21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act - Requires the Secretary of Education to make grants to states for the modernization, renovation, or repair of public schools, including early learning facilities and charter schools, to make them safe, healthy, high-performing, and technologically up-to-date.
Allocates grants among states in proportion to each state's share of school improvement funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
Reserves 2% of the grant funds for assistance to outlying areas and Indian schools.
Reserves 5% of the grant funds for LEAs serving geographic areas with significant economic distress and those serving geographic areas recovering from a natural disaster.
Requires states to reallocate such grant funds to LEAs on the basis of each LEA's share of school improvement funds.
Allows LEAs to give priority to projects involving the abatement, removal, or interim control of asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, mold, mildew, lead-based hazards, or a proven carcinogen.
Directs LEA grantees to use a percentage of their grant, rising in 10% increments from 50% in FY2012 to 100% in FY2017, for public school modernization, renovation, repairs, or construction that meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating standards, Energy Star standards, Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) criteria, Green Building Initiative environmental design and rating standards (Green Globes), or equivalent standards adopted by the entities that have jurisdiction over such LEAs.
Requires the Secretary to provide outreach and technical assistance to states and LEAs concerning the best practices in school modernization, renovation, repair, and construction.
Requires the Department of Education to evaluate the effect this Act's projects have on student academic achievement.
Directs the Secretary to establish an Advisory Council on Green, High-Performing Schools to provide the Secretary with advice on the academic, health, energy, and environmental impact of such schools and assistance in facilitating their creation.
Requires the Secretary to work with grant recipients to promote appropriate opportunities for individuals enrolled in a YouthBuild, Job Corps, or community or junior college program to gain employment experience on projects funded under this Act.
[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3490 Introduced in House (IH)]
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3490
To direct the Secretary of Education to make grants to State
educational agencies for the modernization, renovation, or repair of
public school facilities, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 18, 2011
Mr. Chandler (for himself and Mr. Loebsack) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the
Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Education to make grants to State
educational agencies for the modernization, renovation, or repair of
public school facilities, 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 ``21st Century Green
High-Performing Public School Facilities Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
TITLE I--GRANTS FOR MODERNIZATION, RENOVATION, OR REPAIR OF PUBLIC
SCHOOL FACILITIES
Sec. 101. Purpose.
Sec. 102. Allocation of funds.
Sec. 103. Allowable uses of funds.
Sec. 104. Priority projects.
TITLE II--GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 201. Impermissible uses of funds.
Sec. 202. Supplement, not supplant.
Sec. 203. Prohibition regarding State aid.
Sec. 204. Maintenance of effort.
Sec. 205. Special rule on contracting.
Sec. 206. Use of American iron, steel, and manufactured goods.
Sec. 207. Labor standards.
Sec. 208. Charter schools.
Sec. 209. Green schools.
Sec. 210. Reporting.
Sec. 211. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 212. Special rules.
Sec. 213. Youthbuild programs.
Sec. 214. Evaluation.
Sec. 215. Advisory Council on Green, High-Performing Schools.
Sec. 216. Job Corps.
Sec. 217. Junior and community college students.
Sec. 218. GAO study.
Sec. 219. Education regarding projects.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) The term ``Bureau-funded school'' has the meaning given
to such term in section 1141 of the Education Amendments of
1978 (25 U.S.C. 2021).
(2) The term ``charter school'' has the meaning given such
term in section 5210 of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7221).
(3) The term ``CHPS Criteria'' means the green building
rating program developed by the Collaborative for High
Performance Schools.
(4) The term ``Energy Star'' means the Energy Star program
of the United States Department of Energy and the United States
Environmental Protection Agency.
(5) The term ``Green Globes'' means the Green Building
Initiative environmental design and rating system referred to
as Green Globes.
(6) The term ``LEED Green Building Rating System'' means
the United States Green Building Council Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design green building rating standard
referred to as LEED Green Building Rating System.
(7) The term ``local educational agency''--
(A) has the meaning given to that term in section
9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801), and shall also include the
Recovery School District of Louisiana and the New
Orleans Public Schools; and
(B) includes any public charter school that
constitutes a local educational agency under State law.
(8) The term ``outlying area''--
(A) means the United States Virgin Islands, Guam,
American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands; and
(B) includes the freely associated states of the
Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States
of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.
(9) The term ``public school facilities'' means an existing
public school facility, including a public charter school
facility, or another existing facility planned for adaptive
reuse as such a school facility.
(10) The term ``State'' means each of the 50 States, the
District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
TITLE I--GRANTS FOR MODERNIZATION, RENOVATION, OR REPAIR OF PUBLIC
SCHOOL FACILITIES
SEC. 101. PURPOSE.
Grants under this title shall be for the purpose of modernizing,
renovating, or repairing public school facilities, based on their need
for such improvements, to be safe, healthy, high-performing, and up-to-
date technologically.
SEC. 102. ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.
(a) Reservation.--
(1) In general.--From the amount appropriated to carry out
this title for each fiscal year pursuant to section 211(a), the
Secretary shall reserve 2 percent of such amount, consistent
with the purpose described in section 101--
(A) to provide assistance to the outlying areas;
and
(B) for payments to the Secretary of the Interior
to provide assistance to Bureau-funded schools.
(2) Use of reserved funds.--In each fiscal year, the amount
reserved under paragraph (1) shall be divided between the uses
described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of such paragraph in the
same proportion as the amount reserved under section 1121(a) of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
6331(a)) is divided between the uses described in paragraphs
(1) and (2) of such section 1121(a) in such fiscal year.
(3) Distressed areas and natural disasters.--From the
amount appropriated to carry out this title for each fiscal
year pursuant to section 211(a), the Secretary shall reserve 5
percent of such amount for grants to--
(A) local educational agencies serving geographic
areas with significant economic distress, to be used
consistent with the purpose described in section 101
and the allowable uses of funds described in section
103; and
(B) local educational agencies serving geographic
areas recovering from a natural disaster, to be used
consistent with the purpose described in section 101
and the allowable uses of funds described in section
103.
(b) Allocation to States.--
(1) State-by-state allocation.--Of the amount appropriated
to carry out this title for each fiscal year pursuant to
section 211(a), and not reserved under subsection (a), each
State shall be allocated an amount in proportion to the amount
received by all local educational agencies in the State under
part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311 et seq.) for the previous fiscal year
relative to the total amount received by all local educational
agencies in every State under such part for such fiscal year.
(2) State administration.--A State may reserve up to 1
percent of its allocation under paragraph (1) to carry out its
responsibilities under this title, which include--
(A) providing technical assistance to local
educational agencies;
(B) developing an online, publicly searchable
database that includes an inventory of public school
facilities in the State, including for each, its
design, condition, modernization, renovation and repair
needs, usage, utilization, energy use, and carbon
footprint; and
(C) creating voluntary guidelines for high-
performing school buildings, including guidelines
concerning the following:
(i) Site location, storm water management,
outdoor surfaces, outdoor lighting, and
transportation (location near public transit
and easy access for pedestrians and bicycles).
(ii) Outdoor water systems, landscaping to
minimize water use, including elimination of
irrigation systems for landscaping, and indoor
water use reduction.
(iii) Energy efficiency (including minimum
and superior standards, such as for heating,
ventilation, and air conditioning systems), use
of alternative energy sources, commissioning,
and training.
(iv) Use of durable, sustainable materials
and waste reduction.
(v) Indoor environmental quality, such as
day lighting in classrooms, lighting quality,
indoor air quality (including with reference to
reducing the incidence and effects of asthma
and other respiratory illnesses), acoustics,
and thermal comfort.
(vi) Operations and management, such as use
of energy efficient equipment, indoor
environmental management plan, maintenance
plan, and pest management.
(3) Grants to local educational agencies.--
(A) In general.--From the amount allocated to a
State under paragraph (1), each eligible local
educational agency in the State shall receive an amount
in proportion to the amount received by such local
educational agency under part A of title I of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 6311 et seq.) for the previous fiscal year
relative to the total amount received by all local
educational agencies in the State under such part for
such fiscal year, except that no local educational
agency that received funds under title I of that Act
for such fiscal year shall receive a grant of less than
$5,000 in any fiscal year under this title.
(B) Eligible local educational agency.--For
purposes of subparagraph (A), the term ``eligible local
educational agency'' means a local educational agency
that--
(i) meets the requirements for--
(I) a local educational agency plan
under section 1112(a) of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 6312(a));
(II) public school choice under
section 1116(b)(1)(E) of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 6316(b)(1)(E));
(III) transportation funding for
public school choice under section
1116(b)(9) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 6316(b)(9));
(IV) supplemental educational
services funding under section
1116(b)(10) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 6316(b)(10));
(V) supplemental educational
services under section 1116(e) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6316(e));
(VI) private school participation
under section 9501 of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 7881); and
(VII) armed forces recruiter access
under section 9528 of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 7908); and
(ii) conducts an independent audit by a
third-party entity, and is certified by the
State, substantiating the overall condition of
the public school facilities and the need for
modernization, renovation, or repair.
(4) Special rule.--Section 1122(c)(3) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6332(c)(3)) shall
not apply to paragraph (1) or (3).
(c) Special Rules.--
(1) Distributions by secretary.--The Secretary shall make
and distribute the reservations and allocations described in
subsections (a) and (b) not later than 30 days after an
appropriation of funds for this title is made.
(2) Distributions by states.--A State shall make and
distribute the allocations described in subsection (b)(3)
within 30 days of receiving such funds from the Secretary.
SEC. 103. ALLOWABLE USES OF FUNDS.
A local educational agency receiving a grant under this title shall
use the grant for modernization, renovation, or repair of public school
facilities, including, where applicable, early learning facilities,
including--
(1) repairing, replacing, or installing roofs, including
extensive, intensive or semi-intensive green roofs, electrical
wiring, water supply and plumbing systems, sewage systems,
storm water runoff systems, lighting systems, or components of
such systems, building envelope, windows, ceilings, flooring,
or doors, including security doors;
(2) repairing, replacing, or installing heating,
ventilation, air conditioning systems, or components of such
systems (including insulation), including indoor air quality
assessments;
(3) bringing public schools into compliance with fire,
health, seismic, and safety codes, including professional
installation of fire/life safety alarms, including
modernizations, renovations, and repairs that ensure that
schools are prepared for emergencies, such as improving
building infrastructure to accommodate security measures and
installing or upgrading technology to ensure that schools are
able to respond to emergencies such as acts of terrorism,
campus violence, and natural disasters;
(4) modifications necessary to make public school
facilities accessible to comply with the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) and section
504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794);
(5) abatement, removal, or interim controls of asbestos,
polychlorinated biphenyls, mold, mildew, or lead-based hazards,
including lead-based paint hazards;
(6) measures designed to reduce or eliminate human exposure
to classroom noise and environmental noise pollution;
(7) modernizations, renovations, or repairs necessary to
reduce the consumption of coal, electricity, land, natural gas,
oil, or water;
(8) upgrading or installing educational technology
infrastructure to ensure that students have access to up-to-
date educational technology;
(9) modernization, renovation, or repair of science and
engineering laboratory facilities, libraries, and career and
technical education facilities, including those related to
energy efficiency and renewable energy, and improvements to
building infrastructure to accommodate bicycle and pedestrian
access;
(10) renewable energy generation and heating systems,
including solar, photovoltaic, wind, geothermal, or biomass,
including wood pellet, woody biomass, waste-to-energy, and
solar-thermal systems or components of such systems, and energy
audits;
(11) measures designed to reduce or eliminate human
exposure to airborne particles such as dust, sand, and pollens;
(12) creating greenhouses, gardens (including trees), and
other facilities for environmental, scientific, or other
educational purposes, or to produce energy savings;
(13) upgrading or installing recreational structures,
including physical education facilities for students, made from
post consumer recovered materials in accordance with the
comprehensive procurement guidelines prepared by the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency under
section 6002(e) of the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C.
6962(e));
(14) other modernization, renovation, or repair of public
school facilities to--
(A) improve teachers' ability to teach and
students' ability to learn;
(B) ensure the health and safety of students and
staff;
(C) make them more energy efficient; or
(D) reduce class size; and
(15) required environmental remediation related to public
school modernization, renovation, or repair described in
paragraphs (1) through (14).
SEC. 104. PRIORITY PROJECTS.
In selecting a project under section 103, a local educational
agency may give priority to projects involving the abatement, removal,
or interim controls of asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, mold,
mildew, lead-based hazards, including lead-based paint hazards, or a
proven carcinogen.
TITLE II--GENERAL PROVISIONS
SEC. 201. IMPERMISSIBLE USES OF FUNDS.
No funds received under this Act may be used for--
(1) payment of maintenance costs;
(2) stadiums or other facilities primarily used for
athletic contests or exhibitions or other events for which
admission is charged to the general public;
(3) improvement or construction of facilities the purpose
of which is not the education of children, including central
office administration or operations or logistical support
facilities; or
(4) purchasing carbon offsets.
SEC. 202. SUPPLEMENT, NOT SUPPLANT.
A local educational agency receiving a grant under this Act shall
use such Federal funds only to supplement and not supplant the amount
of funds that would, in the absence of such Federal funds, be available
for modernization, renovation, repair, and construction of public
school facilities.
SEC. 203. PROHIBITION REGARDING STATE AID.
A State shall not take into consideration payments under this Act
in determining the eligibility of any local educational agency in that
State for State aid, or the amount of State aid, with respect to free
public education of children.
SEC. 204. MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.
(a) In General.--A local educational agency may receive a grant
under this Act for any fiscal year only if either the combined fiscal
effort per student or the aggregate expenditures of the agency and the
State involved with respect to the provision of free public education
by the agency for the preceding fiscal year was not less than 90
percent of the combined fiscal effort or aggregate expenditures for the
second preceding fiscal year.
(b) Reduction in Case of Failure To Meet Maintenance of Effort
Requirement.--
(1) In general.--The State educational agency shall reduce
the amount of a local educational agency's grant in any fiscal
year in the exact proportion by which a local educational
agency fails to meet the requirement of subsection (a) by
falling below 90 percent of both the combined fiscal effort per
student and aggregate expenditures (using the measure most
favorable to the local agency).
(2) Special rule.--No such lesser amount shall be used for
computing the effort required under subsection (a) for
subsequent years.
(c) Waiver.--The Secretary shall waive the requirements of this
section if the Secretary determines that a waiver would be equitable
due to--
(1) exceptional or uncontrollable circumstances, such as a
natural disaster; or
(2) a precipitous decline in the financial resources of the
local educational agency.
SEC. 205. SPECIAL RULE ON CONTRACTING.
Each local educational agency receiving a grant under this Act
shall ensure that, if the agency carries out modernization, renovation,
repair, or construction through a contract, the process for any such
contract ensures the maximum number of qualified bidders, including
local, small, minority, and women- and veteran-owned businesses,
through full and open competition.
SEC. 206. USE OF AMERICAN IRON, STEEL, AND MANUFACTURED GOODS.
(a) In General.--None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made
available by this Act may be used for a project for the modernization,
renovation, repair or construction of a public school facility unless
all of the iron, steel, and manufactured goods used in the project are
produced in the United States.
(b) Exceptions.--Subsection (a) shall not apply in any case or
category of cases in which the Secretary finds that--
(1) applying subsection (a) would be inconsistent with the
public interest;
(2) iron, steel, and the relevant manufactured goods are
not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably
available quantities and of a satisfactory quality; or
(3) inclusion of iron, steel, and manufactured goods
produced in the United States will increase the cost of the
overall project by more than 25 percent.
(c) Publication of Justification.--If the Secretary determines that
it is necessary to waive the application of subsection (a) based on a
finding under subsection (b), the Secretary shall publish in the
Federal Register a detailed written justification of the determination.
(d) Construction.--This section shall be applied in a manner
consistent with United States obligations under international
agreements.
SEC. 207. LABOR STANDARDS.
The grant programs under this Act are applicable programs (as that
term is defined in section 400 of the General Education Provisions Act
(20 U.S.C. 1221)) subject to section 439 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1232b).
SEC. 208. CHARTER SCHOOLS.
(a) In General.--A local educational agency receiving an allocation
under this Act shall reserve an amount of that allocation for charter
schools within its jurisdiction for modernization, renovation, repair,
and construction of charter school facilities.
(b) Determination of Reserved Amount.--The amount to be reserved by
a local educational agency under subsection (a) shall be determined
based on the combined percentage of students eligible under part A of
title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 6311 et seq.) in the schools of the agency who--
(1) are enrolled in charter schools; and
(2) the local educational agency, in consultation with the
authorized public chartering agency, expects to be enrolled,
during the year with respect to which the reservation is made,
in charter schools that are scheduled to commence operation
during such year.
(c) School Share.--Individual charter schools shall receive a share
of the amount reserved under subsection (a) based on the need of each
school for modernization, renovation, repair, or construction, as
determined by the local educational agency in consultation with charter
school administrators.
(d) Excess Funds.--After the consultation described in subsection
(c), if the local educational agency determines that the amount of
funds reserved under subsection (a) exceeds the modernization,
renovation, repair, and construction needs of charter schools within
the local educational agency's jurisdiction, the agency may use the
excess funds for other public school facility modernization,
renovation, repair, or construction consistent with this Act and is not
required to carry over such funds to the following fiscal year for use
for charter schools.
SEC. 209. GREEN SCHOOLS.
(a) In General.--In a given fiscal year, a local educational agency
shall use not less than the applicable percentage (described in
subsection (b)) of funds received under this Act for public school
modernization, renovation, repairs, or construction that are certified,
verified, or consistent with any applicable provisions of--
(1) the LEED Green Building Rating System;
(2) Energy Star;
(3) the CHPS Criteria;
(4) Green Globes; or
(5) an equivalent program adopted by the State or another
jurisdiction with authority over the local educational agency,
which shall include a verifiable method to demonstrate
compliance with such program.
(b) Applicable Percentages.--The applicable percentage described in
subsection (a) is--
(1) in fiscal year 2012, 50 percent;
(2) in fiscal year 2013, 60 percent;
(3) in fiscal year 2014, 70 percent;
(4) in fiscal year 2015, 80 percent;
(5) in fiscal year 2016, 90 percent; and
(6) in fiscal year 2017, 100 percent.
(c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to prohibit a local educational agency from using
sustainable, domestic hardwood lumber as ascertained through the forest
inventory and analysis program of the Forest Service of the Department
of Agriculture under the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources
Research Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 1641 et seq.) for public school
modernization, renovation, repairs, or construction.
(d) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary, in consultation with the
Secretary of Energy and the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency, shall provide outreach and technical assistance to
States and local educational agencies concerning the best practices in
school modernization, renovation, repair, and construction, including
those related to student academic achievement, student and staff
health, energy efficiency, and environmental protection.
SEC. 210. REPORTING.
(a) Reports by Local Educational Agencies.--Local educational
agencies receiving a grant under this Act shall annually compile a
report describing the projects for which such funds were used,
including--
(1) the number of public schools in the agency, including
the number of charter schools, and for each, in the aggregate,
the number of students from low-income families;
(2) the total amount of funds received by the local
educational agency under this Act and the amount of such funds
expended, including the amount expended for modernization,
renovation, repair, or construction of charter schools;
(3) the number of public schools in the agency with a
metro-centric locale code of 41, 42, or 43 as determined by the
National Center for Education Statistics and the percentage of
funds received by the agency under title I or title II of this
Act that were used for projects at such schools;
(4) the number of public schools in the agency that are
eligible for schoolwide programs under section 1114 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6314)
and the percentage of funds received by the agency under title
I or title II of this Act that were used for projects at such
schools;
(5) for each project--
(A) the cost;
(B) the standard described in section 209(a) with
which the use of the funds complied or, if the use of
funds did not comply with a standard described in
section 209(a), the reason such funds were not able to
be used in compliance with such standards and the
agency's efforts to use such funds in an
environmentally sound manner;
(C) if flooring was installed, whether--
(i) it was low- or no-VOC (Volatile Organic
Compounds) flooring;
(ii) it was made from sustainable and
renewable materials; and
(iii) use of flooring described in clause
(i) or (ii) was cost-effective; and
(D) any demonstrable or expected benefits as a
result of the project (such as energy savings, improved
indoor environmental quality, student and staff health
(including with reference to reducing the incidence and
effects of asthma and other respiratory illnesses),
improved climate for teaching and learning, etc.); and
(6) the total number and amount of contracts awarded, and
the number and amount of contracts awarded to local, small,
minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses.
(b) Availability of Reports.--A local educational agency shall--
(1) submit the report described in subsection (a) to the
State educational agency, which shall compile such information
and report it annually to the Secretary; and
(2) make the report described in subsection (a) publicly
available, including on the agency's website.
(c) Reports by Secretary.--Not later than December 31 of each
fiscal year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Education
and Labor of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, and make available on the
Department of Education's website, a report on grants made under this
Act, including the information described in subsection (b)(1), the
types of modernization, renovation, repair, and construction funded,
and the number of students impacted, including the number of students
counted under section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6313(a)(5)).
SEC. 211. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Title I.--To carry out title I, there are authorized to be
appropriated $6,400,000,000 for fiscal year 2012 and such sums as may
be necessary for each of fiscal years 2013 through 2017.
(b) Title II.--To carry out title II, there are authorized to be
appropriated $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2012 through 2017.
(c) Prohibition on Earmarks.--None of the funds appropriated under
this section may be used for a Congressional earmark as defined in
clause 9(d) of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives.
SEC. 212. SPECIAL RULES.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, none of the funds
authorized by this Act may be--
(1) used to employ workers in violation of section 274A of
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1324a); or
(2) distributed to a local educational agency that does not
have a policy that requires a criminal background check on all
employees of the agency.
SEC. 213. YOUTHBUILD PROGRAMS.
The Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of
Labor, shall work with recipients of funds under this Act to promote
appropriate opportunities for participants in a YouthBuild program (as
defined in section 173A of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29
U.S.C. 2918a)) to gain employment experience on modernization,
renovation, repair, and construction projects funded under this Act.
SEC. 214. EVALUATION.
(a) Evaluation.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall enter into an
agreement with the Institute of Educational Sciences of the
Department of Education to evaluate the impact of projects
funded under this Act on student academic achievement,
including a comparison of students attending public schools
receiving funding under this Act with students attending public
schools that are not receiving such funding.
(2) Research design; dissemination.--The Secretary, through
a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, shall--
(A) ensure that the evaluation described in
paragraph (1) is conducted using the strongest possible
research design for determining the effectiveness of
the projects funded under this Act; and
(B) disseminate information on the impact of the
projects in increasing the academic achievement of
students.
(b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the final year for which a
grant is made under this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Appropriations, and the Committee on Education and Labor,
of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Appropriations,
and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, of the
Senate, a report on the results of the evaluation described in
subsection (a).
(c) Public Availability.--Following the submission of the report
under subsection (b), all reports and underlying data gathered pursuant
to this section shall be made available, in a timely manner, to the
public upon request.
(d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to permit the disclosure of any personally identifiable
information regarding a student, except to the parents of the student.
(e) Limit on Amount Expended.--The amount expended by the Secretary
to carry out this section for a fiscal year shall not exceed 0.5
percent of the total amount appropriated to carry out this Act for such
fiscal year.
SEC. 215. ADVISORY COUNCIL ON GREEN, HIGH-PERFORMING SCHOOLS.
(a) Establishment of Advisory Council.--The Secretary shall
establish an advisory council to be known as the ``Advisory Council on
Green, High-Performing Schools'' (in this section referred to as the
``Advisory Council'') which shall be composed of--
(1) appropriate officials from the Department of Education;
(2) representatives of the academic, architectural,
business, education, engineering, environmental, labor and
scientific communities; and
(3) such other representatives as the Secretary deems
appropriate.
(b) Duties of Advisory Council.--
(1) Advisory duties.--The Advisory Council shall advise the
Secretary on the impact of green, high-performing schools, on--
(A) teaching and learning;
(B) health;
(C) energy costs;
(D) environmental impact; and
(E) other areas that the Secretary and the Advisory
Council deem appropriate.
(2) Other duties.--The Advisory Council shall assist the
Secretary in--
(A) making recommendations on Federal policies to
increase the number of green, high-performing schools;
(B) identifying Federal policies that are barriers
to helping States and local educational agencies make
schools green and high-performing;
(C) providing technical assistance and outreach to
States and local educational agencies under section
209(c); and
(D) providing the Secretary such other assistance
as the Secretary deems appropriate.
(c) Consultation.--In carrying out its duties under subsection (b),
the Advisory Council shall consult with the Chair of the Council on
Environmental Quality and the heads of appropriate Federal agencies,
including the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Energy, the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Labor, the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the
Administrator of the General Services Administration (through the
Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings).
SEC. 216. JOB CORPS.
The Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of
Labor, shall work with recipients of funds under this Act to promote
appropriate opportunities for individuals enrolled in the Job Corps
program carried out under subtitle C of title I of the Workforce
Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2881 et seq.) to gain employment
experience on modernization, renovation, repair, and construction
projects funded under this Act.
SEC. 217. JUNIOR AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS.
The Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of
Labor, shall work with recipients of funds under this Act to promote
appropriate opportunities for individuals enrolled in a junior or
community college (as defined in section 312(f) of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1088(f))) certificate or degree program relating
to projects described in section 209(a) to gain employment experience
working on such projects funded under this Act.
SEC. 218. GAO STUDY.
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study to
determine, and report to the Congress on, the extent and types of
projects in keeping with the uses of funds authorized under this Act
being undertaken in schools around the United States, the geographic
distribution of green, high-performing schools in the United States,
including by urban, suburban, and rural areas, and the relative access
to such schools of the demographic groups described in section
1111(b)(2)(C)(v) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C 6311(b)(2)(C)(v)).
SEC. 219. EDUCATION REGARDING PROJECTS.
A local educational agency receiving funds under this Act may
encourage schools at which projects are undertaken with such funds to
educate students about the project, including, as appropriate, the
functioning of the project and its environmental, energy,
sustainability, and other benefits.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training.
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