprehensive needs assessment and established a collaborative partnership with local service providers; and

(B) funds are not reasonably available from other public or private sources to provide such services, then a portion of the funds provided under this part may be used as a last resort to provide such services, including—

(i) the provision of basic medical equipment, such as eyeglasses and hearing aids;

(ii) compensation of a coordinator;

(iii) family support and engagement services;

(iv) integrated student supports; and

(v) professional development necessary to assist teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, other staff, and parents in identifying and meeting the comprehensive needs of eligible children.

(f) Use of funds for dual or concurrent enrollment programs

(g) Prohibition

(h) Delivery of services

(Pub. L. 89–10, title I, § 1115, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title I, § 101, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1475; amended Pub. L. 114–95, title I, § 1009, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 1865.)

§§ 6316, 6317. Repealed. Pub. L. 114–95, title I, § 1000(1), Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 1814

§ 6318. Parent and family engagement

(a) Local educational agency policy

(1) In general

(2) Written policyEach local educational agency that receives funds under this part shall develop jointly with, agree on with, and distribute to, parents and family members of participating children a written parent and family engagement policy. The policy shall be incorporated into the local educational agency’s plan developed under section 6312 of this title, establish the agency’s expectations and objectives for meaningful parent and family involvement, and describe how the agency will—

(A) involve parents and family members in jointly developing the local educational agency plan under section 6312 of this title, and the development of support and improvement plans under paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 6311(d) of this title.

(B) provide the coordination, technical assistance, and other support necessary to assist and build the capacity of all participating schools within the local educational agency in planning and implementing effective parent and family involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance, which may include meaningful consultation with employers, business leaders, and philanthropic organizations, or individuals with expertise in effectively engaging parents and family members in education;

(C) coordinate and integrate parent and family engagement strategies under this part with parent and family engagement strategies, to the extent feasible and appropriate, with other relevant Federal, State, and local laws and programs;

(D) conduct, with the meaningful involvement of parents and family members, an annual evaluation of the span and effectiveness of the parent and family engagement policy in improving the academic quality of all schools served under this part, including identifying—

(i) barriers to greater participation by parents in activities authorized by this section (with particular attention to parents who are economically disadvantaged, are disabled, have limited English proficiency, have limited literacy, or are of any racial or ethnic minority background);

(ii) the needs of parents and family members to assist with the learning of their children, including engaging with school personnel and teachers; and

(iii) strategies to support successful school and family interactions;

(E) use the findings of such evaluation in subparagraph (D) to design evidence-based strategies for more effective parental involvement, and to revise, if necessary, the parent and family engagement policies described in this section; and

(F) involve parents in the activities of the schools served under this part, which may include establishing a parent advisory board comprised of a sufficient number and representative group of parents or family members served by the local educational agency to adequately represent the needs of the population served by such agency for the purposes of developing, revising, and reviewing the parent and family engagement policy.

(3) Reservation

(A) In general

(B) Parent and family member input

(D) Use of fundsFunds reserved under subparagraph (A) by a local educational agency shall be used to carry out activities and strategies consistent with the local educational agency’s parent and family engagement policy, including not less than 1 of the following:

(i) Supporting schools and nonprofit organizations in providing professional development for local educational agency and school personnel regarding parent and family engagement strategies, which may be provided jointly to teachers, principals, other school leaders, specialized instructional support personnel, paraprofessionals, early childhood educators, and parents and family members.

(ii) Supporting programs that reach parents and family members at home, in the community, and at school.

(iii) Disseminating information on best practices focused on parent and family engagement, especially best practices for increasing the engagement of economically disadvantaged parents and family members.

(iv) Collaborating, or providing subgrants to schools to enable such schools to collaborate, with community-based or other organizations or employers with a record of success in improving and increasing parent and family engagement.

(v) Engaging in any other activities and strategies that the local educational agency determines are appropriate and consistent with such agency’s parent and family engagement policy.

(b) School parent and family engagement policy

(1) In general

(2) Special rule

(3) Amendment

(4) Parental comments

(1) convene an annual meeting, at a convenient time, to which all parents of participating children shall be invited and encouraged to attend, to inform parents of their school’s participation under this part and to explain the requirements of this part, and the right of the parents to be involved;

(2) offer a flexible number of meetings, such as meetings in the morning or evening, and may provide, with funds provided under this part, transportation, child care, or home visits, as such services relate to parental involvement;

(3) involve parents, in an organized, ongoing, and timely way, in the planning, review, and improvement of programs under this part, including the planning, review, and improvement of the school parent and family engagement policy and the joint development of the schoolwide program plan under section 6314(b) of this title, except that if a school has in place a process for involving parents in the joint planning and design of the school’s programs, the school may use that process, if such process includes an adequate representation of parents of participating children;

(4) provide parents of participating children—

(A) timely information about programs under this part;

(B) a description and explanation of the curriculum in use at the school, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the achievement levels of the challenging State academic standards; and

(C) if requested by parents, opportunities for regular meetings to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children, and respond to any such suggestions as soon as practicably possible; and

(5) if the schoolwide program plan under section 6314(b) of this title is not satisfactory to the parents of participating children, submit any parent comments on the plan when the school makes the plan available to the local educational agency.

(d) Shared responsibilities for high student academic achievementAs a component of the school-level parent and family engagement policy developed under subsection (b), each school served under this part shall jointly develop with parents for all children served under this part a school-parent compact that outlines how parents, the entire school staff, and students will share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement and the means by which the school and parents will build and develop a partnership to help children achieve the State’s high standards. Such compact shall—

(1) describe the school’s responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables the children served under this part to meet the challenging State academic standards, and the ways in which each parent will be responsible for supporting their children’s learning; volunteering in their child’s classroom; and participating, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children and positive use of extracurricular time; and

(2) address the importance of communication between teachers and parents on an ongoing basis through, at a minimum—

(A) parent-teacher conferences in elementary schools, at least annually, during which the compact shall be discussed as the compact relates to the individual child’s achievement;

(B) frequent reports to parents on their children’s progress;

(C) reasonable access to staff, opportunities to volunteer and participate in their child’s class, and observation of classroom activities; and

(D) ensuring regular two-way, meaningful communication between family members and school staff, and, to the extent practicable, in a language that family members can understand.

(e)To ensure effective involvement of parents and to support a partnership among the school involved, parents, and the community to improve student academic achievement, each school and local educational agency assisted under this part—

(1) shall provide assistance to parents of children served by the school or local educational agency, as appropriate, in understanding such topics as the challenging State academic standards, State and local academic assessments, the requirements of this part, and how to monitor a child’s progress and work with educators to improve the achievement of their children;

(2) shall provide materials and training to help parents to work with their children to improve their children’s achievement, such as literacy training and using technology (including education about the harms of copyright piracy), as appropriate, to foster parental involvement;

(3) shall educate teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, principals, and other school leaders, and other staff, with the assistance of parents, in the value and utility of contributions of parents, and in how to reach out to, communicate with, and work with parents as equal partners, implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between parents and the school;

(4) shall, to the extent feasible and appropriate, coordinate and integrate parent involvement programs and activities with other Federal, State, and local programs, including public preschool programs, and conduct other activities, such as parent resource centers, that encourage and support parents in more fully participating in the education of their children;

(5) shall ensure that information related to school and parent programs, meetings, and other activities is sent to the parents of participating children in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand;

(6) may involve parents in the development of training for teachers, principals, and other educators to improve the effectiveness of such training;

(7) may provide necessary literacy training from funds received under this part if the local educational agency has exhausted all other reasonably available sources of funding for such training;

(8) may pay reasonable and necessary expenses associated with local parental involvement activities, including transportation and child care costs, to enable parents to participate in school-related meetings and training sessions;

(9) may train parents to enhance the involvement of other parents;

(10) may arrange school meetings at a variety of times, or conduct in-home conferences between teachers or other educators, who work directly with participating children, with parents who are unable to attend such conferences at school, in order to maximize parental involvement and participation;

(11) may adopt and implement model approaches to improving parental involvement;

(12) may establish a districtwide parent advisory council to provide advice on all matters related to parental involvement in programs supported under this section;

(13) may develop appropriate roles for community-based organizations and businesses in parent involvement activities; and

(14) shall provide such other reasonable support for parental involvement activities under this section as parents may request.

(f) Accessibility

(g) Family engagement in education programs

(h) Review

(Pub. L. 89–10, title I, § 1116, formerly § 1118, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title I, § 101, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1501; renumbered § 1116 and amended Pub. L. 114–95, title I, §§ 1000(2), 1010, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 1814, 1868.)

§ 6319. Repealed. Pub. L. 114–95, title I, § 1000(1), Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 1814

§ 6320. Participation of children enrolled in private schools

(a) General requirement

(1) In generalTo the extent consistent with the number of eligible children identified under section 6315(c) of this title in the school district served by a local educational agency who are enrolled in private elementary schools and secondary schools, a local educational agency shall—

(A) after timely and meaningful consultation with appropriate private school officials, provide such children, on an equitable basis and individually or in combination, as requested by the officials to best meet the needs of such children, special educational services, instructional services (including evaluations to determine the progress being made in meeting such students’ academic needs), counseling, mentoring, one-on-one tutoring, or other benefits under this part (such as dual or concurrent enrollment, educational radio and television, computer equipment and materials, other technology, and mobile educational services and equipment) that address their needs; and

(B) ensure that teachers and families of the children participate, on an equitable basis, in services and activities developed pursuant to section 6318 of this title.

(2) Secular, neutral, nonideological

(3) Equity

(A) In general

(B) Ombudsman

(4) Expenditures

(A) Determination

(i) In general

(ii) Proportional share

(B) Obligation of funds

(D) Term of determination

(5) Provision of services

(b) Consultation

(1) In generalTo ensure timely and meaningful consultation, a local educational agency shall consult with appropriate private school officials during the design and development of such agency’s programs under this part. Such agency and private school officials shall both have the goal of reaching agreement on how to provide equitable and effective programs for eligible private school children, the results of which agreement shall be transmitted to the ombudsman designated under subsection (a)(3)(B). Such process shall include consultation on issues such as—

(A) how the children’s needs will be identified;

(B) what services will be offered;

(D) how the services will be academically assessed and how the results of that assessment will be used to improve those services;

(E) the size and scope of the equitable services to be provided to the eligible private school children, the proportion of funds that is allocated under subsection (a)(4)(A) for such services, and how that proportion of funds is determined;

(F) the method or sources of data that are used under subsection (c) and section 6313(c)(1) of this title to determine the number of children from low-income families in participating school attendance areas who attend private schools;

(G) how and when the agency will make decisions about the delivery of services to such children, including a thorough consideration and analysis of the views of the private school officials on the provision of services through a contract with potential third-party providers;

(H) how, if the agency disagrees with the views of the private school officials on the provision of services through a contract, the local educational agency will provide in writing to such private school officials an analysis of the reasons why the local educational agency has chosen not to use a contractor;

(I) whether the agency shall provide services directly or through a separate government agency, consortium, entity, or third-party contractor;

(J) whether to provide equitable services to eligible private school children—

(i) by creating a pool or pools of funds with all of the funds allocated under subsection (a)(4)(A) based on all the children from low-income families in a participating school attendance area who attend private schools; or

(ii) in the agency’s participating school attendance area who attend private schools with the proportion of funds allocated under subsection (a)(4)(A) based on the number of children from low-income families who attend private schools;

(K) when, including the approximate time of day, services will be provided; and

(L) whether to consolidate and use funds provided under subsection (a)(4) in coordination with eligible funds available for services to private school children under applicable programs, as defined in section 7881(b)(1) of this title 1

1 So in original. A comma probably should appear.

to provide services to eligible private school children participating in programs.

(2) Disagreement

(3) Timing

(4) Discussion

(5) Documentation

(6) Compliance

(A) In general

(B) Procedure

(C) State educational agenciesA State educational agency shall provide services under this section directly or through contracts with public or private agencies, organizations, or institutions, if the appropriate private school officials have—

(i) requested that the State educational agency provide such services directly; and

(ii) demonstrated that the local educational agency involved has not met the requirements of this section in accordance with the procedures for making such a request, as prescribed by the State educational agency.

(1) CalculationA local educational agency shall have the final authority, consistent with this section, to calculate the number of children, ages 5 through 17, who are from low-income families and attend private schools by—

(A) using the same measure of low income used to count public school children;

(B) using the results of a survey that, to the extent possible, protects the identity of families of private school students, and allowing such survey results to be extrapolated if complete actual data are unavailable;

(C) applying the low-income percentage of each participating public school attendance area, determined pursuant to this section, to the number of private school children who reside in that school attendance area; or

(D) using an equated measure of low income correlated with the measure of low income used to count public school children.

(2) Complaint process

(d) Public control of funds

(1) In general

(2) Provision of services

(A) ProviderThe provision of services under this section shall be provided—

(i) by employees of a public agency; or

(ii) through contract by such public agency with an individual, association, agency, or organization.

(B) Requirement

(e) Standards for a bypassIf a local educational agency is prohibited by law from providing for the participation in programs on an equitable basis of eligible children enrolled in private elementary schools and secondary schools, or if the Secretary determines that a local educational agency has substantially failed or is unwilling, to provide for such participation, as required by this section, the Secretary shall—

(1) waive the requirements of this section for such local educational agency;

(2) arrange for the provision of services to such children through arrangements that shall be subject to the requirements of this section and sections 7883 and 7884 of this title; and

(3) in making the determination under this subsection, consider one or more factors, including the quality, size, scope, and location of the program and the opportunity of eligible children to participate.

(Pub. L. 89–10, title I, § 1117, formerly § 1120, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title I, § 101, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1508; renumbered § 1117 and amended Pub. L. 114–95, title I, §§ 1000(3), 1011, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 1814, 1871.)

§ 6321. Fiscal requirements

(a) Maintenance of effort

(b) Federal funds to supplement, not supplant, non-Federal funds

(1) In general

(2) Compliance

(3) Special rule

No local educational agency shall be required to—

(A) identify that an individual cost or service supported under this part is supplemental; or

(B) provide services under this part through a particular instructional method or in a particular instructional setting in order to demonstrate such agency’s compliance with paragraph (1).

(4) Prohibition

(5) Timeline

A local educational agency—

(A) shall meet the compliance requirement under paragraph (2) not later than 2 years after December 10, 2015; and

(B) may demonstrate compliance with the requirement under paragraph (1) before the end of such 2-year period using the method such local educational agency used on the day before December 10, 2015.

(1) In general

(A) Comparable services

(B) Substantially comparable services

(2) Written assurance

(A) Equivalence

A local educational agency shall be considered to have met the requirements of paragraph (1) if such agency has filed with the State educational agency a written assurance that such agency has established and implemented—

(i) a local educational agency-wide salary schedule;

(ii) a policy to ensure equivalence among schools in teachers, administrators, and other staff; and

(iii) a policy to ensure equivalence among schools in the provision of curriculum materials and instructional supplies.

(B) Determinations

(3) Procedures and records

Each local educational agency assisted under this part shall—

(A) develop procedures for compliance with this subsection; and

(B) maintain records that are updated biennially documenting such agency’s compliance with this subsection.

(4) Inapplicability

(5) Compliance

For the purpose of determining compliance with paragraph (1), a local educational agency may exclude State and local funds expended for—

(A) language instruction educational programs; and

(B) the excess costs of providing services to children with disabilities as determined by the local educational agency.

(d) Exclusion of funds

(Pub. L. 89–10, title I, § 1118, formerly § 1120A, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title I, § 101, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1511; renumbered § 1118 and amended Pub. L. 114–95, title I, §§ 1000(4), 1012, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 1814, 1874.)

§ 6322. Coordination requirements

(a) In general

(b) Activities

The activities referred to in subsection (a) are activities that increase coordination between the local educational agency and a Head Start agency and, if feasible, other entities carrying out early childhood education programs serving children who will attend the schools of the local educational agency, including—

(1) developing and implementing a systematic procedure for receiving records regarding such children, transferred with parental consent from a Head Start program or, where applicable, another early childhood education program;

(2) establishing channels of communication between school staff and their counterparts (including teachers, social workers, and health staff) in such Head Start agencies or other entities carrying out early childhood education programs, as appropriate, to facilitate coordination of programs;

(3) conducting meetings involving parents, kindergarten or elementary school teachers, and Head Start teachers or, if appropriate, teachers from other early childhood education programs, to discuss the developmental and other needs of individual children;

(4) organizing and participating in joint transition-related training of school staff, Head Start program staff, and, where appropriate, other early childhood education program staff; and

(5) linking the educational services provided by such local educational agency with the services provided by local Head Start agencies.

(Pub. L. 89–10, title I, § 1119, formerly § 1120B, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title I, § 101, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1512; renumbered § 1119 and amended Pub. L. 114–95, title I, §§ 1000(5), 1013, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 1814, 1875.)