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[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 622 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 622

 To strengthen families' engagement in the education of their children.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 2, 2015

 Mr. Reed (for himself, Mr. Coons, and Mr. Whitehouse) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To strengthen families' engagement in the education of their children.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Family Engagement in Education Act 
of 2015''.

SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
Sec. 3. Findings; purpose.
Sec. 4. Amendment references.
Sec. 5. Family engagement in education.
Sec. 6. State plans.
Sec. 7. Local educational agency plans.
Sec. 8. Family engagement in education policy.
Sec. 9. Prevention and intervention programs for children and youth who 
                            are neglected, delinquent, or at risk.
Sec. 10. Research and evaluation for family engagement in education.
Sec. 11. High-quality teachers and principals.
Sec. 12. Definitions.
Sec. 13. Repeal of Parental Assistance and Local Family Information 
                            Centers.
Sec. 14. Conforming amendments.
Sec. 15. Government Accountability Office study and report.

SEC. 3. FINDINGS; PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) Family engagement in a child's education raises student 
        achievement, improves behavior and attendance, decreases drop-
        out rates, and improves the emotional and physical well-being 
        of children.
            (2) Families are critical determinants of children's school 
        readiness as well as of students' decision to pursue higher 
        education.
            (3) Effective family engagement is a great equalizer for 
        students, contributing to their increased academic achievement, 
        regardless of parents' education level, ethnicity, or 
        socioeconomic background.
            (4) Research on school improvement has identified 
        meaningful partnerships with families and communities as 1 of 5 
        critical ingredients necessary to turnaround chronically low-
        performing schools.
            (5) Positive benefits for children, youth, families, and 
        schools are maximized through effective family engagement 
        that--
                    (A) is a shared responsibility in which schools and 
                other community agencies and organizations are 
                committed to reaching out to engage families in 
                meaningful ways and families are committed to actively 
                supporting their children's learning and development;
                    (B) is continuous across a child's life from birth 
                to young adulthood; and
                    (C) reinforces learning that takes place in all 
                settings.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to increase student 
success and foster school improvement by strengthening families' 
engagement in the education of their children.

SEC. 4. AMENDMENT REFERENCES.

    Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this Act an 
amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal 
of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to 
be made to a section or other provision of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.).

SEC. 5. FAMILY ENGAGEMENT IN EDUCATION.

    (a) Family Engagement and Responsibility Fund.--Title I (20 U.S.C. 
6301 et seq.) is amended by adding after section 1004 the following:

``SEC. 1005. FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND RESPONSIBILITY FUND.

    ``(a) In General.--Each State educational agency shall reserve not 
less than 0.3 percent and not more than 1 percent of such agency's 
allocated funds under section 1122 for each fiscal year for use as 
provided in subsection (b).
    ``(b) Use of Reserved Funds.--From the amounts reserved for each 
fiscal year under subsection (a), each State educational agency--
            ``(1) shall establish a Statewide Family Engagement Center 
        under section 1006;
            ``(2) shall establish at least 1 Local Family Engagement 
        Center under section 1007; and
            ``(3) may allocate any funds remaining after carrying out 
        paragraphs (1) and (2) for building State educational agency 
        capacity for family engagement activities under section 1008.
    ``(c) Special Rule.--If a State's allocation under section 1122 for 
a fiscal year is less than $60,000,000, and such State determines that 
such allocation is insufficient to establish a center of sufficient 
size and scope to meet the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2) of 
subsection (b), such State may use its allocation for activities under 
section 1008.''.
    (b) Statewide Family Engagement Centers Program.--Title I (20 
U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) is amended by adding after section 1005, as added 
by subsection (a), the following:

``SEC. 1006. STATEWIDE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT CENTERS.

    ``(a) Grants Authorized.--From the funds reserved under section 
1005, each State shall award a grant or contract to a statewide 
nonprofit organization to establish a Statewide Family Engagement 
Center to provide comprehensive training, technical assistance, and 
capacity-building to local educational agencies, organizations that 
support family-school partnerships, and other organizations that carry 
out parent education and family engagement in education programs.
    ``(b) Applications.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each statewide nonprofit organization 
        that desires a grant under this section shall submit an 
        application to the State at such time, in such manner, and 
        accompanied by such information as the State may require.
            ``(2) Contents.--Each application submitted under paragraph 
        (1) shall include, at a minimum, the following:
                    ``(A) A description of the applicant's approach to 
                family engagement in education, including the use of 
                strength-based strategies.
                    ``(B) A description of the applicant's plan for 
                improving statewide capacity for family engagement in 
                education, that includes--
                            ``(i) management capacity and governance;
                            ``(ii) statewide leadership;
                            ``(iii) systemic services for family 
                        engagement in education;
                            ``(iv) capacity-building for local 
                        educational agencies, and schools served under 
                        this title; and
                            ``(v) student learning and school 
                        improvement.
                    ``(C) A description of the applicant's experience 
                in providing training, information, and support to 
                local educational agencies, schools, and nonprofit 
                organizations on family engagement in education 
                policies and practices that are effective for low-
                income parents and families, limited English proficient 
                individuals, minorities, parents of students with 
                disabilities, parents of homeless students, foster 
                parents and students, parents of migrant students, and 
                parents of Indian and Native Hawaiian students, where 
                applicable.
                    ``(D) An assurance that the Statewide Family 
                Engagement Center will--
                            ``(i) be governed by a board of directors, 
                        the membership of which includes parents of 
                        school-aged children;
                            ``(ii) have a process for outreach and 
                        consultation with--
                                    ``(I) parents of children from 
                                birth through young adulthood;
                                    ``(II) representatives of the State 
                                parent-teacher association;
                                    ``(III) representatives of 
                                education professionals with expertise 
                                in improving services for disadvantaged 
                                children;
                                    ``(IV) representatives of local 
                                elementary schools and secondary 
                                schools, including students, 
                                disadvantaged youth, and 
                                representatives from local youth 
                                organizations; and
                                    ``(V) representatives of a State 
                                educational agency, a local educational 
                                agency, and an Indian tribe;
                            ``(iii) operate a center of sufficient 
                        size, scope, and quality to ensure that the 
                        center is adequate to serve the State 
                        educational agency, local educational agencies, 
                        and community-based organizations;
                            ``(iv) serve urban, suburban, and rural 
                        local educational agencies and schools;
                            ``(v) work with--
                                    ``(I) the State educational agency, 
                                local educational agencies (including 
                                local educational agencies receiving 
                                funds under section 7113), and schools;
                                    ``(II) Local Family Engagement 
                                Centers assisted under section 1007;
                                    ``(III) parent training and 
                                information centers and community 
                                parent resource centers assisted under 
                                sections 671 and 672 of the Individuals 
                                with Disabilities Education Act; and
                                    ``(IV) other organizations and 
                                agencies;
                            ``(vi) use not less than 20 percent of the 
                        funds received under this section in each 
                        fiscal year to establish or expand technical 
                        assistance for evidence-based early childhood 
                        parent education programs that focus on 
                        successful transition to school;
                            ``(vii) provide assistance to the State 
                        educational agency, local educational agencies, 
                        Indian tribes, and community-based 
                        organizations that support family members in 
                        areas such as assistance in understanding State 
                        and local standards and measures of student and 
                        school academic achievement and strategies for 
                        supporting school academic achievement;
                            ``(viii) work with the State educational 
                        agency, local educational agencies, Indian 
                        tribes, and schools to determine parental needs 
                        and the best means for delivery of services to 
                        address such needs; and
                            ``(ix) meet the requirements for matching 
                        funds under subsection (d).
    ``(c) Use of Funds.--A statewide nonprofit organization that 
receives a grant under this section shall use the grant funds to 
provide training, technical assistance, and capacity-building in 
coordination with the State educational agency, local educational 
agencies, Indian tribes, and organizations that support family-school 
partnerships to--
            ``(1) assist parents in participating effectively in their 
        children's education and to help their children meet State and 
        local standards, such as assisting parents--
                    ``(A) to engage in activities that will improve 
                student academic achievement, including understanding 
                how they can support learning in the classroom with 
                activities at home and in afterschool and 
                extracurricular programs;
                    ``(B) to communicate effectively with their 
                children, teachers, principals, counselors, 
                administrators, and other school personnel;
                    ``(C) to become active participants in the 
                development, implementation, and review of school-
                parent compacts, family engagement in education 
                policies, and school planning and improvement;
                    ``(D) to participate in the design and provision of 
                assistance to students who are not making adequate 
                academic progress;
                    ``(E) to participate in State and local 
                decisionmaking;
                    ``(F) to train other parents; and
                    ``(G) to help the parents learn and use technology 
                applied in their children's education;
            ``(2) assist the State educational agency in developing and 
        implementing a statewide family engagement in education policy 
        and systemic initiatives that will provide for a continuum of 
        services to remove barriers for family engagement in education 
        and support school reform efforts;
            ``(3) assist in the development, implementation, and 
        assessment of family engagement in education policies and plans 
        under sections 1112 and 1118; and
            ``(4) supplement the family engagement activities under 
        section 7115 and coordinate with the Bureau of Indian Education 
        and Indian tribes to improve family engagement in education 
        policies and programs, where applicable.
    ``(d) Matching Funds for Grant Renewal.--For each fiscal year after 
the first fiscal year for which a statewide nonprofit organization 
receives a grant under this section, the organization shall demonstrate 
in the application that a portion of the services provided by the 
organization, as determined by the State, is supported through non-
Federal contributions, which may be in cash or in-kind.
    ``(e) Submission of Information.--Each statewide nonprofit 
organization that receives a grant under this section shall submit to 
the State, on an annual basis, information on the activities it has 
carried out using grant funds received under this section, including 
reporting on metrics developed under section 1505 and reporting on the 
recommendations provided by the special advisory committee and the 
actions taken in response to such recommendations.
    ``(f) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to prohibit a Statewide Family Engagement Center from--
            ``(1) having its employees or agents meet with a parent at 
        a site that is not on school grounds; or
            ``(2) working with another agency that serves children.
    ``(g) Parental Rights.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
section--
            ``(1) no person (including a parent who educates a child at 
        home, a public school parent, or a private school parent) shall 
        be required to participate in any program of parent education 
        or developmental screening under this section; and
            ``(2) no program or center assisted under this section 
        shall take any action that infringes in any manner on the right 
        of a parent to direct the education of their children.

``SEC. 1007. LOCAL FAMILY ENGAGEMENT CENTERS PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to establish and 
operate Local Family Engagement Centers and to evaluate the usefulness 
and effectiveness of innovative approaches demonstrated by these 
centers in engaging families in their children's education by providing 
training, services, supports, and opportunities that meet families' 
needs and remove barriers to their engagement in their children's 
education to improve student achievement.
    ``(b) Grants Authorized.--From the funds reserved to carry out this 
section under section 1005(b)(2), a State educational agency shall 
award grants or enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with 
eligible entities to establish and operate Local Family Engagement 
Centers.
    ``(c) Priority.--In making grants under this section, the State 
shall give priority to eligible entities that propose to serve 
communities with the greatest need, as determined by the State.
    ``(d) Eligible Entity.--In this section, the term `eligible entity' 
means a private, nonprofit organization or Indian tribe that--
            ``(1) has a demonstrated record of working with low-income 
        parents and families in the community;
            ``(2) is located in a community with elementary schools and 
        secondary schools that receive funds under part A and is 
        accessible to families of students in those schools; and
            ``(3) is partnering with 1 or more local educational 
        agencies or 1 or more schools that receive funds under part A.
    ``(e) Application for Grants.--To receive a grant under this 
section, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the State 
educational agency at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by 
such information as the State educational agency may require, 
including--
            ``(1) a description of the entity's approach on family 
        engagement in education, including its use of strength-based 
        strategies;
            ``(2) information demonstrating that the applicant meets 
        the definition of an eligible entity;
            ``(3) information that the applicant has the capacity to 
        structure and operate a center of sufficient scope and quality 
        adequate to serve the needs of the local area in which it is 
        located;
            ``(4) a description of the entity's experience in providing 
        training, services, and support to low-income parents and 
        families, English language learners, minorities, parents of 
        students with disabilities, parents of homeless students, 
        foster parents, parents of Indian and Native Hawaiian students, 
        and parents of migrant students;
            ``(5) a description of the collaboration with the local 
        educational agency or school personnel in the area to be served 
        by the center;
            ``(6) a description of the steering committee, a majority 
        of whose members are parents of students in schools that 
        receive funds under part A, who will be targeted for services 
        by the Local Family Engagement Center, that will direct and 
        implement the activities of the Local Family Engagement Center;
            ``(7) a description of how the entity will coordinate its 
        efforts with the Statewide Family Engagement Center;
            ``(8) information that the applicant is capable of meeting 
        milestones or deadlines as the State educational agency may 
        prescribe; and
            ``(9) such other information as the State educational 
        agency determines necessary.
    ``(f) Uses of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives a grant 
under this section shall establish and operate a Local Family 
Engagement Center and use the grant funds to provide training, 
services, and supports to engage families in their children's education 
and to build the school-family partnerships necessary to ensure that 
all children are on track to graduate from high school ready for 
college and careers, such as through--
            ``(1) assisting parents and families in understanding how 
        they can improve student achievement, including how to access 
        ongoing student performance data and related information to 
        support learning in the classroom with activities at home, and 
        in afterschool and extracurricular activities;
            ``(2) assisting parents and families in supporting on-time 
        graduation, including understanding early warning indicators 
        that a student is at risk of not graduating on time;
            ``(3) assisting parents and families in understanding how 
        they can prepare their children academically, socially, and 
        financially for postsecondary education, including early 
        awareness of the availability of student financial assistance 
        and career and technical education opportunities;
            ``(4) training parents and families on effective ongoing 
        communication with their children, teachers, principals, 
        counselors, administrators, and other school personnel;
            ``(5) providing direct services to families, such as home 
        visitation, family literacy programs, and health and behavioral 
        health services to meet the needs of families and remove 
        barriers for engaging in the education of their children;
            ``(6) providing advocacy services to ensure that families 
        can fully participate in their children's education;
            ``(7) providing supports such as transportation, childcare, 
        and meals to facilitate family engagement in education in 
        programs implemented or assisted by the Center; and
            ``(8) improving the coordination, availability, and 
        effectiveness of integrated services and comprehensive supports 
        for children and families.
    ``(g) Evaluation and Annual Report.--A State educational agency 
shall--
            ``(1) evaluate the effectiveness of the grants funded under 
        this section and section 1006; and
            ``(2) issue an annual report on the implementation of such 
        grants, describing any practices the State determines to be 
        most effective or innovative for fulfilling the purposes of the 
        Local Family Engagement Centers.

``SEC. 1008. STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCY CAPACITY FOR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT 
              ACTIVITIES.

    ``Each State may use funds reserved under section 1005(b)(3) to 
support the development and implementation of the statewide family 
engagement in education plan described in section 1111(d) through 
activities such as--
            ``(1) supporting an office or staff positions within the 
        agency dedicated to family engagement in education;
            ``(2) carrying out the State's responsibilities under 
        sections 1006 and 1007;
            ``(3) developing and implementing a statewide data 
        collection and evaluation system on family engagement in 
        education metrics to identify schools that would benefit from 
        training and support related to family engagement in education;
            ``(4) reviewing local educational agencies' family 
        engagement in education policies and practices as provided by 
        sections 1112(b)(1)(P) and 1118(i), and evaluating the use of 
        funds under this section;
            ``(5) coordinating technical assistance and support to 
        local educational agencies, including local educational 
        agencies receiving funds under section 7113, with schools that 
        would benefit from training and support related to family 
        engagement in education;
            ``(6) developing curricula for professional development for 
        teachers, principals, school librarians, and other school 
        leaders on improving family engagement in education;
            ``(7) developing standards and curricula for family 
        engagement in education in partnership with teacher and 
        principal preparation programs; and
            ``(8) coordinating statewide services related to early 
        education, higher education, child health and welfare, after-
        school programs, community service-learning programs, and other 
        programs to develop coordinated family engagement in education 
        policies, practices, and services.''.
    (c) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents in section 2 of 
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 is amended by 
inserting after the item relating to section 1004 the following:

``Sec. 1005. Family engagement and responsibility fund.
``Sec. 1006. Statewide Family Engagement Centers.
``Sec. 1007. Local Family Engagement Centers Program.
``Sec. 1008. State educational agency capacity for family engagement 
                            activities.''.

SEC. 6. STATE PLANS.

    (a) In General.--Section 1111(d) (20 U.S.C. 6311(d)) is amended to 
read as follows:
    ``(d) Family Engagement.--Each State plan shall include a plan for 
strengthening family engagement in education. Each such plan shall, at 
a minimum, include--
            ``(1) a description of the State's criteria and schedule 
        for review and approval of local educational agency family 
        engagement in education policies and practices pursuant to 
        sections 1112(e)(3) and 1118(i);
            ``(2) a description of the State's system and process for 
        assessing local educational agency implementation of section 
        1118 responsibilities;
            ``(3) a description of the State's criteria for identifying 
        local educational agencies that would benefit from training and 
        support related to family engagement in education;
            ``(4) a description of the State's statewide system of 
        technical assistance and support for local educational agencies 
        and schools on family engagement in education;
            ``(5) an assurance that the State will, when applicable, 
        refer to the Statewide Family Engagement Center and the 
        applicable Local Family Engagement Center those local 
        educational agencies that would benefit from training and 
        support related to family engagement in education;
            ``(6) a description of the procedure assuring the State 
        educational agency will engage in timely, on-going, and 
        meaningful consultation with representatives of Indian tribes 
        and Native Hawaiian educational organizations located in the 
        State in the development of the State plan to serve local 
        educational agencies under its jurisdiction in order to improve 
        the coordination of activities under this Act, to meet the 
        purpose of this title, to meet the unique cultural, language, 
        and educational needs of Indian and Native Hawaiian students, 
        and to improve implementation of family engagement in education 
        programs and services for parents of Indian and Native Hawaiian 
        students;
            ``(7) a plan for using funds reserved under section 1005; 
        and
            ``(8) a description of the relationship, as applicable, 
        between the State educational agency and Statewide and Local 
        Family Engagement Centers, parent training and information 
        centers, and community parent resource centers in the State 
        established under sections 671 and 672 of the Individuals with 
        Disabilities Education Act.''.
    (b) Reports.--
            (1) Annual state report.--Section 1111(h)(4) (20 U.S.C. 
        6311(h)(4)) is amended--
                    (A) in subparagraph (F), by striking ``and'' after 
                the semicolon;
                    (B) in subparagraph (G), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting a semicolon; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(H) the number of schools and the name of each 
                school that would benefit from training and support 
                related to family engagement in education, the reason 
                why such school was so identified, and the measures 
                taken to address the need for training and support; and
                    ``(I) information on the State educational agency's 
                family engagement in education programs and 
                activities.''.
            (2) Technical assistance.--Section 1111(j) (20 U.S.C. 
        6311(j)) is amended by inserting ``the development and 
        implementation of policies and procedures for family engagement 
        in education,'' after ``reliable,''.

SEC. 7. LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY PLANS.

    (a) In General.--Section 1112(b)(1)(P) (20 U.S.C. 6312(b)(1)(P)) is 
amended to read as follows:
                    ``(P) a description of the strategy the local 
                educational agency will use to implement and assess 
                family engagement in education under section 1118;''.
    (b) Engagement in Developing Plans.--Section 1112(b)(1) (20 U.S.C. 
6312(b)(1)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subparagraph (Q) as subparagraph (T); 
        and
            (2) by inserting after subparagraph (P) the following:
                    ``(Q) a description of how the local educational 
                agency will engage families in the development, 
                implementation, and assessment of local educational 
                agency plans;
                    ``(R) a description of how the local educational 
                agency will improve teacher and principal knowledge and 
                skills in effectively engaging parents in their 
                children's education;
                    ``(S) a description of the procedure assuring the 
                local educational agency will engage in timely, on-
                going, and meaningful consultation with representatives 
                of Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian educational 
                organizations located in the area served by the local 
                educational agency in the development of the local plan 
                in order to improve the coordination of activities 
                under this Act, to meet the purpose of this title, to 
                meet the unique cultural, language, and educational 
                needs of Indian students and Native Hawaiian students, 
                and to improve implementation of family engagement in 
                education programs and services for parents of Indian 
                and Native Hawaiian students; and''.

SEC. 8. FAMILY ENGAGEMENT IN EDUCATION POLICY.

    (a) Local Educational Agency Development of Policies and 
Practices.--Section 1118 (20 U.S.C. 6318) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsections (a) through (h) as 
        subsections (b) through (i), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting before subsection (b), as redesignated by 
        paragraph (1), the following:
    ``(a) In General.--Each local educational agency and each school 
receiving funds under this part shall develop policies and practices 
for family engagement in education that meet the following principles 
and standards for family-school partnerships:
            ``(1) Welcome all families to be active participants in the 
        life of the school, so that they feel valued and connected to 
        each other, school staff, and what students are learning in 
        class.
            ``(2) Communicate effectively by ensuring regular two-way, 
        meaningful communication between family members and local 
        educational agency and school staff in a manner, language, and 
        with technology that family members can understand and access.
            ``(3) Support student success by fostering continuous 
        collaboration between family members and local educational 
        agency and school staff to support student learning and healthy 
        development at school and at home.
            ``(4) Speak up for every child and empower family members 
        to be advocates for all students within the school.
            ``(5) Ensure that family members, local educational 
        agencies, and school staff are equal partners in family 
        engagement in education decisionmaking.
            ``(6) Collaborate with community organizations and groups 
        to turn the school into a hub of community life.
            ``(7) Create a continuum of family engagement in education 
        in student learning and development from birth to young 
        adulthood.
            ``(8) Train and support superintendents, principals, and 
        teachers to fully engage families in the education of their 
        children.''.
    (b) Written Policy.--Section 1118(b)(2), as redesignated by 
subsection (a), is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``subsection (e)'' and 
        inserting ``subsection (f)'';
            (2) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (3) in subparagraph (F), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting a semicolon; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(G) participate in evaluations of the 
                effectiveness of family engagement in education 
                strategies and policies; and
                    ``(H) participate in developing recommendations for 
                creating a positive school climate and safe and healthy 
                schools.''.
    (c) Reservation.--Section 1118(b)(3)(A), as redesignated by 
subsection (a), is amended to read as follows:
                    ``(A) In general.--Each local educational agency 
                shall reserve not less than 2 percent of its allocation 
                under subpart 2 to carry out this section, except that 
                this subparagraph shall not apply if 2 percent of such 
                agency's allocation under subpart 2 for the fiscal year 
                for which the determination is made is $10,000 or 
                less.''.
    (d) Distribution.--Section 1118(b)(3)(C), as redesignated by 
subsection (a), is amended to read as follows:
                    ``(C) Distribution.--Not less than 75 percent of 
                the funds reserved under subparagraph (A) shall be 
                distributed to schools served under this part.''.
    (e) Reserved Funds.--Section 1118(b)(3), as redesignated by 
subsection (a), is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as 
        subparagraphs (C) and (D), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:
                    ``(B) Use of funds.--Funds reserved under 
                subparagraph (A) may be used for the following:
                            ``(i) Increasing capacity through 
                        establishment of a dedicated office or 
                        dedicated personnel within the local 
                        educational agency or at the school level for 
                        family engagement in education.
                            ``(ii) Supporting schools and nonprofit 
                        organizations in providing professional 
                        development on family engagement in education 
                        for school staff, parent leadership training, 
                        family literacy and numeracy programs, home 
                        visitation programs, family volunteerism 
                        programs, and other innovative programs that 
                        meaningfully engage families.
                            ``(iii) Developing and implementing local 
                        educational agency family engagement in 
                        education data-collection systems and 
                        indicators.
                            ``(iv) Providing technical assistance and 
                        training to schools on the implementation and 
                        assessment of family engagement in education 
                        policies and practices.
                            ``(v) Providing additional support to 
                        schools that have been identified for 
                        improvement under section 1116(b) to assist in 
                        their implementation of family engagement in 
                        education, including the hiring and maintenance 
                        of family engagement in education coordinators.
                            ``(vi) Partnering with the Statewide Family 
                        Engagement Center and the applicable Local 
                        Family Engagement Centers or community-based 
                        organizations to identify community resources, 
                        services, and supports to remove economic 
                        obstacles to family engagement in education by 
                        meeting families' needs.
                            ``(vii) Supporting schools and eligible 
                        entities in the development and implementation 
                        of research-based family practices in programs 
                        that emphasize the importance of family 
                        engagement in education, including--
                                    ``(I) successful transitions from 
                                early learning to kindergarten through 
                                grade 12 settings;
                                    ``(II) improved understanding of 
                                and shared responsibility for student 
                                success;
                                    ``(III) use of student and school 
                                data;
                                    ``(IV) importance of open, 
                                effective communication between schools 
                                and families;
                                    ``(V) early warning indicators that 
                                a student is at risk of not graduating 
                                on time;
                                    ``(VI) parent and community 
                                advocacy to increase parent 
                                participation; and
                                    ``(VII) improved understanding of 
                                the parents' role in academic, social, 
                                and financial preparation for 
                                postsecondary education, including 
                                career and technical education.
                            ``(viii) Assisting schools in the 
                        development, implementation, and assessment of 
                        family engagement in education plans.
                            ``(ix) Monitoring and evaluating the family 
                        engagement in education policies and practices 
                        funded under this section.
                            ``(x) Supporting other activities approved 
                        in the local educational agency's plan for 
                        improving family engagement in education.''.
    (f) School Parental Involvement Policy.--Section 1118(c)(1), as 
redesignated by subsection (a), is amended in the first sentence by 
striking ``subsections (c) through (f)'' and inserting ``subsections 
(d) through (g)''.
    (g) Shared Responsibility for High Student Academic Achievement.--
Section 1118(e), as redesignated by subsection (a), is amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
        ``subsection (b)'' and inserting ``subsection (c)''; and
            (2) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
            ``(1) describe the school's responsibility to--
                    ``(A) provide high-quality curriculum and 
                instruction in a supportive and effective learning 
                environment that enables the children served under this 
                part to meet the State's student academic achievement 
                standards, and the ways in which each parent will 
                support their children's learning, such as--
                            ``(i) monitoring attendance and homework 
                        completion;
                            ``(ii) volunteering in their child's 
                        classroom or school; and
                            ``(iii) participating, as appropriate, in 
                        decisions relating to the education of their 
                        children and positive use of extracurricular 
                        time; and
                    ``(B) engage family members in the development of 
                recommendations for student attendance, expectations, 
                behavior, and school safety, including the development 
                of reasonable disciplinary policies and behavioral 
                interventions, such as the implementation of school-
                wide positive behavior interventions and supports and 
                the phase-out of out-of-school suspension and 
                expulsion; and''.

SEC. 9. PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WHO 
              ARE NEGLECTED, DELINQUENT, OR AT RISK.

    (a) State Plan and State Agency Applications.--Section 1414 (20 
U.S.C. 6434) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' after 
                the semicolon;
                    (B) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as 
                subparagraph (D); and
                    (C) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the 
                following:
                    ``(C) that contains an assurance that each child or 
                youth serviced by the program will have a transition 
                plan developed in partnership with families and 
                aftercare providers that will place the child or youth 
                on a path to career and college readiness; and''; and
            (2) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraphs (15) through (19) 
                as paragraphs (17) through (21), respectively; and
                    (B) by inserting after paragraph (14) the 
                following:
            ``(15) describes how the State agency will implement family 
        engagement in education policies and practices that align with 
        section 1118;
            ``(16) includes an assurance that the State agency will 
        establish, for each child or youth served under this subpart, 
        an educational services and transition plan that is developed 
        in consultation with the child or youth, family members of the 
        child or youth, and the local educational agency or alternative 
        education program that will receive the child or youth 
        following their period of service under this subpart;''.
    (b) Local Educational Agency Applications.--Section 1423 (20 U.S.C. 
6453) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (9) through (13) as 
        paragraphs (11) through (15), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (8) the following:
            ``(9) a description of how schools will implement family 
        engagement in education policies and practices that align with 
        the provisions of section 1118;
            ``(10) an assurance that the local educational agency will 
        establish for each child or youth served under this subpart an 
        educational services plan that is developed in consultation 
        with the child or youth, family members of the child or youth, 
        and the local educational agency or alternative education 
        program receiving the child or youth following their period of 
        service under this subpart;''.
    (c) Program Requirements for Correctional Facilities Receiving 
Funds Under This Section.--Section 1425 (20 U.S.C. 6455) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (10), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (11) and 
        inserting a semicolon; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(12) prepare an educational services and transition plan 
        for each child or youth served by the program, in partnership 
        with families and aftercare providers, consistent with section 
        1414(a)(1)(C); and
            ``(13) establish for each child or youth residing in the 
        facility and serviced by this subpart an educational services 
        and transition plan that is developed in consultation with the 
        child or youth, family members of the child or youth, and the 
        local educational agency or alternative education program 
        receiving the child or youth following their period of service 
        under this subpart.''.

SEC. 10. RESEARCH AND EVALUATION FOR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT IN EDUCATION.

    (a) In General.--Part E of title I (20 U.S.C. 6491 et seq.) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 1505. RESEARCH AND EVALUATION FOR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT IN 
              EDUCATION.

    ``(a) Development of Metrics for Family Engagement.--Not later than 
1 year after the date of enactment of the Family Engagement in 
Education Act of 2015 the Director of the Institute of Education 
Sciences, after consultation with the advisory committee established 
under subsection (b), shall develop recommended metrics on family 
engagement in education for State educational agencies that reserve 
funds under section 1005 and local educational agencies that reserve 
funds under section 1118 and provide recommendations on the integration 
of metrics into State accountability and longitudinal data systems.
    ``(b) Advisory Committee.--The Secretary shall appoint an advisory 
committee, including researchers and representatives from national 
nonprofit organizations with expertise in family engagement in 
education, to make data-driven recommendations regarding metrics 
required under subsection (a).
    ``(c) Research for Effective Family Engagement in Education.--From 
funds appropriated to carry out this subpart, the Secretary shall 
conduct research on effective family engagement in education, including 
through awarding grants and entering into contracts with eligible 
entities. Such research may include--
            ``(1) exploratory research to discover the underlying 
        processes or components of family engagement in education 
        programs that are associated with improved education outcomes 
        for students;
            ``(2) research to--
                    ``(A) develop culturally sensitive strategies or 
                programs for improving family engagement in education; 
                and
                    ``(B) rigorously evaluate the impact of such 
                strategies or programs on students' education outcomes; 
                and
            ``(3) research to--
                    ``(A) develop professional development programs 
                intended to enable school personnel to support parental 
                involvement in education; and
                    ``(B) rigorously evaluate the impact of such 
                programs on students' education outcomes.''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents in section 2 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 1504 the following:

``Sec. 1505. Research and evaluation for family engagement in 
                            education.''.

SEC. 11. HIGH-QUALITY TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS.

    (a) State Application Contents.--Section 2112(b) (20 U.S.C. 
6612(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(13) A description of how the State educational agency 
        will improve teacher and principal knowledge and skill in 
        effectively engaging families in their children's education.''.
    (b) State Activities.--Section 2113(c) (20 U.S.C. 6613(c)) is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (12) through (18) as 
        paragraphs (13) through (19), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (11) the following:
            ``(12) Training of teachers and principals on how to 
        effectively engage families in their children's education.''.

SEC. 12. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 9101 (20 U.S.C. 7801) is amended--
            (1) by striking paragraph (32);
            (2) by redesignating paragraphs (20) through (31) as 
        paragraphs (21) through (32), respectively; and
            (3) by inserting after paragraph (19) the following:
            ``(20) Family engagement in education.--The term `family 
        engagement in education' means a shared responsibility--
                    ``(A) of families and schools for student success, 
                in which schools and community-based organizations are 
                committed to reaching out to engage families in 
                meaningful ways and families are committed to actively 
                supporting their children's learning and development; 
                and
                    ``(B) that is continuous from birth through young 
                adulthood and reinforces learning that takes place in 
                the home, school, and community.''.

SEC. 13. REPEAL OF PARENTAL ASSISTANCE AND LOCAL FAMILY INFORMATION 
              CENTERS.

    (a) In General.--Part D of title V of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7241 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) by striking subpart 16; and
            (2) by redesignating subparts 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21, as 
        subparts 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20, respectively.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents in section 2 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 is amended--
            (1) by striking the item relating to subpart 16 of part D 
        of title V;
            (2) by striking the items relating to sections 5561, 5562, 
        5563, 5564, 5565, and 5566; and
            (3) by redesignating the items relating to subparts 17, 18, 
        19, 20, and 21 of part D of title V, as subparts 16, 17, 18, 
        19, and 20 of part D of title V, respectively.

SEC. 14. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    The Act (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) is amended by striking--
            (1) ``parental involvement'' and ``parent involvement'' 
        each place the terms appear and inserting ``family engagement 
        in education'';
            (2) ``involvement of parents'' each place the term appears 
        and inserting ``engagement of families'';
            (3) ``parental information and resource center'' each place 
        the term appears and inserting ``Statewide Family Engagement 
        Center'';
            (4) ``parental information and resource centers'' each 
        place the term appears and inserting ``Statewide Family 
        Engagement Centers''; and
            (5) ``involve parents'' each place the term appears and 
        inserting ``engage families''.

SEC. 15. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE STUDY AND REPORT.

    (a) Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Comptroller General of the United 
        States shall conduct a study, and make findings and 
        recommendations relating to compliance with, and use of funds 
        made available for, section 1118 of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6318), including 
        matters specified in paragraph (2).
            (2) Inclusions.--The study shall include a review and 
        analysis of--
                    (A) the use of funds reserved by local educational 
                agencies for family engagement in education under such 
                section 1118;
                    (B) the innovative, effective, replicable, or model 
                family engagement in education policies, practices, and 
                uses of funds of State educational agencies and local 
                educational agencies determined by the Secretary of 
                Education to be in alignment with section 1118;
                    (C) any barriers to State educational agencies and 
                local educational agencies in implementing section 
                1118;
                    (D) any barriers to Indian tribes and Native 
                Hawaiian educational organizations in developing, 
                implementing, and assessing family engagement in 
                education policies and practices; and
                    (E) the use of data collection and reporting and 
                outcome and assessment systems of State educational 
                agencies and local educational agencies to determine 
                the extent to which family engagement in education is 
                implemented as described in section 1118.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall prepare 
and submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 
of the Senate and the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the 
House of Representatives a report containing the findings and 
recommendations resulting from the study conducted under this section.
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