[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2571 Introduced in House (IH)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2571
To amend section 10105 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 to provide for a smaller learning communities grant program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 19, 2001
Mr. Hill (for himself, Mr. Barrett of Wisconsin, Ms. Sanchez, Mr. Smith
of New Jersey, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Hoeffel, Mr. Holden, Mr. Baird, Ms.
Carson of Indiana, Mr. Price of North Carolina, Mrs. Jones of Ohio, Mr.
Rahall, and Mr. Schiff) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend section 10105 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 to provide for a smaller learning communities grant program.
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 ``Smaller Schools, Stronger
Communities Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Since World War II, the conventional wisdom among
educators has been that larger schools are better than smaller
schools, and as a result the number of secondary schools in the
United States has declined by 70 percent and the average school
size has grown to 5 times the previous average size. According
to the Department of Education, 70 percent of high school
students in 2000 attended schools with more than 1,000
students.
(2) Over the past few years, educators have begun to
question the belief that larger schools are always better. The
National Association of Secondary School Principals recently
recommended that the high school of the 21st century be much
more student-centered and, above all, much more personalized in
programs, support services, and intellectual rigor. Underlying
this recommendation are the Association's beliefs that students
take more interest in school when they have a sense of
belonging and that students benefit from a more intimate
setting in which their presence is more readily and repeatedly
acknowledged.
(3) The National Association of Secondary School Principals
warns that the ``bigness'' of high schools shrouds many young
people in what the Association calls ``a cloak of anonymity''.
To counteract this effect, the Association recommends that high
schools--
(A) restructure their layouts and schedules so that
students are no longer invisible and able to ``melt
into their surroundings'';
(B) limit their enrollments to units of not more
than 600 students, either by constructing new buildings
or by creating schools-within-a-school; and
(C) change the relationship between teachers and
students by reducing the number of class changes
students are required to make each day and by allowing
teachers to spend more time with smaller numbers of
students.
(4) Research shows that larger schools tend to stratify
students into different tracks, which are often based on
children's educational and social backgrounds. The result is
inequitable educational outcomes, because at larger schools the
gap between the educational achievement of high-achieving and
low-achieving students is greater than at smaller schools.
(5) Research shows that--
(A) in smaller, more personalized, and less
bureaucratic schools, the gap between high-achieving
and low-achieving students is smaller;
(B) students in smaller schools perform better in
the core subjects of reading, mathematics, history, and
science;
(C) students in smaller schools are more engaged in
their courses;
(D) smaller schools have higher attendance rates
and higher rates of participation in school activities;
and
(E) because achievement levels in smaller schools
are more equitably distributed, students who come from
more disadvantaged economic and educational backgrounds
show the greatest achievement gains in smaller schools.
(6) In 2000, the Bank Street College of Education conducted
a study, entitled ``Small Schools: Great Strides'', of more
than 150 small schools in Chicago, Illinois. In the study,
researchers found the following:
(A) Small schools generated measurable benefits
(including higher attendance rates, grade point
averages, and graduation rates) even among the most
academically disadvantaged students.
(B) Teachers and parents reported greater
satisfaction with small schools.
(C) Teachers found that small schools offer a
stronger, more collaborative professional learning
community and provide opportunities to know students
better and to take greater responsibility for their
achievement.
(D) Parents found that small schools are more
accessible, more responsive, and safer.
(7) According to a recent study of 13,600 schools in
Georgia, Montana, Ohio, and Texas--
(A) in smaller schools the harmful effects of
poverty on student achievement were greatly reduced;
and
(B) in poorer Texas communities, larger schools had
significantly lower test scores than smaller schools.
(8) Research shows that smaller schools are safer and that
students in smaller schools are less likely to join gangs.
According to the 1999 report entitled ``Indicators of School
Crime and Safety'' issued by the National Center for Education
Statistics and the Bureau of Justice Statistics--
(A) the number of criminal acts committed at school
and number of incidents of school violence were much
lower in schools enrolling between 300 to 1,000
students than in larger schools regardless of location
in urban, suburban, or rural areas; and
(B) on the urban fringe, at schools within
metropolitan areas but not in the areas' central
cities, larger schools experienced as many as 4 times
as many incidents of serious violence per 1,000
students than smaller schools.
(9) Many States and local educational agencies are
implementing strategies to reduce the size of their schools,
including Florida, where in 2000 Governor Jeb Bush signed a
school safety bill that required new schools to serve smaller
student populations. The legislation limited new high schools
to 900 students.
SEC. 3. SMALLER LEARNING COMMUNITIES GRANT PROGRAM.
Section 10105 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 8005) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 10105. SMALLER LEARNING COMMUNITIES.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions
apply:
``(1) School.--The term `school' means an elementary school
or a secondary school.
``(2) School-within-a-school.--The term `school-within-a-
school' means a unit within a school that creates a close and
consistent academic and administrative relationship between a
group of students and a group of teachers such that the unit
functions as an individualized smaller school, regardless of
how many such schools-within-a-school exist within the larger
school.
``(3) Smaller learning community.--The term `smaller
learning community' means--
``(A) an independent, small school within a single
building;
``(B) a school-within-a-school; or
``(C) any other grouping of students, teachers, or
administrators that uses effective or innovative
strategies to create a more personalized school
experience for students to improve student achievement
or performance, including but not limited to strategies
that make use of--
``(i) career academies or clusters;
``(ii) magnet schools;
``(iii) restructured daily or school-year
schedules; or
``(iv) mentoring systems, such as personal
adult advocates or teacher advisory systems.
``(b) Authority To Make Grants.--In accordance with this section,
the Secretary may--
``(1) make grants to local educational agencies to enable
such agencies to develop plans to create smaller learning
communities; and
``(2) make grants to local educational agencies to enable
such agencies to implement plans to establish such communities.
``(c) Application.--
``(1) In general.--In accordance with this subsection, the
Secretary shall require that each local educational agency
seeking a grant under this section shall submit an application
to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied
by such information as the Secretary may require.
``(2) Simple, brief application.--In developing
applications for the grants described in subsection (b), the
Secretary shall develop an application that is simple and brief
in form.
``(3) Planning grants.--Each application from a local
educational agency for a grant under subsection (b)(1) shall
include information relating to each of the following:
``(A) The need in the area administered by the
local educational agency for 1 or more smaller learning
communities.
``(B) The process the local educational agency
intends to follow in establishing 1 or more smaller
learning communities.
``(C) The steps the local educational agency
intends to follow in order to ensure the viability of
each smaller learning community to be assisted with the
grant.
``(D) For each smaller learning community to be
assisted with the grant, the non-Federal resources that
will be available to the local educational agency from
each of the following:
``(i) Any existing school at which the
smaller learning community will be located.
``(ii) The school district, or area
administered by the local educational agency,
in which the smaller learning community will be
located.
``(4) Implementation grants.--Each application from a local
educational agency for a grant under subsection (b)(2) shall
include information relating to each of the following:
``(A) The strategies and methods the local
educational agency intends to use to create each
smaller learning community.
``(B) The curriculum and instructional practices,
including any particular themes or emphases, to be used
in the learning environment.
``(C) The degree of involvement of teachers, and
other school personnel, in investigating, designing,
implementing, and sustaining each smaller learning
community.
``(D) The process to be used for involving
students, parents, and other stakeholders in the
development and implementation of each smaller learning
community.
``(E) Any cooperation or collaboration among
community agencies, organizations, businesses, and
others to develop or implement a plan to create each
smaller learning community.
``(F) The training and professional development
activities that will be offered to teachers and others
involved in the activities for which the grant is sought.
``(G) The goals and objectives of the activities
for which the grant is sought, including a description
of how such activities will better enable all students
to reach challenging State content standards and State
student performance standards.
``(H) The methods by which the local educational
agency will assess progress in meeting the goals and
objectives described in subparagraph (G).
``(I) With respect to any smaller learning
community that will be a school-within-a-school, the
relationship, including governance and administration,
between the smaller learning community and the rest of
the school.
``(J) The administrative and managerial
relationship between the local educational agency and
each smaller learning community, including how such
agency intends to ensure the continuity of the smaller
learning community and the continuity of student and
teacher assignment to such community.
``(K) How the local educational agency intends to
coordinate the use of the proceeds of the grant with
the use of other funds provided under this Act or under
other Federal laws.
``(L) The grade levels or ages of students who will
participate in each smaller learning community.
``(M) The method of placing students in each
smaller learning community.
``(d) Use of Grant Funds.--
``(1) Planning grants.--The proceeds of a grant made under
subsection (b)(1) may be used for any of the following:
``(A) Study of the feasibility of creating a
smaller learning community.
``(B) Study of effective and innovative
organizational and instructional strategies for use in
1 or more smaller learning communities.
``(C) Research on and development of strategies for
creating 1 or more smaller learning communities.
``(D) Research on and development of, for 1 or more
smaller learning communities, effective and innovative
curriculums and methods of instruction designed to meet
high State content standards and State student
performance standards.
``(E) Provision of professional development in
innovative teaching methods that challenge and engage
students to the staff of 1 or more smaller learning
communities.
``(F) Development of strategies for the
participation in 1 or more smaller learning communities
of parents, business representatives, local
institutions of higher education, community-based
organizations, and other community members, as
facilitators of activities that provide professional
development for teachers or that provide links between
students and their local community.
``(G) Any other reasonable expense, including
architectural fees to design or remodel school
facilities, but not including the costs directly
associated with the renovation of existing facilities
or the purchase or construction of new facilities.
``(2) Implementation grants.--The proceeds of a grant made
under subsection (b)(2) may be used for any of the following:
``(A) Implementing strategies for creating 1 or
more smaller learning communities.
``(B) Implementing within 1 or more smaller
learning communities effective and innovative
curriculums and methods of instruction designed to meet
high State content standards and State student
performance standards.
``(C) Implementing strategies for the participation
in 1 or more smaller learning communities of parents,
business representatives, local institutions of higher
education, community-based organizations, and other
community members, as facilitators of activities that
provide professional development for teachers or that
provide links between students and their local
community.
``(D) Any other reasonable expense, including
architectural fees to design or remodel school
facilities, but not including the costs directly
associated with the renovation of existing facilities
or the purchase or construction of new facilities.
``(e) Equitable Distribution.--In making grants under this section,
the Secretary shall ensure that the recipients of grants under
subsection (b)(1) and the recipients of grants under subsection (b)(2)
are equitably distributed among urban, suburban, and rural areas of the
United States.
``(f) Report to the Secretary.--The Secretary shall require as a
condition of receipt of each grant under this section that the grant
recipient transmit to the Secretary a report on how the proceeds of the
grant were used.
``(g) Additional Authority.--To further assist local educational
agencies with respect to planning for or implementation of smaller
learning communities, the Secretary may--
``(1) provide technical assistance to such local
educational agencies ; and
``(2) participate in networking activities.
``(h) Secretary's Use of Funds.--In each fiscal year, the Secretary
may use not more than a total of 5 percent of the amount authorized
under subsection (j) for--
``(1) evaluation of the program authorized by this section;
``(2) the provision of technical assistance under
subsection (g)(1); and
``(3) networking activities under subsection (g)(2).
``(i) Study.--The Secretary shall conduct a study to--
``(1) build on existing research in the smaller learning
communities field;
``(2) evaluate and compare outcomes at various types of
smaller learning communities, including smaller learning
communities in urban, suburban, and rural school districts; and
``(3) track the effectiveness of smaller learning
communities.
``(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $200,000,000 for fiscal year
2002 and such sums as may be necessary for the 4 succeeding fiscal
years.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Education Reform.
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