[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1687 Introduced in House (IH)]
103d CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1687
To provide financial assistance to eligible local educational agencies
to improve rural education, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 2, 1993
Mr. Williams (for himself, Mr. de la Garza, Mr. Fazio, Mr. Gunderson,
Mr. Oberstar, Mr. Parker, Mr. Wise, Mr. Abercrombie, Mr. Jefferson,
Mrs. Clayton, Mr. Volkmer, Mr. Johnson of South Dakota, Mr. Olver, and
Mr. Boucher) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide financial assistance to eligible local educational agencies
to improve rural education, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Schools of
America (RSA) Act of 1993''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Statement of purpose.
TITLE I--RURAL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
Sec. 101. Authorization.
Sec. 102. Allotment of funds.
Sec. 103. Application.
Sec. 104. Planning period.
Sec. 105. Uses of funds.
Sec. 106. Accountability.
Sec. 107. Incentive awards to exemplary programs.
Sec. 108. Regulatory assessment.
Sec. 109. Local advisory group.
Sec. 110. Special rules.
TITLE II--SCHOOL BUILDING REPAIR AND RENOVATION
Sec. 201. Purpose; authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 202. Allotment of funds.
Sec. 203. Application.
Sec. 204. Repair and renovation.
Sec. 205. Environment and safety.
Sec. 206. Waiver.
Sec. 207. Application of the Davis-Bacon Act.
TITLE III--EVALUATION OF RESULTS
Subtitle A--Assistant Secretary
Sec. 301. Assistant Secretary for rural education.
Subtitle B--Rural School Research and Evaluation
Sec. 311. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 312. Establishment; operation; uses of funds.
Sec. 313. Local rural school evaluation.
Sec. 314. Local applications.
TITLE IV--GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 401. Interagency Council and Rural Schools.
Sec. 402. White House Conference on Rural Education.
Sec. 403. Federal funds to supplement not supplant non-Federal funds.
Sec. 404. Definitions.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that--
(1) the ability of America's rural school systems to meet
the National Education Goals will contribute to the economic
competitiveness and academic standing of the Nation in the
world community;
(2) the quality of public education in the rural areas of
the Nation has a direct effect on the economic development of
the rural communities of the Nation;
(3) the success of rural schools in boosting the
achievement of minority youth attending such schools will
determine the ability of the Nation to close the gap between
the ``haves and have-nots'' in society;
(4) the cost to America's businesses to provide remedial
education to high school graduates is approximately
$30,000,000,000 per year;
(5) approximately one-third of the Nation's work force will
be minority by the year 2000;
(6) rural schools enroll a disproportionately large share
of the Nation's poor and ``at-risk'' youth;
(7) approximately 60 percent of the Nation's public school
districts are rural with a population of less than 2,500;
(8) approximately one out of every four of America's rural
children are living below the poverty line;
(9) the academic performance of students in the average
rural school system is below that of students in most other
suburban school systems;
(10) rural preschoolers have less access to early childhood
development programs than other children;
(11) shortages of teachers for rural school systems is
greater than in other kinds of school systems;
(12) a declining number of rural high school graduates are
pursuing postsecondary education opportunities;
(13) the average age of rural public school buildings is
more than 45 years old and are often in serious disrepair,
creating poor and demoralizing working and learning conditions;
(14) solving the challenges facing the Nation's rural
schools will require the concerted and collaborative efforts of
all levels of government and all sectors of the community;
(15) State and Federal funding of rural schools has not
adequately reflected need; and
(16) Federal funding that is well targeted, flexible and
accountable would contribute significantly to addressing the
comprehensive needs of rural schools.
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.
It is the purpose of this Act to provide financial assistance for
those rural schools most in need to encourage the comprehensive
restructuring of America's rural schools, the appropriate use of
telecommunications technologies for learning and to support innovative
programs which improve performance through programs and projects
designed to--
(1) assist rural schools in meeting National Education
Goals;
(2) encourage rural schools to engage in school reform;
(3) develop pilot projects that experiment with innovative
ways to teach rural public school children more effectively;
(4) improve the educational and social well being of rural
public school children;
(5) close the achievement gap between children attending
rural schools and other children, while improving the
achievement level of all children nationally;
(6) renovate and repair aging rural school buildings and
facilities;
(7) conduct coordinated research on rural education
problems, solutions, promising practices, and distance learning
technologies;
(8) improve the Nation's global economic and educational
competitiveness by improving the country's rural schools;
(9) encourage community, parental and business
collaboration in the improvement of rural schools;
(10) review regulations the simplification of which might
improve the achievement of rural school children;
(11) encourage rural school consortia for the purpose of
increasing efficiency and course offerings;
(12) encourage a positive role for rural public schools in
local rural entrepreneurship and the identification of rural
community economic development opportunities;
(13) encourage ``community as school'' concepts, which
include the role public schools can play to assist with rural
community economic revitalization; and
(14) provide meaningful inservice opportunities for rural
public school teachers.
TITLE I--RURAL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
SEC. 101. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated $1,500,000,000 for 1994 and
such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1995, 1996,
1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 to carry out the provisions of this title.
SEC. 102. ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS.
(a) Reservation.--From the amount appropriated or otherwise made
available to carry out the provisions of this title for any fiscal year
after the first fiscal year in which the Secretary awards allotments to
State educational agencies under this title, the Secretary shall
reserve 5 percent of such funds to provide competitive awards in
accordance with section 107.
(b) Allotments.--
(1) Federal allotment.--From the remainder of the funds not
reserved under subsection (a), the Secretary shall allot to
each State educational agency with an approved application in
each fiscal year an amount which bears the same relationship to
such funds as the amount all eligible local educational
agencies with approved applications in the State were allocated
under sections 1005 and 1006 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 in the preceding fiscal year bears to the
total amount received under such sections in such preceding
fiscal year by all eligible local educational agencies with
approved applications in all States.
(2) State allotment.--
(A) Reservation.--From amounts received pursuant to
paragraph (1), each State educational agency may
reserve 1 percent of such amount for administrative
expenses.
(B) Formula.--From the remainder of amounts
received pursuant to paragraph (1) in each fiscal year,
each State educational agency shall allot to each
eligible local educational agency with an approved
application an amount which bears the same relationship
to such funds as the amount such eligible local
educational agency was allocated under sections 1005
and 1006 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
of 1965 in the preceding fiscal year bears to the total
amount received under such sections in such preceding
fiscal year by all eligible local educational agencies
with approved applications in the State.
(C) Administrative costs.--Not more than 5 percent
of any eligible local educational agency's allotment
under this subsection may be used for administrative
costs.
(c) Reallotment.--Any amounts available for reallotment pursuant to
subsections (a) and (b) shall be reallotted in the same manner as the
original allotments were made.
(d) Reservation for Community-Based Organizations and Nonprofit
Partnerships.--
(1) In general.--From the amounts allotted under subsection
(b)(2) for any fiscal year, each eligible local educational
agency shall reserve not more than 5 percent to make as many
grants as practicable for activities in accordance with the
National Education Goals and described in section 105 to--
(A) community-based organizations; or
(B) nonprofit partnerships among the eligible local
educational agency, local colleges or universities, or
area-wide collaboratives with private sector businesses
who enter into a written agreement with the eligible
local educational agency.
(2) Special rule.--Grants awarded pursuant to paragraph (1)
shall be of sufficient size, scope and quality to be effective.
SEC. 103. APPLICATION.
(a) State Application.--
(1) In general.--Each State educational agency desiring to
receive an allotment in any fiscal year to carry out the
provisions of this title shall submit an application to the
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such
information as the Secretary may reasonably require.
(2) Contents.--Each application submitted pursuant to
paragraph (1) shall--
(A) contain such information as the Secretary may
reasonably require in order to make the allotment
described in section 102(b)(1);
(B) inform the Secretary regarding any eligible
local educational agency that fails to comply with the
provisions of this title; and
(C) contain such other information or assurances as
the Secretary determines necessary to ensure compliance
with the provisions of this title.
(b) Local Application.--
(1) In general.--Any eligible local educational agency
desiring to receive an allotment to carry out the provisions of
this title, shall--
(A) develop and prepare an application with the
local advisory group in accordance with section 109 of
this Act;
(B) submit the application described in
subparagraph (A) to the State educational agency at
such time, in such manner and accompanied by such
information as the State educational agency may
reasonably require.
(2) Contents of local educational agency application.--Each
application submitted by an eligible local educational agency
pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include a description of--
(A) the ranking of all schools in the eligible
local educational agency by achievement, poverty, and
racial isolation and how such schools will be served in
accordance with section 110(a);
(B) the community served by the eligible local
educational agency and the effects of the community on
the educational conditions within the schools served by
the eligible local educational agency;
(C) the collaboration in program planning with the
local advisory group described in section 109;
(D) the goals selected by the eligible local
educational agency pursuant to section 106(b), the
rationale for choosing such goals over others, and a
description of whether the goals selected differ
between elementary and secondary schools in the
district;
(E) how funds received under this title will be
used to meet the National Educational Goals selected by
the eligible local educational agency;
(F) how promising or successful models or programs
will be replicated in designing activities assisted
under this title;
(G) which federally funded programs and activities
are being expanded under this title; and
(H) the statistical indicators and other criteria
that the eligible local educational agency will use to
measure progress toward meeting National Education
Goals, and a description of what the local educational
agency has done to ensure that any assessments used to
measure such progress will not have a negative effect
on minority or language minority students;
(3) Duration.--Except as provided in section 106, the
application described in paragraph (1) may be for a period of
not more than 3 years.
(c) Community-Based Organizations and Nonprofit Partnerships.--Any
community-based organization or nonprofit partnership described in
section 102(d) desiring to receive a grant from an eligible local
educational agency pursuant to such section shall--
(1) prepare an application for approval by the local
advisory group described in section 109 and submit such
application to the eligible local educational agency;
(2) describe in the application the collaborative efforts
undertaken with the eligible local educational agency in
designing a program to meet the purposes of the Act; and
(3) describe in the application how funds will be used to
help meet the education goals selected by the eligible local
educational agency pursuant to subsection (b) of this section.
SEC. 104. PLANNING PERIOD.
Any eligible local educational agency requiring additional planning
efforts to meet the provisions of this title may use the first 6 months
of the initial program year for planning purposes, subject to approval
by the State educational agency, except that no more than 15 percent of
the first year's allotment shall be used for such purposes. A written
report of the results of the plan shall be submitted to the State
educational agency.
SEC. 105. USES OF FUNDS.
(a) In General.--Funds allotted under section 102(b)(2) shall be
used by eligible local educational agencies, or community-based
organizations or nonprofit partnerships described in section 102(d) to
meet national education goals through programs designed to--
(1) increase the academic achievement of rural school
children to at least the national average, including such
education reform initiatives as--
(A) effective schools programs;
(B) tutoring, mentoring, and other activities to
improve academic achievement directly;
(C) supplementary academic instruction;
(D) efforts to improve problem-solving and higher-
order critical thinking skills;
(E) programs to increase student motivation for
learning;
(F) efforts to lengthen the school day, school year
or reduce class sizes; and
(G) encouraging the establishment of rural school
consortia to increase efficiency and course offerings;
and
(2) ensure the readiness of all rural children for school,
including--
(A) full workday, full calendar-year comprehensive
early childhood development programs;
(B) parenting classes and parent involvement
activities;
(C) activities designed to coordinate
prekindergarten and child care programs;
(D) efforts to integrate developmentally
appropriate prekindergarten services into the overall
school program;
(E) upgrading the qualifications of early childhood
education staff and standards for programs;
(F) collaborative efforts with health and social
service agencies to provide comprehensive services and
to facilitate the transition from home to school;
(G) establishment of comprehensive child care
centers in high schools for student-parents and their
children; and
(H) augmenting early childhood development programs
to meet the special educational and cultural needs of
limited-English proficient and migrant preschool
children;
(3) increase the graduation rates of rural students to at
least the national average, including--
(A) dropout prevention activities and support
services for students at-risk of dropping out of
school;
(B) re-entry, outreach and support activities to
recruit students who have dropped out of school to
return to school;
(C) development of systemwide policies and
practices that encourage students to stay in school;
(D) efforts to provide individualized student
support, such as mentoring programs;
(E) collaborative activities between schools,
parents, community groups, agencies and institutions of
higher education aimed at preventing individuals from
dropping out of school;
(F) programs to increase student attendance; and
(G) alternative programs for students, especially
bilingual, special education and migrant students, who
have dropped out of school or are at-risk of dropping
out of school;
(4) prepare rural school graduates to enter higher
education, pursue careers and exercise their responsibilities
as citizens, including--
(A) activities designed to increase the number and
percentages of students, enrolling in postsecondary
educational institutions after graduation from
secondary schools;
(B) in-school youth employment, vocational
education, and career education programs that improve
the transition from school to work;
(C) activities designed in collaboration with
colleges and universities to assist rural school
graduates in completing higher education;
(D) activities designed in conjunction with
community colleges to provide a K-14 experience for
rural school secondary school students;
(E) efforts to increase voter registration among
eligible high school students attending schools served
by eligible local educational agencies;
(F) activities designed to promote community
service and volunteerism among students, parents,
teachers, and the community;
(G) civic education, law-related education and
other programs designed to enhance responsible
citizenship and understanding of the political process;
and
(H) encouraging a positive role for rural public
schools in local rural entrepreneurship and the
identification of rural community economic development
opportunities;
(5) recruit and retain qualified teachers, including--
(A) school-based management projects and
activities;
(B) programs designed to increase the status of the
teaching profession;
(C) alternative routes to certification for
qualified individuals from business, the military and
other fields;
(D) efforts to recruit and retain teachers in
critical shortage areas, including early childhood
teachers, mathematics and science teachers, and special
education and bilingual teachers;
(E) upgrading the skills of existing classroom
teachers through the use of year-round, systematic,
comprehensive inservice training programs;
(F) upgrading the skills of teacher aides and
paraprofessionals to assist such individuals in
becoming certified teachers;
(G) efforts specifically designed to increase the
number of minority teachers in rural schools;
(H) programs designed to ``grow your own''
teachers;
(I) incentives for teachers to work in rural
schools;
(J) collaborative activities with colleges and
universities to revise and upgrade teacher training
programs to meet the needs of rural school students;
and
(K) training activities for the purpose of
incorporating distance learning technologies;
(6) decrease the use of drugs and alcohol among rural
students, and to enhance the physical and emotional health of
such students, including--
(A) activities designed to improve the self-esteem
and self-worth of rural students;
(B) the provision of health care services and other
social services and the coordination of such services
with other health care providers;
(C) programs designed to improve safety and
discipline and reduce in-school violence and vandalism;
(D) activities that begin in the early grades and
are designed to prevent drug and alcohol abuse and
smoking among students;
(E) collaborative activities with other agencies,
businesses, and community groups to discourage the
advertisement and glorification of drugs and alcohol;
(F) efforts to enhance health education and
nutrition education; and
(G) alternative schools, and schools-within-schools
programs, including bilingual, migrant and special
education programs for students with special needs.
(b) Special Rule.--Funds allotted under section 102(b)(2) may be
used by eligible local educational agencies, community-based
organizations, or nonprofit partnerships described in section 102(d)
for the planning, development, operation, or expansion of programs and
activities which are designed to assist rural schools in meeting
National Education Goals, and may include--
(1) training of teachers and other educational personnel in
subject areas, or instructional technology and methods that
would improve the delivery of services in rural settings in any
of the National Education Goal areas, including staff
development efforts which emphasize multicultural, gender and
disability bias-free curricula;
(2) coordination and collaboration with other rural
agencies, including State rural development councils, child
care organizations, universities or the private sector;
(3) parental involvement and outreach efforts and other
activities designed to enhance parental encouragement of
student learning;
(4) guidance counseling, psychological, social work, and
other support services that contribute to progress in achieving
national education goals;
(5) efforts to acquire and improve access to educational
technology, including distance learning technologies;
(6) programs to serve homeless children, desegregating
children, immigrants, migrants, or other highly mobile
populations, even if such individuals do not attend a rural
project school assisted under this title;
(7) efforts to improve, reform and strengthen the
curriculum, especially efforts to enhance critical thinking
skills among rural students, and efforts to coordinate services
across grade levels; and
(8) other activities designed to assist in achieving the
national education goals.
(c) Priority.--Each local educational agency submitting an
application under this section shall give priority in designing the
program assisted under this title to activities that replicate
successful efforts in other local educational agencies or expand
successful programs within the eligible local educational agency.
SEC. 106. ACCOUNTABILITY.
(a) In General.--The State educational agency may award an
allotment under this title to an eligible local educational agency to
enable such an agency to operate a program under this title for a
period of not more than 3 years. If an eligible local educational
agency receiving an allotment under this title meets the accountability
requirements described in subsection (b) at the end of 3 years and the
requirements described in subsection (c) at the end of each year, as
determined by the State educational agency, such agency shall be
eligible to continue the project with funds under this title for an
additional 3 years if such agency so desires.
(b) Requirements To Move Toward National Education Goals.--
(1) Program continuation.--If, after 3 years of receiving
an allotment under this title, an eligible local educational
agency is able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the State
educational agency that it has increased the achievement within
the lowest 2 quartiles of students in schools assisted under
this title as measured by the statistical indicators and other
criteria specified in the application in comparison to the year
prior to the initiation of the project, then such agency shall
be eligible to continue the project with funds under this title
for an additional 3 years upon reapplication under section 103.
(2) Special rule.--If, after 3 years of receiving an
allotment under this title, an eligible local educational
agency is able to demonstrate progress on meeting at least 3
other National Education Goals as measured by the criteria
described in paragraph (3), then such agency shall be deemed to
have met the requirements of paragraph (1) so long as the
average achievement level of the schools assisted under this
title did not decline in any of the 3 previous school years.
(3) Criteria.--For purposes of paragraph (2), the criteria
are:
(A) The number or percentage of preschool children
served by the eligible local educational agency is
greater than the average such number or percentage in
the 3 previous school years.
(B) The secondary school graduation rate in the
eligible local educational agency is greater than the
average such rate for the 3 previous school years.
(C) The percentage of secondary school graduates in
the eligible local educational agency enrolled in
postsecondary education is greater than such percentage
for the 3 previous school years.
(D) The incidence of discipline, drug-related or
in-school crime in the eligible local educational
agency is less than the average such incidence in the 3
previous school years.
(c) Collection of Data and Certification.--
(1) In general.--Each eligible local educational agency,
community-based organization, or nonprofit partnership
described in section 102(d) receiving an allotment under this
title shall annually collect and submit to the State
educational agency data based on the statistical indicators and
other criteria described in the application submitted by such
eligible local educational agency for the purposes of
monitoring progress in achieving the National Education Goals
in accordance with paragraph (2). Such data shall include
multiple measures or indicators of each variable, and may take
into consideration the mobility of students in the schools
served under this title or other special factors.
(2) Certification.--
(A) Each eligible local educational agency
receiving an allotment pursuant to section 102(b)(2)
shall annually certify to the State educational agency
that such eligible local educational agency has--
(i) complied with the provisions of section
106(c); and
(ii) made progress toward meeting national
education goals and the goals described in
section 103(b)(2)(D).
(B) The certification described in subparagraph (A)
shall be reviewed by an independent educational
performance auditor for compliance with clauses (i) and
(ii) of subparagraph (A).
SEC. 107. INCENTIVE AWARDS TO EXEMPLARY PROGRAMS.
From amounts reserved pursuant to section 102(a) or otherwise made
available, the Secretary is authorized to make competitive awards to
eligible local educational agencies on behalf of individual schools
participating in a program assisted under this title which demonstrate
to the satisfaction of the Secretary at least 3 of the following:
(1) Unusual or exemplary progress in achieving the National
Education Goals through programs described in section 105.
(2) Exemplary or unusually effective collaborative
arrangements between the schools, community-based
organizations, agencies, parent groups, colleges and
businesses.
(3) Identification, review and removal of potential
barriers to student performance in the National Education Goal
areas, such as suspensions and expulsions, in-grade retentions,
ability grouping, and lack of access to course offerings in
prealgebra, introductory algebra, higher mathematics, science,
foreign languages, and critical thinking skills.
(4) Substantial expansion of the hours schools assisted
under this title remain open for community use or student
after-school recreation.
SEC. 108. REGULATORY ASSESSMENT.
(a) Report on Rural Public Schools.--In order to assist eligible
local educational agencies under this Act in improving the performance
of the school children enrolled in the schools served by such agencies,
the Secretary shall, not later than January 1, 1995, prepare a report
on the impact of Federal regulations, guidelines and policies on rural
public schools.
(b) Contents of Report.--The report shall analyze the impact of
Federal legal, regulatory, policy and organizational requirements on
the time and resources that eligible local educational agencies
assisted under this Act have for educating students, including fiscal
resources, staff time, facilities, instructional equipment, and
services. The report shall make recommendations on how best to simplify
Federal regulations, guidelines and policies so that more resources can
be devoted to improving rural school performance. The report shall also
identify the regulations whose waiver might be used as incentives or
rewards for unusual progress toward meeting National Education Goals.
(c) Specific Issues for Analysis.--In preparing the report required
by subsection (a), the Secretary shall analyze--
(1) the effect of regulatory requirements on local program
flexibility and management within eligible local educational
agencies;
(2) the effect of regulatory requirements on the size, cost
and composition of administrative practices within eligible
local educational agencies;
(3) the extent to which regulatory requirements are
duplicative or contradictory;
(4) the amount of time and resources that school
administrators and teachers must spend responding to data
requests and reporting requirements pursuant to Federal law;
(5) the extent to which regulatory requirements are related
to instructional rather than noninstructional practices in
eligible local educational agencies;
(6) the relationship between specific regulatory
requirements and the educational performance of rural students;
and
(7) how the waiver or simplification of regulatory
requirements could enhance the performance of rural school
children and the progress of rural schools in meeting National
Education Goals.
(d) Sample Data.--The Secretary may, in developing the report
described in subsection (a), use appropriate sampling techniques.
(e) Consultation With Congress.--The Secretary shall consult with
the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate concerning
the design of the report described in this section.
SEC. 109. LOCAL ADVISORY GROUP.
(a) Establishment.--Any eligible local educational agency desiring
to receive an allotment under this Act shall form a local advisory
group.
(b) Composition.--
(1) In general.--Each local advisory group described in
subsection (a) shall be composed of representatives of groups
such as--
(A) local government agencies;
(B) community-based organizations;
(C) service providers;
(D) teachers;
(E) parents;
(F) colleges and universities;
(G) businesses;
(H) principals, other school administrators and
school personnel, including the local vocational
education administrator;
(I) counselors, school psychologists and social
workers;
(J) students;
(K) State educational agencies and State boards of
education;
(L) labor;
(M) offices of the Mayor;
(N) religious leaders; and
(O) organizations with an interest in improving
rural education and expertise in the delivery of
services needed by the schools selected to participate
in a program assisted under this Act.
(2) Appointment.--The superintendent of schools and the
president of the board of education of the eligible rural local
educational agency applying for funds under this title shall
appoint the members of the local advisory group, in
consultation with teachers from the eligible local educational
agency and the teacher's local bargaining agent where one
exists. The local advisory group may contain as many members as
is necessary to ensure a comprehensive community-wide program
to improve education in the schools served by the eligible
local educational agency.
(3) Representation.--The local advisory group shall be
representative of the community and shall be balanced according
to the race, ethnicity, native language background, and gender
of its members, to the extent practicable.
(c) Functions.--The local advisory group shall--
(1) advise the eligible local educational agency on the
design and conduct of a needs assessment for all schools
expected to participate in the program assisted under this
title;
(2) assist in planning for community-wide collaboration in
service delivery for students in schools expected to be served
by the program assisted under this title;
(3) advise the eligible local educational agency and the
community on how they can work together to use multiple service
providers;
(4) advise and assist the eligible local educational agency
on the implementation of the program assisted under this title
and review evaluations of such program's success;
(5) review and approve applications submitted to the
eligible local educational agency by community-based
organizations pursuant to section 103(c);
(6) advise the eligible local educational agency on
strategies for increasing parent involvement and the number of
school volunteers and role models in schools; and
(7) review the success of community-based programs assisted
under this title for progress on the national education goals.
(d) Use of Existing Local Advisory Group.--To the extent that an
eligible local educational agency has established a broadly
representative local advisory group before enactment of this Act that
is comparable to the local advisory group described in this section,
such existing local advisory group shall be considered to be in
compliance with the provisions of this section.
SEC. 110. SPECIAL RULES.
(a) Ranking of Schools in Local Educational Agencies Serving More
Than One School To Determine Relative Need.--
(1) Ranking.--
(A) In general.--Each eligible local educational
agency desiring to receive an allotment under this
title shall, in order to determine which schools are
most in need of services under this title, separately
rank all schools under the jurisdiction of such agency
on the basis of--
(i) achievement;
(ii) poverty; and
(iii) racial isolation.
(B) Special rules.--(i) Eligible local educational
agencies may rank elementary and secondary schools
separately or together for purposes of this subsection.
(ii) Eligible local educational agencies
participating in a consortium may rank elementary and
secondary schools separately for each local educational
agency participating in the consortium for purposes of
this subsection.
(2) Percentage of schools to be served.--Each eligible
local educational agency that receives an allotment under this
title shall serve at least 10 percent, but not more than 20
percent, of the schools under the jurisdiction of such agency,
except that in school districts with less than 2,500 students,
an eligible local educational agency may use all of its funds
for districtwide reform activities.
(3) Criteria for schools to be served.--Subject to the
provisions of paragraph (2) of this section, each eligible
local educational agency that receives an allotment under this
title--
(A) shall serve any school that is determined to be
most in need with respect to both rankings described in
paragraph (1);
(B) may serve any school that is determined to be
most in need with respect to any 1 of such rankings;
and
(C) may serve any school that received assistance
under this title in a previous fiscal year.
(b) Exclusion.--Local educational agencies with not more than 5
buildings used for instruction purposes shall be exempt from the
ranking process and shall receive funding as determined under
subsection (d).
(c) Flexibility.--Each eligible local educational agency shall have
the flexibility to serve homeless children, desegregating students,
immigrants, migrants, or other highly mobile populations within the
program assisted under this title.
(d) Chapter 1 School Improvement Plan.--The approved program for
any school served under sections 1020 and 1021 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965, may be considered sufficient to meet
the requirements of the provisions of section 106(b)(1) of this title.
TITLE II--SCHOOL BUILDING REPAIR AND RENOVATION
SEC. 201. PURPOSE; AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this title to provide assistance
to eligible local educational agencies to assist such agencies in
building or repairing, and renovating instructional facilities in rural
schools including but not limited to the appropriate use of
telecommunications techniques for learning.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated $1,500,000,000 for 1994 and such sums as may be necessary
for each of the fiscal years 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000 to
carry out the provisions of this title.
SEC. 202. ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS.
(a) Allotments.--
(1) Federal allotment.--In each fiscal year, the Secretary
shall allot to each State educational agency with an approved
application, an amount which bears the same relationship to
such funds as the amount all eligible local educational
agencies with approved applications in the State were allocated
under sections 1005 and 1006 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 in the preceding fiscal year bears to the
total amount received under such sections in such preceding
fiscal year by all eligible local educational agencies with
approved applications in all States.
(2) State allotment.--
(A) Reservation.--From amounts received pursuant to
paragraph (1), each State educational agency may
reserve 1 percent of such amount for administrative
expenses.
(B) Formula.--From the remainder of amounts
received pursuant to subparagraph (A) in each fiscal
year, each State educational agency shall allot to each
eligible local educational agency within the State with
an approved application--
(i) 33 percent of such funds on the basis
of the number of children in the eligible local
educational agency between the ages of 5 and 17
who are members of families whose income does
not exceed the income official poverty line (as
defined by the Office of Management and
Budget), according to the most recent decennial
census, divided by the number of all such
children in all eligible local educational
agencies in the State;
(ii) 33 percent of such funds on the basis
of the number of school buildings used for
instructional purposes in the eligible local
educational agency, divided by the number of
all such buildings in all eligible local
educational agencies in the State; and
(iii) 33 percent of such funds on the basis
of the number of school buildings in the
eligible local educational agency which are
used for instructional purposes and which are
more than 25 years old, divided by the number
of all such buildings in all eligible local
educational agencies in the State.
(b) Reallotment.--Any amounts available for reallotment pursuant to
subsections (a) and (b) shall be reallotted in the same manner as the
original allotments were made.
SEC. 203. APPLICATION.
(a) State Application.--
(1) In general.--Each State educational agency desiring to
receive an allotment in any fiscal year to carry out the
provisions of this title shall submit to the Secretary an
application at such time, in such manner and accompanied by
such information as the Secretary reasonably may require.
(2) Contents.--Each application submitted pursuant to
paragraph (1) shall--
(A) contain such information as the Secretary may
reasonably require in order to make the allotment
described in section 202(a)(1); and
(B) contain such other information and assurances
as the Secretary determines necessary to ensure
compliance with the provisions of this title.
(b) Local Application.--
(1) In general.--Any eligible local educational agency
desiring to receive an allotment to carry out the provisions of
this title shall submit to the State educational agency an
application at such time, in such manner and accompanied by
such information as the State educational agency may reasonably
require.
(2) Duration.--Each application submitted pursuant to
paragraph (1) shall be for a period of not more than 3 years.
(3) Annual review.--Each application submitted pursuant to
paragraph (1) shall be subject to annual review.
(4) Contents.--Each application submitted pursuant to
paragraph (1) shall contain--
(A) an assessment of needs for building repair,
renovation and construction;
(B) the name and location of all sites scheduled
for repair, renovation or construction and a
description of the activities planned at each site; and
(C) a description of accounting procedures used to
assure proper disbursement of Federal funds.
SEC. 204. REPAIR AND RENOVATION.
Each eligible local educational agency receiving an allotment under
section 202(a)(2) shall use 50 percent of such allotment to conduct
programs for--
(1) repair and renovation of school buildings used for
instruction;
(2) upgrading of and alterations to buildings to
accommodate new instructional technology, including the
installation and/or improvement of telecommunications
facilities for learning and related technologies.
(3) installation or upgrading of school security and
communications systems;
(4) construction of new buildings that will serve to
replace old facilities that are most cost effectively torn down
rather than renovated;
(5) alterations to buildings to meet special program,
curricula, or school-site management needs;
(6) alterations to buildings to meet certain special
population needs, such as the needs of homeless children and
preschool children;
(7) alterations to school buildings to enable such
buildings to serve as one-stop family support centers; and
(8) facilities' costs associated with lengthening the
school day or school year.
SEC. 205. ENVIRONMENT AND SAFETY.
Each eligible local educational agency receiving an allotment under
section 202(a)(2) shall use 50 percent of such allotment to conduct
programs for--
(1) energy conservation;
(2) removal or containment of environmentally hazardous
material;
(3) meeting the requirements of section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and
(4) meeting local, State or Federal laws or regulations
enacted or promulgated since the initial construction of a
building related to fire, air, light, noise, waste disposal, or
building height.
SEC. 206. WAIVER.
The State educational agency may waive the 50 percent requirements
described in sections 204 and 205 for any eligible local educational
agency that demonstrates to the satisfaction of the State educational
agency a greater need for services described in section 204 or 205.
SEC. 207. APPLICATION OF THE DAVIS-BACON ACT.
All laborers and mechanics employed by contractors or
subcontractors in any construction, alteration, or repair, including
painting and decorating, of projects, buildings, and works which are
federally assisted under this Act, shall be paid wages at rates not
less than those prevailing on similar construction in the locality as
determined by the Secretary of Labor in accordance with the Act of
March 3, 1931 (commonly known as the Davis-Bacon Act), as amended (40
U.S.C. 276a-276a-5). The Secretary of Labor shall have, with respect to
such labor standards, the authority and functions set forth in
Reorganization Plan Numbered 14 of 1950 (15 F.R. 3176; 64 Stat. 1267)
and section 2 of the Act of June 1, 1934, as amended (48 Stat. 948, as
amended; 40 U.S.C. 276(c)).
TITLE III--EVALUATION OF RESULTS
Subtitle A--Assistant Secretary
SEC. 301. ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR RURAL EDUCATION.
(a) Amendment to the Department of Education Organization Act.--
Title II of the Department of Education Organization Act (20 U.S.C.
3401 et seq.) is amended--
(1) in section 202(b)(1) by--
(A) striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph
(F);
(B) striking the period at the end of subparagraph
(G) and inserting a semicolon and ``and''; and
(C) inserting at the end thereof the following new
subparagraph:
``(H) an Assistant Secretary for Rural
Education.''.
Subtitle B--Rural School Research and Evaluation
SEC. 311. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary for each of the fiscal years 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998,
1999, and 2000 to carry out the provisions of this subtitle.
SEC. 312. ESTABLISHMENT; OPERATION; USES OF FUNDS.
(a) Establishment.--From amounts appropriated pursuant to the
authority of section 311, the Secretary shall establish for each region
a center to be known as the ``National Rural Regional Education
Research Center'' (in this subtitle referred to as the ``Center'').
(b) Operation.--Each Center shall be operated by the regional
educational laboratory that is located in the region in which the
Center is located and supported by the Secretary pursuant to section
405(d)(4)(A) of the General Education Provisions Act.
(c) Use of Funds.--Each Center shall--
(1) conduct independent research in rural education and
distance learning technologies;
(2) evaluate the progress of rural schools receiving funds
under title I of this Act toward meeting the National Education
Goals;
(3) serve as clearinghouses on rural education research
findings, policies, and practices;
(4) develop measurements of progress of rural schools;
(5) disseminate results of evaluations and research on
rural schools to other Centers and rural school district
teachers and parents;
(6) develop collaborative arrangements and consortia among
rural schools in each region to conduct joint research and
evaluation activities;
(7) replicate successful models and program approaches in
rural schools;
(8) provide technical assistance and outreach services for
rural schools in each region;
(9) provide staff training; and
(10) develop curricula to assist rural schools in moving
toward meeting the National Education Goals.
SEC. 313. LOCAL RURAL SCHOOL EVALUATION.
From the amount appropriated pursuant to the authority of section
311 or otherwise made available to carry out the provisions of this
subtitle in any fiscal year, each Center shall reserve 25 percent of
such funds received for direct grants to rural eligible local
educational agencies within the region served by such Center and which
are participating in a program assisted under title I to conduct local
school district research and evaluation of efforts toward meeting the
National Education Goals.
SEC. 314. LOCAL APPLICATIONS.
Any eligible rural local educational agency desiring to receive a
grant under this subtitle shall--
(1) submit an application to the Center;
(2) describe in such application the research and
evaluation activities for measuring progress on the National
Education Goals;
(3) consult with local universities, research institutes,
and other rural groups in developing a local research and
evaluation application; and
(4) describe capacities for conducting evaluations with
funds provided under this subtitle.
TITLE IV--GENERAL PROVISIONS
SEC. 401. INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON RURAL SCHOOLS.
(a) Establishment.--There is established the Interagency Council on
Rural Schools (hereafter in this section referred to as the
``Council'').
(b) Composition.--
(1) In general.--The Council shall consist of--
(A) the Secretary of Education, who shall serve as
Chairperson of the Council;
(B) the Secretary of Labor;
(C) the Secretary of Health and Human Services;
(D) the Secretary of Agriculture;
(E) the Secretary of Energy;
(F) the Secretary of Commerce;
(G) the Director of the Environmental Protection
Agency;
(H) the Director of the Commission on Civil Rights;
(I) the Chairperson of the Advisory Commission on
Intergovernmental Relations;
(J) the Chairperson of the National Endowments on
the Arts and the Humanities;
(K) the Director of the National Science
Foundation;
(L) such other officers of the Federal Government
as may be designated by the President or the
Chairperson of the Council to serve wherever matters
within the jurisdiction of the agency headed by such an
officer are to be considered by the Council.
(2) Representation.--Each individual described in paragraph
(1) may designate a person to represent such individual on the
Council.
(3) Duration.--Each member shall be appointed for as long
as such member serves as the head of the appropriate department
or agency.
(4) Principal advisor.--The Chairperson of the Council
shall be the President's principal advisor on rural schools.
(c) Quorum.--Seven members of the Council shall constitute a quorum
for the purposes of transmitting recommendations and proposals to the
President, but a lesser number may meet for other reasons.
(d) Meetings.--The Council shall meet at least 2 times each year.
When a Council member is unable to attend a meeting, the Council member
shall appoint an appropriate Assistant Secretary or an equivalent
individual from the department or agency of the member to represent the
member for that meeting.
(e) Duties of the Council.--The Council shall--
(1) review programs and activities conducted by each
department or agency represented on the Council to determine
the effects of such programs and activities on the ability of
rural schools to meet National Education Goals;
(2) track progress of rural schools in meeting National
Education Goals;
(3) solicit information and advice from experts in rural
education and representatives of rural schools, including
representatives from rural postsecondary education, on how the
Federal Government may improve the programs and activities of
the Federal Government which serve rural school students;
(4) review regulations across various departments or
agencies of the Federal Government for duplication or
contradiction;
(5) issue an annual report to Congress and the President on
the progress rural schools are making in meeting the National
Education Goals, and on how Congress might change Federal
programs to improve the effectiveness of such programs in rural
schools;
(6) review and make recommendations regarding ways to
improve or streamline various Federal data collection
activities in rural schools; and
(7) conduct such research as may be helpful to rural school
practitioners at the elementary, secondary and postsecondary
level in improving the performance of students attending rural
schools.
SEC. 402. WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON RURAL EDUCATION.
(a) Authorization To Call Conference.--
(1) In general.--The President is authorized to call and
conduct a White House Conference on Rural Education (hereafter
in this section referred to as the ``Conference'').
(2) Special rule.--For the purpose of this section the term
``Conference'' means the Conference on Rural Education.
(3) Date.--The Conference described in paragraph (2) shall
be held not earlier than November 1, 1994, and not later than
October 30, 1996.
(4) Purpose.--The purposes of the Conference shall be to--
(A) develop recommendations and strategies for the
improvement of rural education;
(B) marshal the forces of the private sector,
governmental agencies at all levels, parents, teachers,
communities, and education officials to assist rural
schools in achieving National Education Goals, and make
recommendations on the roles rural public schools can
play to assist with local rural community economic
revitalization; and
(C) conduct the initial planning for a permanent
national commission on rural education.
(b) Composition of Conference.--
(1) In general.--The Conference shall be composed of--
(A) representatives of eligible public school
systems, including board of education members, school
superintendents and classroom teachers;
(B) representatives of the Congress, the Department
of Education and other Federal agencies;
(C) State elected officials and representatives
from State educational agencies;
(D) individuals with special knowledge of and
expertise in rural education, including individuals
involved with rural postsecondary education; and
(E) individuals with special knowledge of and
expertise in rural business.
(2) Selection.--The President shall select one-third of the
participants of the Conference, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives shall select one-third of such participants,
and the majority leader of the Senate shall select the
remaining one-third of such participants.
(3) Representation.--In selecting the participants of the
Conference the President, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, and the majority leader of the Senate shall
ensure that the participants are as representative of the
ethnic, racial, and language diversity of rural areas as is
practicable.
(c) Reports.--
(1) In general.--The final reports of the Conference,
containing such findings and recommendations as may be made by
the Conference, shall be submitted to the President not later
than 120 days following the termination of the Conference. The
final reports shall be made public and, within 90 days after
receipt by the President, transmitted to the Congress together
with a statement of the President containing recommendations
for implementing the reports.
(2) Publication and distribution.--The Conference is
authorized to publish and distribute the reports described in
this section. Copies of the reports shall be provided to the
Federal depository libraries and made available to local rural
school leaders and teachers.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated
for fiscal years 1994, 1995, and 1996 such sums as may be
necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.
(2) Availability.--Amounts made available pursuant to the
authority of paragraph (1) shall remain available until
expended.
SEC. 403. FEDERAL FUNDS TO SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT NON-FEDERAL FUNDS.
An eligible local educational agency may use funds received under
this Act only to supplement and, to the extent practicable, increase
the level of funds that would, in the absence of such Federal funds, be
made available from non-Federal sources for the education of students
participating in activities assisted under this Act and in no such case
may such funds be used to supplant funds from non-Federal sources.
SEC. 404. DEFINITIONS.
Except as otherwise provided, for the purposes of this Act--
(1) the term ``community-based organization'' means a
private nonprofit organization which is representative of a
community or significant segments of a community and which has
a proven record of providing effective educational or related
services to individuals in the community;
(2) the term ``Community as School Concept'' means the
mutual sharing of the local public school's and the local
community's human, financial, technical, and environmental
resources to help meet each others needs;
(3) the term ``local educational agency'' includes a rural
eligible local educational agency;
(4) the term ``institution of higher education'' has the
meaning given to such term in section 1201(a) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965;
(5) the term ``local educational agency'' has the meaning
given to such term in section 1471(12) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965;
(6) the term ``poverty level'' means the criteria of
poverty used by the Bureau of Census in compiling the most
recent decennial census for a family of 4 in such form as those
criteria have been updated by increases in the Consumer Price
Index for All Rural Consumers;
(7) the term ``rural eligible local educational agency''
means a local educational agency--
(A) that is located in a county--
(i) in which at least 15 percent of the
children enrolled in the schools of such county
are eligible to be counted under section 1005
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
of 1965; and
(ii) which is not in a metropolitan
statistical area;
(B) in which at least 15 percent of the children
enrolled in the schools of such local educational
agency live at or below the poverty level; or
(C) in which the total enrollment in the schools of
such local educational agency is less than 2,500
students and that does not serve schools located in a
metropolitan statistical area;
(8) the term ``rural school consortia'' means two or more
local rural public school districts cooperating together for
the purpose of increasing their ability to provide educational
services;
(9) the term ``Secretary'', except as otherwise specified,
means the Secretary of Education;
(10) the term ``State'' means each of the several States,
but does not include the District of Columbia, Guam, American
Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States
Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated
States of Micronesia, and Palau; and
(11) the term ``State educational agency'' has the meaning
given to such term in section 1471(23) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965.
<all>
HR 1687 IH----2
HR 1687 IH----3
HR 1687 IH----4