Afterschool for America's Children Act - Amends the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program under part B of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). (21st Century Community Learning Centers provide students with before school, after school, and summer learning programs to improve their academic performance.)
Requires the Centers to provide students' families with opportunities for active and meaningful engagement in their children's education.
Includes Indian tribes or organizations among the local public or private entities that are eligible for grants from states to establish the Centers.
Allows states to use a portion of the part B funds allotted to them by the Secretary of Education to: (1) assist those Centers in aligning their before school, after school, and summer learning programs with the state's academic standards; and (2) ensure that those Centers partner with nonprofit organizations in the community that have had success in carrying out, or working with, those programs.
Requires states to: (1) award grants only to local entities that propose to serve students who primarily attend schools that are eligible for schoolwide programs under part A of title I of the ESEA, and (2) give priority to applicants that propose to serve students that attend schools that have been identified as needing improvement.
Requires states to use a rigorous peer review process in reviewing grant applications.
Prohibits the Secretary or states from giving funding priority to applicants that propose to use the funds to extend the regular school day.
Allows states to renew a grant under part B based on the grantee's performance during the original grant period.
Includes among the activities grants may fund: (1) core academic subject education activities, including those that allow students to recover or attain credits; (2) services for the disabled; (3) activities and programs that support global education and competence; (4) programs that support a healthy, active lifestyle; (5) literacy education programs; and (6) programs that build science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills and support innovative STEM teaching methods.
Requires students' academic performance and overall success to be taken into account in evaluating the performance of the Centers.
Reauthorizes the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program through FY2020.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4086 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4086
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve
21st Century Community Learning Centers.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 25, 2014
Mr. Kildee (for himself and Ms. DeLauro) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve
21st Century Community Learning Centers.
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 ``Afterschool for America's Children
Act''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE; DEFINITIONS.
Section 4201 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 7171) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by amending paragraphs (1) and (2)
to read as follows:
``(1) offer students a broad array of additional services,
programs, and activities, such as youth development activities,
service learning, nutrition and health education, drug and
violence prevention programs, counseling programs, art, music,
social and emotional learning programs, physical fitness and
wellness programs and recreation programs, such as sports, and
technology education programs, that are designed to reinforce
and complement the regular academic program of participating
students;
``(2) provide opportunities for academic enrichment,
including providing tutorial services to help students,
particularly students who attend low-performing schools, in
core academic subjects; and'';
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as
follows:
``(A) assists students in core academic subjects by
providing the students with academic and enrichment
activities and a broad array of other activities (such
as programs and activities described in subsection (a))
during nonschool hours or periods when school is not in
session (such as before or after school or during
summer recess) that reinforce and complement the
regular academic programs of the schools attended by
the students served;''; and
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by inserting
before the period at the end ``and
opportunities for active and meaningful
engagement in their student's education'';
(B) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``Indian tribe
or tribal organization (as such terms are defined in
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and
Education Act (25 U.S.C. 450b)),'' after ``community-
based organization,'';
(C) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph
(5); and
(D) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following
new paragraph:
``(4) External organization.--The term `external
organization' means a nonprofit organization with a record of
success in carrying out or working with before school, after
school, or summer learning programs.''.
SEC. 3. ALLOTMENTS TO STATES.
Section 4202(c) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7172(c)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2)(B), by inserting ``rigorous'' after
``implementing a'';
(2) by striking the undesignated matter after paragraph
(2)(B) and inserting the following new subparagraph:
``(C) supervising the awarding of funds to eligible
entities (in consultation with the Governor and other
State agencies responsible for administering youth
development programs and adult learning activities).'';
and
(3) in paragraph (3), by inserting after subparagraph (D)
the following new subparagraphs:
``(E) Assisting eligible entities receiving an
award under this part to align with State academic
standards the activities carried out under before
school, after school, or summer learning programs
funded with such award.
``(F) Ensuring that any such eligible entity
identifies and partners with external organizations, if
available, in the community.
``(G) Working with teachers, principals, parents,
and other stakeholders to review and improve State
policies and practices to support the implementation of
effective programs.
``(H) Coordinating funds received under this
program with other Federal and State funds to implement
high-quality programs.
``(I) Providing a list of prescreened external
organizations to eligible entities under section
4203(a)(12).''.
SEC. 4. STATE APPLICATION.
Section 4203 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 7173) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:
``(3) contains an assurance that the State educational
agency--
``(A) will make awards under this part only to
eligible entities that propose to serve students who
primarily attend schools eligible for schoolwide
programs under section 1114, and families of such
students; and
``(B) will give priority to eligible entities that
propose to serve students described in section
4204(i)(1);'';
(B) in paragraph (4), by striking ``meet local
content and student academic achievement standards''
and inserting ``improve academic and life success'';
(C) in paragraph (6), by striking ``promising
practices'' and inserting ``successful practices, and
coordination of professional development for staff in
specific content areas and youth development'';
(D) by amending paragraph (11) to read as follows:
``(11) provides--
``(A) an assurance that the application was
developed in consultation and coordination with
appropriate State officials, including the chief State
school officer, and other State agencies administering
before school, after school, or summer school learning
programs, the heads of the State health and mental
health agencies or their designees, and representatives
of teachers, parents, students, the business community,
and community-based organizations; statewide
afterschool networks (where applicable); and
``(B) a description of any other representatives of
teachers, parents, students, or the business community
that the State has selected to assist in the
development of the application, if applicable;'';
(E) by redesignating paragraph (14) as paragraph
(15);
(F) by amending paragraph (12) to read as follows:
``(12) describes how the State will prescreen external
organizations that may provide assistance in carrying out the
activities under this part and develop and make available to
eligible entities a list of external organizations that
successfully completed the prescreening process;'';
(G) by amending paragraph (13) to read as follows:
``(13) describes the results of the State's needs and
resources assessment for before school, after school or summer
learning activities, which shall be based on the results of on-
going State evaluation activities;''; and
(H) by amending paragraph (14) to read as follows:
``(14) describes how the State educational agency will
evaluate the effectiveness of programs and activities carried
out under this part, which shall include, at a minimum--
``(A) a description of the performance indicators
and performance measures that will be used to evaluate
programs and activities, and with emphasis on alignment
with the regular academic program of the school and the
academic needs of participating students, including
performance indicators and measures that--
``(i) are able to track student success and
improvement over time, and
``(ii) include State assessment results and
other indicators of student success and
improvement, such as improved attendance during
the school day, better classroom grades,
regular (or consistent) program attendance, on-
time advancement to the next grade level and
graduation rate, local crime rate, and
classroom behavior;
``(B) a description of how data collected for the
purposes of subparagraph (A) will be collected; and
``(C) public dissemination of the evaluations of
programs and activities carried out under this part;'';
and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(g) Limitation.--The Secretary may not impose a priority or
preference for States or eligible entities that seek to use funds made
available under this part to extend the regular school day.''.
SEC. 5. LOCAL COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM.
Section 4204 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 7174) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(2)--
(A) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``and overall
student success'' after ``achievement'';
(B) by amending subparagraph (C) to read as
follows:
``(C) a demonstration of how the proposed program
will--
``(i) work in partnership with Federal,
State, and local programs that will be combined
or coordinated with the proposed program; and
``(ii) make the most effective use of
public resources;'';
(C) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``, in active
collaboration with the schools the students attend;''
and inserting ``in active collaboration and alignment
with the schools the students attend, including the
sharing of relevant student data among the schools, all
participants in the eligible entity, and any partnering
entities described in subparagraph (H) in a manner
consistent with the applicable laws relating to privacy
and confidentiality;''; and
(D) in subparagraph (J), by striking ``has
experience, or promise of success, in providing'' and
inserting ``uses research or evidence-based practices
to provide'';
(2) in subsection (e)--
(A) by striking ``In reviewing'' and inserting the
following:
``(1) In general.--In reviewing'';
(B) by inserting ``rigorous'' before ``peer''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Rigorous peer review process.--For purposes of this
subsection, the term `rigorous peer review process' means a
process by which--
``(A) a State educational agency selects peer
reviewers who are employees of such agency and who--
``(i) have experience with community
learning centers;
``(ii) have expertise in providing
effective academic, enrichment, youth
development, and related services to students;
and
``(iii) are not eligible entities, or
representatives of an eligible entity, that
have submitted an application under this
section for the grant period for which
applications are being reviewed; and
``(B) the peer reviewers described in subparagraph
(A) review and rate the applications to determine the
extent to which the applications meet the requirements
under subsection (b) of this section and 4205.'';
(3) in subsection (i)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the
end of subparagraph (A), by striking the period at the
end of clause (ii) of subparagraph (B) and inserting
``; and'', and by adding at the end the following new
subparagraph:
``(C) demonstrating that the activities proposed in
the application--
``(i) are, as of the date of the submission
of the application, not otherwise accessible to
students who would be served by such
activities; or
``(ii) would expand accessibility to high-
quality services that may be available in the
community.''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
``(3) Limitation.--A State educational agency may not
impose a priority or preference for eligible entities that seek
to use funds made available under this part to extend the
regular school day.''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(j) Renewability of Awards.--A State educational agency may renew
a grant provided under this section to an eligible entity, based on the
eligible entity's performance during the first grant period.''.
SEC. 6. LOCAL ACTIVITIES.
Section 4205 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 7175) is amended--
(1) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
``(a) Authorized Activities.--Each eligible entity that receives an
award under section 4204 may use the award funds to carry out a broad
array of before and after school activities (including during summer
recess periods) that advance student academic achievement and support
student success, including--
``(1) academic enrichment learning programs, mentoring
programs, remedial education activities, and tutoring services;
``(2) core academic subject education activities, including
such activities that enable students to be eligible for credit
recovery or attainment;
``(3) art and music education activities;
``(4) services for individuals with disabilities including
enrichment programs that provide access to sports and fitness
for students with disabilities designed to improve wellness,
self-esteem, and independence;
``(5) activities and programs that support global education
and global competence, including those that foster learning
about other countries, cultures, languages, and global issues;
``(6) programs that provide after school activities for
limited English proficient students that emphasize language
skills and academic achievement;
``(7) programs that support a healthy, active lifestyle,
including nutritional education, recreation and regular,
structured physical activity programs;
``(8) telecommunications and technology education programs
to serve academic and community needs;
``(9) expanded library service hours to serve academic and
community needs;
``(10) parenting skills programs that promote parental
involvement and family literacy;
``(11) programs that provide assistance to students who
have been truant, suspended, or expelled to allow the students
to improve their academic achievement;
``(12) drug and violence prevention programs, counseling
programs, social and emotional learning programming and
character education programs;
``(13) literacy education programs; and
``(14) programs that build skills in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (referred to in this paragraph as
`STEM') and that foster innovation in learning by supporting
non-traditional STEM education teaching methods.''; and
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking
``Principles'' and inserting ``Measures'';
(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the
end of subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the
end of subparagraph (C) and inserting a semicolon, and
by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following new
subparagraphs:
``(D) ensure that measures of student success align
with the regular academic program of the school and the
academic needs of participating students, and include
performance indicators and performance measures
described in section 4203(a)(13)(A); and
``(E) collect the data necessary for the measures
of student success described in subparagraph (D).'';
and
(C) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in subparagraph (A), by inserting
before the period at the end ``and overall
student success''; and
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking
``and'' at the end of clause (i), by striking
the period at the end of clause (ii) and
inserting ``; and'', and by inserting after
clause (ii) the following new clause:
``(iii) used by the State to determine
whether a grant is eligible to be renewed under
section 4204(j).''.
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 4206 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 7176) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 4206. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part
such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2015 and each of the 5
succeeding fiscal years.''.
SEC. 8. TRANSITION.
The recipient of a multiyear grant award under part B of title IV
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7171
et seq.), as such Act was in effect on the day before the date of
enactment of this Act, shall continue to receive funds in accordance
with the terms and conditions of such award.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
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