Improving Student Testing Act of 2007 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to allow states to use academic indicators other than statewide standardized assessments in determining whether schools need improvement, corrective action, or restructuring. (Currently, such indicators may not be used to reduce the number of schools requiring such interventions.)
Permits states to use growth or hybrid growth and status models in determining whether students are making adequate progress toward state standards. Requires growth models and the growth portion of hybrid models to: (1) use statewide education data systems capable of tracking individual student growth; and (2) assess students annually in grades 3 through 8, and once in grades 9 through 12.
Allows states to alter their current assessment systems by: (1) conducting statewide assessments less frequently, but at least once in grades 3 through 5, 6 through 9, and 10 through 12; or (2) using multiple measures of assessments instead of, or in addition to, statewide standardized assessments.
Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants to states to implement certain privacy protection measures for statewide education data systems.
Waives the requirement that all students meet state academic proficiency standards by the end of the 2013-2014 school year if, for each of FY2008-FY2015, school improvement funds appropriated do not match those authorized.
Makes changes to the state education improvement plan peer review process that involve the composition of peer review panels, the feedback they provide, and the consistency of their decisions from state to state.
Requires states to disaggregate high school graduation rates by student subgroups. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to states to disaggregate and report student graduation and performance data.
Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive grants to: (1) states to develop multiple measures of assessment, rather than one standardized test; and (2) states and local educational agencies to improve their capacity to implement alternative accountability and assessment systems and meet school improvement requirements.
[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4305 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4305
To amend part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 to improve elementary and secondary education.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 6, 2007
Mr. Allen (for himself and Mr. Michaud) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 to improve elementary and secondary education.
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 ``Improving Student
Testing Act of 2007''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. References.
Sec. 3. Findings.
Sec. 4. Purposes.
Sec. 5. State and local flexibility in assessment and accountability
models.
Sec. 6. Privacy protections for data systems.
Sec. 7. Timeline.
Sec. 8. Improvements to the peer review process.
Sec. 9. Disaggregation of graduation rates.
Sec. 10. Competitive grants for creating and implementing high-quality
assessments.
Sec. 11. Competitive grants for increasing capacity at the State and
local level.
SEC. 2. REFERENCES.
Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this Act an
amendment or revision is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or
revision of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be
considered to be made to a section or other provision of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.).
SEC. 3. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) State and local governments bear the majority of the
cost of and responsibility for educating public elementary
school and secondary school students.
(2) State and local governments often struggle to find
adequate funding to provide basic educational services.
(3) The Federal Government has not provided its full share
of funding for numerous federally mandated elementary and
secondary education programs.
(4) Underfunded Federal education mandates increase
financial pressures on States and local educational agencies.
(5) States and local educational agencies are facing
increased costs when implementing the annual student academic
assessments required under section 1111(b)(3)(C)(vii) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
6311(b)(3)(C)(vii)).
(6) Multiple measures of student academic achievement on
various methods of assessment provide a more complete picture
of a student's strengths and weaknesses than does a single
score on a high stakes standardized test.
(7) The frequency of using high-quality assessments as a
tool to measure student achievement should be decided by State
educational agencies and local educational agencies.
SEC. 4. PURPOSES.
Section 1001 (20 U.S.C. 6301) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (8) through (12) as
paragraphs (10) through (14), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (7) the following:
``(8) encouraging State educational agencies and local
educational agencies to design innovative State assessment
systems that include valid and reliable high-quality
assessments, including teacher-designed formative assessments,
performance-based assessments, portfolio assessments, and other
locally designed assessments;
``(9) providing additional resources for States to
encourage the use of more than high stakes standardized testing
in making key decisions about students and schools, including
accountability determinations, student promotion and retention
decisions, and school funding decisions;''.
SEC. 5. STATE AND LOCAL FLEXIBILITY IN ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY
MODELS.
(a) Changes to Academic Standards.--Section 1111(b)(1)(D) (20
U.S.C. 6311(b)(1)(D)) is amended--
(1) in clause (i)(III), by inserting ``, including higher-
order thinking and analysis skills'' after ``skills''; and
(2) in clause (ii)(III), by striking ``the lower-
achieving'' and inserting ``all''.
(b) Accountability Definition Changes.--Section 1111(b)(2)(A) (20
U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)(A) is amended--
(1) in the matter preceding clause (i)--
(A) by inserting ``or adequate yearly growth''
after ``progress''; and
(B) by striking ``under this paragraph'' and
inserting ``in the State plan in accordance with this
paragraph and subject to the State's selection of an
assessment system described in paragraph (3)(E)''; and
(2) in clause (iii)--
(A) by striking ``sanctions'' and inserting
``proven interventions''; and
(B) by inserting ``or adequate yearly growth''
after ``adequate yearly progress''.
(c) Adequate Yearly Progress Changes.--Section 1111(b)(2) (as
amended by subsection (b)) (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)) is further amended--
(1) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``, and at the
State's selection, other academic indicators,'' after
``assessments''; and
(2) in subparagraph (D)--
(A) in clause (i), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(B) by striking clause (ii) and inserting the
following:
``(ii) in order to provide a more accurate
determination of school improvement and subject
to subparagraph (C)(iv), may elect to use other
academic indicators described in clauses (vi)
or (vii) of subparagraph (C) to determine which
schools and local educational agencies are
identified for school improvement, corrective
action, or restructuring under section 1116;
and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(iii) shall ensure that assessments
described in paragraph (3) represent not less
than 50 percent of the factors used to
determine how academic achievement is measured
for purposes of determining adequate yearly
progress or adequate yearly growth.''.
(d) Changes to Annual Measurable Objectives.--Section 1111(b)(2)(G)
(20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)(G)) is amended--
(1) in clause (iii), by inserting ``, or to meet a certain
level of adequate yearly growth,'' after ``proficient level'';
and
(2) in clause (iv), by inserting ``, or definition of
adequate yearly growth,'' after ``academic achievement''.
(e) State Flexibility To Design Growth Models.--Section 1111(b)(2)
(20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)) is further amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(L) State flexibility to design growth models.--
``(i) In general.--Notwithstanding any
other provisions of this section, in carrying
out this section a State may choose from among
the following statewide accountability models:
``(I) Status model.--Maintaining
annual assessments under a status
model, as described in subparagraphs
(B) through (K) of this paragraph.
``(II) Growth model.--Implementing
a growth model accountability system
described in clause (ii).
``(III) Hybrid model.--Implementing
a hybrid accountability model,
including a combined growth and status
model, if the growth model meets the
requirements described in clause (ii).
``(ii) Requirements for growth models.--A
growth model accountability system referred to
in subclause (II) or (III) of clause (i) shall
meet the following requirements:
``(I) Valid, reliable, and accurate
measures.--The growth model uses valid,
reliable, and accurate measures.
``(II) Sufficient technical quality
and capacity.--The growth model has
sufficient technical quality and
technical capacity to ensure the growth
model can function fairly and
accurately for each student.
``(III) Statewide privacy-protected
data system.--The growth model has a
statewide privacy-protected data system
capable of tracking individual
students' growth.
``(IV) Annual assessments.--The
State annually assesses students in
grades 3 through 8 and once in grades 9
through 12 and such assessments produce
reliable results in each grade and from
year to year.
``(V) Performance measures or
growth targets.--The State may set
performance measures or growth targets
based on a student's current academic
level, but may not set performance
measures or growth targets for students
on the basis of the student's
membership in 1 of the groups listed in
subparagraph (C)(v)(II).
``(VI) Ability to evaluate.--The
State is able to evaluate student gains
or progress in, at a minimum,
mathematics and reading or language
arts.''.
(f) State Flexibility To Design Assessment Systems.--Section
1111(b)(3) (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(3)) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(E) State flexibility to design assessment
systems.--
``(i) State assessment systems.--
``(I) In general.--Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Act, in
carrying out this section a State may
choose to design a statewide assessment
system described in clause (ii) that is
subject to peer review and approval
under subsection (e).
``(II) Maintaining current
assessment system.--Notwithstanding any
other provision of this Act, a State
may elect to maintain the State's
statewide assessment system in effect
on the day before the date of enactment
of the Improving Student Testing Act of
2007.
``(III) Consultation.--A State
shall consult with local educational
agencies, principals, teachers, and
parents when designing an assessment
system under this subparagraph.
``(ii) Statewide assessment system
options.--In carrying out this section a State
may choose from among the following statewide
assessment system options:
``(I) Alternative assessment
models.--
``(aa) In general.--Subject
to item (bb), a State may
conduct statewide assessments
as described in paragraph (3)
not less than--
``(AA) once in
grades 3 through 5;
``(BB) once in
grades 6 through 9; and
``(CC) once in
grades 10 through 12.
``(bb) Special rule.--If a
State chooses to assess
statewide in grade-spans, then
the State is encouraged to use
more than standardized, point-
in-time assessments to
determine adequate yearly
progress or adequate yearly
growth, and decisions related
to school improvement,
corrective action, and
restructuring under section
1116.
``(II) Multiple measures of
assessment.--A State may choose to
implement a system of State or locally
designed or administered formative
assessments, performance assessments,
portfolio assessments, benchmark
assessments, end-of-course
examinations, and other measures of
assessment, as an alternative to or in
conjunction with statewide standardized
assessments, if each such assessment in
the system--
``(aa) measures higher-
order thinking skills; and
``(bb) meets the
requirements of subparagraph
(C)(xvi).
``(III) Hybrid assessment model.--A
State may choose to create a hybrid
assessment model composed of statewide
standardized assessments and multiple
measures of assessment described in
subclause (II).''.
(g) Assessment Changes.--Section 1111(b)(3) (as amended by
subsection (e)) is further amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A)--
(A) by striking ``, yearly'' after ``high-
quality''; and
(B) by striking ``that will be used as the
primary'' and inserting ``, subject to the State's
selection of an assessment system under subparagraph
(E), that will be used as 1 of the'';
(2) in subparagraph (C)--
(A) in the matter preceding item (aa) of clause
(v)(I), by striking ``except as otherwise provided for
grades 3 through 8 under clause vii'' and inserting
``subject to a State's selection of an assessment
system under subparagraph (E)'';
(B) in clause (vii), by striking ``beginning not''
and all that follows through ``through 8 in'' and
inserting ``measure the achievement of students against
the challenging State academic content and student
academic achievement standards in each of the grades
assessed in'';
(C) in clause (xiv), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(D) in clause (xv), by striking the period and
inserting ``; and''; and
(E) by adding at the end the following:
``(xvi) if the State chooses, include other
valid and reliable assessments, including State
or locally designed or administered formative
assessments, performance assessments, portfolio
assessments, benchmark assessments, end-of-
course examinations, and other local
assessments, that--
``(I) are aligned with the State's
academic content standards and student
academic achievement standards;
``(II) have been approved through
the peer-review process described in
subsection (e);
``(III) measure higher-order
thinking skills;
``(IV) produce evidence about
student learning and achievement in a
timely manner; and
``(V) provide teachers with
meaningful feedback so that the
teachers can modify, improve, and
target instructional strategies based
on individual student need.''.
(h) Special Rule.--Section 1111(b) (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)) is further
amended by striking paragraph (4).
SEC. 6. PRIVACY PROTECTIONS FOR DATA SYSTEMS.
Subpart 1 of part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311 et seq.) is amended by adding at
the end the following:
``SEC. 1120C. PRIVACY PROTECTIONS FOR DATA SYSTEMS.
``(a) In General.--Each State receiving a grant under this part
shall implement measures to--
``(1) limit the use of information in a statewide education
data system by a State educational agency, a local educational
agency, or an institution of higher education to the purposes
and functions for such information set forth in Federal or
State education law, and allow access to the information in the
statewide education data system only to those State or local
employees or agents, and only on such terms, as may be
necessary to fulfill those purposes and functions;
``(2) prohibit the disclosure of student-level information
in the data system to any other person, agency, institution, or
entity, except that States may allow the disclosures permitted
under section 444 of the General Education Provisions Act in
accordance with the limitations set forth in this section and
any additional limitations set forth in State law;
``(3) require any person, agency, institution, or entity to
whom disclosure of information in the data system is authorized
under section 444 of the General Education Provisions Act to
sign a data use agreement prior to disclosure, that--
``(A) prohibits the party from further disclosing
the information;
``(B) prohibits the party from using the
information for any purpose other than the purpose
specified in the agreement; and
``(C) requires the party to destroy the information
when the purpose for which the disclosure was made is
accomplished;
``(4) if consistent with the purpose of the disclosure,
remove personally identifying information and unique
identifiers before disclosing student-level information in the
data system;
``(5) in addition to the accounting requirements set forth
under section 444 of the General Education Provisions Act,
maintain a record of the date of each disclosure of information
in the data system, a detailed description of the information
disclosed, and the name and address of the person, agency,
institution, or entity to whom the disclosure was made, which
accounting shall be made available on request to parents of any
student whose information has been disclosed, or to the student
if the student has reached the age of 18 or is enrolled in a
postsecondary educational institution;
``(6) ensure that any disclosure of aggregate data in the
data system is in a form that does not permit the
identification of individual students, and that any unique
identifiers in the data system are removed prior to disclosure
of aggregate data;
``(7) maintain adequate security measures to ensure the
confidentiality and integrity of the data system; and
``(8) ensure adequate enforcement of the requirements of
this section.
``(b) Use of Unique Identifiers.--
``(1) Governmental use of unique identifiers.--It shall be
unlawful for any Federal agency, any employee of any Federal
agency, any State or local agency in a State that receives
funds under this Act, or any employee of a State or local
agency in a State that receives funds under this Act, to use
unique identifiers employed in a statewide education data
system for any purpose other than as authorized by Federal or
State education law, or to deny any individual any right,
benefit, or privilege provided by law because of such
individual's refusal to disclose the individual's unique
identifier.
``(2) Regulations.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of the Improving Student Testing Act of 2007, the
Secretary shall promulgate regulations governing the use of
unique identifiers employed in statewide education data
systems, with the goal of safeguarding individual privacy. The
regulations may require States seeking grants under this part
to have in place measures to limit the use of unique
identifiers by nongovernmental parties to the extent
practicable, consistent with the uses of the information
authorized in Federal or State education law.
``(c) Formula Grants for Privacy Protected Data Systems.--
``(1) Grants authorized.--The Secretary is authorized to
award a grant, from allotments under paragraph (2), to each
State receiving funds under this part, for the purposes of
carrying out the requirements of this section related to
privacy protections and unique identifiers.
``(2) Allotment formula.--The Secretary shall establish a
formula for the allotment of grants under this subsection that
ensures that no State receives less than $500,000 annually and
that each State receives an equitable share of the amount
allotted based upon relevant State factors, including student
population size.
``(3) Definition of state.--In this subsection the term
`State' means each of the several States of the United States,
the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
``(d) Authorized Amounts.--There are authorized to be appropriated
to carry out this section $35,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008
through 2012.''.
SEC. 7. TIMELINE.
Section 1111(b)(2)(F) (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)(F)) is amended by
adding at the end the following: ``The Secretary shall waive the
timeline described in this subparagraph if the amount appropriated to
carry out this part for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2015 does not
equal or exceed the amount authorized to be appropriated to carry out
this part for each such fiscal year.''.
SEC. 8. IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PEER REVIEW PROCESS.
Section 1111(e)(1) (20 U.S.C. 6311(e)(1)) is further amended--
(1) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the
following:
``(B) appoint individuals to the peer review
process who are--
``(i) representative of parents, teachers,
State educational agencies, local educational
agencies, and professional education
associations; and
``(ii) skilled practitioners or education
researchers with knowledge of fair, valid, and
reliable assessment design, including
individuals with expertise in 1 or more of the
following:
``(I) Developing educational
standards.
``(II) Developing valid and
reliable assessments for all students,
including alternative assessments for
students with disabilities and English
language learners.
``(III) Creating valid
accountability models.
``(IV) Accurately assessing the
needs of low-performing schools.
``(V) Adequately measuring the
other educational needs of students so
that issues relating to the education
of the whole child are addressed.'';
(2) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) through (F) as
subparagraphs (F) through (I), respectively;
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (B) (as amended by
paragraph (1)) the following:
``(C) establish a list of individuals who are
eligible to be appointed to a peer review panel under
this subsection and ensure that from the list of
eligible peer reviewers, each peer review team
contains--
``(i) not less than 1 representative
selected from among recommendations from State
educational agencies;
``(ii) not less than 1 representative
selected from among recommendations from local
educational agencies;
``(iii) not less than 1 representative
selected from among recommendations from
professional educational associations;
``(iv) not less than 1 representative
selected by the Secretary; and
``(v) not less than 1 representative who
works in a school;
``(D) ensure that there is consistency from State
to State with respect to all decisions reached by the
peer review panels;
``(E) ensure that States are given the opportunity
to receive timely feedback from peer review teams, in
person or via electronic communication, and directly
interact with peer review panels on issues that need
clarification during the peer review process;'';
(4) in subparagraph (H)(iii) (as redesignated by paragraph
(2)), by striking ``and'' after the semicolon;
(5) in subparagraph (I) (as redesignated by paragraph (2)),
by striking the period and inserting a semicolon; and
(6) by adding at the end the following:
``(J) post all approval and denial decisions
regarding the State plans and final State plans, State
plan amendments, and waiver decisions for each State
plan, on a publicly available website in an easily
identifiable location, and provide written notification
to States of all such decisions within 3 business days
of such decisions; and
``(K) direct the Inspector General of the
Department to review the final determinations reached
by the Secretary under this subsection for consistent
decisionmaking through the peer review process across
all States and report the findings to Congress once
every 2 years.''.
SEC. 9. DISAGGREGATION OF GRADUATION RATES.
(a) In General.--Section 1111(h)(1)(C)(vi) (20 U.S.C.
6311(h)(1)(C)) is amended by inserting before the semicolon the
following: ``, disaggregated by the student subgroups described in
subsection (b)(2)(C)(v)(II)''.
(b) Formula Grants for Disaggregation and Reporting of Data.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Education is authorized
to award a grant, from allotments under paragraph (2), to each
State receiving funds under part A of title I of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311 et seq.),
for the purposes of carrying out the requirements to
disaggregate and report data as required under sections
1111(b)(2)(C), 1111(b)(3)(C)(xiii), and 1111(h) of such Act (20
U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)(C), 6311(b)(3)(C)(xiii), 6311(h)).
(2) Allotment formula.--The Secretary shall establish a
formula for the allotment of grants under this subsection that
ensures that no State receives less than $1,000,000 annually
and that each State receives an equitable share of the amount
allotted based upon relevant State factors, including student
population size.
(3) Definition of states.--In this subsection the term
``State'' means each of the several States of the United
States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico.
(4) Authorization.--There are authorized to be appropriated
to carry out this subsection $70,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2008 through 2012.
SEC. 10. COMPETITIVE GRANTS FOR CREATING AND IMPLEMENTING HIGH-QUALITY
ASSESSMENTS.
(a) Purposes.--The purposes of this section are as follows:
(1) To provide additional resources to State educational
agencies, local educational agencies, and schools so that
accountability decisions about students and schools are based
on well-designed multiple measures of assessment rather than 1
high stakes standardized test.
(2) To assist State educational agencies, local educational
agencies, and schools in the design and implementation of high-
quality assessments, including State or locally designed school
district assessments, formative assessments, performance
assessments, portfolio assessments, alternative assessments for
students with disabilities and English Language Learners, and
other assessments that measure higher-order thinking skills and
are aligned with State student academic achievement and
academic content standards in order to create multiple measures
of assessment that--
(A) improve classroom instruction; or
(B) are used in accountability systems.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) ESEA definitions.--The terms used in this section have
the meanings given the terms in section 9101 of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(2) Formative assessment.--The term ``formative
assessment'' means an assessment that--
(A) produces evidence about student learning and
achievement in a timely manner; and
(B) provides students and teachers with meaningful
feedback so that teachers can modify, improve, and
target instructional strategies based on individual
student need, and students can assess the students' own
academic progress.
(3) Multiple measures of assessment.--The term ``multiple
measures of assessment'' means different forms of assessment
that offer all students various ways to show academic
achievement and progress.
(4) Performance assessment.--The term ``performance
assessment'' means an assessment that measures the ability of
students to apply knowledge and demonstrate achievement through
performance-based tasks.
(5) Portfolio assessment.--The term ``portfolio
assessment'' means an assessment that accumulates student work
to use as formative or summative evidence of student academic
progress.
(c) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary of Education is authorized to
award grants to State educational agencies to enable the State
educational agencies to carry out the authorized activities described
in subsection (d).
(d) Authorized Activities.--
(1) In general.--A State educational agency that receives a
grant under this section shall use the funds made available
through the grant for the design or implementation of high-
quality assessments in local classrooms, including--
(A) partnering with institutions of higher
education to train teachers in how to develop and
utilize the assessments described in subsection (a)(2)
and how to teach students to assess their own learning;
(B) creating the assessments described in
subsection (a)(2) and aligning the assessments with
State student academic achievement and academic content
standards;
(C) aligning local assessments across the State to
develop a system of common assessments;
(D) designing student reports that detail
assessment results and that can be used to inform
classroom instruction and provide parents with timely
information on student progress; and
(E) collaborating with other State educational
agencies to share information about assessment
development and implementation across the States.
(2) Restrictions.--Grant funds received under this section
shall--
(A) be used only for the development,
implementation, and measurement of the assessments
described in subsection (a)(2); and
(B) not be used for the purchase or development of
high stakes, large scale assessments or for test
preparation materials for high stakes testing.
(e) Eligible Partner Entities.--
(1) In general.--Each State educational agency that
receives a grant under this section, upon receipt of the grant
funds, may partner with an entity described in paragraph (2),
in order to carry out the activities assisted under the grant.
(2) Entities.--An entity referred to in paragraph (1) is--
(A) an institution of higher education that has a
teacher training program;
(B) a local educational agency; and
(C) a research institution with experience in
designing high-quality assessments.
(f) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this
section, a State educational agency shall submit an application to the
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information
as the Secretary may require, including, at a minimum--
(1) a proposal to use the grant funds to design or
implement the assessments described in subsection (a)(2);
(2) a method for establishing an application process
whereby local educational agencies and individual schools can
apply to receive funds provided under this section from the
State educational agency;
(3) a description of how the State educational agency plans
to assess the effectiveness of the assessments in raising
student achievement and narrowing the achievement gap among the
State's student population; and
(4) a description of how the State educational agency plans
to ensure that the assessments will be used to improve teaching
and provide detailed and timely feedback to students and
parents.
(g) Duration.--A grant under this section shall be awarded for a
period of not more than 5 fiscal years.
(h) Award Considerations.--In awarding grants under this section,
the Secretary shall select State educational agencies that demonstrate
the greatest need for the grants and the greatest potential benefit
from receipt of the grants.
(i) Report and Evaluation.--
(1) State reports.--Each State educational agency that
receives a grant under this section shall submit--
(A) an annual report to the Secretary detailing how
the State educational agency is using the grant funds
and detailing ongoing evaluation of the design of the
assessments assisted under this section, the training
of educators in using the assessments, and the
effectiveness of the assessments as measured by student
achievement and growth based on multiple measures of
assessment; and
(B) a comprehensive 5-year report at the end of the
5-year grant period including a detailed analysis of--
(i) how the grant funds were used; and
(ii) the impact of the grant on student
achievement, narrowing the achievement gap, and
the quality of teaching, based on multiple
measures of assessment.
(2) Federal evaluation and report.--Not later than 5 years
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall--
(A) develop and execute a plan for evaluating the
assessments assisted under this section and the
strategies financed under this section; and
(B) submit a report to Congress detailing how State
educational agencies used the grant funds provided
under this section, the impact of the grants on student
achievement and teaching in the States, and any
recommendations for improvements that can be made to
the grant program under this section.
(j) Authorized Amounts.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this section $150,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008
through 2012.
SEC. 11. COMPETITIVE GRANTS FOR INCREASING CAPACITY AT THE STATE AND
LOCAL LEVEL.
(a) Purposes.--The purpose of this section is to assist State
educational agencies and local educational agencies with--
(1) building State educational agency and local educational
agency technical capacity; and
(2) improving technical assistance.
(b) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary of Education is authorized to
award grants to State educational agencies and local educational
agencies to enable the agencies to carry out the authorized activities
described in subsection (c).
(c) Authorized Activities.--A State educational agency or local
educational agency that receives a grant under this section shall use
the funds made available under the grant to carry out 1 or more of the
following activities:
(1) Creating, maintaining, and improving State or local
education databases that can track adequate yearly growth in
individual students.
(2) Implementing adequate privacy protections in State or
local education databases.
(3) Complying with the requirement to disaggregate and
report data under sections 1111(b)(2)(C), 1111(b)(3)(C)(xiii),
and 1111(h) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)(C), 6311(b)(3)(C)(xiii), 6311(h)).
(4) Developing State educational agency or local
educational agency capacity to create accountability or
assessment systems that contain multiple measures of student
achievement, including statewide, local, formative, and
performance-based assessments.
(5) Conducting research on proven strategies for improving
schools and local school districts or implementing research-
proven, valid, and reliable improvement strategies in schools
or local school districts.
(6) Training State educational agency staff, local
educational agencies, administrators, and schools in making
data-driven decisions.
(7) Developing State educational agency or local
educational agency capacity to provide technical assistance to
schools in need of improvement.
(d) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this
subsection, a State educational agency or local educational agency
shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such
manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require,
including, at a minimum--
(1) a description of the privacy protections that the State
educational agency or local educational agency has implemented
or will implement pursuant to section 1120C of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and assurances that the
protections will be in place when the grant funds are made
available to the State educational agency or local educational
agency, if applying for grant funding to create, maintain, or
improve a State or local education database;
(2) a description of the school improvement techniques the
State educational agency or local educational agency will
implement, and a description of how the techniques will meet
the needs of the schools or local educational agencies in the
State that are identified for school improvement, corrective
action, or restructuring under section 1116 of the Elementary
and Secondary Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6316), if applying for
grant funding to develop capacity to provide school improvement
technical assistance;
(3) a description of the multiple measures of student
achievement that a State educational agency or local
educational agency will include in its assessment systems, if
applying for grant funding to develop assessment system
capacity;
(4) a description of the training programs that will be
offered to staff of State educational agencies and local
educational agencies to boost data-driven decisionmaking
skills, if applying for grant funding to develop such training
programs;
(5) a method for establishing an application process
whereby local educational agencies can apply to receive funds
provided under this section from the State educational agency;
(6) a description of how the State educational agency plans
to assess the effectiveness of the State educational agency's
capacity building efforts under this section; and
(7) a description of how the State educational agency plans
to account for funds expended under this section.
(e) Duration.--A grant under this section shall be awarded for not
less than 2 fiscal years and not more than 5 fiscal years.
(f) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary
shall give priority to State educational agencies and local educational
agencies that demonstrate in the application submitted under subsection
(c) the greatest need for the grant and the greatest potential benefit
from receipt of the grant.
(g) Evaluation.--
(1) State evaluations.--Each State educational agency
receiving a grant under this section shall submit a report at
the end of the last year of the grant that provides a detailed
analysis of how the grant funds were used and the effectiveness
of the grant funds in improving State educational agency and
local educational agency capacity to meet the requirements
under part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311 et seq.).
(2) Federal evaluation.--Not later than 5 years after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall--
(A) develop and execute a plan for evaluating the
State educational agency and local educational agency's
capacity-building programs funded under this section;
(B) submit a detailed report to Congress on the use
of the funds provided under this section in improving
State and local education capacity; and
(C) provide to Congress any recommendations for
improvements that can be made to the grant program
funded under this section.
(h) Authorized Amounts.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this section $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008
through 2012.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line