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[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2785 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2785

 To provide grants to improve after-school interdisciplinary education 
                   programs, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 17, 2009

  Mrs. Lincoln (for herself and Mr. Franken) introduced the following 
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To provide grants to improve after-school interdisciplinary education 
                   programs, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``After-School 
Partnerships Improve Results in Education (ASPIRE) Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Purpose.
Sec. 4. Definitions.
Sec. 5. National model after-school interdisciplinary education program 
                            grants.
Sec. 6. State grants.
Sec. 7. Subgrants to eligible entities for after-school 
                            interdisciplinary education programs.
Sec. 8. Eligible entity applications.
Sec. 9. Required uses.
Sec. 10. Secretarial peer review and approval.
Sec. 11. National activities.
Sec. 12. Regulations.
Sec. 13. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 14. Limitation on authority.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) over 15,000,000 students have no place to go after 
        school hours, which is associated with high rates of juvenile 
        crime;
            (2) studies show that almost \1/3\ of all public high 
        school students in the United States fail to graduate;
            (3) high school dropouts--
                    (A) on average, earn less than high school 
                graduates; and
                    (B) are more likely than high school graduates to 
                be unemployed;
            (4) high dropout rates have a significant effect on 
        communities through--
                    (A) loss of productivity and revenues; and
                    (B) higher costs associated with incarceration, 
                health care, and social services;
            (5) students consistently cite a lack of interest in core 
        curriculum and a lack of relevancy to future careers as the 
        major reasons for dropping out of high school;
            (6) it is in the best interest of the United States to 
        ensure students are qualified to compete in the global economy;
            (7)(A) 80 percent of jobs are classified as skilled jobs; 
        and
            (B) only 32 percent of high school graduates are prepared 
        for college;
            (8) Microsoft's Bill Gates warned that American companies 
        ``face a severe shortfall of scientists and engineers with 
        expertise to develop the next generation of breakthroughs'';
            (9) business leaders have stated that a qualified workforce 
        is important to keeping jobs in the United States;
            (10) Corporate Voices for Working Families has called for 
        public and private efforts to create after-school programs in 
        which young people can develop skills for the 21st century;
            (11) opportunities for real-world learning and seeing the 
        connection between school and getting a good job improve 
        students' chances of staying in school;
            (12) students involved in after-school programs have 
        significantly higher school attendance rates, score higher on 
        mathematics and writing assessments, and are more likely to 
        graduate from high school than those who are not involved in 
        such programs;
            (13) reinforcing core curricula by integrating academic 
        work within alternative course material can lead to significant 
        improvements in student achievement and engagement, as shown by 
        the National Research Center for Career and Technical 
        Education;
            (14) after-school programs and community partnerships offer 
        youth opportunities--
                    (A) to develop social and citizenship skills; and
                    (B) to have access to a variety of mentors and role 
                models from their communities; and
            (15) after-school programs can also provide opportunities, 
        for youth who have extra time, to experience the academic 
        enrichment, career exploration, and skills development the 
        youth need to succeed.

SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to establish and expand after-school 
programs and other similar programs--
            (1) to improve middle school and high school student 
        academic achievement, overall school success, and graduation 
        rates by reinforcing core curriculum;
            (2) to increase student knowledge of, and interest in, 
        high-demand career opportunities;
            (3) to increase student engagement in learning by--
                    (A) demonstrating the means by which academic 
                content relates to career opportunities;
                    (B) providing opportunities for civic engagement 
                and service learning; and
                    (C) providing students with marketable skills; and
            (4) to provide opportunities for students to broaden 
        curricula, to expose students to learning opportunities outside 
        a core curriculum of study, and to provide opportunities for 
        students to gain credit toward high school graduation through 
        learning outside a traditional classroom.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) In general.--The terms ``local educational agency'' and 
        ``State educational agency'' have the meanings given the terms 
        in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
        of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity''--
                    (A) when used with respect to a grant awarded under 
                section 5, means a partnership that includes--
                            (i) not less than 1--
                                    (I) State educational agency; or
                                    (II) local educational agency 
                                serving a high school or middle school; 
                                and
                            (ii) not less than 1--
                                    (I) career technical student 
                                organization;
                                    (II) institution of higher 
                                education or tribal college or 
                                university;
                                    (III) nonprofit organization;
                                    (IV) community-based organization;
                                    (V) tribal organization;
                                    (VI) business; or
                                    (VII) labor union; and
                    (B) when used with respect to a subgrant awarded 
                under section 7, means a partnership that includes--
                            (i) a local educational agency that--
                                    (I) serves a high school or middle 
                                school; and
                                    (II) does not participate in a 
                                partnership that received a grant under 
                                section 5; and
                            (ii) not less than 1 of the entities 
                        described in subparagraph (A)(ii).
            (3) High school.--The term ``high school'' means a 
        secondary school as defined in section 9101 of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
            (4) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001).
            (5) National model after-school interdisciplinary education 
        program.--The term ``national model after-school 
        interdisciplinary education program'' means a high-quality, 
        multisite, after-school program that operates in not less than 
        5 States.
            (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
            (7) State.--The term ``State'' means--
                    (A) each of the several States of the United 
                States;
                    (B) the District of Columbia;
                    (C) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico;
                    (D) the United States Virgin Islands;
                    (E) Guam;
                    (F) American Samoa;
                    (G) the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
                Islands; and
                    (H) the Republic of Palau.
            (8) Struggling student.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``struggling student'' 
                means a middle school-aged or high school-aged student 
                who is not making sufficient progress toward graduating 
                from high school with a regular diploma in the standard 
                number of years.
                    (B) Inclusions.--The term ``struggling student'' 
                includes a student who--
                            (i) has been retained in a grade level; or
                            (ii) is a high school student who--
                                    (I) lacks the necessary credits or 
                                courses, as determined by the local 
                                educational agency or State educational 
                                agency serving the student, to graduate 
                                from high school with a regular diploma 
                                in the standard number of years; or
                                    (II)(aa) enters a school served by 
                                a local educational agency at grade 9 
                                or higher; and
                                    (bb) is identified by the local 
                                educational agency as--
                                            (AA) being limited English-
                                        proficient; and
                                            (BB) having experienced 
                                        interrupted formal education.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL MODEL AFTER-SCHOOL INTERDISCIPLINARY EDUCATION PROGRAM 
              GRANTS.

    (a) Authorization of Grants.--
            (1) In general.--From amounts made available under section 
        13(b)(1), the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive 
        basis, to eligible entities to enable the eligible entities to 
        establish or expand, in accordance with section 9, national 
        model after-school interdisciplinary education programs that--
                    (A) expand the knowledge base for other after-
                school interdisciplinary education programs; and
                    (B) disseminate information regarding effective 
                practices to those other programs.
            (2) Duration of grants.--Each grant awarded under this 
        section shall be--
                    (A) for a period of not less than 3 years and not 
                more than 5 years; and
                    (B) renewable, based on performance, for a period 
                of not less than 3 years and not more than 5 years.
            (3) Grant amounts.--The total amount of a grant awarded 
        under this section shall be not less than $5,000,000 for the 
        period of the grant.
            (4) Matching funds.--As a condition of receiving a grant 
        under this section, an eligible entity shall match the grant 
        amount with private funding on an equal basis.
    (b) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 
shall give priority to applications for assistance under this section 
that propose to target services to--
            (1) a high percentage of students who--
                    (A) are from low-income families;
                    (B) are struggling students; or
                    (C) attend schools located in a rural, sparsely 
                populated area; and
            (2) the families of students described in paragraph (1).

SEC. 6. STATE GRANTS.

    (a) In General.--From amounts made available under section 
13(b)(2), the Secretary shall award grants, from allotments under 
subsection (b), to States having applications approved under subsection 
(c) to enable the States to award subgrants to eligible entities under 
section 7.
    (b) Allotments.--
            (1) Formula.--
                    (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
                (B), of the amounts made available under section 
                13(b)(2) that remain after the reservation required 
                under subsection (d), the Secretary shall allot to each 
                State for each applicable fiscal year an amount that 
                bears the same relationship to that remainder as--
                            (i) the amount the State received under 
                        subpart 2 of part A of title I of the 
                        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
                        (20 U.S.C. 6331 et seq.) for the preceding 
                        fiscal year; bears to
                            (ii) the amount all States received under 
                        that subpart for the preceding fiscal year.
                    (B) Exception.--No State shall receive less than an 
                amount equal to \1/2\ of 1 percent of the total amount 
                made available to all States under this subsection.
            (2) Reallotment of unused funds.--If a State does not 
        receive an allotment under this section for a fiscal year, the 
        Secretary shall reallot the amount of the allotment of the 
        State to the remaining States in accordance with this 
        subsection.
    (c) State Application and Application Procedures.--
            (1) Application requirements.--To be eligible to receive a 
        grant under this section for any fiscal year, a State shall 
        submit to the Secretary, in such form and manner as the 
        Secretary may require, an application that--
                    (A) designates the State educational agency of the 
                State as the agency responsible for the administration 
                and supervision of programs assisted under this 
                section;
                    (B) describes the means by which the State 
                educational agency will use funds received under this 
                section, including funds reserved for State-level 
                activities;
                    (C) contains an assurance that the State 
                educational agency will award subgrants under section 7 
                only to eligible entities that propose to serve--
                            (i) a high percentage of students who--
                                    (I) are from low-income families;
                                    (II) are struggling students; or
                                    (III) attend schools located in a 
                                rural, sparsely populated area; and
                            (ii) the families of students described in 
                        clause (i);
                    (D) describes the procedures and criteria the State 
                educational agency will use for reviewing applications 
                and awarding subgrants under section 7 to eligible 
                entities on a competitive basis, which shall include 
                procedures and criteria that take into consideration 
                the likelihood that a proposed program will help 
                participating students meet local content and student 
                academic achievement standards;
                    (E) describes the means by which the State 
                educational agency will ensure that subgrants awarded 
                under section 7 are--
                            (i) of sufficient size and scope to support 
                        high-quality, effective programs that are 
                        consistent with the purpose of this Act; and
                            (ii) in amounts that are consistent with 
                        section 7(a)(4);
                    (F) describes the measures the State educational 
                agency will take to ensure that relevant programs 
                implement effective strategies, including providing 
                ongoing technical assistance and training, evaluation, 
                and dissemination of information regarding promising 
                practices;
                    (G) describes the means by which programs under 
                section 7 will be coordinated with programs under 
                section 5 and other programs as appropriate;
                    (H) contains an assurance that the State 
                educational agency will--
                            (i) award subgrants under section 7 for a 
                        period of not less than 3 years and not more 
                        than 5 years that are renewable, based on 
                        performance, for a period of not less than 3 
                        years and not more than 5 years; and
                            (ii) require each eligible entity seeking a 
                        subgrant to submit a plan describing the means 
                        by which the program funded through the 
                        subgrant will continue after funding under this 
                        Act is terminated;
                    (I) contains an assurance that funds made available 
                to carry out this section will be used to supplement, 
                and not supplant, other Federal, State, and local 
                public funds expended to provide programs and 
                activities authorized under this Act and other similar 
                programs;
                    (J) contains an assurance that the State 
                educational agency will require eligible entities to 
                describe in an application submitted under section 8 
                the means by which the transportation needs of 
                participating students will be addressed;
                    (K) contains an assurance that the State 
                application was developed in consultation and 
                coordination with--
                            (i) appropriate State officials, including 
                        the chief State school officer and the State 
                        director of career technical education;
                            (ii) other State agencies administering 
                        before- and after-school (or summer school) 
                        programs; and
                            (iii) representatives of teacher 
                        organizations, parents, students, the business 
                        community, community-based organizations, and 
                        labor unions;
                    (L) describes the results of the needs and 
                resources assessment of the State for before- and 
                after-school activities, which shall be based on the 
                results of ongoing State evaluation activities;
                    (M) describes the means by which the State 
                educational agency will evaluate the effectiveness of 
                programs and activities carried out under section 7, 
                which shall include, at a minimum--
                            (i) a description of the performance 
                        indicators and performance measures that will 
                        be used to evaluate programs and activities; 
                        and
                            (ii) public dissemination of the 
                        evaluations of programs and activities carried 
                        out under section 7; and
                    (N) provides for timely public notice of intent to 
                file an application under this subsection and an 
                assurance that the application will be available for 
                public review after submission.
            (2) Approval by secretary.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 120 days after the 
                date of receipt of an application under paragraph (1), 
                the Secretary shall approve or disapprove the 
                application.
                    (B) Deemed approval.--If the Secretary fails to 
                make a written determination that an application under 
                paragraph (1) is not in compliance with the 
                requirements of this section by the date required under 
                subparagraph (A), the application shall be considered 
                to be approved.
                    (C) Disapproval.--
                            (i) In general.--The Secretary shall not 
                        finally disapprove an application under 
                        paragraph (1) until the State is provided 
                        notice and an opportunity for a hearing 
                        regarding the application in accordance with 
                        clause (ii).
                            (ii) Notice and hearing.--If the Secretary 
                        determines that an application is not in 
                        compliance with the requirements of this 
                        section, in whole or in part, the Secretary 
                        shall provide to the State--
                                    (I) a notice of the finding of 
                                noncompliance, including--
                                            (aa) a description of the 
                                        specific provisions of the 
                                        application that are not in 
                                        compliance; and
                                            (bb) a request for 
                                        additional information (only 
                                        regarding the noncompliant 
                                        provisions) needed to make the 
                                        application compliant with the 
                                        requirements of this section; 
                                        and
                                    (II) an opportunity for a hearing 
                                regarding the application.
                    (D) Response.--
                            (i) In general.--A State shall respond, in 
                        accordance with clause (ii), to a notice from 
                        the Secretary under subparagraph (C)(i) by not 
                        later than 45 days after the date of receipt of 
                        the notice.
                            (ii) Contents.--To respond to a notice 
                        under clause (i), a State shall resubmit to the 
                        Secretary the application of the State, 
                        together with such additional information as is 
                        requested by the Secretary under subparagraph 
                        (C)(ii)(I)(bb).
                            (iii) Approval.--The Secretary shall 
                        approve or disapprove an application 
                        resubmitted under clause (ii) by not later than 
                        the later of--
                                    (I) the date that is 45 days after 
                                the date on which the State resubmits 
                                the application; and
                                    (II) the expiration of the 
                                applicable 120-day period described in 
                                subparagraph (A).
                    (E) Failure to respond.--If the State fails to 
                respond to a notification from the Secretary under 
                subparagraph (C) by the date required under 
                subparagraph (D)(i), the application of the State shall 
                be considered to be disapproved.
    (d) Reservation.--Of the amounts made available to carry out this 
section under section 13(b)(2), the Secretary shall reserve not less 
than 1 percent, but not more than 5 percent, for payment to the Bureau 
of Indian Affairs, to be allotted in accordance with the needs of the 
Bureau for assistance under this Act, as determined by the Secretary, 
to enable the Bureau to carry out the purpose of this Act.
    (e) Use of Funds.--
            (1) Subgrants.--Each State that receives a grant under this 
        section shall reserve not less than 93 percent of the amount of 
        the grant to award subgrants to eligible entities under section 
        7.
            (2) State administration.--Each State that receives a grant 
        under this section may use not more than 2 percent of the 
        amount of the grant for--
                    (A) the administrative costs of carrying out this 
                section and section 7;
                    (B) establishing and implementing a peer review 
                process for subgrant applications submitted under 
                section 7 (including consultation with other State 
                agencies responsible for administering youth 
                development programs and adult learning activities); 
                and
                    (C) supervising the awarding of subgrants to 
                eligible entities under section 7 (including 
                consultation with other State agencies responsible for 
                administering youth development programs and adult 
                learning activities).
            (3) State activities.--
                    (A) In general.--Each State that receives a grant 
                under this section may use not more than 5 percent of 
                the amount of the grant for the following activities:
                            (i) Monitoring and evaluation.--Monitoring 
                        and evaluation of programs and activities 
                        assisted under section 7.
                            (ii) Capacity building, training, and 
                        technical assistance.--Providing capacity 
                        building, training, and technical assistance 
                        under section 7.
                            (iii) Comprehensive evaluation.--
                        Comprehensive evaluation (directly or through a 
                        grant or contract) of the effectiveness of 
                        programs and activities under section 7.
                            (iv) State-level efforts and 
                        infrastructure.--Supporting State-level efforts 
                        and infrastructure to ensure the quality and 
                        availability of after-school programs.
                    (B) Reporting requirement.--Not later than 2 years 
                after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually 
                thereafter, each State using grant funds made available 
                under subparagraph (A) shall submit to the Secretary a 
                report describing how the grant funds are used.

SEC. 7. SUBGRANTS TO ELIGIBLE ENTITIES FOR AFTER-SCHOOL 
              INTERDISCIPLINARY EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

    (a) Subgrants.--
            (1) In general.--Each State that receives a grant under 
        section 6, acting through the State educational agency of the 
        State, shall use the grant funds to award subgrants to eligible 
        entities to enable the eligible entities to establish or expand 
        after-school interdisciplinary education programs in accordance 
        with section 9.
            (2) Duration of awards.--A subgrant awarded under this 
        section--
                    (A) may be for a period of not less than 3 years 
                and not more than 5 years; and
                    (B) shall be renewable, based on performance, for a 
                period of not less than 3 years and not more than 5 
                years.
            (3) Amount.--The amount of a subgrant under this section 
        shall be not less than $50,000 per fiscal year.
            (4) Priority.--
                    (A) In general.--In awarding subgrants under this 
                section, a State shall give priority to applications 
                for assistance under this section that--
                            (i) propose to serve--
                                    (I) a high percentage of students 
                                who--
                                            (aa) are from low-income 
                                        families;
                                            (bb) are struggling 
                                        students; or
                                            (cc) attend schools located 
                                        in a rural, sparsely populated 
                                        area; and
                                    (II) the families of students 
                                described in subclause (I); or
                            (ii) are submitted by an eligible entity 
                        consisting of not less than 1 local educational 
                        agency serving a middle school or high school 
                        that receives funds under part A of title I of 
                        the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
                        1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311 et seq.).
                    (B) Geographic diversity.--To the maximum extent 
                practicable, a State shall distribute subgrant funds 
                under this section equitably among geographical areas 
                within the State, including urban and rural 
                communities.
    (b) Permissive Local Match.--
            (1) Requirement.--
                    (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
                (B), a State may require an eligible entity to match 
                the amount of a subgrant awarded under this section.
                    (B) Exception.--A contribution by an eligible 
                entity under subparagraph (A) shall not--
                            (i) exceed the amount of the subgrant 
                        awarded to the eligible entity; or
                            (ii) be derived from other Federal or State 
                        funds.
            (2) Sliding scale.--The amount of a contribution by an 
        eligible entity under paragraph (1) shall be established based 
        on a sliding fee scale that takes into account--
                    (A) the relative poverty of the population targeted 
                by the eligible entity; and
                    (B) the ability of the eligible entity to obtain 
                matching funds.
            (3) In-kind contributions.--A State that requires an 
        eligible entity to match funds under this subsection shall 
        permit the eligible entity to provide all or any portion of 
        those funds in the form of in-kind contributions.
            (4) Consideration.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
        this subsection, a State shall not take into consideration the 
        ability of an eligible entity to provide sufficient matching 
        funds under this subsection in selecting eligible entities to 
        receive subgrants under this section.

SEC. 8. ELIGIBLE ENTITY APPLICATIONS.

    (a) In General.--To be eligible to receive a grant under section 5 
or a subgrant under section 7, an eligible entity shall submit to the 
Secretary or the State, as applicable, an application in such form and 
manner as the Secretary or State, as applicable, may require.
    (b) Contents.--Each application described in subsection (a) shall 
include--
            (1) a description of the programs and activities to be 
        funded using the grant or subgrant, including--
                    (A) an assurance that the programs and activities 
                will take place in a safe and easily accessible 
                facility;
                    (B) a description of how students participating in 
                the programs and activities will travel safely to and 
                from the location of the programs; and
                    (C) a description of how the eligible entity will 
                disseminate information regarding the programs and 
                activities (including the locations of the programs and 
                activities) to the community in a manner that is 
                understandable and accessible;
            (2) a description of how the programs and activities are 
        expected to meet the purpose of this Act;
            (3) an identification of Federal, State, and local programs 
        that will be combined or coordinated with the proposed programs 
        and activities to make the most effective use of public 
        resources;
            (4) an assurance that the proposed programs and activities 
        were developed, and will be carried out, in active 
        collaboration with schools attended by the students to be 
        served by the eligible entity;
            (5) a description of the means by which the programs and 
        activities will meet the principles of effectiveness described 
        in section 9(b);
            (6) an assurance that the programs and activities will 
        primarily target students from low-income families or 
        struggling students and the families of those students;
            (7) an assurance that funds provided pursuant to this Act 
        will--
                    (A) be used to increase the level of State, local, 
                and other non-Federal funds that would, in the absence 
                of funds under this Act, be made available for programs 
                and activities authorized under this Act; and
                    (B) in no case supplant any Federal, State, local, 
                or non-Federal funds;
            (8) a description of a preliminary plan for the means by 
        which the proposed programs and activities will continue after 
        funding under this Act is terminated;
            (9) an assurance that--
                    (A) the affected community will be given notice of 
                an intent to submit an application under this Act; and
                    (B) the application and any applicable waiver 
                request will be available for public review after 
                submission of the application; and
            (10) such other information and assurances as the Secretary 
        or the State, as applicable, may reasonably require.
    (c) Special Rule for Subgrant Applications.--
            (1) Approval of certain applications.--A State may approve 
        an application for a subgrant under section 7, for a program to 
        be located in a facility other than a high school, only if the 
        program will be at least as available and accessible to the 
        students to be served as if the program were located in the 
        high school.
            (2) Peer review.--In reviewing applications for a subgrant 
        under section 7, a State shall use a peer review process or 
        other method of ensuring the quality of applications, in 
        accordance with section 6(c)(1)(D).

SEC. 9. REQUIRED USES.

    (a) Required Activities.--
            (1) In general.--Each eligible entity that receives a grant 
        under section 5 or a subgrant under section 7 shall use the 
        grant or subgrant funds, as applicable, to establish or expand 
        after-school programs and activities that meet the purpose of 
        this Act, including--
                    (A) not less than 1--
                            (i) mathematics and science education 
                        activity;
                            (ii) language arts, writing, and reading 
                        activity; or
                            (iii) history, geography, or social studies 
                        activity; and
                    (B) not less than 1--
                            (i) career technical education activity;
                            (ii) business and entrepreneurial education 
                        program;
                            (iii) health and wellness activity;
                            (iv) environmental and conservation 
                        activity; or
                            (v) arts and music education activity.
            (2) Activity and program times.--In addition to after 
        school, the activities and programs described in paragraph (1) 
        may take place before school or at any other time during which 
        school is not in session, including on weekends and during 
        vacation and summer recess periods.
    (b) Principles of Effectiveness.--
            (1) In general.--Each program and activity established or 
        expanded under this Act shall meet principles of effectiveness 
        that are based on--
                    (A) an assessment of objective data regarding the 
                need for the programs and activities described in 
                subsection (a), including activities in the schools and 
                communities;
                    (B) an established set of performance measures, 
                including academic, social, and behavioral measures, 
                aimed at ensuring opportunities for high-quality 
                academic enrichment and positive youth development; and
                    (C) if appropriate, scientifically based research 
                that provides evidence that the programs or activities 
                will help students improve academic achievement, deepen 
                student engagement in learning, and promote positive 
                youth development.
            (2) Periodic evaluation.--
                    (A) In general.--Each program and activity 
                established or expanded under this Act shall be subject 
                to periodic evaluation to assess the progress made by 
                the program or activity toward achieving the goal of 
                providing high-quality opportunities for academic 
                enrichment and positive youth development.
                    (B) Use of results.--The results of evaluations 
                under subparagraph (A) shall be--
                            (i) used--
                                    (I) to refine, improve, and 
                                strengthen each program or activity so 
                                evaluated; and
                                    (II) to refine the applicable 
                                performance measures; and
                            (ii) made available to the public--
                                    (I) on request; and
                                    (II) by public notice.

SEC. 10. SECRETARIAL PEER REVIEW AND APPROVAL.

    The Secretary shall establish--
            (1) a peer-review process to assist in the review and 
        approval of grant applications submitted under section 5 and 
        State applications submitted under section 6; and
            (2) appoint to serve the peer-review process individuals 
        who are educators and experts in educational standards, 
        assessments, accountability, high school improvement, youth 
        development, dropout prevention, and other educational needs of 
        high school students.

SEC. 11. NATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

    (a) National Activities.--From amounts made available under section 
13(b)(3), the Secretary shall carry out national activities (directly 
or through grants or contracts), such as--
            (1) providing technical assistance as described in 
        subsection (b), to States or eligible entities carrying out 
        programs or activities under this Act; or
            (2) conducting a national evaluation of the effectiveness 
        of programs and activities under this Act.
    (b) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary may provide, pursuant to 
subsection (a), technical assistance to States and eligible entities 
carrying out programs and activities under this Act, such as--
            (1) conducting outreach to ensure widespread knowledge of 
        the availability of those programs and activities;
            (2) annually convening participating States, eligible 
        entities, and organizations providing support to those States 
        or eligible entities, to provide training and education 
        regarding best practices;
            (3) disseminating information regarding best practices and 
        successful program models for serving high school youth; and
            (4) providing capacity building and training to ensure 
        high-quality programming.

SEC. 12. REGULATIONS.

    The Secretary shall promulgate such regulations as the Secretary 
determines to be necessary to carry out this Act.

SEC. 13. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary such sums as may be necessary to carry 
out this Act for fiscal year 2010 and each fiscal year thereafter.
    (b) Allocations.--Of the amounts appropriated pursuant to 
subsection (b) for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall allocate for 
the fiscal year--
            (1) 40 percent for grants under section 5;
            (2) 50 percent for grants under section 6; and
            (3) 10 percent for national activities under section 11.

SEC. 14. LIMITATION ON AUTHORITY.

    Any new spending authority or new authority to enter into contracts 
provided by this Act, and under which the United States is obligated to 
make outlays, shall be effective only to the extent, and in such 
amounts, as are provided in advance in appropriations Acts.
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