Archived Information

**NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND:**

**A DESKTOP REFERENCE**

**2002**

######### Prepared by the Office of the Under Secretary 

######### U.S. Department of Education

Rod Paige

*Secretary*

**Office of the Under Secretary**

# *Eugene Hickok*

*Under Secretary*

**Office of Elementary and Secondary Education**

Susan Neuman

*Assistant Secretary*

September 2002

This report is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in
whole or in part is granted. While permission to reprint this
publication is not necessary, the citation should be: U.S. Department of
Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, *No Child Left
Behind: A Desktop Reference*, Washington, D.C., 2002.

**To obtain copies of this report**,

**write to**: ED Pubs, Education Publications Center, U. S. Department
of Education, P. O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398;

**or** **fax** **your request to**: (301) 470-1244;

**or e-mail** **your request to**: <edpubs@inet.ed.gov>.

**or** **call** **in your request toll-free**: 1-877-433-7827
(1-877-4-ED-PUBS). If 877 service is not yet available in your area,
call 1-800-872-5327 (1-800-USA-LEARN). Those who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a teletypewriter (TTY),
should call 1-800-437-0833.

**or** **order online** at:
[www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html](http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html).

This report is also available on the Department's Web site at:
www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/

On request, this publication is available in alternate formats, such as
Braille, large print, audiotape or computer diskette. For more
information, please contact the Department's Alternate Format Center
(202) 260-9895 or (202) 205-8113.

THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20202

September 2002

Dear Colleague:

This year began on a wonderful note for America's 50 million school
children. When President Bush signed the *No Child Left Behind Act* into
law on January 8, 2002, our Nation embarked on a new era in how we
educate our children and how the federal government supports elementary
and secondary education.

This historic reform gives states and school districts unprecedented
flexibility in how they spend their education dollars, in return for
setting standards for student achievement and holding students and
educators accountable for results. The *No Child Left Behind* Act also
provides more options for parents so that their children can get the
best possible education. It also invests in teaching practices that have
been demonstrated to work. In short, it aims to foster an environment in
which every child can learn and succeed.

It is my pleasure to provide you with this desktop reference to the *No
Child Left Behind Act*. It offers a clear and straightforward
program-by-program look at the major reforms made by the new law. I hope
you will find it useful as you implement the law. A more complete view
of the law and more comprehensive look at the regulations and other
guidance that applies to the law is available at www.nclb.gov.

I want to thank you for your efforts on behalf of our young people. I
wish you success in implementing *No Child Left Behind*, for you and
your colleagues are the stewards of our children's future.

Sincerely,

Rod Paige

######### Contents

[Page]{.underline}

######### Introduction.......................................................................................\....

**Title I -- Improving The Academic Achievement Of The Disadvantaged**

Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies (I-A)

Reading First (I-B-1)

Early Reading First (I-B-2)

William F. Goodling Even Start Family Literacy Program (I-B-3)

Improving Literacy through School Libraries (I-B-4)

Education of Migratory Children (I-C)

Prevention and Intervention Programs for Children and Youth Who are
Neglected,\
Delinquent, or At-Risk (I-D)

National Assessment of Title I, Title 1 Evaluation and Demonstrations
(I-E-1501-1503)

Close-Up Fellowship (I-E-1504)

Comprehensive School Reform (I-F)

Advanced Placement (I-G)

School Dropout Prevention (I-H)

General Provisions (I-I)

**Title II---Preparing, Training, And Recruiting High Quality Teachers
And Principals**

Teacher and Principal Training and Recruiting Fund, Grants to States
(II-A)

School Leadership (II-A-5-2151(B)

Advanced Certification/Credentialing (II-A-5-2151(C))

Early Childhood Educator Professional Development (II-A-5-2151(E))

Mathematics and Science Partnerships (II-B)

Troops-to-Teachers (II-C-1-A)

Transitions to Teaching (II-C-1-B)

National Writing Project (II-C-2)

Civic Education (II-C-3)

Teaching of Traditional American History (II-C-4)

Teacher Liability Protection (II-C-5)

Enhancing Education Through Technology (II-D-1&2)

Ready-to-Learn Television (II-D-3)

**Title III---Language Instruction For Limited English Proficient And
Immigrant Students**

Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient and Immigrant
Students (III)

**Title IV---21^st^ Century Schools**

Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities (IV-A)

Gun-Free Requirements
(IV-A-3)..........................................................................

21^st^ Century Community Learning Centers
(IV-B)....................................................\...

Environmental Tobacco Smoke
(IV-C)...................................................................

######### Title V---Promoting Informed Parental Choice And Innovative Programs

Innovative Programs (V-A)

Public Charter School (V-B-1)

Credit Enhancement Initiatives to Assist Charter School Facility
Acquisition, Construction,\
and Renovation (V-B-2)

Voluntary Public School Choice (V-B-3)

Magnet Schools Assistance (V-C)

Elementary and Secondary School Counseling (V-D-2)

Partnerships in Character Education (V-D-3)

Smaller Learning Communities (V-D-4)

Reading Is Fundamental-Inexpensive Book Distribution (V-D-5)

Gifted and Talented Students (V-D-6)

Star Schools (V-D-7)

Ready to Teach (V-D-8)

Foreign Language Assistance (V-D-9)

Physical Education (V-D-10)

Community Technology Centers (V-D-11)

Educational, Cultural, Apprenticeship, and Exchange Programs for Alaska
Natives,

Native Hawaiians, and Their Historical Whaling and Trading Partners in\
Massachusetts (V-D-12)

Arts in Education (V-D-15)

Parental Assistance Information Centers (V-D-16)

Women's Educational Equity (V-D-21)

**Title VI---Flexibility And Accountability**

Improving Academic Achievement, Accountability, Grants for State
Assessments and Enhanced Assessments (VI-A-1)

Funding Transferability for State and Local Educational Agencies
(VI-A-2)

State Flexibility Authority ("State-Flex")(VI-A-3-A)

Local Flexibility Demonstration ("Local-Flex") (VI-A-3-B)

Rural Education Initiative Small, Rural School Achievement (VI-B-1)

Rural Education Initiative Rural and Low-Income Schools (VI-B-2)

General Provisions, National Assessment of Education Progress (VI-C-411)

**Title VII---Indian, Native Hawaiian, And Alaska Native Education**

Indian Education (VII-A)

Native Hawaiian Education (VII-B)

Alaska Native Education (VII-C)

**Title VIII---Impact Aid Program**

Impact Aid (VIII)

**Title IX---General Provisions**

General Provisions
(IX)........................................................................................

Unsafe School Choice Option (IX-E-2-9532)

######### Title X---Repeals, Redesignations, And Amendments To Other Statutes

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvements, (X, Part C)
..............................................

**The No Child Left Behind Act: A Desktop Reference**

**Introduction**

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is a landmark in education reform
designed to improve student achievement and change the culture of
America's schools. This new law, which President George W. Bush
described as "the cornerstone of my administration," represents a
sweeping overhaul of federal efforts to support elementary and secondary
education in the United States.

"These reforms express my deep belief in our public schools and their
mission to build the mind and character of every child, from every
background, in every part of America," President Bush said during his
first week in office in January 2001.

The act, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, embodies
four key principles--stronger accountability for results; greater
flexibility for states, school districts and schools in the use of
federal funds; more choices for parents of children from disadvantaged
backgrounds; and an emphasis on teaching methods that have been
demonstrated to work. The act also places an increased emphasis on
reading, especially for young children, enhancing the quality of our
nation's teachers, and ensuring that all children in America's schools
learn English. In keeping with these principles, and as this guide
describes, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act affects virtually every
program authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
(ESEA)---ranging from Title I and efforts to improve teacher quality to
initiatives for limited English proficient (LEP) students and safe and
drug-free schools.

Federal policy has had a significant impact on America's schools and
children ever since ESEA was enacted in 1965. Yet, despite hundreds of
programs and hundreds of billions of dollars invested during the last
generation, American students still lag behind many of their fellow
foreign students and the academic achievement gap in this country
between rich and poor, white and minority students, remains wide.
Indeed, President Bush expressed concern that "too many of our neediest
children are being left behind."

Since the *Nation at Risk* report was issued nearly 20 years ago, there
has been a vigorous national debate over how to improve our nation's
schools and our children's achievement. Out of these years of debate, a
general consensus has emerged that schools and districts work best when
they have greater control and flexibility, when scientifically proven
teaching methods are employed, and when schools are held accountable for
results. These are the guiding ideas behind the NCLB Act.

"For too long, many of our schools did a good job educating some of our
children," U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige said when President
Bush signed the act into law on January 8, 2002. "With this new law,
we'll make sure we're providing all of our children with access to a
high-quality education."

***Accountability***

The NCLB Act is designed to help all students meet high academic
standards by requiring that states create annual assessments that
measure what children know and can do in reading and math in grades 3
through 8. These tests, based on challenging state standards, will allow
parents, educators, administrators, policymakers, and the general public
to track the performance of every school in the nation. Data will be
disaggregated for students by poverty levels, race, ethnicities,
disabilities, and limited English proficiencies to ensure that no
child-- regardless of his or her background---is left behind. The
federal government will provide assistance to help states design and
administer these tests. States also must report on school safety on a
school-by-school basis.

Annual school "report cards" will provide comparative information on the
quality of schools. By doing so, they will empower parents to make more
informed choices about their children's educations. These report cards
will show not only how well students are doing on meeting standards but
also the progress that disaggregated groups are making in closing
achievement gaps.

Districts and schools that do not make sufficient yearly progress toward
state proficiency goals for their students first will be targeted for
assistance and then be subject to corrective action and ultimately
restructuring. Schools that meet or exceed objectives will be eligible
for "academic achievement awards."

A small sample of students in each state also will participate in the
fourth- and eighth-grade National Assessment of Educational Progress in
reading and math every other year to help the U.S. Department of
Education track the results of statewide assessments required under
Title I.

All states must submit plans to the secretary of education that include
evidence that they have content and achievement standards and aligned
assessments, school report card procedures, and statewide systems for
holding schools and districts accountable for the achievement of their
students.

***Flexibility and Local Control***

Another hallmark of the new law is that, in exchange for greater
accountability for results, states and school districts will have
unprecedented flexibility in how they can use federal education funds.
The intent is to put greater decision-making powers at the local and
state levels where educators are most in touch with students' needs.

The NLCB Act makes it possible for most districts to transfer up to 50
percent of the federal formula grant funds they receive under the
Improving Teacher Quality State Grants, Educational Technology,
Innovative Programs, and Safe and Drug-Free Schools programs to any one
of these programs or to their Title I program without separate approval.
One consequence will be to allow districts to use funds to address their
particular needs, such as hiring new teachers, increasing teacher pay,
and improving teacher training and professional development. Similarly,
a result of the law's consolidation of bilingual education programs is
to give states and districts greater control in planning programs to
benefit all limited English proficient students.

The act also creates state and local flexibility demonstration programs
that allow selected states and school districts to consolidate funds
received under a variety of federal education programs so that they can
be used for any educational purpose authorized under the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act, as amended by the NCLB Act in order to assist
them in making adequate yearly progress and narrowing achievement gaps.
In addition, the new Improving Teacher Quality State Grants program
gives states and districts greater flexibility to choose the teacher
professional development strategies that best meet their needs to help
raise student achievement.

***Enhanced Parental Choice***

Parents of children who are in low-performing schools are given a new
range of options under the NCLB Act. For one, parents with children in
schools that fail to meet state standards for at least two consecutive
years may transfer their children to a better-performing public school,
including a public charter school, within their district. If they do so,
the district must provide transportation, using Title I funds if
necessary. Students from low-income families in schools that fail to
meet state standards for at least three years are eligible to receive
supplemental educational services---including tutoring, after-school
services, and summer school. In addition, the NCLB Act provides
increased support to parents, educators, and communities to create new
charter schools. The act also provides students the choice to attend a
safe school within their district if they attend persistently dangerous
schools or are the victim of a violent crime while in their school.

These options are closely linked to the accountability provisions that
give parents information on which schools in their communities are
succeeding and which are not. In turn, the choice and supplemental
educational services requirements of the law not only help to enhance
student achievement but also provide an incentive for low-performing
schools to improve. Schools that want to avoid losing students, not to
mention restructuring, will have to do a better job.

***Focuses on What Works***

The NCLB Act puts a special emphasis on determining what educational
programs and practices have been clearly demonstrated to be effective
through rigorous scientific research. Federal funding will be targeted
to support these programs and teaching methods that improve student
learning and achievement.

Reading programs are a prime example. The NCLB Act will support
scientifically based reading instruction programs in the early grades
under the new Reading First program and in preschool under the new Early
Reading First program. Funds will be available to help teachers
strengthen old skills and gain new ones in effective reading
instructional techniques. Funds will be directed to after-school and
other programs that have been scientifically demonstrated to prevent
drug use and violence among youths.

This reference guide outlines what is new under the No Child Left Behind
Act of 2001 for each of the educational programs supported under the
Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965 and other statutes. It also
describes how the NLCB Act's four guiding principles are brought to bear
on many of these programs. The intent is to provide a relatively
substantive overview of policy changes and emphases for state and
district officials. It is not intended to provide either budgetary
guidance or practical assistance for teachers or parents. Programs for
which no funding was requested in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 are not
included. Throughout this document "school district" or "district" is
used interchangeably with "local educational agency." For a complete
definition of "local educational agency" as used in the law, please see
Section 9101 (26) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as
amended by the NCLB Act.

Improving Basic Programs Operated By Local Educational Agencies, Title
I, Part A

**Purpose.** Title I, Part A, is intended to help ensure that all
children have the opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and
reach proficiency on challenging state academic standards and
assessments. Less than one-third (29 percent) of all fourth-grade
students performed at or above the proficient level on the National
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in reading in 2000. The
percentage of students reaching proficiency was even lower for
low-income students (13 percent), African Americans (10 percent),
Hispanics (13 percent), students with disabilities (8 percent), and
students with limited English proficiency (3 percent).

As the largest federal program supporting elementary and secondary
education (funded at \$10.4 billion in FY 2002), Title I targets these
resources to the districts and schools where the needs are greatest.
Schools with poverty rates of 50 percent or higher received 73 percent
of Title I funds in the 1997-98 school year, and nearly all (96 percent)
of the highest-poverty schools (those with 75 percent or more low-income
students) received Title I funds.

Title I provides flexible funding that may be used to provide additional
instructional staff, professional development, extended-time programs,
and other strategies for raising student achievement in high-poverty
schools. The program focuses on promoting schoolwide reform in
high-poverty schools and ensuring students' access to scientifically
based instructional strategies and challenging academic content. Title I
provisions provide a mechanism for holding states, school districts, and
schools accountable for improving the academic achievement of all
students and turning around low-performing schools, while providing
alternatives to students in such schools to enable those students to
receive a high-quality education.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Focuses on What Works                                       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires that Title I funds be used only for effective          |
|     educational practices.** Title I schoolwide and targeted          |
|     assistance programs are required to use effective methods and     |
|     instructional strategies that are grounded in scientifically      |
|     based research. School improvement plans, professional            |
|     development, and technical assistance that districts provide to   |
|     low-performing schools must be based on strategies that have a    |
|     proven record of effectiveness.                                   |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires states to develop plans with annual measurable         |
|     objectives that will ensure that all teachers teaching in core    |
|     academic subjects are highly qualified** by the end of the        |
|     2005‑06 school year.                                              |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act: (cont.)**                |
|                                                                       |
| **Focuses on What Works** **(cont.)**                                 |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires local school districts to ensure that all Title I      |
|     teachers in core academic subjects hired after the first day of   |
|     the 2002-03 school year are "highly qualified."** For new         |
|     teachers, this means being certified by the state (including      |
|     alternative routes to state certification), holding at least a    |
|     bachelor's degree, and demonstrating subject area competency.     |
|                                                                       |
| ```{=html}                                                            |
| <!-- -->                                                              |
| ```                                                                   |
| -   **Strengthens corrective action** (required after two years of    |
|     school improvement) to include actions more likely to bring about |
|     meaningful change at the school, such as replacing school staff   |
|     responsible for the continued failure to make adequate yearly     |
|     progress, implementing a new curriculum, and reorganizing the     |
|     school internally.                                                |
|                                                                       |
| ```{=html}                                                            |
| <!-- -->                                                              |
| ```                                                                   |
| -   **Mandates the fundamental restructuring of any school that fails |
|     to improve over an extended period of time**, including reopening |
|     the school as a charter school or turning over school operations  |
|     either to the state or to a private company with a demonstrated   |
|     record of effectiveness.                                          |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Strengthens paraprofessional requirements** to include two      |
|     years of postsecondary education or, for an applicant with a high |
|     school diploma, the demonstration of necessary skills on a formal |
|     state or local academic assessment. All new hires must meet these |
|     requirements, and existing paraprofessionals have four years to   |
|     comply with them.                                                 |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Emphasizes that paraprofessionals may not provide instructional |
|     support services** except under the direct supervision of a       |
|     teacher.                                                          |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility               |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Expands eligibility for schoolwide programs.** The poverty      |
|     threshold for schoolwide programs, which enable schools to use    |
|     Title I funds to raise the achievement of at-risk students by     |
|     improving the quality of instruction throughout the school, has   |
|     been lowered from 50 percent to 40 percent.                       |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Increases Accountability for Student Performance            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires annual assessments in grades 3-8** that include all    |
|     students.                                                         |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires state and local report cards** on student academic     |
|     achievement.                                                      |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires states to implement a single statewide accountability  |
|     system**.                                                         |
|                                                                       |
| ```{=html}                                                            |
| <!-- -->                                                              |
| ```                                                                   |
| -   **Tightens provisions concerning adequate yearly progress** by    |
|     requiring states to specify annual measurable objectives to       |
|     measure student progress to ensure that all groups of             |
|     students---disaggregated by poverty, race and ethnicity,          |
|     disability, and limited English proficiency data---reach          |
|     proficiency in reading and math within 12 years.                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act: (cont.)**                |
|                                                                       |
| **Increases Accountability for Student Performance (cont.)**          |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Substantially increases funding for state and local support for |
|     school improvement** (from one-half percent of Title I funds      |
|     under the 1994 Elementary and Secondary Education Act             |
|     reauthorization to 2 percent under the No Child Left Behind Act,  |
|     rising to 4 percent in 2004). Also establishes a separate \$500   |
|     million authorization for Assistance for Local School Improvement |
|     grants.                                                           |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Empowers Parents                                            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires local school districts to offer public school choice** |
|     to students in schools identified for improvement, corrective     |
|     action, or restructuring so that no student is trapped in an      |
|     underperforming school. School districts must provide             |
|     transportation for eligible students, subject to the 20 percent   |
|     rule described below.                                             |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires school districts to permit low-income students         |
|     attending chronically under- performing schools to obtain         |
|     supplemental educational services** from a public- or             |
|     private-sector provider that has been approved by the state.      |
|     Faith-based organizations are eligible to apply for approval to   |
|     provide supplemental educational services.                        |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires school districts to spend an amount equal to 20        |
|     percent of their Part A funds for transportation of students who  |
|     exercise a choice option or for supplemental educational          |
|     services**, unless a lesser amount is needed to meet all          |
|     requests. These funds do not have to be taken from Title I        |
|     allocations, but may be provided from other allowable federal,    |
|     state, local or private sources.                                  |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Notifies parents of school choice and supplemental educational  |
|     services options.** Requires districts to "promptly" notify       |
|     parents of eligible students attending schools identified for     |
|     improvement, corrective action, or restructuring of their option  |
|     to transfer their child to a better public school or to obtain    |
|     supplemental educational services.                                |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Establishes Parents' "Right to Know" provision.** Requires      |
|     local school districts to annually notify parents of their right  |
|     to request information on the professional qualifications of      |
|     their children's teachers.                                        |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** Title I, Part A, provides formula grants to school
districts, which then allocate most of these funds to individual Title I
schools based on their number of poor children.

Schools may use Title I funds for one of two approaches:

-   [Schoolwide programs]{.underline}. High-poverty schools (those with
    40 percent or more students from low-income families) are eligible
    to adopt schoolwide programs to raise the achievement of
    low-achieving students by improving instruction throughout the
    entire school, thus using Title I funds to serve all children.

-   [Targeted assistance programs]{.underline}. Schools that are not
    eligible for (or do not choose to operate) schoolwide programs must
    use Title I funds to provide targeted services to low-achieving
    students.

Title I funds may be used for a variety of services and activities, most
commonly for instruction in reading and mathematics. The legislation
encourages the use of strategies such as extended day (before- and
after-school programs), extended year, and summer programs to increase
learning time. Although districts and schools may use Title I funds to
serve children from preschool age through high school, most focus these
funds on students in the early grades; three-quarters (77 percent) of
Title I participants are in preschool through grade 6.

# Key Requirements

The No Child Left Behind Act strengthens Title I requirements for state
assessments, accountability systems, and support for school improvement.
The law also establishes minimum qualifications for teachers and
paraprofessionals in Title I programs.

[Assessments]{.underline}

By the 2005-06 school year, states must develop and implement annual
assessments in reading and mathematics in grades 3 through 8 and at
least once in grades 10-12. By 2007-08, states also must administer
annual science assessments at least once in grades 3‑5, grades 6-9, and
grades 10-12. These assessments must be aligned with state academic
content and achievement standards and involve multiple measures,
including measures of higher-order thinking and understanding.

-   **Alignment with State Standards.** State assessments must be
    aligned with challenging academic content standards and challenging
    academic achievement standards. States were required under the
    previous law to develop or adopt standards in mathematics and
    reading/language arts, and the new law requires the development of
    science standards by 2005 and 2006. Their standards must have the
    same expectations for all children and have at least three
    achievement levels.

-   **Inclusion.** State assessments must provide for the participation
    of all students, including students with disabilities or limited
    English proficiency. Students who have been in schools in the United
    States for three consecutive years must be assessed in English in
    the area of reading and language arts.

-   **Accommodations.** State assessments must provide for reasonable
    accommodations for students with disabilities or limited English
    proficiency, including, if practicable, native-language versions of
    the assessment.

-   **Annual Assessment of English Proficiency.** Beginning with the
    2002-03 school year, states must ensure that districts administer
    tests of English proficiency---that measure oral language, reading,
    and writing skills in English---to all limited English proficient
    students.

-   **Reporting.** State assessment systems must produce results
    disaggregated by gender, major racial and ethnic groups, English
    proficiency, migrant status, disability, and status as economically
    advantaged. The assessment system must produce individual student
    interpretive, descriptive, and diagnostic reports. States must
    report itemized score analyses to districts and schools.

-   **Prompt Dissemination of Results.** States must ensure that the
    results of state assessments administered in one school year are
    available to school districts before the beginning of the next
    school year. The assessment results must be provided in a manner
    that is clear and easy to understand and be used by school
    districts, schools and teachers to improve the educational
    achievement of individual students.

-   **Participation in State NAEP.** States must participate in biennial
    National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) assessments in
    reading and mathematics for fourth- and eighth-graders, beginning in
    2002-03. State-level NAEP data will enable policymakers to examine
    the relative rigor of state standards and assessments against a
    common metric.

[Accountability]{.underline}

States must develop and implement a single, statewide accountability
system that will be effective in ensuring that all districts and schools
make adequate yearly progress, and hold accountable those that do not.
Schools that do not make adequate yearly progress will be identified for
increasingly rigorous sanctions designed to bring about meaningful
change in instruction and performance. Further, students in
low-performing schools will have the option to transfer to other public
schools or to obtain supplemental educational services. Finally, the law
mandates the fundamental restructuring of any school that fails to
improve over an extended period of time.

-   **Adequate Yearly Progress.** States must establish a definition of
    adequate yearly progress that each district and school is expected
    to meet. States must specify annual objectives to measure progress
    of schools and districts to ensure that all groups of
    students---including low-income students, students from major racial
    and ethnic groups, students with disabilities, and students with
    limited English proficiency---reach proficiency within 12 years.
    States must set intermediate goals that provide for annual adequate
    yearly progress targets, with the first increase to occur no later
    than 2004-05. In order to make adequate yearly progress, schools
    must test at least 95 percent of their students in each of the above
    groups.

-   **Identification of Schools and Districts in Need of Improvement.**
    States must annually review the progress of each school and school
    district receiving Title I funds to determine whether they are
    making adequate yearly progress, and then publicize and disseminate
    the results of the review. Title I schools and districts that fail
    to make adequate yearly progress for two consecutive years must be
    identified as in need of improvement.

-   **Public School Choice.** Students in schools identified for
    improvement must be given the option to transfer to another public
    school that has not been identified for improvement, with
    transportation provided as described below.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Professional development.** Schools identified for improvement
    must spend at least 10 percent of their Title I Part A funds on
    professional development for the school's teachers and principal
    that directly addresses the academic achievement problem that caused
    the school to be identified for improvement.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Supplemental Educational Services.** If a school fails to make
    adequate yearly progress for a third year, students from low-income
    families in the school must be given the option to use Title I funds
    to obtain supplemental educational services from a public- or
    private-sector provider, including faith-based organizations,
    selected from a list of providers approved by the state.

> States must develop and apply objective criteria to potential
> providers that are based on a demonstrated record of effectiveness in
> increasing academic proficiency, and must monitor the quality and
> effectiveness of the services offered by approved providers. States
> must maintain a list of approved providers across the state, by school
> district, from which parents may select, and must promote maximum
> participation by supplemental educational services providers to ensure
> that parents have as many choices as possible.

-   **Funds for Transportation and Supplemental Services.** School
    districts are required to spend an amount equal to 20 percent of
    their Title I, Part A, funds to pay for supplemental educational
    services for eligible students and for transportation of students
    exercising the public school choice option, unless a lesser amount
    is needed to meet all requests. These funds do not have to be taken
    from Title I allocations, but may be provided from other allowable
    federal, state, local, or private sources, including federal funds
    under Section 1003, Title V, Part A; Title II, Part A; Title II,
    Part D; Title IV, Part A; and Title V, Part A (in some cases, these
    funds may only be used for this purpose under the transferability
    provision described below).

-   **Corrective Action.** If a **school** fails to make adequate yearly
    progress for a fourth year, the school district must take corrective
    actions that are designed to bring about meaningful change at the
    school. These corrective actions must include at least one of the
    following: replacing school staff, implementing a new curriculum
    (with appropriate professional development), decreasing management
    authority at the school level, appointing an outside expert to
    advise the school, extending the school day or year or reorganizing
    the school internally.

    Similarly, if a **school district** fails to make adequate yearly
    progress for four years, the state must take corrective actions that
    must include at least one of the following: deferring programmatic
    funds or reducing administrative funds; implementing a new
    curriculum (with professional development); replacing personnel;
    establishing alternative governance arrangements; appointing a
    receiver or trustee to administer the district in place of the
    superintendent and school board; or abolishing or restructuring the
    school district. The state may also authorize students to transfer
    to higher-performing public schools operated by another school
    district (with transportation). States must provide information to
    parents and the public on any corrective action the state takes with
    school districts.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Restructuring.** If a school fails to make adequate yearly
    progress for a fifth year, the school district must initiate plans
    to fundamentally restructure the school. This restructuring may
    include reopening the school as a charter school, replacing all or
    most of the school staff who are relevant to the failure to make
    adequate progress, or turning over school operations either to the
    state or to a private company with a demonstrated record of
    effectiveness.

-   **Technical Assistance.** States and school districts must provide
    technical assistance to schools identified for school improvement,
    corrective action, or restructuring. States are required to reserve
    portions of their Title I funding to benefit schools identified for
    school improvement, corrective action, and restructuring, and they
    must distribute 95 percent of these reserved funds to school
    districts. State assistance must include: establishing school
    support teams; designating and using distinguished teachers and
    principals who are chosen from schools that have been especially
    successful in improving academic achievement; and devising
    additional approaches to providing assistance, such as through
    institutions of higher education and educational service agencies or
    other local consortia, and private providers of scientifically based
    technical assistance.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **State Report Cards.** States must produce and disseminate annual
    report cards that provide information on how students are achieving
    overall as well as information disaggregated by race, ethnicity,
    gender, English proficiency, migrant status, disability status, and
    low-income status. The report cards must include:

    -   State assessment results by performance level, showing two-year
        trend data for each subject and grade tested, with a comparison
        between annual objectives and actual performance for each
        student group. The report cards also must show the percentage of
        each group of students not tested.

    -   Graduation rates for secondary school students and any other
        student achievement indicators that the state chooses.

    -   Performance of school districts on adequate yearly progress
        measures, including the number and names of schools identified
        as in need of improvement.

    -   Professional qualifications of teachers in the state, including
        the percentage of teachers teaching with emergency or
        provisional credentials and the percentage of classes in the
        state that are not taught by highly qualified teachers,
        including a comparison between high- and low-poverty schools.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **School District Report Cards.** School districts also must prepare
    and disseminate annual report cards that include information on
    student achievement for the district and for each school. As with
    the state report cards, achievement data must be disaggregated for
    the same student subgroups. The report cards also must provide
    information on the schools identified for improvement.

-   **Annual State Report to the Secretary.** States must report
    annually to the secretary of Education on their progress in
    developing and implementing academic assessments; students'
    achievement on the assessments disaggregated by groups of students;
    and information about acquisition of English proficiency by children
    with limited English proficiency, the names of schools identified as
    in need of improvement, public school choice, supplemental service
    programs, and teacher quality.

[Qualifications for Teachers and Paraprofessionals]{.underline}

The No Child Left Behind Act requires states to ensure that Title I
schools provide instruction by highly qualified instructional staff.

-   **Highly Qualified Teachers.** States must develop plans with annual
    measurable objectives that will ensure that all teachers of core
    academic subjects are highly qualified, which means that they have
    state certification (which may be alternative state certification),
    hold a bachelor's degree, and have demonstrated subject area
    competency. Core academic subjects include English, reading or
    language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and
    government, economics, arts, history, and geography. All new hires
    in Title I programs after the start of the 2002-03 school year must
    meet these requirements; all existing teachers must meet these
    requirements by the end of the 2005-06 school year. School districts
    must use at least 5 percent of their Title I funds for professional
    development to help teachers become highly qualified.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Higher Qualifications for Paraprofessionals.** Paraprofessionals
    in Title I programs must have at least two years of postsecondary
    education or, for an applicant with a high school diploma,
    demonstrate necessary skills on a formal state or local academic
    assessment. All new hires in Title I programs after January 8, 2002,
    must meet these requirements; existing paraprofessionals have four
    years from January 8, 2002, to comply with them. However, these
    requirements do not apply to paraprofessionals used for translation
    or parent involvement. All paraprofessionals in Title I programs
    must have a high school diploma or its equivalent.

-   **Appropriate Roles for Paraprofessionals.** The law specifies that
    paraprofessionals may not provide instructional support services
    except under the direct supervision of a teacher.

# How It Achieves Quality

Throughout the legislation, there is a strong emphasis on ensuring that
Title I funds are used to support educational practices that are based
on scientific research. More specifically:

-   States must assist school districts in developing or identifying
    high-quality, effective curricula aligned with state academic
    achievement standards, and must disseminate such curricula to each
    district and school within the state.

-   School districts are required to take into account the experience of
    model programs for the educationally disadvantaged and the findings
    of relevant scientifically based research as they develop their
    plans for services.

-   Both schoolwide and targeted assistance programs are required to use
    effective instructional methods and strategies based on
    scientifically based research.

-   Schools identified for improvement must develop two-year improvement
    plans that incorporate strategies based on scientifically based
    research. School districts must provide technical assistance to
    these schools, such as identifying and implementing professional
    development, instructional strategies, and methods of instruction
    that are grounded in scientifically based research and have been
    proven effective in addressing the specific instructional issues
    that caused the school to be identified.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   School districts identified for improvement must incorporate
    scientifically based research strategies in their improvement plans.
    State technical assistance to identified school districts must be
    based on scientifically based research.

-   If a school district is identified for corrective action and a new
    curriculum is implemented, the state must provide professional
    development based on scientifically based research.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   School support teams, whose top priority is to provide assistance to
    schools subject to corrective action, are to be composed of persons
    who are knowledgeable about scientifically based research and
    practice on teaching and learning, as well as about successful
    schoolwide projects, school reform, and improving educational
    opportunities for low-achieving students.

-   The law establishes new requirements to ensure that teachers of core
    academic subjects are highly qualified and requires annual
    measurable objectives toward these goals for each district and
    school. In addition, the law requires paraprofessionals to meet more
    rigorous training and skills requirements.

# How Performance Is Measured

The No Child Left Behind Act requires states to put into place a series
of measurable objectives about student performance that states, school
districts, and schools are expected to meet, as well as a series of
reporting mechanisms to measure progress. Performance is measured by the
progress of schools and districts in making adequate yearly progress in
applying the same high standards of academic achievement to all public
elementary and secondary school students. Performance information will
be publicly disseminated on an annual basis through a system of state
and school district report cards. States also must report annually to
the secretary of education on: their progress in implementing the
requirements of the new law; student achievement on state assessments
(disaggregated by groups of students); and information about schools in
need of improvement (including the names of such schools), public school
choice, supplemental educational services programs, and teacher quality.

**Key Activities For The State Education Agencies.** State education
agencies (SEAs) must:

-   Produce an annual report card.

-   Develop and implement annual assessments in reading, language arts,
    and mathematics in grades 3-8 and at least once in grades 10-12, by
    2005-06.

-   Develop and implement standards in science by 2005-06 and
    assessments in science by 2007-08.

-   Annually assess the English proficiency of students who are learning
    the English language.

-   Ensure the prompt dissemination of state assessment results (before
    the beginning of the next school year).

-   Participate in biennial state-level NAEP assessments of fourth- and
    eighth-grade reading and mathematics.

-   Define and implement an adequate yearly progress definition for the
    state, school districts, and schools.

-   Annually review the progress of each school district to determine
    whether schools receiving assistance are making adequate yearly
    progress and whether each district is carrying out its
    responsibilities; SEAs also must publicize the results of this
    review.

-   Establish a statewide system of support for districts and schools in
    need of improvement.

-   Establish a program for making academic achievement awards to
    schools that significantly close the achievement gap or exceed
    adequate yearly progress for two or more years.

-   Publish and disseminate to parents and the public information on any
    corrective action taken by the state.

-   Develop a list of approved providers of supplemental educational
    services and support, monitor, and disseminate information about
    these providers. SEAs must consider faith-based organizations as
    potential providers of supplemental educational services on the same
    basis as other eligible entities

-   Ensure that students in schools previously identified for
    improvement under the IASA provisions are offered school choice and,
    if the school had been identified for two years or more,
    supplemental services, at the beginning of the 2002-03 school year.

-   Ensure that schools provide instruction by highly qualified
    instructional staff.

Reading First, Title I, Part B, Subpart 1

**Purpose.** Reading has always been a key ingredient for students to be
successful in school, yet the National Assessment of Educational
Progress (NAEP) shows serious deficiencies in children's ability to
read, particularly in high-poverty schools. Even in wealthier schools,
more than a fifth of fourth-graders were unable to reach NAEP's basic
level in 2000 and a*bout two-thirds of fourth-graders in high-poverty
schools were unable to reach the basic level in that year's survey.*
Reading First is designed to help states, school districts, and schools
address this issue and to ensure that every child can read at grade
level or above by the end of third grade through the implementation of
instructional programs and materials, assessments, and professional
development grounded in scientifically based reading research.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Focuses on What Works                                       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Uses scientific evidence to enhance children's reading          |
|     skills.** Professional development, instructional programs, and   |
|     materials used by a state education agency (SEA) or school        |
|     district must focus on the five key areas that scientifically     |
|     based reading research has identified as essential components of  |
|     reading instruction---phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary,    |
|     fluency, and reading comprehension.                               |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Provides professional development for teachers.** Reading First |
|     will provide increased teacher professional development to ensure |
|     that all teachers have the skills they need to teach              |
|     scientifically based instructional programs and to effectively    |
|     screen, identify and overcome reading barriers facing their       |
|     students. States will have significant funds to support           |
|     professional development statewide, not just to school districts  |
|     receiving Reading First subgrants.                                |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Increases Accountability for Student Performance            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Reports on improved student performance.** States must provide  |
|     evidence annually on the extent to which the SEA and school       |
|     districts have significantly increased the number of students     |
|     reading at or above grade level.                                  |
|                                                                       |
| ```{=html}                                                            |
| <!-- -->                                                              |
| ```                                                                   |
| -   **Sanctions lack of improvement.** If an SEA is not making        |
|     sufficient progress by the end of the third year, the secretary   |
|     of education may withhold all or part of the additional funds or  |
|     take other actions that the secretary considers appropriate.      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act: (cont.)**                |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Closes the Achievement Gap for Disadvantaged Students       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Targets services to districts that are low-performing and       |
|     high-poverty.** Eligible school districts are those in each state |
|     with the highest numbers or percentages of K-3 students reading   |
|     below grade level, and include an empowerment or enterprise zone, |
|     have a significant number of schools identified for Title I       |
|     improvement, or have the highest number or percentages of Title I |
|     children. States competitively award subgrants to districts, with |
|     priority given to districts that have at least 15 percent of      |
|     students from families with incomes below poverty or at least     |
|     6,500 poor children.                                              |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** Reading First is a formula grant program to states
based on the number of children between the ages of 5 to 17 who come
from families below the poverty line. States submit an application to
the U.S. Department of Education. Grants are awarded based on the
recommendation of an expert review panel selected by the Department, the
National Institute for Literacy, the National Institute for Child Health
and Human Development, and the National Research Council of the National
Academy of Sciences. SEAs receiving grant awards will then make
competitive grants to eligible school districts. SEAs must make
subgrants of sufficient size and scope to enable local districts to
improve reading instruction. The amount of the award will be related to
each local school district's share of the state's Title I, Part A, funds
distributed during the preceding fiscal year, and to the number or
percent of K-3 students in the district reading below grade level.

# Key Requirements

In addition to developing a process by which to award competitive
subgrants, SEAs must develop a plan for how they will assist districts
in using scientifically based reading research to improve reading
instruction and raise student achievement. States must provide technical
assistance to school districts to help them identify instructional
assessments, programs, and materials. States also must develop a
statewide professional development strategy to improve instructional
practices for reading while ensuring coordination among other literacy
programs in the state. In addition, the state must develop strategies
for evaluating Reading First.

# How It Achieves Quality

Reading First will ensure quality by focusing on what works and
providing the support needed by SEAs and districts to use the
scientifically based reading research to improve reading instruction in
kindergarten through third grade. SEAs receiving Reading First grants
will support quality by providing professional development that ensures
each K-3 teacher will have the skills necessary to teach scientifically
based instructional programs and to use screening, diagnostic, and
classroom-based assessments to measure where students are and to monitor
their progress. School districts and schools will select instructional
programs and materials that support the essential components of reading,
leading to a comprehensive reading program. Finally, quality will be
achieved as the SEAs and districts provide continuous monitoring and
reporting to give feedback on how well schools, districts and the state
as a whole are progressing toward meeting their goals of having all
children reading on grade level by the end of third grade.

# How Performance Is Measured

The goal of the program is for all children to read at or above grade
level by the end of third grade. In order to determine if progress is
being made toward the goal, each SEA is required to report annually on
the progress of local school districts, including identifying districts
that are significantly increasing the number of children who read at or
above grade level. Beginning in fiscal year 2004, targeted assistance
grants will be available on a competitive basis to SEAs that demonstrate
an increase in student achievement related to the Reading First program.
At the completion of the third year, SEAs must send a midpoint report to
the secretary describing their progress toward meeting the goal. There
are consequences for not making sufficient progress. The expert panel
convened to review state applications will review these progress
reports. SEAs that are not making significant progress may lose all or
part of the remaining funds or be subject to other actions deemed
appropriate by the secretary.

Key Activities For The State Education Agencies. State education
agencies must:

-   Identify eligible school districts and develop a process by which to
    award subgrants to them. The process must clearly describe the
    selection criteria.

-   Develop and implement a statewide program of professional
    development for teachers, including special education teachers, for
    kindergarten through grade 3 that will prepare them to teach all of
    the essential components of reading instruction.

-   Provide technical assistance to local districts in selecting and
    implementing instructional programs and materials based on
    scientifically based reading research, selecting screening,
    diagnostic, and classroom based assessment instruments and
    identifying eligible professional development providers.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Submit annual reports to the secretary on the implementation of the
    program and student achievement outcomes.

-   Submit a midpoint report that identifies districts that are making
    progress to increase the number and percentage of students reading
    at or above grade level, as well as the statewide progress toward
    this goal. This interim report is due 60 days after the end of the
    third year.

-   Establish a Reading Leadership Team that will assist in the
    oversight of the SEA's Reading First program.

    In addition to the specific state requirements, the local school
    districts have a number of requirements that the SEA is responsible
    for monitoring.

Early Reading First, Title I, Part B, Subpart 2

**Purpose.** The Early Reading First Program will prepare young children
to enter kindergarten with the language, cognitive, and early reading
skills necessary for reading success. The goal of the program is to
prevent reading failure by providing a high-quality early education to
young children, especially children from low-income families.

It is vital that early education programs attend to all the
developmental domains of early childhood. Those domains (social,
emotional, cognitive, linguistic, and physical) are closely related, and
growth in language and cognition optimally will occur in the context of
the other areas of development. Early care and education programs have
long done a good job in addressing the social, emotional and health
needs of children and families. However, the language and cognitive
domain's often have not been strongly or systematically addressed. For
example, according to a study by the National Center for Education
Statistics, 56 percent of beginning kindergartners at risk of school
failure (because of factors such as low family income and low parent
education) cannot identify more than two or three letters of the
alphabet by name, 61 percent cannot identify the beginning sound of a
word, and 83 percent cannot identify the ending sound of a word.

New research illustrates the importance of the intellectual competencies
of young children and suggests specific ways to support learning through
the use of strategies such as explicit and scaffolded instruction (in
which adults build upon what children already know to help them
accomplish a complex task by providing support where needed). An
extensive body of evidence is now available stressing the importance of
early reading skills, including phonological awareness and vocabulary
development. Early Reading First is designed to improve these skills.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Focuses on What Works                                       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires programs to use scientifically based research to teach |
|     children cognitive and language skills.** Programs must base      |
|     their activities, services, and professional development on       |
|     scientifically based reading research.                            |
|                                                                       |
| ```{=html}                                                            |
| <!-- -->                                                              |
| ```                                                                   |
| -   **Emphasizes the cognitive and language domains.** While early    |
|     childhood programs serve an important function in children's      |
|     social, emotional, and physical development, research also shows  |
|     the importance of the early cognitive and language development of |
|     young children. Many programs serving young children have not     |
|     adequately addressed these areas in the past.                     |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act: (cont.)**                |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Increases Accountability for Student Performance            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Evaluates the effectiveness of local programs through annual    |
|     performance reports on their evaluation results.** Local grantees |
|     are required to describe how they will evaluate their success in  |
|     enhancing children's early reading skills. Grantees must report   |
|     to the U.S. Department of Education annually on their progress    |
|     and the results of their evaluation.                              |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Evaluates the effectiveness of the program through an           |
|     independent national evaluation.**                                |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** The new Early Reading First Program is a federally
administered discretionary grant program. The U.S. Department of
Education will make competitive awards for up to three years to local
school districts eligible under statutory criteria for the Reading First
program, other public or private organizations within those eligible
districts, or collaborations between both. Eligible LEAs were identified
by states, or if not by states, by the Department, and posted on the
Department's Web site. These organizations will apply for awards on
behalf of one or more preschool programs for the purpose of
strengthening the literacy components of existing early childhood
centers.

# Key Requirements

Grantees must use Early Reading First funds to provide preschool-age
children with high-quality oral language and literature-rich
environments; provide professional development to staff that is based on
scientific research to assist in developing children's language and
cognitive skills; identify and provide activities and instructional
materials that are grounded in scientifically based reading research;
acquire, provide training for, and implement screening reading
assessments or other appropriate measures to determine whether
preschool-age children are developing the early language and cognitive
skills they need for later reading success; and integrate these
instructional materials, activities, tools, and measures into the
grantee's preschool programs.

# How It Achieves Quality

In order to prevent reading difficulties for children, Early Reading
First programs must focus on skills most related to later reading
success and instructional methods and activities that have been
scientifically demonstrated to produce learning gains for children in
these skills. These programs are required to support children's
development of oral language (including vocabulary), phonological
awareness (familiarity with individual sounds in words), print
awareness, and letter knowledge.

Early Reading First programs must conduct the following activities that
have been shown to be effective in developing the language, cognitive,
and early reading skills of young children:

-   provide high-quality oral language and literacy-rich classroom
    environments,

-   provide professional development to staff that is based on research
    knowledge of early language and reading development,

-   identify and provide activities and instructional materials based on
    research to develop children's language, cognitive, and early
    reading skills,

-   use screening assessments or other appropriate measures to determine
    whether young children are developing the cognitive skills they need
    for later reading success, and

-   integrate these materials, activities, tools, and measures into
    preschool programs.

# How Performance Is Measured

Grantees are required to evaluate the success of their programs in
preparing children for school and to report this information annually to
the U.S. Department of Education. The law also requires an independent
national evaluation of the program.

**Key Activities For The State Education Agencies**. State education
agencies can:

-   Make relevant state standards for reading and language arts
    available to applicants.

William F. Goodling Even Start Family Literacy,\
Title I, Part B, Subpart 3

**Purpose.** The Even Start Family Literacy Program provides low-income
families with integrated literacy services for parents and their young
children (birth through age 7). The purpose of the program is to break
the cycle of poverty and illiteracy for low-income families. The basic
premise behind Even Start's family literacy approach is that the four
components of adult education, early childhood education, parenting
education, and interactive literacy activities for parents and their
children build on each other and that families need to receive all four
services in order to bring lasting change and improve children's school
success. Based on an analysis of the Census Bureau's Current Population
Survey data from 1997, about 4,350,000 families were considered eligible
for the program, as defined by age of children in a household and the
educational attainment of the children's parents. Almost two million of
these eligible families were living in poverty. Even Start serves about
30,000 families in any given year.

Early childhood education is important because young children who have
good vocabularies and who are taught early reading skills before they
start school are more likely to become good readers and achieve academic
success throughout their school careers. In addition, parents play a
critical role in the language and intellectual development of their
children. Children who have parents who talk and play with them and who
read to them have an important advantage. Parents who are competent
readers are more likely to have good jobs and be able to help their
children in school. Thus, Even Start provides educational services for
the family, rather than for just parents or children.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| Even Start was reauthorized in December 2000 as part of the           |
| Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2001 (P.L. 106-554). The *No Child |
| Left Behind Act* incorporated the following December 2000 changes.    |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Focuses on What Works                                       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires local projects to use instructional programs based on  |
|     scientifically based reading research and preventing reading      |
|     difficulties.** Program elements now require the use of           |
|     scientifically based reading research in instructional services   |
|     and the inclusion of reading readiness activities for preschool   |
|     children to ensure that children enter school ready to read.      |
|                                                                       |
| ```{=html}                                                            |
| <!-- -->                                                              |
| ```                                                                   |
| -   **Requires projects to offer instructional services during the    |
|     summer months.** While year-round services are not new, projects  |
|     can no longer fulfill this requirement with summer enrichment     |
|     services only. This requirement should help to alleviate the      |
|     summer fall-off phenomenon, the documented loss of reading skills |
|     that can take place when children do not practice during the      |
|     summer months.                                                    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act: (cont.)**                |
|                                                                       |
| **Focuses on What Works (cont.)**                                     |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Strengthens staff qualification requirements.** By December     |
|     2004, a majority of the instructional staff must have obtained an |
|     associate's, bachelor's, or graduate degree in a field related to |
|     early childhood education, elementary or secondary school         |
|     education, or adult education, as well as meet state              |
|     qualifications to provide these educational services (if          |
|     applicable). All new instructional staff hired since December     |
|     2000 must meet these qualifications when hired. In addition, by   |
|     December 2004, the local project administrator must receive       |
|     training in operating a family literacy program, and all          |
|     paraprofessionals who provide support for academic instruction    |
|     must have a high school diploma or the equivalent.                |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires local projects to build on existing, high-quality      |
|     community resources.** An important part of the Even Start        |
|     program is building on existing resources in communities for both |
|     support and instructional services. Before its reauthorization,   |
|     the law simply required local projects to build on existing       |
|     services to avoid duplication. The law now explicitly requires    |
|     projects to build on existing services only if they are of high   |
|     quality.                                                          |
|                                                                       |
| **Increases Accountability for Student Performance**                  |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Strengthens the accountability of local projects.** States were |
|     required to develop, by June 30, 2001, indicators of program      |
|     quality to use in monitoring, evaluating, and improving Even      |
|     Start programs.                                                   |
|                                                                       |
| **Other New Requirements**                                            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires local projects to provide equitable services to        |
|     private school school-aged children.**                            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires local projects (school districts) to meet the          |
|     maintenance of effort requirement.**                              |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** Even Start is primarily a state-administered
discretionary grant program in which states hold competitions to fund
integrated family literacy services. The U.S. Department of Education
allocates Even Start funding to states by formula. States award
subgrants to partnerships of local school districts and other
organizations.

# Key Requirements

States are required to establish review panels that will approve
applications (to the extent of available funding) that meet the
following requirements: are most likely to be successful in implementing
the program purpose and all of the program elements; demonstrate that
the area to be served by the program has a high percentage or a large
number of families who are in need of family literacy services; provide
services for at least a three-year age range of children; demonstrate
the greatest possible coordination between all service providers;
include cost-effective budgets that demonstrate the ability to provide
the required local match; are representative of urban and rural regions
of the state; and show the greatest promise for providing models that
may be adopted by others.

Local Even Start projects must provide four high-quality, intensive core
educational components (early childhood, adult education, parenting
education, and parent-child activities) taught by qualified staff, as
well as support services, year-round. In addition to center-based
programs, projects also must provide some educational services to
families in their homes. Projects must base instructional services on
scientifically based reading research. Projects have to collaborate with
other agencies to build on educational and support services that already
exist in their communities and provide an increasing local funding
match. Projects must identify, recruit, and serve those families most in
need of services, as well as screen and prepare these families for
participation in the program. Projects also have to provide training to
their staff, provide for an independent local evaluation, promote the
continuity of family literacy services for families, and encourage the
active participation and retention of participating families.

# How It Achieves Quality

Even Start programs will achieve quality through new requirements to use
scientifically based research evidence to design program activities,
especially reading-readiness activities for preschool children. The new
state indicators of program quality will allow states to make informed
decisions about continuation funding for subgrantees based on whether or
not they are showing sufficient progress.

# How Performance Is Measured

At the state level, performance is measured through the new required
indicators of program quality. These indicators must be used by states
to monitor, evaluate, and improve local projects within the state. The
law requires the following specific indicators for adult participants
covering both the literacy and economic self-sufficiency purposes of the
program (although states may develop additional indicators if they
choose):

-   Achievement in the areas of reading, writing, English language
    acquisition, problem-solving, and numeracy;

-   Receipt of a high school diploma or a general equivalency diploma;

-   Entry into a postsecondary school, job-training program, or
    employment or career advancement, including the military.

The law requires the following specific indicators for child
participants:

-   Improvement in ability to read on grade level or reading readiness;

-   School attendance;

-   Grade retention and promotion.

In addition, the law requires an independent national evaluation to
document the performance and effectiveness of Even Start projects. Local
projects are also required to conduct an independent local evaluation
and use the evaluation for program improvement.

**Key Activities For The State Education Agencies**. State education
agencies (SEAs) must:

-   Establish a review panel to approve subgrant applications.

-   Use state indicators of program quality to monitor, evaluate, and
    decide whether to continue local projects.

-   Cooperate with the national evaluation of local programs.

In addition, SEAs can:

-   Develop and implement guidelines for the new requirement to use
    scientifically based reading research in instructional programming.

-   Monitor qualifications of program staff.

-   Provide guidance on state indicators of program quality.

Improving Literacy Through School Libraries,\
Title I, Part B, Subpart 4

**Purpose:** This new program is designed to improve the literacy skills
and academic achievement of students by providing them with access to
up-to-date school library materials; technologically advanced school
library media centers; and professionally certified school library media
specialists.

School libraries are critical to meet schools' instructional goals and
objectives. They promote literacy by developing and encouraging reading.
Based on the most recent *Schools and Staffing* *Survey* findings
(school year 1993-94) about half (52 percent) of schools with library
media centers did not have a full-time state-certified librarian and
about one-third of students were in such schools. Twenty percent of
schools with library media centers did not have a librarian at all.
About 35 percent of teachers believed that library or media materials
were not adequate to support their instructional objectives.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Focuses on What Works                                       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires use of programs and materials grounded in              |
|     scientifically based research.** Local school districts are       |
|     required to use research-based programs and materials.            |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Increases Accountability for Student Performance            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires school districts to submit annual reports to the       |
|     secretary of education.** School districts must report annually   |
|     on how program funds were used and the extent to which the funds  |
|     increased access to, and the use of, school library media         |
|     resources.                                                        |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** The new Improving Literacy through School Libraries
program is a competitive one-year grant program for districts in which
at least 20 percent of the students are from families with incomes below
the poverty line. In years in which the appropriation exceeds \$100
million, the program operates as a state formula program. Then,
districts are eligible if 15 percent of their students are from families
with incomes below the poverty line; or the percentage of these students
is greater than the statewide percentage of children from such families.
Districts receiving program funds may use them for such things as
purchasing up-to-date school library media resources, including books
and advanced technology, providing professional development for school
library media specialists, and providing students with access to school
libraries during nonschool hours, weekends, and vacations.

# Key Requirements

If the appropriation exceeds \$100 million, states will assist districts
in meeting program requirements and in using scientifically based
research to implement effective school library media programs. States
also will evaluate the quality and impact of district activities, and
determine the need for technical assistance and whether or not to
continue funding districts.

# How It Achieves Quality

As districts plan their library improvement efforts, they are required
to use programs and materials that are grounded in scientifically based
research. They are also required to conduct a needs assessment to
clearly identify the areas in which their school library media centers
require improvement.

# How Performance Is Measured

Districts submit to the secretary annual reports that describe program
activities and the extent to which their school library media resources
were made more available and used more. In years in which the program is
state-administered, states compile district reports and submit them to
the secretary. In addition, a national evaluation is to be conducted on
program effectiveness within three years after passage of the No Child
Left Behind Act, and biennially thereafter.

**Key Activities For The State Education Agencies.** State education
agencies (SEAs) must:

-   Submit a plan, application, and reports to the U.S. Department of
    Education and administer the formula grant portion of the program if
    funded at \$100 million or higher.

-   Cooperate with the competitive grant program recipients in the state
    when the appropriation is less than \$100 million.

Education Of Migratory Children, Title I, Part C

**Purpose.** This program's goal is to support high-quality and
comprehensive educational programs for migrant children to help reduce
the educational disruptions and other problems that result from repeated
moves. In addition, the program attempts to ensure that migrant children
who move between states are not put at a disadvantage because of
disparities in curriculum, graduation requirements, and content and
student academic achievement standards. In school year 1997-98, the
program served 621,000 migrant students. This represents about
1.4 percent of all students.

Migrant students have many risk factors in common with other
disadvantaged students (e.g., poverty, poor health, learning
disabilities), but they also face additional challenges unique to their
situations (e.g., disruption of education, poor record-keeping between
schools, cultural and language difficulties, and social isolation).
Because migrant students usually account for only a small percentage of
the total student population, many schools and districts find it
difficult to dedicate the level of resources that may be necessary to
ensure the best educational experience possible for their migrant
students.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility               |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Establishes a national information system to electronically     |
|     transfer health and educational information for all children      |
|     served by the Migrant Education Program (MEP).** The U.S.         |
|     Department of Education will be responsible for developing a      |
|     national information system and determining the minimum data      |
|     elements that each state receiving funds should collect and       |
|     maintain. The national information system will facilitate school  |
|     access to this information.                                       |
|                                                                       |
| ```{=html}                                                            |
| <!-- -->                                                              |
| ```                                                                   |
| -   **Requires state education agencies (SEAs) and local school       |
|     districts receiving MEP funds to provide records on migrant       |
|     students to other SEAs and districts at no cost.** This           |
|     requirement will reduce the burden on SEAs and districts          |
|     receiving migrant students.                                       |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Increases Accountability for Student Performance            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Holds migrant children to the same challenging state content    |
|     and student performance standards as all children.** Under Title  |
|     I, Part A, state assessment systems must be able to disaggregate  |
|     the performance results for migrant students. Districts and       |
|     schools must provide achievement information and school report    |
|     cards to the parents of migrant students.                         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act: (cont.)**                |
|                                                                       |
| **Empowers Parents**                                                  |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires school districts and schools to provide school report  |
|     cards to the parents of migrant students in a format and, to the  |
|     extent practicable, in a language that they can understand.** All |
|     the requirements for Title I assessment, accountability and       |
|     flexibility must be explained to migrant parents so that they can |
|     make informed decisions about their children's education.         |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** The Migrant Education Program provides SEAs with
funding through a state formula grant based on each state's per-pupil
expenditure and counts of migrant children between 3 and 21 years old.
The statute defines a "migratory child" as a child under 22 years of age
who is a migrant agricultural worker or fisher, or who has a parent,
spouse, or guardian who is a migrant agricultural worker, and who has
moved across school district boundaries within the previous 36 months in
order to obtain temporary or seasonal employment in agricultural or
fishing work.

# Key Requirements

Migrant education programs are required to:

-   Ensure that the special educational needs of migrant children are
    identified and addressed;

-   Provide migrant students with the opportunity to meet the same
    challenging state academic content standards that all children are
    expected to meet;

-   Promote interstate and intrastate coordination of services for
    migrant children, including providing for educational continuity
    through the timely transfer of pertinent school records;

-   Encourage family literacy services for migrant students and their
    families.

SEAs must assure that there is consultation with parent advisory
councils for programs of one school year in duration and all programs
and projects are carried out in a manner that provides for the same
parental involvement as Title I, Part A. Title I Part A requires that
each school district must develop and distribute to parents a written
parent involvement policy that establishes the agency's expectations for
parent involvement. Schools must convene an annual meeting, at a
convenient time, to which all parents of participating children must be
invited and encouraged to attend, to provide parents with timely
information about programs, a description and explanation of the
curriculum in use at the school, the forms of academic assessment used
to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are
expected to meet. Also, each school must develop with parents for all
children served under this part a school-parent compact that outlines
how parents, the entire school staff, and students will share the
responsibility for improved student academic achievement and the means
by which the school and parents will develop a partnership to help
children achieve the state's high standards. To the extent practicable,
materials must be in a format and language understandable to the
parents. SEAs also must assure that there is adequate provision for
addressing the unmet needs of preschool migrant children.

To the extent feasible, all MEP programs and projects also are required
to provide for advocacy and outreach for migratory children and their
families on such topics as education, health, nutrition, and social
services. They must also provide professional development programs for
teachers and other program personnel; family literacy programs; the
integration of information technology into MEP activities; and programs
to facilitate the transition of secondary school students to
postsecondary education or employment.

# How Performance is Measured

The effectiveness of programs and projects will be determined, where
feasible, using the same approaches and standards used to assess the
performance of students, schools, and districts under Title I, Part A.
In Title I, Part A, performance is measured by how well schools and
districts are making adequate yearly progress in applying the same high
standards of academic achievement to all public elementary and secondary
school students. Performance information will be publicly disseminated
on an annual basis through a system of state and school district report
cards. States also must report annually to the secretary of education
on: their progress in implementing the requirements of the new law;
student achievement on state assessments (disaggregated by groups of
students including migrants); and information about schools in need of
improvement, public school choice, supplemental educational services,
and teacher quality.

Prevention And Intervention Programs For Children And Youth Who Are
Neglected, Delinquent, Or At-Risk, Title I, Part D

**Purpose.** The Prevention and Intervention Programs for Children and
Youth who are Neglected, Delinquent or At-Risk provide financial
assistance to educational programs for youths in state-operated
institutions or community day programs. The program also provides
financial assistance to support school districts' programs involving
collaboration with locally operated correctional facilities. The
expanding juvenile correctional system and the educational deficits of
most correctional education students pose challenges to the delivery of
educational services to neglected and delinquent youths. In 1998-99,
state agency programs served 170,000 neglected and delinquent students,
while local agency programs served an additional 92,000 students in
local correctional facilities. Participants in state institutions in
1998 were overwhelmingly male (89 percent), a little more than half (51
percent) were African American, and 53 percent were between the ages of
14 and 17.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| **Focuses on What Works**                                             |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Improves transition services.** State education agencies (SEAs) |
|     are to designate an individual in each correctional facility or   |
|     institution for neglected or delinquent children and youths to    |
|     concentrate on providing participants with the knowledge and      |
|     skills needed to make a successful transition to secondary school |
|     completion, vocational or technical training, further education,  |
|     or employment. Poor educational follow-up is the most frequently  |
|     reported challenge in meeting these students' needs. In the past, |
|     few state agencies used program funds to provide transition       |
|     services. The new legislation encourages state agencies to        |
|     support the transition of children and youths from state-operated |
|     institutions to schools served by local school districts, and to  |
|     successfully help youth offenders with a secondary school diploma |
|     enter postsecondary education or vocational and technical         |
|     training programs.                                                |
|                                                                       |
| ```{=html}                                                            |
| <!-- -->                                                              |
| ```                                                                   |
| -   **Provides technical assistance to SEAs.** Federally supported    |
|     technical assistance providers will help with capacity-building   |
|     of state agency programs. In 1999, state agencies reported that   |
|     the greatest need for technical assistance among institutional    |
|     staff included program evaluation, setting up evaluation          |
|     procedures, analyzing program evaluation results, designing a     |
|     needs assessment, and testing issues. Although most state         |
|     agencies required institutions to evaluate their program          |
|     annually, only three-fourths of state agencies required           |
|     institutions to include participant achievement information in    |
|     their evaluations. State agencies that lack the capacity to       |
|     address these issues will be able to receive the technical        |
|     assistance they need to improve their educational programs for    |
|     children and youths who are neglected or delinquent.              |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act: (cont.)**                |
|                                                                       |
| **Increases Accountability for Student Performance**                  |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Develops a uniform evaluation model.** Improves the             |
|     effectiveness of programs administered by SEAs by developing a    |
|     uniform evaluation model to assess the educational achievement    |
|     and outcomes of neglected or delinquent children and youths. A    |
|     uniform model will enable all state agencies to use a common set  |
|     of evaluation methods and procedures to assess program            |
|     implementation, student achievement, and the successful           |
|     transition of these students into educational institutions or     |
|     employment.                                                       |
|                                                                       |
| **Closes the Achievement Gap for Disadvantaged Students**             |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Makes students returning from correctional facilities a         |
|     priority.** The school district program will focus primarily on   |
|     the transition and academic needs of students returning from      |
|     corrections facilities**.** Often, there is a disconnect between  |
|     the programs of local schools and correctional facilities, which  |
|     results in low student achievement. As students make the          |
|     transition from correctional facilities back to their local       |
|     schools, they will receive the follow-up services they need to    |
|     continue their education and to meet the same challenging state   |
|     standards required of all students.                               |
|                                                                       |
| ```{=html}                                                            |
| <!-- -->                                                              |
| ```                                                                   |
| -   **Coordinates achievement activities.** State education agencies  |
|     are to encourage correctional facilities to coordinate with       |
|     school districts or alternative education programs so that        |
|     student assessments and academic records are shared jointly and   |
|     used to guide the planning and operation of the Title I neglected |
|     or delinquent program at the institution level. Very few state    |
|     agencies have as their objective for Title I-funded services to   |
|     assist neglected or delinquent students to meet the same          |
|     statewide achievement standards established for all public school |
|     students. Improved coordination between school districts and      |
|     correctional facilities will help develop continuity between the  |
|     educational services provided to these students.                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** Under SEA programs, states receive formula funds based
on the number of children in state-operated institutions and per-pupil
educational expenditures. Each state's allocation is generated by child
counts in state juvenile institutions that provide at least 20 hours of
instruction from nonfederal funds and adult correctional institutions
that provide 15 hours of instruction a week. The SEA then makes
subgrants to state agencies based on their proportional share of the
state's adjusted enrollment count of neglected or delinquent children
and youths.

Under local agency programs, the SEA awards subgrants to districts with
high numbers or percentages of children and youth in locally operated
juvenile correctional facilities, including facilities involved in
community day programs.

# Key Requirements

State agencies and districts that conduct a program under Title I for
neglected or delinquent children and youths are required to:

-   Meet the educational needs of neglected, delinquent, and at-risk
    children and youths, and assist in the transition of these students
    from correctional facilities to locally operated programs.

-   Ensure that these students have the same opportunities to achieve as
    if they were in local schools in the state.

-   Evaluate the program and disaggregate data on participation by
    gender, race, ethnicity, and age, not less than once every three
    years.

# How Quality Is Measured

The required state agency and school district evaluations will determine
the program's impact on the ability of these students to:

-   Maintain and improve educational achievement.

-   Accrue school credits that meet state requirements for grade
    promotion and secondary school graduation.

-   Make the transition to a regular program or other education program
    operated by a school district.

-   Complete secondary school and obtain employment after leaving the
    correctional facility or institution for neglected or delinquent
    children and youths.

-   Participate in postsecondary education and job-training programs.

SEAs may reduce or terminate funding for projects if the agency does not
show progress in reducing student dropout rates.

**Key Activities For State Education Agencies**

-   SEAs may require correctional facilities or institutions for
    neglected or delinquent children and youth to demonstrate that there
    has been an increase in the number of children and youths returning
    to school, obtaining a secondary school diploma or its recognized
    equivalent, or obtaining employment after the children and youths
    are released.

National Assessment Of Title I, Title I Evaluation And Demonstrations,
Title I, Part E, Sections 1501-1503

**Purpose.** The No Child Left Behind Act includes requirements for a
National Assessment of Title I (NATI) to evaluate the implementation and
impact of Title I programs and provisions. An Independent Review Panel
established by the secretary will advise on the design and conduct of
the National Assessment of Title I and a longitudinal evaluation of
student achievement. In addition, the law authorizes the Department to
conduct other evaluations of Title I programs and demonstrations.

**How It Works.** The National Assessment of Title I is a coordinated
set of evaluation studies that collect information on the implementation
and impact of Title I. The law directs the NATI to examine a number of
specific issues, including the impact of Title I programs on student
achievement, state standards and assessments, accountability and school
improvement provisions, school choice and supplemental services,
professional development and teacher quality, comprehensive school
reform and improvement strategies, and the targeting of Title I funds.
An interim NATI report is due in January 2005, with a final report due
in January 2007.

The law includes a specific requirement for a National Longitudinal
Study of Title I's impact on student achievement. This study is to be
conducted in a nationally representative sample of Title I schools to
examine the effectiveness of programs and services supported by Title I
in improving student achievement. The law also continues a longstanding
mandate for an Independent Review Panel composed of researchers and
practitioners appointed by the secretary to advise the U.S. Department
of Education on the design and conduct of the National Assessment and
its individual evaluation studies.

# How It Achieves Quality

The Independent Review Panel is to ensure that the Title I evaluations
"adhere to the highest possible standards of quality with respect to
research design, statistical analysis, and the dissemination of
findings, and use valid and reliable measures to document program
implementation and impacts." In addition, the No Child Left Behind Act
contains a new requirement for the panel to ensure that the National
Assessment final report is reviewed by two or more "independent experts
in program evaluation."

Close Up Fellowship, Title I, Part E, Section 1504

**Purpose.** The Close Up Fellowship program pays for economically
disadvantaged, middle and secondary school teachers and students whose
family has moved to the United States within the last five year to spend
one week in Washington, D.C. attending seminars on government and
current events and meeting with leaders from the three branches of the
federal government. The program also supports professional development
related to civic education for teachers of participating students.

**How It Works.** The Close Up Fellowship program provides a
noncompetitive grant to the Close Up Foundation, based in Washington,
D.C. Funding is available in three areas: (1) fellowships for
economically disadvantaged middle and secondary school students, with
special consideration given to students with disabilities, ethnic
minority students, and students with migrant parents; (2) the
foundation's professional development programs for middle and secondary
school teachers and its programs to increase civic responsibility and
understanding among the teachers' students; and (3) fellowships for the
New Americans Program, which serves economically disadvantaged students
whose families have immigrated to the United States within the past five
years.

# Key Requirements

The Close-Up Foundation is required to evaluate the extent to which the
program provides students with an increased understanding of the federal
government; heightens their sense of civic responsibility; and enhances
the skills of teachers in teaching about civic responsibility, the
federal government, and responsible citizenship. In addition, new
targeting provisions have been added to ensure the participation of
students from rural areas, small towns, and urban areas, as well as
students with migrant parents.

# How Performance Is Measured

The Close Up Foundation is required to develop procedures for measuring
program effectiveness.

Comprehensive School Reform, Title I, Part F

**Purpose.** Comprehensive school reform developed out of the literature
on effective schools. While the effective schools research does not
prescribe any particular reform effort, it does describe certain
components of school reform that appear to lead to improved student
academic achievement. These components form the empirical foundation for
the comprehensive school reform movement.

The Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) program also builds on the Title I
schoolwide program, which provides greater flexibility in the use of
federal funds and encourages the implementation of effective strategies
for all students in a school. The CSR program provides start-up
financial assistance to schools so that they can implement whole school
reforms that reflect the research literature on effective practices in
order to help students meet state academic standards. Throughout the
1990s, thousands of schools across the nation have adopted various CSR
models.

The CSR statute identifies 11 components of comprehensive school reform:

-   **Research-based methods.** Proven strategies and methods for
    student learning, teaching, and school management that are founded
    on scientifically based research and effective practices and that
    have been replicated successfully in schools.

-   **Comprehensive design.** Schoolwide reform plans that include
    instruction, assessment, classroom management, professional
    development, parental involvement, and school management in a
    comprehensive approach to addressing the specific needs of the
    school and enabling all students to meet challenging state
    standards.

-   **Focus on student achievement.** Measurable goals for student
    academic achievement and benchmarks for meeting these goals.

-   **Buy-in.** Support from teachers, principals, administrators,
    school staff, and other professional staff.

-   **Professional development.** High-quality and continuous teacher
    and staff professional development.

-   **Support for school staff.** Support for teachers, principals,
    administrators, and other school staff.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Partnerships with parents and communities.** Meaningful
    involvement of parents and the local community in planning,
    implementing, and evaluating school improvement activities.

-   **External support.** High-quality external technical support and
    assistance from an entity that has experience and expertise in
    schoolwide reform and improvement.

-   **Evaluation planning.** A plan for the annual evaluation of the
    implementation of school reforms and the student results achieved.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Combining resources.** Identification and coordination of other
    resources, including federal, state, local, and private resources to
    support and sustain the comprehensive school reform effort.

-   **Evidence of effectiveness.** Programs that have been found through
    scientifically based research to significantly improve the academic
    achievement of participating children or have strong evidence that
    they will achieve this result.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Focuses on What Works                                       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Grantees must rely on scientifically proven strategies.** Each  |
|     grantee's CSR plan must include scientifically proven teaching    |
|     and learning strategies.                                          |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Increases Accountability For Student Performance            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **State education agencies (SEAs) are now required to submit      |
|     annual evaluation reports to the U.S. Department of Education to  |
|     measure performance.** This report must include the names of      |
|     school districts and schools receiving grants, the amount of the  |
|     grants, a description of the reforms implemented, an assessment   |
|     of the implementation progress, and student achievement results.  |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Priority is given to low-performing schools.** Previously, SEAs |
|     were encouraged to give priority to low-performing schools. Now,  |
|     states are required to target funding to students and schools     |
|     with the greatest educational needs.                              |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** The CSR program is a state formula grant program,
based on each states' Title I allocation. States competitively award
grants to school districts on behalf of specific schools and must give
priority to schools that have been identified for Title I school
improvement and document a commitment to assist schools for two
additional years in implementing and sustaining comprehensive reforms.
Schools receive grants of at least \$50,000 to implement CSR reform
plans.

# Key Requirements

School reform programs supported by CSR must be grounded in
scientifically based research, meet the 11 components of CSR specified
in the authorizing statute, and be supported by effective technical
assistance providers.

# How It Achieves Quality

The primary goal of the CSR program is to help schools implement
scientifically proven reform strategies to help all children meet state
standards

# How Performance Is Measured

States are encouraged to document that increasing numbers of students in
CSR schools are meeting state academic standards. In addition, states
should see a decline in the number of CSR schools identified as
low-performing.

Advanced Placement, Title I, Part G

**Purpose.** The Advanced Placement (AP) programs are designed to
increase the number of low-income students participating in AP classes
and taking AP tests by helping to pay test fees for low-income students
in AP classes and expanding access to AP classes through increased
teacher training and other activities.

Increasing AP course participation and test completion have become
important goals, as one way to improve the rigor of high school
curricula and students' readiness for college. AP courses challenge
students to master college-level work while in high school. The tests,
which are designed, administered, and scored by educational entities
such as the College Board and the International Baccalaureate
Organization, provide objective measures of skill that colleges value,
often awarding students college credit for passing the exams with a
certain score. As parents, students, teachers, and colleges have come to
view AP courses as a signal of educational excellence, the number of
exams taken has risen from less than 200,000 in 1981, to more than 1.4
million in 2001.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| **Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility**                     |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Moves authorization for the program to the Elementary and       |
|     Secondary Education Act** from the Higher Education Amendments,   |
|     allowing the program to be better integrated with other efforts   |
|     to raise standards and increase academic achievement at the       |
|     secondary level.                                                  |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Designates more entities as eligible to receive grants and      |
|     provide services.** In addition to states, local school districts |
|     and national nonprofit educational entities with expertise in AP  |
|     services are now eligible to receive competitive grants.          |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** Title I, Part G, now includes two separate programs.

1.  ***Advanced Placement Test Fee Program***: Grants are awarded to
    states to pay test fees for low-income students enrolled in AP
    courses. Funds are allocated to states based on the number of
    low-income students in the state in relation to the total number of
    low-income students in the nation.

2.  ***Advanced Placement Incentive Program***: One- to three-year,
    competitive grants are awarded to state education agencies (SEAs),
    school districts, and national nonprofit educational entities with
    expertise in AP services. Grants are designed to expand access to
    and participation in AP courses and tests for low-income students
    through teacher training, developing "pre-AP" and AP courses,
    coordinating and articulating curricula between grade levels to
    enhance student preparation for AP courses, and promoting online AP
    course-taking for students in schools that are unable to offer AP
    courses. Funding priority will be given to projects that demonstrate
    a pervasive need, involve business and community organizations in
    grant activities, provide matching funds, increase participation in
    online AP courses, focus on English, math, and science AP
    course-taking, and focus activities on districts and schools with
    high concentrations of low-income students.

# How Performance Is Measured

All grantees (states, and in the case of the Incentive Program, local
school districts and eligible national nonprofit entities) must report
annually to the U.S. Department of Education on the number of students
in the state or project, by subject area and by student demographic
characteristics, who are taking an AP course, taking an AP test, and
scoring at the different levels of proficiency.

**Key Activities For The State Education Agencies.** State education
agencies must report AP participation and test outcome data to the U.S.
Department of Education.

SCHOOL DROPOUT PREVENTION, Title I, Part H

**Purpose.** This program assists schools with dropout rates above their
state average to implement effective dropout prevention and reentry
efforts. The program is a response to a national status dropout rates of
about 11 percent over the past decade (with significantly higher rates
in some regions and for some groups of students) and the poor labor
market outcomes for those without a high school credential.

**How It Works.** The Dropout Prevention Program is primarily a grant
program to state education agencies (SEAs) and local school districts to
implement research-based, sustainable, and coordinated school dropout
prevention and reentry programs. At the current appropriation level,
grants will be awarded competitively and used for activities such as
professional development; reduction in student-teacher ratios;
counseling and mentoring for at-risk students; and implementing
comprehensive school reform models. The U.S. Department of Education
also will create a national recognition program to identify schools
implementing comprehensive reforms that have been effective in lowering
school dropout rates for all students.

# Key Requirements

SEAs and districts must implement research-based instructional practices
and other activities, and target funds to schools with annual dropout
rates above their state average.

# How Performance Is Measured

SEAs and school districts must report dropout data disaggregated by race
and ethnicity for schools receiving program funds.

**Key Activities For The State Education Agencies.** State education
agencies (SEAs) must:

-   Report annually to the U.S. Department of Education on the status of
    implementation activities and on dropout rates, disaggregated by
    race and ethnicity, for students at schools assisted by the grant
    program. In addition, grantees must report annual school dropout
    rates for the two fiscal years prior to receiving funds under the
    grant.

GENERAL PROVISIONS, Title I, Part I

**Purpose.** The General Provisions of Title I primarily concern
regulatory and administrative requirements, including provisions
concerning state and local flexibility and the development of
regulations on the No Child Left Behind Act.

**How It Works.** Part I contains several provisions intended to ensure
state and local flexibility in certain areas. It prohibits the federal
government from mandating "specific instructional content, academic
achievement standards and assessments, curriculum, or program of
instruction," and it states that nothing in Title I requires equalized
spending for a state, school district, or school. It also requires that
state rules, regulations, and policies related to Title I be minimal,
that they conform to the purposes of Title I, and that they be reviewed
by a committee of practitioners created by the state to help it carry
out its responsibilities under Title I.

Other provisions require annual state reports on school dropout rates,
disaggregated by race and ethnicity, and annual General Accounting
Office audits of at least six Title I districts to examine the extent to
which funds were used for instructional and noninstructional purposes.

**Key Activities For The State Education Agencies.** State education
agencies must:

-   Prepare an annual report on school dropout rates.

-   Establish a committee of practitioners to review any state rules,
    regulations, and policies related to Title I.

Teacher And Principal Training And Recruiting Fund, Grants To States,
Title II, Part A

**Purpose.** The Improving Teacher Quality State Grants program
increases student achievement by elevating teacher and principal quality
through recruitment, hiring, and retention strategies. The programs uses
scientifically based professional development interventions and holds
districts and schools accountable for improvements in student academic
performance. This program was created because research shows that
teacher quality is correlated with student academic achievement (Sanders
and Rivers, 1996). Because each community may face a variety of
challenges with respect to teacher quality, this program allows funds to
be used for a wide array of interventions.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| **[Increases Accountability for Student Performance]{.underline}**    |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Puts quality teachers in the classroom.** Each state education  |
|     agency (SEA) must develop a plan to ensure that all teachers are  |
|     "highly qualified" no later than the end of the 2005-06 school    |
|     year. The plan must establish annual, measurable objectives for   |
|     each local school district and school to ensure that they meet    |
|     the "highly qualified" requirement. In general, a "highly         |
|     qualified teacher" is a teacher with full certification, a        |
|     bachelor's degree, and demonstrated competence in subject         |
|     knowledge and teaching skills. See Section 9101(23) of the ESEA   |
|     for the complete definition of a highly qualified teacher.        |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Develops a district improvement plan.** If an SEA determines    |
|     that a school district has failed to make progress in meeting     |
|     annual objectives for two consecutive years, the district must    |
|     develop an improvement plan to meet the objectives and the state  |
|     must provide technical assistance to the district. If a school    |
|     district fails to make progress toward the annual objectives and  |
|     fails to make adequate yearly progress for three consecutive      |
|     years, then the SEA must enter into an agreement with the         |
|     district on the district's use of Title II funds.                 |
|                                                                       |
| **[Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility]{.underline}**       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Consolidates programs and expands eligible activities.** This   |
|     new program combines the former Eisenhower Professional           |
|     Development and the Class Size Reduction programs and greatly     |
|     expands the number of activities allowed on the state and local   |
|     levels. Therefore, each state and school district can tailor the  |
|     interventions to target its unique challenges with respect to     |
|     teacher quality.                                                  |
|                                                                       |
| **[Focuses on What Works]{.underline}**                               |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Employs scientifically based interventions.** All activities    |
|     supported with Title II funds must be based on a review of        |
|     scientifically based research that shows how such interventions   |
|     are expected to improve student achievement. For example, if a    |
|     state decides to fund interventions such as professional          |
|     development in math, the state must be able to show how the       |
|     particular activities are grounded in a review of activities that |
|     have been **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act: (cont.)**  |
|                                                                       |
| correlated with increases in student achievement.                     |
|                                                                       |
| **Empowers Parents**                                                  |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Informs the public on teacher quality.** Every year, principals |
|     must attest to whether a school is in compliance with the "highly |
|     qualified" teacher requirement, and this information must be      |
|     maintained at the school and district offices where it must be    |
|     made available to the public upon request. In addition, each      |
|     school district must report to the state annually on its progress |
|     in meeting the requirement that all teachers be "highly           |
|     qualified" by the end of the 2005-06 school year. This            |
|     information also must be included on the state report cards       |
|     required under Title I.                                           |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** States must apply to the U.S. Department of Education
for funding, and funds are allocated through a formula based on the
school-age population and the number of children in poverty in each
state. After reserving 1 percent for administration, states may use 2.5
percent of allotted funds for teacher quality activities. Ninety-five
percent are distributed through subgrants to local districts using a
formula that takes into account the school-age population and the number
of children in poverty in each district. The remaining 2.5 percent of
the funds are distributed on a competitive basis through subgrants to
partnerships of high-need districts, schools of arts and sciences, and
the school or department within institutions of higher education that
prepares teachers.

States may undertake nearly 20 different kinds of state-level teacher
quality activities including reforming teacher and principal
certification and developing innovative teacher pay systems.

[Subgrants to districts]{.underline}: School districts must submit an
application to the state. Districts may undertake activities that fall
into approximately 10 broad categories. These include professional
development, recruitment initiatives, tenure reform, and merit pay.

[Subgrants to partnerships]{.underline}: The SEA and the state agency
for higher education must work together to determine the priorities and
award competitive grants to eligible partnerships. Partnerships may use
the funds to provide professional development for teachers, principals
and paraprofessionals or to provide technical assistance to local
districts in implementing high-quality professional development.

# Key Requirements

When implementing Title II, Part A, states must:

-   Ensure that activities are aligned with state standards, and based
    on a review of scientifically based research and contribute to
    improvements in student academic achievement;

-   Coordinate the program with other professional development programs;

-   Develop professional development activities in a collaborative
    fashion and seek the input of teachers, principals, parents,
    administrators, paraprofessionals, and other school personnel;

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Use funds to meet the requirement that all teachers be "highly
    qualified" by the end of the 2005-06 school year, develop annual
    objectives for measuring progress toward this requirement; and

-   Use funds to ensure that all current paraprofessionals with
    instructional duties in any program supported with Title I, Part A,
    funds (other than translators and parent-involvement liaisons) have,
    by January 2006, completed at least two years of study at an
    institution of higher education, obtained an associate's (or higher)
    degree, or met a rigorous standard of quality and can demonstrate
    academic skills and knowledge.

# How It Achieves Quality

Activities must be based on a review of scientifically based research
that shows how such interventions are expected to improve student
achievement. This means that there must be reliable and valid research
evidence that the program activities are effective in helping teachers
to improve student academic achievement.

# How Performance Is Measured

States must use funds to ensure that all teachers are "highly qualified"
by the end of the 2005-06 school year. Each year, beginning in the
2002-03 school year, the state must report on performance measures that
indicate the percentage of teachers who are highly qualified and the
percentage of teachers who are participating in high-quality
professional development in order to become highly qualified. Each state
may report on additional measures that the SEA determines to be
important. Ultimately, the program's performance will be gauged by
changes in student achievement over time as shown through the other NCLB
reporting requirements. These reporting requirements include measures
such as increases in the percentage of students who are proficient in
reading by the end of the third grade and increases in the percentage of
students who graduate from high school.

#### Key Activities For The State Education Agencies. State education agencies (SEAs) must:

-   Develop Title II state-level activities based on a review of
    scientific research that shows that such activities are associated
    with gains in student achievement.

-   Develop a plan for coordinating Title II professional development
    with professional development funded through other federal, state,
    and local programs.

-   Work with the state agency for higher education to identify
    priorities and criteria and to award subgrants on a competitive
    basis to eligible partnerships of school districts and institutions
    of higher education in order to carry out professional development
    and technical assistance activities.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Review annual reports submitted by districts on the percentage of
    teachers who are "highly qualified" and the percentage of teachers
    who are participating in professional development to help them to
    become "highly qualified" so that they can improve student
    achievement. The SEA must submit a report to the secretary of
    education each year on the percentage of teachers across the state
    who are "highly qualified" and who participated in high-quality
    professional development during the past year.

-   If an SEA determines, based on a review of reports submitted by
    districts, that a district has failed to make progress in meeting
    the annual measurable objectives (including the percentage of
    "highly qualified" teachers) for two consecutive years, the SEA must
    direct the school district to develop an improvement plan that will
    enable the agency to meet the annual objectives. During the
    development and implementation of the improvement plan, the SEA must
    provide technical assistance to the district and, if applicable, to
    schools within the district. If the district fails to make progress
    in meeting the annual objectives for three consecutive years and has
    failed to make adequate yearly progress as described under Title I,
    the SEA must enter into an agreement with the local district on the
    district's use of Title II funds.

School Leadership, Title II, Part A, Subpart 5, Section 2151(B)

**Purpose.** The School Leadership program is a new discretionary grant
program that supports efforts to recruit, retain, and provide training
and continuing professional development to principals and assistant
principals to create a high-quality school leadership force. As schools
are held accountable for increasingly higher academic standards, it is
vital to have high-quality principals leading schools. A recent report
by the Education Research Service cites studies that find that the one
attribute of all high-performing schools is a dedicated and dynamic
principal. However, it is anticipated that at least 40 percent of our
nation's principals will leave the profession in the next 10 years.
Those who do remain will be faced with highly complex responsibilities.
The School Leadership Program will help fill the need for high-quality
principals by supporting the recruitment and professional development of
effective school leaders who guide their teachers and help their
students achieve.

**How It Works.** This program funds competitive awards to high-need
local school districts, consortia of high-need school districts, and
partnerships of high-need districts, nonprofit organizations, and
institutions of higher education.

# Key Requirements

Grantees must carry out activities to recruit, retain, and train
principals and assistant principals, through such activities as: (1)
providing financial incentives to aspiring new principals, (2) providing
stipends to principals who mentor new principals, (3) providing
professional development in instructional leadership and management, and
(4) providing effective incentives for the recruitment and retention of
individuals in other fields who want to become principals.

Advanced Certification Or Advanced Credentialing, Title II, Part A,
Subpart 5, Section 2151(c)

**Purpose.** This new, discretionary grant program funds activities that
support teachers seeking advanced certification or credentialing. Funds
go toward high-quality professional teacher enhancement programs that
are designed to improve teaching and learning. These advanced
certification and credentialing programs help identify teachers who are
achieving high levels of instructional quality. These programs are also
a tool to help teachers judge their own instructional performance
against a set of high standards, and, thus, they encourage teachers to
achieve high levels of performance. A recent study conducted by the
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, which offers
advanced certification, sampled a small group of teachers from three
cities who had gone through the National Board's certification process;
in that sample, some teachers had earned National Board status and some
had not. In comparisons between the teachers who became board-certified
and those who did not, the board-certified teachers scored higher on
dimensions of teaching quality, and in most cases, the differences in
scores was statistically significant. National Board-certified teachers
also had students who exhibited greater academic skills.

**How It Works.** This program provides discretionary grants to state
education agencies (SEAs); local school districts; the National Board
for Professional Teaching Standards, in partnership with a high-need
district or an SEA; the National Council on Teacher Quality, in
partnership with a high-need district or an SEA; or another recognized
certification or credentialing organization, in partnership with a
high-need district or an SEA.

# How It Achieves Quality

This program encourages advanced training of teachers and the connection
between teacher standards and student achievement.

**Key Activities For The State Education Agencies.** State education
agencies (SEAs) may apply for grant funds alone, or with a certification
or credentialing organization.

Early Childhood Educator Professional Development,\
Title II, Part A, Subpart 5, Section 2151(E)

**Purpose.** This program aims to enhance the school readiness of young
children, particularly those who are disadvantaged, and prevent them
from encountering difficulties once they enter school. To achieve this,
the program funds partnerships whose goal is to improve the knowledge
and skills of early childhood educators who work in communities with
high concentrations of children living in poverty. Research has shown
that children who receive high-quality early childhood education do
better in school and later life. In addition, one of the strongest
predictors of a high-quality early childhood education program is the
preparation and pay of teachers, as well as their responsiveness and
sensitivity to the children in their care. Yet the reality is that pay
and preparation for early childhood educators remain low: in 2000, the
average teacher salary of child-care workers was \$15,430, and only in
20 states and the District of Columbia are teachers who work in public
prekindergarten or preschool programs required to have a bachelor's
degree and a teaching certificate in early childhood or elementary
education.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Focuses On What Works                                       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Funds programs based on scientifically based research.**        |
|     Partnerships must describe how the professional development       |
|     activities that they provide are based on scientific research.    |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Supports professional development for early childhood educators |
|     in areas with disadvantaged children.** Partnerships may provide  |
|     professional development to train early childhood educators to    |
|     meet the diverse educational needs of children in the community,  |
|     including children who are limited English proficient, children   |
|     with disabilities, and children with other special needs.         |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Trains early childhood educators to provide developmentally     |
|     appropriate school-readiness services.** Partnerships describe    |
|     how they will train early childhood educators to provide          |
|     developmentally appropriate school-readiness services---such as   |
|     instruction in language, cognitive development, and early reading |
|     skills---based on the best available research on early childhood  |
|     pedagogy, child development, and learning.                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Increases Accountability for Professional Development       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Meets achievement indicators.** Partnerships must report        |
|     annually to the U.S. Department of Education on their progress    |
|     toward meeting achievement indicators that the secretary has      |
|     established. These indicators include the quality and             |
|     accessibility of professional development, the impact of the      |
|     professional development on early childhood educators, and other  |
|     measures of program impact.                                       |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** This competitive discretionary grant program is newly
authorized under the No Child Left Behind Act, although a somewhat
similar grant program existed in 2001. The program will provide two-year
grants to partnerships consisting of: (1) one or more institutions of
higher education or another public or private entity that provides
professional development for early childhood educators who work with
children from low-income families in high-need communities; (2) one or
more local or state public agencies, Head Start agencies, or private
organizations; and (3) an entity that has demonstrated experience in
providing training to educators in early childhood education programs in
identifying and preventing behavior problems in children or working with
children who are victims or suspected to be victims of abuse.

# Key Requirements

Each applicant must submit an application to the U.S. Department of
Education that includes, among other things, a description of the
high-need community to be served; information on the quality of the
early childhood educator professional development program currently
being conducted; the results of the needs assessment the partnership has
conducted; the types of professional development activities, based on
scientific research, that will be carried out; and how the project will
be coordinated with and build on, early childhood education professional
development activities in the community.

Partnerships that receive grants must carry out activities that will
improve the knowledge and skills of early childhood educators who are
working in programs in high-need communities that serve concentrations
of children from low-income families. Those activities may include
professional development in: (1) the application of recent research on
child, language and literacy development and early childhood pedagogy;
(2) working with parents; (3) working with children who have limited
English proficiency, disabilities, and other special needs; and (4)
identifying and preventing behavioral problems in children or working
with children suspected to be victims of abuse. Other allowable
activities include assisting and supporting educators during their first
three years; using distance learning to support professional
development; and selecting and using screening and diagnostic
assessments to improve teaching and learning;. The program also supports
data collection, evaluation, and reporting on meeting the achievement
indicators established by the secretary.

# How It Achieves Quality

The U.S. Department of Education has established achievement indicators
for this program that are designed to measure the quality and
accessibility of the professional development provided, its impact on
early childhood education, and other measures of program impact.

# How Quality Is Measured

Every partnership must report annually to the Department on its progress
toward achieving the goals specified by these indicators.

**Key Activities For The State Education Agencies.** State education
agencies may apply as part of a partnership. All partnerships that
receive grants must use the funds to improve the knowledge and skills of
early childhood educators who are working in early childhood programs
that are located in high-need communities and serve concentrations of
children from low-income families. Partnerships may provide the
allowable activities in the statute, and must report to the Department
annually on their progress.

Mathematics And Science Partnerships, Title II, Part B

**Purpose.** This new program is designed to improve students' academic
achievement in mathematics and science. It provides competitive grants
to partnerships for professional development, teacher recruitment, and
curriculum redesign in mathematics and science. The program is a jointly
funded initiative supported by the U.S. Department of Education and the
National Science Foundation. Recent national and international studies
highlight the need for greater attention to math and science education.
Results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2000
in science showed no significant change in student performance in grades
4 and 8, and a decline in performance in grade 12 since 1996. In the
NAEP 2000 math assessment, although there were overall gains in grades
4, 8, and 12 since 1990, 12^th^ -graders' performance declined since
1996. The Mathematics and Science Partnership program supports the idea
that high-quality teaching can make a difference in student achievement.
This idea is also corroborated by the recent report of the National
Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21^st^ Century,
which said: *"*The most direct route to improving mathematics and
science achievement for all students is better mathematics and science
teachin*g,*"

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Focuses on What Works                                       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Increases the subject matter knowledge and teaching skills of   |
|     mathematics and science teachers.** Partnerships will bring       |
|     together mathematics and science teachers with scientists,        |
|     mathematicians, and engineers to expand teachers' subject matter  |
|     knowledge of and research in science and mathematics.             |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Focuses on professional development of mathematics and science  |
|     teachers as a career-long process.** Partnerships will provide    |
|     opportunities for advanced and ongoing professional development   |
|     activities that improve teachers' subject matter knowledge.       |
|     Activities may include workshops or institutes that directly      |
|     relate to the curriculum and subject area in which teachers       |
|     provide instruction, that enhance the ability of teachers to      |
|     understand and use challenging content standards, or that provide |
|     teachers with the opportunity to work with experienced teachers   |
|     and university faculty.                                           |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Establishes systems for recruiting, training, and advising      |
|     mathematics and science teachers.** Partnerships can use funds to |
|     recruit mathematics, engineering, and science majors to teaching  |
|     through the use of signing and performance incentives, stipends   |
|     to teachers for certification through alternative routes, and     |
|     scholarships for teachers to pursue advanced course work.         |
|                                                                       |
| ```{=html}                                                            |
| <!-- -->                                                              |
| ```                                                                   |
| -   **Aligns mathematics and science curricula with state and local   |
|     standards as well as postsecondary standards.** Curricula will be |
|     redesigned or developed to meet high standards.                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act: (cont.)**                |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Increases Accountability for Student Performance            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Develops an accountability and evaluation plan with measurable  |
|     objectives.** Partnerships will report annually to the U.S.       |
|     Department of Education on their progress in increasing the       |
|     number of mathematics and science teachers who participate in     |
|     content-based professional development and improving student      |
|     achievement in mathematics and science.                           |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** The Mathematics and Science Partnerships program is a
discretionary grant program that supports improved student achievement
in mathematics and science through enhanced training for teachers and
recruitment of high-quality math and science teachers. Grants are
targeted to partnerships of high-need school districts and to science,
mathematics, and engineering schools within universities, giving
districts and universities joint responsibility for training and
educating math and science teachers.

# Key Requirements

Each year that the program is funded for less than \$100 million, the
U.S. Department of Education will award competitive grants directly to
eligible partnerships, consisting of, at minimum, (1) a state education
agency; (2) an engineering, mathematics or science department at an
institution of higher education; and (3) a high-need local education
agency. In years that the program receives more than \$100 million in
funding, the U.S. Department of Education will allocate funds directly
to states by formula so that they can award subgrants to eligible
partnerships that must include an engineering, mathematics or science
department at an institution of higher education; and a high-need local
education agency. Grants are awarded for three years and grantees must:

-   Institute reforms that are aligned with academic standards in
    mathematics and science.

-   Engage in activities that are based on scientific research.

-   Carry out reforms and create an accountability plan.

-   Continue reforms after federal funding has ended.

# How It Achieves Quality

The Mathematics and Science Partnerships program emphasizes the use of
high-quality and research-based practices. Partnerships are authorized
to carry out activities that are based on scientifically based research
and must conduct a comprehensive assessment of their teacher quality and
professional development needs before receiving grant funds.

# How Quality Is Measured

The quality of the program will be measured by the progress that
partnerships make in achieving the objectives in their evaluation and
accountability plan.

**Key Activities For The State Education Agencies.** For any year that
this program is funded for more than \$100 million, the U.S. Department
of Education will make grants to state education agencies (SEAs)
directly through a formula based on the state's share of children in
families below the poverty line. In those years, the SEA will be
responsible for conducting a competitive grants competition to award
subgrants to partnerships. When the program is funded for more than
\$100 million, SEAs must participate as members of funded partnerships.

Troops-To-Teachers, Title II, Part C, Subpart 1, Chapter A

**Purpose.** The Troops-to-Teachers program encourages former military
personnel to become classroom teachers. The program recruits eligible
participants and provides them with referral and placement services as
well as financial assistance for teaching in high-need schools. The
purpose of this program is to help relieve teacher shortages, especially
in high-need areas such as math, science and special education; provide
positive role models for public school students; and assist former
military personnel in making the transition to teaching as a second
career. To date, more than 4,300 teachers have been hired through the
program, in every state and in more than 2,000 school districts.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Increases Accountability for Student Performance            |
|                                                                       |
| -   Requires the secretary of education (along with the secretaries   |
|     of defense and transportation, and the comptroller general of the |
|     United States) to submit to Congress no later than March 31,      |
|     2006, a report on the effectiveness of the program in the         |
|     recruitment and retention of qualified personnel by local school  |
|     districts and public charter schools. The report must include     |
|     information about the number of participants, the schools in      |
|     which they are employed, the grade levels and academic subjects   |
|     they teach, and retention rates.                                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** Troops-to-Teachers provides support and financial
services to former military personnel interested in becoming teachers.
The program is administered by the Department of Defense through the
Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) under a
memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Education.

# Key Requirements

The program is funded through the U.S. Department of Education, which
transfers the funds to the Department of Defense DANTES office.
Troops--to-Teachers itself does not provide participants with preservice
training to become certified teachers; rather, the program provides
guidance on how to obtain certification, maintains a nationwide teacher
referral system, has placement offices in 24 states, and provides
participants with lists of district vacancies. Participants receive a
stipend of up to \$5,000 to pay for certification costs or a bonus of
\$10,000 if they teach full-time in a high-need school as an elementary,
secondary, vocational or technical teacher for at least three years.

# How It Achieves Quality

According to a Troops-to-Teachers survey conducted in 1998, the program
has successfully recruited significant numbers of men and minorities to
teaching. For example, 90 percent of Troops-to-Teachers participants are
male and 29 percent are minorities, compared to 26 percent and 13
percent, respectively, on a national level. Troops-to-Teachers
participants are also more likely than teachers on a national level to
teach in shortage subject areas, such as mathematics, science and
special education, and to teach or be willing to teach in inner cities
and rural areas.

# How Quality Is Measured

The quality of the program will be measured by its progress in
recruiting and retaining qualified personnel. This progress will be
reported to Congress by March 31, 2006.

**Key Activities For The State Education Agencies.** State education
agencies may participate in the following activities:

-   Operate Troops-to-Teachers recruitment offices.

-   Identify and coordinate activities with high-need school districts.

-   Implement Innovative Preretirement Teacher Certification Program
    grants during years in which this program is implemented.

Transition To Teaching, Title II, Part C, Subpart 1, Chapter B

**Purpose.** The Transition to Teaching program is a new competitive
grant program that recruits and retains highly qualified mid-career
professionals and recent college graduates as teachers in high-need
schools. The program also supports the development and expansion of
alternative routes to initial teacher certification. Transition to
Teaching will help bring individuals into teaching who have strong
content expertise but lack a teaching credential, and it will help
school districts fill shortage areas. Participants in the program will
receive special assistance, guidance, and support to encourage them to
make teaching a long-term career.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Focuses on What Works                                       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Recruits quality individuals into the classroom.** Grantees may |
|     provide scholarships, stipends, and other financial incentives    |
|     that are linked to participation in activities that have proven   |
|     to be effective in retaining teachers in high-need schools, at a  |
|     maximum of \$5,000 per participant.                               |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Provides induction support and other activities** that have     |
|     been proven to be effective in recruiting and retaining teachers, |
|     such as teacher mentoring, internships, and high-quality          |
|     preservice course work and sustained in-service professional      |
|     development.                                                      |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires each grantee to use funds** only for programs that     |
|     have proven to be effective in recruiting and retaining           |
|     teachers**.**                                                     |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Improves the Academic Performance of Disadvantaged Students |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Sets a priority for applications from high-need local education |
|     agencies (LEAs).** A "high-need LEA" is defined as one: that      |
|     serves 10,000 or more children from families with incomes below   |
|     the poverty line or for which more than 20 percent of children    |
|     are from families with incomes below the poverty line. A          |
|     high-need LEA also may be one for which there is a high           |
|     percentage of teachers teaching out of subject or grade level or  |
|     for which there is a high percentage of teachers with emergency,  |
|     provisional, or temporary certification.                          |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Places teachers in fields in which they are qualified to teach  |
|     and in high-need schools.** Grantees may carry out placement and  |
|     ongoing activities to ensure that teachers are teaching in-field  |
|     and are placed in high-need schools.                              |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** This program provides competitive five-year grants to
recruit and retain highly qualified individuals into the teaching
profession. The projects funded through this program specifically target
mid-career professionals, or recent college graduates who, if they wish
to teach in a secondary school, have an academic degree in the subject
they want to teach.

Eligible applicants include: (1) an SEA; (2) a high-need school
district; (3) a for-profit or nonprofit group that has been effective at
recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers, in partnership with an
SEA or a high-need district; (4) an institution of higher education, in
partnership with an SEA or high-need district; (5) a consortium of SEAs;
or (6) a consortium of high-need districts.

# Key Requirements

Projects that receive grants must use their program funds for at least
two or more of the following activities: (1) scholarships, stipends,
bonuses, and other financial incentives (for an amount limited to
\$5,000 per person) that are linked to participation in activities that
have proven effective in retaining teachers in high-need schools; (2)
placement activities; (3) pre-and post-placement induction and support
services; (4) payments to cover the costs of providing financial
incentives to individuals or the costs of accepting teachers recruited;
(5) collaborating with institutions of higher education in developing
and implementing teacher recruitment and retention programs; (6)
carrying out programs that have proven to be effective in recruitment
and retention; and (7) developing long-term recruitment and retention
strategies. However, all projects must include activities that lead to
hiring of eligible participants as teachers in high-need schools, and
provide these individuals the follow-up support they need to succeed in
their new careers.

# How It Achieves Quality

Every project funded through the Transition to Teaching program must
conduct an interim and a final evaluation of how well they have met
their goals. Projects that have not made substantial progress in meeting
the goals and objectives of their grant by the end of the third year of
the grant period will lose funding for the fourth and fifth years of
funding.

# How Quality Is Measured

The quality of the Transition to Teaching program will be measured by
the extent to which funded projects achieve their recruitment and
retention goals as outlined in their grant applications. These goals
include increasing the number of highly qualified teachers in high-need
schools and high-need subjects; collaborating with other organizations
to recruit, train, place, and support new teachers; developing a teacher
corps or other program to recruit and retain individuals; and developing
or enhancing state alternative routes to teacher certification or
licensure.

**Key Activities For The State Education Agencies.** State education
agencies are eligible to receive grants under this program, either
individually or in consortia

.

National Writing Project, Title II, Part C, Subpart 2

**Purpose.** The National Writing Project is a nonprofit educational
organization that supports programs to train classroom teachers to teach
writing effectively to their students. This program supports the
expansion and continued activities of the National Writing Project and
the dissemination of effective professional development practices.

**How It Works.** This is a noncompetitive grant award to the National
Writing Project, which is an educational organization that contracts
with institutions of higher education and other nonprofit organizations
to provide professional development activities to teachers, educating
them in how to effectively teach writing to students. The professional
development activities that are supported through the National Writing
Project train teachers in all disciplines from kindergarten to college,
and are conducted during the school year and summer months. The National
Writing Project sites also maintain a network of teachers who provide
professional development training in writing for their colleagues.

# Key Requirements

The National Writing Project must enter into contracts with institutions
of higher education and nonprofit education providers that will
establish and operate programs that train teachers to teach writing
effectively. The program also must establish a national advisory board
to advise it on issues related to student writing and teaching writing.
In addition, the program must establish a National Review Board to
review and recommend applications for assistance.

# How It Achieves Quality

The National Writing Project must ensure high quality within the local
sites that are funded through ongoing review, evaluation, and technical
assistance. The program also supports and promotes local sites'
dissemination of effective practices and researchers' findings on
teaching writing.

# How Quality Is Measured

Quality will be measured through an independent evaluation of the
teacher training programs funded through the National Writing Project.
The evaluation will be conducted by the secretary of education.

Civic Education, Title II, Part C, Subpart 3

**Purpose.** The Civic Education program is designed to improve the
quality of civics and government education, foster civic competence and
responsibility, and improve the quality of civic and economic education
through cooperative education exchange programs with emerging
democracies. According to the 1998 National Assessment of Educational
Progress in civics, almost one-third of U.S. students scored below basic
in civics achievement, and only about one-quarter score at or above the
proficient level.

**How It Works.** This program funds (1) a noncompetitive grant to the
Center for Civic Education to carry out civic education activities, (2)
a noncompetitive grant to the National Council on Economic Education to
carry out economic education activities, and (3) grants or contracts to
other organizations to carry out international civic education
activities.

# Key Requirements

The Center for Civic Education uses funds to continue and expand its "We
the People...The Citizen and the Constitution" program. Funds are also
used to carry out activities that enhance students' attainment of
challenging academic content standards in civics, and activities that
provide materials on the basic principles of the U.S. Constitution and
the democratic system.

In addition, the Center for Civic Education, the National Council on
Economic Education, and other organizations awarded grants will use
funds to carry out cooperative education exchange programs for
educational and political leaders from the countries identified in the
statute. The Center for Civic Education and other eligible organizations
can use funds to carry out civic education programs, while the National
Council on Economic Education can use funds to carry out economic
education programs.

# How it Achieves Quality

These programs support challenging academic standards for students,
provide advanced, sustained and ongoing training of teachers, and
provide support for research and evaluation**.**

Teaching Of Traditional American History, Title II, Part C, Subpart 4

**Purpose.** The Teaching American History program supports student
achievement by improving teachers' knowledge, understanding, and
appreciation of American history. According to the most recent
statistics from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
in U.S. history, only 17 percent of fourth-graders, 14 percent of
eighth-graders, and 11 percent of 12 th-^-^ graders scored *proficien*t
on the assessment; further, more than half of 12^th^ graders did not
reach the *basic* level. The Teaching American History program helps
increase students' knowledge of history by providing funds to school
districts to design, implement and demonstrate effective, research-based
professional development programs. The program is predicated on the idea
that students who know and appreciate American history will be
well-prepared to understand and exercise their civic rights and
responsibilities.

**How It Works.** This is a direct federal-to-local discretionary grant
program that funds districts, in partnership with institutions with
extensive content expertise in American history, to implement
high-quality programs that enhance teachers' knowledge, understanding
and appreciation of American history. Partnerships should develop and
carry out programs that promote the teaching of American history as an
academic subject separate from social studies.

# Key Requirements

To be eligible, districts must partner with one or more of the following
groups: an institution of higher education, a nonprofit history or
humanities organization, a library, or a museum. At least one group must
have content expertise in American history. Funds should be used to: (1)
carry out activities that promote the teaching of American history as an
academic subject separate from social studies, and (2) develop,
implement and strengthen programs that improve the quality of
instruction and the quality of professional development and teacher
education activities with respect to American history.

# How It Achieves Quality

Districts, working in partnership with groups that have content
expertise in history, provide teachers with intensive content training
in American history, as well as effective teaching strategies. Through
these training activities, teachers gain a stronger understanding of the
significant issues, episodes, individuals, and turning points in the
history of the United States.

# How Quality Is Measured

Grantees must submit annual evaluations to the U.S. Department of
Education that demonstrate how their project improves the quality of
instruction in American history.

Teacher Liability Protection, Title II, Part C, Subpart 5

**Purpose.** The Paul D. Coverdell Teacher Protection Act of 2001 limits
the financial liability of teachers, principals, and other school
professionals for harm they may cause when acting on behalf of the
school in disciplining students or maintaining classroom order. A recent
survey of school principals found that 65 percent of respondents had
modified or, in some cases, eliminated certain school activities due to
liability concerns, and a survey of teachers found that liability was
among respondents' top three concerns. The new provision will encourage
school staff to maintain school discipline and order by removing the
fear of being sued for their actions.

**How It Works.** This provision protects educators from liability for
harm they may cause while disciplining students, and limits the awarding
of punitive damages against them, as long as they are acting within the
scope of their employment and in accordance with applicable federal,
state, and local laws, including civil rights laws. There are a number
of exceptions, including violent crimes, sexual offenses, and actions
committed under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The law also states
that this provision has no effect on any state or local laws, rules,
regulations, or policies about the use of corporal punishment. The
provision applies to teachers, principals, administrators, school board
members, educational professionals working in a school, any school
employee whose job is to maintain discipline and ensure safety, and any
school employee who is acting in an emergency to maintain discipline and
ensure safety.

Enhancing Education Through Technology Title II, Part D,\
Subparts 1 And 2 (Educational Technology State Grants Program And
National Technology Activities)

**Purpose.** Technology can be used to enhance curricula and engage
students in learning. In addition, the job market increasingly demands
technology skills for new workers. Research has indicated that a digital
divide in terms of technology access and use exists between students in
high-poverty schools and students in other schools. For example,
according to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2000,
while the overall ratio of students-to-instructional computers with
Internet access was 7- to-1, in high-poverty schools the ratio was 9-
to-1 compared to 6-to-1 in low-poverty schools,. Similarly, in 2000, 60
percent of classrooms in high-poverty schools were connected to the
Internet compared to 82 percent of classrooms in other schools. Even as
technology becomes more ubiquitous in classrooms, teachers' preparation
to use technology for teaching lags behind access to technology. In
2000, only 27 percent of teachers reported that they were fully prepared
to integrate technology in their instruction. Seventy-seven percent of
subgrantees of the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund\-- the predecessor
program to the Educational Technology State Grants Program, which also
targeted high-poverty districts\--reported that professional development
was a primary use of program funds in 2000.

The principal goal of the Educational Technology State Grants Program is
to improve student academic achievement through the use of technology in
elementary and secondary schools. It is also designed to assist every
student in becoming technologically literate by the end of eighth grade
and to encourage the effective integration of technology resources and
systems with teacher training and professional development to establish
research-based instructional models. The program targets funds primarily
to school districts that serve concentrations of poor students.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Focuses on What Works                                       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Emphasizes implementation of proven strategies** by requiring   |
|     participating districts to base the strategies they use for       |
|     integrating technology into curricula and instruction on reviews  |
|     of relevant research.                                             |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Supports high-quality professional development activities by    |
|     requiring that** at least 25 percent of funds received by         |
|     districts be used for high-quality professional development in    |
|     the integration of technology into instruction.                   |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Mandates a national study** to examine the conditions under     |
|     which technology is effective in increasing student achievement   |
|     and the ability of teachers to teach.                             |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act: (cont.)**                |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility               |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Provides more flexibility in state uses of funds** by allowing  |
|     support for activities such as interstate distance learning       |
|     partnerships, performance-management systems, and public-private  |
|     partnerships.                                                     |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Increases Accountability for Student Performance            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Setting of goals for using technology** to improve student      |
|     achievement that are aligned with challenging state academic      |
|     standards is required of state education agencies (SEAs) and      |
|     school districts.                                                 |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Improves the Academic Performance of Disadvantaged Students |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Targets competitive subgrants to high-need districts** that (1) |
|     are high-poverty and (2) serve at least one low-performing school |
|     or have a substantial need for assistance in acquiring and using  |
|     technology.                                                       |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** The Educational Technology State Grants Program awards
formula grants to states. States may use up to 5 percent of their
Educational Technology State Grants Program funds for state-level
activities. States must distribute half of the remaining funds by
formula to school districts based on each district's share of funds
under Part A of Title I and the other half to high-need districts or
partnerships including high-need districts on a competitive basis. Under
the Educational Technology State Grants Program, high-need districts are
those that (1) are high-poverty and (2) serve at least one
low-performing school or have a substantial need for technology.

The program supports improved student academic achievement through the
use of technology in schools by supporting high-quality professional
development; increased access to technology and the Internet; the
integration of technology into curricula; and the use of technology for
promoting parental involvement and managing data for informed
decision-making. Districts are required to spend 25 percent of the funds
they receive on professional development, though a state may exempt a
district that demonstrates already provides high-quality professional
development in the integration of technology. In addition, the program
will support national activities for disseminating information regarding
best practices and providing technical assistance to states and
districts and a rigorous, long-term study of the conditions and
practices under which educational technology improves teaching and
learning.

# Key Requirements

SEAs must have state technology plans that include state goals for the
use of technology and the strategies the state will use to prepare
teachers to use technology. States also must provide technical
assistance in developing applications to high-poverty districts and use
accountability measures to evaluate the effectiveness of the Educational
Technology State Grants Program. States as well as districts may use
program funds to develop performance-measurement systems for tracking
their progress. Districts also must have local long-range strategic
educational technology plans to be eligible for formula or competitive
grant funding.

# How It Achieves Quality

The program emphasizes using both proven and innovative strategies for
the use of technology. Specifically, the Educational Technology State
Grants Program focuses on using technology to support improved
curricula, instruction and, ultimately, student achievement by making
available the resources necessary for integrating technology into the
instructional program. This includes funds for Internet connections and
services, professional development for teachers, and technology
applications. Districts may participate in the Educational Technology
State Grants Program by forming partnerships or consortia with other
organizations, other districts, universities, and public-private
initiatives that have been effectively using technology or have
expertise in applying educational technology in instruction.

# How Performance Is Measured

Participating SEAs and school districts must develop accountability
measures for assessing how effective the Educational Technology State
Grants Program is in supporting the integration of technology into
curricula and instruction, increasing the ability of teachers to teach
with technology, and enabling students to meet challenging state
standards. In addition, the Department will conduct an independent study
to identify the conditions under which technology increases student
achievement and teachers' ability to teach with technology improves.

**Key Activities For The State Education Agencies.** States are
responsible for implementing their state technology plans, including
tracking progress according to the goals and accountability measures in
their plans.

Districts applying for the Educational Technology State Grants Program
must describe how they will use Educational Technology State Grants
Program funds, including how they will promote the implementation of
technology to improve student academic achievement and teacher
effectiveness. States must provide technical assistance to high-poverty
districts that demonstrate need for assistance in developing
applications.

Ready-To-Learn Television, Title II, Part D, Subpart 3

Purpose: Gaps in educational performance often start early. Students
from disadvantaged backgrounds frequently start elementary school less
prepared than their schoolmates from more advantaged backgrounds.
High-quality preschool and related activities can play an important role
in eliminating this gap. Educational television has proved an important
tool in strengthening the preschool skills of young children. By
providing high-quality instructional content for young children, the gap
in early learning can be reduced.

The Ready-to-Learn Television program develops and disseminates
educational programming for preschool and early elementary school
children and their families. The program supports distribution of
programming and printed materials to increase school readiness for young
children in limited English proficient households and to increase family
literacy. Accompanying support materials and services promote the
effective use of educational television programming.

**How It Works.** Eligible entities apply to the U.S. Department of
Education, and funds are allocated by grant, contract, or cooperative
agreement with a public telecommunications entity that is able to
demonstrate: (1) a capacity to develop and nationally distribute
educational and instructional television programming of high quality
that is accessible by a large majority of disadvantaged preschool and
elementary school children; (2) a capacity to contract with producers of
children's television programming for the purpose of developing
educational television programming of high quality; (3) a capacity to
negotiate contracts so that an appropriate share of any ancillary income
from sales of program-related products are returned to the entity; and
(4) a capacity to localize programming and materials to meet specific
state and local needs and to provide local educational outreach.

# Key Requirements

To increase effective use, programming must be made widely available
with appropriate support materials to young children, parents,
child-care workers, Head Start providers, Even Start providers, and
providers of family literacy services. Grantees shall consult with the
federal departments of Education and Health and Human Services to
maximize utilization of the program and to coordinate with federal
programs that have major training components for early childhood
development.

# How Performance Is Measured

An annual report to the secretary of education must include a
description of program activities, including programming and support
materials that have been developed, programming distribution, and
initiatives to develop public and private partnerships. In addition,
multiyear experimental evaluations of the programming's effectiveness to
help enhance children's readiness for school are under way.

**Key Activities For The State Education Agencies.** None.

Language Instruction For Limited English Proficient\
And Immigrant Students, Title III

**Purpose.** The Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient and
Immigrant Students program assists school districts in teaching English
to limited English proficient students and in helping these students
meet the same challenging state standards required of all students. The
number of limited English proficient children attending American schools
has grown dramatically, primarily because of immigration, with state
education agencies reporting that limited English enrollment rose from
2.1 million in the 1990-1991 academic year to more than 3.7 million in
1999-2000. Although their numbers are increasing, their educational
attainment remains low. A congressionally mandated study found that
these students receive lower grades, are judged by their teachers to
have lower academic abilities, and score below their classmates on
standardized tests of reading and math.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **what's new\--the no child left behind act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| **Focuses on What Works**                                             |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires that teachers be certified as English language         |
|     proficient.** School districts are to certify that all teachers   |
|     in a language instruction education program for limited English   |
|     proficient students are fluent in English and any other language  |
|     used by the program, including written and oral communication     |
|     skills.                                                           |
|                                                                       |
| ```{=html}                                                            |
| <!-- -->                                                              |
| ```                                                                   |
| -   **Requires that curricula be demonstrated to be effective.**      |
|     Language instruction curricula used to teach limited English      |
|     proficient children are to be tied to scientifically based        |
|     research and demonstrated to be effective.                        |
|                                                                       |
| **Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility**                     |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Provides discretion over instruction methods.** Local entities  |
|     have the flexibility to choose the method of instruction to teach |
|     limited-English proficient children.                              |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Targets funds to the classroom.** Ninety-five percent of funds  |
|     must be used for grants at the local level to teach limited       |
|     English proficient children.                                      |
|                                                                       |
| **Increases Accountability for Student Performance**                  |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Establishes annual achievement objectives for limited English   |
|     proficient students.** States must establish standards and        |
|     benchmarks for raising the level of English proficiency and       |
|     meeting challenging state academic standards for limited English  |
|     proficient students that are aligned with state standards.        |
|                                                                       |
| ```{=html}                                                            |
| <!-- -->                                                              |
| ```                                                                   |
| -   **Sets English language proficiency as the objective.** Annual    |
|     achievement objectives for limited English proficient students    |
|     must relate to gains in English proficiency and meet challenging  |
|     state academic standards that are aligned with Title I            |
|     achievement standards.                                            |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act: (cont.)**                |
|                                                                       |
| **Increases Accountability For Student Performance (cont.)**          |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires reading and language arts assessments of children in   |
|     English.** Title I requirements to annually assess children,      |
|     including limited English proficient students, in English for any |
|     student who has attended school in the United States (excluding   |
|     Puerto Rico) for three or more consecutive years apply to         |
|     grantees funded under Title III.                                  |
|                                                                       |
| ```{=html}                                                            |
| <!-- -->                                                              |
| ```                                                                   |
| -   **Enforces accountability requirements.** States must hold        |
|     subgrantees accountable for making adequate yearly progress as    |
|     described in Title I and for meeting all annual achievement       |
|     objectives.                                                       |
|                                                                       |
| ## Empowers Parents                                                   |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Notifies parents about program placement.** Parents must be     |
|     notified by the local education agency concerning why their child |
|     needs a specialized language instruction program. Parents have    |
|     the right to choose among instructional programs if more than one |
|     type of program is offered and have the right to remove their     |
|     child from a program for limited English proficient children.     |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** If the appropriation exceeds \$650 million, the U.S.
Department of Education determines formula allocations based on the
state's share of limited English proficient students and recent
immigrant students. State education agencies (SEAs) receiving a grant
must agree to spend at least 95 percent of their allotment to award
formula subgrants to districts. SEAs must reserve up to 15 percent for
school districts that have experienced significant increases in the
number or percentage of immigrant students, especially those districts
with significant increases that have limited or no experience in serving
immigrant students. If a state does not apply, the secretary of
education makes competitive awards directly to "specially qualified
agencies" (school districts). If the appropriation is less than \$650
million, three discretionary grant programs for instructional services,
four support services programs, a professional development program, and
immigrant education formula grants\--similar to the programs in the
previous law\--are authorized.

# Key Requirements

SEAs or specially qualified agencies submit a plan to the U.S.
Department of Education that describes: the process for awarding
subgrants; how the agency will establish standards and objectives for
raising the level of English proficiency that are aligned with state
standards; and, how the SEA will hold districts, eligible entities, and
schools accountable for meeting all annual measurable achievement
objectives and making adequate yearly progress for limited English
proficient children.

-   School districts must use Title III funds to provide high-quality
    language instruction programs that are based on scientifically based
    research, and that have demonstrated that they are effective in
    increasing English proficiency and student achievement.

-   Districts are required to provide high-quality professional
    development to classroom teachers, principals, administrators, and
    other school or community-based organizational personnel in order to
    improve the instruction and assessment of limited English proficient
    students.

-   Districts are held accountable for making adequate yearly progress
    as described in Title I and meeting all annual achievement
    objectives.

# How It Achieves Quality

State education agencies and districts have the flexibility to implement
language instruction programs based on scientifically based research on
teaching limited English proficient children. In addition, professional
development is to be informed by scientifically based research that
demonstrates its effectiveness in increasing children's English
proficiency or teachers' knowledge and skills, and is of sufficient
intensity and duration to have a positive and lasting impact on the
teachers' performance in the classroom.

# How Performance Is Measured

Subgrantees submit an evaluation to the SEA every second fiscal year
that describes the program, and the progress made by children in
learning English, meeting state standards, and attaining English
proficiency. The SEA reports to the U.S. Department of Education every
second year on its programs and activities, and their effectiveness in
improving the education of children who are limited English proficient.
The Department reports to Congress every second year on programs serving
limited English proficient children and their effectiveness in improving
the academic achievement and English proficiency of children who are
limited English proficient, and provides, a synthesis of state-reported
data.

**Key Activities for the State Education Agencies.** State education
agencies must:

-   Award subgrants to improve the education of limited English
    proficient children.

-   Approve subgrantees' evaluation measures.

-   Develop annual measurable achievement objectives for limited English
    proficient children.

-   Hold subgrantees accountable for meeting annual measurable
    achievement objectives and for making adequate yearly progress.

-   Require subgrantees failing to make appropriate adequate yearly
    progress to develop an improvement plan and require sanctions if
    subgrantees fail to meet the annual measurable achievement
    objectives for four consecutive years.

-   Report to the U.S. Department of Education on program activities,
    and on the effectiveness of the program in improving the education
    provided to children who are limited English proficient.

Safe And Drug-Free Schools And Communities, Title IV, Part A

**Purpose.** The Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act supports
programs to prevent violence in and around schools; prevent the illegal
use of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco by young people; and foster a safe
and drug-free learning environment that supports academic achievement.
Without a safe and orderly learning environment, teachers cannot teach
and students cannot learn. Students and school personnel need a secure
environment, free from the dangers and distractions of violence, drug
use, and lack of discipline, in order to ensure that all children
achieve to their full potential.

In 1999, students ages 12 through 18 were victims of about 2.5 million
crimes at school, including about 186,000 serious violent crimes
(including rape, sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault).
Student safety is of concern outside of school as well: In 1999,
students were more than twice as likely to be victims of serious violent
crime away from school as at school.

The crime rate at schools has declined over the last few years. Between
1995 and 1999, the percentage of students who reported being victims of
crime at school decreased from 10 to 8 percent. However, the prevalence
rates of some types of crimes at school have not changed. For example,
between 1993 and 1999, the percentage of students in grades 9 through 12
who were threatened or injured with a weapon on school property in the
past 12 months remained constant, at about 7 to 8 percent.

As the rate of victimization in schools has declined or remained
constant, students also seem to feel more secure than just a few years
ago. The percentage of students ages 12 through 18 who reported avoiding
one or more places at school for their own safety decreased between 1995
and 1999, from 9 to 5 percent. Furthermore, the percentage of students
who reported that street gangs were present at their schools decreased
from 1995 to 1999.

However, not all indicators have improved. For example, in 1999, about
one-third of students in grades 9 through 12 reported that someone had
offered, sold, or given them an illegal drug on school property, an
increase from about one-quarter in 1993. Thus, the data on school crime
and safety present a mixed picture. While overall school crime rates
have declined, violence, gangs, and drugs are still present, indicating
that more work needs to be done.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Focuses on What Works                                       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Specifies principles of effectiveness.** In order to ensure     |
|     that the program supports high-quality, effective activities, the |
|     Principles of Effectiveness require that grantees conduct a needs |
|     assessment, use research-based activities, and establish          |
|     performance measures.                                             |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act: (cont.)**                |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Improves Information and Reporting                          |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Establishes information and reporting systems.** Each state is  |
|     required to establish a uniform management and reporting system   |
|     to collect information on school safety and drug use among young  |
|     people. This information will be publicly reported so that        |
|     citizens have the information they need to ensure that their      |
|     local schools are free from violence and drug use, and, in cases  |
|     where schools fall short, to encourage improvement and track      |
|     progress over time.                                               |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** The Safe and Drug-Free Schools (SDFS) program has two
main components, the state grant program and national programs. The
state grant component is a formula grant program, with funding provided
to the state education agency (SEA) (at least 80 percent) and the office
of the governor (up to 20 percent). SEA funds flow to districts by
formula, and districts may use this funding for a wide range of drug-
and violence-prevention activities and strategies. Up to 5 percent of
SEA funds may be used for state-level activities, including technical
assistance and training, evaluation, and program improvement services
for districts and community groups. Governors' funds are awarded through
grants and contracts to districts and community groups for services to
youths with special needs, such as dropouts and students who are
suspended or expelled, homeless, pregnant or parenting.

The national programs component provides discretionary funding for
demonstration projects, special initiatives, technical assistance to
states and districts, evaluation, and other efforts to improve drug and
violence prevention. The law establishes a number of initiatives under
SDFS national programs with specific provisions about who may apply and
how funds may be used.

# Key Requirements

States must develop a coordinated, comprehensive plan for how the SEA
and governor's office will use SDFS funds. They must conduct a needs
assessment (including collecting data on the incidence and prevalence of
youth drug use and violence and the prevalence of related risk and
protective factors) and develop state performance measures for
SDFS-funded prevention activities. States must also:

-   Ensure that governor's office activities will not duplicate SEA and
    district prevention efforts;

-   Cooperate with the U.S. Department of Education's SDFS evaluation
    and data collection activities;

-   Use program funds to supplement, not supplant, other prevention
    funding; and

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Develop their plans for the use of program funds in consultation
    with appropriate state officials and representatives of parents,
    students, and community-based organizations and make them available
    for public review.

# How It Achieves Quality

Principles of Effectiveness apply to state grant program activities,
including formula grant programs in districts, activities supported by
grants and contracts made by the governor's office, and state-level
activities undertaken by the SEA. The Principles of Effectiveness
require that grantees:

-   Base their programs on research-based prevention activities;

-   Select activities that respond to local needs---as determined by
    objective data;

-   Establish a set of performance measures for their programs aimed at
    ensuring a safe, orderly, and drug-free learning environment;

-   Involve parents in their programs; and

-   Evaluate their programs.

# How Performance Is Measured

States and districts are required to establish performance measures for
their activities under the state grant program. State performance
measures must:

-   Be focused on student behavior and attitudes;

-   Be derived from the needs assessment described in the state's
    application;

-   Be developed in consultation with state and local officials; and

-   Consist of performance indicators for drug- and violence-prevention
    programs and activities and levels of performance for each
    indicator.

In addition, each state is required to establish a uniform management
and reporting system for collecting information on school safety and
youth drug use. States are required to include incident reports by
school officials and anonymous student and teacher surveys in the data
they collect.

Under the state grant program, states must report to the U.S. Department
of Education every two years on:

-   Implementation and outcomes of SDFS programs---including an
    assessment of effectiveness;

-   Progress toward attaining state performance measures for drug and
    violence prevention;

-   Efforts to include parents in drug- and violence-prevention
    activities; and

-   Data on the incidence and prevalence, age of onset, perception of
    health risk, and perception of social disapproval of illegal drug
    use and violence by youths in schools and communities.

The U.S. Department of Education is required to conduct an evaluation of
the impact of SDFS-funded and other drug- and violence-prevention
programs. This should focus on whether district and community programs
comply with the Principles of Effectiveness. The report should ask
whether or not the programs have appreciably reduced the level of youth
illegal drug, alcohol, and tobacco use. Programs must also reduce school
violence, and the illegal presence of weapons in schools. The evaluation
should note if schools have conducted effective parent involvement and
training programs. The National Center for Education Statistics is
required to collect data on the incidence and prevalence of illegal drug
use and violence in schools.

**Key Activities For The State Education Agencies**. State education
agencies must:

-   Develop their application with the governor's office and parents and
    community members.

-   Conduct a needs assessment and establish and track progress on
    program performance measures.

-   Develop uniform management and reporting systems for information on
    school safety and youth drug use.

-   Conduct evaluations and collect information from districts and other
    grantees to provide information for reports.

**NATIONAL PROGRAMS INITIATIVES.** A number of discretionary
initiatives, many of which are new or revised, compose the national
programs initiatives.

# Hate Crime Prevention

This authorization is for grants to districts and community
organizations to assist localities most directly affected by hate crimes
in activities such as developing education and training programs to
prevent hate-motivated crimes and conflicts and improve the
conflict-resolution skills of students and school staff. Congress has
not appropriated funds for this program.

# National Coordinator Program

Grants are available to districts for hiring and training
drug-prevention and school-safety coordinators in schools with
significant drug and safety problems. This program was formerly
restricted to middle schools but now has been expanded to include all
elementary and secondary school levels.

# Community Service Grant Program

Formula grants are available to states to carry out programs under which
students expelled or suspended from school are required to perform
community service.

# School Security Technology and Resource Center

This authorization is for the departments of Education, Justice and
Energy to establish a resource center to provide districts with
technical assistance on school security, including security assessments
and implementation of technology, and to conduct related research and
data collection. Congress has not appropriated funds for this program.

# National Center for School and Youth Safety

This authorization is for the departments of Education and Justice to
establish a center to carry out activities related to school safety,
including emergency response, an anonymous student hotline,
consultation, and information and outreach. In disseminating materials
on school safety, the center is to give special attention to providing
outreach to rural and impoverished communities. Congress has not
appropriated funds for this program.

# Grants to Reduce Alcohol Abuse

Competitive grants are available to districts to develop and implement
programs to reduce alcohol abuse in secondary schools.

# Mentoring Programs

Grants are available to districts and community groups for mentoring
programs for children who are at risk of educational failure, dropping
out of school, or involvement in criminal or delinquent activities, or
who lack strong positive role models. The programs must be designed to
link these children---particularly those living in rural areas,
high-crime areas, or troubled home environments or those experiencing
educational failure---with trained mentors. Funds may be used for
activities such as hiring and training coordinators, and recruiting,
screening, and training mentors but may not be used to compensate
mentors.

# Gun-Free Requirements, Title IV, Part A, Subpart 3

**Purpose.** The Gun-Free Schools Act requires each state that receives
funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as amended
by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB*)* to have in effect a state law
requiring districts to expel for at least one year any student who
brings a gun to school or possesses a gun in school. This requirement
not only removes potentially dangerous students from the school
environment but also provides a deterrent, discouraging other students
from bringing firearms to school. Over time, this has the potential to
make the school environment safer by reducing the number of firearms
present in schools.

Overall, 55 states and territories provided information about their
implementation of the Gun-Free Schools Act for the 1998-99 school year.
These states reported that they expelled a total of 3,523 students from
school for bringing in a firearm to school. \[One state however,
reported data for total expulsions for all weapons---not just
firearms---and therefore the figures reported by this state may
overestimate the actual number of expulsions under the Gun-Free Schools
Act.\] States reported that 44 percent of the students they expelled
were referred to an alternative school or placement.

Fifty-seven percent of the expulsions were students in high school, 33
percent were in junior high, and 10 percent were in elementary school.
States were asked to report the type of firearm involved, and of these,
59 percent were for bringing a handgun to school, 12 percent were for
bringing a rifle or shotgun, and 29 percent were for some other type of
weapons (such as bombs, grenades, or starter pistols).

States reported that 27 percent of expulsions were shortened to less
than one year, and 72 percent of these shortened expulsions were for
students who were not considered disabled.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ######  What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:                    |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Focuses on What Works                                       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Clarifies what is prohibited**. The law now clarifies that      |
|     students must be expelled for possessing a gun in school, not     |
|     just for bringing a gun to school.                                |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires that modified expulsions be recorded**. Districts are  |
|     still able to modify student expulsions on a case-by-case basis,  |
|     but that modification must now be in writing.                     |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Allows certain exceptions.** Exceptions to the expulsion        |
|     requirement are now expressly allowed in two cases: firearms that |
|     are lawfully stored inside a locked vehicle on school property,   |
|     and firearms that are brought to school or possessed in school    |
|     for activities approved and authorized by the district, if the    |
|     district adopts appropriate safeguards to ensure student safety.  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** This provision requires states to prohibit students
from bringing firearms to school or possessing firearms in school, with
"school" being defined as any setting under the control and supervision
of the district for the purpose of authorized student activities. A
definition of "firearm" is provided by reference to another statute and
includes not only guns but also other dangerous devices such as bombs,
rockets, and grenades. Districts must expel offending students from
their regular school for at least one year, although this requirement
must be construed in a manner consistent with the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act, and expelled students may be provided with
educational services in an alternative setting. Districts may choose to
modify these expulsions---in writing---on a case-by-case basis.
Districts are also required to refer offending students to the criminal
justice or juvenile delinquency system.

## How Performance Is Measured

The U.S. Department of Education issues a report annually on the number
of expulsions nationally, including changes over time for each state.

#### Key Activities For The State Education Agencies. 

-   States must have in effect a law that meets the requirements of the
    Gun-Free Schools Act.

-   State education agencies (SEAs) must require districts to include in
    their applications for funds under ESEA as amended by the NCLB Act
    an assurance that they are in compliance with the law.

-   SEAs must collect from districts information on any expulsions that
    are made under the law, and must report that information to the U.S.
    Department of Education annually, including the name of the school
    concerned, the number of students expelled from each school, and the
    type of firearms involved.

21st Century Community Learning Centers, Title IV, Part B

**Purpose.** The 21st Century Community Learning Centers program
provides services, during non-school hours or periods, to students and
their families for academic enrichment, including tutorial and other
services to help students, particularly those who attend low-performing
schools, to meet state and local student academic achievement standards.

The Census Bureau has estimated that in 1995, 6.9 million children ages
5 to 14 were in self-care for an average of six hours a week. Self-care
was more common for older children, but because rates of juvenile
delinquency are highest in the hours after school and substance abuse
and other undesirable behaviors often occur after school, after-school
programs can provide adult-supervised, constructive activities for older
and younger children. After-school programs also provide additional
opportunities for targeted instruction and academic enrichment to
support current efforts to close the achievement gap between racial or
ethnic groups and between male and female students.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Focuses on What Works                                       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Focuses services on promoting students' academic achievement    |
|     after school.** Academic services to assist students in meeting   |
|     state and local academic achievement standards in core academic   |
|     subjects are highlighted, although other activities are allowed   |
|     under the law.                                                    |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires programs to meet principles of effectiveness.** A      |
|     program must be based on an objective assessment of the need for  |
|     before- and after-school programs (including summer school        |
|     programs) and activities in schools and communities; an           |
|     established set of performance measures aimed at ensuring quality |
|     academic enrichment opportunities; and, if appropriate,           |
|     scientifically based research that provides evidence that the     |
|     program will help students meet state and local academic          |
|     achievement standards.                                            |
|                                                                       |
| **Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility**                     |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Transfers program administration from the national level to the |
|     state level.** Program administration is being changed from a     |
|     federal discretionary grant program to school districts to a      |
|     federal formula grant program (based on Title I) to the states,   |
|     which then competitively award funds to eligible entities through |
|     a discretionary grant program.                                    |
|                                                                       |
| ```{=html}                                                            |
| <!-- -->                                                              |
| ```                                                                   |
| -   **Extends the duration of grant awards and allows states to       |
|     require a local match.** In the past, grants have been for three  |
|     years. States now can make awards from three to five years, and   |
|     may require local entities to match funds.                        |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act: (cont.)**                |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Increases Accountability for Student Performance            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires a comprehensive evaluation of the program and          |
|     activities** either directly or through a grant or contract.      |
|     States are required to describe the performance indicators and    |
|     performance measures that they will use to periodically evaluate  |
|     and monitor local programs and to disseminate the results of      |
|     these evaluations to the public.                                  |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Empowers Parents                                            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Designates more entities as eligible to meet parents' needs.**  |
|     The requirement of exclusive eligibility for public schools is    |
|     lifted so that school districts, community- and faith-based       |
|     organizations, local governments, and other public or private     |
|     entities are eligible to become grantees.                         |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Closes the Achievement Gap for Disadvantaged Students       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Targets services for students in schools eligible for Title I   |
|     schoolwide projects or schools that serve a high percentage of    |
|     students from low-income families.** A funding priority has been  |
|     established for projects that serve students in schools in need   |
|     of improvement and that are submitted jointly by at least one     |
|     district and one community-based organization                     |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** The new 21st Century program is a state-administered
discretionary grant program in which states hold a competition to fund
academically focused after-school programs. While the focus is on
improving students' academic achievement, other activities associated
with youth development, recreation, the arts, and drug prevention, as
well as literacy services for parents, are permitted. In addition to
districts, community- and faith-based organizations, and government
entities, as well as other public or private entities, may apply for
these funds individually or jointly with school districts.

# Key Requirements

State education agencies (SEAs) must submit an application for funding
to the U.S. Department of Education that includes a plan for how they
will run their competition, how they will select grantees, and how they
will provide training and technical assistance. In addition, they must
describe how grantees will be monitored and evaluated. They also must
undertake these congressionally specified activities:

-   Ensure that awards serve students who primarily attend schools
    eligible for schoolwide programs under Section 1114 of ESEA or
    schools that serve a high percentage of students from low-income
    families and their families.

-   Ensure that funded community learning centers will be sustained
    after the grant period.

-   Ensure that the transportation needs of participating students will
    be addressed.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Ensure that children's needs are met by involving a wide array of
    groups in the application process, including appropriate state
    officials (e.g., the chief state school officer, officials of other
    state agencies administering before- and after-school programs, and
    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.

# How It Achieves Quality

Congress required programs to be based upon:

-   An assessment of objective data regarding the need for before- and
    after-school programs (including summer school programs) and
    activities in schools and communities;

-   An established set of performance measures aimed at ensuring quality
    academic enrichment opportunities; and

-   If appropriate, scientifically based research that provides evidence
    that the activities will help students meet state and local academic
    achievement standards.

# How Performance Is Measured

States will be required to report on progress in meeting state and local
academic achievement standards in reading and mathematics for regular
participants in a 21st Century Community Learning Centers program.

**Key Activities For The State Education Agencies.** State education
agencies must:

-   Evaluate the effectiveness of programs and activities of 21st
    Century Community Learning Centers.

-   Create and implement program planning and monitoring guidelines for
    grantees (e.g., allowable activities, program priorities, Principles
    of Effectiveness, community involvement, reporting requirements,
    etc.).

-   Establish performance indicators.

Environmental Tobacco Smoke, Title IV, Part C

**Purpose.** The Pro-Children Act of 2001 prohibits smoking in buildings
used to provide children under 18 with regular or routine health care,
day care, education, or library services. This requirement protects the
health of children from the potentially deadly effects of breathing
tobacco smoke. Each year, an estimated 3,000 nonsmoking Americans die of
lung cancer and up to 300,000 children suffer from respiratory tract
infections because of exposure to second-hand smoke. Evidence also
indicates that exposure to second-hand smoke causes heart disease.

The prohibition also ensures that children will not witness adult role
models such as teachers and caregivers smoking. Cigarette smoking is
responsible for more than 400,000 deaths each year in the United States
or one in every five deaths. If current patterns of smoking persist,
more than five million people currently younger than 18 will die
prematurely from a tobacco-related disease.

**How It Works.** This provision generally covers children's services
that are funded directly or through the U.S. Department of Education,
the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Department of
Agriculture Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants,
and Children. It applies to states, counties, school districts, state
and local agencies, schools, and any individual, corporation, or
partnership that owns, operates, controls, or provides children's
services. It does not apply to private homes or parts of buildings used
to provide inpatient treatment for drug and alcohol addiction.

Administrative compliance orders and civil penalties, not to exceed
\$1,000 per violation, may be imposed by HHS for a violation, with each
day of non-compliance considered a separate violation.

**Key Activities For The State Education Agencies.** States and their
subdivisions (including districts and schools) must prohibit smoking in
buildings that provide children's services.

Innovative Programs, Title V, Part A

**Purpose.** The Innovative Programs State Grants assist local education
reform efforts that are consistent with and support statewide reform
efforts. They also support state and local efforts to implement
promising education reform programs, provide a continuing source of
innovation and educational improvement, help meet the special education
needs of at-risk and high-need students, and support programs to improve
school, student, and teacher performance.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| **[Increases Accountability For Student Performance]{.underline}**    |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires an annual achievement report.** States are now         |
|     required to submit an annual statewide summary of how the program |
|     is improving student achievement or improving the quality of      |
|     education for students.                                           |
|                                                                       |
| **[Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility]{.underline}**       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Increases aid to school districts.** States must distribute 100 |
|     percent of the funds that they receive *beyond what they received |
|     in FY 2002* to districts. For small states, at least 50 percent   |
|     of those funds must be distributed to districts. This ensures     |
|     that funding reaches the schools and teachers closest to students |
|     rather than state offices.                                        |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** Funds are allocated by formula, based on states'
relative share of the school-age population, with each state receiving a
minimum of one-half of one percent. States must award subgrants of at
least 85 percent of their funds to districts based on the relative
enrollments in public and private schools. State education agencies
(SEAs) may use their share of program funds for supporting school choice
options, school renovations, technology, or implementing other state
reforms.

# How It Achieves Quality

The Innovative Programs State Grants program provides SEAs and districts
with additional funding to support high-quality, innovative educational
programs. Funding can be used in a broad range of areas to improve
academic achievement and the quality of education for students, to
improve teacher quality, and to improve school performance.

# How Performance Is Measured

The district must conduct an annual evaluation that describes how the
programs that it supported affected student academic achievement.

**Key Activities For The State Education Agencies.** State education
agencies must:

-   Submit an annual statewide summary to the U.S. Department of
    Education based on evaluation information submitted by districts.

-   Allocate funds to districts, provide technical assistance to
    districts, and carry out state-level innovative programs.

Public Charter Schools, Title V, Part B, Subpart 1

**Purpose.** Charter schools developed in the early 1990s to offer
increased local control of education, to allow educators the flexibility
to innovate, and to provide students increased educational options
within the public school system. The theory behind charter schools is
that these alternative programs will provide educational options to
students that are not available within the traditional public school
system. At the same time, as public schools compete to enroll students,
all schools feel pressure to improve the quality of the educational
services they provide. In fact, school choice is a key provision of the
Title I accountability provisions in No Child Left Behind. This gives
parents and students the right to transfer from a school in corrective
action to a public school (including a charter school) that provides a
higher-quality education. As of 2002, 36 states, the District of
Columbia, and Puerto Rico have charter school laws. There are roughly
2,400 charter schools in 34 states, serving 575,000 students. The Public
Charter School Program is designed to provide financial assistance for
the planning, design, or initial implementation of charter schools and
to evaluate the effects of such schools.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Empowers Parents                                            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Provides flexible funding for use of administrative fees.**     |
|     School districts can no longer withhold administrative fees,      |
|     unless the charter school voluntarily enters into an arrangement  |
|     to receive administrative services from the district.             |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** The Public Charter School Program provides competitive
grants for both states and individual charter schools. Eligible state
education agencies (SEAs) may apply to the U.S. Department of Education.
(If the state elected not to apply or the application was denied,
individual charter schools in that state may apply directly to the
Department.) Grants are available for planning, program design,
implementation, or dissemination.

State education agencies are eligible for this funding if their state
has a charter school law. SEAs make competitive grants to individual
charter schools in order to implement or plan a new charter school. SEAs
may use 10 percent of their grants to make dissemination subgrants to
successful charters to assist other schools in adapting the charter
school's program or to disseminate information about the charter school.

# Key Requirements

A state education agency must demonstrate the contribution that the
charter schools grant program will make in assisting educationally
disadvantaged and other students in meeting the state's academic
standards. The Department gives priority to states that demonstrate
progress in increasing the number of high-quality charter schools that
are held accountable in their charter for meeting clear and measurable
objectives for the educational progress of their students. Finally,
states receive priority if they:

-   Provide for periodic review and evaluation by the authorized public
    chartering agency of each charter school at least once every five
    years;

-   Provide for one authorized public chartering agency that is not a
    district or allows for an appeals process for the denial of
    applications for a charter school; and

-   Ensure that each charter school has a high degree of autonomy over
    its budget.

**Key Activities for the State Education Agencies.** State education
agencies must:

-   Establish procedures and guidelines for administering a competitive
    subgrant program.

-   Determine eligible subgrantees and funding guidelines.

-   Create and implement program planning and monitoring guidelines for
    grantees.

Credit Enhancement Initiatives To Assist Charter Schools\
Facility Acquisition, Construction, And Renovation,\
Title V, Part B, Subpart 2

**Purpose.** Charter schools, in general, are newly created
organizations. These new schools face considerable financial burdens to
obtain facilities for providing educational services. Most charter
schools rent space and older charter schools are beginning to buy and
renovate buildings. In both cases, district and state allocations
generally do not cover facilities costs. Even when these costs are
covered, charter schools rarely receive funding commensurate with the
support provided for traditional public schools. This program helps
charter schools with the costs of acquiring, constructing, and
renovating facilities through innovative credit enhancement initiatives.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Empowers Parents                                            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Increases choice among public schools.** This program aims to   |
|     increase the number of charter schools and increase the capacity  |
|     of existing charter schools to meet the demand of parents seeking |
|     alternate public schools.                                         |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility               |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Extends the eligibility for grants.** The new legislation       |
|     differs from the previous Charter Schools Facilities Financing    |
|     Demonstration program in that it no longer requires "one-time"    |
|     grants.                                                           |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** The U.S. Department of Education awards grants to
defray the cost of acquiring, constructing, and renovating facilities
through a competitive process to private, nonprofit organizations,
public entities, or consortia including both types of entities. State
education agencies may apply as a public entity or enter into a
consortium with a nonprofit entity or another public entity. Grantees
may reserve one-quarter of 1 percent of the grant for administrative
costs. The remainder must be deposited in a reserve account and used to
guarantee or insure debt used to finance charter school facilities, to
guarantee and insure leases of personal and real property, and assists
charter schools facilities financing through such activities such as
identifying potential lending sources and encouraging private lending.
It facilitates bond issues by charter schools or other public entities
for the benefit of charter schools.

The grant recipients are expected to identify charter schools that will
benefit from leveraged grant funds, either before or after receiving the
award.

# Key Requirements

Grant recipients must:

-   Identify the activities proposed, including how the eligible entity
    will determine which charter schools will receive assistance, and
    how much and what types of assistance charter schools will receive;

-   Describe the involvement of charter schools in the application's
    development and the design of the proposed activities;

-   Document the applicant's expertise in capital market financing;

-   Describe how the proposed activities will leverage the maximum
    amount of private-sector financing relative to the amount of
    government funding, and enhance credit available to charter schools;

-   Document that the applicant possesses sufficient expertise in
    education to evaluate the likelihood of success of the charter
    school program for which facilities financing is sought; and

-   In the case of an application submitted by a state government
    agency, describe the actions that it will take to ensure that
    charter schools within the state receive the funding needed for
    adequate facilities.

# How Performance Is Measured

Grant recipients are required to submit annual financial and progress
reports to the U.S. Department of Education. The Department may revoke
funds if grantees fail to make substantial progress in carrying out the
grant purposes.

Voluntary Public School Choice, Title V, Part B, Subpart 3

**Purpose.** According to the 1993 National Household Education Survey,
most American families choose their child's school. While 20 percent of
parents chose a school other than the public school assigned to their
residential neighborhood, an additional 39 percent of families claim
they chose their neighborhood for its public school. In effect, 59
percent of American families are making conscious choices about which
school best suits their needs. Nearly every state has some type of
choice plan, either allowing families to choose a public school within a
district, across the state, or among charters or magnet schools. The
Voluntary Public School Choice program helps states and local school
districts implement public school choice policies by providing funds for
transportation, tuition transfer payments to the schools that students
choose to attend, increasing the capacity of high-demand schools to
serve greater numbers of students, and disseminating information about
open-enrollment options.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Increases Accountability for Student Performance            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires evaluation of effects.** The U.S. Department of        |
|     Education will evaluate: (1) the extent to which the programs     |
|     funded promote educational equity and excellence; (2) the         |
|     characteristics of participating students; and (3) the effect of  |
|     the program on the academic achievement of students participating |
|     in the program, particularly students who move from low- to       |
|     higher-performing schools, and on the overall quality of          |
|     participating schools and districts.                              |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Empowers Parents                                            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Provides options for parents in low-performing schools.** The   |
|     Act provides a priority for applicants whose program would        |
|     provide the widest variety of choices and a program that would    |
|     have the greatest impact on students in low-performing schools by |
|     providing an education for them in a more rigorous educational    |
|     setting found in a higher-performing school.                      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** The Voluntary Public School Choice program authorizes
competitive awards to state education agencies (SEAs), school districts,
or partnerships that include an SEA or a district and another
organization. Funding is available to establish or expand programs that
provide students and parents with greater public school choice. Grants
are for up to five years, and grantees may use up to one year for
planning or program design.

# Key Requirements 

States and districts document their public school choice program; how
and when parents will be notified of the program; how students will be
selected for participation; and how the program will be coordinated with
other federal and nonfederal projects. Grantees must provide
transportation to participating students. Priority is given to projects
that:

-   Provide the widest variety of choices to all students in schools
    participating in the program;

-   Have the greatest impact in allowing students in low-performing
    schools to attend higher-performing schools; and

-   Implement an interdistrict public school choice program.

When more students apply than can be accommodated, the plan must select
students to participate on the basis of a lottery.

# How It Achieves Quality

Not only are parents able to choose high-quality programs for their
children, but the competition among schools to attract students is
designed to result in higher-quality education programs in all schools.
In addition, accountability provisions in No Child Left Behind require
that students in low-performing schools have the options of choosing
another school that can provide a higher-quality education.

# How Performance Is Measured

The U.S. Department of Education will evaluate whether SEAs have public
school choice plans that include: (1) the extent to which programs
promote educational equity and excellence; (2) the characteristics of
participating students; and (3) the programs' effects on the academic
achievement of participating students, particularly those who move from
low- to higher-performing schools, and on the overall quality of
participating schools and districts.

**Key Activities for the State Education Agencies.** State education
agencies:

-   With approved applications must disseminate information about public
    school choice.

-   With approved applications must create and implement program
    planning and monitoring guidelines for grantees.

Magnet Schools Assistance, Title V, Part C

**Purpose.** The Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) provides
grants to establish and operate magnet schools in school districts that
are under a court-ordered or federally approved voluntary desegregation
plan to eliminate, reduce, or prevent minority group isolation in
elementary and secondary schools. For nearly four decades, magnet
schools have been an important element in American public education,
offering innovative programs not generally available in local schools
and providing opportunities for students to learn in racially diverse
environments. A recent study of 1998 MSAP grantees found that the
funding provided by MSAP enabled magnet projects to support planning and
promotional activities related to their academic programs and services;
add specially hired staff to support and enhance school instruction; and
provide focused training in program areas or educational methods for
teachers and other staff.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Focuses on What Works                                       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Supports federal technical assistance and dissemination of      |
|     successful programs.** Expands national activities to include     |
|     technical assistance and dissemination activities. Requires the   |
|     U.S. Department of Education to collect and disseminate           |
|     information on successful magnet school programs.                 |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Builds a grantee's capacity to operate magnet school            |
|     programs.** Expands the uses of funds to include professional     |
|     development in order to build capacity to operate magnet school   |
|     programs after the grant period has ended.                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility               |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Provides more flexibility in administering magnet school        |
|     programs.** A district may use their grant to serve students who  |
|     are not enrolled in the magnet program.                           |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Increases flexibility in designing magnet schools.** Enables    |
|     grantees to have flexibility in designing magnet schools for      |
|     students in all grades.                                           |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Allows more funds to be used for planning.** Increases the cap  |
|     on the amount of funds that may be used for planning, from 10     |
|     percent to 15 percent in a project's third year.                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** The Magnet Schools Assistance Program is a
discretionary grant program that awards funds to school districts (or
consortia of districts) to support magnet schools that are part of an
approved desegregation plan and that are designed to bring students from
different social, economic, ethnic, and racial backgrounds together. An
applicant's desegregation plan may be either a required plan (for
example, a plan required by a federal court) or a voluntary plan that
has been adopted by the applicant and approved by the secretary of
education as adequate under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Funding priority will be given to applicants that demonstrate the
greatest need for assistance, propose to carry out new or significantly
revised magnet school programs, and propose to select students to attend
magnet school programs by methods such as a lottery, rather than through
academic examination.

# Key Requirements

Districts (or a consortium of local school districts) that receive an
award must use it to reduce, eliminate, or prevent minority group
isolation, increase student academic achievement, continue the magnet
school program after assistance is no longer available, and implement
services to improve the academic achievement of all students attending
the magnet school program. Grantees also must undertake congressionally
specified activities such as employing highly qualified teachers,
encouraging greater parental decision-making and involvement, and
providing equitable consideration for placement in the program.

# How It Achieves Quality

In their application for program funds, applicants must ensure that they
will employ highly qualified teachers, and carry out a high-quality
education program that will encourage greater parental decision-making
and involvement. Furthermore, program funds used to employ teachers and
acquire books, materials, and equipment. Funds may be spent on
supporting activities that are directly related to improving student
academic achievement based on the state's challenging academic content
standards and student achievement standards or activities that are
directly related to improving student reading skills or knowledge of
mathematics, science, history, geography, English, foreign languages,
art, or music. Funds may be spent on activities to improve vocational,
technological, and professional skills.

Elementary And Secondary School Counseling,\
Title V, Part D, Subpart 2

**Purpose.** The Elementary and Secondary School Counseling programs
provide grants to help school districts establish or expand counseling
programs in elementary schools and, if the appropriation for the program
exceeds \$40 million in any fiscal year, the program may be expanded to
secondary schools. School counseling services can contribute to the
personal growth, educational development, and emotional well-being of
students. Research suggests that high-quality counseling services can
have long-term effects on a child's well-being and can prevent a student
from turning to violence and drug or alcohol abuse. High-quality school
counseling services also can improve a student's academic achievement.
Studies on the effects of school counseling have shown positive effects
on students' grades, reducing classroom disruptions, and enhancing
teachers' abilities to manage classroom behavior effectively.
High-quality school counseling services also can help address students'
mental health needs.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Focuses on What Works                                       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Focuses on innovative and promising approaches.** Districts are |
|     required to provide services that use innovative approaches.      |
|     Applicants who propose the most promising and innovative          |
|     approaches and show the greatest potential for replication and    |
|     dissemination will receive special consideration for awards.      |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility               |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Includes secondary schools.** Previously, the program only      |
|     supported services for elementary schools. Now, secondary schools |
|     can be included if funding for the program exceeds \$40 million   |
|     annually.                                                         |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Expands the list of professionals who may provide counseling    |
|     services.** In addition to school counselors, school social       |
|     workers, and school psychologists, the law now allows other       |
|     qualified psychologists and child and adolescent psychiatrists to |
|     receive payment from program funds.                               |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Expands the settings for services.** Districts are now required |
|     to provide counseling in settings that meet the range of student  |
|     needs, not just in schools.                                       |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** This discretionary grant program authorizes the U.S.
Department of Education to award grants directly to districts to
establish or expand student counseling programs. Special consideration
for awards must be given to applicants who demonstrate the greatest need
for new or additional counseling services, propose the most promising
and innovative approaches, and show the greatest potential for
replication and dissemination. In addition, grants must be equitably
distributed among geographic regions and among urban, suburban, and
rural districts.

# Key Requirements

This program will support the hiring and training of qualified school
counselors, school psychologists, child and adolescent psychiatrists,
and school social workers for schools. The program also provides greater
student access to beneficial counseling services and helps identify
effective strategies for providing student counseling services that show
potential for replication and dissemination.

Each grantee must implement a program that is comprehensive in
addressing the counseling and educational needs of all students.
Programs must increase the range, availability, quantity, and quality of
counseling services in schools. They should expand counseling services
through qualified personnel and use innovative approaches to increase
children's understanding of peer and family relationships, work and
self, decision-making, or academic and career planning. Programs may
improve peer interaction and provide counseling services in settings
that meet the range of student needs. Programs also may include
in-service training for teachers, instructional staff, and appropriate
school personnel, including training in appropriate identification and
early intervention techniques. Programs must involve parents of
participating students in the design, implementation, and evaluation of
counseling programs and also involve community groups, social service
agencies, or other public or private entities in collaborative efforts
to enhance the program and promote school-linked integration of
services.

# How It Achieves Quality

Districts must use their grants to establish or expand counseling
programs that are innovative, comprehensive, use a developmental,
preventive approach, and increase the quality and quantity of counseling
services in their schools. Given the many conflicting demands on school
staff time, the requirement that counseling professionals paid with
program funds must spend the majority of their time counseling students
or in other directly related activities will maximize the time that
staff spend directly serving students. Moreover, the law requires
grantee districts to work toward specified ratios of counseling staff to
students, using the recommendations of the American School Health
Association, to ensure that sufficient counseling services are available
to meet student needs. Districts also must provide in-service training,
hire staff that meet specific qualifications, and evaluate the
effectiveness of their services.

# How Performance Is Measured

Districts must work toward staff-to-student ratios of one school
counselor to 250 students, one school social worker to 800 students, and
one school psychologist to 1,000 students. The U.S. Department of
Education is required to prepare a report that evaluates grantees'
counseling programs and provides information from grantee districts on
the ratios of counseling staff to students.

Partnerships In Character Education,\
Title V, Part D, Subpart 3

**Purpose.** The Partnerships in Character Education program provides
grants to design and put into practice instruction about aspects of
character such as citizenship, justice, respect, responsibility,
trustworthiness, and giving. Character education, especially when it is
integral to a school's curriculum and culture and involves collaboration
among school staff, parents, and key members of the community, can be
effective in improving the school environment.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Focuses on What Works                                       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires use of research.** Applicants must provide information |
|     that demonstrates that their program has clear objectives that    |
|     are based on scientifically based research.                       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Supports research.** The U.S. Department of Education may use   |
|     up to 5 percent of program funds for national                     |
|     activities---including research, development, dissemination,      |
|     technical assistance, and evaluation, to gather information on    |
|     effective character education practices and to share that         |
|     information with grantees.                                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility               |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Eliminates restrictions on awards.** Eligibility has been       |
|     extended beyond state education agencies (SEAs), in partnership   |
|     with districts or nonprofit groups or colleges, to also include   |
|     districts, which may partner with other districts or nonprofit    |
|     groups or colleges. Private school children and teachers are      |
|     authorized to participate. Restrictions on the number of grants   |
|     that can be made and the total amount of funding each grantee may |
|     receive have been lifted.                                         |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Eliminates requirements for state clearinghouses.** Although    |
|     grantees are no longer required to develop their own              |
|     clearinghouses, the U.S. Department of Education may establish a  |
|     national clearinghouse to provide information on model programs   |
|     and research findings related to character education.             |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** This discretionary grant program authorizes the U.S.
Department of Education to award grants to districts, partnerships of
states with districts, and partnerships of either districts or states
with nonprofit organizations, including colleges. The Department may
require grantees to provide matching funds, with a sliding scale based
on poverty and the ability to obtain matching funding.

# Key Requirements

States and other grantees must implement character education programs
that have research-based objectives. In determining the elements of
character to include in their programs, grantees may select any elements
they deem appropriate, but must consider the views of parents and
students in making their selection, and any curricula, materials, and
other activities developed under the grant must be secular. Grantees
also must link the program with education reform efforts and state
content standards.

# How It Achieves Quality

In addition to requiring that applicants base their programs on
research, grantees must conduct comprehensive evaluations of their
programs (due at the end of the second year of the grant and no later
than one year after the conclusion of the grant period) that address the
impact on all students, students with disabilities, teachers,
administrators, parents, and others.

# How Performance Is Measured

The law specifies that the following factors may be considered in
evaluating the success of grantees' character education programs:
discipline issues, student academic achievement, participation in
extracurricular activities, parental and community involvement, faculty
and administrative involvement, student and staff morale, and
improvements in school climate.

**Key Activities For The State Education Agencies.** State education
agency grantees must:

-   Form partnerships with one or more school districts or nonprofit
    organizations, including colleges.

-   Evaluate their programs annually and report their findings to the
    U.S. Department of Education.

Smaller Learning Communities, Title V, Part D, Subpart 4

**Purpose.** Several studies have concluded that students attending
smaller high schools are more engaged and, consequently, experience
higher levels of attendance, academic achievement, and involvement in
extracurricular activities. Whether large high schools can be
restructured to achieve the same results has been less frequently
examined. This program supports local efforts to create smaller learning
communities within large high schools.

**How It Works.** This competitive grant program provides grants to
school districts to create smaller learning communities in large high
schools.

# Key Requirements

Grantees may use their funding for a wide range of activities including:
(1) studying the feasibility of creating smaller learning communities;
(2) researching, developing, and implementing strategies for creating
smaller learning communities; (3) providing professional development for
school staff in innovative teaching methods that can be used in smaller
learning communities; and (4) developing and implementing strategies to
involve parents, business representatives, and community organizations
in activities of the smaller learning communities so that teachers may
pursue professional development opportunities and to provide links
between students and the community.

# How It Achieves Quality

Previous research suggests that students in smaller schools perform
better on several indicators than students in large schools. This
occurs, it is argued, because smaller schools offer a more personal
learning environment that is better able to engage students. The smaller
learning communities program attempts to replicate the qualities of
smallness in larger high schools. It supports strategies to (1)
restructure the high school by creating academies, houses,
schools-within-a school, and (2) engage students through teacher
advisors, mentoring, alternative scheduling, and other innovations
designed to personalize high school and thereby, improve student
achievement.

# How Performance Is Measured

School improvement is measured by tracking changes in test scores,
attendance, graduation rates,

and student course-taking.

Reading Is Fundamental---Inexpensive Book Distribution, Title V, Part D,
Subpart 5

**Purpose.** The Reading Is Fundamental (RIF)---Inexpensive Book
Distribution Program provides assistance to local nonprofit
organizations and to public agencies for reading motivation programs,
including the distribution of inexpensive books to promote reading.

Consistent access to books and other reading materials can increase
children's motivation to read and help them keep up academically with
their peers. Children who begin school without access to literacy-rich
environments at home are at a significant disadvantage compared to other
children.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility               |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Allows more flexible funding.** Organizations operating the     |
|     program in low-income areas that serve special-needs children may |
|     use other federal funds to pay up to 50 percent of the nonfederal |
|     share of the program. In addition, RIF may waive the nonfederal   |
|     share requirement for organizations if the organizations would    |
|     not be able to participate otherwise.                             |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

How It Works. The RIF---Inexpensive Book Distribution program provides a
noncompetitive direct grant to Reading Is Fundamental, a nonprofit
organization. This program is run as a public-private partnership, with
the federal share covering 75 percent of the costs of purchasing books
(except for programs serving children of migrant parents, where all
funding is federal), and the private share covering 25 percent. RIF
enters into subcontracts with local nonprofit organizations or public
agencies to provide books to children from birth through high school
age. Priority is given to programs that serve a significant number or
percentage of children with special needs, including low-income
children, children at risk of school failure, children with
disabilities, foster children, homeless children, migrant children,
children without access to libraries, institutionalized or incarcerated
children, and children whose parents are institutionalized or
incarcerated

Gifted And Talented Students,\
Title V, Section D, Subpart 6

**Purpose.** The Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education
Act supports research, demonstration projects, innovative strategies,
and similar activities to help elementary and secondary schools meet the
special educational needs of gifted and talented students. Outstanding
talents are present in children and youths from all cultural groups,
across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavor. Programs
for gifted and talented students exist in every state and in many school
districts, but the number and percentage of students identified as
gifted and talented vary from state to state due to differences in state
laws and local practices.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Focuses on What Works                                       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Supports scientifically based research.** The statute now       |
|     requires that research supported by the program be scientifically |
|     based.                                                            |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility               |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Includes dissemination of high-level course work through        |
|     technology as an allowable activity.** Funds now may be used for  |
|     technology to disseminate challenging course work to students in  |
|     schools or districts that otherwise are unable to provide such    |
|     instruction.                                                      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** This discretionary program authorizes the U.S.
Department of Education to award grants and enter into contracts with
state education agencies (SEAs), local school districts, institutions of
higher education, other public agencies, and other private agencies and
organizations (including Indian tribes and organizations and Native
Hawaiian organizations). Funds can be used for programs and projects to
meet the educational needs of gifted and talented students, for the
training of personnel, and for serving all students using services,
materials, and methods developed for gifted and talented students. The
program also provides for the establishment of a National Research
Center for the Education of Gifted and Talented Children and Youth,
through grants to, or contracts with, one or more institutions of higher
education, SEAs, or a combination or consortium of such institutions and
agencies and other public or private agencies or organizations.

# Key Requirements

Applicants must describe how their proposed services, materials, and
methods can be adapted, if appropriate, for use by all students, and how
the proposed programs can be evaluated. The U.S. Department of Education
is required to give highest priority to programs and projects designed
to develop new information that helps schools 1) establish and improve
programs to identify and serve gifted and talented students, and 2)
identify and serve gifted and talented students who are economically
disadvantaged, have limited English proficiency, have disabilities, or
otherwise may not be identified through traditional assessment methods.

# How It Achieves Quality

Research supported by the program must be scientifically based, and
program activities must be evaluated.

Star Schools, Title V, Part D, Subpart 7

**Purpose.** Distance learning can enrich regular classroom instruction
and provide high-quality instruction in remote or high-poverty locations
where students otherwise do not have access to specialized courses such
as advanced placement courses. In addition to providing affordable
access to learning opportunities, high-quality distance learning can
produce learning gains at least as large as those from traditional
instruction.

By 2000, nearly all public schools and 77 percent of their classrooms in
the United States had access to the Internet. This ratio has steadily
improved. Distance learning is increasingly widespread at all
educational levels, including the emergence of "virtual schools" in many
states.

The Star Schools Program encourages improved instruction in mathematics,
science, foreign languages, literacy skills, vocational education, and
other subjects. It emphasizes learning opportunities for underserved
populations, including the disadvantaged, illiterate, limited English
proficient, and individuals with disabilities through the use of
telecommunications technologies.

**How It Works.** Applications are received from eligible statewide or
multistate entities, which may include a public agency, corporation, or
a partnership that includes three or more of the following entities: a
school district, a state education agency, an adult and family education
program, an institution of higher education, a teacher training center
or academy, a public broadcasting entity, or a public or private
elementary or secondary school. Funding is provided for such activities
as development acquisition, maintenance and operation of
telecommunications facilities, development and acquisition of live
interactive instructional programming, and technical assistance for the
use of such facilities and instructional programming.

# Key Requirements

Applicants must propose high-quality plans that provide instruction
consistent with state academic content standards or otherwise provide
significant and specific assistance to states and districts undertaking
systemic education reform.

A five-year grant must not exceed \$10 million in any single fiscal
year. At least a quarter of the total program funds must be used for
instructional programming, and at least 50 percent of the available
funds shall be used for the cost of facilities, equipment, teacher
training or retraining, technical assistance or programming for
districts eligible for Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies. The
federal share is capped at 75 percent for the first and second years, 60
percent for third and fourth years, and 50 percent for the fifth year.

# How It Achieves Quality

The secretary of education may use up to 5 percent of funds for
dissemination, evaluation and other activities that are designed to
enhance the quality of distance learning.

Ready To Teach, Title V, Part D, Subpart 8

**Purpose.** Teacher preparation and professional development are
important to increase student performance. Internet and other
telecommunications-based professional development can provide
research-based professional development on an ongoing basis to teachers
in a variety of locations to help improve teaching and learning. For
example, studies of educational technology effectiveness report that
teacher expertise in using technology can substantially increase the
learning gains associated with using the technology. While 80 percent of
public school teachers reported in 1999 that they had access to training
in use of the Internet, evaluations report that much of the current
professional development is too short and not well integrated with
ongoing instruction.

The Ready-To-Teach program provides grants to a nonprofit
telecommunications organization or a partnership of such organizations
to carry out national telecommunications-based programming to improve
teaching in core curriculum areas. In addition, Digital Educational
Programming Grants under this subpart support the development of
educational programming that includes student assessment tools to
provide feedback on student academic achievement.

**How It Works.** The Ready-To-Teach program provides grants to eligible
entities on a competitive basis. The Digital Educational Programming
Grants program requires a match of not less than 100 percent of the
amount of the grant for three years. In addition, these grants support
development of educational programming that includes student assessment
tools to provide feedback on student academic achievement, with built-in
teacher-support components to ensure that teachers understand and can
use the programming for student instruction. Educational programming and
materials are to be created for, or adaptable to, state academic content
and achievement standards.

# Key Requirements

Grantees will use public broadcasting, the Internet, and school digital
networks where available, to deliver video and data in an integrated
way. Grantees must train teachers to use materials and learning
technologies to achieve challenging state academic content and
achievement standards. In addition, grantees must ensure that the
project will be conducted in cooperation with appropriate state
education agency (SEA), school district, and state or local nonprofit
public telecommunications entities. Grantees also must ensure that a
significant portion of the benefits available to schools will be
available to schools in districts that have a high percentage of
children eligible for Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies.

.

# How Performance Is Measured

Grantees will prepare and submit to the U.S. Department of Education an
annual report that, at a minimum, will describe activities undertaken,
including core curriculum areas, the number of teachers using the
program in each core curricular area, and the states in which teachers
using the program are located.

Foreign Language Assistance, Title V, Part D, Subpart 9

**Purpose.** The Foreign Language Assistance program is designed to
improve the quality and extent of foreign language instruction,
particularly in the nation's elementary schools. The United States has
an unprecedented need for individuals with highly developed competencies
in languages other then English. Research funded by the European Union
indicates that early language learning can have a positive effect on
students with respect to fostering language skills, a positive attitude
toward other languages and cultures, and increased self-esteem. In
addition, research has shown that math and verbal SAT scores are higher
with each additional year of foreign language study.

**How It Works.** The U.S. Department of Education offers competitive
grants to state education agencies (SEAs) or school districts to pay the
federal share of the cost of innovative model programs to establish,
improve, or expand foreign language study for elementary and secondary
school students. There are two types of grants---discretionary and
incentive---that make up this program.

# Key Requirements

**Discretionary Grants.** The discretionary provisions allow the U.S.
Department of Education to make three-year grants to SEAs and districts
to pay the federal share (50 percent unless a district waiver is
granted) of the cost of innovative model programs to establish, improve,
or expand foreign language study. Grants to SEAs support systemic
approaches to improving foreign language learning in the state. Grants
to districts support programs that show the promise of being continued
beyond the grant period, demonstrate approaches that can be disseminated
and duplicated in other districts, and may include a professional
development component.

The Department will give special consideration to applications from SEAs
and districts describing programs that:

-   Include intensive summer foreign language programs for professional
    development;

-   Link nonnative English speakers in the community with the schools in
    order to promote two-way language learning;

-   Promote the sequential study of a foreign language for students,
    beginning in elementary schools;

-   Make effective use of technology, such as computer-assisted
    instruction, language laboratories, or distance learning, to promote
    foreign language study;

-   Promote innovative activities, such as foreign language immersion,
    partial foreign language immersion, or content-based instruction;
    and

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Involve a consortium comprised of the agency receiving the grant and
    an elementary or secondary school.

**Incentive Grants.** The incentive provisions authorize grants to any
public elementary school that has a foreign language program comparable
to providing at least 45 minutes of instruction for four days a week
throughout an academic year. The incentive grants are calculated based
on the number of participating students.

Carol M. White Physical Education, Title V, Part D, Subpart 10

**Purpose.** Although physical activity is vital for lifelong health and
learning, large numbers of American students are overweight and engage
in little physical activity. Physical education programs can contribute
to developing the habits needed for healthy learning. Physical activity
improves muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and
cardiovascular endurance, as well as serves as a vehicle that helps
children establish self-esteem and strive for achievable, personal
goals.

The 2001 *Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease
Overweight and Obesity* recommended in its "Priorities for Action" that:
"Individuals and groups across all settings must work in concert to
ensure daily, quality physical education in all school grades." Still,
only one state (Illinois) mandates daily physical education, and 29
percent of K-12 students nationwide do not attend physical education.

The Carol M. White Physical Education Program awards grants and
contracts to initiate, expand and improve physical education programs
for all kindergarten through 12th-grade students.

**How It Works.** Grants are awarded to school districts and
community-based organizations to pay the federal share of costs of
initiating, expanding and improving physical education programs for
kindergarten through 12th-grade students. Grants may be used to provide
equipment and support for students so that they may participate actively
in physical education activities. Funds also may be used to provide
support for staff and teacher training.

# Key Requirements

Grantees must initiate, expand, or improve physical education programs
in order to make progress toward state standards for physical education.

# How Performance Is Measured

Grantees are required to submit an annual report to the U.S. Department
of Education that describes the activities undertaken, and the progress
that is made toward meeting state physical education standards.

Community Technology Centers, Title V, Part D, Subpart 11

**Purpose.** Increasing community access to technology and opportunities
to enhance technological proficiency supports learning inside and
outside the classroom as well as broader community improvement. Access
to computers and the Internet in the community is particularly important
for low-income students and adults. In 2000, 21 percent of children used
the Internet at home for school-related tasks, but many children and
adults do not have access to computers and the Internet outside of
school.

The Community Technology Centers program promotes the development of
model programs that demonstrate the educational effectiveness of
technology in urban and rural areas and economically distressed
communities.

**How It Works.** Eligible applicants for these up-to three-year grants
include nonprofit organizations, for-profit businesses, institutions of
higher education, school districts, or consortia of these entities that
have the capacity to significantly expand access to computers and
related services for disadvantaged residents of economically distressed
urban and rural communities who would otherwise lack such access.

# Key Requirements

The federal share of the cost of any funded project cannot exceed 50
percent. Grantees must use funds to create or expand community
technology centers and to evaluate the project's effectiveness.

# How It Achieves Quality

Applicants must demonstrate the need for services, commitment to the
project, and its sustainability. A plan for evaluation of the program,
including benchmarks to monitor progress, is required.

# How Performance Is Measured

The applicant's plan must include an evaluation with benchmarks to
monitor progress toward specific project objectives. Grantees prepare
and submit to the U.S. Department of Education an annual report that, at
a minimum, describes activities undertaken and results.

**Key Activities for the State Education Agencies.** State education
agencies may:

-   Cooperate in implementing this program

-   Submit applications for funding special initiatives where deemed
    appropriate.

# Educational, Cultural, Apprenticeship, and Exchange Programs for Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Their Historical Whaling and Trading Partners in Massachusetts, Title V, Part D, Subpart 12

**Purpose:** This program develops culturally based educational
activities, internships, apprenticeship programs, and exchanges to
assist Alaska Natives, native Hawaiians, and children and families of
Massachusetts linked by history and tradition to Alaska and Hawaii, to
learn about shared culture and traditions.

**How It Works.** Grants or contracts are awarded to: the Alaska Native
Heritage Center in Anchorage, Alaska; the Inupiat Heritage Center in
Barrow, Alaska; the Bishop Museum in Hawaii; the Peabody-Essex Museum in
Salem, Massachusetts; the New Bedford Whaling Museum and the New Bedford
Oceanarium in New Bedford, Massachusetts; other Alaska Native and Native
Hawaiian cultural and educational organizations; and other cultural and
educational organizations.

Funds are used for educational programs to increase the understanding of
cultural diversity and for programs that use modern technology to teach
about the cultural and trading relationships among Alaska Natives,
native Hawaiians, and the people of Massachusetts. In addition, the
program encourages intergenerational cultural exchanges among the target
populations to increase their awareness of the diverse cultures, as well
as sharing collections among cultural institutions. Internship and
apprenticeship programs in cultural institutions also may be funded.

# Key Requirements

Grantees submit an application to the secretary of education, in
accordance with the secretary's guidelines. Applicants are to inform the
local school district serving students who will participate in the
program.

Key Activities for the State Education Agencies. The state is involved
in key activities only to the extent that the state education agency
(SEA) may apply for a grant or contract. If awarded, the sea would be
subject to the terms of the grant or contract.

Arts In Education, Title V, Part D, Subpart 15

**Purpose.** The Arts in Education program supports education reform by
strengthening arts education as an integral part of the school
curriculum. Its intent is to help all students meet challenging state
academic content and achievement standards in the arts.

Children learn in many different ways. Findings from the NAEP 1997 Arts
Report Card indicate that artistic experiences provide visual, kinetic,
aural, and spatial learning. College Board data show that students who
have participated in sequential arts programs perform significantly
better on both the verbal and mathematics sections of the SAT than their
nonparticipating peers.

**How It Works.** If funding is greater than \$15 million, the Arts in
Education program is authorized to provide assistance---either through
discretionary grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts---to state
education agencies, school districts, institutions of higher education,
museums or other cultural institutions, and other public or private
organizations. Arts education funds may be used for activities such as
research on arts education, disseminating models of best practice,
developing state arts education assessments based on a state's
standards, or developing curriculum frameworks.

If funding is \$15 million or less, direct noncompetitive grants are
provided to the John F. Kennedy Center and Very Special Arts arts only.

# Key Requirements

Grantees are required to coordinate to the extent practicable with
public or private cultural agencies, institutions, and organizations
such as museums, arts education associations, libraries, and theaters.
They are also required to supplement and not supplant any other
assistance made available from nonfederal sources for program
activities.

Parental Assistance Information Centers,\
Title V, Part D, Subpart 16

**Purpose.** This program establishes school-linked or school-based
parental information and resource centers that provide training,
information, and support to parents, and to individuals and
organizations that work with parents, to implement parental involvement
strategies that lead to improvements in student academic achievement.

The research overwhelmingly demonstrates that parent involvement in
children's learning is positively related to achievement. Further, the
more intensively parents are involved in their children's learning, the
more beneficial the achievement effects. This holds true for all types
of parent involvement in children's learning and for all types and ages
of students. Researchers also have found that the schools with the most
successful parent involvement programs are those which offer parents a
variety of ways to participate.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| **Focuses on What Works**                                             |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires grantees to use at least 30 percent of their awards**  |
|     to establish, expand, or operate Parents as Teachers, Home        |
|     Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters, or other early      |
|     childhood parent education programs. Because parents are their    |
|     children's first and most influential teachers, these programs    |
|     help train parents in positive parenting skills, and provide the  |
|     information and support that parents need to give their child a   |
|     solid foundation for school success.                              |
|                                                                       |
| **Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility**                     |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Authorizes centers to assist schools** in meeting the Title I   |
|     parental involvement requirements, developing school improvement  |
|     plans, and coordinating family involvement initiatives.           |
|                                                                       |
| **Focuses on Academic Standards**                                     |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Emphasizes assisting parents** in participating effectively in  |
|     their children's education so that their children will meet state |
|     and local academic standards.                                     |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** The U.S. Department of Education awards competitive
grants to nonprofit organizations and consortia of nonprofit
organizations and school districts to establish school-linked or
school-based parental information and resource centers. Grants are to be
distributed to all geographic regions of the United States. The first
\$50 million of the amount appropriated is to be used for parent
information and resource centers. Any amount above \$50 million is to be
split evenly between the parent information and resource centers and the
local family information centers.

# Key Requirements

Organizations or consortia receiving assistance under this program
report annually on:

-   The number of parents who receive information and training,
    disaggregated by minority and limited English proficient status.

-   The types of training, information, and support provided.

-   The strategies used to reach and serve parents who are minority,
    limited English proficient, or have limited literacy skills.

-   The parental involvement policies and practices used by the center
    and an evaluation of whether the policies and practices are
    effective.

-   The effectiveness of the parental involvement activities of
    districts and schools on student achievement.

# How It Achieves Quality

Each organization or consortium submits to the secretary of education
information on the effectiveness of the parental involvement activities
that districts and schools are carrying out that lead to improved
student and school academic achievement.

# How Performance Is Measured

The performance of the program is measured through the annual data
reported by grantees.

Women's Educational Equity, Title V, Part D, Subpart 21

**Purpose.** This program provides financial assistance to enable
educational agencies to meet the requirements of Title IX of the
Education Amendments of 1972, and promotes educational equity for girls
and women who experience multiple forms of discrimination based on
gender, race, ethnic origin, limited English proficiency, disability, or
age.

**How It Works.** The secretary of education awards competitive grants
to public agencies, private nonprofit agencies, organizations,
institutions, student groups, community groups, and individuals. At
least two-thirds of the funds are used to award grants that focus on
developing model equity programs, and on local implementation of
gender-equity policies and practices at all educational levels. In
addition, the U.S. Department of Education supports research and
development activities that are designed to advance gender equity
nationwide and to foster equitable policies and practices in educational
agencies and institutions, as well as local communities.

Grants must address all levels of education in all regions of the United
States, and in urban, rural, and suburban schools.

# How It Achieves Quality

The secretary is to ensure that the program is administered within the
Department by a recognized professional with qualifications and
experience in the field of gender-equity education.

# How Performance Is Measured

The secretary is to submit to the president and Congress a report on the
status of educational equity for girls and women in the United States no
later than January 1, 2006. In addition, no later than January 1, 2005,
the secretary is to evaluate and disseminate materials and programs
developed under the program, and report to Congress.

Improving Academic Achievement, Accountability, Grants For State
Assessments And Enhanced Assessments,\
Title VI, Part A, Subpart 1

**Purpose.** The Grants for State Assessments and Related Activities
program helps states develop the assessments required under No Child
Left Behind and supports collaborative efforts with institutions of
higher education or research institutions to improve the quality of
assessments.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Focuses on What Works                                       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Facilitates identification of best practices.** Following the   |
|     development of the required state assessments, formula grants may |
|     be used to develop statewide information and reporting systems    |
|     designed to identify best educational practices based on          |
|     scientifically based research.                                    |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Increases Accountability for Student Performance            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Supports development of academic assessments required under     |
|     Title I.** Following the development of the required state        |
|     assessments, funds also may be used to develop multiple measures  |
|     to increase the reliability and validity of state assessment      |
|     systems; develop state standards and aligned assessments in       |
|     academic subjects that are not required by No Child Left Behind;  |
|     or develop or improve assessments of English language             |
|     proficiency.                                                      |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Empowers Parents                                            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Allows dissemination of achievement information to parents.**   |
|     Following the development of the required state assessments,      |
|     formula grants may be used to improve the dissemination of        |
|     information on student achievement and school performance to      |
|     parents and the community.                                        |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** This new grant program uses both a formula and a
competitive funding mechanism to support the development and
implementation of state assessments. The formula grants are called
Grants for State Assessments and Related Activities. This part of the
program will help states pay for the development and administration of
additional state assessments and standards. Each state receives \$3
million, and the remaining amount is allocated based on each state's
share of the population of children between the ages of 5 and 17. States
may use their formula funds to pay the costs of developing additional
state standards and assessments required by No Child Left Behind. If a
state has already developed the required standards and assessments, it
may use its funds to administer the assessments or carry out other
activities designed to hold school districts and schools accountable for
results.

[]{.mark}

The other part of the program, called Grants for Enhanced Assessment
Instruments, provides competitive grant awards to states to collaborate
with other organizations to improve the quality, validity, and
reliability of state assessments beyond the requirements for these
assessments in the new law. After the formula grant funding has been
allocated, any remaining funds are to be used for the competitive
grants. These grants are awarded based on the quality, needs, and scope
of the state application.

# Key Requirements

States must apply to the U.S. Department of Education, and those
receiving a grant must provide the secretary of education with an annual
report describing the activities they carried out under the grant and
the results of those activities. Ultimately, states are required to meet
the Title I accountability requirements.

# How It Achieves Quality

The formula funds can be used to carry out activities that help ensure
that schools and districts are held accountable for results. These
activities may include developing multiple measures to increase the
reliability and validity of state assessment systems or developing
information and reporting systems designed to identify best educational
practices based on scientifically based research.

The competitive awards are meant to improve the quality, validity, and
reliability of state academic assessments through collaboration with
institutions of higher education or other research institutions.

# How Performance Is Measured

Annual reports to the U.S. Department of Education, a requirement for
the competitive grants, will describe the activities undertaken and the
result of those activities.

Funding Transferability For State And Local Educational Agencies, Title
VI-A-2

**Purpose.** This program allows states and school districts to target
certain federal funds to the federal programs that most effectively meet
their local educational needs. This program empowers states and local
communities by giving them more control over resource allocation
decisions that will help them to elevate student achievement and close
the achievement gap. States and local communities are usually in the
best position to make such decisions.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| **Increases Accountability for Student Performance**                  |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Enforces accountability requirements.** Transferred funds are   |
|     subject to all requirements of the programs to which the funds    |
|     are transferred.                                                  |
|                                                                       |
| **Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility**                     |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Allows funds to be transferred across programs.** This program  |
|     provides states and most districts with the flexibility to most   |
|     effectively address their unique needs by allowing them to        |
|     transfer certain program funds to activities that best meet their |
|     needs.                                                            |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** This program allows a state to transfer up to 50
percent of the funds it receives for state-level, non-administrative
activities under the Improving Teacher Quality State Grants, Educational
Technology State Grants, State Grants for Innovative Programs, Safe and
Drug-Free Schools and Communities State Grants (including funds reserved
for the Governor's Program with the consent of the Governor), and 21st
Century Community Learning Centers programs to supplement its state
reservation under these programs. In addition, a state may use the
transferred funds to carry out state-level activities authorized under
Part A of Title I. It is important to note that funds can only be
transferred into Title I; no Title I funds may be transferred to other
programs.

This program also allows any district that has not been identified as in
need of improvement or subject to corrective action under Title I to
transfer up to 50 percent of its formula allocation under the Teacher
Quality State Grants, Educational Technology State Grants, Innovative
Programs, or Safe and Drug-Free Schools programs to supplement its
allocation under any of the programs listed above or to supplement its
allocation under Part A of Title I.

A district identified as in need of improvement may transfer up to 30
percent of its allocation for the programs listed above only if it
transfers the funds to: (1) supplement its school improvement
allocation; or (2) carry out Title I district improvement activities. A
district identified as in need of corrective action may not transfer any
funds. States and districts must use any transferred funds in such a way
as to meet all the requirements of the programs to which they are
transferred.

# Key Requirements

Each state transferring funds must: (1) notify the U.S. Department of
Education, at least 30 days prior to the transfer, of its intent to
transfer funds; (2) modify each state plan affected by the transfer; and
(3) provide the Department, not later than 30 days after the transfer,
with a copy of the modified plans; and (4) conduct consultations in
accordance with Section 9501 of the ESEA in order to provide for the
equitable participation of private school students and staff.

Each district that transfers funds must: (1) notify the state education
agency (SEA), at least 30 days prior to the transfer, of its intent to
transfer funds; (2) modify each local plan affected by the transfer; (3)
provide the SEA, not later than 30 days after the transfer, with a copy
of the modified plans; and (4) conduct consultations in accordance with
Section 9501 of the ESEA in order to provide for the equitable
participation of private school students and staff.

# How It Achieves Quality

Because states and districts must use transferred funds to meet the
requirements of programs to which they are transferred, all quality and
performance requirements for each program apply. For example, all
Teacher Quality activities supported with transferred funds must reflect
scientifically based research strategies.

# How Performance Is Measured

States are still accountable for the performance of each program
included in the transferability authority. The transferred funds are
subject to the performance measures of the program into which the funds
are transferred.

**Key Activities for the State Education Agencies.** State education
agencies must:

-   Notify the U.S. Department of Education at least 30 days prior to
    the transfer of state funds.

-   Modify each state plan affected by the transfer.

-   Provide the Department, not later than 30 days after the transfer,
    with a copy of the modified plans.

-   Enable local districts discretion in transferring funds among
    accounts (subject to the statutory limitations on transferability)
    so that they can take full advantage of the flexibility offered by
    the legislation.

**State Flexibility ("State-Flex") Authority, TitleVI, Part A, Subpart-3
(a)**

**Purpose.** This program gives up to seven states increased flexibility
to demonstrate how certain federal funds may be used flexibly to raise
student academic achievement and close the achievement gaps between
groups of students. This program allows states---and between 4 to 10
districts within those states---to use certain federal funds in ways
that they deem to be most productive. This program was created because
many educational innovations have been developed through state and local
initiatives rather than through targeted federal programs, and states
and communities are often in the best position to make decisions about
how to target educational resources.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| **Focuses on What Works**                                             |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires that achievement data be used to gauge success.**      |
|     State-Flex allows states to make the best use of federal funds in |
|     their efforts to raise academic achievement and close the         |
|     achievement gap. Each state must explain why and how the proposed |
|     uses of funds will increase the state's capacity to make adequate |
|     yearly progress and meet the state's educational goals.           |
|                                                                       |
| **Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility**                     |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Consolidates funds across several programs.** State-Flex        |
|     permits state education agencies (SEAs) to combine state-level    |
|     funds across programs and specify how all districts in the state  |
|     must use certain Innovative Programs State Grants (Title V-A) if  |
|     doing so will help the state to raise student achievement and     |
|     eliminate achievement gaps. States also must enter into between   |
|     four and 10 performance agreements with school districts to       |
|     accomplish these purposes in those districts. At least half of    |
|     these districts must be high-poverty districts.                   |
|                                                                       |
| **Increases Accountability for Student Performance**                  |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Withdraws flexibility authority if achievement objectives are   |
|     not met.** States that fail to make adequate yearly progress for  |
|     two consecutive years will lose flexibility authority. In         |
|     addition, states must disseminate an annual report to the public  |
|     in which they identify how consolidated funds were used to        |
|     improve student achievement over the past year.                   |
|                                                                       |
| **Empowers Parents**                                                  |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Informs parents of outcomes associated with the flexible use of |
|     funds.** All SEAs with State-Flex authority are required to       |
|     widely disseminate to parents and the public an annual report     |
|     that describes how the state and the districts with which the     |
|     state has performance agreements use the consolidated funds to    |
|     make adequate yearly progress and advance the education           |
|     priorities of the state and districts.                            |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** This program allows the U.S. Department of Education
to grant flexibility authority to up to seven eligible SEAs for a
five-year period. The secretary of education will grant State-Flex
authority to eligible SEAs on a competitive basis using a peer-review
process. Once granted State-Flex authority, a state does not receive any
additional federal funds, but the SEA must undertake the following two
activities and can choose to undertake the third activity:

**Activity #1:** Consolidate funds for state-level activities and state
administration under any of these six Elementary and Secondary Education
Act (ESEA) authorities, and use the funds for any authorized ESEA
purpose in order to assist the SEA in making adequate yearly progress
and in narrowing achievement gaps:

1)  Improving the Academic Achievement of Disadvantaged Children: State
    Administration (Section 1004): This part of Title I authorizes
    states to use a portion of funds for state-level administration of
    the program. This program provides extra resources to help improve
    instruction in high-poverty schools and ensure that poor and
    minority children have the same opportunity as other children to
    meet challenging state academic standards.

2)  Reading First: Formula Grants to State Education Agencies, State
    Uses of Funds (Paragraphs (4) and (5) of Section 1202(d)). These
    parts of the legislation authorize SEAs to use a portion of Reading
    First funds for technical assistance to LEAs and schools and for
    planning, administration and reporting purposes. Reading First helps
    states, school districts, and schools to ensure that every child can
    read at grade level or above by the end of third grade through the
    implementation of instructional programs and materials, assessments,
    and professional development based on scientifically based reading
    research.

3)  State Grants for Improving Teacher Quality ("Teacher and Principal
    Training and Recruitment"): State Uses of Funds (Section
    2113(a)(3)). This section authorizes SEAs to reserve a portion of
    the program funds for state-level activities and state-level
    administration of the program. This program aims to improve teacher
    and principal quality through activities such as professional
    development, merit pay, recruitment initiatives and a variety of
    other activities.

4)  Enhancing Education through Technology: State and Local Technology
    Grants, Use of Allotment by State (Section 2412(a)(1)). This section
    authorizes states to use up to 5 percent of funds for state-level
    activities. The purpose of this program is to provide high-quality
    professional development in technology, increase access to the
    Internet, integrate technology into curricula, and use technology
    for parental involvement and management of data for informed
    decision-making.

5)  Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Governor's funds, with
    agreement of governor: Subsection (a) of Section 4112. This
    subsection authorizes the state to reserve a portion of funds for
    the governor to award competitive grants and contracts to school
    districts, community-based organizations, and other public and
    private organizations for a variety of safety and drug-prevention
    programs and activities.

6)  21st Century Community Learning Centers: Allotments to States
    (paragraphs (2) and (3) of Section 4202(c)). These paragraphs
    authorize the state to use program funds for administration of the
    program and state-level activities. The overall purpose of this
    program is to provide opportunities for communities to establish or
    expand activities in community learning centers.

7)  Innovative Programs: Allocation to Local Education Agencies (Section
    5112(b)). This section authorizes a small portion of funds to be
    used for state administration of the program. This program provides
    funds for a wide variety of state and local reform efforts such as
    school renovations, technology, school choice and other initiatives.

**Activity #2:** Enter into performance agreements with four to 10
districts (at least half of which are "high-poverty") in the state,
permitting those districts to consolidate federal funds and use them for
any ESEA purpose consistent with the state's State-Flex plan. The
purpose of the performance agreements is to assist the districts in
making adequate yearly progress and in narrowing achievement gaps.
(Under State-Flex, "high-poverty" districts are those where at least 20
percent of children are from families below the poverty line.) Districts
must still meet the general purposes of the programs included in the
consolidation. The four to 10 districts that enter into performance
agreements with their SEA in a State-Flex state may consolidate and use
funds awarded to them *on a formula basis* under any of the following
programs for any ESEA Purpose:

1)  Improving Teacher Quality State Grants ("Teacher and Principal
    Training and Recruiting"): Subgrants to Local Education Agencies
    (Subpart 2 of Part A of Title II). This subpart authorizes the
    allocation of subgrants to school districts for a variety of teacher
    quality interventions including professional development,
    recruitment initiatives, merit pay and many other activities.

2)  Enhancing Education through Technology (Subpart 1 of Part D of Title
    II). This program awards formula grants to states. States then
    distribute funds to high-need districts or consortia for
    high-quality professional development, increased access to the
    Internet, integration of technology into curricula, and the use of
    technology for promoting parental involvement and managing data for
    informed decision-making.

3)  Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities (Subpart 1 of Part A of
    Title IV). This program supports interventions that aim to: prevent
    violence in and around schools, prevent the use of alcohol, drugs,
    and tobacco by young people, and foster a safe and drug-free
    learning environment that supports academic achievement.

4)  Innovative Programs: State and Local Programs (Subpart 1 of Part A
    of Title V). This program provides funds for a wide variety of state
    and local reform efforts such as school renovations, technology,
    school choice, and other initiatives.

**Activity #3**: Specify how any district in the state may use
Innovative Program funds under Part A of Title V.

# Key Requirements

In order to be considered for State-Flex, an SEA must submit an
application that, among other things:

-   Includes a five-year plan describing how the SEA will consolidate
    and use funds from programs included in the scope of the grant
    authority in order to make adequate yearly progress and advance the
    educational priorities of the state and the districts with which the
    SEA enters into performance agreements;

-   Includes the proposed performance agreements that the SEA will enter
    into with between four and 10 districts (at least half of which must
    be high-poverty districts). Each proposed district performance
    agreement will contain plans for the districts to consolidate and
    use federal funds for activities that are aligned with the SEA's
    plan in order to assist the districts in making adequate yearly
    progress, improving student achievement, narrowing achievement gaps,
    and meeting the general purposes of the programs included;

-   Ensures that the SEA, and the districts with which it enters into
    performance agreements, will meet the requirements of all applicable
    civil rights laws, will provide for the equitable participation of
    students and staff in private schools, and will use funds
    consolidated under this authority only to supplement and not to
    supplant any nonfederal sources of funds; and

-   Demonstrates that the SEA has consulted with and involved parents,
    teachers, district representatives, and other educators in the
    development of the terms of the grant authority.

# How It Achieves Quality

The secretary of education will grant State-Flex authority to eligible
SEAs on a competitive basis using a peer-review process. Peer reviewers
will use selection criteria that measure the quality of proposed
State-Flex plans. In their applications, SEAs must demonstrate that
their proposed State-Flex plans have substantial promise of assisting
the state in making adequate yearly progress. States that fail to make
adequate yearly progress for two consecutive years will lose flexibility
authority.

# How Performance Is Measured

All states participating in State-Flex are required to prepare an annual
report that describes how the state and the districts with which the
state has performance agreements use the consolidated funds to make
adequate yearly progress and advance the education priorities of the
state and districts. As noted above, if a State-Flex state does not make
adequate yearly progress for two consecutive years, the secretary will
terminate the agreement.

**Key Activities for the State Education Agencies.** In order to be
considered for State-Flex, a state education agency must:

-   Submit a comprehensive five-year State-Flex proposal to the
    secretary.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Consult with parents, district representatives and other educators
    in developing the terms of the grant authority.

-   Include in its proposal at least four and as many as 10 proposed
    performance agreements with districts, at least half of which must
    be high-poverty districts.

-   Disseminate a report that describes the use of consolidated funds
    and how such consolidation contributes to adequate yearly progress
    and meets the educational needs of the state and participating
    districts each year.

Local Flexibility ("Local-Flex") Demonstration,\
Title VI, Part A, Subpart 3 (b)

**Purpose.** This program provides school districts with the flexibility
to consolidate certain federal education funds and use them for any
educational purpose permitted under the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) in order
to assist the districts in making adequate yearly progress and in
narrowing achievement gaps. Because local communities are often in the
best position to determine the most effective use of educational
resources, this program was created to demonstrate how local initiatives
can help meet a state's definition of adequate yearly progress and
attain specific measurable goals for improving student achievement and
narrowing achievement gaps.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| **Focuses on What Works**                                             |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires the use of disaggregated achievement data to gauge     |
|     success.** In their applications, districts must indicate how     |
|     they will monitor the implementation of their Local-Flex plans in |
|     order to ensure effectiveness. For example, a district will only  |
|     be granted Local-Flex authority if, among other things, its       |
|     proposal specifies how it will use achievement data and other     |
|     academic indicators to manage the proposed activities and monitor |
|     progress.                                                         |
|                                                                       |
| **Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility**                     |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Permits consolidation of funds across several programs.** A     |
|     district with Local-Flex authority may use consolidated funds for |
|     any educational purpose under NCLB in order to meet its state's   |
|     definition of adequate yearly progress and other specific         |
|     educational goals set in the Local-Flex agreement. Districts that |
|     consolidate funds will not be required to meet any of the         |
|     specific requirements of the programs included in the             |
|     consolidation. However, districts still will have to meet the     |
|     general purposes of those programs.                               |
|                                                                       |
| **Increases Accountability for Student Performance**                  |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires districts to set student achievement objectives.** As  |
|     part of their Local-Flex plans, school districts must set annual  |
|     objectives for improving student achievement and eliminating      |
|     achievement gaps.                                                 |
|                                                                       |
| ```{=html}                                                            |
| <!-- -->                                                              |
| ```                                                                   |
| -   **Withdraws flexibility authority if achievement objectives are   |
|     not met.** The U.S. Department of Education must terminate any    |
|     Local-Flex agreement with a district if that agency fails to meet |
|     the state's definition of adequate yearly progress for two        |
|     consecutive years.                                                |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act: (cont.)**                |
|                                                                       |
| **Empowers Parents**                                                  |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires that parents be informed of the outcomes associated    |
|     with the flexible use of funds.** Each Local-Flex district will   |
|     be required to disseminate widely to parents and the public an    |
|     annual report that describes how the district used funds          |
|     consolidated under the agreement to improve student achievement   |
|     and reduce achievement gaps.                                      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** This program allows the secretary of education to
enter into local flexibility demonstration agreements with up to 80
local districts in states that do not have State-Flex authority.
Local-Flex districts may consolidate and use certain federal funds for
any educational purpose authorized under the ESEA. Unlike the district
performance agreements under State-Flex (which are between SEAs and
districts), the flexibility agreements under Local-Flex are directly
between the secretary and districts. Each agreement will be for a period
of five years, but that time period may be shortened or extended
depending on a district's performance under the agreement.

Local-Flex districts may consolidate and use funds received on a formula
basis under any of the following authorities and use those funds for any
educational purpose permitted under the ESEA:

-   Title II: Teacher and Principal Training and Recruiting: Subpart 2
    of Part A;

-   Title II: Enhancing Education through Technology: Subpart 1 of Part
    D;

-   Title IV: Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities: Subpart 1 of
    Part A;

-   Title V: Innovative Programs: Subpart 1 of Part A.

The secretary will enter into Local-Flex agreements with districts on a
competitive basis using a peer-review process. The Department may enter
into no more than three Local-Flex agreements per state.

# Key Requirements

To be considered for Local-Flex, a district must submit to the
Department a proposed Local-Flex agreement that contains several
elements, including: a five-year plan that outlines strategies for
meeting the district's achievement goals; information on how the
district will consolidate and use funds received by formula under
permitted programs; information on how the district will use baseline
data on student academic achievement and data on achievement trends; and
information on the district's specific measurable education goals with
annual objectives for raising student achievement and narrowing
achievement gaps relative to the baseline achievement data.

# How It Achieves Quality

In order to ensure quality, the secretary will select Local-Flex
districts on a competitive basis using a peer-review process. The
secretary will enter into Local-Flex agreements only with a district
whose application shows substantial promise of helping it to meet the
state's definition of adequate yearly progress and state-specific goals
for improving academic achievement and eliminating achievement gaps. If
a district fails to meet the state's definition of adequate yearly
progress for two consecutive years, the Department will terminate the
Local-Flex agreement with that district.

# How Performance Is Measured

At the end of each year of the Local-Flex agreement, the district must
prepare a report that describes how the district used the funds
consolidated under the agreement to improve student achievement and
reduce achievement gaps. The district submits this report to the
secretary and must widely disseminate it to parents and the general
public. If a Local-Flex district does not make adequate yearly progress
for two consecutive years during the term of the agreement, the
secretary must terminate the agreement.

Rural Education Initiative: Small, Rural School Achievement, Title VI,
Part B, Subpart 1

**Purpose.** This program provides additional formula funds and
flexibility in the use of certain federal funds to small, rural
districts.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| > **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                      |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility               |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Provides participating districts with additional flexibility.** |
|     Eligible districts are authorized to consolidate certain federal  |
|     funds.                                                            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Increases eligibility options.** Additional options may be used |
|     to make districts eligible.                                       |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Increases Accountability for Student Performance            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Districts Required to Make Annual Yearly Progress.** State      |
|     education agencies (SEAs) are required to determine, after the    |
|     third year, if a school district has to meet adequate yearly      |
|     progress requirements. If the district has, it may continue to    |
|     participate. If not, it may participate only if it moves the      |
|     applicable funds from school from school improvement activities.  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** This formula grant program provides funds directly to
eligible school districts based on the number of students in average
daily attendance in the schools served by the district and the amount
that the district received under certain federal programs in the
previous fiscal year. To be eligible for this program, a district must:
(1) have an average daily attendance of fewer than 600 students or serve
only schools located in counties with a population density of fewer than
10 persons per square mile and (2) serve only schools located in an area
defined by the U.S. Department of Education as being rural or rural near
an urban area (or the LEA can demonstrate that is located in an area
defined as rural by a state government agency).

Districts are authorized to combine their allocations under the
Improving Teacher Quality, State Grants for Innovative Programs
(formerly Title VI), Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities, 2 st
Century Community Learning Centers, and Educational Technology State
Grants programs. Districts are authorized to use their consolidated
funds to carry out activities authorized under the Title I, Teacher
Quality, Educational Technology, Bilingual Education, Innovative
Programs, and Safe and Drug-Free Schools programs.

# 

# Key Requirements

Each participating district must administer an assessment that is
consistent with the assessment required under Title I. State education
agencies are required to determine, after the third year that a district
participates, whether the district met the state's definition of
adequate yearly progress. SEAs may permit districts that met the
definition of adequate yearly progress to continue to participate and
permit a district that did not meet the definition of adequate yearly
progress to continue to participate only if it agrees to use its
consolidated funds for Title I school improvement activities.

# How Performance Is Measured

Districts must meet adequate yearly progress to continue to participate
and have maximum flexibility in the use of funds. If a district fails to
meet adequate yearly progress, it may continue to participate only if it
uses its funds for Title I school improvement activities.

Rural Education Initiative:\
Rural And Low-Income School, Title VI, Part B, Subpart 2

**Purpose.** This new program provides additional funds to rural
districts that serve concentrations of poor students. An LEA that is
eligible to receive funds under the Small, Rural School Achievement
program may not participate in the Rural and Low-Income School Program.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Increases Accountability for Student Performance            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires adequate yearly progress.** State education agencies   |
|     (SEAs) are required to determine, after the third year, if and    |
|     how a district can continue to participate in the program based   |
|     on its ability to meet adequate yearly progress requirements.     |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Establishes education goals.** Requires each state or specially |
|     qualified agency (an eligible district in a state that chooses    |
|     not to apply for a grant) to establish, at a minimum, specific    |
|     educational goals and objectives related to: (1) increased        |
|     student achievement; (2) decreased student dropout rate; or (3)   |
|     other factors that the SEA or specially qualified agency may      |
|     choose to measure.                                                |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires an annual progress report.** All grant recipients must |
|     provide the U.S. Department of Education with an annual report on |
|     how districts and schools used the funds and what progress was    |
|     made toward the goals and objectives included in the state's      |
|     application for funds. SEAs that receive grants also must include |
|     the method they used to allocate funds to eligible districts.     |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility               |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Allows direct applications to the federal government.**         |
|     Eligible districts in states that choose not to participate in    |
|     the program can apply directly to the U.S. Department of          |
|     Education for funds.                                              |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** This formula grant program provides funds based on
each state's share of students in average daily attendance in eligible
districts. Participating SEAs have three options to allocate funds to
eligible districts. The first is through a formula based on a district's
share of the number of students in average daily attendance in eligible
districts within the state. The second is by a competitive process. The
third is through an alternative formula that, to the satisfaction of the
U.S. Department of Education, more effectively targets funds to
high-poverty districts. The Department is required to make awards to
specially qualified agencies (an eligible LEA in a state that chooses
not to apply for a grant) through a formula based on a district's share
of the number of students in average daily attendance in eligible
districts within the state or through a competitive process. Any
eligible entity that wants to receive a grant needs to submit an
application.

# How It Achieves Quality

An SEA or a specially qualified agency is required to establish, at a
minimum, specific educational goals and objectives related to increasing
student achievement and decreasing the student dropout rate.

# How Performance Is Measured

All grant recipients must provide U.S. Department of Education with an
annual report on how districts and schools used the funds and made
progress toward the goals and objectives included in the state's
application for funds. SEAs that receive grants also must include in
this annual report the method used by the SEA to allocate funds to
eligible districts. The U.S. Department of Education must report
biennially to Congress on (1) the methods used by SEAs to allocate funds
to eligible districts; (2) how districts and schools used the funds; and
(3) progress made by SEAs toward the goals and objectives included in
their application for funds. Performance is also measured in terms of
adequate yearly progress.

**Key Activities for the State Education Agencies.** State education
agencies must:

-   Apply for funds through a program-specific application or as part of
    the consolidated application.

-   Submit an annual report on (1) the method used by the SEA to
    allocate funds to eligible districts; (2) how districts and schools
    used the funds; and (3) the progress made toward the goals and
    objectives included in the state's application for funds.

-   Allocate funds to districts either by formula or a competitive
    process.

General Provisions, National Assessment Of Educational Progress, Title
VI, Subpart C\
National Education Statistics Act, Section 411

**Purpose.** The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
provides high-quality data on the achievement of elementary and
secondary school students in reading, mathematics, science, and other
subjects. NAEP, also known as the "nation's report card," is the only
nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's
students know and can do in various subject areas. It has been
administered periodically since 1969.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility               |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Provides federal funding for administration of NAEP state       |
|     assessments.** The N*o* Child Left Behind Act removes a previous  |
|     prohibition on using federal funds to pay for the administration  |
|     of state assessments, and authorizes funding to pay for           |
|     administration of these assessments.                              |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Limits the use of NAEP.** The new law prohibits the federal     |
|     government from using NAEP to influence standards, assessments,   |
|     curriculum, or instructional practices at the state and local     |
|     levels to evaluate individual students or teachers or to provide  |
|     rewards or sanctions for individual students, teachers, schools,  |
|     or school districts. In addition, the law specifies that NAEP may |
|     not be used for student promotion or graduation purposes, and     |
|     that NAEP should not affect home schools.                         |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Increases Accountability for Student Performance            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires states and selected school districts to participate in |
|     biennial state-level NAEP assessments** in reading and            |
|     mathematics at grades 4 and 8 as a condition for receiving Title  |
|     I funds. State-level NAEP data will enable policymakers to        |
|     examine the relative rigor of state standards and assessments     |
|     against a common metric.                                          |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Empowers Parents                                            |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Informs parents.** Parents of children selected to participate  |
|     in NAEP must be informed before the assessment is administered    |
|     that their child may be excused from participating and is not     |
|     required to complete the assessment or answer any test question.  |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Ensures access to NAEP data and questions.** Parents and        |
|     members of the public will have access to all assessment data,    |
|     questions, and assessment instruments in a secure setting.        |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** By making objective information on student performance
available to policymakers at the national, state, and local levels, NAEP
has become an important tool in the evaluation of our nation's education
system.

NAEP is administered by the U.S. Department of Education's National
Center for Education Statistics (NCES) under the policy direction of the
independent National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB). Under current
law, NAEP must conduct biennial national and state assessments in
reading and mathematics at grades 4 and 8. In addition, NAEP must
conduct a national assessment and may conduct a state assessment in
reading and mathematics in grade 12 at regularly scheduled intervals. To
the extent that time and money allow, NAEP must be conducted in
additional subjects---including science, writing, history, geography,
civics, economics, foreign languages, and arts---in grades 4, 8, and 12
at regularly scheduled intervals. NCES also will continue the long-term
trend assessments of students at ages 9, 13, and 17 in reading and
mathematics.

Results of the assessments are reported for the nation and states in
terms of average scores as well as the percentage of students that reach
each of the Governing Board's three achievement levels: basic,
proficient, and advanced. NAEP results will be disaggregated to the
extent feasible by race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status,
disability, and limited English proficiency.

The No Child Left Behind Act amended the National Education Statistics
Act provisions concerning NAEP and also added requirements concerning
state and district participation in NAEP to the Title I statute. States
are now required to participate in the biennial state-level NAEP in
reading and mathematics at grades 4 and 8 as a condition of receiving
Title I funds. Similarly, school districts selected for the NAEP sample
are required to participate as a condition of Title I funding.
Participation in other NAEP assessments is voluntary for states and
school districts. Participation in all NAEP assessments is voluntary for
students.

The federal government will pay for the administration of the state NAEP
assessments. The N*o* Child Left Behind Act amendments to the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act removed the previous prohibition on using
federal funds to pay to administer state NAEP assessments.

# How It Achieves Quality

The statute requires NCES to provide for ongoing review of NAEP
assessments by professional organizations to ensure quality. Oversight
of NAEP assessments and policy is provided by the independent,
bipartisan National Assessment Governing Board, whose members include
governors, state legislators, local and state school officials,
educators, business representatives, parents, and members of the general
public.

Indian Education, Title VII, Part A

**Purpose.** The Indian Education program supports the efforts of school
districts, Indian tribes and organizations, postsecondary institutions,
and other entities to meet the unique educational and culturally related
academic needs of American Indian and Alaska Native students so that
they can meet the same challenging state student academic achievement
standards as all other students.

The federal government has a unique and continuing trust relationship
with and responsibility to the Indian people for the education of Indian
children. The federal government continues to work with school
districts, Indian tribes and organizations, postsecondary institutions,
and other entities toward the goal of ensuring that programs that serve
Indian children are of the highest quality and provide for not only the
basic elementary and secondary educational needs but also the unique
educational and culturally related academic needs of these children.

On average, American Indian and Alaska Native students tend to
demonstrate lower achievement levels than members of other groups.
National Assessment of Educational Progress test results for
fourth-graders show that American Indians and Alaskan Natives score
below basic levels in reading, math, and history. Other differences
exist between the American Indian and Alaska Native population and the
general population in educational attainment. For example, only
66 percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives had graduated from
high school in 1990, compared with 75 percent of the general population.
American Indian and Alaska Native students are also less frequently
college-bound, and their SAT and ACT scores are lower than national
norms.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility               |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Authorizes school districts receiving funds under the formula   |
|     program to consolidate funds from other federal programs that     |
|     provide education and related services to Indians as a            |
|     demonstration authority.** Requires the U.S. Department of        |
|     Education to submit an interim report to Congress on the status   |
|     of the demonstration project within two years of enactment and a  |
|     final report within five years.                                   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** There are three major activities funded under the
Indian Education Program: Grants to districts, special programs, and
national activities.

-   **Grants to school districts.** Formula grants are given to school
    districts and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) -operated or supported
    schools based on the number of Indian children and the state's
    per-pupil expenditure for education. Grants go only to districts in
    which there are at least 10 Indian children or the Indian children
    make up at least 25 percent of the total enrollment. Districts in
    California, Alaska, and Oklahoma, and those located on or near
    reservations, are exempted from this requirement. Each local
    district receives at least \$3,000.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   **Special Programs.** Competitive grants are given to, among others,
    state education agencies (SEAs) and districts, Indian tribes and
    organizations, and federally supported schools for Indians for up to
    five years. Currently funded activities include demonstrations for
    early childhood projects and professional development.

-   **National Research, Data Collection, and Evaluation Activities.**
    The U.S. Department of Education may carry out any of these
    activities directly or through grants to, or contracts or
    cooperative agreements with, Indian tribes, Indian organizations,
    state education agencies (SEAs), school districts, institutions of
    higher education, including Indian institutions of higher education,
    and other public and private agencies and institutions. Research
    activities will be carried out in consultation with the Office of
    Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) and may include
    collaborative research activities that are jointly funded and
    carried out by the Office of Indian Education Programs (OIE) and
    OERI.

# Key Requirements

**Grants to local school districts.** Acceptable activities under this
program include:

-   Culturally related activities that support the application;

-   Early childhood and family programs;

-   Enrichment programs that directly support the attainment of
    challenging state academic content and student academic achievement
    standards;

-   Integrated educational services;

-   Career preparation activities;

-   Activities concerning substance abuse and to prevent substance
    abuse;

-   Activities that incorporate American Indian- and Alaska
    Native-specific curriculum content, consistent with state standards,
    into the curriculum; and

-   Family literacy services.

**Special Programs.** Acceptable activities under this program include:

-   Incentive programs related to the educational needs of educationally
    disadvantaged children;

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Educational services;

-   Bilingual and bicultural programs and projects;

-   Special health and nutrition services, and other related services;

-   Programs designed to assist and encourage Indian children to enter,
    remain in, or re-enter school, and to increase the rate of high
    school graduation for Indian children;

-   Early childhood and kindergarten programs;

-   Partnership projects between schools and local businesses for career
    preparation programs designed to provide Indian youths with the
    knowledge and skills they need to make an effective transition from
    school to a high-skill, high-wage career;

-   Programs designed to encourage and assist Indian students to work
    toward, and gain entrance into, an institution of higher education;
    and

-   Family literacy services.

**National Research Activities.** The U.S. Department of Education may
use funds to conduct research related to effective approaches for
educating Indian children and adults; evaluate federally assisted
education programs from which Indian children and adults may benefit;
collect and analyze data on the educational status and needs of Indians;
and carry out other activities that are consistent with the purpose of
this program.

# How It Achieves Quality

Applications for district formula grants must include academic content
and student academic achievement goals, as well as benchmarks for
attaining such goals, that are based on the challenging state academic
content and achievement standards for all children adopted under Title
I. Applicants for competitive grants must provide information
demonstrating that the proposed program is based on scientific research
and may have been modified to be culturally appropriate for students who
will be served.

# How Performance Is Measured

Each school district will prepare and submit reports to the U.S.
Department of Education on the effectiveness of the funded activities in
improving the educational achievement of Indian students.

Native Hawaiian Education, Title VII-B

**Purpose.** The Education of Native Hawaiians program develops
innovative educational programs to assist native Hawaiians, provides
direction and guidance to appropriate federal, state, and local agencies
to focus resources on native Hawaiian education, provides periodic
assessment and data collection, and encourages the maximum participation
of native Hawaiians in planning and managing native Hawaiian education
programs.

This program was enacted because of native Hawaiians' unique status as
the indigenous people of a once-sovereign nation to whom the United
States has established a trust relationship. Native Hawaiian students
continue to begin school lagging behind other students in terms of
readiness factors such as vocabulary test scores. Native Hawaiian
students also continue to score below national norms on standardized
education achievement tests at all grade levels. Both public and private
schools continue to show a pattern of lower percentages of native
Hawaiian students in the uppermost achievement levels and in gifted and
talented programs. Native Hawaiian students are often overrepresented
among students qualifying for special education programs provided to
students with learning disabilities, mild mental retardation, emotional
impairment, other such disabilities, and are more likely to be retained
in grade level and to be excessively absent in secondary school.
Additionally, Native Hawaiians are underrepresented in institutions of
higher education and among adults who have completed four or more years
of college.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility               |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Combines six programs into one comprehensive grant program.**   |
|     Consolidated programs include: The Native Hawaiian Family-Based   |
|     Education Centers; the Native Hawaiian Curriculum Development,    |
|     Teacher Training and Recruitment Program; the Native Hawaiian     |
|     Gifted and Talented Program; the Native Hawaiian Higher Education |
|     Program; the Native Hawaiian Special Education Program, and the   |
|     Native Hawaiian Community-Based Education Learning Centers.       |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Focuses on What Works                                       |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Sets a priority for reading.** One of four priorities that the  |
|     U.S. Department of Education will consider in awarding grants are |
|     projects designed to address beginning reading and literacy among |
|     students in kindergarten through third grade. This emphasis is    |
|     important for native Hawaiian students because of their lower     |
|     standardized assessment test scores.                              |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Sets other priorities.** In awarding grants, the U.S.           |
|     Department of Education also gives a priority to projects that    |
|     are designed to address the needs of at-risk children and youths; |
|     needs in fields or disciplines in which native Hawaiians are      |
|     underemployed; and the use of the Hawaiian language in            |
|     instruction.                                                      |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act: (cont.)**                |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Other Major New Requirements                                |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Appoints members of the Native Hawaiian Education Council.**    |
|     The secretary of education is required to appoint members of the  |
|     Native Hawaiian Education Council based on recommendations from   |
|     the native Hawaiian community. The council may make direct grants |
|     to coordinate the educational and related services and programs   |
|     available to native Hawaiians.                                    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** This program consists of two separate activities: The
Native Hawaiian Education Council (and grants) and the Native Hawaiian
Education programs.

Members of the Education Council are appointed by the secretary of
education based on recommendations received from the native Hawaiian
community. The U.S. Department of Education makes a direct grant to the
council. The Department also can make direct grants to, or enter into
contracts with, native Hawaiian educational organizations; native
Hawaiian community-based organizations; public and private nonprofit
organizations, agencies, and institutions with experience in developing
or operating native Hawaiian programs or programs of instruction in the
native Hawaiian language; and consortia of the organizations, agencies,
and institutions, to carry out programs that meet the purposes of this
program. The Department also helps establish native Hawaiian education
island councils on seven of the Hawaiian Islands.

# Key Requirements

**Native Hawaiian Education Council Grant.** The Department will make a
direct grant to the Education Council to carry out the following
activities:

-   Coordinate the educational and related services and programs
    available to native Hawaiians, including those supported under Title
    VII-B.

-   Assess the extent to which such services and programs meet the needs
    of native Hawaiians, and collect data on Native Hawaiian education.

-   Provide direction and guidance by issuing reports and
    recommendations to appropriate federal, state, and local agencies in
    order to focus and improve the use of resources, including resources
    made available under Title VII-B, relating to native Hawaiian
    education, and serve, where appropriate, in an advisory capacity.

-   Make direct grants, if such grants enable the Education Council to
    carry out its duties.

No later than four years after the enactment of the No Child Left Behind
Act, the secretary of education shall prepare and submit to Congress a
report that summarizes the annual reports of the Education Council,
describes the allocation and use of funds, and contains recommendations
for changes in federal, state, and local policy to advance the purposes
of this program.

**Native Hawaiian Education programs.** In awarding grants or contracts,
the U.S. Department of Education will give priority to projects that are
designed to address:

-   beginning reading and literacy among students in kindergarten
    through third grade;

-   the needs of at-risk children and youths;

-   needs in fields or disciplines in which native Hawaiians are
    underemployed; and

-   the use of the Hawaiian language in instruction.

Alaska Native Education, Title VII, Part C

**Purpose.** This program is designed to meet the unique educational
needs of Alaska Natives and support the development of supplemental
educational programs for their benefit. Many Alaska Native children
begin and leave school with serious educational handicaps. The
educational achievement of Alaska Native children is far below national
norms. Native performance on standardized tests is low, Native student
dropout rates are high, and natives are significantly underrepresented
among Alaskans who have college degrees. The sheer magnitude of the
geographic barriers to be overcome in delivering educational services in
rural Alaska and Alaska villages requires the development and
implementation of a variety of innovative, model programs. More than
half of Alaska's public schools are in rural areas. Its rural schools
are the smallest on average in the nation, and are heavily attended by
Alaska Natives.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility               |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Combines three separate programs into one program.**            |
|     Consolidated programs include: the Alaska Native Educational      |
|     Planning, Curriculum Development, Teacher Training and            |
|     Recruitment program; the Alaska Native Home-Based Education for   |
|     Preschool Children program; and the Alaska Native Student         |
|     Enrichment program. By combining these programs, grantees have    |
|     additional flexibility to choose where they want to spend their   |
|     funds.                                                            |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Other Major New Requirements                                |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Expands the types of services available to Alaska Natives**,    |
|     including cultural exchange programs, parenting education,        |
|     dropout prevention, and community engagement.                     |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** Competitive grants and contracts are awarded to
eligible applicants, which include Alaska Native organizations,
educational entities with experience in developing or operating Alaska
Native programs or programs of instruction conducted in Alaska Native
languages; cultural, and community-based organizations, and state
education agencies (SEAs) or school districts, if they apply as part of
a consortium involving an Alaska Native organization.

# Key Requirements

In awarding grants or contracts, the U.S. Department of Education will
give priority to applications from Alaska Native regional nonprofit
organizations or consortia that include at least one Alaska Native
regional nonprofit organization.

Permissible activities under these grants and contracts include:

-   Developing and implementing plans, methods, and strategies to
    improve the education of Alaska Natives.

-   Developing curricula and educational programs that address the
    educational needs of Alaska Native students.

-   Professional development activities.

-   Developing and operating home-instruction programs for Alaska Native
    preschool children.

-   Family literacy services.

-   Student enrichment programs in science and mathematics.

-   Research and data-collection activities to determine the educational
    status and needs of Alaska Native children and adults.

-   Remedial and enrichment programs to assist Alaska Native students in
    performing at a high level on standardized tests.

-   Education and training of Alaska Native students enrolled in a
    degree program that will lead to certification or licensing as
    teachers.

-   Parenting education.

-   Activities carried out through Even Start and Heart Start programs
    and other early learning and preschool programs.

-   Dropout prevention programs.

-   Career preparation activities to enable Alaska Native children and
    adults to prepare for meaningful employment.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Providing operational support and purchasing equipment to develop
    regional vocational schools in rural areas of Alaska, including
    boarding schools, for Alaska Native students in grades 9 through 12
    or above, to provide students with the necessary resources to
    prepare for skilled employment opportunities.

**Key Activities for the State Education Agencies**. A state education
agency may apply for a grant as part of a consortium involving an Alaska
Native organization.

Impact Aid, Title VIII

**Purpose.** Impact Aid provides financial assistance to school
districts affected by federal activities. Because federal property is
exempt from local property taxes, Impact Aid helps to replace the lost
revenue that would otherwise be available to pay for educating children
who live on federal property or whose parents work on federal property.

**How It Works.** Impact Aid provides formula and competitive grants
directly to eligible school districts. Funds flow primarily through
Basic Support Payments on behalf of federally connected children
(86 percent of all Impact Aid funds requested in the president's budget
for FY 2003). Additional payments are made for federally connected
children with disabilities, construction and renovation of school
facilities, federal property removed from local tax rolls after 1938,
and maintenance of school facilities owned by the U.S. Department of
Education.

*Basic Support Payments* provide formula grants to about 1,400 school
districts with federally connected children\--that is, children who live
on federal property with a parent who is employed on federal property;
children who live on federal property with a parent who is on active
military duty or is a foreign military officer; children who live on
certain Indian lands; children who do not live on federal property but
who have a parent who is on active military duty or is a foreign
military officer; children who live in low-rent housing assisted under
the United States Housing Act of 1937; children who live on federal
property but do not fit any of the above categories; and children who do
not live on federal property but have a parent who is employed on
federal property.

*Payments for Children with Disabilities* provide supplemental
assistance to school districts that have certain federally connected
children who have disabilities.

*Construction* funds include both formula and competitive grants to
support the construction or renovation of school facilities in eligible
school districts, which include districts with large numbers of children
living on Indian lands or children with a parent in the uniformed
services.

*Payments for Federal Property* provide aid to districts with
significant amounts of federally owned property acquired since 1938,
generally based on an estimate of the local revenue that the school
district would have received if the property had remained on the tax
rolls.

*Facilities Maintenance* funds support essential repairs to school
facilities owned by the U.S. Department of Education. These schools
serve large numbers of military dependents. The Department is repairing
these schools so that local school districts will accept the transfer of
title for these buildings.

# General Provisions, Title IX

**Purpose.** This section includes general provisions that affect all
programs under the No Child Left Behind Act.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ##  What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:                        |
|                                                                       |
| ###### Increases Accountability for Student Performance               |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Allows development of content standards**. State education      |
|     agencies (SEAs) may use Title I administrative funds to develop   |
|     challenging academic content standards and academic assessments.  |
|     This may include, for example, developing additional academic     |
|     content standards for science or for grades not yet included in   |
|     state standards for math and reading.                             |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Prohibits federally sponsored national testing** except         |
|     international comparisons and other assessments explicitly        |
|     provided by law, such as the National Assessment of Educational   |
|     Progress (NAEP).                                                  |
|                                                                       |
| ###### Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility                  |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Provides authority to consolidate administrative funds.** SEAs  |
|     and school districts may consolidate administrative funds to      |
|     eliminate duplication in conducting administrative functions to   |
|     enhance the effectiveness and coordination of programs.           |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Provides authority to submit a consolidated application.** SEAs |
|     may apply for programmatic funds through a consolidated           |
|     application process, rather than applying for funds on a          |
|     program-by-program basis.                                         |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Streamlines reporting** for participation in U.S. Department of |
|     Education programs into a single annual consolidated report to    |
|     reduce costly duplication and burden, and encourage effective     |
|     program implementation.                                           |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Continues the U.S. Department of Education's authority to grant |
|     waivers** from many statutory or regulatory requirement of the No |
|     Child Left Behind Act*.* However, there are certain limitations   |
|     and exceptions to this waiver authority set forth in the statute. |
|                                                                       |
| ###### Empowers Parents                                               |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Requires options to attend safe public schools**. SEAs must     |
|     establish and implement a policy to allow students attending      |
|     persistently dangerous public schools or who become victims of    |
|     violent crimes while at school to attend safe public schools      |
|     within the district (see discussion, "Unsafe School Choice        |
|     Option, Title IX, Part E, Subpart 2, Section 9532" in this        |
|     guide).                                                           |
|                                                                       |
| ###### Other Major New Requirements                                   |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Prohibits teacher testing**. Program funds cannot be used for   |
|     mandatory teacher or para-professional national testing.          |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** This legislation adds general provisions that affect
most programs under ESEA. Key provisions include:

-   SEAs and districts may consolidate administrative funds to enhance
    the effectiveness and coordination of programs.

-   SEAs are to use Title I administrative funds to develop challenging
    academic content standards and academic assessments.

-   Rather than submitting many individual applications, SEAs and
    districts may continue to use consolidated plans, in consultation
    with the governor, to cover plans that the U.S. Department of
    Education requires.

-   SEA reporting is streamlined into a single annual consolidated
    report.

-   The U.S. Department of Education has continued authority to grant
    waivers from burdensome regulation.

-   Private school students continue to receive services from NCLB
    programs, including Reading First, Even Start, Safe and Drug Free
    Schools, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Math-Science
    Partnerships, migrant, professional development, technology and
    bilingual special services.

-   Districts are required to provide services to private school
    students in a timely manner and to consult private school officials
    in planning such services.

-   U.S. Department of Education officials are prohibited from
    requiring, recommending, or certifying curriculum, programs or
    standards.

-   Program funds cannot be used for mandatory teacher or
    paraprofessional national testing or certification.

-   Federally sponsored national testing is prohibited, except
    international comparisons and other assessments explicitly provided
    by law.

-   Funds cannot be used for condom or other contraceptive distribution,
    obscene materials, promotion of sexual activities, or for sex
    education in schools that is not age- appropriate and does not
    emphasize abstinence.

-   Establishing a national database of personally identifiable
    information is prohibited.

-   Federal control of home schooling is prohibited. Home schools are
    not subject to NCLB or NCLB assessments.

-   NCLB funds are denied to any school district that has a policy that
    prevents, or otherwise denies participation in, constitutionally
    protected prayer in public elementary and secondary schools.

-   Districts receiving NCLB funds are required to provide Armed Forces
    recruiters the same access to high school students as college and
    job recruiters.

-   Any local district that discriminates against or denies equal access
    to patriotic organizations, such as the Boy Scouts of America, is
    denied funds.

-   SEAs must establish and implement a policy to allow students
    attending persistently dangerous public schools or who become
    victims of violent crimes while at school to be allowed to attend
    safe public schools within the district (see discussion, "Unsafe
    School Choice Option, Title IX, Part E, Subpart 2, Section 9532" in
    this guide).

Unsafe School Choice Option, Title IX, Part E,\
Subpart 2, Section 9532

**Purpose.** The Unsafe School Choice Option requires each state that
receives funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act as
amended by the No Child Left Behind Act to establish and implement a
statewide policy requiring that students who attend a persistently
dangerous school or become victims of violent crimes on the grounds of a
school they attend be allowed to attend a safe school within the same
district.

In 1999, students ages 12 through 18 were victims of 2.5 million crimes
at school, including 186,000 serious violent crimes (that is, rape,
sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault). Student safety is of
concern outside of school premises as well: in 1999, students were more
than twice as likely to be victims of serious violent crime away from
school as at school.

The percentage of students being victimized at school has declined
during the last few years. Between 1995 and 1999, the percentage of
students who reported being victims of crime at school decreased from 10
percent to 8 percent. However, the prevalence rates of some types of
crimes at school have not changed. For example, between 1993 and 1999,
the percentage of students in grades 9 through 12 who were threatened or
injured with a weapon on school property in the past 12 months remained
constant, at about 7 to 8 percent.

The Unsafe School Choice Option provision will help parents, regardless
of income, remove their children from a dangerous or distressing school
setting. Reducing students' concerns for their safety will allow them to
better concentrate on their studies and thus improve their academic
achievement.

**How It Works.** Each state must establish, in consultation with a
representative sample of school districts, a definition of what
constitutes a "persistently dangerous" public elementary or secondary
school. States must allow students who attend such schools, or who are
the victims of a violent crime while on the grounds of the school they
attend, to transfer to a safe public elementary or secondary school,
including a public charter school, in the same district.

**Key Activities for the State Education Agencies.** State education
agencies, or the state agency designated to handle Unsafe School Choice
Option responsibilities, must:

-   Establish a state "Unsafe School Choice Option" policy.

-   Identify "persistently dangerous" schools.

-   Identify types of offenses that are considered to be violent
    criminal offenses.

-   Provide a safe public school choice option.

-   Include a certification of compliance in applications for ESEA
    funds.

Mckinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvements, Title X, Part
C

**Purpose.** Each year, more than 800,000 children and youths in the
United States experience homelessness. The Education for Homeless
Children and Youth program is intended to ensure that homelessness does
not cause these children to be left behind in school. Homeless children
and youths should have access to the education and other services that
they need to meet the same challenging state student academic
achievement standards to which all students are held.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **What's New\--The No Child Left Behind Act:**                        |
|                                                                       |
| ######### Reduces Bureaucracy and Increases Flexibility               |
|                                                                       |
| -   **Enrollment in school of choice.** Requires that, pending        |
|     resolution of a dispute about school placement, a school district |
|     must immediately enroll a homeless student in the student\'s      |
|     school of origin or other school selected on the basis of the     |
|     child's best interest and provide a written explanation of the    |
|     rights of appeal to the parent or guardian and student.           |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

**How It Works.** Formula grants are made to the 50 states, the District
of Columbia, and Puerto Rico based on each state\'s share of Title I
funds. The outlying areas and the Bureau of Indian Affairs also receive
funds. State education agencies (SEAs) then provide competitive
subgrants to local school districts. States must make subgrants to
districts to facilitate the enrollment, attendance, and success in
school of homeless children and youths. These may address problems
caused by transportation issues, immunization and residency
requirements, lack of birth certificates and school records, and
guardianship issues.

# Key Requirements

Activities under the state formula grants include:

-   Activities to carry out the program's goals;

-   Activities for, and services to, homeless children, including
    preschool-age homeless children, and youths that enable them to
    enroll in, attend, and succeed in school or preschool programs;

-   Establishing or designating an Office of Coordinator for Education
    of Homeless Children and Youths in each SEA;

-   Preparing and carrying out the state plan; and

-   Developing and implementing professional development programs for
    school personnel to heighten their awareness of, and capacity to
    respond to, specific problems in the education of homeless children
    and youths.

Districts serving homeless children and youths may use subgrant funds
for such activities as:

-   Coordination and collaboration with other local agencies to provide
    comprehensive services to homeless children and youths and their
    families;

-   Expedited evaluations of homeless children\'s needs to help
    facilitate enrollment, attendance, and success in school;

-   Tutoring, supplemental instruction, and enriched educational
    services;

-   Professional development designed to raise awareness of the needs of
    homeless children and youths

-   Referral of health services to homeless children and youths

-   Pay the excess cost of transportation for homeless children and
    youths attend their selected schools that is not provided through
    other sources; and

-   Developmentally appropriate preschool programs.

# How Performance is Measured

The U.S. Department of Education will prepare a report to Congress that
will include information on the effectiveness of programs supported with
these funds.

**Key Activities for the State Education Agencies**. State education
agencies must:

-   Submit a state plan and, as directed by the secretary, reports to
    the U.S. Department of Education;

-   Establish an Office of Coordinator of Homeless Children and Youths
    to gather valid, reliable and comprehensive information on the
    nature and extent of problems, and to improve the provision of
    innovative practices;

-   Determine and communicate the eligibility of districts and schools;
    and

-   Review and revise laws and practices that impede equal educational
    access. States are required to have an approved plan for addressing
    problems associated with the enrollment, attendance, and success in
    school of homeless children and youths.

**Acknowledgments**

Many individuals contributed to the writing, editing, and development of
this reference work. *The No Child Left Behind Desktop Reference* was
prepared under the supervision of Alan Ginsburg, director, Planning and
Evaluation Service (PES) and Adriana de Kanter, director, Policy and
Technical Analysis Support in PES, who shepherded the project to
completion. Celia Sims and Carolyn Snowbarger in the Office of
Elementary and Secondary Education took leadership roles in ensuring the
document's timely completion, as did Christine Wolfe, Meredith Miller,
and Gretchen Slease in the Office of the Under Secretary.

Many PES staff members wrote clear descriptions of how *No Child Left
Behind* affects federal education programs, the responsibilities of
state and local school administrators, and our nation's schoolchildren.
These include Liz Eisner, Beth Franklin, David Goodwin, Daphne
Hardcastle, Stacy Kotzin, Michelle LaPointe, Tracy Rimdzius, Jeffery
Rodamar, Colette Roney, Susan Sanchez, Elois Scott, Marsha Silverberg,
Stephanie Stullich, Elizabeth Warner, Joanne Wiggans, and Andrew Yarrow.
Edward Ohnemus, Office of Public Affairs, edited the text. Babette
Gutman and Edna Jamandre at Westat designed the cover and laid out the
document.

Finally, thank you to all the Education Department employees who
reviewed and commented on the draft text.

\# \# \#