sign or implementation of high-quality assessments 
in local classrooms, including— 
(A) partnering with institutions of higher 
education to train teachers in how to develop 
and utilize the assessments described in sub-
section (a)(2) and how to teach students to as-
sess their own learning; 
(B) creating the assessments described in 
subsection (a)(2) and aligning the assessments 
with State student academic achievement and 
academic content standards; 
(C) aligning local assessments across the 
State to develop a system of common assess-
ments; 
(D) designing student reports that detail 
assessment results and that can be used to in-
form classroom instruction and provide parents 
with timely information on student progress; 
and 
(E) collaborating with other State edu-
cational agencies to share information about as-
sessment 
development 
and 
implementation 
across the States. 
(2) 
RESTRICTIONS.—Grant 
funds 
received 
under this section shall— 
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(A) be used only for the development, im-
plementation, and measurement of the assess-
ments described in subsection (a)(2); and 
(B) not be used for the purchase or devel-
opment of high stakes, large scale assessments 
or for test preparation materials for high stakes 
testing. 
(e) ELIGIBLE PARTNER ENTITIES.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Each State educational 
agency that receives a grant under this section, upon 
receipt of the grant funds, may partner with an enti-
ty described in paragraph (2), in order to carry out 
the activities assisted under the grant. 
(2) ENTITIES.—An entity referred to in para-
graph (1) is— 
(A) an institution of higher education that 
has a teacher training program; 
(B) a local educational agency; and 
(C) a research institution with experience 
in designing high-quality assessments. 
(f) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, a State educational agency shall submit 
an application to the Secretary at such time, in such man-
ner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
require, including, at a minimum— 
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(1) a proposal to use the grant funds to design 
or implement the assessments described in sub-
section (a)(2); 
(2) a method for establishing an application 
process whereby local educational agencies and indi-
vidual schools can apply to receive funds provided 
under this section from the State educational agen-
cy; 
(3) a description of how the State educational 
agency plans to assess the effectiveness of the as-
sessments in raising student achievement and nar-
rowing the achievement gap among the State’s stu-
dent population; and 
(4) a description of how the State educational 
agency plans to ensure that the assessments will be 
used to improve teaching and provide detailed and 
timely feedback to students and parents. 
(g) DURATION.—A grant under this section shall be 
awarded for a period of not more than 5 fiscal years. 
(h) AWARD CONSIDERATIONS.—In awarding grants 
under this section, the Secretary shall select State edu-
cational agencies that demonstrate the greatest need for 
the grants and the greatest potential benefit from receipt 
of the grants. 
(i) REPORT AND EVALUATION.— 
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(1) STATE REPORTS.—Each State educational 
agency that receives a grant under this section shall 
submit— 
(A) an annual report to the Secretary de-
tailing how the State educational agency is 
using the grant funds and detailing ongoing 
evaluation of the design of the assessments as-
sisted under this section, the training of edu-
cators in using the assessments, and the effec-
tiveness of the assessments as measured by stu-
dent achievement and growth based on multiple 
measures of assessment; and 
(B) a comprehensive 5-year report at the 
end of the 5-year grant period including a de-
tailed analysis of— 
(i) how the grant funds were used; 
and 
(ii) the impact of the grant on student 
achievement, narrowing the achievement 
gap, and the quality of teaching, based on 
multiple measures of assessment. 
(2) FEDERAL EVALUATION AND REPORT.—Not 
later than 5 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall— 
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(A) develop and execute a plan for evalu-
ating the assessments assisted under this sec-
tion and the strategies financed under this sec-
tion; and 
(B) submit a report to Congress detailing 
how State educational agencies used the grant 
funds provided under this section, the impact of 
the grants on student achievement and teaching 
in the States, and any recommendations for im-
provements that can be made to the grant pro-
gram under this section. 
(j) AUTHORIZED AMOUNTS.—There are authorized to 
be appropriated to carry out this section $150,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012. 
SEC. 11. COMPETITIVE GRANTS FOR INCREASING CAPAC-
ITY AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL. 
(a) PURPOSES.—The purpose of this section is to as-
sist State educational agencies and local educational agen-
cies with— 
(1) building State educational agency and local 
educational agency technical capacity; and 
(2) improving technical assistance. 
(b) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary of Edu-
cation is authorized to award grants to State educational 
agencies and local educational agencies to enable the agen-
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cies to carry out the authorized activities described in sub-
section (c). 
(c) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—A State educational 
agency or local educational agency that receives a grant 
under this section shall use the funds made available 
under the grant to carry out 1 or more of the following 
activities: 
(1) Creating, maintaining, and improving State 
or local education databases that can track adequate 
yearly growth in individual students. 
(2) Implementing adequate privacy protections 
in State or local education databases. 
(3) 
Complying 
with 
the 
requirement 
to 
disaggregate 
and 
report 
data 
under 
sections 
1111(b)(2)(C), 1111(b)(3)(C)(xiii), and 1111(h) of 
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)(C), 6311(b)(3)(C)(xiii), 
6311(h)). 
(4) Developing State educational agency or 
local educational agency capacity to create account-
ability or assessment systems that contain multiple 
measures of student achievement, including state-
wide, local, formative, and performance-based assess-
ments. 
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agency and local educational agency capacity to meet 
the requirements under part A of title I of the Ele-
mentary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 6311 et seq.). 
(2) FEDERAL EVALUATION.—Not later than 5 
years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall— 
(A) develop and execute a plan for evalu-
ating the State educational agency and local 
educational agency’s capacity-building programs 
funded under this section; 
(B) submit a detailed report to Congress 
on the use of the funds provided under this sec-
tion in improving State and local education ca-
pacity; and 
(C) provide to Congress any recommenda-
tions for improvements that can be made to the 
grant program funded under this section. 
(h) AUTHORIZED AMOUNTS.—There are authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out this section $100,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012. 
Æ 
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