To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to establish the First Tee Life Skills Program.

Summary: The First Tee in Character Education Act of 2007 - Amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to establish a First Tee Life Skills program authorizing the Secretary of Education to award grants to states, local educational agencies (LEAs), nonprofit organizations, or partnerships of LEAs and such entities for youth development programs that give youth the opportunity to develop life-enhancing values though their participation in sports, such as golf.

Directs grantees to provide, to the extent feasible and appropriate, for the participation of private elementary and secondary school teachers and students in program activities.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as ``The First Tee in Character Education Act 
of 2007''.

SEC. 2. FIRST TEE LIFE SKILLS PROGRAM.

    Subpart 3 of part D of title V of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7247) is amended by adding at the end 
the following:

``SEC. 5432. FIRST TEE LIFE SKILLS PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Grants Authorized.--
            ``(1) General authority.--In accordance with this section, 
        the Secretary may make grants to eligible entities to design 
        and implement youth development programs for the purpose of 
        carrying out efforts to impact the lives of young people of all 
        backgrounds by giving an opportunity to develop life-enhancing 
        values such as confidence, perseverance, and judgment through 
        sports such as golf and character education by providing 
        learning facilities and educational programs.
            ``(2) Eligible entity.--In this section, the term `eligible 
        entity' means--
                    ``(A) a State educational agency;
                    ``(B) a local educational agency or consortium of 
                local educational agencies;
                    ``(C) a nonprofit organization or entity, including 
                an institution of higher education; or
                    ``(D) a local educational agency in partnership 
                with one or more entities described in subparagraph 
                (C).
            ``(3) Special consideration.--In awarding grants under this 
        section, the Secretary shall give special consideration to 
        applications from eligible entities that enhance and expand the 
        delivery of--
                    ``(A) a Life Skills Experience Program, to enable 
                children to learn valuable lessons about--
                            ``(i) the importance of maintaining a 
                        positive attitude;
                            ``(ii) how to make decisions by thinking 
                        about the possible consequences; and
                            ``(iii) how to define and set goals from 
                        the golf course to everyday life;
                    ``(B) a National School Program, to establish a 
                lifelong interest in golf by engaging children in a 
                structured golf curriculum taught during physical 
                education classes, while positively impacting their 
                lives and helping to ensure the vitality of the game; 
                and
                    ``(C) such other initiatives as the Secretary finds 
                appropriate to expand access to the First Tee program 
                by minorities and historically underrepresented 
                populations.
            ``(4) Equitable distribution.--In awarding grants under 
        this section, the Secretary shall ensure an equitable 
        geographic distribution among the regions of the United States 
        and among eligible entities located in urban, rural, and 
        suburban areas.
            ``(5) Duration.--A grant under this section shall be 
        awarded for a period not to exceed 3 years.
    ``(b) Contracts Under Program.--
            ``(1) Evaluation.--An eligible entity receiving assistance 
        under this section may contract with outside sources, including 
        institutions of higher education and private and nonprofit 
        organizations, for the purposes of--
                    ``(A) evaluating the program for which the 
                assistance is made available;
                    ``(B) measuring the integration of such program 
                into the curriculum and teaching methods of schools 
                where the program is carried out; and
                    ``(C) measuring the success of such program in 
                fostering the elements of character selected by the 
                recipient.
            ``(2) Materials and program development.--An eligible 
        entity may contract with outside sources, including 
        institutions of higher education and private and nonprofit 
        organizations, for assistance in--
                    ``(A) developing curricula, materials, teacher 
                training, and other activities related to character 
                education; and
                    ``(B) integrating character education into the 
                curricula and teaching methods of schools where the 
                program is carried out.
    ``(c) Use of Funds by Recipients.--Of the total funds received in 
any fiscal year under this section by an eligible entity--
            ``(1) not more than 3 percent of such funds may be used for 
        administrative purposes; and
            ``(2) the remainder of such funds may be used for--
                    ``(A) the preparation or purchase of materials, and 
                teacher training;
                    ``(B) providing assistance to local educational 
                agencies, schools, non-profits, or institutions of 
                higher education; and
                    ``(C) technical assistance and evaluation.
    ``(d) Application.--
            ``(1) In general.--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) Required information.--Each application for a grant 
        under this section shall include (together with any other 
        information that the Secretary may require) information that--
                    ``(A) describes any partnerships or collaborative 
                efforts among the organizations and entities of the 
                eligible entity;
                    ``(B) describes the activities that will be carried 
                out with the grant funds, including--
                            ``(i) how parents, students, students with 
                        disabilities (including those with mental or 
                        physical 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; and
                            ``(iii) methods of teacher training and 
                        parent education that will be used or 
                        developed;
                    ``(C) in the case of an eligible entity that is a 
                State educational agency, describes how the State 
                educational agency--
                            ``(i) will provide technical and 
                        professional assistance to its local 
                        educational agency partners in the development 
                        and implementation of character education 
                        programs; and
                            ``(ii) will assist other interested local 
                        educational agencies that are not members of 
                        the original partnership in designing and 
                        establishing character education programs;
                    ``(D) describes how the eligible entity will 
                evaluate the success of its program based on the 
                objectives described in subsection (a); and
                    ``(E) assures that the eligible entity annually 
                will provide to the Secretary such information as may 
                be required to determine the effectiveness of the 
                program.
    ``(e) Selection of Recipients.--
            ``(1) Selection criteria.--Selection of an eligible entity 
        shall be made on the basis of the quality of the application 
        submitted, taking into consideration such factors as--
                    ``(A) the extent to which the program fosters 
                character in students and the potential for improved 
                student academic achievement;
                    ``(B) the extent and ongoing nature of parental, 
                student, and community involvement;
                    ``(C) the quality of the plan for measuring and 
                assessing success; and
                    ``(D) the likelihood that the objectives of the 
                program will be achieved.
    ``(f) Participation by Private School Children and Teachers.--Each 
eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall provide, 
to the extent feasible and appropriate, for the participation in 
programs and activities under this section of students and teachers in 
private elementary schools and secondary schools.
    ``(g) Reporting and Evaluation.--Each eligible entity receiving a 
grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary two reports 
containing a comprehensive evaluation of the program under this 
section. The first report shall be submitted not later than the end of 
the second year of the program, and the second report shall be 
submitted not later than one year after the completion of the grant 
period. Each report shall--
            ``(1) describe the progress in delivering the programs 
        described in subsection (a)(3);
            ``(2) describe the research, development, dissemination, 
        evaluation, and technical assistance carried out under this 
        section; and
            ``(3) describe its impact on students, students with 
        disabilities (including those with mental or physical 
        disabilities), teachers, administrators, parents, and 
        others.''.