Afterschool for America's Children Act

Summary: Afterschool for America's Children Act - Amends the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program under part B of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). (21st Century Community Learning Centers provide students with before school, after school, and summer learning programs to improve their academic performance.) Requires the Centers to provide students' families with opportunities for active and meaningful engagement in their children's education. Includes Indian tribes or organizations among the local public or private entities that are eligible for grants from states to establish the Centers. Allows states to use a portion of the part B funds allotted to them by the Secretary of Education to: (1) assist those Centers in aligning their before school, after school, and summer learning programs with the state's academic standards; and (2) ensure that those Centers partner with nonprofit organizations in the community that have had success in carrying out, or working with, those programs. Requires states to: (1) award grants only to local entities that propose to serve students who primarily attend schools that are eligible for schoolwide programs under part A of title I of the ESEA, and (2) give priority to applicants that propose to serve students that attend schools that have been identified as needing improvement. Requires states to use a rigorous peer review process in reviewing grant applications. Prohibits the Secretary or states from giving funding priority to applicants that propose to use the funds to extend the regular school day. Allows states to renew a grant under part B based on the grantee's performance during the original grant period.  Includes among the activities grants may fund: (1) core academic subject education activities, including those that allow students to recover or attain credits; (2) services for the disabled; (3) activities and programs that support global education and competence; (4) programs that support a healthy, active lifestyle; (5) literacy education programs; and (6) programs that build science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills and support innovative STEM teaching methods. Requires students' academic performance and overall success to be taken into account in evaluating the performance of the Centers. Reauthorizes the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program through FY2020.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Afterschool for America's Children 
Act''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE; DEFINITIONS.

    Section 4201 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 7171) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by amending paragraphs (1) and (2) 
        to read as follows:
            ``(1) offer students a broad array of additional services, 
        programs, and activities, such as youth development activities, 
        service learning, nutrition and health education, drug and 
        violence prevention programs, counseling programs, art, music, 
        social and emotional learning programs, physical fitness and 
        wellness programs and recreation programs, such as sports, and 
        technology education programs, that are designed to reinforce 
        and complement the regular academic program of participating 
        students;
            ``(2) provide opportunities for academic enrichment, 
        including providing tutorial services to help students, 
        particularly students who attend low-performing schools, in 
        core academic subjects; and'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as 
                        follows:
                    ``(A) assists students in core academic subjects by 
                providing the students with academic and enrichment 
                activities and a broad array of other activities (such 
                as programs and activities described in subsection (a)) 
                during nonschool hours or periods when school is not in 
                session (such as before or after school or during 
                summer recess) that reinforce and complement the 
                regular academic programs of the schools attended by 
                the students served;''; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 
                        before the period at the end ``and 
                        opportunities for active and meaningful 
                        engagement in their student's education'';
                    (B) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``Indian tribe 
                or tribal organization (as such terms are defined in 
                section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and 
                Education Act (25 U.S.C. 450b)),'' after ``community-
                based organization,'';
                    (C) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph 
                (5); and
                    (D) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following 
                new paragraph:
            ``(4) External organization.--The term `external 
        organization' means a nonprofit organization with a record of 
        success in carrying out or working with before school, after 
        school, or summer learning programs.''.

SEC. 3. ALLOTMENTS TO STATES.

    Section 4202(c) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7172(c)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2)(B), by inserting ``rigorous'' after 
        ``implementing a'';
            (2) by striking the undesignated matter after paragraph 
        (2)(B) and inserting the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(C) supervising the awarding of funds to eligible 
                entities (in consultation with the Governor and other 
                State agencies responsible for administering youth 
                development programs and adult learning activities).''; 
                and
            (3) in paragraph (3), by inserting after subparagraph (D) 
        the following new subparagraphs:
                    ``(E) Assisting eligible entities receiving an 
                award under this part to align with State academic 
                standards the activities carried out under before 
                school, after school, or summer learning programs 
                funded with such award.
                    ``(F) Ensuring that any such eligible entity 
                identifies and partners with external organizations, if 
                available, in the community.
                    ``(G) Working with teachers, principals, parents, 
                and other stakeholders to review and improve State 
                policies and practices to support the implementation of 
                effective programs.
                    ``(H) Coordinating funds received under this 
                program with other Federal and State funds to implement 
                high-quality programs.
                    ``(I) Providing a list of prescreened external 
                organizations to eligible entities under section 
                4203(a)(12).''.

SEC. 4. STATE APPLICATION.

    Section 4203 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 7173) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:
            ``(3) contains an assurance that the State educational 
        agency--
                    ``(A) will make awards under this part only to 
                eligible entities that propose to serve students who 
                primarily attend schools eligible for schoolwide 
                programs under section 1114, and families of such 
                students; and
                    ``(B) will give priority to eligible entities that 
                propose to serve students described in section 
                4204(i)(1);'';
                    (B) in paragraph (4), by striking ``meet local 
                content and student academic achievement standards'' 
                and inserting ``improve academic and life success'';
                    (C) in paragraph (6), by striking ``promising 
                practices'' and inserting ``successful practices, and 
                coordination of professional development for staff in 
                specific content areas and youth development'';
                    (D) by amending paragraph (11) to read as follows:
            ``(11) provides--
                    ``(A) an assurance that the application was 
                developed in consultation and coordination with 
                appropriate State officials, including the chief State 
                school officer, and other State agencies administering 
                before school, after school, or summer school learning 
                programs, 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; statewide 
                afterschool networks (where applicable); and
                    ``(B) a description of any other representatives of 
                teachers, parents, students, or the business community 
                that the State has selected to assist in the 
                development of the application, if applicable;'';
                    (E) by redesignating paragraph (14) as paragraph 
                (15);
                    (F) by amending paragraph (12) to read as follows:
            ``(12) describes how the State will prescreen external 
        organizations that may provide assistance in carrying out the 
        activities under this part and develop and make available to 
        eligible entities a list of external organizations that 
        successfully completed the prescreening process;'';
                    (G) by amending paragraph (13) to read as follows:
            ``(13) describes the results of the State's needs and 
        resources assessment for before school, after school or summer 
        learning activities, which shall be based on the results of on-
        going State evaluation activities;''; and
                    (H) by amending paragraph (14) to read as follows:
            ``(14) describes how the State educational agency will 
        evaluate the effectiveness of programs and activities carried 
        out under this part, which shall include, at a minimum--
                    ``(A) a description of the performance indicators 
                and performance measures that will be used to evaluate 
                programs and activities, and with emphasis on alignment 
                with the regular academic program of the school and the 
                academic needs of participating students, including 
                performance indicators and measures that--
                            ``(i) are able to track student success and 
                        improvement over time, and
                            ``(ii) include State assessment results and 
                        other indicators of student success and 
                        improvement, such as improved attendance during 
                        the school day, better classroom grades, 
                        regular (or consistent) program attendance, on-
                        time advancement to the next grade level and 
                        graduation rate, local crime rate, and 
                        classroom behavior;
                    ``(B) a description of how data collected for the 
                purposes of subparagraph (A) will be collected; and
                    ``(C) public dissemination of the evaluations of 
                programs and activities carried out under this part;''; 
                and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(g) Limitation.--The Secretary may not impose a priority or 
preference for States or eligible entities that seek to use funds made 
available under this part to extend the regular school day.''.

SEC. 5. LOCAL COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM.

    Section 4204 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 7174) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(2)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``and overall 
                student success'' after ``achievement'';
                    (B) by amending subparagraph (C) to read as 
                follows:
                    ``(C) a demonstration of how the proposed program 
                will--
                            ``(i) work in partnership with Federal, 
                        State, and local programs that will be combined 
                        or coordinated with the proposed program; and
                            ``(ii) make the most effective use of 
                        public resources;'';
                    (C) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``, in active 
                collaboration with the schools the students attend;'' 
                and inserting ``in active collaboration and alignment 
                with the schools the students attend, including the 
                sharing of relevant student data among the schools, all 
                participants in the eligible entity, and any partnering 
                entities described in subparagraph (H) in a manner 
                consistent with the applicable laws relating to privacy 
                and confidentiality;''; and
                    (D) in subparagraph (J), by striking ``has 
                experience, or promise of success, in providing'' and 
                inserting ``uses research or evidence-based practices 
                to provide'';
            (2) in subsection (e)--
                    (A) by striking ``In reviewing'' and inserting the 
                following:
            ``(1) In general.--In reviewing'';
                    (B) by inserting ``rigorous'' before ``peer''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(2) Rigorous peer review process.--For purposes of this 
        subsection, the term `rigorous peer review process' means a 
        process by which--
                    ``(A) a State educational agency selects peer 
                reviewers who are employees of such agency and who--
                            ``(i) have experience with community 
                        learning centers;
                            ``(ii) have expertise in providing 
                        effective academic, enrichment, youth 
                        development, and related services to students; 
                        and
                            ``(iii) are not eligible entities, or 
                        representatives of an eligible entity, that 
                        have submitted an application under this 
                        section for the grant period for which 
                        applications are being reviewed; and
                    ``(B) the peer reviewers described in subparagraph 
                (A) review and rate the applications to determine the 
                extent to which the applications meet the requirements 
                under subsection (b) of this section and 4205.'';
            (3) in subsection (i)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end of subparagraph (A), by striking the period at the 
                end of clause (ii) of subparagraph (B) and inserting 
                ``; and'', and by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
                    ``(C) demonstrating that the activities proposed in 
                the application--
                            ``(i) are, as of the date of the submission 
                        of the application, not otherwise accessible to 
                        students who would be served by such 
                        activities; or
                            ``(ii) would expand accessibility to high-
                        quality services that may be available in the 
                        community.''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(3) Limitation.--A State educational agency may not 
        impose a priority or preference for eligible entities that seek 
        to use funds made available under this part to extend the 
        regular school day.''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(j) Renewability of Awards.--A State educational agency may renew 
a grant provided under this section to an eligible entity, based on the 
eligible entity's performance during the first grant period.''.

SEC. 6. LOCAL ACTIVITIES.

    Section 4205 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 7175) is amended--
            (1) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
    ``(a) Authorized Activities.--Each eligible entity that receives an 
award under section 4204 may use the award funds to carry out a broad 
array of before and after school activities (including during summer 
recess periods) that advance student academic achievement and support 
student success, including--
            ``(1) academic enrichment learning programs, mentoring 
        programs, remedial education activities, and tutoring services;
            ``(2) core academic subject education activities, including 
        such activities that enable students to be eligible for credit 
        recovery or attainment;
            ``(3) art and music education activities;
            ``(4) services for individuals with disabilities including 
        enrichment programs that provide access to sports and fitness 
        for students with disabilities designed to improve wellness, 
        self-esteem, and independence;
            ``(5) activities and programs that support global education 
        and global competence, including those that foster learning 
        about other countries, cultures, languages, and global issues;
            ``(6) programs that provide after school activities for 
        limited English proficient students that emphasize language 
        skills and academic achievement;
            ``(7) programs that support a healthy, active lifestyle, 
        including nutritional education, recreation and regular, 
        structured physical activity programs;
            ``(8) telecommunications and technology education programs 
        to serve academic and community needs;
            ``(9) expanded library service hours to serve academic and 
        community needs;
            ``(10) parenting skills programs that promote parental 
        involvement and family literacy;
            ``(11) programs that provide assistance to students who 
        have been truant, suspended, or expelled to allow the students 
        to improve their academic achievement;
            ``(12) drug and violence prevention programs, counseling 
        programs, social and emotional learning programming and 
        character education programs;
            ``(13) literacy education programs; and
            ``(14) programs that build skills in science, technology, 
        engineering, and mathematics (referred to in this paragraph as 
        `STEM') and that foster innovation in learning by supporting 
        non-traditional STEM education teaching methods.''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in the subsection heading, by striking 
                ``Principles'' and inserting ``Measures'';
                    (B) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end of subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the 
                end of subparagraph (C) and inserting a semicolon, and 
                by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following new 
                subparagraphs:
                    ``(D) ensure that measures of student success align 
                with the regular academic program of the school and the 
                academic needs of participating students, and include 
                performance indicators and performance measures 
                described in section 4203(a)(13)(A); and
                    ``(E) collect the data necessary for the measures 
                of student success described in subparagraph (D).''; 
                and
                    (C) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A), by inserting 
                        before the period at the end ``and overall 
                        student success''; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
                        ``and'' at the end of clause (i), by striking 
                        the period at the end of clause (ii) and 
                        inserting ``; and'', and by inserting after 
                        clause (ii) the following new clause:
                            ``(iii) used by the State to determine 
                        whether a grant is eligible to be renewed under 
                        section 4204(j).''.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 4206 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 7176) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 4206. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part 
such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2015 and each of the 5 
succeeding fiscal years.''.

SEC. 8. TRANSITION.

    The recipient of a multiyear grant award under part B of title IV 
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7171 
et seq.), as such Act was in effect on the day before the date of 
enactment of this Act, shall continue to receive funds in accordance 
with the terms and conditions of such award.