Elementary School Improvement Project Act

Elementary School Improvement Project Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to make demonstration grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to conduct programs designed to reduce the student-to-teacher ratio in the primary grades of elementary schools.

Requires each LEA that receives such a grant to establish and maintain in schools under its jurisdiction an average student-to-teacher ratio of not more than 15 students per teacher, and a maximum ratio of not more than 18 students per teacher. Applies such ratios to: (1) the first grades of such schools for each year for which the grant is received; (2) the second grades for the second and third years of the grant; and (3) the third grades for the third year of the grant.

Sets the Federal share of the cost of activities carried out under such a grant at: (1) 90 percent for the first year; (2) 70 percent for the second year; and (3) 50 percent for the third year. Allows the non-Federal share to be in cash or in kind.

Authorizes appropriations for FY 1989 and succeeding fiscal years.

 
HR 1735 IH
101st CONGRESS
1st Session
 H. R. 1735
To establish a program of demonstration grants to local educational agencies
to encourage reduction of student to teacher ratios in the primary grades.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 6, 1989
Mr. RIDGE (for himself, Mr. WALSH, Mrs. SAIKI, Mr. PENNY, Mr. LAGOMARSINO,
Mr. HATCHER, Mr. PARRIS, and Mr. LEWIS of Georgia) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor
A BILL
To establish a program of demonstration grants to local educational agencies
to encourage reduction of student to teacher ratios in the primary grades.
  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 `Elementary School Improvement Project Act'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
  (a) FINDINGS- Congress finds that--
  (1) the quality of the education provided in the Nation's schools has a
  direct impact upon the prosperity, productivity, and well-being of the
  Nation as a whole;
  (2) research indicates that the quality of education and the performance
  of students in the primary grades is directly affected by the student to
  teacher ratio of the classroom;
  (3) research indicates that small classes are important to increased pupil
  achievement in reading and mathematics in early primary grades;
  (4) there is a positive relationship between small class size and pupil
  achievement when pupils in primary grades are taught in small classes for
  2 or more consecutive years;
  (5) the scholastic achievement of economically or socially disadvantaged
  pupils may be positively affected by smaller class sizes;
  (6) the effects of smaller class sizes may be enhanced by the use of
  instructional techniques designed for smaller classrooms;
  (7) the national interest in educational excellence would be furthered by
  a reduction in the student to teacher ratio to an average of 15 students
  or less per teacher, with a maximum of 18 students per teacher; and
  (8) there is a positive impact when parents are involved in the development
  and implementation of education programs.
  (b) PURPOSE- It is the purpose of this Act to establish a program of
  demonstration grants to encourage local educational agencies to reduce the
  student to teacher ratio in the primary grades in elementary schools that
  have large classes in such grades.
SEC. 3. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
  (a) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of Education shall make grants to local
  educational agencies from amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization
  contained in section 7 for the purpose of conducting programs designed to
  reduce the student to teacher ratio in the primary grades of elementary
  schools under the jurisdictions of such agencies.
  (b) STUDENT TO TEACHER RATIO REDUCTION REQUIRED-
  (1) AVERAGE STUDENT TO TEACHER RATIO- Each local educational agency that
  receives a grant under subsection (a) shall, subject to the provisions of
  paragraph (2), establish and maintain in schools under its jurisdiction an
  average student to teacher ratio of not more than 15 students per teacher--
  (A) in the first grades of such schools for each year for which the grant
  is received;
  (B) in the second grades of such schools for the second and third years
  for which the grant is received; and
  (C) in the third grades of such schools for the third year for which the
  grant is received.
  (2) MAXIMUM STUDENT TO TEACHER RATIO- Each local educational agency that
  receives a grant under subsection (a) shall establish and maintain in each
  school under its jurisdiction a student to teacher ratio of not more than
  18 students per teacher--
  (A) in the first grade of each such school for each year for which the
  grant is received;
  (B) in the second grade of each such school for the second and third years
  for which the grant is received; and
  (C) in the third grade of each such school for the third year for which
  the grant is received.
  (c) PARENT INVOLVEMENT- Each local educational agency that receives a
  grant under subsection (a) shall--
  (1) establish effective procedures by which parents and area residents
  concerned will be enabled to directly participate in decisions that
  influence the character of the programs affecting the restructuring of
  the grade in which their child is a student; and
  (2) provide for their regular participation in the implementation of
  such programs.
  (d) SELECTION CRITERIA- The Secretary shall award grants under subsection
  (a) on the basis of--
  (1) the need and the ability of the local educational agency to reduce
  the student to teacher ratio in the primary grades of elementary schools
  under its jurisdiction to the level described in subsection (b);
  (2) the ability of the local educational agency to furnish the non-Federal
  share of the costs of the project for which the grant is requested;
  (3) the ability of the local educational agency to continue the project
  for which the grant is requested after the grant expires;
  (4) the degree to which the local educational agency demonstrates
  consultation in program implementation and design with parents, teachers,
  school administrators, and local teacher organizations (where applicable);
  and
  (5) the degree to which the local educational agency, in consultation
  with teachers, school administrators, and local teacher organizations
  (where applicable), includes teaching techniques and teacher inservice
  training on the use of such techniques.
The Secretary shall not take into account the size of local educational
agencies in awarding grants under subsection (a).
SEC. 4. APPLICATIONS.
  (a) IN GENERAL-
  (1) SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS- A local educational agency that desires
  to receive a grant under section 3(a) shall submit an application to the
  Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may reasonably
  require.
  (2) GRANT PERIOD- The Secretary shall encourage local educational agencies
  to submit applications for a 3-year period.
  (b) CONTENTS OF APPLICATION- Each application submitted as required by
  subsection (a) shall include--
  (1) a description of the objectives to be attained through use of the
  funds provided under the grant;
  (2) a plan for attainment of the objectives described in paragraph (1),
  including, where appropriate, the acquisition of additional teaching
  personnel or classroom space;
  (3) a description of methods to be used to collect data to evaluate the
  effect on student achievement of programs carried out under the grant;
  (4) an assurance that the local educational agency will pay from non-Federal
  sources the non-Federal share of the costs of the project for which the
  grant is requested; and
  (5) such additional assurances and information as the Secretary may
  reasonably require.
  (c) ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS- Not more than 5 percent of funds provided under
  any grant under section 3(a) may be used for administrative expenses.
SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.
  (a) GRANTS MUST SUPPLEMENT OTHER FUNDS- A local educational agency that
  receives a grant under section 3(a) may use the funds provided under
  such grant only to supplement any funds that would, in the absence of
  such Federal funds, be made available from non-Federal sources for the
  activities described in the application.
  (b) AUDIT- The Comptroller General shall have access to, for the purpose
  of audit and examination, any books, documents, papers, or records of
  any local educational agency that receives a grant under section 3(a)
  that are pertinent to any sums received or disbursed under the grant.
SEC. 6. PAYMENTS; FEDERAL SHARE.
  (a) PAYMENTS- Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary
  shall pay to each local educational agency for which an application is
  approved under section 4 the Federal share of the cost of the activities
  described in the application.
  (b) FEDERAL SHARE-
  (1) IN GENERAL- The Federal share of the cost of activities carried out
  with a grant under section 3(a) shall be--
  (A) 90 percent for the first year for which a grant is received;
  (B) 70 percent for the second such year; and
  (C) 50 percent for the third such year.
  (2) COMPOSITION OF NON-FEDERAL SHARE- The non-Federal share of payments
  under this Act may be in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, including
  personnel, equipment, or services.
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
  There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the provisions of
  this Act $50,000,000 for fiscal year 1989 and such sums as may be necessary
  for each succeeding fiscal year.
SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.
  For purposes of this Act:
  (1) ELEMENTARY SCHOOL- The term `elementary school' has the meaning given
  such term under section 198(a)(7) of the Elementary and Secondary Education
  Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.).
  (2) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY- The term `local educational agency' has the
  meaning given such term under section 198(a)(10) of such Act.
  (3) SECRETARY- The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of Education.