To improve the quality of classroom learning by empowering States to develop performance-based assessments that measure higher order thinking skills.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Improving Classroom Learning and 
Student Performance Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Performance-based assessment.--The term ``performance-
        based assessment'' means assessments that evaluate applications 
        of knowledge to real-world tasks. Such assessments are designed 
        to measure higher order thinking and performance skills.
            (2) Higher order thinking and performance skills.--The term 
        ``higher order thinking and performance skills'' means the 
        abilities to--
                    (A) frame and solve problems;
                    (B) find, evaluate, analyze, and synthesize 
                information;
                    (C) apply knowledge to new problems or situations;
                    (D) develop and test complex ideas; and
                    (E) communicate ideas or solutions proficiently in 
                oral or written form.
            (3) Multiple measures.--The term ``multiple measures'' 
        means different sources of evidence of student learning in a 
        subject or across subject areas. Such sources of evidence 
        provide multiple opportunities to demonstrate achievement, are 
        accessible to students at varying levels of proficiency, and 
        utilize different methods for demonstrating achievement.

SEC. 3. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are as follows:
            (1) To empower States to develop assessment systems that--
                    (A) are aligned with student learning standards;
                    (B) provide multiple measures of student learning, 
                including performance assessments that assess higher 
                order thinking and performance skills;
                    (C) include local assessments that provide timely, 
                diagnostic information about student learning;
                    (D) are consistent with nationally recognized 
                professional standards for test construction and test 
                use, including standards of fairness, reliability, and 
                validity;
                    (E) employ principles of universal design and use 
                appropriately designed assessments and accommodations 
                for special populations and English language learners; 
                and
                    (F) are used for purposes for which they are valid 
                and reliable.
            (2) To ensure that local assessments include common 
        assessments developed for use at the school or district level, 
        and classroom-based evidence obtained from curriculum-embedded 
        assessments. Such assessments may be used in the State 
        assessment system when they--
                    (A) assess student learning in light of content 
                standards, including higher order thinking and 
                performance skills;
                    (B) meet technical requirements of validity and 
                reliability;
                    (C) are fair and unbiased;
                    (D) include multiple sources of evidence about 
                student learning; and
                    (E) can be used to demonstrate student progress 
                toward and attainment of proficiency.

SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR PERFORMANCE-BASED ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS.

    (a) Program Established.--From funds made available to carry out 
this Act, the Secretary shall award grants to State educational 
agencies receiving funds under title I of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 that demonstrate to the satisfaction of the 
Secretary, based on peer review, that the requirements of this section 
will be met, to--
            (1) enable States (or consortia of States) to collaborate 
        with institutions of higher education, other research 
        institutions, or other organizations to improve the quality, 
        validity, and reliability of State and local academic 
        assessments, including the development or enhancement of State 
        or local performance assessments that can be used for 
        diagnostic purposes and as part of the State accountability 
        system;
            (2) enable States to develop the capacity of local 
        education agencies to validly and reliably assess student 
        academic achievement using multiple sources of evidence, 
        including school-based performance assessments; and
            (3) enable States and local districts to develop the 
        capacity of teachers and school leaders to develop, use, and 
        reliably evaluate the results of locally-administered 
        performance assessments.
    (b) Minimum Award.--Each grant under this section shall be for at 
least $5,000,000 per year.
    (c) Duration.--Each grant under this section shall be for a period 
of not more than 5 years.
    (d) Technical Assistance.--Each State receiving a grant under this 
section shall allocate at least 5 percent of the grant for technical 
assistance. The State shall use that allocation to work with 
universities or other non-profit research organizations that have 
expertise in performance assessments for assistance in the development, 
implementation, evaluation and improvement of State and local 
performance assessment systems. The universities and non-profit 
research organizations shall use the amounts to develop tools States 
can use, such as various methods for weighting indicators used in the 
assessment and improvement system or means for evaluating assessments 
systems and the consequences of their use.
    (e) Allowable Uses.--
            (1) In general.--A grant under this section may be used 
        for--
                    (A) developing, piloting, and validating 
                performance assessments that are or will be 
                incorporated into their assessment systems;
                    (B) training teachers and school leaders to score 
                such assessments; and
                    (C) developing and testing systems for auditing or 
                moderating the scoring process to ensure reliability 
                and validity of such assessments.
            (2) Subgrants.--The State may, pursuant to criteria 
        established by the State, make subgrants to local educational 
        agencies or schools to--
                    (A) develop and implement local performance 
                assessments; and
                    (B) train teachers and school leaders to score and 
                use such assessments for tracking student progress and 
                for guiding curriculum and instruction.
            (3) Formative assessments.--A State, local educational 
        agency, or school may use funds under this section to support 
        the development and implementation of formative assessments 
        that are performance-based and that enable schools to provide 
        detailed feedback to students and teachers to enable them to 
        improve their learning and teaching.
            (4) Other uses.--A State may retain a portion of the grant 
        amounts to--
                    (A) develop integrated State assessment systems 
                that incorporate and weight multiple measures, 
                including the results of periodic standardized tests 
                and State or local performance assessments;
                    (B) collaborate with other States in sharing 
                knowledge on the development and use of such systems 
                and their assessment components;
                    (C) provide assistance to local educational 
                agencies and schools in developing and implementing 
                their assessments; or
                    (D) evaluate the local assessments.
            (5) States that have already begun to develop.--A State 
        that has already begun to develop such a system is eligible 
        under this section to strengthen or expand its local 
        assessments.
    (f) Requirements.--Any State that receives funds under this section 
shall meet the following requirements:
            (1) Ensure that high-quality professional development is 
        available for educators to help develop and learn to use and 
        score the assessments.
            (2) Develop means to ensure that State and local 
        assessments are aligned to learning standards, meet 
        professional assessment standards, are unbiased, and valid for 
        the purposes for which they will be used, and are scored 
        reliably. These means shall include mechanisms for training 
        scorers and providing a process of expert review, auditing, or 
        moderation to ensure the integrity of the scoring process.
            (3) Develop means to integrate local performance assessment 
        results with those of State benchmark examinations in the State 
        accountability system for purposes of evaluating schools and 
        student progress.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section--
            (1) $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
            (2) $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
            (3) $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
            (4) $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; and
            (5) $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2012.

Summary: Improving Classroom Learning and Student Performance Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Education to award five-year grants to states that receive funds under title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to enable them to: (1) collaborate with institutions of higher education, other research institutions, and other organizations to improve the quality, validity, and reliability of state and local academic assessments, including performance assessments that evaluate the application of knowledge to real-world tasks. (2) develop the capacity of local education agencies (LEAs) to assess student academic achievement using multiple measures, including school-based performance assessments. And (3) develop, together with LEAs, the capacity of teachers and school leaders to develop, use, and reliably evaluate the results of locally-administered performance assessments. Requires state grantees to ensure that state and local assessments are aligned to learning standards, unbiased, valid for the purposes for which they are used, reliably scored, and meet professional standards.