[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3559 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
111th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3559
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to
strengthen mentoring programs, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 30, 2010
Mr. Dodd introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to
strengthen mentoring programs, 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.
This Act may be cited as the ``Mentoring America's Children Act of
2009''.
SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO MENTORING PROGRAMS.
(a) Purpose; Definitions.--Section 4130(a) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7140(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``achievement
of such children'' and inserting ``outcomes of such
children by improving their school connectedness,
decreasing absenteeism, and increasing academic
performance'';
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``and'' after
the semicolon;
(C) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period and
inserting ``; and''; and
(D) by adding at the end the following:
``(F) to foster character education.'';
(2) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ``or who lacks strong
positive role models'' and inserting ``who lacks strong
positive role models, who is a foster youth, or who has 1 or
both parents incarcerated'';
(3) in paragraph (2)(B)(iii), by striking ``a partnership
between a local educational agency and a nonprofit, community-
based organization'' and inserting ``a consortium between or
among 1 or more local educational agencies, nonprofit
community-based organizations, and other partners, such as
corporations, universities, or foster care group homes''; and
(4) in paragraph (2)(C)(iii), by inserting ``and
successful'' after ``responsible''.
(b) Grant Program.--Section 4130(b) of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7140(b)) is amended--
(1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) of paragraph
(1), by striking ``this subpart under section 4003(2)'' and
inserting ``this section under subsection (d)'';
(2) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ``(particularly'' and
all that follows through ``failure)'' and inserting ``,
particularly children living in rural, suburban, or urban areas
facing high rates of crime, gang involvement, drug use, school
dropouts, or youth suicides,'';
(3) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking clauses (vi) and
(viii) and inserting the following:
``(vi) Encourage setting goals and planning
for the future, including encouragement of
graduation from secondary school, planning for
postsecondary education or training, and
participating in internships.
``(vii) Discourage involvement in gangs.'';
(4) in paragraph (4)--
(A) by striking subparagraph (D) and inserting the
following:
``(D) an assurance that each mentor will be
assigned to not more than 3 children, and that when
assigned to more than 1 child (which is preferable
where practicable), the assignment shall not undermine
the mentor's ability to be an effective mentor or to
establish a close relationship with each mentored
child;'';
(B) in subparagraph (I), by striking ``and'' after
the semicolon;
(C) in subparagraph (J)(iv), by striking the period
and inserting a semicolon; and
(D) by adding at the end the following:
``(K) information regarding the staffing plan and
levels the eligible entity will use to monitor the
mentor and mentee match over the duration of the match;
and
``(L) information regarding how the eligible entity
will meet the matching funds requirement described in
paragraph (7).'';
(5) in paragraph (5)--
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking clause (i) and
inserting the following:
``(i) serves children with greatest need
who live in rural areas, high-crime areas,
troubled home environments, or communities with
a high rate of youth suicide, who attended a
school with violence problems, or who are
foster children;'';
(B) in subparagraph (C)--
(i) in clause (i), by striking ``urban and
rural'' and inserting ``urban, suburban, and
rural'';
(ii) in clause (ii)(II), by inserting
``children,'' after ``organizations,''; and
(iii) in clause (iii), by inserting ``and
sustain the mentoring program for the duration
of the grant and beyond'' after ``mentoring
program''; and
(C) by adding at the end following:
``(E) Subsequent grants.--In awarding grants under
subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall consider eligible
entities who have received funding in a prior grant
cycle for a new grant only if each of the following
criteria is met:
``(i) Performance during the initial grant
was satisfactory in terms of program design and
numbers of children served.
``(ii) The subsequent grant will
exclusively support expanded service to a new
geographic area or target population.
``(iii) The eligible entity demonstrates
that the eligible entity is able to provide the
matching funds required under paragraph (7)(B)
for all years of the new grant.
``(F) Policy on one entity receiving two grants at
same time.--
``(i) In general.--Except as provided in
clause (ii), in awarding grants under
subparagraph (A) the Secretary may have in
effect a policy under which an eligible entity
is prohibited from receiving 2 grants under
this subsection at the same time.
``(ii) Exception.--The policy described in
clause (i) shall not prohibit an eligible
entity from receiving 2 grants under this
subsection at the same time when the periods of
the 2 grants overlap by 3 months or less.'';
and
(6) by adding at the end the following:
``(7) Matching funds.--Each eligible entity receiving a
grant under this subsection shall provide, toward the cost of
the activities assisted under the grant, matching funds in an
amount that--
``(A) in the case of the first multiyear grant
awarded to the eligible entity under this subsection--
``(i) in the first year of the grant, is
not less than 10 percent of the grant amount
awarded for that year;
``(ii) in the second year of the grant, is
not less than 25 percent of the grant amount
awarded for that year; and
``(iii) in the third year of the grant, is
not less than 50 percent of the grant amount
awarded for that year; and
``(B) in the case of the eligible entity receiving
subsequent grant funding under paragraph (5)(E) for a
year, is not less than 50 percent of the grant amount
awarded for that year.''.
(c) Additional Provisions.--
(1) In general.--Section 4130 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7140) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(c) Ensuring Quality Grants.--
``(1) Support for eligible entities.--In order to ensure
the strongest possible outcomes for children mentored through
this section, the Secretary shall--
``(A) provide training and technical assistance to
eligible entities that receive a grant under subsection
(b), beginning in the first year of the grant and
continuing throughout the duration of the grant;
``(B) track the mentoring practices and outcomes of
all eligible entities that receive a grant under
subsection (b) throughout the duration of the grant
utilizing a robust online tracking and evaluation
system; and
``(C) submit an annual report to Congress detailing
the number of children served by eligible entities that
receive a grant under subsection (b) and the outcomes
achieved for those children.
``(2) Research on school-based mentoring.--In order to
ensure that eligible entities that receive a grant under
subsection (b) have access to the most current research-based
knowledge about building and carrying out strong and effective
mentoring programs, the Secretary shall carry out the
following:
``(A) Consult with leading mentoring organizations
and researchers, including the Federal Mentoring
Council and the National Mentoring Working Group, to
determine priorities for research on school-based
mentoring and appropriate research design, with
consideration for--
``(i) determining the ideal school
environments in which school-based mentoring
succeeds;
``(ii) identifying techniques for matching
children with specific characteristics (such as
age, academic situation, risk factors) with the
most appropriate mentoring models;
``(iii) determining the ideal
infrastructure needed to foster the expansion
of school-based mentoring in a sustainable way;
and
``(iv) refining best practices, match
activities, and a range of mentoring models to
lead to the best possible outcomes for
children.
``(B) Award grants or contracts to high-quality
research entities to perform research on the priorities
identified in subparagraph (A), which research shall
meet the following criteria:
``(i) The proposed research design shall
meet accepted standards within the academic
community.
``(ii) All research results and findings
shall be widely disseminated to eligible
entities that receive a grant under subsection
(b) and to the larger mentoring community.
``(C) Award grants or contracts under subparagraph
(B) only if amount the appropriated under subsection
(d)(1) for each fiscal year for which such grant or
contract is awarded exceeds $50,000,000.
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations; Reservations of Certain
Amounts.--
``(1) Authorization.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $100,000,000 for fiscal
year 2011 and such sums as may be necessary for each succeeding
fiscal year.
``(2) Reservations.--Each fiscal year the Secretary shall
reserve--
``(A) not more than 5 percent of the amount
appropriated for that fiscal year under paragraph (1)
for expenditure on support for eligible entities as
authorized by subsection (c)(1); and
``(B) not more than 10 percent of the amount
appropriated for that fiscal year under paragraph (1)
for expenditure on research as authorized by subsection
(c)(2).''.
(2) Conforming amendments.--Section 4130(b) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
7140(b)) is further amended--
(A) in the matter preceding clause (i) of paragraph
(2)(B), by striking ``this section'' and inserting
``this subsection'';
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking ``this section''
and inserting ``this subsection'';
(C) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) of
paragraph (4), by striking ``this section'' and
inserting ``this subsection'';
(D) in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (5), by
inserting ``under this subsection'' after ``grants'';
and
(E) in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (6), by
striking ``this section'' each place the term appears
and inserting ``this subsection''.
(d) Revisions to Other Education Programs.--
(1) Transition services.--Section 1418(a)(2)(C) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
6438(a)(2)(C)) is amended--
(A) in clause (iv), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(B) in clause (v), by striking the period and
inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(vi) youth mentoring programs.''.
(2) National safe and drug-free schools programs.--Section
4121(a)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7131(a)(2)) is amended--
(A) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and'' after
the semicolon;
(B) in subparagraph (D), by inserting ``and'' after
the semicolon; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(E) school and community-based mentoring
programs;''.
(3) Inclusion of mentoring for minority programs.--
(A) Improvement of educational opportunities for
indian children.--Section 7121(c)(1) of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
7441(c)(1)) is amended--
(i) in subparagraph (E), by inserting ``,
including mentoring programs and projects,''
after ``programs and projects''; and
(ii) in subparagraph (J), by inserting ``,
including mentoring programs,'' after
``programs''.
(B) Native hawaiian education.--Section 7205(a)(3)
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 7515(a)(3)) is amended--
(i) in subparagraph (H)(ii), by inserting
``, including afterschool mentoring programs''
after ``programs''; and
(ii) in subparagraph (I)(iii), by inserting
``, mentoring,'' after ``counseling''.
(C) Alaska native education.--Section 7304(a)(2)(P)
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 7544(a)(2)(P)) is amended by inserting ``or
mentoring programs'' after ``Success program''.
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