Small, Safe Schools Act

Summary: Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award to local educational agencies, elementary or secondary schools, and schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs: (1) grants for certain activities relating to smaller learning communities; (2) technical assistance in creating smaller learning communities in schools; and (3) grants for construction or renovation of elementary, middle, and secondary schools with specified maximum student capacities.
Authorizes appropriations.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Small, Safe Schools Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Research related to school size indicates that 
        elementary and middle schools with 300-400 students, and 
        secondary schools with 400-800 students, are more effective 
        than schools with larger student populations.
            (2) Smaller school size promotes learning and improves 
        students' grades and test scores, especially for ethnic 
        minority and low income students. Smaller school size has been 
        found to be the second most important factor, after high 
        socioeconomic status, in creating positive educational 
        outcomes.
            (3) Students who attend smaller schools have more positive 
        personal and academic self-concepts. Students and staff at 
        smaller schools have a stronger sense of personal efficacy, and 
        the students take more of the responsibility for their own 
        learning, which includes more individualized and experimental 
        learning relevant to the world outside of school.
            (4) Studies on school dropout rates show a decrease in the 
        rates as schools get smaller.
            (5) Creating smaller schools and smaller learning 
        communities within larger schools promotes school safety. 
        Behavioral problems, including truancy, classroom disruption, 
        vandalism, aggressive behavior, theft, substance abuse, and 
        gang participation are greater in larger schools. Teachers in 
        smaller schools learn of disagreements between students and can 
        resolve problems before problems become severe.
            (6) School size plays a very important role in shaping the 
        kinds of social relationships that form within schools. Smaller 
        schools and learning communities reduce the isolation that 
        causes violence. Smaller schools allow students to form closer 
        relationships with their teachers and create a sense of 
        ownership and belonging to their school. Young people who feel 
        more connected to their school are less likely to be involved 
        in violence. Smaller schools and learning communities are 
        especially effective in reducing the types of violence parents 
        fear most, particularly gang activity and serious violent 
        incidents.
            (7) Students in smaller schools are less likely to have 
        problems with drugs or alcohol.
            (8) Based on studies of secondary school violence, 
        researchers have concluded that the first step in ending school 
        violence must be to break through the impersonal atmosphere of 
        larger secondary schools by creating smaller communities of 
        learning within larger structures, where students and teachers 
        can come to know each other well.
            (9) Research demonstrates that students attending smaller 
        schools are more likely to participate in extracurricular 
        activities. The students are also involved in a greater variety 
        of activities, while students in larger schools tend to be 
        polarized into a group that participates and a group that does 
        not participate in any extracurricular activities. Because 
        everyone in smaller schools is needed to populate teams, 
        offices, and clubs, even shy and less able students are 
        encouraged to participate and given a sense of belonging.
            (10) Larger schools contribute to negative teacher 
        attitudes and low staff morale.
            (11) Smaller schools can be established cost effectively. 
        Larger schools can be more expensive because the sheer size of 
        the larger schools requires more administrative support. More 
        importantly, additional bureaucracy translates into less 
        flexibility and innovation.

SEC. 3. SMALL SCHOOLS AND SMALLER LEARNING COMMUNITIES.

    Title X of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 8001 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

        ``Part L--Small Schools and Smaller Learning Communities

``SEC. 10995. DEFINITIONS.

    ``In this part:
            ``(1) Eligible applicant.--The term `eligible applicant' 
        means a local educational agency, an elementary school, a 
        secondary school, or a Bureau funded school (as defined in 
        section 1146(3) of this Act (25 U.S.C. 2026(3))) that is 
        working independently or in partnership with other public 
        agencies or private non-profit organizations.
            ``(2) Small school.--The term `small school' means a 
        school--
                    ``(A) that has few enough students and teachers so 
                that all teachers are able to know all students, and 
                has a maximum student population of--
                            ``(i) 350 students in the case of an 
                        elementary school; and
                            ``(ii) 400 to 800 students in the case of a 
                        secondary school;
                    ``(B) in which teachers coordinate and cooperate in 
                developing and implementing curricula;
                    ``(C) in which a sense of shared leadership and 
                ownership among teachers, administrators, and staff 
                exists; and
                    ``(D) in which parents are considered a valued part 
                of the educational team.
            ``(3) Smaller learning community.--The term `smaller 
        learning community' means a cohesive unit that--
                    ``(A) exists within a larger school; and
                    ``(B) meets the requirements of subparagraphs (B) 
                through (D) of paragraph (2).

``SEC. 10996. SMALLER LEARNING COMMUNITIES.

    ``(a) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary is authorized to award 
grants to eligible applicants to enable eligible applicants to carry 
out the authorized activities described in subsection (c).
    ``(b) Applications.--Each eligible applicant desiring a grant under 
this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, 
in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary 
may require. Each such application shall describe--
            ``(1) strategies and methods the eligible applicant will 
        use to create the smaller learning community;
            ``(2) curriculum and instructional practices, including any 
        particular themes or emphases, to be used in the learning 
        environment;
            ``(3) the extent of involvement of teachers and other 
        school personnel in investigating, designing, implementing, and 
        sustaining the smaller learning community; 
            ``(4) the process to be used for involving students, 
        parents, and other stakeholders in the development and 
        implementation of the smaller learning community;
            ``(5) any cooperation or collaboration among community 
        agencies, organizations, businesses, and others to develop or 
        implement a plan to create the smaller learning community;
            ``(6) the training and professional development activities 
        that will be offered to teachers and others involved in the 
        activities assisted under this section;
            ``(7) the goals and objectives of the activities assisted 
        under this section, including a description of how such 
        activities will better enable all students to reach challenging 
        State content standards and State student performance 
        standards;
            ``(8) the methods by which the eligible applicant will 
        assess progress in meeting such goals and objectives;
            ``(9) if the smaller learning community exists as a school-
        within-a-school, the relationship, including governance and 
        administration, of the smaller learning community to the rest 
        of the school;
            ``(10) a description of the administrative and managerial 
        relationship between the eligible applicant and the smaller 
        learning community, including how such eligible applicant will 
        demonstrate a commitment to the continuity of the smaller 
        learning community, including the continuity of student and 
        teacher assignment to a particular learning community;
            ``(11) how the eligible applicant will coordinate or use 
        funds provided under this section with other funds provided 
        under this Act or other Federal laws;
            ``(12) grade levels or ages of students who will 
        participate in the smaller learning community; and
            ``(13) the method of placing students in the smaller 
        learning community, such that students are not placed according 
        to ability, performance, or any other measure, so that students 
        are placed at random or by their own choice, not pursuant to 
        testing or other judgments.
    ``(c) Authorized Activities.--Funds under this section may be 
used--
            ``(1) to study the feasibility of creating the smaller 
        learning community as well as effective and innovative 
        organizational and instructional strategies that will be used 
        in the smaller learning community;
            ``(2) to research, develop, and implement strategies for 
        creating the smaller learning community, as well as effective 
        and innovative changes in curriculum and instruction, geared to 
        high State content standards and State student performance 
        standards;
            ``(3) to provide professional development for school staff 
        in innovative teaching methods that challenge and engage 
        students and will be used in the smaller learning community; 
        and
            ``(4) to develop and implement strategies to include 
        parents, business representatives, local institutions of higher 
        education, community-based organizations, and other community 
        members in the smaller learning communities as facilitators of 
        activities that enable teachers--
                    ``(A) to participate in professional development 
                activities; and
                    ``(B) to provide links between students and their 
                community.
    ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 
and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 3 succeeding fiscal 
years.

``SEC. 10997. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

    ``(a) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary is authorized to provide 
technical assistance to eligible applicants seeking to create smaller 
learning communities in the elementary schools or secondary schools 
served by the eligible applicants.
    ``(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $1,500,000 for fiscal year 2001 
and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 3 succeeding fiscal 
years.

``SEC. 10998. SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION.

    ``(a) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary is authorized to award 
grants to eligible applicants to enable the eligible applicants to 
carry out construction described in paragraph (c), or renovation 
described in paragraph (d), of elementary schools or secondary schools.
    ``(b) Applications.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each eligible applicant desiring a grant 
        under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary 
        at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such 
        information as the Secretary may require.
            ``(2) Increasing the number of small schools and smaller 
        learning environments.--Each such application shall describe 
        how the construction or renovation assisted under this section 
        will enable more students to be educated in a small school or 
        smaller learning environment than would otherwise be possible 
        without funds made available under this section.
            ``(3) Priority.--The Secretary shall give priority to an 
        application submitted under this subsection that demonstrates--
                    ``(A) that the eligible applicant is located in an 
                area densely populated with school-aged children; or
                    ``(B) that more students will be educated in the 
                small school or smaller learning environment than would 
                otherwise be possible without funds made available 
                under this section.
    ``(c) Construction.--The Secretary shall only award grants under 
subsection (a) for construction of elementary schools or secondary 
schools that have the following maximum student capacities:
            ``(1) 350 students in the case of an elementary school.
            ``(2) 400 students in the case of a middle school.
            ``(3) 800 students in the case of a secondary school.
    ``(d) Renovation.--The Secretary shall only award a grant under 
subsection (a) for renovation of an elementary school or a secondary 
school, that has the maximum student capacity described in subsection 
(b), related to the creation of small schools, or smaller learning 
environments, within a larger school.
    ``(e) Report.--Each recipient of funds under this section shall 
provide the Secretary with an annual report that contains a capital 
budget for the construction or renovation to be assisted under this 
section. Such report shall include a description of--
            ``(1) the proposed uses for grant funds authorized under 
        this section; and
            ``(2) the actual uses of grant funds received under this 
        section in a preceding year.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2000 
and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 3 succeeding fiscal 
years.''.