American Citizenship and Comprehensive Educational Support Services Act of 1994

Summary: American Citizenship and Comprehensive Educational Support Services Act of 1994 - Amends the Adult Education Act to establish a program of financial assistance to States and localities to aid in the educational and naturalization transition of eligible adults to the United States. 
Authorizes the Secretary of Education to make grants to or contracts with eligible service providers for programs providing English language instruction, citizenship or civics instruction, adult education and vocational education, literacy services, and college preparatory classes for eligible adults.  Requires assisted activities to include public education, public outreach, assistance with naturalization procedures, educational services to assist eligible adults in obtaining citizenship, and a program evaluation component. 
Authorizes appropriations.

SECTION 1. EDUCATION FOR ELIGIBLE ADULTS.

    The Adult Education Act is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

                ``PART E--EDUCATION FOR ELIGIBLE ADULTS

``SEC. 391. SHORT TITLE.

    ``This part may be cited as the `American Citizenship and 
Comprehensive Educational Support Services Act of 1994'.

``SEC. 392. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    ``(a) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
            ``(1) there has been and will continue to be immigration 
        into the United States;
            ``(2) there is an increasing fiscal burden on States and 
        localities to implement Federal immigration policies that 
        provide for education and naturalization classes for eligible 
        adults;
            ``(3) previously there was a Federal funding commitment to 
        educate and naturalize eligible adults under the Immigration 
        Reform and Control Act of 1986 through the State Legalization 
        Impact Assistance Grant program;
            ``(4) the State Legalization Impact Assistance Grant 
        program has demonstrated that there is a keen interest on the 
        part of eligible adults in obtaining additional basic and 
        vocational education, as well as language and civics 
        instruction to qualify for naturalization; and
            ``(5) it is in the best interest of the United States to 
        have an educated population who can contribute to the work 
        force.
    ``(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this part is to provide financial 
assistance to States and localities to aid in the educational and 
naturalization transition of eligible adults to the United States.

``SEC. 393. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

    ``(a) Program.--The Secretary is authorized, in accordance with 
this part, to make grants to or enter into contracts with eligible 
service providers for the establishment, operation, and improvement of 
programs that provide eligible services for eligible adults.
    ``(b) Uses of Funds.--(1) Activities assisted under this part shall 
include--
            ``(A) public education;
            ``(B) public outreach;
            ``(C) assistance with initiating or completing 
        naturalization procedures;
            ``(D) educational, instructional, or testing services to 
        eligible adults to assist such adults in obtaining citizenship; 
        and
            ``(E) an annual evaluation component to assess program 
        quality and effectiveness.
    ``(2) Of the funds allocated under this part for a fiscal year, not 
less than 15 percent shall be used to train personnel engaged or 
preparing to engage in providing direct services to eligible adults 
under this part.
    ``(3) Of the funds allocated under this part for a fiscal year, not 
more than 5 percent shall be used for administrative costs.
    ``(c) Priority.--In awarding grants or making contracts under this 
part, the Secretary shall--
            ``(1) give first preference to eligible service providers 
        in States with not less than 100,000 eligible adults; and
            ``(2) give further preference to eligible service providers 
        that demonstrate the following:
                    ``(A) A commitment to locate and operate programs 
                in localities with high concentrations of eligible 
                adults.
                    ``(B) Experience serving eligible adults under 
                section 204 of the Immigration Reform and Control Act 
                of 1986 and limited English proficient adults under 
                section 372 of this Act.
                    ``(C) A plan to locate and operate programs in 
                neighborhoods where there is a high incidence of 
                poverty.

``SEC. 394. APPLICATIONS.

    ``(a) Submission.--To be eligible to receive a grant or contract 
under this part, an eligible service provider shall submit an 
application to the Secretary at such time and in such manner as the 
Secretary may reasonably require.
    ``(b) Content of Application.--Applications for grants or contracts 
under this part shall include--
            ``(1) a description of the past experience of the applicant 
        in operating a comparable program or in conducting a grant 
        program in support of other comparable service programs;
            ``(2) a public education plan to the community;
            ``(3) an outreach plan to the targeted population;
            ``(4) a description of the range of services to be provided 
        and the anticipated outcomes;
            ``(5) a plan to train personnel;
            ``(6) assurances that the program will use qualified 
        personnel;
            ``(7) assurances that the applicant has the administrative 
        capacity to operate a program;
            ``(8) an estimation of the number of eligible adults to be 
        served annually;
            ``(9) a plan to coordinate services available to eligible 
        adults with other Federal, State, and local agencies;
            ``(10) a description of the evaluation indicators to assess 
        program quality and effectiveness; and
            ``(11) such other information as the Secretary considers 
        appropriate.

``SEC. 395. REPORT.

    ``The Secretary shall report to Congress every 2 years, beginning 
with the 2d year after the date of the enactment of this part regarding 
the effectiveness of programs for eligible adults served under this 
part.

``SEC. 396. PROGRAM STANDARDS.

    ``Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this 
part the Secretary, in consultation with appropriate experts, 
educators, and administrators, shall develop indicators of program 
quality to be used by eligible service providers that receive 
assistance under this part as models by which to judge the quality and 
effectiveness of such programs, including the effectiveness of 
recruiting students, retention of material by students, and improvement 
of education, language, and literacy skills of students served by such 
programs. Such indicators shall take into account different operating 
conditions and shall be modified as necessary.

``SEC. 397. DEFINITIONS.

    ``For purposes of this part--
            ``(1) the term `eligible adult' means an adult who--
                    ``(A) is an alien lawfully admitted to the United 
                States for permanent residence;
                    ``(B) is an alien lawfully admitted to the United 
                States as a refugee; or
                    ``(C) is otherwise permanently residing in the 
                United States under color of law;
            ``(2) the term `eligible services' means--
                    ``(A) English language instruction;
                    ``(B) citizenship or civics instruction;
                    ``(C) adult education and vocational education;
                    ``(D) literacy services; and
                    ``(E) college preparatory classes; and
            ``(3) the term `eligible service providers' means--
                    ``(A) State educational agencies;
                    ``(B) local educational agencies;
                    ``(C) public and private institutions of higher 
                learning (excluding for-profit trade schools); and
                    ``(D) public and private nonprofit organizations, 
                including community-based organizations.

``SEC. 398. AUTHORIZATION AND APPROPRIATION.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated $100,000,000 for fiscal 
year 1995 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal 
years 1996 through 1999 to carry out this part.''.