A bill to authorize resources to foster a safe learning environment that supports academic achievement for all students by improving the quality of interim alternative educational settings, providing more behavioral supports in schools, and supporting whole school interventions.

Summary: Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants for: (1) establishing or expanding behavioral supports and whole school behavioral interventions by providing for effective research-based practices; or (2) improving interim alternative educational settings.

Sets forth some authorized types of activities, including ones related to: (1) early screening for students at risk for emotional and behavioral difficulties; (2) staff training, recruitment, and retention; (3) curricula, interventions, programs, and practices; (4) on-site counseling; (5) instructional technology for individualized instruction; (6) ensuring services consistent with the individualized education plan; (7) case management and collaboration among school staff, parents, physicians, and related services personnel; (8) links between school- and community-based services; and (9) interagency coordination.

Makes eligible for such grants a local educational agency (LEA), or a consortium consisting of an LEA and one or more of the following entities: (1) another LEA; (2) a community-based organization with a demonstrated record of effectiveness in helping special needs students with behavioral challenges succeed; (3) an institution of higher education; (4) a mental health provider; or (5) an educational service agency.

Directs the Secretary to make available on the Department of Education's web site information for parents, teachers, and school administrators on best practices for interim alternative educational settings, behavior supports, and whole school intervention.

SECTION 1. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to authorize resources to foster a safe 
learning environment that supports academic achievement for all 
students by improving the quality of interim alternative educational 
settings, providing more behavioral supports in schools, and supporting 
whole school interventions.

SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF ELIGIBLE ENTITY.

    In this Act, the term ``eligible entity'' means--
            (1) a local educational agency; or
            (2) a consortium consisting of a local educational agency 
        and 1 or more of the following entities--
                    (A) another local educational agency;
                    (B) a community-based organization with a 
                demonstrated record of effectiveness in helping special 
                needs students with behavioral challenges succeed;
                    (C) an institution of higher education;
                    (D) a mental health provider; or
                    (E) an educational service agency.

SEC. 3. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

    The Secretary of Education is authorized to award grants, on a 
competitive basis, to eligible entities to enable the eligible 
entities--
            (1) to establish or expand behavioral supports and whole 
        school behavioral interventions by providing for effective, 
        research-based practices, including--
                    (A) comprehensive, early screening efforts for 
                students at risk for emotional and behavioral 
                difficulties;
                    (B) training for school staff on early 
                identification, prereferral, and referral procedures;
                    (C) training for administrators, teachers, related 
                services personnel, behavioral specialists, and other 
                school staff in whole school positive behavioral 
                interventions and supports, behavioral intervention 
                planning, and classroom and student management 
                techniques;
                    (D) joint training for administrators, parents, 
                teachers, related services personnel, behavioral 
                specialists, and other school staff on effective 
                strategies for positive behavioral interventions and 
                behavior management strategies that focus on the 
                prevention of behavior problems;
                    (E) developing or implementing specific curricula, 
                programs, or interventions aimed at addressing 
                behavioral problems;
                    (F) stronger linkages between school-based services 
                and community-based resources, such as community mental 
                health and primary care providers; or
                    (G) using behavioral specialists, related services 
                personnel, and other staff necessary to implement 
                behavioral supports; or
            (2) to improve interim alternative educational settings 
        by--
                    (A) improving the training of administrators, 
                teachers, related services personnel, behavioral 
                specialists, and other school staff (including ongoing 
                mentoring of new teachers);
                    (B) attracting and retaining a high quality, 
                diverse staff;
                    (C) providing for on-site counseling services;
                    (D) utilizing research-based interventions, 
                curriculum, and practices;
                    (E) allowing students to use instructional 
                technology that provides individualized instruction;
                    (F) ensuring that the services are fully consistent 
                with the goals of the individual student's 
                individualized education program (IEP);
                    (G) promoting effective case management and 
                collaboration among parents, teachers, physicians, 
                related services personnel, behavioral specialists, 
                principals, administrators, and other school staff;
                    (H) promoting interagency coordination and 
                coordinated service delivery among schools, juvenile 
                courts, child welfare agencies, community mental health 
                providers, primary care providers, public recreation 
                agencies, and community-based organizations; or
                    (I) providing for behavioral specialists to help 
                students transitioning from interim alternative 
                educational settings reintegrate into their regular 
                classrooms.

SEC. 4. PROGRAM EVALUATIONS.

    (a) Report and Evaluation.--Each eligible entity receiving a grant 
under this Act shall prepare and submit annually to the Secretary of 
Education a report on the outcomes of the activities assisted under the 
grant.
    (b) Best Practices on Web Site.--The Secretary of Education shall 
make available on the Department of Education's web site information 
for parents, teachers, and school administrators on best practices for 
interim alternative educational settings, behavior supports, and whole 
school intervention.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$50,000,000 for fiscal year 2004 and such sums as may be necessary for 
each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.