Extracurricular Programs for Indian Children Act of 2015

Summary: Extracurricular Programs for Indian Children Act of 2015 This bill amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to require the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide grants for before-school, after-school, and summer school programs for Indian and Alaska Native students. Entities eligible for grants include Indian tribes, local educational agencies with more than 10% Indian or Alaska Native students, schools within Indian reservations, tribal colleges and universities, and tribal nonprofit organizations. Grants may be used for activities that advance or improve student academic achievement and well-being, including education activities, Native language and culture programs, physical fitness activities, programs that promote parental involvement, substance abuse and violence prevention programs, health and mental health services, and transportation services. The bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to make entities that are eligible for the grants in this Act eligible for the school lunch program, summer food service program for children, child and adult care food program, and school breakfast program.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Extracurricular Programs for Indian 
Children Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that:
            (1) The United States has a distinct legal, treaty, and 
        trust obligation to provide for the education, healthcare, 
        safety, social welfare, and other needs of Native children.
            (2) Native children are the most at-risk population in the 
        United States, confronting serious disparities in education, 
        health, and safety, with 37 percent of Native children living 
        in poverty.
            (3) Teens who do not participate in those programs are 
        nearly 3 times more likely to use marijuana or other drugs, and 
        more likely to drink alcohol. 22.9 percent of Native children 
        aged 12 and older report alcohol use, 16 percent report 
        substance dependence or abuse, 35.8 percent report tobacco use, 
        and 12.5 percent report illicit drug use.
            (4) Protective factors against youth suicide include 
        opportunities to participate in and contribute to school and/or 
        community projects/activities. Suicide is the second leading 
        cause of death of Native youth aged 15 through 24 at a rate of 
        2.5 percent--this is twice the national rate of non-Native 
        youth of the same age.
            (5) Nationally, American Indian and Alaska Native students 
        have the lowest college enrollment rates. At-risk youth who 
        have a mentor are more likely to pursue higher education after 
        high school in a four-year, two-year, or vocational program 
        than their at-risk peers who do not have a mentor. (45 percent 
        compared to 29 percent).
            (6) Students who are engaged in extracurricular 
        (afterschool and summer learning) activities have better 
        attendance records, higher levels of academic achievement, and 
        more interest in pursuing higher education after graduation.

SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

    (a) In General.--The purpose of this Act is to establish a grant 
program for Indian tribes and eligible tribal entities for 
extracurricular programs--
            (1) to support and encourage the educational and cultural 
        growth of Indian and Alaska Native students;
            (2) to provide access to mentors and resources that promote 
        emotional and mental resilience in Native youth;
            (3) to ensure Native children receive consistent access to 
        nutritional meals; and
            (4) to increase the availability of safe and useable 
        educational infrastructures in Native communities and on tribal 
        land.
    (b) Purpose of Grants.--The funds awarded under the grant program 
established under section 366 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (as added by section 4(a)) shall be used for--
            (1) culturally appropriate before school, afterschool, and 
        summer school programs that include activities designed to 
        reinforce and complement the academic program of participating 
        students, such as--
                    (A) development and extracurricular activities; and
                    (B) programs relating to--
                            (i) substance abuse and violence 
                        prevention;
                            (ii) counseling;
                            (iii) physical fitness and wellness;
                            (iv) Native culture and language;
                            (v) agriculture and nutrition;
                            (vi) technology education; and
                            (vii) character education;
            (2) funds to build or upgrade facilities for before school, 
        afterschool, and summer school programs; and
            (3) access to federally funded meal programs.

SEC. 4. BEFORE SCHOOL, AFTERSCHOOL, AND SUMMER SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM FOR 
              INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE STUDENTS.

    (a) Grant Program.--The Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act 
is amended by inserting after section 365 (7 U.S.C. 2008) the 
following:

``SEC. 366. BEFORE SCHOOL, AFTERSCHOOL, AND SUMMER SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM 
              FOR INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE STUDENTS.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Eligible entity.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `eligible entity' means 
                an entity described in subparagraph (B) that has a plan 
                to develop and maintain or improve and expand before 
                school, afterschool, and summer school programs.
                    ``(B) List of entities.--An entity described in 
                this subparagraph is 1 of the following:
                            ``(i) An Indian tribe (as defined in 
                        section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and 
                        Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b)).
                            ``(ii) A local educational agency (as 
                        defined in section 9101 of the Elementary and 
                        Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
                        7801)) with a student population that consists 
                        of more than 10 percent Indian or Alaska Native 
                        students.
                            ``(iii) A private accredited elementary or 
                        secondary school (as those terms are defined in 
                        section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary 
                        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)) in the 
                        boundaries of an Indian reservation.
                            ``(iv) A Regional Corporation (as defined 
                        in section 3 of the Alaska Native Claims 
                        Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602)).
                            ``(v) A school operated by the Bureau of 
                        Indian Affairs.
                            ``(vi) A Tribal College or University (as 
                        defined in section 316(b) of the Higher 
                        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b))).
                            ``(vii) A tribal education agency.
                            ``(viii) A tribal nonprofit organization.
                            ``(ix) A tribally controlled school (as 
                        defined in section 5212 of the Tribally 
                        Controlled Schools Act of 1988 (25 U.S.C. 
                        2511)).
                            ``(x) A consortium of any of the entities 
                        in clauses (i) through (ix).
            ``(2) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture.
    ``(b) Grant Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a grant 
        program under which the Secretary shall provide grants to 
        eligible entities to develop and maintain or improve and expand 
        before school, afterschool, and summer school programs for 
        Indian and Alaska Native students.
            ``(2) Grant period.--A grant made under this section shall 
        be for a period of not less than 3 and not more than 5 years.
            ``(3) Minimum grant amount.--The minimum amount of a grant 
        under this section shall be $50,000 per eligible entity per 
        fiscal year.
    ``(c) Application.--
            ``(1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        this section, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary 
        an application at such time, in such manner, and containing 
        such information as the Secretary may require.
            ``(2) Contents.--At a minimum, an application for a grant 
        under this section shall describe--
                    ``(A) the before school, afterschool, or summer 
                school activities to be funded with the grant;
                    ``(B) community needs, available resources, and the 
                activities of the proposed program that address the 
                needs of the community;
                    ``(C) the number and age ranges of children to be 
                served by the proposed program;
                    ``(D) an assurance that participation in the 
                program will be free of cost; and
                    ``(E) the demonstrated experience or potential for 
                success of the eligible entity in providing 
                educational, cultural, and related activities that 
                complement and enhance academic performance, 
                achievement, and development of Indian or Alaska Native 
                students.
    ``(d) Authorized Activities.--
            ``(1) In general.--An eligible entity may only use a grant 
        awarded under this section to carry out an activity described 
        in this subsection.
            ``(2) Before school, afterschool, and summer school 
        programs.--An eligible entity may use a grant awarded under 
        this section to carry out before school, afterschool, and 
        summer school activities that advance or improve student 
        academic achievement and well-being, including--
                    ``(A) remedial education activities and academic 
                enrichment programs, including programs that provide 
                academic assistance to students to enhance academic 
                achievement;
                    ``(B) mathematics and science education activities;
                    ``(C) arts and music education activities;
                    ``(D) entrepreneurial education programs;
                    ``(E) tutoring services (including services 
                provided by senior citizen volunteers) and mentoring 
                programs;
                    ``(F) Native language programs;
                    ``(G) Native cultural programs;
                    ``(H) physical fitness and wellness activities;
                    ``(I) telecommunications and technology education 
                programs;
                    ``(J) programs that promote parental involvement 
                and family literacy;
                    ``(K) programs that provide assistance to students 
                who have been truant, suspended, or expelled from 
                school so as to allow those students to improve 
                academic achievement;
                    ``(L) substance abuse and violence prevention 
                programs, counseling programs, and character education 
                programs;
                    ``(M) child and adolescent health and mental health 
                services;
                    ``(N) leadership and youth development activities;
                    ``(O) job skills development programs;
                    ``(P) agriculture and nutrition services; and
                    ``(Q) transportation services.
            ``(3) Facilities.--
                    ``(A) In general.--An eligible entity may use a 
                grant awarded under this section--
                            ``(i) to build facilities for youth 
                        centers; or
                            ``(ii) to upgrade existing facilities.
                    ``(B) Other uses.--A facility built or upgraded 
                with funds awarded under this section may be used for 
                educational and community purposes not described in 
                paragraph (2) at times when the facility is not being 
                used for activities described in that paragraph.
            ``(4) Limitation on use.--An eligible entity may use not 
        more than 5 percent of grant funds for grant administration 
        costs.
    ``(e) Funding.--
            ``(1) Authorization of appropriations.--
                    ``(A) Programming.--There is authorized to be 
                appropriated to the Secretary to provide grants for 
                authorized activities described in subsection (d)(2)--
                            ``(i) for fiscal year 2016, $2,000,000;
                            ``(ii) for fiscal year 2017, $4,000,000;
                            ``(iii) for fiscal year 2018, $6,000,000;
                            ``(iv) for fiscal year 2019, $8,000,000; 
                        and
                            ``(v) for fiscal year 2020, $10,000,000.
                    ``(B) Facility construction and rehabilitation.--
                There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary 
                to provide grants for authorized activities described 
                in subsection (d)(3) $6,000,000 for each of fiscal 
                years 2016 through 2020.
            ``(2) Unused funds.--Any funds made available under 
        paragraph (1) for a fiscal year that are not used for that 
        fiscal year shall be available to the Secretary to make grants 
        in accordance with this section for the subsequent fiscal year.
    ``(f) Reporting and Evaluation.--
            ``(1) Reports to the secretary.--Each grantee shall 
        annually submit to the Secretary a report in such form and 
        manner as the Secretary may require.
            ``(2) Annual grant program evaluation.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall annually--
                            ``(i) compile and analyze the reports 
                        submitted under paragraph (1); and
                            ``(ii) conduct an evaluation of the 
                        educational outcomes and social impacts of the 
                        grant program described in this section.
                    ``(B) Dissemination.--Not later than 180 days after 
                the date the Secretary receives the last report for a 
                year described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 
                disseminate the annual evaluation described in 
                subparagraph (A) to--
                            ``(i) the Subcommittee on Indian, Insular 
                        and Alaska Native Affairs of the House of 
                        Representatives;
                            ``(ii) the Committee on Education and the 
                        Workforce of the House of Representatives;
                            ``(iii) the Committee on Indian Affairs of 
                        the Senate; and
                            ``(iv) the Committee on Health, Education, 
                        Labor and Pensions of the Senate.''.
    (b) Eligibility for Federally Funded Meal Programs.--
            (1) School lunch program.--Section 12(d)(4)(B) of the 
        Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 
        1760(d)(4)(B)) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``includes, in the case'' and 
                inserting the following:
                ``includes--
                            ``(i) in the case'';
                    (B) by striking the period at the end and inserting 
                a ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(ii) notwithstanding section 9101 of the 
                        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
                        (20 U.S.C. 7801), an eligible entity (as 
                        defined in section 366 of the Consolidated Farm 
                        and Rural Development Act).''.
            (2) Summer food service program for children.--Section 
        13(a)(1)(D) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 1761(a)(1)(D)) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``or residential'' and inserting 
                ``residential''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``or an eligible entity (as 
                defined in section 366 of the Consolidated Farm and 
                Rural Development Act),'' after ``camp,''.
            (3) Child and adult care food program.--Section 17(a)(2) of 
        the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 
        1766(a)(2)) is amended--
                    (A) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in subparagraph (F), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(G) an eligible entity (as defined in section 366 
                of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act).''.
            (4) School breakfast program.--Section 15(3) of the Child 
        Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1784(3)) is amended--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``, and'' and 
                inserting a semicolon; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``Labor).'' 
                and inserting ``Labor); and (C) an eligible entity (as 
                defined in section 366 of the Consolidated Farm and 
                Rural Development Act).''.