20 USC 6320 - Participation of children enrolled in private schools

View all text of Subpart 1 [§ 6311 - § 6322]

§ 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.)