Academic Partnerships Lead Us to Success Act or the A PLUS Act - Allows each state to submit to the Secretary of Education a declaration of intent, applicable for up to five years, permitting it to receive federal funds on a consolidated basis that would otherwise be directed toward specific programs furthering the stated purpose of title I (Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
Requires each declaration to be formulated by a combination of specified State Authorizing Officials or by referendum and to list the programs for which consolidated funding is requested. Allows states to use such funds for any educational purpose permitted by state law, but requires them to make certain assurances that they will use fiscal control and fund accounting procedures, abide by federal civil rights laws, and advance educational opportunities for the disadvantaged. Allows states to amend their declarations.
Allows each declaration state to adopt new academic assessments and standards or apply those described under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, but requires each state to have a single system of assessments and standards that includes student proficiency goals.
Requires each declaration state to: (1) inform the public about its student achievement assessment system; (2) report annually on student progress toward the state's proficiency standards, disaggregating performance data by specified student groups; and (3) keep aggregate spending on elementary and secondary education at no less than 90% of such spending for the school year coinciding with this Act's enactment.
Limits administrative expenses.
Requires each declaration state to provide for the equitable participation of private school children and teachers in the activities assisted under its declaration of intent.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2456 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2456
To allow a State to submit a declaration of intent to the Secretary of
Education to combine certain funds to improve the academic achievement
of students.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 20, 2013
Mr. Bishop of Utah (for himself, Mr. Duncan of South Carolina, Mr.
Jones, Mr. Amodei, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Stutzman, Mr. Walden, Mr. Wilson
of South Carolina, Mr. Huizenga of Michigan, Mr. Nunnelee, Mr. Chabot,
Mr. Poe of Texas, Mr. Issa, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Gosar, Mr. Gardner, Mr.
Pittenger, Mr. Labrador, Mr. McHenry, Mr. Kinzinger of Illinois, Mr.
Ryan of Wisconsin, and Mr. Gingrey of Georgia) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the
Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To allow a State to submit a declaration of intent to the Secretary of
Education to combine certain funds to improve the academic achievement
of students.
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; PURPOSE; DEFINITIONS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Academic
Partnerships Lead Us to Success Act'' or the ``A PLUS Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents; purpose; definitions.
Sec. 2. Declaration of intent.
Sec. 3. Transparency for results of public education.
Sec. 4. Maintenance of funding levels spent by States on education.
Sec. 5. Administrative expenses.
Sec. 6. Equitable participation of private schools.
(c) Purpose.--The purposes of this Act are as follows:
(1) To give States and local communities maximum
flexibility to determine how to improve academic achievement
and implement education reforms.
(2) To reduce the administrative costs and compliance
burden of Federal education programs in order to focus Federal
resources on improving academic achievement.
(3) To ensure that States and communities are accountable
to the public for advancing the academic achievement of all
students, especially disadvantaged children.
(d) Definitions.--
(1) In general.--Except as otherwise provided, the terms
used in this Act have the meanings given the terms in section
9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 7801 et seq.).
(2) Other terms.--In this Act:
(A) Accountability.--The term ``accountability''
means that public schools are answerable to parents and
other taxpayers for the use of public funds and shall
report student progress to parents and taxpayers
regularly.
(B) Declaration of intent.--The term ``declaration
of intent'' means a decision by a State, as determined
by State Authorizing Officials or by referendum, to
assume full management responsibility for the
expenditure of Federal funds for certain eligible
programs for the purpose of advancing, on a more
comprehensive and effective basis, the educational
policy of such State.
(C) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning
given such term in section 1122(e) of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
6332(e)).
(D) State authorizing officials.--The term ``State
Authorizing Officials'' means the State officials who
shall authorize the submission of a declaration of
intent, and any amendments thereto, on behalf of the
State. Such officials shall include not less than 2 of
the following:
(i) The governor of the State.
(ii) The highest elected education official
of the State, if any.
(iii) The legislature of the State.
(E) State designated officer.--The term ``State
Designated Officer'' means the person designated by the
State Authorizing Officials to submit to the Secretary,
on behalf of the State, a declaration of intent, and
any amendments thereto, and to function as the point-
of-contact for the State for the Secretary and others
relating to any responsibilities arising under this
Act.
SEC. 2. DECLARATION OF INTENT.
(a) In General.--Each State is authorized to submit to the
Secretary a declaration of intent permitting the State to receive
Federal funds on a consolidated basis to manage the expenditure of such
funds to advance the educational policy of the State.
(b) Programs Eligible for Consolidation and Permissible Use of
Funds.--
(1) Scope.--A State may choose to include within the scope
of the State's declaration of intent any program for which
Congress makes funds available to the State if the program is
for a purpose described in the Elementary and Education
Secondary Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301). A State may not include
any program funded pursuant to the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.).
(2) Uses of funds.--Funds made available to a State
pursuant to a declaration of intent under this Act shall be
used for any educational purpose permitted by State law of the
State submitting a declaration of intent.
(c) Contents of Declaration.--Each declaration of intent shall
contain--
(1) a list of eligible programs that are subject to the
declaration of intent;
(2) an assurance that the submission of the declaration of
intent has been authorized by the State Authorizing Officials,
specifying the identity of the State Designated Officer;
(3) the duration of the declaration of intent;
(4) an assurance that the State will use fiscal control and
fund accounting procedures;
(5) an assurance that the State will meet the requirements
of applicable Federal civil rights laws in carrying out the
declaration of intent and in consolidating and using the funds
under the declaration of intent;
(6) an assurance that in implementing the declaration of
intent the State will seek to advance educational opportunities
for the disadvantaged; and
(7) a description of the plan for maintaining direct
accountability to parents and other citizens of the State.
(d) Duration.--The duration of the declaration of intent shall not
exceed 5 years.
(e) Review and Recognition by the Secretary.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall review the declaration
of intent received from the State Designated Officer not more
than 60 days after the date of receipt of such declaration, and
shall recognize such declaration of intent unless the
declaration of intent fails to meet the requirements under
subsection (c).
(2) Recognition by operation of law.--If the Secretary
fails to take action within the time specified in paragraph
(1), the declaration of intent, as submitted, shall be deemed
to be approved.
(f) Amendment to Declaration of Intent.--
(1) In general.--The State Authorizing Officials may direct
the State Designated Officer to submit amendments to a
declaration of intent that is in effect. Such amendments shall
be submitted to the Secretary and considered by the Secretary
in accordance with subsection (e).
(2) Amendments authorized.--A declaration of intent that is
in effect may be amended to--
(A) expand the scope of such declaration of intent
to encompass additional eligible programs;
(B) reduce the scope of such declaration of intent
by excluding coverage of a Federal program included in
the original declaration of intent;
(C) modify the duration of such declaration of
intent; or
(D) such other modifications that the State
Authorizing Officials deem appropriate.
(3) Effective date.--The amendment shall specify an
effective date. Such effective date shall provide adequate time
to assure full compliance with Federal program requirements
relating to an eligible program that has been removed from the
coverage of the declaration of intent by the proposed
amendment.
(4) Treatment of program funds withdrawn from declaration
of intent.--Beginning on the effective date of an amendment
executed under paragraph (2)(B), each program requirement of
each program removed from the declaration of intent shall apply
to the State's use of funds made available under the program.
SEC. 3. TRANSPARENCY FOR RESULTS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.
(a) In General.--
(1) Informing the public about assessment and
proficiency.--Each State operating under a declaration of
intent under this Act shall inform parents and the general
public regarding the student achievement assessment system,
demonstrating student progress relative to the State's
determination of student proficiency, as described in paragraph
(2), for the purpose of accountability.
(2) Assessment and standards.--Each State operating under a
declaration of intent under this Act shall establish and
implement a single system of academic standards and academic
assessments, including the development of student proficiency
goals. Such State may apply the academic assessments and
standards described under section 1111 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311) or establish
and implement different academic assessments and standards.
(b) Accountability System.--The State shall determine and establish
an accountability system to ensure accountability under this Act.
(c) Report on Student Progress.--Not later than 1 year after the
effective date of the declaration of intent, and annually thereafter, a
State shall disseminate widely to parents and the general public a
report that describes student progress. The report shall include--
(1) student performance data disaggregated in the same
manner as data are disaggregated under section
1111(b)(3)(C)(xiii) of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(3)(C)(xiii)); and
(2) a description of how the State has used Federal funds
to improve academic achievement, reduce achievement disparities
between various student groups, and improve educational
opportunities for the disadvantaged.
SEC. 4. MAINTENANCE OF FUNDING LEVELS SPENT BY STATES ON EDUCATION.
(a) In General.--For each State consolidating and using funds
pursuant to a declaration of intent under this Act, for each school
year of the declaration of intent, the aggregate amount of funds spent
by the State on elementary and secondary education shall be not less
than 90 percent of the aggregate amount of funds spent by the State on
elementary and secondary education for the school year that coincides
with the date of enactment of this Act.
(b) Exception.--
(1) State waiver claim.--The requirement of subsection (a)
may be waived by the State Authorizing Officials if the State
having a declaration of intent in effect makes a determination,
supported by specific findings, that uncontrollable or
exceptional circumstances, such as a natural disaster or
extreme contraction of economic activity, preclude compliance
for a specified period, which may be extended. Such
determination shall be presented to the Secretary by the State
Designated Officer.
(2) Action by the secretary.--The Secretary shall accept
the State's waiver, as described in paragraph (1), if the State
has presented evidence to support such waiver. The Secretary
shall review the waiver received from the State Designated
Officer not more than 60 days after the date of receipt. If the
Secretary fails to take action within that time frame, the
waiver, as submitted, shall be deemed to be approved.
SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.
(a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), the amount
that a State with a declaration of intent may expend for administrative
expenses shall be limited to 1 percent of the aggregate amount of
Federal funds made available to the State through the eligible programs
included within the scope of such declaration of intent.
(b) States Not Consolidating Funds Under Part A of Title I.--If the
declaration of intent does not include within its scope part A of title
I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311
et seq.), the amount spent by the State on administrative expenses
shall be limited to 3 percent of the aggregate amount of Federal funds
made available to the State pursuant to such declaration of intent.
SEC. 6. EQUITABLE PARTICIPATION OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
Each State consolidating and using funds pursuant to a declaration
of intent under this Act shall provide for the participation of private
school children and teachers in the activities assisted under the
declaration of intent in the same manner as participation is provided
to private school children and teachers under section 9501 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7881).
<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.
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