A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide for partnerships in character education.

Summary: Strong Character for Strong Schools Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to make grants to eligible entities in partnerships to design and implement State and local character education programs incorporating the elements of caring, civic virtue and citizenship, justice and fairness, respect, responsibility, and trustworthiness, as well as any other elements deemed appropriate by the members of the eligible entity, and any additional elements defined after consultation with the schools and communities served.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Strong Character for Strong Schools 
Act''.

SEC. 2. PARTNERSHIPS IN CHARACTER EDUCATION PROGRAM.

    Section 10103 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 8003) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 10103. PARTNERSHIPS IN CHARACTER EDUCATION PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Program Authorized.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to award 
        grants to eligible entities for the design and implementation 
        of character education programs that incorporate the elements 
        of character described in subsection (d), as well as other 
        character elements identified by the eligible entities.
            ``(2) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
                    ``(A) a State educational agency in partnership 
                with 1 or more local educational agencies;
                    ``(B) a State educational agency in partnership 
                with--
                            ``(i) one or more local educational 
                        agencies; and
                            ``(ii) one or more nonprofit organizations 
                        or entities, including institutions of higher 
                        education;
                    ``(C) a local educational agency or consortium of 
                local educational agencies; or
                    ``(D) a local educational agency in partnership 
                with another nonprofit organization or entity, 
                including institutions of higher education.
            ``(3) Duration.--Each grant under this section shall be 
        awarded for a period not to exceed 3 years, of which the 
        eligible entity shall not use more than 1 year for planning and 
        program design.
            ``(4) Amount of grants for state educational agencies.--
        Subject to the availability of appropriations, the amount of 
        grant made by the Secretary to a State educational agency in a 
        partnership described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph 
        (2), that submits an application under subsection (b) and that 
        meets such requirements as the Secretary may establish under 
        this section, shall not be less than $500,000.
    ``(b) Applications.--
            ``(1) Requirement.--Each eligible entity desiring a grant 
        under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary 
        at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require.
            ``(2) Contents of application.--Each application submitted 
        under this section shall include--
                    ``(A) a description of any partnerships or 
                collaborative efforts among the organizations and 
                entities of the eligible entity;
                    ``(B) a description of the goals and objectives of 
                the program proposed by the eligible entity;
                    ``(C) a description of activities that will be 
                pursued and how those activities will contribute to 
                meeting the goals and objectives described in 
                subparagraph (B), including--
                            ``(i) how parents, students (including 
                        students with physical and mental 
                        disabilities), and other members of the 
                        community, including members of private and 
                        nonprofit organizations, will be involved in 
                        the design and implementation of the program 
                        and how the eligible entity will work with the 
                        larger community to increase the reach and 
                        promise of the program;
                            ``(ii) curriculum and instructional 
                        practices that will be used or developed;
                            ``(iii) methods of teacher training and 
                        parent education that will be used or 
                        developed; and
                            ``(iv) how the program will be linked to 
                        other efforts in the schools to improve student 
                        performance;
                    ``(D) in the case of an eligible entity that is a 
                State educational agency--
                            ``(i) a description of how the State 
                        educational agency will provide technical and 
                        professional assistance to its local 
                        educational agency partners in the development 
                        and implementation of character education 
                        programs; and
                            ``(ii) a description of how the State 
                        educational agency will assist other interested 
                        local educational agencies that are not members 
                        of the original partnership in designing and 
                        establishing character education programs;
                    ``(E) a description of how the eligible entity will 
                evaluate the success of its program--
                            ``(i) based on the goals and objectives 
                        described in subparagraph (B); and
                            ``(ii) in cooperation with the national 
                        evaluation conducted pursuant to subsection 
                        (c)(2)(B)(iii);
                    ``(F) an assurance that the eligible entity 
                annually will provide to the Secretary such information 
                as may be required to determine the effectiveness of 
                the program; and
                    ``(G) any other information that the Secretary may 
                require.
    ``(c) Evaluation and Program Development.--
            ``(1) Evaluation and reporting.--
                    ``(A) State and local reporting and evaluation.--
                Each eligible entity receiving a grant under this 
                section shall submit to the Secretary a comprehensive 
                evaluation of the program assisted under this section, 
                including the impact on students (including students 
                with physical and mental disabilities), teachers, 
                administrators, parents, and others--
                            ``(i) by the second year of the program; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) not later than 1 year after 
                        completion of the grant period.
                    ``(B) Contracts for evaluation.--Each eligible 
                entity receiving a grant under this section may 
                contract with outside sources, including institutions 
                of higher education, and private and nonprofit 
                organizations, for purposes of evaluating its program 
                and measuring the success of the program toward 
                fostering in students the elements of character 
                described in subsection (d).
            ``(2)  National research, dissemination, and evaluation.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to 
                make grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative 
                agreements with, State or local educational agencies, 
                institutions of higher education, tribal organizations, 
                or other public or private agencies or organizations to 
                carry out research, development, dissemination, 
                technical assistance, and evaluation activities that 
                support or inform State and local character education 
                programs. The Secretary shall reserve not more than 5 
                percent of the funds made available under this section 
                to carry out this paragraph.
                    ``(B) Uses.--Funds made available under 
                subparagraph (A) may be used--
                            ``(i) to conduct research and development 
                        activities that focus on matters such as--
                                    ``(I) the effectiveness of 
                                instructional models for all students, 
                                including students with physical and 
                                mental disabilities;
                                    ``(II) materials and curricula that 
                                can be used by programs in character 
                                education;
                                    ``(III) models of professional 
                                development in character education; and
                                    ``(IV) the development of measures 
                                of effectiveness for character 
                                education programs which may include 
                                the factors described in paragraph (3);
                            ``(ii) to provide technical assistance to 
                        State and local programs, particularly on 
                        matters of program evaluation;
                            ``(iii) to conduct a national evaluation of 
                        State and local programs receiving funding 
                        under this section; and
                            ``(iv) to compile and disseminate, through 
                        various approaches (such as a national 
                        clearinghouse)--
                                    ``(I) information on model 
                                character education programs;
                                    ``(II) character education 
                                materials and curricula;
                                    ``(III) research findings in the 
                                area of character education and 
                                character development; and
                                    ``(IV) any other information that 
                                will be useful to character education 
                                program participants, educators, 
                                parents, administrators, and others 
                                nationwide.
                    ``(C) Priority.--In carrying out national 
                activities under this paragraph related to development, 
                dissemination, and technical assistance, the Secretary 
                shall seek to enter into partnerships with national, 
                nonprofit character education organizations with 
                expertise and successful experience in implementing 
                local character education programs that have had an 
                effective impact on schools, students (including 
                students with disabilities), and teachers.
            ``(3) Factors.--Factors which may be considered in 
        evaluating the success of programs funded under this section 
        may include--
                    ``(A) discipline issues;
                    ``(B) student performance;
                    ``(C) participation in extracurricular activities;
                    ``(D) parental and community involvement;
                    ``(E) faculty and administration involvement;
                    ``(F) student and staff morale; and
                    ``(G) overall improvements in school climate for 
                all students, including students with physical and 
                mental disabilities.
    ``(d) Elements of Character.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each eligible entity desiring funding 
        under this section shall develop character education programs 
        that incorporate the following elements of character:
                    ``(A) Caring.
                    ``(B) Civic virtue and citizenship.
                    ``(C) Justice and fairness.
                    ``(D) Respect.
                    ``(E) Responsibility.
                    ``(F) Trustworthiness.
                    ``(G) Any other elements deemed appropriate by the 
                members of the eligible entity.
            ``(2) Additional elements of character.--An eligible entity 
        participating under this section may, after consultation with 
        schools and communities served by the eligible entity, define 
        additional elements of character that the eligible entity 
        determines to be important to the schools and communities 
        served by the eligible entity.
    ``(e) Use of Funds by State Educational Agency Recipients.--Of the 
total funds received in any fiscal year under this section by an 
eligible entity that is a State educational agency--
            ``(1) not more than 10 percent of such funds may be used 
        for administrative purposes; and
            ``(2) the remainder of such funds may be used for--
                    ``(A) collaborative initiatives with and between 
                local educational agencies and schools;
                    ``(B) the preparation or purchase of materials, and 
                teacher training;
                    ``(C) grants to local educational agencies, 
                schools, or institutions of higher education; and
                    ``(D) technical assistance and evaluation.
    ``(f) Selection of Grantees.--
            ``(1) Criteria.--The Secretary shall select, through peer 
        review, eligible entities to receive grants under this section 
        on the basis of the quality of the applications submitted under 
        subsection (b), taking into consideration such factors as--
                    ``(A) the quality of the activities proposed to be 
                conducted;
                    ``(B) the extent to which the program fosters in 
                students the elements of character described in 
                subsection (d) and the potential for improved student 
                performance;
                    ``(C) the extent and ongoing nature of parental, 
                student, and community involvement;
                    ``(D) the quality of the plan for measuring and 
                assessing success; and
                    ``(E) the likelihood that the goals of the program 
                will be realistically achieved.
            ``(2) Diversity of projects.--The Secretary shall approve 
        applications under this section in a manner that ensures, to 
        the extent practicable, that programs assisted under this 
        section--
                    ``(A) serve different areas of the Nation, 
                including urban, suburban, and rural areas; and
                    ``(B) serve schools that serve minorities, Native 
                Americans, students of limited-English proficiency, 
                disadvantaged students, and students with disabilities.
    ``(g) Participation by Private School Children and Teachers.--
Grantees under this section shall provide, to the extent feasible and 
appropriate, for the participation of students and teachers in private 
elementary and secondary schools in programs and activities under this 
section.
    ``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section, $50,000,000 for fiscal year 
2002 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 4 succeeding 
fiscal years.''.